Today's set-up

[Furey1878]

There's been a common misconception that today we lined up in our usual 4-2-3-1 with Cleverly and Kone as the widemen:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Galloway
McCarthy Barry
Kone Barkley Cleverly
Lukaku​

However, we actually set up with a 4-4-2 diamond (it's even shown on the teamsheet posted on Everton's twitter). Which looked like:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Galloway
Barry
McCarthy Cleverly
Barkley
Kone Lukaku
​

The confusion arose because a lot of the time when we weren't on possession, Kone was taking a wide-right position and Cleverly was doing similar on the left. However, when on the attack Kone always took up a central role with McCarthy and Cleverly playing as wide-midfielders as the formation above suggests. This shows that we set up to switch to a sort of 4-1-4-1 out of possession:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Galloway
Barry
Kone McCarthy Barkley Cleverly
Lukaku
​

Sometimes it even looked like 4-2-3-1 as McCarthy sometimes took up position alongside Barry, rather than covering the wide positions and getting further forward like he was when we had the ball.

​

Kone and Cleverly were switched onto their opposite flanks in the 2nd half.

It was encouraging to see set-up to make up for Mirallas and Deulofeu still not being ready to start, having 2 strikers linking up and Barkley been given free reign to run at the opposition.

Hopefully we can see more of this sort of flexibility to get the best out of whoever is available on the day and to keep our opponents guessing.

 

[ilikecheese]

The Catalan Clown is too stubborn to change anything though.

 

[Toffeelover]

There's been a common misconception that today we lined up in our usual 4-2-3-1 with Cleverly and Kone as the widemen:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Galloway
McCarthy Barry
Kone Barkley Cleverly
Lukaku​

However, we actually set up with a 4-4-2 diamond (it's even shown on the teamsheet posted on Everton's twitter). Which looked like:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Galloway
Barry
McCarthy Cleverly
Barkley
Kone Lukaku
​

The confusion arose because a lot of the time when we weren't on possession, Kone was taking a wide-right position and Cleverly was doing similar on the left. However, when on the attack Kone always took up a central role with McCarthy and Cleverly playing as wide-midfielders as the formation above suggests. This shows that we set up to switch to a sort of 4-1-4-1 out of possession:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Galloway
Barry
Kone McCarthy Barkley Cleverly
Lukaku
​

Sometimes it even looked like 4-2-3-1 as McCarthy sometimes took up position alongside Barry, rather than covering the wide positions and getting further forward like he was when we had the ball.

​

Kone and Cleverly were switched onto their opposite flanks in the 2nd half.

It was encouraging to see set-up to make up for Mirallas and Deulofeu still not being ready to start, having 2 strikers linking up and Barkley been given free reign to run at the opposition.

Hopefully we can see more of this sort of flexibility to get the best out of whoever is available on the day and to keep our opponents guessing.

In today's game it seems that some note was taken of Barkley's best position, centre and he had a good game, best for a while. For me he seems to have been the key in this game.

 

[4737carlin]

Winning set up, i am of the opinion that starting eleven has to start next weekend against City.

 

[Kendall's Dream]

Cleverley had a great game. Barkley even better. Martinez's tactics were spot on

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Yeah it was definitely a diamond set up in midfield that's why there was so much space for them to attack down the flanks at Coleman and Galloway. Kone clearly gave their defenders more to think about than just Lukaku, which free'd up more space, and Barkley had more space to run into as the defenders got dragged about by both.

I like it myself and when Baines is fit it will give him plenty of room to operate in further forward.

Lukaku and Barkley both clearly had great games but the hard work and positions Kone and Cleverley took up enabled them to shine. Today felt a lot like the Martinez of his first season to me, being brave and trying to exploit the oppositions weakness while helping out star players shine.

 

[Kendall's Dream]

Yeah it was definitely a diamond set up in midfield that's why there was so much space for them to attack down the flanks at Coleman and Galloway. Kone clearly gave their defenders more to think about than just Lukaku, which free'd up more space, and Barkley had more space to run into as the defenders got dragged about by both.

I like it myself and when Baines is fit it will give him plenty of room to operate in further forward.

Lukaku and Barkley both clearly had great games but the hard work and positions Kone and Cleverley took up enabled them to shine. Today felt a lot like the Martinez of his first season to me, being brave and trying to exploit the oppositions weakness while helping out star players shine.

Spot on. We never saw the Everton of today in the league once last season. Just got to carry this on. Win against City and Spurs with new signings could give us so much momentum, fingers crossed ay.

 

[The Equaliser]

Hopefully we can see more of this sort of flexibility to get the best out of whoever is available on the day and to keep our opponents guessing.

It's amazing what results can be achieved from being tactically flexible rather than predictable.

 

[Elong]

Formations.

Grass density.

@Bryan

 

[Deleted member 28206]

*kills self

 

[Fresh Prince of Belle Val]

Winning set up, i am of the opinion that starting eleven has to start next weekend against City.

Yes. It would send out the wrong message to make any changes.

 

[royalblue66]

It's amazing what results can be achieved from being tactically flexible rather than predictable.

And sometimes it's possible to stumble on a winning formula.

 

[AndyC]

And sometimes it's possible to stumble on a winning formula.

Fingers crossed we don't lose or misinterpret that winning formula.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

In today's game it seems that some note was taken of Barkley's best position, centre and he had a good game, best for a while. For me he seems to have been the key in this game.

I actually thought Kone was the key to the game, Lukaku just looked a different player with Kone taking some of the weight of his shoulders, even last week when Kone came on him and Lukaku linked up really well before he was taken off.

 

[Toffeelover]

I actually thought Kone was the key to the game, Lukaku just looked a different player with Kone taking some of the weight of his shoulders, even last week when Kone came on him and Lukaku linked up really well.

Well that is why one can ask who was MOTM, there will be a few different answers.