Just for anyone wondering how we set up:
Joel
Coleman Stones Browning Baines
McCarthy Cleverly Barkley
Naismith--------------McAleny
Lukaku
Joel
Coleman Stones Browning Galloway
McCarthy Cleverly Barkley
Dowell---------------McAleny
Naismith
Joel
Pennington Browning Galloway Forrester
Ledson Cleverly Barkley
Dowell--------------Mirallas
Naismith
4-3-3 with neither of the wide men playing as wingers. We had width in the form of overlapping full-backs, however.
McAleny, Naismith and Mirallas when playing on either side of the front 3 were inside forwards trying to link up with the other front men or fashion opportunities for themselves.
Dowell was interesting when he came on as he played as more of an attacking midfielders looking to craft something for a team-mate or utilise the players around him.
As for the midfield trio, it was interesting to see Cleverly being the main man. Constantly coming short for the ball and getting forward and back in equal measure. Barkley did his usual thing of picking the ball up and running at defenders certainly the more advanced of the 3 despite not being off the front man as he usually is, good to see him growing in confidence. In addition, when playing slightly deeper as he distribution seems far better, including and outside of the foot through ball which was the pass of the night. McCarthy tended to sit deeper and did the mopping up were necessary though I wouldn't say he was playing as an out and out DM, none of the 3 did which is unusual for a Martinez side.
Decent performances from the defenders, Browning in particular seems to have matured a great deal. A few balls into our box seemed to split the CB pairing at times, but I feel that's more representative of the youth and inexperience of the 3 CBs who are all 21 or younger.
