Let's all be completely honest here, our press and counter press, with the high line is an absolutely essential part of our game if we are to win the Title and Champions League, since Fab came back at No6 the press and counter press has never got anywhere near the level it was in the title winning season when it was
Milner/Oxlade/Lallan/Keita Henderson Gini
It just hasn't got anywhere close to that level, the No6 needs to be able to orchestrate a press, read the game and to damned well know when and where to hold his position to block the lines so there isn't an easy ball on or any ball on to play through the press to allow our other 2 midfielders, full backs and forwards to nick the ball high, it's an absolutely essential part of the press the No6 plays, if your No6 can't do that, you're in trouble, sorry, for all his brilliant ability as a destroyer at times, Fab can't play the press to the levels we need it to be at.
The point of the level it was in his absence really is, with Hendo No6 and Gini LCM controller, whatever the opposition, it didn't matter a fuck which of those other lads came in, those 2 and their understanding or each other, blocking the lines, the right positions to take, all of it, made it easy for whoever came in
Fab was great in the run at the end of last season, but we didn't play how we need to play to win the top honours, deeper line, Fab sitting in front of them, only one full back forward at one time and mostly only one of the other mids forwards at one time well ahead of that, with Gini who was also a better No6 than Fab will ever be, sitting alongside him most of the time
It was a fuck up now getting another midfielder in such as Bissouma who can play as a No6 or the controller role
"If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, i'd close the curtains”
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