Two steps forward. Two steps back.
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The peaks and troughs as an Everton devotee under the second stewardship of David Moyes are frustrating, baffling and thrilling in equal measure. I’ve had many happy days this season and at the back end of last term, the Everton smile coincided with the Moyes’ rejuvenation and the accompanying whispers of European qualification.
All this activity is a huge difference from the dark days of Everton past. And for every moment of optimism, for every bounced step, there is an Everton gut punch soon to follow. The grief is more hurtful when self-induced and of your own preventable doing.
So, here’s a 10-bullet point wish list…
Credit: Instagram - @everton
#1 | Starting XI selection
Let’s play the best players in their best position. Nathan Patterson or James Garner at right-back. Jake O’Brien at centre-back, if he’s going to play. Jarrad Branthwaite not at left-back. Harrison Armstrong off the wing and into midfield. No more Michael Keane as auxiliary Striker. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as a number eight. Adam Aznou! Carlos Alcaraz! Merlin Röhl! Are just some ideas.
#2 | Full-backs — stop the cross!
It’s a horribly amateurish trait for football players to misunderstand the importance of preventing the wide delivery into dangerous areas and stopping the cross at source. Half-hearted blocks and passive imitations of defending plague Everton and contribute massively to current failings. The fix is so simple.
#3 | Play with intensity
Start with intensity, continue playing with intensity and finish still playing with intensity. Moments of Everton domination are punctuated, but massive moments of apathy far too often. Everton are frequently better than many bang-average Premier League opponents, but rarely perform better. Wins against Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa were brilliant examples. There are many more examples of what not to do.
#4 | Set-pieces
While the world of football currently thinks Arsenal invented scoring from corner kicks this season, that isn’t actually correct. Corners, free kicks and throw-ins have always been a legitimate avenue for scoring goals. Starting XI shadow play and set-piece walk-throughs have been, historically, a staple of game day -1. Seemingly, Friday is an Everton coach’s day off.
#5 | Substitution patterns
Nine players are dressed on the bench. Five players are allowed to enter the game. Three substitution windows are permitted to make changes. Plus, half-time offers an extra, fourth opportunity to influence the direction of travel. In-game coaching is the million-dollar art, the ability to recognize the nuances of the unfolding game. The good are separated from the great by their proactive decision-making to predict and prevent ahead of time. Those who wait and behave reactively are often second best.
#6 | Game model
Risk Adverse -v- Attacking Intent. At various times, Everton have occupied higher and lower rankings in the live Premier League table. Expectations to beat the established elite just doesn’t exist with the everyday Everton support, reality-checking is a fair & frequent trait of the fan base. However, expectations to win against basement dwellers and inferior clubs such as West Ham, Leeds United, Burnley, Brentford, Bournemouth, etc. are also reasonable. Too many points left behind, too many points dropped, too many opportunities missed. Playing not-to-lose isn't the same as playing to win.
#7 | Muddled recruitment
The Everton‘Transfer Committee’ has been renamed as just‘The Committee’. No recruitment to see here. The summer transfer activity was weak, inadequate and mostly, a failure. Two goalkeepers named as subs and some youth team bench-fillers that you’ve never really heard of completing the last lines of December team-sheets. Million-dollar assets given no chance, given no opportunity. Not ready enough, not good enough; they either can’t help or won’t be given the opportunity to help. Signings for tomorrow that equally have no future. The winter transfer window opens and then closes. Did the HR Department sanction the wrong month of vacation? This should have been your busiest time; this was your brief moment to shine. None of the missing positions were addressed, none of the problems resolved. Two transfer windows. Two failures. Too much‘Committee’. Not enough‘Transfer’.
#8 | Purchase, empower or coach-up a genuine number six
Almost every successful team in contemporary football strategy has a genuine #6. A player who can screen the vital central area in front of the defensive group and a player who can build the attacking phases of play with possession passes and penetrating passes. That player may already be inside the club. That player is definitely not on the field in that role.
#9 | Contemporary full-backs
The days of central defenders at full-back should be gone for Everton. But hang on, don’t both Premier League table-toppers Arsenal and Manchester City frequently deploy four central defenders in their defensive line? They do. And those central defenders played in wide areas are often excellent ball players. Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Joško Gvardiol are excellent players, beyond the cost and ability of O’Brien and Vitaliy Mykolenko. Everton also don’t have the attacking structure or proficiency ahead of the ball to accommodate stay-at-home fullbacks. Everton need, want, and deserve progressive full-backs, which were a staple of Moyes’ first tenure — think Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman. Creative width to elevate the attacking threat. I’m done with getting burned out wide and then offering little offensively.
#10 | Playmaker(s)
Each line of the Everton team needs a playmaker. A defender who can pass or carry forward; penetrate and commit opposition players to the ball and then play around them — in Branthwaite, they have this. A central midfielder who can unlock opportunities and progress the ball — Garner has shown flashes of his ability here, while Dewsbury-Hall also thrives when he’s allowed to drop deep. A striker who can self-create with better movement or skill and then finish what’s created for him. No more circulating passes back to the keeper for random diagonals with 50/50 outcomes. The goalkeeper’s distribution is a gift; it shouldn’t be the chosen attacking option.
By Jonny Carter