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Thread: If it is broken, fix it

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    49,570

    If it is broken, fix it

    Really difficult with our injury situation, but as the players we need for that return and working up to it and to be more effective again in the meantime

    Full backs

    Get back to them being high but still deeper than the midfield as we build up and work on or rather re-establish their triggers of when to make their runs from deeper to be found with switches or angled balls from midfield. They were always far more effective when their starting position was deeper than our midfield and they timed their runs beyond the opposition midfield to be found with Mane or Mo ahead of them occupying the opposition full back buying them and our runners a little more time

    What were their triggers

    When we played switches to Mane or Mo

    When the ball went to Hendo or Virgil and they were shaping to play the long diagonal. switch or ball over the top to Mo or Mane

    When the play was on the opposite side, mostly the right and the ball was played back to Trent or Hendo and the switch to find them in space was on

    When the ball was played into Bobby's feet and could be one touched wide to their side

    When the ball went back to CM from either side that had been congested

    When the ball goes to either of them deeper or in our own half and play is congested their side, looking for a crossfield switch from the other

    When play is congested and condensed high either side and the ball goes to either of them or back to Hendo in that slightly deeper position for the angle cross over/just over in behind the first/nearest CB, making runs to just inside or outside the far post - second trigger really

    What were their options

    Cross from slightly deeper left or right or slightly deeper wide or inside left or right over/just over in behind the first/nearest CB looking for Jota or Bobby running between the 2 CBs or inside off the back of the far CB towards the penalty spot and Mo or Mane and any other player creating a far post overload - The angle of delivering the ball from slightly deeper actually makes it easier to play this ball effectively and it can be a driven or dipping ball, dropping just inside or outside the far post for a potential tap in (dipping) or carrying for a far post header (driven)

    Burst down the line to cross or cut back with Mane or Mo making an outside in run to open the space

    One two with either Mane or Mo in the half space to turn the ball round the corer to release them wide

    One two with either Mane or Mo or Bobby or Jota central to be released through the channel to shoot across goal into the far post area where we have an overload

    Triangulated ball, into Mo, Mane, Bobby or Jota making an immediate short diagonal run through the channel, for Mo, Mane Bobby or Jota to go straight back to a midfielder to connect their run with a first time pass

    Looking to play in Mo or Mane wide or through the channel or hit either with a shorter diagonal far post from a lay off, nod down, chest off from Mo or Mane off a long diagonal or off the second ball

    By no means an exhaustive list, but all passages of play we regularly used to successfully involve both full backs in numerous ways

    Necessary set up and initial movement and passing

    Mo and Mane keeping the width and making their runs in behind or looking for the switches or long diagonals or balls over the top and occupying the full back to stop Trent or Robbo being quickly pressed by them

    Switches, long diagonals and attempted balls over the top for Mane's and Mo's runs

    These are all interactions, passages of play and types of ball and movement and well timed runs from our full backs from deeper positions that in the last 3 seasons and at the start of this season (when we were still winning games) were all our players triggers for movement, pressing and counter pressing and a huge part of our automation, ability to create overloads and break down all kinds of defences, including park the bus defences camped on the edge of their own box

    If we can get back to doing at least some of these things, a lot of our automation should return, the midfield triggers of when and where to press and counter press off the back of all these things should come back also.

    In general, the nearest midfielder to where the switch or long diagonal was played would use that as their trigger to go and support that and win any second ball, often staying our side of the nearest midfielder or opposition player positioned to potentially win the second ball, but not exclusively, and that midfielders movement to support that was the trigger for our other midfielders to take press and counter press positions, with one always making sure the opposition player for transition intended to be between our defence and midfield was covered

    I think Jota gives our full backs new and even more options for these interactions also because of his movement, he'll be quick to support for the give and goes and triangulated passes and more than any of our other forwards, he absolutely will be looking to make that run off the back of the far defender or between the two CBs towards the penalty spot for those angled crosses from deeper
    "If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, i'd close the curtains”

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    49,570
    The issue we have in getting our automation back is that we failed to invest in another CM and another commanding CB who can play the long diagonals, switches and balls over the top, even of defences parked on their 18 yards line in the summer

    The players we have who can play these passes are Henderson, as well as being able to play the ball over/just over behind the first/nearest CB from that slightly deeper inside right position our ONLY midfielder who can play those balls crucial to how we play and all our player triggers

    Virgil and Matip our only 2 commanding CBs who can play those balls, Virgil's being of greater quality than Joel's and both being our only CB's who can step forward into midfield with the ball and stretch opposition sides by being an extra player in midfield causing one opposition player to have to come out and break their organised lines AND step into midfield to push onto and dispossess any opposition player for transition otherwise between our defence and midfield on the rare occasion our press at its best is broken

    All 3 our out injured, Henderson through being played out of a position as a result of FSG not getting Jurgen another commanding CB in the summer or first thing in the January window

    The transfer committee and scouting department involved in our summer and January activity must surely be under scrutiny for their fuck ups in this, and FSG need to understand football and that there are always exceptions to every rule and times like this January, where they had to put their long term investment and sustainability of the club's success before their moneyball model
    "If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, i'd close the curtains”

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