Everton Summer Transfer Thread - 2022

Status
Not open for further replies.
I sincerely hope we don`t go 3 at the back with a 2 man midfield, it really doesn`t work for us with the players we have AND the players we are linked to. To demonstrate what I`m saying......

People forget just how many times we have said this season we need an extra man in midfield yet they see this as a way forward!

Benitez, playing 4-3-3/4-2-3-1
4 wins and 2 draws from the 1st 7 games, 13 points from a possible 21 playing 4-3-3/4-2-3-1. He then transitioned to the 5-2-3/3-4-3 monstrosity and got 5 points from the next 36 available. 12 games, 1 win and 2 draws.

Since Lampard has come in, all our best performances and reuslts have come from the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation whilst the 5-2-3/3-4-3 is still the worst in terms of results and points. Off the top of my head....

4-3-3/4-2-3-1
Leeds (h) easy 3-0
Man City (h) didnt deserve to lose
Newcastle (h) won
West Ham (a) mistake cost us points
Man Utd (h) won
Leicester (h) draw
Liverpool (a) what could have been if officials got it right
Chelsea (h) Won 1-0
Palace (h) 2nd half, got us out of jail after the 5-2-3 formation saw us 2-0 down

5-2-3/3-4-3
Wolves (h) lost, pathetic display
Watford (a) draw, only team to not score against Watford at Vicarage Road I believe
FA Cup, Palace (a) absolutely battered
Arsenal (a) absolutely smashed, I get players were probably on the beach
Brentford (h) Obviously so unlucky with the red, but had we played a 4 Branthwaite wouldnt have been in the team
Leiceister (a) one of the few bright spots this season in this shape
Palace (h) 2-0 down with this formation until we reverted to a proper formation to save our skins

I suppose the other way you can demonstrate is under Bruce Newcastle were 5-4-1/5-2-3/3-4-3, whatever, the day Howe came in he went 4-3-3 and it took a bit of time (and a few signings later on) but their results are chalk and cheese. Their results were massively on the up before they started signing players.

Brentford were strictly 3 at the back and looked relegated, they changed to a 4 at the back and got well clear very quickly.

Brighton are starting to move away from the 3 at the back, they`ve used 4 at the back more times this season than in other previous Premier League seasons.

Chelsea used 4 quite a bit this season, their game against Liverpool (h) stands out...

Again quite a few times this season we have been out numbered in the centre of the pitch, and it shows, off the top of my head players like Henderson, Mac Allister and Gallagher have scored from the edge of the box where they were the spare man in midfield. Again just off the top of my head, there was probably many many more.

All the evidence is there that the 3 at the back doesn`t work in the for us and even the teams that were religiously playing 3 at the back are beginning to see the benefits of a 4, 3 is very limited. Now someone give me as compelling argument for the 5-2-3/3-4-3 formation.

If we don`t want a repeat of last season we need to ditch the 3 at the back which gave us our worst results under Benitez AND Lampard. My worry is that Lampard is going with this 3 at the back and will give up a lot of points very early on and it was them points that kept us afloat for most of last season!
 

If memory serves he was proper pony for most of the season.
Correct but he cant be used in a 2 man midfield and Frank was absolutely desperate to try and use him as a 2 in that horrendous 5-2-3, you get the best out of him in a 3. Man Utd (a) stands out and Southampton (h) and of course that Palace game.
 

I don't think he can play that position all that well. He has some good games and some bad.

Sometimes it's about having stability though mate, we chop and change midfield partnerships, cb ones and formations so much it's hard to gauge if that's what's causing the erratic form of some players
 
When he's been out
4/21 (7 games) last season
7/24 (8 games) the one before

Imo the teams way better with him in it mate.

This will sound a bit crude, but when you are a poor/average team you need players who can get about the pitch and press opponents.

We also want big, powerful players.

He fits that bill. There are questions with his comfort on the ball, but we are not going to be able to get a player who is 6ft+, covers ground like he does, travels with the ball well and is great at passing.

He gets in that team all day for me though.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.
Top