The opening fixture of a season isn’t the time for conclusions, but Everton – and
their trio of new midfielders, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, and James Rodriguez – put on a
performance that bodes well for this Premier League campaign.
Carlo Ancelotti, whose reputation as a flexible tactician and superb man-manager is well deserved,
made a statement of intent by fielding all his new signings, providing significant clues
as to what his team may look like, and mature into, as the season progresses.
Midfield sets the tone and tempo for a side. If the build-up play is incoherent, lacks
direction or movement, or fails in terms of passing quality, sides cannot transition the
ball from defence to attack. Players need to know where to be to receive and pass the
ball, where they can find runners, and where they need to be in case attacks break down.
Everton covered all those bases, in a performance that was a significant improvement on their
shape and structure last season. Against Spurs, their movement between the lines was excellent.
With Allan anchoring, Andre Gomes regularly dropped off and Doucoure regularly pushed
up. These movements helped Everton’s build-up in two distinct ways.
Gomes finding deeper positions meant Everton had a more progressive passer of the ball
who could look to open up the left flank to Richarlison or Lucas Digne’s runs, or push
the ball forwards towards Dominic Calvert-Lewin or James Rodriguez.
This also meant that, with the centre backs and Allan also in this rough area of the pitch,
Everton could play the ball out of their own zone fairly easily.
Doucoure pushed up the pitch quite often, which allowed for James to have a passing
option infield or even ahead; these runs also served to protect the right-hand side of the
pitch should Everton lose the ball. For all James’ willingness to defend, without Doucoure’s
mobility Everton could have been exploited down that side, especially as James regularly
drifted to find space infield.
Both these instances of horizontal movement not only helped Everton in transition and
attack, but they also showed a team who already understood one another’s positions and how
the system was flexible. It’s one of the reasons why it was hard to discern Everton’s
actual formation, which based on average positions was a 4-3-3. But the shape changed distinctly
and regularly, largely as a result of Gomes’ movement – and even in the high and mid-block,
Everton would arrange themselves and press in different ways – sometimes in a 4-2-3-1,
sometimes in a 4-4-2, and sometimes in a 4-1-4-1. Teams can be flexible when they understand
one another’s roles and movements; Everton are already showing that understanding, even
with the integration of three new first team players.
James was brought to Everton to elevate the side with his touch and passing, and the early
signs are very encouraging. Just as it is helpful to have a left-footed centre back
on the left hand side of a defence to open passing lanes that curve away from the centre
of the pitch…
…having a left footed player on the right further up the pitch can allow for switches
in play that open up the far side from the ball. Everton exploited this several times,
with left forward Richarlison or left back Lucas Digne able to find space because of
James’ ability to drill passes from right to left.
Similarly, Andre Gomes, dropping away from the number ten space into a deeper, slightly
left-sided position, was able to switch the play out to right hand side where James or
Doucoure were able to find space.
When teams stack up and attack one flank, especially when they are able to create numerical
or qualitative superiority – they have more, or better players in one area – that naturally
pulls the opposition across to that side to defend against the advantage.
What Everton were able to do, in part because of James’ left foot and quality of passing,
was bait and switch – lure Spurs to Everton’s right flank then move the ball rapidly to
the far, open side. It’s a trick employed by a lot of top teams, but the ease with which
Everton managed it having integrated new players in key positions was impressive.
There were also signs of what Everton will be able to do given time. James’ drifting
movements infield, which regularly allowed him to find space, will bring the mobile and
dynamic Calvert-Lewin plenty of opportunities.
Richarlison may also come infield increasingly – Digne is one of the best overlapping left
backs in the league and Calvert-Lewin functions best when playing closer to another attacker.
With Doucoure’s energy and positional and defensive intelligence, and the solidity of
Allan screening the back four, Everton’s ability to create superiorities through this
positional fluidity could be devastating. That, more than anything, is what was so promising
about their first performance of the season. The ease with which players moved and covered
one another, or found space to receive and pass, suggests a pattern that Everton can
build on going forwards. With intelligent attacking footballers like James and Richarlison,
and the deep passing of Gomes, Ancelotti’s side have the talent.
Against Spurs, they also showed the application and understanding too.