FAN ARTICLES

Best players for their best positions

By Matthew Lovekin :  30/08/2010 :  Comments (47) :

I don?t claim to be an Alf Ramsey, a Brian Clough or even a Jose Mourinho, but sometimes, especially when a side is struggling, I think there is a need to get back to basics. I have always been a strategist, a thinker, even a football anorak, someone that likes other tactical sports rather than a kick and rush type of sport, a person that played football manager games on the computer compared to football playing games. However, things can often be over-complicated, and I feel this is one of those times.

To set the record straight first, I am a big Moyes fan, he has done wonders for our club and without him I dread to think where Everton would be right now, but no-one is perfect and the best can take criticism on board and react positively to it. For the first time in Moyes?s reign he has several quality options to choose from, with no excuses, and I feel this is why we are failing. Therefore it?s time to go back to basics and simply for Moyes to put the best players in each position.

Now I know football is not that simple, there are injuries (surprisingly not that many at the moment), lack of form (surprisingly a lot at the moment), lack of match practice due to returns from lengthy lay-offs, and the World Cup causing a lack of pre-season (a few) and the opposition to consider. Everton also seem to have a number of utility players which seems to be more of a hindrance than a help at present, but why can?t Moyes pick a player for one position?

• Phil Neville was brought in and stated he wanted to play as a central midfielder, which he has done, but has also played at right-back which most people see as his more natural position.
• Mikel Arteta started at right-midfield and it took Moyes about three years to shift him into the middle of the park where the fans knew he was an even better player.
• Fellaini came to the club as an attacking midfielder (despite his say-so), even as a supporting striker in the Cahill role before finally ending in his chosen defensive midfield role.
• Johnny Heitinga, a World Cup central defender finalist, gets played in the defensive midfield role, apart from when injuries forced Moyes to play him in central defence, where he was outstanding, then switching him back again.
• Anichebe, a striker playing wide-right,
• Osman, a central midfield playing wide right,
• Pienaar, national vice-captain and playmaker playing wide left,
• Bily, no-one knows to be honest,
• Even ex-players like Lescott playing left-back...

This brings us to the most recent and most promising of all, Jack Rodwell. A player as promising as a young Wayne Rooney, but with more intelligence. Originally another defensive midfielder but Moyes has often stated a future centre-back. I remember watching Rodwell last pre-season as a centre-back, and I can say now, he never will be a defender. This pre-season he was tried as an attacking midfielder and excelled to surely put Cahill?s position in the team under threat. Overall, Rodwell is just an outstanding footballer, he can defend, pass, head, tackle, and he can shoot. Therefore, why limit him to such a confined, specific part of the pitch, especially on the right wing! Surely, Rodwell?s best position is covering as much grass as possible, a box-to-box midfielder.

Moving on, I know formations and systems should change and be flexible, another flaw that Moyes seems incapable of doing, and it should be a mixture of players into formations and formations fitting players, but for arguments sake here is my two penny?s worth:

Goalkeeper

Not too much to choose from here. Howard would still get my vote, but should be looking over his shoulder wary of making another mistake before Mucha takes his place.

Defence

Best players for each position means Coleman starts at right-back. Seamus has shown enough in pre-season and the small amount of playing time he has had to show that he has got more quality than Neville or Hibbert. He is not that young, he?s 22, bags of potential, give him a decent run in the team for him to learn and prove himself. He is the best of the three already and we?ve only seen his potential. Baines at left-back, there isn?t anyone else to even consider.

Heitinga is the best centre-back and also the best distributor from the back, a leader, World Cup finalist and generally top footballer, but a centre-back first and foremost. I would play Jagielka alongside Johnny, not much gets past Jags, as long as he gives the ball to someone close like Heitinga or Fellaini instead of hoofing it sixty yards and out of play. Distin and Yobo are simply too prone to errors.

Midfield

If Moyes sticks with his favoured 4-5-1 then Fellaini as the defensive midfielder as he excelled the second half of last season and quite rightly hailed as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. Felli?s height will help out Jags and Johnny in defence, but he can bring the ball out, pass and score goals. He is also still young and his mistake against Villa was hopefully a one-off. I would go for the World Cup favoured tactic of 4-2-3-1 with Rodwell playing alongside Fellaini.

Now, before you all say, I said Rodwell is not a defensive midfielder, I?d give him licence to bomb forward at every opportunity and be that box-to-box midfielder. He can do it; he has got the intelligence, the stamina and the ability to do it all. He would be a defensive midfielder when we haven?t got the ball, a creator when he has the ball and attacking midfielder when Everton attack. A Steven Gerrard type of player, but only better defensively! Rodwell?s height will also help out Jags and Johnny?s lack of height in defence.

The reason I feel Everton haven?t scored enough goals that our play has warranted so far this season, is simply lack of creativity in the final third. Ok, we created a few against Villa but hardly any real quality chances against Blackburn and Wolves. The problem is not scoring, but not creating enough real chances, not enough hitting the posts, shots cleared off goal-lines, goalkeepers making world class saves. We may have had a few against Villa, but not enough as our play deserved. To solve this, we need a playmaker, a Sneijder or Ozil in our formation and team.

Step forward, Mikel Arteta. Arteta has been playing brilliantly since moving off the right wing, but as a defensive playmaker, similar to Carrick, Huddlestone or Xavi. Arteta keeps possession, gets the team moving forward, but not enough of it is done around the opposition penalty area, the final through ball for a shot on goal, that is what Everton are currently missing, therefore Arteta needs to be pushed further forward. Fellaini can do the defensive work in midfield and start attacks instead of Arteta. Rodwell can take on Mikel?s current role, but Arteta is by far our best creative player and therefore for his best position, needs to be played further forward.

This brings us to the wings, and by my logic and explanation and tactics, these two players need to be more forwards than midfielders (take note Mr Moyes). The reason this defensive World Cup formation of 4-2-3-1 works so well is that the wide players are not midfielders like an Osman or Pienaar, but should be forwards to make a three man forward line with an attacking playmaker behind. This is where Everton will struggle as we don?t have enough of these players like a Messi or Robinho and as the rule of best player for each position goes, rules out Pienaar, Cahill and Osman.

On the right wing, I would put Bily there; his unpredictability is suited to a more forward role than simply a winger. He will also cut inside on his left and can score spectacular goals. On the left, there are limited options but Gueye looks a very promising player who looks like he can cross and create and possibly score goals. A more forward role will also suit him.

Attack

Again, there is limited choice. Anichebe I feel is not good enough, Vaughan too injury prone to make it at all, Saha too inconsistent and injury prone to play the lone striker and Yakubu too immobile for this role. This leaves Beckford whom I?m convinced will come good. He does have a knack for goals which will come the more he gets used to the Premier League and he has pace which this system needs. Simply the best striker for the role.

In summary, playing the best players in each of their positions means:

--------------------Howard
Coleman--Jagielka--Heitinga--Baines
--------------Fellaini---Rodwell
------Bily-------Arteta-------Gueye
-----------------Beckford

That leaves a bench of Mucha, Neville, Distin, Pienaar, Cahill, Saha, and Yakubu.

Pienaar?s best position is the playmaker, therefore back-up to Arteta. Cahill?s is probably back-up to Rodwell as he has the drive and determination for a box-to-box midfielder, otherwise as a striker but lacks pace.

I feel Moyes? current team is built around Cahill and although he has been a magnificent servant and signing to the club, his standards have slipped at the moment and he is never a creative attacking midfielder, just a goalscoring midfielder which needs the chances created for him and this is the main reason Everton are currently struggling, not enough creativity in the final third.

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