evolved tactics

[davek]

Are Everton the most exciting counter attacking team in the PL? I'd say so.

Last season in Europe gave a hint at how frighteningly effective this group of attacking players can be, and adding Deulofeu to the group has increased its potency.

I dont think there's any better sight in domestic football right now than Everton breaking from deep onto their opponents. That seems our signature as a football club right now and it's the best thing on show in the Premier League.

 

[Nymzee]

Are Everton the most exciting counter attacking team in the PL? I'd say so.

Last season in Europe gave a hint at how frighteningly effective this group of attacking players can be, and adding Deulofeu to the group has increased its potency.

I dont think there's any better sight in domestic football right now than Everton breaking from deep onto their opponents. That seems our signature as a football club right now and it's the best thing on show in the Premier League.

Maybe West Ham & Crystal Palace would pip us to best counter attacking team this season. We would be if we played the right players every game.

 

[Goat]

Are Everton the most exciting counter attacking team in the PL? I'd say so.

Last season in Europe gave a hint at how frighteningly effective this group of attacking players can be, and adding Deulofeu to the group has increased its potency.

I dont think there's any better sight in domestic football right now than Everton breaking from deep onto their opponents. That seems our signature as a football club right now and it's the best thing on show in the Premier League.

1 of the worst posts posted on this forum.

I even had to check I wasnt on RAWK.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Are Everton the most exciting counter attacking team in the PL? I'd say so.

Last season in Europe gave a hint at how frighteningly effective this group of attacking players can be, and adding Deulofeu to the group has increased its potency.

I dont think there's any better sight in domestic football right now than Everton breaking from deep onto their opponents. That seems our signature as a football club right now and it's the best thing on show in the Premier League.

How does this fit with Martinez's ethos of possession football, breaking teams down on the front foot? Im fine with us playing counterattack but why do we do it infrequently? Either embrace it or don't bother. Games such as Spurs away would be perfect for it but we tried to just keep possession, games we should be bossing like Norwich at home we are trying to win playing on the counterattack. I love it when it comes off but there seems to be no planning behind it at times. Credit obviously to Martinez though for bringing in players who can do this so effectively. I just can't imagine him saying 'right we'll wait for Sunderland to come on to us then hit them on the counter at home'.

 

[davek]

1 of the worst posts posted on this forum.

I even had to check I wasnt on RAWK.

I thought it was reasoned, presented in a logical manner and made its point well enough.

 

[davek]

How does this fit with Martinez's ethos of possession football, breaking teams down on the front foot? Im fine with us playing counterattack but why do we do it infrequently? Either embrace it or don't bother. Games such as Spurs away would be perfect for it but we tried to just keep possession, games we should be bossing like Norwich at home we are trying to win playing on the counterattack. I love it when it comes off but there seems to be no planning behind it at times. Credit obviously to Martinez though for bringing in players who can do this so effectively. I just can't imagine him saying 'right we'll wait for Sunderland to come on to us then hit them on the counter at home'.

That's another matter. My point was that when we do play that way it's THE most impressive sight in Premier League football at the moment. Leicester's sheer will to not be beaten is something I admire too. They can counter very well, but it does overwhelmingly rely on Vardy breaking on his todd and doing it himself, whereas our attacking on the break sees a wave of blue shirts racing forward and dragging defenders all over the shop.

I think we've played a lot like that this season. Look where our goals have come from: open play - no set piece stuff as in Moyes' days. But you cant play that way a whole game. There has to be periods in the 90 minutes when you just dictate the tempo and keep possession. It has to be mixed up.

 

[Tubey]

We actually counter attack at pace now, whereas last season we did nothing at pace ever.

We now seem to understand when to kill the pace down and put a foot on the ball, instead of doing it constantly for 90 minutes every game.

 

[Tubey]

That's another matter. My point was that when we do play that way it's THE most impressive sight in Premier League football at the moment. Leicester's sheer will to not be beaten is something I admire too. They can counter very well, but it does overwhelmingly rely on Vardy breaking on his todd and doing it himself, whereas our attacking on the break sees a wave of blue shirts racing forward and dragging defenders all over the shop.

I think we've played a lot like that this season. Look where our goals have come from: open play - no set piece stuff as in Moyes' days. But you cant play that way a whole game. There has to be periods in the 90 minutes when you just dictate the tempo and keep possession. It has to be mixed up.

We're playing like we did when Martinez first arrived, by utilising the counter.

Last season, you said suggesting anything other than tippy tappy was sacrilege and defended the style of play, saying that to say we needed to go direct at times was essentially resorting to hoofball.

You were wrong - the adaptation to pragmatism was needed. That's all that has changed; instead of non-stop tippy-tappy, we're mixing it up. You change your argument to defend Martinez depending on what month it is.

 

[davek]

We're playing like we did when Martinez first arrived, by utilising the counter.

Last season, you said suggesting anything other than tippy tappy was sacrilege and defended the style of play, saying that to say we needed to go direct at times was essentially resorting to hoofball.

You were wrong - the adaptation to pragmatism was needed. That's all that has changed; instead of non-stop tippy-tappy, we're mixing it up. You change your argument to defend Martinez depending on what month it is.

No. You're completely wrong.

My gripe last season was that we weren't playing the ball or moving as a team quickly enough. Possession and zipping the ball about catching opponents out of position is the name of the game. That's the way we play now. We dont launch it and run after it; we play the ball into spaces where we can springboard attacks from - many times deep in our own half.

I said last season our troubles were caused partly by a manager who'd prioritised Europe every bit as much as the PL and on occasion that he'd even failed to dose the effort in equal proportion (we put way too much into the early stages of the EL and it left us short of energy and preparation time for PL matches when they came thick and fast in the winter).

There's no contradiction there.

We're back to season one vintage football a lot of the time now because we have the PL to focus on and we got the pre-season sharpness that Martinez denied us last summer because he felt we could gain our fitness in the early season games. He's learned his lesson and that is a good trait in a manager.

 

[mkrudden]

No. You're completely wrong.

My gripe last season was that we weren't playing the ball or moving as a team quickly enough. Possession and zipping the ball about catching opponents out of position is the name of the game. That's the way we play now. We dont launch it and run after it; we play the ball into spaces where we can springboard attacks from - many times deep in our own half.

I said last season our troubles were caused partly by a manager who'd prioritised Europe every bit as much as the PL and on occasion that he'd even failed to dose the effort in equal proportion (we put way too much into the early stages of the EL and it left us short of energy and preparation time for PL matches when they came thick and fast in the winter).

There's no contradiction there.

We're back to season one vintage football a lot of the time now because we have the PL to focus on and we got the pre-season sharpness that Martinez denied us last summer because he felt we could gain our fitness in the early season games. He's learned his lesson and that is a good trait in a manager.

This.

The team last year had no pace whatsoever and Barkley was remarkably off form. It meant that when in possession we had nobody to try and go past Lukaku, nobody to stretch the game when we probe left to right and back again. Teams that came at us could do so knowing that there was very little we could do to punish them on the counter.

What does the manager do? Goes out and gets Deulofeu and Lennon to provide pace, width and in the former - invention. Barkley gets the summer off, comes back a different beast. Martinez also brings in Cleverley who does everything quickly: one touch to set and moves the ball on. Also brings in another ball-playing CB and bins off 2 players who for whatever reason couldnt give Jagielka and Stones the necessary competition.

He went looking for the playmaker for the left, couldn't get the one he wanted so didnt spunk the money. He's proven to be a stock-piler of cash and patient to ensure he gets the one he wants. See Lukaku, Romelu.

He has played this brilliantly and deserves far more credit than he's getting.

 

[Nymzee]

The only time we looked decent last season was in Europe when teams came out us more and we had the space and the players to counter-attack at pace. We struggled in the league partly through form but also because last season a lot more teams put the onus on defence. This season it seems teams are prioritising attacking and thus why we look a lot better since we have the ability to break at pace.

 

[davek]

This.

The team last year had no pace whatsoever and Barkley was remarkably off form. It meant that when in possession we had nobody to try and go past Lukaku, nobody to stretch the game when we probe left to right and back again. Teams that came at us could do so knowing that there was very little we could do to punish them on the counter.

What does the manager do? Goes out and gets Deulofeu and Lennon to provide pace, width and in the former - invention. Barkley gets the summer off, comes back a different beast. Martinez also brings in Cleverley who does everything quickly: one touch to set and moves the ball on. Also brings in another ball-playing CB and bins off 2 players who for whatever reason couldnt give Jagielka and Stones the necessary competition.

He went looking for the playmaker for the left, couldn't get the one he wanted so didnt spunk the money. He's proven to be a stock-piler of cash and patient to ensure he gets the one he wants. See Lukaku, Romelu.

He has played this brilliantly and deserves far more credit than he's getting.

Spot on mate. It's a manager who learned a lesson the hard way. As you say, Barkley's form has been the key - and we have a manager who insisted that Barkley avoid England duties and come back refreshed to thank for that. We countered well enough in Europe last season, but Deulofeu this season gives us something special - he can carry it with pace, but can also play the crucial ball a lot earlier when we break to really drive a dagger in the heart of the opposition, and his delivery from out wide can be superb. Cleverley: it's a testament to the way the team is playing that we've coped with his absence. His work rate is fantastic and he has a lot of strings to is bow.

 

[Goat]

Utter state of David here.

The way he pines for Moyes makes me ill.

 

[davek]

Utter state of David here.

The way he pines for Moyes makes me ill.

This is a round table discussion on tactical changes and stuff like that and other stuff like that. Please leave us to our thoughts. Thanks in advance.

 

[Goat]

This is a round table discussion on tactical changes and stuff like that and other stuff like that. Please leave us to our thoughts. Thanks in advance.

Oh sorry mate.

I just want El Coco to play 2 wingers and Besic.