Tilling
Player Valuation: £6m
Credit goes to Henry Trotter at the excellent everything is futbol website for all of this. I saw this over on the website and thought it was a fairly interesting read that, at the very least, explains why things went terribly against Stoke and where we can improve. Thought it was worth sharing. I've even gone and put those pictures in like all the match previews!
Everton have been as infuriating as they have been scintillating this season. On some days, Toffees supporters dream of the top four - flowing victories over Southampton (3-0), Chelsea (3-1), Sunderland (6-2) and Aston Villa (4-0) are testament to their attacking quality. Romelu Lukaku has been a revelation, scoring in 7 straight games and already reaching a career goals tally, level on 15 goals with Jamie Vardy. Gerard Deulofeu and Ross Barkley have also sparkled as prongs of a devastating attacking trident.
The Toffees’ defensive record, though, leaves them 11th with half of the season gone. Despite scoring third most goals in the Premier League (35), Everton’s 28 goals conceded is the most of the top 13. Fans may be hoping for European football with perhaps the best squad in recent memory, but ESPNFC’s Mike Goodman expects their goalscoring to drop off, while their shoddy defensive record is far from through.
I am not usually one to get riled up about tactics, but Everton’s most recent loss, where they leaked 4 goals to Stoke City at home, got me thinking about what they could do better.
The first point of discussion for any Everton fan will be the injuries. Martinez is easing Leighton Baines back into the team after a lengthy absence, but it is unlikely that Baines’ presence will ease pressure on goalkeeper Tim Howard. Brendan Galloway has actually performed competently as a deputy, with one-on-one defending a particular highlight. Baines is known for his attacking play, and while his presence will certainly bring more balance to Everton’s formation, he’s not the answer.
Phil Jagielka is a far greater miss. Everton’s captain, strong in the air and capable of organizing the defense, Jagielka provides a good foil to young John Stones; when paired with Jagielka, Stones played the role of the silky ball-playing center-back, while Jagielka provided a more physical presence. However, Jagielka’s replacement Ramiro Funes Mori is a similar player to Stones, leaving the pairing devoid of much-needed steel and aerial presence.
However, against Stoke, much more apparent was the lack of a competent left-sided midfielder, and Martinez’s inability to compensate for this.
Against Stoke, Everton set up in a 4-5-1 formation. In practice, this became a 2-5-3 when Everton went forward; Stones and Funes Mori at the back; one of the central midfielders holding at the base of midfield (so that the team could pivot around them) while the other two (usually Barkley and McCarthy/Cleverly) marauded forward. The fullbacks became wide midfielders, while Kone, Lukaku and Deulofeu went three across. Coleman sometimes took up a position in advance of Deulofeu.
Martinez’s instructions become clear once Everton has played out of defense. The front three (Deulofeu, Kone, and Lukaku) have freedom to switch positions. Furthermore, Everton are a naturally right-sided team. Seamus Coleman loves to get forward from right-back. Their right winger, Deulofeu, enjoys hugging the sideline and trying to go past defenders with skill before putting in crosses with his right foot. In contrast, their left midfielders, whether Cleverly, Naismith, or in this case Kone, are all right-footed, and cut inside to find the ball (usually running in behind Lukaku). The good news: this leads to a lot of chances! Lukaku loves to come into midfield to receive the ball, and Everton created good looks when Kone ran off of Lukaku’s shoulder (watch Kone's left-to-right run).
The bad news: this often leaves the inexperienced Galloway out on his own. In extreme cases, their interplay leaves Kone, Deulofeu and Lukaku all on the right side of the field. Sometimes Cleverly or McCarthy was able to cover, and sometimes Kone did track back to defend, but Galloway was usually stranded. Often, you see Galloway engaging with the ball defensively much higher than his counterpart Coleman.
Meanwhile, as Everton get forward, Galloway is encouraged to move into all of the space left vacant by Kone. This sometimes leads to scoring chances, but more often Galloway is caught too high up the field when Everton give the ball away, as can be seen on the second goal. Everton win possession, and the whole team looks to get forward, but a giveaway by Seamus Coleman leaves Shaqiri in behind Galloway, who already has bombed forward. Shaqiri finishes the goal brilliantly, and Arnautovic also is available for a tap-in (watch Galloway's positioning immediately after Stoke win possession). You could have seen this coming; a similar giveaway left Galloway needing to make up ground on Shaqiri earlier in the game (watch how Galloway is further out of position after the turnover).
In the worst-case scenario, Stoke switch the play quickly and get Johnson and Shaqiri 2 versus 1 against Galloway (look at the space that Johnson has to run at Galloway). Kone is late to get back and only after he recovers are Everton able to scramble away the danger.
I could make a whole gallery of times that Galloway is pulled too high (look how much space there is to sprint into on this counter!), and Kone’s desire to find the ball combined with Martinez’s free-flowing tactics leads to goals (yay!) but also a lot of open space in Everton's defense. The left side is also often unviable when moving from defense to attack, because Galloway is rarely able to pass up the line as Coleman often does.
Everton also struggle to defend as a unit. Often individuals press alone and take themselves out of the game (usually Lukaku or Deulofeu but sometimes one of the central midfielders). There also tends to be a lot of space in the hole between the midfield and the defense, which is exploited in the first goal (watch how Bojan finds a gap between the two lines of defense).
Bojan comes to the ball (as he did throughout the game) - Stones initially decides not to go with him, but when Barkley does not move to cover Bojan, Stones steps up too late. It’s clever interplay between Arnautovic and Bojan. You can see the miscommunication from Funes Mori and Galloway. Galloway tries to tell Funes Mori to mark Shaqiri, but the Argentine doesn’t hear, and when Arnautovic goes past Coleman, Galloway is out of position. It’s a nice goal, but one that top defenses would be quick to snuff out.
This movement from Bojan is typical of Stoke’s fluid attack, which Everton struggled to deal with. Everton operated with a single pivot in possession (at the base of midfield), but in defense usually resort to three midfielders straight across. This allowed Bojan, Arnautovic and Shaqiri to find space between the two defensive banks.
It seems that Martinez tried to neutralize this threat by having Galloway man-mark Shaqiri; you can see several times in the opening half that Galloway is pulled all the way into the center following Shaqiri. Galloway defended admirably when facing up the quick and powerful Shaqiri, but was caused problems when the Swiss international ran in behind, or pulled him out of position for Glen Johnson to attack.
Despite their inadequacies, there are blocks to build on for Everton. Gareth Barry, long considered a liability by Everton fans, has found a second wind this year. Barry is an competent passer, but more importantly is full of running and has a nose for danger. Having played at right back and center back throughout his career, Barry analyzes the shape of the team and is happy to stay in the defense when Stones or Coleman go forward (watch Barry fill in for Stones). Coleman is defensively stout, and Galloway has the potential to develop into a Premier League-level center back in a few years.
John Stones, meanwhile, is not nearly the finished article as he was touted over the summer; the absence of Jagielka has revealed that the young Englishman is still learning the physical side of the game. However, his ball skills are promising for Everton and England, and while Everton were opened up for the game-winning penalty, Stones does actually get the ball with a trademark inside-leg slide tackle (watch).
Everton’s defence will have easier days than it has against Stoke, but will be tested against teams that play fluidly; their next game is against Tottenham, a similar challenge. The solutions seem simple enough, but whether Martinez will have the self-awareness to address them remains to be seen.
Baines’ and Jagielka’s return to the field won’t hurt, and the need for competition for Tim Howard has been discussed by many. However, the tactical flaws in Everton’s game requires them to be more disciplined in attack and defense. They may relinquish some of their free-flowing attacking breaks, but they should consider a lite version of Pep Guardiola’s rule of thirds (described here by Thierry Henry), where the team’s shape stays stout until the final third. In this video, Henry highlights himself making the same run that Kone likes so much, but with a clear knowledge of what his positional responsibilities are should Barcelona lose possession.
Staggering the midfielders so that one is free to pick up attacking players in front of the defense ("in the hole") would protect Stones and Funes Mori from the kind of difficulties caused by Bojan.
Furthermore, the signing of a natural left-sided midfielder would do wonders for the Toffees. The long-serving Steven Pienaar has not played this season on account of injury, and Naismith and Kone do not fit the bill. A player who can participate in the fluid Everton buildup but retains a sense of defensive responsibility would bring balance to the Everton attack while also providing cover throughout the midfield.
Everton are at a crossroads this January; the top four is more open than ever, and the Toffees sit only 9 points off 4th. However, if they continue to concede goals at their current rate, mid-table mediocrity will overshadow their bright attacking play. If Martinez shows the tactical adaptability to become more rigid and pragmatic while preserving freedom in the attacking third, Everton may yet realize their much-touted potential. This is no easy task.
Everton have been as infuriating as they have been scintillating this season. On some days, Toffees supporters dream of the top four - flowing victories over Southampton (3-0), Chelsea (3-1), Sunderland (6-2) and Aston Villa (4-0) are testament to their attacking quality. Romelu Lukaku has been a revelation, scoring in 7 straight games and already reaching a career goals tally, level on 15 goals with Jamie Vardy. Gerard Deulofeu and Ross Barkley have also sparkled as prongs of a devastating attacking trident.
The Toffees’ defensive record, though, leaves them 11th with half of the season gone. Despite scoring third most goals in the Premier League (35), Everton’s 28 goals conceded is the most of the top 13. Fans may be hoping for European football with perhaps the best squad in recent memory, but ESPNFC’s Mike Goodman expects their goalscoring to drop off, while their shoddy defensive record is far from through.
I am not usually one to get riled up about tactics, but Everton’s most recent loss, where they leaked 4 goals to Stoke City at home, got me thinking about what they could do better.
The first point of discussion for any Everton fan will be the injuries. Martinez is easing Leighton Baines back into the team after a lengthy absence, but it is unlikely that Baines’ presence will ease pressure on goalkeeper Tim Howard. Brendan Galloway has actually performed competently as a deputy, with one-on-one defending a particular highlight. Baines is known for his attacking play, and while his presence will certainly bring more balance to Everton’s formation, he’s not the answer.
Phil Jagielka is a far greater miss. Everton’s captain, strong in the air and capable of organizing the defense, Jagielka provides a good foil to young John Stones; when paired with Jagielka, Stones played the role of the silky ball-playing center-back, while Jagielka provided a more physical presence. However, Jagielka’s replacement Ramiro Funes Mori is a similar player to Stones, leaving the pairing devoid of much-needed steel and aerial presence.
However, against Stoke, much more apparent was the lack of a competent left-sided midfielder, and Martinez’s inability to compensate for this.
Against Stoke, Everton set up in a 4-5-1 formation. In practice, this became a 2-5-3 when Everton went forward; Stones and Funes Mori at the back; one of the central midfielders holding at the base of midfield (so that the team could pivot around them) while the other two (usually Barkley and McCarthy/Cleverly) marauded forward. The fullbacks became wide midfielders, while Kone, Lukaku and Deulofeu went three across. Coleman sometimes took up a position in advance of Deulofeu.
Martinez’s instructions become clear once Everton has played out of defense. The front three (Deulofeu, Kone, and Lukaku) have freedom to switch positions. Furthermore, Everton are a naturally right-sided team. Seamus Coleman loves to get forward from right-back. Their right winger, Deulofeu, enjoys hugging the sideline and trying to go past defenders with skill before putting in crosses with his right foot. In contrast, their left midfielders, whether Cleverly, Naismith, or in this case Kone, are all right-footed, and cut inside to find the ball (usually running in behind Lukaku). The good news: this leads to a lot of chances! Lukaku loves to come into midfield to receive the ball, and Everton created good looks when Kone ran off of Lukaku’s shoulder (watch Kone's left-to-right run).
The bad news: this often leaves the inexperienced Galloway out on his own. In extreme cases, their interplay leaves Kone, Deulofeu and Lukaku all on the right side of the field. Sometimes Cleverly or McCarthy was able to cover, and sometimes Kone did track back to defend, but Galloway was usually stranded. Often, you see Galloway engaging with the ball defensively much higher than his counterpart Coleman.
Meanwhile, as Everton get forward, Galloway is encouraged to move into all of the space left vacant by Kone. This sometimes leads to scoring chances, but more often Galloway is caught too high up the field when Everton give the ball away, as can be seen on the second goal. Everton win possession, and the whole team looks to get forward, but a giveaway by Seamus Coleman leaves Shaqiri in behind Galloway, who already has bombed forward. Shaqiri finishes the goal brilliantly, and Arnautovic also is available for a tap-in (watch Galloway's positioning immediately after Stoke win possession). You could have seen this coming; a similar giveaway left Galloway needing to make up ground on Shaqiri earlier in the game (watch how Galloway is further out of position after the turnover).
In the worst-case scenario, Stoke switch the play quickly and get Johnson and Shaqiri 2 versus 1 against Galloway (look at the space that Johnson has to run at Galloway). Kone is late to get back and only after he recovers are Everton able to scramble away the danger.
I could make a whole gallery of times that Galloway is pulled too high (look how much space there is to sprint into on this counter!), and Kone’s desire to find the ball combined with Martinez’s free-flowing tactics leads to goals (yay!) but also a lot of open space in Everton's defense. The left side is also often unviable when moving from defense to attack, because Galloway is rarely able to pass up the line as Coleman often does.
Everton also struggle to defend as a unit. Often individuals press alone and take themselves out of the game (usually Lukaku or Deulofeu but sometimes one of the central midfielders). There also tends to be a lot of space in the hole between the midfield and the defense, which is exploited in the first goal (watch how Bojan finds a gap between the two lines of defense).
Bojan comes to the ball (as he did throughout the game) - Stones initially decides not to go with him, but when Barkley does not move to cover Bojan, Stones steps up too late. It’s clever interplay between Arnautovic and Bojan. You can see the miscommunication from Funes Mori and Galloway. Galloway tries to tell Funes Mori to mark Shaqiri, but the Argentine doesn’t hear, and when Arnautovic goes past Coleman, Galloway is out of position. It’s a nice goal, but one that top defenses would be quick to snuff out.
This movement from Bojan is typical of Stoke’s fluid attack, which Everton struggled to deal with. Everton operated with a single pivot in possession (at the base of midfield), but in defense usually resort to three midfielders straight across. This allowed Bojan, Arnautovic and Shaqiri to find space between the two defensive banks.
It seems that Martinez tried to neutralize this threat by having Galloway man-mark Shaqiri; you can see several times in the opening half that Galloway is pulled all the way into the center following Shaqiri. Galloway defended admirably when facing up the quick and powerful Shaqiri, but was caused problems when the Swiss international ran in behind, or pulled him out of position for Glen Johnson to attack.
Despite their inadequacies, there are blocks to build on for Everton. Gareth Barry, long considered a liability by Everton fans, has found a second wind this year. Barry is an competent passer, but more importantly is full of running and has a nose for danger. Having played at right back and center back throughout his career, Barry analyzes the shape of the team and is happy to stay in the defense when Stones or Coleman go forward (watch Barry fill in for Stones). Coleman is defensively stout, and Galloway has the potential to develop into a Premier League-level center back in a few years.
John Stones, meanwhile, is not nearly the finished article as he was touted over the summer; the absence of Jagielka has revealed that the young Englishman is still learning the physical side of the game. However, his ball skills are promising for Everton and England, and while Everton were opened up for the game-winning penalty, Stones does actually get the ball with a trademark inside-leg slide tackle (watch).
Everton’s defence will have easier days than it has against Stoke, but will be tested against teams that play fluidly; their next game is against Tottenham, a similar challenge. The solutions seem simple enough, but whether Martinez will have the self-awareness to address them remains to be seen.
Baines’ and Jagielka’s return to the field won’t hurt, and the need for competition for Tim Howard has been discussed by many. However, the tactical flaws in Everton’s game requires them to be more disciplined in attack and defense. They may relinquish some of their free-flowing attacking breaks, but they should consider a lite version of Pep Guardiola’s rule of thirds (described here by Thierry Henry), where the team’s shape stays stout until the final third. In this video, Henry highlights himself making the same run that Kone likes so much, but with a clear knowledge of what his positional responsibilities are should Barcelona lose possession.
Staggering the midfielders so that one is free to pick up attacking players in front of the defense ("in the hole") would protect Stones and Funes Mori from the kind of difficulties caused by Bojan.
Furthermore, the signing of a natural left-sided midfielder would do wonders for the Toffees. The long-serving Steven Pienaar has not played this season on account of injury, and Naismith and Kone do not fit the bill. A player who can participate in the fluid Everton buildup but retains a sense of defensive responsibility would bring balance to the Everton attack while also providing cover throughout the midfield.
Everton are at a crossroads this January; the top four is more open than ever, and the Toffees sit only 9 points off 4th. However, if they continue to concede goals at their current rate, mid-table mediocrity will overshadow their bright attacking play. If Martinez shows the tactical adaptability to become more rigid and pragmatic while preserving freedom in the attacking third, Everton may yet realize their much-touted potential. This is no easy task.
