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Post by empresstouch on Aug 16, 2021 1:00:26 GMT
There is so much to review, analyse and forecast for the foreseeable future; purely upon what we witnessed against a very determined, physical, yet limited in quality Southampton opposition:
Coming from behind, when the conditions for expansive play were anything but ideal.
Lots of debutant players whose careers have been either wasted in absence of opportunities, or having to look abroad.
We certainly saw much character from the players, when digging a hole for themselves, rose to the challenge, none more so than Doucoure, whose attitude has never been questioned – unlike many, but given the trust to be his own player gave the team a forceful edge he’d yet to be allowed to express on the pitch.
We could also find much time to praise Richarlison’s commitment to his job, putting the club’s priority of another strong start, whilst the points are there for the taking, ahead of his long-term fitness by opting to either forsake or delay an Autumn/Winter break.
But there are other key personnel at Everton I really wish to go into further detail upon.
One player, who had an outstanding Summer of international success, but still faces many critics at home – especially after his role in the 4-0 mauling at Old Trafford, had to step up in the rain on Saturday. He did that alright.
In what was in hindsight a very generous Opening Day fixture for us, Jordan Pickford was instrumental in setting a high forward tone for our team to take the game to Southampton at every opportunity. Before the unfortunate goal conceded, Pickford no less than three times distributed the ball forward from claiming with assurance and immediate purpose, twice nearly ending a counter-attack with a goal. Thankfully, the phrase; “We may never know what Jordan would’ve been like at Old Trafford if it hadn’t been for the mix-up with Lucas Digne in Mason Greenwood’s gifted opener last week” is hopefully to be completely erased, as the real thing; the Old Trafford 3-3 rematch could arrive with Everton in the Top Four of the Prem, if this performance is anything to go by.
When the mistake by our defenders resulted in Southampton getting a lead to cling on to themselves, we had to have assurance from Pickford that the gameplan had been working for the opening 20 minutes and that we have what it takes to come from behind. This meant someone dealing with set-piece crosses thereon without fuss and attacking with conviction.
Upon this, the players had to have the maturity to believe their manager’s instructions – and carry them out. This started from a near-immaculate goalkeeping performance; again – in very difficult weather conditions. If Begovic is serious about a long-term career at Everton, he’ll really have to make the most of every remote chance he’s given on the pitch, as well as in training, for Jordan Pickford, on this evidence, has finally solved one position of much uncertainty at Goodison.
Then there’s the manager himself.
We all were both frustrated as hell in how a very promising 2020-21 season didn’t quite see through to European qualification, and how such a strange outcome of career decision Carlo Ancelotti chose to make concluded it – in a very painful and somewhat still inexplicable manner.
What was quite clear to see on Saturday was that Rafa Benitez is no lightweight either when faced with a difficult half-time team talk, nor in creatively using substitutions – particularly when the player being removed was having a very promising debut (Andros Townsend). But Alex Iwobi’s introduction sure had a very positive effect, if only to stretch tired Southampton defenders’ legs and create Doucoure the space to lash home from distance the game winner – before Ralf Hessunthal made the decision to unleash fresh legs of his team’s own in time.
This is great news for us, no doubt.
Looking beyond how this game unfolded, there was more to savour in the long run, and I’d like to discuss why in greater detail...
Bringing more from Doucoure than merely someone whose appetite for work is unquestionable is great in itself. Doing so not just to the benefit of the player’s own confidence and long-term self-belief, but for the whole team’s overall performance, is a completely different challenge, when like the Frenchman, many players at our club have a variety of glaring weaknesses other canny coaches and scouts will be studying, analysing and planning to exploit to the max.
The science in Benitez’s call to trust many players to play their own game has to be balance against the potency of the opposition’s talents and strengths. Motivation is one thing; doing so with the best possible on-pitch XI formation another, and though the Saints are limited in quality, they still had to be put to the sword.
Although all our managers since the five-year European ban was lifted have all found a combination of formation to get the most from their squad, in our club’s position since 1990-91, it’s fascinating NOW – in hindsight, to look back and compare what has rarely happened both in scoreline AND in designed, strategic coaching.
From both Kendall’s 2nd & 3rd terms at Goodison, with Royle and Watson, the basic 4-4-2 had been used to battle opponents in their own half, before capitalising on mistakes in the opponents’ half of the pitch through aggressive strikers’ play and quality poaching where it mattered.
Walter Smith then gave younger players an extended chance Kendall had begun with the youth development, allowing those young players to be themselves, albeit in tough times, before slowly adding classy players like Kevin Campbell, John Collins and Thomas Myhre to bring more from each other. For a considerable part of 1999-2000, we passed the ball well in the trusted 4-4-2 and a new chapter nearly dawned. Without going into the doom and gloom that followed, Smith’s underlying legacy is that our academy had potential – with the right investment, despite relying too hard on personnel quick-fixes post-2000.
Realising this, David Moyes took the gamble of leaving a successful Preston North End club – with considerable progress, if not trophies, changing how hid 4-5-1 formation could be deployed with increased individual performances; no obvious left-footed winger meant Steven Pienaar had to approach partnering Leighton Baines on the left-flank, with a very classy Mikel Arteta becoming almost Beckham-like on the right.
But only with one target man up front, the demand for greater midfield direct movement into the penalty box was crucial to his team’s fortunes, and we all know how Tim, Cahill and Leon Osman delivered in the long-term.
Despite respectable results and League positions, Moyes couldn’t deliver a passing game that could catapult the club into those key placings in May for that simple reason of material currency, and severed ties with dignity. Knowing this, it was not only inevitable that Moyes would leave whilst the lack of financial power reflected on his professional reputation, it was honourable that he helped in the search of Roberto Martinez, who would make a complete change in both formation and philosophy – with mixed results.
Martinez’s 4-2-3-1, something Benitez appears to be favouring himself, gave the players one of two allotted roles, either 6 defensive players protecting the ‘keeper, or 4 forward moving players to pester opposing defences. Admittedly, a great signing in Romelu Lukaku made this possible with highly-productive finishing, and whilst finding a superb and cultured footballing defender in John Stones, the combination of outstanding performance s AND results couldn’t be maintained.
The recruitment merry-go-round that followed left Ronald Koeman adopting a similar 4-2-3-1 formation, with a similarly-sliding outcome. Decades of chronic under-funding were only beginning to take effect in long-term results on the pitch, as well as worrying League positions well into the marathon that is the football calendar season.
The Allardyce quick-fix was the only alternative to hiring Ancelotti the second time, though how things may have been different if Carlo had been available in late 2017, we may never know.
The same approach from Marco Silva – same formation, but in Richarlison, another wonderful human in how he represents his profession at all levels. It didn’t work out for the Portugese coach here, but we wish him well in the future,
It wasn’t until Ancelotti’s arrival that formations became more flexible and frankly: fascinating just to analyse. It took a full eight months tinkering with 5-3-2 and 4-4-2, before a shortened preseason ‘s shopping with Farhad Moshiri’s credit card and Marcel Brands’ eagle eye for talent meant the Italian had just enough players to play the 4-3-3 Barca and Real Madrid had defined as the way to increase player performance to the total max like never before, something Mourinho’s Chelski and Klopp’s Liverpool had introduced to the Premier League with admirable effect.
I’ve waffled on over the above ten paragraphs to get to Rafa – and how despite the very, very hard efforts all of our ten, long-term management posts, not to forget Watson and Unsworth’s efforts in-between – none of the aforementioned have managed to convince me of one very specific, but crucial quality in a leader Benitez, solely on the evidence of last Saturday afternoon managed to achieve:
Giving trust in ALL players to be themselves, with neither individual responsibilities being taken for granted by the 14 men in blue jerseys, nor compromising the need to function as a winning, and positive-natured outfit.
Not even Ancelotti felt it were possible to do this, to the extent that 21 years into the 21st century, such high industry performance could be returned with massive tangible result.
Again, we were behind through our own undoing, but came back through complete design in strategy, in charisma and all in the tough conditions that is rain. This is something quite unique, and IF we can maintain this, not only against 10-13 clubs with virtually NIL European competition experience, but grind enough results against clubs that learn, the hard way and otherwise, IN EUROPE week-in, week-out; finishing 6th in 2021-22 will represent, in real terms, one of the hardest-earned achievements our club could ever proclaim by right.
In short: optimism, though held in caution, is ours by right. Those reds will have to put up with us for a while yet, at the very least.
Which, upon much waffle, leads me to another aspect of the club I look forward to discussing in greater detail, as the season unfolds for us.
Someone who has had to make many commitments in the unique circumstances we’ve fallen into over many decades, has had the responsibility of attracting managerial personnel to take us forward, when many factors have either slowed progress, if not grind us down to a complete halt.
So of our fellow fans were, and still remain, very against Rafael Benitez having anything to do with Everton Football Club. These fans aren’t alone, for many former professional players – not all ex-Evertonians, have expressed deep concerns over Rafa’s hiring too.
Like Koeman’s late arrival in a 2016 Summer window which saw John Stones’ late exit and a desperate rush for any replacement in centre-back position; this delay in finding someone who Moshiri clearly believes was, and is, the best candidate for the job now will have done damage.
But despite not offering Allardyce a contract that reflected his own clear instructions and fate, no-one can ever doubt Moshiri’s dedication into providing Everton’s best interests the best manager he believes he can find to take us further forwards – to the very best of his capabilities. This alone deserves much praise. If Rafa delivers 6th, the performance of Moshiri will warrant much credit too.
Whilst there’s much to look forward to in 2021-22, there’s much great news and positive actions to discuss and digest: the 2021 Summer transfer window and the handling of many key players just the tip of a glorious-looking mountain we’re slowly but surely climbing.
I sincerely hope you all enjoy the ride. It’ll be fascinating, intriguing, and hopefully successful.
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