2020/21 Carlo Ancelotti

[BlueToff]

I just don't see systems as our main problem. The best tactics in the world come unstuck when various players can't tackle and refuse to track runners. The amount of times their players had space at the edge of our box was very worrying. Who was tracking the run? Absolutely no one. The biggest culprit is Gomes who rarely tracks runners.

Of our first 11 we need to improve on Holgate, Iwobi, Gomes and can also upgrade Allan and Davies. I personally though Allan had a really bad game for us with a lack of positional discipline. It doesn't matter what your instincts are, you have to help the team and he didn't.

In terms of Holgate, my opinion is pretty clear. He is ok for squad depth as maybe a 4th or 5th CB and a second or third RB, but I don't think we can afford to have to play him regularly. He lacks ability on the ball and makes various errors through lapses of concentration. I wouldn't be against selling him at this stage.

But in short, my feeling is our problems are mentality ones, not tactical. We don't compete on the pitch and we lack desire to dig deep and outrun and outfight opponents. That's why Carlo is right to go very pragmatic and defensive. How can we possibly play expansive football with midfielders who don't track runners? We are a dream to play against if you are even half good on the transition.

It's our lack of one that does me.

You can play whatever formation you want. But you need structure - defensively and offensively - in place.

That's not the same as a formation. It's completely different. It's about building moves that any player can drop in and out of. Yes, that requires a form of confidence, composure and conviction from the players - which I know the majority of our players lack - but look at the goal the other day - it's a decently worked move and Davies injects pace and intensity to our play and we score. That can be done with whatever players you have on the pitch if attacking is ingrained into you as defending is. You don't need to be Man City to create chances, especially when our strikers (I know DCL should have done better the other day) by and large put them away.

You can say we need to upgrade Allan but we aren't going to. He's been signed for £20m by a manager who loves him and even with his age he's going to be a consistently key figure for us going forward. Yes, Holgate's not a right-back and our lack of right-back is on a certain DoF who has had two years at least to sort that position out. But in terms of the rest, the only ones that I think we'd definitely be unhappy to see in the majority of starting XIs next season are Gomes and Iwobi.

You've been banging on about mentality for years now Tim, and I agree. But... we've changed the squad so many times. Where does that mentality come from? We're mentally weak in these types of games because we keep losing them. Well, we need to change that, so the manager needs to come up with something. And the players need to do it.

We got dominated by Burnley the other day. It could have been 5 or 6. They didn't come to defend, they came to rag us all over the pitch and get a lead which they knew they'd be able to hold onto without much threat and that's exactly what they did.

 

[BlueToff]

Of course.
This is very concerning.
Which is why I was raising this at the end of last season too when we lost at home to Bournemouth and struggled in most of the other games too.

But then we beat Chelsea, Arsenal at home and win the away games we are not supposed to, it’s all a bit nuts really.

looking at that team though on Saturday, we can’t keep expecting any better than what we are seeing from the likes of Iwobi and Gomes who are the obvious 2 major flaws. It’s like playing with 9 men at times.

It's a mad season, I know.

But, let's face it, do we win all those away games if there's opposition fans at the ground, or if the fixture congestion wasn't so bad?

Same token that applies to us at home also applies there.

 

[LocalNative]

I agree with the principle. He can't be sacked really, so he's here for the long term anyway. I haven't really seen anyone saying he's doing a properly bad job to be fair, but I've said before, you won't win hearts playing this way so you you have to win points, or people really won't like it. At the moment we aren't, so they don't. I can live with us being outplayed every week if we keep nicking enough wins to cling on to the top 6, but if we keep playing like this and losing then i honestly think i'll have had enough. It's horrible to watch, and if it turns out not even to be effective then what will have been the point. I feel like Silva, Martinez etc could have made us better if they were able to sign an entirely new team, so seeing as I didn't use that excuse for them I won't use it for Ancelotti. He's doing fine at the moment, this last 10 games will decide whether I think the first 18 months of his reign has gone well or not.

I think that's a good point, actually. However, you could make a first XI out of the players signed by each manager, Silva signed 13 players across his tenure and Martinez 24. Carlo has currently brought in 5 so you'd certainly hope by his 13th and definitely by the 24th signing we'd be in a much better shape.

The football is turgid but I'm putting that down to the lack of quality and expansive players in the squad atm. If we can finish in a European position this will have been a very successful season.

 

[Jim Hopper]

I completely agree that we need to have patience and that we have quite rightly invested trust in Carlo.
However ask yourself this ( in answer to point 1 above ) ....did we have better quality players on the pitch than Burnley ? Surely the answer is yes .
And V Fulham and Newcastle ?

If you don’t go out there and win your individual battles get pushed off the ball easily and let players skin you time and time again like Coleman did against Fulham. If you stand off and don’t get stuck in, close down, win the ball or get the ball moving quickly you’re always going to struggle. Sadly we don’t have the players capable (since our better players were all available) of handling this type of opponent. The Brighton game was a great example of what can happen when all of our players are available and on form, they came here and pressed us most of the game, however we had the players in place to be able to get a foot on the ball and turn defending into attack quickly. Currently and mostly now for the season we have depended on the same chumps of last season.

 

[ToffeeTim]

It's our lack of one that does me.

You can play whatever formation you want. But you need structure - defensively and offensively - in place.

That's not the same as a formation. It's completely different. It's about building moves that any player can drop in and out of. Yes, that requires a form of confidence, composure and conviction from the players - which I know the majority of our players lack - but look at the goal the other day - it's a decently worked move and Davies injects pace and intensity to our play and we score. That can be done with whatever players you have on the pitch if attacking is ingrained into you as defending is. You don't need to be Man City to create chances, especially when our strikers (I know DCL should have done better the other day) by and large put them away.

You can say we need to upgrade Allan but we aren't going to. He's been signed for £20m by a manager who loves him and even with his age he's going to be a consistently key figure for us going forward. Yes, Holgate's not a right-back and our lack of right-back is on a certain DoF who has had two years at least to sort that position out. But in terms of the rest, the only ones that I think we'd definitely be unhappy to see in the majority of starting XIs next season are Gomes and Iwobi.

You've been banging on about mentality for years now Tim, and I agree. But... we've changed the squad so many times. Where does that mentality come from? We're mentally weak in these types of games because we keep losing them. Well, we need to change that, so the manager needs to come up with something. And the players need to do it.

We got dominated by Burnley the other day. It could have been 5 or 6. They didn't come to defend, they came to rag us all over the pitch and get a lead which they knew they'd be able to hold onto without much threat and that's exactly what they did.

Good recruitment and a good manager.

We've prioritised the technical over the physical for years now and we've lost our way as a club. This squad isn't what I see as an Everton squad because they aren't willing to do the work off the ball.

Whatever formation we put out there are at least 2 players who offer nothing off the ball. Iwobi and Gomes both offered absolutely nothing on Saturday and it's no surprise we were easy to play against. Gomes in particular just let their players run off him and didn't track runners. How is that a tactical issue?

I'm frustrated with all our midfielders on Saturday. because none of them really did their job well. Davies played well with the ball but gave away a goal. Allan was all over the place defensively and gave away a goal. Gomes was given the run around. Iwobi played well for 10 minutes then disappeared. The reality is we can upgrade all of them, but upgrading last two of those is essential.

 

[BlueToff]

Out of them players you’ve mentioned above using the Burnley game as an example how many of them possess the ability to get the ball forward a lot quicker or turn back against the wall defending into instantaneous attack? None. We haven’t been able to do that since our first opening games of the season when all of our better players were available and all fit and our football was great to watch and nobody complained, well some did over the goals we conceded.

Well then why did Carlo authorise signing them?

They can all play that way because they've shown at times this season that they can. Where a system comes into it is that to turn a team like Burnley, you need pace and width up top. Not a narrow diamond (played seemingly to accommodate Iwobi, but that left us massively exposed at the back so he changed it), without the full-backs needed or the pace in midfield (Doucoure) to give it half a chance of working.

That bit in bold - that was never, ever going to happen. It's why I was so infuriated that we didn't get a forward in last summer after letting Kean and Walcott go, with this arrogance that we'd be able to use Richarlison as our back up, when he then went and got suspended the next game and was already carrying a knock.

 

[Brisan123]

Walcott. lol

The nails were put in his coffin a long time ago

 

[Jim Hopper]

Well then why did Carlo authorise signing them?

They can all play that way because they've shown at times this season that they can. Where a system comes into it is that to turn a team like Burnley, you need pace and width up top. Not a narrow diamond (played seemingly to accommodate Iwobi, but that left us massively exposed at the back so he changed it), without the full-backs needed or the pace in midfield (Doucoure) to give it half a chance of working.

That bit in bold - that was never, ever going to happen. It's why I was so infuriated that we didn't get a forward in last summer after letting Kean and Walcott go, with this arrogance that we'd be able to use Richarlison as our back up, when he then went and got suspended the next game and was already carrying a knock.

Why did he sign the players that got injured? I’m confused? The only two players he signed that were in the starting team the other night where Allan and Godfrey all of whom have made a great impact when selected and available this season? and not sure what else they could have attributed to against Burnley?

The other performances are standard from the usual suspects. Which is why I’m not surprised we have struggled at home against sides who want it more than us this season. If we had all our better players available most of the games this season at home I would bet my life that the results mostly would be a lot different than they have been.

 

[number4.]

This is true.

But, we should still be picking up more than 4 points from 21 at home, or more than 0 points from home games v Fulham, Burnley, Newcastle and West Ham.

If I was to speculate, I would wonder if he is struggling to get his head around how marginal the gap between teams from top to bottom of the PL, which seems to be far closer than everywhere else he will have managed.

It's a new challange. He will learn, improve and solve

 

[BlueToff]

Good recruitment and a good manager.

We've prioritised the technical over the physical for years now and we've lost our way as a club. This squad isn't what I see as an Everton squad because they aren't willing to do the work off the ball.

Whatever formation we put out there are at least 2 players who offer nothing off the ball. Iwobi and Gomes both offered absolutely nothing on Saturday and it's no surprise we were easy to play against. Gomes in particular just let their players run off him and didn't track runners. How is that a tactical issue?

I'm frustrated with all our midfielders on Saturday. because none of them really did their job well. Davies played well with the ball but gave away a goal. Allan was all over the place defensively and gave away a goal. Gomes was given the run around. Iwobi played well for 10 minutes then disappeared. The reality is we can upgrade all of them, but upgrading last two of those is essential.

We have a good manager. The recruitment has been better in the last year.

Again, you've gone back to formations. I am not just talking about formations. In certain games, they have been an issue (Newcastle and Fulham away, and then the first 30 the other day). I'm talking about structure, systems of play. Moves. Moves which should be worked on in training.

We have two routes to goal, and we don't do them nearly enough. Part of that is because it relies on perfection in terms of the final ball, and another part of it is that it's actually fairly predictable. Stop Digne from crossing from deep on the touchline, stop DCL's service, by and large, unless someone else pops up like Davies did the other day (so we need to work on attacks that offer that variety). Gylfi or James not playing? Sound, they can't pass through the lines, and have no danger from shots from range.

This cannot be all on the players mate. It simply can't be. There has to be some more structure in place. We know we can do it, we've done it quite a bit this season. But we are so predictable. And it's not just on the players.

Your last par - the midfield was crap, and defensively didn't do their jobs. Again though, why is Davies not at 6? Why is Allan being told to hold when he runs about like a mad man, and his best moments came from running with the ball and attacking - something our midfield is crying out for? Iwobi did look sharp central, but the system and the way it was played with those personnel where they were behind him meant that we had to change so he went right. I don't think that's the reason he's crap - he's just crap - but still. Gomes is a lost cause at this stage, mad how good he is at passing backwards but can't pass 5 yards in front of him.

Of course we need to upgrade. But all of that doesn't mean you can't have certain things in place which sets at least a semblance of an attacking idea in motion.

 

[ToffeeTim]

We have a good manager. The recruitment has been better in the last year.

Again, you've gone back to formations. I am not just talking about formations. In certain games, they have been an issue (Newcastle and Fulham away, and then the first 30 the other day). I'm talking about structure, systems of play. Moves. Moves which should be worked on in training.

We have two routes to goal, and we don't do them nearly enough. Part of that is because it relies on perfection in terms of the final ball, and another part of it is that it's actually fairly predictable. Stop Digne from crossing from deep on the touchline, stop DCL's service, by and large, unless someone else pops up like Davies did the other day (so we need to work on attacks that offer that variety). Gylfi or James not playing? Sound, they can't pass through the lines, and have no danger from shots from range.

This cannot be all on the players mate. It simply can't be. There has to be some more structure in place. We know we can do it, we've done it quite a bit this season. But we are so predictable. And it's not just on the players.

Your last par - the midfield was crap, and defensively didn't do their jobs. Again though, why is Davies not at 6? Why is Allan being told to hold when he runs about like a mad man, and his best moments came from running with the ball and attacking - something our midfield is crying out for? Iwobi did look sharp central, but the system and the way it was played with those personnel where they were behind him meant that we had to change so he went right. I don't think that's the reason he's crap - he's just crap - but still. Gomes is a lost cause at this stage, mad how good he is at passing backwards but can't pass 5 yards in front of him.

Of course we need to upgrade. But all of that doesn't mean you can't have certain things in place which sets at least a semblance of an attacking idea in motion.

The biggest obstacle to us as an attacking force is the lack of balance. We are lopsided with nothing down the right. If we sort the right hand side we become less predictable and less easy to defend against.

That said, Holgate should not be performing as poorly as he did. The basics of football like making a good first touch and getting your head up are the same regardless of where you play on the pitch. He was just really poor.

The other issue is moving the ball quicker, that's something they all can take responsibility for. The obsession with passing backwards is infuriating but it also wouldn't happen with a full Goodison because the crowd wouldn't stand for it.

 

[Brisan123]

People will have to be patient. It's as simple as that. A cold analysis shows we had more points after 27 games than any season bar 2013/14 - and have outperformed the last three seasons by about 10 points. We've won a derby, beaten Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Leicester, made the cup quarters, and stunk the place out at home. Clearly, there is work to be done - but progress is undeniable.

The truth is we will not progress further with many of the players currently at the club. Some Evertonians seem remarkably critical of the manager who has won absolutely everything while simultaneously imagining that Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Alex Iwobi, and other consistent failures have a place in the future. In reality, if Carlo is to fail here, he will fail on his terms (by buying his own players and underachieving) or he will be allowed to fail by an executive that does not back him and will, therefore, be brought down by players who are demonstrably not good enough. Failure is guaranteed by the latter. We have an obligation to give him the tools that he needs to do his job successfully.

If he signs three or four new players in the summer and we are losing to Burnley, Newcastle, and Fulham this time next year, then he'll have nowhere to hide. But I think that highly unlikely. What I do know is that if he doesn't significantly strengthen in the summer, the evidence suggests the likes of Davies, Iwobi, and Gomes will do as they have always done: flatter to deceive.

That said, if Carlo, for whatever reason, puts too much trust in these players and fails to ruthlessly deal with them this summer, then he deserves the inevitable reputational damage that will ensue - because they will forever hole him under the bow. I expect a cull this summer. If we don't see that - and the arrival of clearly superior players - then we'll all be on the slippery slope that only ever ends with bloodletting and sackings.

Serious question
Who will buy
Iwobi
Davies
Gomes
Tosun
Siggy will be kept
Bernard (middle east ) Kenny (Celtic ) maybe but we have too much dross that nobody will buy
There are others that need to go as well .

 

[Saint Domingo]

The current situation is a bit frustrating but I think we’re finally headed in the right direction. It’s taken a long time to turn a failing outfit around but I think we’re finally getting there. It takes an awful lot of work to do the turnaround before you can power forward in the right direction though. It’s been years of squad trimming, moving out bad influences, getting better players in. Now I think we have a decent core to build on but it has to be built on. We need to keep up the habit of moving poor plyers out and getting better ones in every window. We can’t afford to add to the deadwood which we sadly did with Iwobi and Gomes.

 

[BlueToff]

Why did he sign the players that got injured? I’m confused? The only two players he signed that were in the starting team the other night where Allan and Godfrey all of whom have made a great impact when selected and available this season? and not sure what else they could have attributed to against Burnley?

The other performances are standard from the usual suspects. Which is why I’m not surprised we have struggled at home against sides who want it more than us this season. If we had all our better players available most of the games this season at home I would bet my life that the results mostly would be a lot different than they have been.

No, you said our players can't play quickly. Well, why were they signed? Is that more poor recruitment?

I think you made a poor point, so that's why I countered it. I think they've been good additions and they've shown they can play the way Carlo wants us to play.

We can't keep pinning it all on the players when we've taken 0 points against three poor sides and one side who are merely organised, at home, but in West Ham's case they basically did to us what we go and do to teams away, which fair enough, it happens.

You have to see that it isn't so black and white, or you'll be stood in the same camp I was with Martinez before falling on my sword.

I love Carlo. He's brilliant. He's doing well. But, he's had 15 months with these players, and we've signed players to play the way he wants us to. We should be getting better results than we have done against certain teams and the fact that we aren't means the responsibility is shared, just like the credit is shared for our away form, and Carlo gets the credit for attracting James etc.

We need to start seeing a semblance of an idea. A semblance of a system of play. That doesn't mean it can't be changed, but our lack of one has been shown up in matches where the onus is on us. When we can give teams the ball and be cagey - because we don't usually counter well at all, btw, a few examples aside - then it's fine. We can take that approach for one-off games and know that we have a manager who will come up with something great to get us through.

But it's our lack of a default setting to fall back on which is proving the issue. It's like the opposite to West Ham. Moyes has that default setting of organisation with a bit of attacking flair, and that gets them the points against teams we've slipped up against. On the other hand, we have that one-off style and that'll get us points we don't expect to. Issue is, we have to start finding that default, or we aren't going to be able to progress.

 

[BlueToff]

The current situation is a bit frustrating but I think we’re finally headed in the right direction. It’s taken a long time to turn a failing outfit around but I think we’re finally getting there. It takes an awful lot of work to do the turnaround before you can power forward in the right direction though. It’s been years of squad trimming, moving out bad influences, getting better players in. Now I think we have a decent core to build on but it has to be built on. We need to keep up the habit of moving poor plyers out and getting better ones in every window. We can’t afford to add to the deadwood which we sadly did with Iwobi and Gomes.

100% - but nobody with sense is disagreeing.

However, doesn't mean we can't criticise when there's issues that have been present in a plethora of other performances through the season which are still showing no signs of being corrected.

It's the management's job to correct those. You can acknowledge that while also acknowledging we need better players, and not wanting Carlo out or any nonsense like that.