Bobby, what a legend
Honestly, I think we need to use him differently in our current situation, we need to use him to move the 2 or 3 players that converge on him every time the ball is played into him, continually trying to play through him when that has been happening and has been very successful for opposition teams with our press not being as high or as good is blocking all the other lines in every game
Like so many things last season worked so brilliantly automated, no reason we can't use him differently and create the same automated movement of other players around the movement of one, what Glenn Hoddle (the best thing he ever said) referred to as chain reaction movement
We had that in numerous situations consistently the last 2-3 seasons, as soon as the ball went to Hendo in midfield or went back to Virgil, Mo and Mane were making their runs in behind and one or two midfielders and both full backs were making runs to get starting positions to make runs from to support the ball and win second balls depending on where it went
Mane would be keeping the width at LFWD and when the play was on the right advanced in numerous situations and it went back from Mo to Trent or Hendo or Hendo to Trent or Trent to Hendo, Mane was instantly, automatically, making his outside in run looking to get on the end of the cross
Thiago can't play through and find the gaps, because our persistently trying to play through Bobby and him consistently trying to receive the ball and turn with it when every time he does 2 or 3 opposition players are quickly around him blocks the lines and closes the gaps
So, we're not getting the best out of Bobby and we're not getting anything out of Thiago, because how we keep trying to play is nullifying both, so change it
What is wrong with trying to arrange in training, we have a week, programming some new chain reaction movement? When it goes back, have Bobby make 10 yard full sprint runs left or right back towards the ball and Mo and Mane simultaneously making outside in runs to positions just in front of the opposition backline, again supported by a midfielder and one or two full backs?
If Bobby's run can create that gap by moving those 2 or 3 players and Thiago can find Mo, Mane or Keita through it, we've instantly got a 3 v 4 in a good position for any of the 3 to try and quickly play either of the other 2 in and Bobby's already spun when the pass is played and is sprinting towards goal to try and join them
We're not doing enough for me to try and get the best out of both those players, got to be worth trying something, because continually trying to play through Bobby when he's swamped by 2 or 3 opposition players without the numbers around him as high we had the last 2 seasons isn't working and it is blocking the lines for the sort of passing Thiago's rated world class for, he can't play them if we're blocking the gaps
"If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, i'd close the curtains”
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