Silva Has Lots of Issues to Solve
Marco Silva has struggled to find any balance in his Everton team this season. A number of his squad appear to be square pegs in round holes. The Street End takes a look at Silva’s preferred system and the suitability of the players at his disposal.
Marco Silva stated that his preferred system is a 4-3-3 when he joined Everton last summer. He told reporters:
“One second season I used 4-4-2 and sometimes last season three at the back in some moments but 4-3-3 is my system.”
Liverpool Echo 10 August 2018
Silva’s 4-3-3 would be an attacking team with high energy pressing from the front. Dispossessing players in the final 3rd opens up the possibility of attacking a team at their weakest. The advantage of winning the ball off defenders is that there are less players to beat and theoretically more space to attack. One or two quick passes lead to a goal. We saw an example of this with Richarlison’s 2nd goal against Brighton in October.
Liverpool Echo 10 August 2018
“I really like a pressure team and if you can do that for as long as possible in a match then that will cause problems for our opponent.”
This was in direct contrast to Sam Allardyce’s physical, direct style of football. Allardyce preferred to have men behind the ball and play directly with longer passes.
Silva wants Everton to play intelligently and attack teams. He also stresses the importance of hard work and a strong defence.
First of all the team need to work all together and if we have a clean sheet then everything will start from there.
Liverpool Echo 10 August 2018
Unfortunately, the squad that Silva inherited was not designed with that system in mind. One transfer window was not enough. Subsequently, Everton have struggled and questions have been asked about Silva’s future. Silva has been left with square pegs for round holes.
The holding midfielder or number 6 is pivotal to the success of Marco Silva’s 4-3-3 system. Unfortunately, Everton do not have one they can rely on. The man who he identified as the number 6 has not started a game since September. Morgan Schneiderlin has no future at Everton. This has severely limited Silva as he prefers to play an athletic midfield with a holding midfield.
If we play Schneiderlin he is a player who likes to play more alone which gives more freedom to the other two midfielders and this is the system I use more.”
Liverpool Echo 10 August 2018
Marco Silva spoke these words in June last year. At that time, Morgan Schneiderlin had been strongly rumoured to leave Everton. His form had fallen off a cliff and there were questions about his attitude. This season, Schneiderlin started quite well. He showed glimpses of the talent that persuaded Everton to offer him a six figure weekly wage. These glimpses were as good as it got. Silva had to abandon the number 6. Schneiderlin should leave this summer if Everton can find anyone who will pay his wages.
The failure of the Schneiderlin experiment meant that Silva had to play 2 box to box types in his midfield to cover the number 6 position. The PSG target, Idrissa Gana Gueye, has the pace and tenacity to play the number 6 role. Unfortunately, he lacks the physical presence and passing ability to play that role permanently. He is also an imperfect number 8 as he lacks the ability to play the final ball or shoot with power and accuracy. Gueye will leave Everton this summer if they receive an offer that meets their valuation.
Andre Gomes has flashed real brilliance for Everton this season. His initial impact to the team was outstanding. His passing ability is exceptional and he dominated the game at Anfield in December. The deadline day signing did not have pre season training. As a result of this, the heavy winter schedule has had an affect on the Portuguese maestro. In recent weeks, he has dropped from his high standards. On his day, Gomes can run a game from midfield. Everton have not had this quality since the early days of Barry and McCarthy. For this reason, Marcel Brands should explore the possibility of a deal with Barcelona this summer.
The recent return of Tom Davies has added balance, drive and passion to the Everton midfield. Davies is still only 20 years old but has shown maturity in recent matches. His relentless pressing and tactical awareness have relieved the pressure on Gomes and Gana. Everton’s midfield is much more balanced with Davies in it.
The England Under 20 World Cup Winner has endured a difficult 18 months but he has never hidden on the pitch. He is likely to remain in Everton’s plans for the future. Davies needs to improve his distribution in order to fit Silva’s mould for a midfielder. With the support of the fans, he can become a mainstay of the Everton midfield in future. James McCarthy is unlikely to remain this summer.
The number 9 is the most important number in Everton’s history. From the moment that Dixie Dean became the first player in English football to wear 9 on his back, Everton have been blessed with brilliance at the position. For example, Tommy Lawton, Dave Hickson, Joe Royle, Graeme Sharp are Everton legends who will always be revered by Evertonians. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Everton have not replaced Romelu Lukaku despite spending over £100 million since he left.
Lukaku would thrive in this current Everton side as he has the attributes that a 9 in a 4-3-3 requires. He has the physical presence to hold the ball up, the pace to stretch defences and is a good finisher. Unfortunately, he left for United. Another player who has found that the grass isn’t always greener away from Goodison.
Cenk Tosun started the season as Marco Silva’s preferred option at striker. Within 6 matches he had lost his place in the starting line up. Tosun is another disappointing Allardyce signing. In contrast to Theo Walcott, his attitude cannot be questioned. Tosun closes down tirelessly up front but lacks the strength, height or pace to lead the line effectively for Everton. The former Besiktas man is deadly in the penalty area but is not suited to lead the line in Silva’s 4-3-3. It is difficult to see a future for Tosun at Everton beyond this season.
In contrast, Dominic Calvert-Lewin does have some of the attributes to play in a 4-3-3. He is tall, quick and quite strong. Some Evertonians have compared him to a young Graeme Sharp. The Sheffield born striker has played a lot of Premier League football for a lad of his age but he is now at a pivotal stage of his development. Potential has to become reality. He has his managers support. Silva spoke about Calvert-Lewin in December.
I am happy with him but I want more. He has the quality to give more to this team and to help us improve more and more and more. He has specific qualities and he knows what I expect from him. If you see that he has started the last three games, it is because I believe in him.
One Football
Calvert-Lewin and Tom Davies have tried to develop in trying circumstances. They have been in squads without real leadership for 2 years now. Despite this, they represent the possibility of better times for Everton in the future. Silva and Brands are likely to sign a striker this summer. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is now fighting for his future at Everton. If he puts his potential together, he could be the perfect fulcrum for Silva’s 4-3-3 this summer.
Despite being Everton’s record signing, Gylfi Sigurdsson is also a square peg for a round hole. He is best suited as an out and out number 10 behind a striker. In a 433 system without a true number 6, Gylfi Sigurdsson is a square peg. He does not have the instincts to play number 8. In recent matches, Silva has played Sigurdsson in a number of roles, culminating in a return to the wing against Watford. Again, Everton sacrificed balance to shoehorn Sigurdsson into the side. Silva admires Sigurdsson as a player and feels that he is flexible enough to play in his system.
“For me it is clear he is a player to play on offensive midfield.
“Ok, in front of two midfielders or with one and two midfielders as well, he could play in that position. In some moments he could play on the left but, for me, in this moment it is why we wanted to sign a left winger because we look for him in this right position.”
This would be OK if the Icelandic international was assisting goals but he is not. Sigurdsson is Everton’s 2nd top scorer with 9 goals. Despite this, he only has 3 Premier League assists this season. One of the reasons Everton signed him from Swansea was his set piece production. This is noticeably down this season and he fallen into the Everton malaise of hitting the first man at set pieces.
The lack of a genuine target striker has affected these figures but his direct free kicks have been poor in recent weeks. In addition, Sigurdsson turns 30 in September and Marcel Brands may look to the future this summer. He may already have the number 10 of the future in Nikola Vlasic who has impressed on loan at CSKA Moscow.
Everton appeared to have strong options on the right wing at the start of the season. Sam Allardyce had brought in Theo Walcott in January that year and had told everyone what a good signing he was. This was a risk free signing of a proven player in his prime years. Goals and assists were guaranteed from Everton’s right flank. The partnership between Walcott and Coleman would be one of the teams strongest areas. On the contrary, the right side is a problem area for Everton.
Marco Silva’s 433 formation relies on pacey wingers who score goals and create chances. Walcott still retains his blistering speed but his form has disappeared. He often makes the wrong choice and his first touch has been poor. Despite this, Walcott has featured in 26 of Everton’s 27 games this season. He has continued to play because Richarlison has had to play as a striker and neither Bernard or Lookman are as direct as Walcott. More square pegs for round holes.
This is in contrast to Ademola Lookman who is 21 years old. Lookman is at the stage of his career that he needs to start playing regularly. He doesn’t. Ademola Lookman has started 3 Premier League games this season. In truth, he hasn’t deserved to. Lookman has shown flashes of his potential but struggles to influence a game when he starts.
The Londoner is trapped in the classic catch 22 situation. He needs playing time but his manager is under pressure. The squad lacks confidence and so Lookman suffers when he is on the pitch. For this reaon, Silva has to make a decision. He has to decide between playing Walcott for short term gain or giving Lookman a long run until the end of the season. Lookman’s Everton career is at another crossroads.
Everton have invested a lot of money at centre half in recent seasons. In 2017, Everton broke their transfer record for a centre half when they signed Michael Keane from Burnley. In 2018, they broke it again with the deadline day signing of Yerry Mina. They have also loaned Kurt Zouma from Chelsea and are also spending over £70,000 a week on 36 year old Phil Jagielka’s wages. Centre half should be an area of strength for Everton.
Silva’s 4-3-3 system starts with the premise that the team works together and keeps clean sheets. It requires strong centre backs who are quick, good in the air, read the game well and are disciplined in their positioning. They need to be strong and aggressive. Unfortunately, the centre backs have underperformed. Only 6 teams have a worse goals conceded record than Everton in the Premier League. 5 of those are the bottom 5 teams in the Premier League.
During the team’s purple patch in October and November, Michael Keane was beginning to look like the player that Steve Walsh thought that he had signed. 3 months later he has reverted to form. The former Burnley player lacks pace and has developed a worrying habit of stopping for the linesman’s flag. Keane’s lack of pace, concentration and positioning make him a square peg in a round hole.
Yerry Mina has had an injury plagued start to his Everton career. He looked assured on his debut against Chelsea and had a decent run until he was dropped in mid December. The Colombian made a goalscoring return in the demolition of Burnley but struggled in both FA cup games against lower league opposition. There will be growing pains with Mina. In spite of this, he has the all of the attributes that Silva needs for his 4-3-3 system.
In his defence, Mina has had to learn to play in the Premier League in an unbalanced side that is lacking confidence. Ten games is not enough for a player to settle into the Premier League. Mina should be given more opportunities this seaon to make the centre back spot his own, possibly alongside Mason Holgate next season.
Kurt Zouma has also performed in flashes this season. The Chelsea loanee looked strong earlier in the season but has suffered from poor form recently. He has the attributes to be the perfect centre back in a 4-3-3 system. In addition to his blistering pace, Zouma has showed the ability to burst forward into midfield occasionally.
Despite his physical attributes, however, Zouma is not as strong in the air as he should be. His positioning is also suspect. In that respect, he is like a young Phil Jagielka who used to rely on his recovery pace to get him out of trouble. Zouma has the potential to go on to become a top centre back. It will be his decision whether that happens at Everton.
Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman have been loyal servants at Goodison Park for over 10 years now. This could be the end of their reign on Everton’s flanks. The Irish captain’s pace and tenacity have been a feature of the Everton right flank for years but his form has suffered this season. Silva’s 4-3-3 system requires full backs who can get up and down the pitch quickly.
It is clear that Coleman is not the same player as a result of the injury he received 2 years ago. Jonjoe Kenny took his place against Manchester City and performed well. Coleman is likely to fight for his place but faces an uncertain future. Kenny is young and raw, much like Coleman was when he broke through. Coleman benefited from the presence of Phil Neville and Tony Hibbert when he broke into the Everton squad. Similarly, the man from Killybegs will likely be kept on next season to serve as a mentor for Kenny.
Leighton Baines may also be entering his last few months at Everton. Everton finally signed a possible replacement for him last summer and have been pleased with the results. Lucas Digne has been one of Everton’s true bright spots this season. At times, he has looked as good a player as Leighton Baines was in his pomp. In recent weeks, the French international has suffered from the same malaise as his team mates and was even sent off after a mistake against Huddersfield. Unfortunately, Baines himself suffered an injury so Digne has been unable to have the break that he needs.
Digne seems to possess the character that Everton need and will regain his form. The former Barcelona looks like being Everton’s left back for years to come. Baines must decide whether he is happy to be an understudy for another season. Antonee Robinson is another promising youngster who may put pressure on Digne in the future.
Despite the optimism that surrounded last summers signings, major surgery is still needed on the Everton squad. This summer has to be the summer of solutions for Brands and Silva. There are too many players that do not fit the system that Silva prefers. Too many high paid players are underperforming or are out of the squad. The players that Silva has inherited from Koeman and Walsh lack the required skill and character to play for Everton. There has to be a clearout this summer and Silva needs time. This is not his team yet. He does not have the players with the skill and character to play his preferred style of football.
Everton are in danger of going the same way as clubs like Blackburn, Newcastle and Aston Villa. They got into a spiral of firing managers before they had the time to build their own team. Like all surgery, this is likely to be a painful process. The reckless spending of the past has impacted on our present. It is up to Brands and Silva to rectify those mistakes and build a better future at Everton. It is up to the board and all Evertonians to give them the support while they sort it out.
Which players would you like to see leave Everton this summer? Who would you like us to sign? Let us know in our comments below or on Twitter or Facebook.
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