2020/21 Carlo Ancelotti

[Saint Domingo]

Yeah but the reason you pay a manager 11 mill a year and tout him as one of the worlds best is to overperform with the squad. If it’s just about the quality of the squad then we may as well have Dunc in charge.
The good/best managers punch above their weight and expectation levels increase. That’s fair enough on my opinion.
People are just questioning that we should probably be doing better and picking up points through excellent tactics/game management. All we’re seeing at the moment is poor tactics, formations and baffling team selections

I think we will over perform I think we’ll be somewhere between 6-8th. I can see us being streaky this season. Some want to write the season off already though. We’re in the quarter finals of the league cup, favourable draw in the FA cup 3rd round, and we’re mid table. Nothing is written off yet.

 

[roy vernon]

Delph played the same position under Pep when City won the league.

In fairness, I could have played left back in that team and got away with it and I’m a pensioner.

 

[Egil Olsen]

They’re both very good managers who proven it over their entire careers. Because Ancelotti lost against him though people went overboard on Bielsa’s genius whilst claiming Ancelotti was past it.

Bielsa has been a legend in the football community for decades. There are few who know more football than him, and he has always been innovative. Ancelotti is of course a legend, but within the football circles there is no comparison between them: Bielsa is the curriculum, while few people care about Ancelotti.

 

[gwladysnight]

Being outworked has little to do with managers or tactics no.

Its a players responsibility to empty the tank and match the effort of their opposite number. The system isn't working but effort is a requirement for any system.

It galls me to see an Everton team ran ragged at Goodison by a hungrier team. These players don't understand the standards expected.

The teams who work the hardest though tend to have the clearest tactical approach. Leeds go man to man all over the pitch and press as a unit. Every player knows what they have to do. They are well drilled, crucially every player knows what their teammate is going to do.

Carlo plays a different formation, different personnel and the players look lost.

 

[dave n]

I think we will over perform I think we’ll be somewhere between 6-8th. I can see us being streaky this season. Some want to write the season off already though. We’re in the quarter finals of the league cup, favourable draw in the FA cup 3rd round, and we’re mid table. Nothing is written off yet.

We have spent 500 million and your happy with 6/8 and say it's an over achievement???

 

[Egil Olsen]

It's worth noting that Bielsa has been in charge of Leeds for over 2 years. He's not some new guy on the block who has come in and magically transformed them in the space of a few months. These things take time to implement - Klopp was the same, Guardiola was the same, Frank Lampard, Mourinho at Spurs, you name it. Carlo hasn't even been here a year yet and has only been able to make a couple of signings, I'm confident we will come good given time and backing. Look at how much some players have improved under his tutelage in such a short space of time - DCL, Keane, Richarlison, Coleman and even Iwobi has been playing well lately. He's not immune from criticism, nor is any manager, but ultimately we as fans have to trust his managerial pedigree and knowledge of the game when he makes the decisions he does. Having that unity around the club is a big factor in creating success as well.

I kind of get the feeling we as a fanbase have been so starved of success that we have become very reactionary to a couple of bad results and as such tend to think about wielding the axe sooner than most in a desperate attempt to get back to trophy-winning ways. Ultimately though that approach will never work, ask Watford who have been a club on the decline for the past few seasons. We need to trust the process which, again, will take some time. After all, if we can't make it work with Carlo Ancelotti then what other hope do we have?

You saw drastic changes in Leeds immediately, and there was never any doubt about what Liverpool and Manchester City were trying to do. All three coaches share a characteristic: They have a clear and detailed playing style. My question is, what is Ancelotti's philosophy?

 

[gwladysnight]

I love the sentiment but the facts don't really back up your argument. Klopp got to two finals in his first season at the RS, Guardiola won a treble in his first season at Barca, The double in his first season at Bayern at finished third in his first season at City.

The biggest problem though is that Carlo's first season is invariably his best season. He usually gets sacked in his second season. The last time he made it in to a third season was at Milan a lifetime ago.

 

[Toff33Blues99]

Delph played the same position under Pep when City won the league.

He wasn't good then neither

 

[Saint Domingo]

We have spent 500 million and your happy with 6/8 and say it's an over achievement???

Not happy. It’s just reality. Before Ancelotti we wasted all that money. The squad isn’t very good, I’d have it about the 9th best. We might overachieve a bit but it’s unrealistic to think that we’ll challenge for the titile or top 4 with this squad. It needs time and multiple windows under Ancelotti.

 

[gwladysnight]

You saw drastic changes in Leeds immediately, and there was never any doubt about what Liverpool and Manchester City were trying to do. All three coaches share a characteristic: They have a clear and detailed playing style. My question is, what is Ancelotti's philosophy?

To keep taking jobs whilst Clubs are prepared to pay him £11m a season and also employ his lad.

 

[catcherintherye]

Bielsa has been a legend in the football community for decades. There are few who know more football than him, and he has always been innovative. Ancelotti is of course a legend, but within the football circles there is no comparison between them: Bielsa is the curriculum, while few people care about Ancelotti.

I'm sorry mate, but Bielsa and Ancelotti are not comparable for how they are viewed. Look at their respective CVs. There is a reason one has won trophies in all 5 of the main leagues, including the highest honour multiple times, and one hasnt really won anything of note.

It's perfectly fine to think Bielsa would be a better coach, but their respective standings and achievements are worlds apart. Bielsa is closer to David Unsworth than Carlo Ancelotti in terms of prestige.

 

[miami]

First, it is not my expectations that Ancelotti should worry about, but those that pay his salary. My expectations are that we end up with around 60 points and that we play as a team with a clear identity. We will lose football matches, but I expect that the times we lose, we do it by playing our own game. As Wilder sa: "I'm not going to applaud, credit or reward the players because they run around. Whatever the supporters do after is up to them but for me it's a normal, natural thing to do and if they do not they will not play ".

I therefore expect Ancelotti to use players who at least manage to comply with this minimum standard. Once this is in place, which should not take too long, one should develop the game phases. How should we act as a team in the defense phase, the attack phase, the transition from defense to attack, attack to defense, etc. This requires continuous practice, and I understand that it will take time. But I feel after a year you should start to see trends, but I do not see it. Possibly it will come eventually, but so far this has disappointed me.

I do not think we should fire Ancelotti, and the club needs stability. On the other hand, I have problems with all the excuses that try to absolve Ancelotti of all responsibility. A number of legitimate questions are raised, and these are about the intensity of our game and the playing pattern. Why does he choose the same players, and give the younger players so little playing time?

Then there is the argument that he is the world's best coach because he has won so much, and we are lucky to have him. Yes, he increases Everton's reputation and he is a legendary coach. But my definition of a very good coach is a coach who makes the team perform far beyond what is expected. So if he is a very good coach, or world class, then it should be no problem to lead Everton to a top 6 position. Or accelerate the process of developing a playing style identity.

But another thesis may be that Ancelotti is not at all the champion coach that everyone thinks, but is a coach who has been lucky to lead the best teams in the world, and has performed as expected. That does not mean he is a bad coach, but he is not the almighty either. But time will tell.

Great post. I'm not looking him sacked, but so far, I'm underwhelmed. Great coaches get the best out of their players and get them Punching above their weight.

One question, does it look like our players would run through a brick wall for him? The honest answer is largely no.

Who do we blame here, the players or the manager? I say both. Players and management need to step up here.

Most of the posts on this site lately aren't negative for nothing.

 

[miami]

I'm sorry mate, but Bielsa and Ancelotti are not comparable for how they are viewed. Look at their respective CVs. There is a reason one has won trophies in all 5 of the main leagues, including the highest honour multiple times, and one hasnt really won anything of note.

It's perfectly fine to think Bielsa would be a better coach, but their respective standings and achievements are worlds apart. Bielsa is closer to David Unsworth than Carlo Ancelotti in terms of prestige.

So pep guardiola looks up to a David unsworth clone as a mentor and pioneering coach? Really?

 

[catcherintherye]

We have spent 500 million and your happy with 6/8 and say it's an over achievement???

I mean we have made a lot of sales too. Not a big fan of net spend, unless you sell a key player, which we have done on 3 or 4 occasions in that time to being money back in.

The main issue though, is we spend about 430m of that and were sat in 18th place last season. That's the reality.

Since then Carlo has brought in 4 players, spent a out 65m and taken us to the top half. In his first full season, it would be a good start if we were in the top 8.

We cant change the waste of money that went before

 

[catcherintherye]

First, it is not my expectations that Ancelotti should worry about, but those that pay his salary. My expectations are that we end up with around 60 points and that we play as a team with a clear identity. We will lose football matches, but I expect that the times we lose, we do it by playing our own game. As Wilder sa: "I'm not going to applaud, credit or reward the players because they run around. Whatever the supporters do after is up to them but for me it's a normal, natural thing to do and if they do not they will not play ".

I therefore expect Ancelotti to use players who at least manage to comply with this minimum standard. Once this is in place, which should not take too long, one should develop the game phases. How should we act as a team in the defense phase, the attack phase, the transition from defense to attack, attack to defense, etc. This requires continuous practice, and I understand that it will take time. But I feel after a year you should start to see trends, but I do not see it. Possibly it will come eventually, but so far this has disappointed me.

I do not think we should fire Ancelotti, and the club needs stability. On the other hand, I have problems with all the excuses that try to absolve Ancelotti of all responsibility. A number of legitimate questions are raised, and these are about the intensity of our game and the playing pattern. Why does he choose the same players, and give the younger players so little playing time?

Then there is the argument that he is the world's best coach because he has won so much, and we are lucky to have him. Yes, he increases Everton's reputation and he is a legendary coach. But my definition of a very good coach is a coach who makes the team perform far beyond what is expected. So if he is a very good coach, or world class, then it should be no problem to lead Everton to a top 6 position. Or accelerate the process of developing a playing style identity.

But another thesis may be that Ancelotti is not at all the champion coach that everyone thinks, but is a coach who has been lucky to lead the best teams in the world, and has performed as expected. That does not mean he is a bad coach, but he is not the almighty either. But time will tell.

It's a very thoughtful post.

My initial take though, is that where is Wilder now? Managing a team to the worst start in PL history having spent quite a bit of cash. So perhaps that's why Ancelotti takes a different tact.

On the lucky tact, why would very competent football people keep giving him a job if he added no value? Weve seen plenty of managers go to teams, and struggle. Look at Koeman at Barca now as an example. To consistently win trophies in top countries in not as easy as it looks. I'm not sure luck alone can explain it.

I do agree with 60 points being a target. I think that would be a good return. So far we are roughly on course for that as well.