Everton play like 'Stoke'

[Allezfan]

I think we have the balance about right. Having a long ball option in Fellaini in essence acts as a foil and gives us more space to play our short game as defenders track back to cover him and Jelavic. Both styles work together.

Yeah, I agree. It's why I like Fellaini in his current position because it means our defenders under pressure can play that long ball and we have a decent chance of winning it and getting it to the midfielders who can play the short passing stuff much better then Jags and co.

 

[ANDYEFC95]

I'm not trying to say long balls all the time I'm just saying there a great asset to have when your playing everton do have a good mix in there play but I don't have a problem with them

 

[Elong]

Yeah, I agree. It's why I like Fellaini in his current position because it means our defenders under pressure can play that long ball and we have a decent chance of winning it and getting it to the midfielders who can play the short passing stuff much better then Jags and co.

May be our best option for now. I still reckon Fellaini is better in the midfield with Gibson, but until we get someone like Rooney or Messi playing in the CAM we will have to use what we have. Those star players create their own space without the long ball option and draw defenders to them.

 

[manxtoffee]

Your on about barca getting pressed high up the field that means the whole of the opposition team is higher up the pitch so if they had a quick striker standing on the last man a long ball over the top for him to run on too would be ideal for a chance at goal but they would rather give it to the keeper

Yeah pretty much that.
Anyway, I remember Fuglypool got handed a lesson in long ball by Vinny, Fash, Wise & the rest of the crazy gang many moons ago. Haha, I laughed my tits off that day.

 

[Allezfan]

Agreed but only if that possession is in the right areas, Swansea and now Liverpool can have all the possession they like at the back, it is not going to win games against teams who play a high line and pressure the ball high up the pitch. Teams that are able to play the long/direct ball (even if it is their only tactic) should have more chance of winning than the former, if they play it well of course.

Sure but that's the best of two ****ty scenarios.

There's a bloke called Charles Reep who recorded statistitcs of every game football played at a decent level from 1960 to 1990 and something like 80% of all moves were five passes and under and yet only 60% of goals were scored that way. The long ball too often just gives posession to the other team, against a well organised defence you need the intelligence and the movement of the players to pull them this way and that and find space for the striker.

Getting the ball into the box works better than hanging around in your own area of course, you're right there, but pienaar running into the box with the ball at his feet is infinitely more dangerous then a jags hoof landing there.

 

[ANDYEFC95]

What do you think is more likely though? That every single manager in the world just gets their tactics wrong when playing posession football or it's simply more effective?

No long ball team has ever dominated at the top level. It's an inefective tactic.

Sure but that's the best of two ****ty scenarios.

There's a bloke called Charles Reep who recorded statistitcs of every game football played at a decent level from 1960 to 1990 and something like 80% of all moves were five passes and under and yet only 60% of goals were scored that way. The long ball too often just gives posession to the other team, against a well organised defence you need the intelligence and the movement of the players to pull them this way and that and find space for the striker.

Getting the ball into the box works better than hanging around in your own area of course, you're right there, but pienaar running into the box with the ball at his feet is infinitely more dangerous then a jags hoof landing there.

I agree with that mate love watching everton because they mix it up pienaar and baines link up is a great thing to watch but what I'm saying is that I'd rather watch direct atacking with more long balls than watching the team keep the ball In there own half for ages as football is good when teams attack not hold onto the ball just for the sake of it

 

[steken1]

I'm not trying to say long balls all the time I'm just saying there a great asset to have when your playing everton do have a good mix in there play but I don't have a problem with them

From your first post I thought you were basically saying just get it in the mixer.

I agree with what you say^^^^^^^^. Especially in the PL being able to adopt three or four different styles in the one game is a brilliant asset to have.

The one style thats massive in this league is fast counter attacking play IMO. As most teams carry an aerial, physical threat up top CB's need to be built to cope with that. It leaves a lot of them open to the counter. We've never really done it well as we never had pace in the side til recently.

Hopefully it'll become another string to our bow.

 

[noharmdone]

From your first post I thought you were basically saying just get it in the mixer.

Thats the one..

 

[Allezfan]

I agree with that mate love watching everton because they mix it up pienaar and baines link up is a great thing to watch but what I'm saying is that I'd rather watch direct atacking with more long balls than watching the team keep the ball In there own half for ages as football is good when teams attack not hold onto the ball just for the sake of it

Yeah sorry mate agree with that. Think I misread your first post a bit. Thought you were against passing in general.

 

[EFCNIK]

Very nice posts everyone x

 

[Brennan]

Ino this as been done already but why is it so bad doing long balls the whole point of football is to get the ball in the net and to do it in the easyist possible way so why do people complicate it with loads of little passes an then wounder why its still 0-0 at 90 minuets because you just wasted possession by passing it around the back instead of going straight for the jugular by direct play and make your opponents sh*t there selves after wave and waves of attack

Hi mate. Is there any chance you could throw some full stops into posts like this, or at least a few commas ? Otherwise i have to read it in my mind as if you've taken one big breath and verbally vomited.

 

[Brennan]

Very nice posts everyone x

And you, stop it.

 

[ANDYEFC95]

On the first post I was just saying that I'd rather direct play than sitting back wasting time with the ball in your own half and when i say direct i mean attacking like the link ups with bianaar also do you really think Dixie dean would have got 60 goals in a season if the team passed it around the back for most of the game I don't

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

There's a massive difference between the 'hail mary' ball, lumping it into the box in the hope of causing havoc & a long ranging ball aimed at a player who arguably has the best chest control in Europe. The night we did United we played the long ball to Fellaini, but not in hope, in expectation that he'd bring it down off his chest & bring others into play. The %age ball looking for a flick on has a place in the game, but when it's over used it becomes predictable & therefore easier to defend against.

 

[ANDYEFC95]

Hi mate. Is there any chance you could throw some full stops into posts like this, or at least a few commas ? Otherwise i have to read it in my mind as if you've taken one big breath and verbally vomited.

Haha sorry mate not good with grammar