Some tactical observations on the Stoke defeat...

[davek]

Nice one mate. Another thing I notice with our play is that we rarely switch the ball quickly from one side to the other to either isolate or outnumber a wing-back. Instead, we will either play ourselves into a dead end or move the ball slowly backwards and sideways by which time, the opposition has drafted in sufficient cover. Getting good numbers in the opposing penalty area is also one of our big problems. Considering we very rarely score from outside the box, it probably explains why we've scored at an average of just over a goal a game (21 goals in 20 games). Fellaini at least should be instructed to push on into scoring positions whenever possible.

Oh for a Scott Parker with the vision to spot possibilities and prompt attacks. We play very tidy football in the middle but it's also very unadventurous.

 

[Duncsheadbutt]

Good stuff as always mate...It just sums up Moyes tactical crap, I have had it upto here with him...The players have become stale playing in this formation...

 

[Dushku]

Using this pic as a frame of reference. In the second half " ^ " we had a free-kick in a very similar position. Whilst Baines and Peanuts fannied around, Seamus of Coleman had realised Stoke's 'narrowness' and was actually standing in acres of space to their right ( Just above here ' ^ ' you can see a small dark blob - HERE!). Naturally, we chose to ignore this and blasted a perfectly good opportunity wide of the keepers left hand post. Which if I recall was our only 'real' chance in the entire half - No wonder our travelling horde was so quiet yesterday

 

[MaccaBill]

Coleman did indeed move quickly up the right and wanted the free-kick played to him BUT the ref had already stated to Baines that the kick was not to be taken until he had blown his whistle. Coleman moved forward as the ref was pacing out the ten yards; Tuncay sprinted out from the centre to cover him. The space was then not avaialble when the ref finally blew to restart. So he wasn't 'ignored', he came too early as it were (oo-er).

Looking at the static, there are two options - slide it sideways to Pienaar, but he's standing still instead of looking to progress into the box (too common a feature of our central midfielders (i.e. any midfielder when 'central')) - or a [more diffciult] central ball for a sideways flick off to Pienaar - which again would require him to be on his bike. 5-a-side football basically. But no-one except Baines and Coleman get on their bikes and bust guts to get into the box. Until we start doing that centrally, committing defenders to turn and tackle in dangerous areas, we'll continue to look ponderous as we work the ball slowly wide - no-one is taking the initiative.

Distin was outstanding - I sat with the Stoke fans on the half-way - they stopped complaining about their forwards not getting past him in the second half to expressing their admiration for his performance, with audible 'Wows' of appreciation.

 

[toffeebhoy]

Coleman did indeed move quickly up the right and wanted the free-kick played to him BUT the ref had already stated to Baines that the kick was not to be taken until he had blown his whistle. Coleman moved forward as the ref was pacing out the ten yards; Tuncay sprinted out from the centre to cover him. The space was then not avaialble when the ref finally blew to restart. So he wasn't 'ignored', he came too early as it were (oo-er).

Looking at the static, there are two options - slide it sideways to Pienaar, but he's standing still instead of looking to progress into the box (too common a feature of our central midfielders (i.e. any midfielder when 'central')) - or a [more diffciult] central ball for a sideways flick off to Pienaar - which again would require him to be on his bike. 5-a-side football basically. But no-one except Baines and Coleman get on their bikes and bust guts to get into the box. Until we start doing that centrally, committing defenders to turn and tackle in dangerous areas, we'll continue to look ponderous as we work the ball slowly wide - no-one is taking the initiative.

Distin was outstanding - I sat with the Stoke fans on the half-way - they stopped complaining about their forwards not getting past him in the second half to expressing their admiration for his performance, with audible 'Wows' of appreciation.

i thought DISTIN has been one of our best players this season( that in itself is scary) but yesterday i thoiught he was muck !!! and jags was as bad as him.

they never IMHO handled the 2 lads playing up front and then when they ran into each other .........omfg

 

[uknightbreed]

i thought DISTIN has been one of our best players this season( that in itself is scary) but yesterday i thoiught he was muck !!! and jags was as bad as him.

they never IMHO handled the 2 lads playing up front and then when they ran into each other .........omfg

stoke only had 3 shots on target and at times distin was the only man capable of cutting out balls into the box. he out ran players going towards our goal and also made probing runs from the back.id say distin was actually our best performer yesterday.
jags though was a donkey.


my observations of the match.....
the major problems were ......

1. our passing players failed to get crosses in ..... arteta pienaar neville and coleman just didnt get the ball in the box. the 2 midfeild wide men looked to cut inside too much despite the fact the wings were there to be exploited (coleman to a lesser extent).

2. our forward players had there back to goal way to much. i forget the last time i saw an everton striker run on to a lobbed through ball or a direct pass through on goal.

3. we didnt shoot enough ~(~although 10 shots on target doesnt seem too bad) it seemed we were constantly trying to pass the ball around into the 6 yard box before we think of shooting.(which is why the ommision of rodwell and bily is puzzling , both have a cracking long range shot)

4. 4 no shows from top players ... arteta neville saha jags

5 formation ..... fellaini was doing all the work while arteta plodded about. why have arteta in that position if theres nothing for him to do and a loan striker up front who couldnt trap wind let alone a ball and hold it up.

6. balance from left to right and front to back was all wrong.moving coleman to rb in place of neville was the right thing to do. but to bring anichebe on wasnt and just ballsed the balance up again instantly.(arteta done his best and only work when he played wider right just before he went off - perhaps he should have gone wide to provide crosses)


can i just say that i thought moyes assesment of the match was way off the mark.

i thought we looked below our expected standard in almost every way , stoke didnt look too bothered and played with no fear at all.
the 'we dont score goals theory' isnt the full story of our downfall imo.we have only had 1 clean sheet since november , so all over the team there are issues.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

If you look at that still, it is not only Stoke that are too narrow so are we, there are no opportunities for a pass so blalt it at goal bnut it was not even on target. In the whole game did the Stoke keeper have to make any great saves?

 

[davek]

Sorry if the below sends anyone into despair!

http://theexecutionersbong.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/stoke-city-2-0-everton/

Eh mate, this feller's ripping off your stuff here: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/ever...o-paper-over-widening-cracks-100252-27923206/

You should get a namecheck at least.

Typical Echo.

 

[BlackToffee]

stoke only had 3 shots on target and at times distin was the only man capable of cutting out balls into the box. he out ran players going towards our goal and also made probing runs from the back.id say distin was actually our best performer yesterday.
jags though was a donkey.


my observations of the match.....
the major problems were ......

1. our passing players failed to get crosses in ..... arteta pienaar neville and coleman just didnt get the ball in the box. the 2 midfeild wide men looked to cut inside too much despite the fact the wings were there to be exploited (coleman to a lesser extent).

2. our forward players had there back to goal way to much. i forget the last time i saw an everton striker run on to a lobbed through ball or a direct pass through on goal.

3. we didnt shoot enough ~(~although 10 shots on target doesnt seem too bad) it seemed we were constantly trying to pass the ball around into the 6 yard box before we think of shooting.(which is why the ommision of rodwell and bily is puzzling , both have a cracking long range shot)

4. 4 no shows from top players ... arteta neville saha jags

5 formation ..... fellaini was doing all the work while arteta plodded about. why have arteta in that position if theres nothing for him to do and a loan striker up front who couldnt trap wind let alone a ball and hold it up.

6. balance from left to right and front to back was all wrong.moving coleman to rb in place of neville was the right thing to do. but to bring anichebe on wasnt and just ballsed the balance up again instantly.(arteta done his best and only work when he played wider right just before he went off - perhaps he should have gone wide to provide crosses)


can i just say that i thought moyes assesment of the match was way off the mark.

i thought we looked below our expected standard in almost every way , stoke didnt look too bothered and played with no fear at all.
the 'we dont score goals theory' isnt the full story of our downfall imo.we have only had 1 clean sheet since november , so all over the team there are issues.

God, this is scary twin brother stuff man. Al LOT more running needed to be done, and more people in the box, and quicker crosses.

I'd also note that in most games we have played, home or away, we've played like the home team forcing opponents to play a break away game.

Moyes has a dilemma of a lifetime. We are not a team punching above our weight anymore, needing to play on the break. On paper (yes I know we play on grass), we have a top 5 team. Especially with Cahill now departed and open to injury.

Moyes has to develop a play which emphasises our attacking dominance. My view, that would be 442, but whatever the formation is, it must turn dominance into threats on goal and threats on goal into actual goals.