David Unsworth - Temporary Manager

[orly]

Unsworth has a fixed squad - and I agree that he has to find a system that these players can fit into. However, it's an awkward squad, and I'm not sure that any manager could produce a competitive Premier League team out of it. Unsworth may have decided to set them up as 4-3-3, but would another formation have proved any better?

Neither Martinez and Koeman played 4-3-3. Martinez brought in Barry and Mccarthy to play as two defensive midfielders - and their flexibility was a great success in his first season. Koeman has continued with Schneiderlin and Gana. But many fans here disagreed; they complained that it was unnecessary to play two defensive midfielders in all games.

Look people can get into a lather about where the central three are standing (diamond! 4-2-1-3! 4-3-3!) but the fact is, it is the same setup as Koeman and Martinez both ultimately failed with.

It worked with Barry in the first season (and the best iteration of it) because Barry knew how to sit and be disciplined in that role and at that point still had the mobility to cover both sides of the defense. Nobody since - and certainly not the gruesomely overrated Gueye or Davies, let alone a raw yet willing Baningame [one of the few positives at the moment] - has shown anywhere near the discipline to play in there, and that means our awful centre backs are exposed time after time after time.

So Unsworth - U23 winning coach extraordinaire - has decided the best thing to do is select sides that leave these centrebacks even more exposed; last night's horror show of Baningame / Davies / Klassen put us 2 down, then when he decided to put Rooney even deeper (or leave him on to make his own decisions) it just got even worse.

Anyone watching the willing but limited Kenny knows he isn't going to get any effective cover from Williams, so they just play the ball on the inside of the full back. He's more one footed than Hibbo. But again, no support at all from the master tactician.

This isn't even difficult to see, because bar one moderate run under Koeman this Everton side has been setup to fail in this way since Martinez's second season. Koeman was too lazy to change it, and Unsworth isn't capable of it.

 

[Kev50]

Is that the message he will send them in training? " its ok lads we don't need to win on Sunday".

Another 4 points from a possible 9 is NOT "fine and dandy".

I said 4 points from the next two games

 

[orly]

We need someone like that Marcelino fella.

I would just like us to put out a side that makes a bit of sense, so they could come from the Japanese second division for all it matters.

 

[Kev50]

4

Are you serious?
1-5 against Atalanta at Home?
Dead rubber or not we’re crap so don’t think 4 from 9 is a gimme.
A lot of those 9 changes were highly paid new signings, wasn’t like it was a team full of no marks

4 from 6. Yes they were highly paid , that’s kinda part of he problem w have a bloated and unbalanced squaf

 

[Kev50]

Yeah wins are hugely overrated in my opinion. I am absolutely fine with us not winning games and feel we will easily get out of trouble by drawing with the teams around us.

Oh, you want wins?

 

[orly]

Oh, you want wins?

Yes please mate, could we get this passed on to Unnnnsy?

 

[miff]

4

4 from 6. Yes they were highly paid , that’s kinda part of he problem w have a bloated and unbalanced squaf

We also have a bloated and unbalanced manager

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Look people can get into a lather about where the central three are standing (diamond! 4-2-1-3! 4-3-3!) but the fact is, it is the same setup as Koeman and Martinez both ultimately failed with.

It worked with Barry in the first season (and the best iteration of it) because Barry knew how to sit and be disciplined in that role and at that point still had the mobility to cover both sides of the defense. Nobody since - and certainly not the gruesomely overrated Gueye or Davies, let alone a raw yet willing Baningame [one of the few positives at the moment] - has shown anywhere near the discipline to play in there, and that means our awful centre backs are exposed time after time after time.

So Unsworth - U23 winning coach extraordinaire - has decided the best thing to do is select sides that leave these centrebacks even more exposed; last night's horror show of Baningame / Davies / Klassen put us 2 down, then when he decided to put Rooney even deeper (or leave him on to make his own decisions) it just got even worse.

Anyone watching the willing but limited Kenny knows he isn't going to get any effective cover from Williams, so they just play the ball on the inside of the full back. He's more one footed than Hibbo. But again, no support at all from the master tactician.

This isn't even difficult to see, because bar one moderate run under Koeman this Everton side has been setup to fail in this way since Martinez's second season. Koeman was too lazy to change it, and Unsworth isn't capable of it.

I've been saying it for ages now, we should go for a flat 4-4-2

Who can't play in one of those? It's the most natural formation there is

 

[Stanley Parker]

The big question is; What is the best way out of this mess?

The current set up cannot continue much longer. But could any manager produce a competitive Premier League team out of this squad?

We can appoint a new manager as soon as we can agree terms, but we cannot sign any new players until January. And as we slip deeper into trouble, we become a less attractive destination for new players.

It is a very worrying prospect. Could the discipline of Tony Pulis really be our best hope for survival?

 

[matty1878]

The big question is; What is the best way out of this mess?

The current set up cannot continue much longer. But could any manager produce a competitive Premier League team out of this squad?

We can appoint a new manager as soon as we can agree terms, but we cannot sign any new players until January. And as we slip deeper into trouble, we become a less attractive destination for new players.

It is a very worrying prospect. Could the discipline of Tony Pulis really be our best hope for survival?

Considering the team he's just got sacked from our sliding - no

 

[orly]

I've been saying it for ages now, we should go for a flat 4-4-2

Who can't play in one of those? It's the most natural formation there is

Totally agree Mikey, and a natural formation for footballers who have played in Britain for most of their careers (like our lot) as they've played it since youth level.

It's amazing the snobbery towards it. Yes, football has moved on, but Arsenal with Henry / Bergkamp played a variation of it, and so did Man Utd with Giggs / Beckham / Yorke / Cole.

When in doubt, default to something that simple. If Rooney won't stay up front, drop him and use the infinitely less talented Calvert-Lewin and Niasse. Even Calvert-Lewin and Sandro. Or Mirallas.

Aww, Gylfi can't play out wide? Ok, two wingers in Lennon and Lookman. Dull, not inspiring, but it means Baines doesn't have to labour forward, and Kenny can actually get some cover.

Gueye and god knows who in the middle and try and get a result, get confidence, then be more expansive. We aren't Bayern or Real Madrid, we don't have the players or the point safety net to be in some sort of 4-3-3 wonder formation.

 

[Stanley Parker]

I've been saying it for ages now, we should go for a flat 4-4-2

Who can't play in one of those? It's the most natural formation there is

You may be right, but I'm not sure that a midfield 4 would be sufficient to match opposing midfields.

I know the choice is limited, but who would you play as the front two on Sunday? What confidence have you got that they could score more goals than we concede?

 

[MikeH72]

I've been saying it for ages now, we should go for a flat 4-4-2

Who can't play in one of those? It's the most natural formation there is

Our £45m superstar for one. Whose price tag has made him undroppable.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

You may be right, but I'm not sure that a midfield 4 would be sufficient to match opposing midfields.

I know the choice is limited, but who would you play as the front two on Sunday? What confidence have you got that they could score more goals than we concede?

It'd have to be a combination of DCL, Sandro Rooney with Niasse being out

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Our £45m superstar for one. Whose price tag has made him undroppable.

He'd have to go on the wing or get dropped

That or we go 4-4-1-1