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Everton vs Chelsea Tactical Preview:
– Everton's positional flaws at FB
– Why Doucoure could cause problems
– How to exploit Everton's weaknesses
Disclaimer: All footage used is for educational purposes only. Copyrights belong to the Premier League and Hotstar.
– Everton's positional flaws at FB
– Why Doucoure could cause problems
– How to exploit Everton's weaknesses
Disclaimer: All footage used is for educational purposes only. Copyrights belong to the Premier League and Hotstar.
Contrary to what the formbook suggests, Everton are a very good side. With Ancelotti's superb management and individual brilliance from the likes of DCL, Rodriguez, Richarlison, they're very capable of hurting us, especially at Goodison park. But why have they struggled recently?
On paper, Everton's strongest team is a 4-3-3. However, both their first choice FBs, Digne and Coleman are injured. Digne is a huge blow as he's one of the best LBs in the PL and already has 5 assists. Delph, their back up LB went off injured vs Burnley and is unlikely to play.
With 3 full backs out, Carlo again tried to be flexible and moved to a 3-4-3 vs Burnley. Theoretically, it played to their strengths – their CBs, Mina, Keane, Godfrey offer a variety of strengths. Iwobi played at RWB, and the 3atb covered his defensive weaknesses. Delph at LWB.
But Everton's strong start was partly due to their mid 3's balance. Allan DM, Doucoure box-to-box, and Rodriguez advanced 8. In 3-4-3, there is space for only 2 CMs- Allan+ Doucoure. Rodriguez at LW. Everton struggled with a man less in midfield and their CMs got passed around
Problems are evident from the 3rd minute. The 2 CMs struggle to play out from the back with a man less, and Doucoure loses the ball. What follows should be an instruction to Mount – with Pickford in horrendous form, it wouldn't hurt to shoot from anywhere. Brady does brilliantly.
Here again, the same duo. When Allan gets the ball from Doucoure, there is no extra passing option in midfield. Allan struggles to pass quick enough and is robbed. Mina steps up, allowing the CBs on either side of him to watch Wood's run. Everton struggled till Delph's injury.
It is vital to understand aspects of Ancelotti's philosophy. Carlo loves certain elements – a destroyer (Gattuso/Allan/Essien/Mikel), a B2B CM (Seedorf/Lampard/Doucoure), a playmaker (Kaka/Deco/Rodriguez) and a striker partnership (Sheva-Inzaghi, Drogba-Anelka, Richarlison-DCL)
However he is flexible – he switched to 4-3-3 in his 2nd season with us, where Malouda flourished and Deco lost out. In the 2007 CL final he chose a 4-3-2-1 with Kaka and Seedorf behind Inzaghi. With Delph injured and Everton struggling, Carlo reverted to 4-3-3 and they improved.
This is what they'll probably play vs us. The 4-3-3 becomes a narrow 4-2-3-1 in def. The 2 DMs, Allan, Doucoure, screen the def. and block out central passing lanes. Everton are relatively okay allowing crosses cause they have 3 CBs and are 2nd in the PL for aerial duels won(59%)
This 4-3-3 is effective as they have 3 CBs in a back 4. Their LB, Godfrey, is a right footed CB on the left flank, making it tricky to play. However, this allowed Everton to go 3 atb with 3 proper CBs, to counter Burnley's 2 forwards. If Godfrey went wide, Allan dropped as CB.
Godfrey has weaknesses at LB. Because he's CB by trade, his starting position is narrow, leaving the right flank open for a diagonal. Burnley exploit this with a long ball, drag him out, then play in behind. This also forces Richarlison to drop and defend, blunting the attack.
Timo/Pulisic and our 8s can exploit this, should Godfrey start LB. Godfrey also struggles when a winger moves to the byline to cross, as he has to use his weaker left foot to block crosses. James will relish this. Note that in both instances, Richarlison fails to track runners
Burnley targeted these flaws. Godfrey always goes narrow rather than cover the flank. Although this makes it harder to score headers, a clever winger/IF will exploit the space mercilessly. Here, his narrow position allows cross after cross from LB. Again Richarlison doesn't track
Iwobi (winger) is also out of position at RB. Here, when Everton get the ball back, Iwobi enthusiastically sprints ahead. But when Gomes loses the ball, his reluctance to get back to defend is shocking. It takes him a good 10 seconds to go back 25 meters, and then he gets beaten.
Iwobi defends like a winger. Here, he drops to CB to anticipate a cross, but leaves McNeil completely free at the back post. Ziyech would've loved this. Iwobi's poor positioning allows McNeil space to receive a diagonal, and then a senseless tackle allows him to cross dangerously
What are Everton's strengths? They largely rely on individual brilliance to make the difference. In attack, their out of position players move to their usual positions – Godfrey moves to CB to make a 3 atb, and Iwobi joins the attack as a RW. James moves to #10 to pass or shoot.
Again James takes #10. Iwobi is at RW as the wide option. Notice that when Iwobi crosses, DCL is in the box, along with Richarlison (LW) and Doucoure (B2B). It is Doucoure's midfield runs that will cause problems, as Silva-Zouma will mark DCL-Richarlison, leaving Doucoure free.
Excellent from Doucoure. Burnley allow Allan to step through lines, and Doucoure moves unmarked into the red zone. He then picks a great pass for Iwobi and runs into the box for a cutback, which he almost converts. Kova/Mount will have to track his runs or risk letting him score.
Apart from being the dangerous 3rd man in the box, Doucoure also causes many problems when he runs through lines. Much like Kovacic, these direct runs disrupt the defensive lines, and lead to players panicking and making positional errors. The final pass to DCL is very good too.
Another way Everton get an extra man is when Godfrey quietly makes a run into the box for a cross, making it DCL, Richarlison, Godfrey vs 2CBs. Luckily, Silva, Zouma, James are all excellent aerially. But that extra man in the box will be something we have to be wary of.
If Carlo does allow Godfrey (bottom left) to venture up from LB into the box, there is another opening to exploit. In the last clip, watch what happens when Godfrey loses the ball. Iwobi (RB) and Godfrey (LB) are both high, allowing for a quick pass in to either flank.
Of course, the biggest threat is DCL. He is slowly becoming a complete forward – he can hold up play, link up, run in behind, play off the shoulder and is aerially very good. He loves running between the CBs; here he spreads it wide, runs between Burnley CBs and almost scores.
The goal comes from this very movement. As Richarlison gets in behind, he runs between both CBs, confusing them as to who has to stay with the man and who should cover space. He peels off from both and scores expertly. Zouma and Silva have to make sure this doesn't happen
To sum up:
– If Everton go 3 atb, we have to overwhelm Allan-Doucoure by cutting out options and winning the ball high.
– If they go with a 4-3-3, Godfrey and Iwobi have to be targeted; Werner- Pulisic, Kova-Mount and Chilwell-James can use our speed and movement on the flanks.
– If Everton go 3 atb, we have to overwhelm Allan-Doucoure by cutting out options and winning the ball high.
– If they go with a 4-3-3, Godfrey and Iwobi have to be targeted; Werner- Pulisic, Kova-Mount and Chilwell-James can use our speed and movement on the flanks.
– in defence, watch for DCL trying to ghost between CBs. Zouma has to mark him on aerial balls.
– Doucoure's runs into the box have to be tracked.
– Pressurize Allan in the defensive phase, test Pickford from long range.
– Avoid aerial crosses, instead look for cutbacks/low balls
– Doucoure's runs into the box have to be tracked.
– Pressurize Allan in the defensive phase, test Pickford from long range.
– Avoid aerial crosses, instead look for cutbacks/low balls
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