The Wall - stick or twist?

[Chrismac]

The problem with the 4 CBs is it invites teams on and eventually like Leicester did they will score. We need to be able to play further up the pitch to allow the midfield to support DCL. Godfrey needs to start for me and after that fit the rest round him depending on the opposition. I hope we go Holgate Keane Godfrey Digne against Leeds. This will give us pace in the centre and strength. Mina is due a rest and after what happened against United earlier in the season I want him back in for that one.

Id be happy giving Godfrey another go at RB and keeping Mina and Keane, still not 100% on Holgate defensively or in possession.
Playing 4 CHs across the back is unbelievably backward thinking for a club that is trying to progress.
It might tighten up defensively but it kills our attacking system and doesnt get the best out of our best players.
I just dont see any progression in terms of a shape/style that we can build on. That 11 that started yesterday is a very decent side in comparison to what we've put out over the last 10 years but looked absolutely aimless.

 

[Dymak]

Id be happy giving Godfrey another go at RB and keeping Mina and Keane, still not 100% on Holgate defensively or in possession.
Playing 4 CHs across the back is unbelievably backward thinking for a club that is trying to progress.
It might tighten up defensively but it kills our attacking system and doesnt get the best out of our best players.
I just dont see any progression in terms of a shape/style that we can build on. That 11 that started yesterday is a very decent side in comparison to what we've put out over the last 10 years but looked absolutely aimless.

Are they all centre half’s, though? Or in reality, have the young Holgate and Godfrey both played at full-back on numerous occasions during their short careers?

The four CH thing is just a cheap dig from fans that don’t like the idea of Everton having a near impregnable defence, and who would much rather we pick Coleman and Digne, as they know they can run them ragged.

Nobody should care what other fans think!

 

[billyblue80]

Guessing the wall will be back Wednesday

 

[Chrismac]

Are they all centre half’s, though? Or in reality, have the young Holgate and Godfrey both played at full-back on numerous occasions during their short careers?

The four CH thing is just a cheap dig from fans that don’t like the idea of Everton having a near impregnable defence, and who would much rather we pick Coleman and Digne, as they know they can run them ragged.

Nobody should care what other fans think!

4 CHs is as much the shape we take never mind the individuals playing there.. with Godfrey at LB and Holgate at RB we are setting up with them not to go over the halfway line and not form basis of any attacking system.. its back to the wall stuff.
My take would be to always play Digne and Godfrey, and have Godfrey get up the pitch. He struggles offensively at LB as he is always needing to turn onto the right foot which takes away all links with our LW, i see him having more joy on the right as its his 'natural' side. I think we were too harsh on his performance against saints, and cant understand how we think he should be starting LB in front of the best LB in the league, but not let him start in front of our captain who's legs are completely gone on the right.

 

[Dymak]

4 CHs is as much the shape we take never mind the individuals playing there.. with Godfrey at LB and Holgate at RB we are setting up with them not to go over the halfway line and not form basis of any attacking system.. its back to the wall stuff.
My take would be to always play Digne and Godfrey, and have Godfrey get up the pitch. He struggles offensively at LB as he is always needing to turn onto the right foot which takes away all links with our LW, i see him having more joy on the right as its his 'natural' side. I think we were too harsh on his performance against saints, and cant understand how we think he should be starting LB in front of the best LB in the league, but not let him start in front of our captain who's legs are completely gone on the right.

I don’t think Digne is very good from a defensive perspective. I think he regularly gets done, even when he is back in a defensive position.

Godfrey seldom gets done at all. I wouldn’t call it ‘backs to the wall’, I’d call it top class defending.

It’s clear to me which option the opposition prefers!

 

[Chrismac]

I don’t think Digne is very good from a defensive perspective. I think he regularly gets done, even when he is back in a defensive position.

Godfrey seldom gets done at all. I wouldn’t call it ‘backs to the wall’, I’d call it top class defending. I know which option the opposition prefers!

But surely we should be leaving our mark on teams, especially those with less quality than ourselves. Atm oppo managers will be looking at us and asking how can they break us down, but i bet you theyre not putting too much emphasis on how to stop us going forward. So what we're doing is trying to contain and get a goal, typically from set pieces, smash and grab tbh.. thats the kind of set up 'smaller' teams do when facing 'bigger' teams, i dont see why we're happy regressing to that when we've financially spent money on players and coaching staff to take us forward.

 

[Dymak]

But surely we should be leaving our mark on teams, especially those with less quality than ourselves. Atm oppo managers will be looking at us and asking how can they break us down, but i bet you theyre not putting too much emphasis on how to stop us going forward. So what we're doing is trying to contain and get a goal, typically from set pieces, smash and grab tbh.. thats the kind of set up 'smaller' teams do when facing 'bigger' teams, i dont see why we're happy regressing to that when we've financially spent money on players and coaching staff to take us forward.

For me, we look at the points return and stick with what is successful in returning points! Our moves yesterday led to a grand total of zero points, and our previously stable defence being run ragged.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Are they all centre half’s, though? Or in reality, have the young Holgate and Godfrey both played at full-back on numerous occasions during their short careers?

The four CH thing is just a cheap dig from fans that don’t like the idea of Everton having a near impregnable defence, and who would much rather we pick Coleman and Digne, as they know they can run them ragged.

Nobody should care what other fans think!

Holgate and Godfrey are CBs

 

[Chrismac]

I don’t think Digne is very good from a defensive perspective. I think he

For me, we look at the points return and stick with what is successful in returning points! Our moves yesterday led to a grand total of zero points, and our previously stable defence being run ragged.

No, i get that, ive said before points win prizes. But i think we've our blinkers on if we think continuing with this system will continue to return us points at the same level. We started the season brightly but teams quickly worked us/James out, albeit we had a few injuries, so we've turned the system on its head, but it will be found out again if it hasnt already, because its not an actual system. Its backs to the wall stuff with no real idea how to evolve.

 

[Dymak]

Holgate and Godfrey are CBs

They’re also fullbacks. They’ve been fullbacks at other clubs other than Everton, and neither have surpassed the age of 24 yet.

 

[TheBigIguana]

They’re also fullbacks. They’ve been fullbacks at other clubs other than Everton, and neither have surpassed the age of 24 yet.

That's somewhat true for Holgate who did play some RB at West Brom but I don't think it is for Godfrey. Either way neither is a good fullback for me, so sure they're fullbacks, then we need to buy new fullbacks.

 

[Dymak]

@Chrismac

Should the defensive system be ‘worked out’ as you put it, then I will agree with you. But so far, it’s just led to whinging from the opposition because they can’t cope with it. It certainly isn’t something that has been worked out yet, and it has been successful in bringing in the points.

What has been worked is our weak second choice midfield, and the ease in which our weak fullbacks are run ragged. Newcastle were just the latest in a long line of clubs that have had us off with that weak midfield and weak defensive fullbacks.

 

[Dymak]

That's somewhat true for Holgate who did play some RB at West Brom but I don't think it is for Godfrey. Either way neither is a good fullback for me, so sure they're fullbacks, then we need to buy new fullbacks.

It’s not somewhat true for Holgate, it’s completely true. It’s also true for Godfrey. He was playing fullback during his youth football at Middlesbrough etc.

I can agree on upgrading Coleman, who is cack, and Holgate, simply because he can be improved upon.

But Godfrey is fire at LB imo, and should be playing there for England. Maybe there will eventually be a situation where he moves to centre half, so someone else would have to play LB.

But for now, Godfrey is by far the best LB at the club imo, and it’s suicide to have him on the bench whilst Digne gets ragged everywhere.

 

[TheBigIguana]

It’s not somewhat true for Holgate, it’s completely true. It’s also true for Godfrey. He was playing fullback during his youth football at Middlesbrough etc.

I can agree on upgrading Coleman, who is cack, and Holgate, simply because he can be improved upon.

But Godfrey is fire at LB imo, and should be playing there for England. Maybe there will eventually be a situation where he moves to centre half, so someone else would have to play LB.

But for now, Godfrey is by far the best LB at the club imo, and it’s suicide to have him on the bench whilst Digne gets ragged everywhere.

Oh during youth football. Got it.

 

[Dymak]

Oh during youth football. Got it.

And at Everton mate. You may have heard of them before? They’re a professional outfit from Merseyside in England known to play at quite a high level.