If by 'the system' you mean 4-2-3-1 I don't think it's especially at fault. We're pushing both fullbacks forward, which is fine because we have the two best attacking fullbacks in the league. But I don't think that we're getting enough cover from Barry and McCarthy. If it was me, when we were on the attack I'd want Barry to sit in between the two centrebacks and McCarthy sitting just in front trying to slow the opposition counter-attack down. McCarthy has been our best player so far this season but a lot is being asked of him because Barry has been so poor. When he played at centreback a few games ago you could see that he was dying to run into midfield to try and nick the ball. We need to be more disciplined, hold a line and play more intelligently. Wasn't Moyes using the same formation by the end anyway?
At times we are pushing both fullbacks forward to do the job they excel at, but everytime we turn it over cheaply and the oppo counter it's leaving gaps because we aren't closing down like we have and/or the gaps we are leaving sides have learned to hit instinctively. This has had a knock on effect, the FB's aint pushing up like they did (starving us that bit more going forward) because they're trying to bail out the CB's and DCM's with an easy out ball.
I see the reason to your dropping Barry in to CB like Carrick, great passer, great vision, calm that faltering back line down. But he aint got the legs, the CB's with him are in disarray now with him second guessing them as we are. I am not against 4-1-4-1 obviously McCarthy where Matic plays, Barkley and Besic the centre two (but Bes has to stop the slides!!!) Mirallas is right footed, give him right wing, Pienaar is goosed I think (comfortable!) so left flank is up for grabs, Oviedo, Baines and Garbutt can work through it - we have seen good deliveries from corners and FK's by Garb. Agreed McCarthy has been a shining light in a dark season so far. The issue for me with the system is the lack of pragmatism, keeping possession until the ball is worked to our keeper is conceding ground for the sake of what? Keeper hoofs it and we chance our arm, but we aint got Cahill, and Ferguson and Fellaini dominating the aerial battles.
I don't really like the passing out from the back and keeping possession at set pieces. I can understand why he does it. Statistically the chances are that the ball will come straight back at us from a punt upfield and we won't score from a set piece delivery but we're not going to carve out an opportunity from open play while the opposition have everyone back unless we work it well and we have one of the best deadball specialists in the world in our side, so we might as well chance our arm. And anyway, I don't think that we have the personnel to play out from the back and you get closed down too quickly in the Premier League for it to be worth the risk.
Our set pieces aint great (the comms today say we've scored more from set plays than anyone else) (him from breaking bad must have sorted them their pre game drinks) the thing about us arsing about with the ball is that we are not pressuring the oppo's back line fast enough to force mistakes like they are forcing from us. The prem is fast, and for my money last season was built on the defensive minded rigidity of a Moyes drilled side that utterly hated shipping goals. The longer its gone the further we've gone from it. I honestly dont think any but 3 sides in the PL can afford the best of the best in terms of CB's so an athletic footballing brain great distributing leader type for CB is utterly beyond pie in the sky hope. We are lucky to have Stones on the books.
I think that our problem is that we expect to boss possession home and away and pin the opposition in. It's a flawed concept though. If we pin them in it gives us no room to get in between or behind them and we can't create chances. Teams will let us do that because they know that we'll over-commit and that they can spring a counter-attack on us, score one goal and defend it until full-time largely untroubled. If a side came to Goodison and left just their two centrebacks halfway in their own half we'd take advantage. Roberto might argue that it's the Barca way but they have Messi, Neymar and Saurez to create something out of nothing.
It's flawed at Goodison, it's failing. The oppo pushes the striker up and crowds him knowing no long ball is being hit, they flood midfield cutting out the easy ball from defence and wait for the possession to be turned over - when it aint, close the player with the ball down, and backwards it goes to Howard again. Sticking to this system so rigidly is killing the players we have, they hate it because its a waiting game to concede. Confidence killer? Confidence annihilator!
I don't disagree with his principles but maybe he's being too ambitious too soon? He won the cup by being tactically cute and very difficult to break down. He didn't set out to pass us or City off the park. Eventually the likes of Coleman, Stones, McCarthy, Besic, Barkley and Lukaku could form the basis of a very slick passing side but for now we need to take a step or two backwards and just be solid. Roberto needs to learn that occasionally putting a cross into the box for Lukaku isn't the antithesis of sexy football.
Agreed 100%, expecting amazing performances from a set of players not capable is madness. JagiDistin or Alcielka however the hate is doled out, they cant compensate for a midfield not able to shake its markers, so they work it sideways until its to Howard. Hoof!
For me, City disliked Mancini an awful lot, and the fallout at Man Utd last season was more of the same player mided stuff, City didn't play in that cup final. Player power at its worst.
"but for now we need to take a step or two backwards and just be solid." I have used very very close to these exact words. Martinez needs to arrest the slump, and get it done sharpish. Bloody minded sticking to his system is ruining the players, sinking the club and ruining his reputation. It's also upsetting the support.
Got MOTD on, pleased for Spurs, haha Jose.
So far as we go, there is no fear factor anymore, it looks like discipline has been lost, so many BS stories floating around and players being lined up for the gallows. Give the players a game they are comfortable with and can give it a go with, stretching them should be the opposition managers game not our own.
