Is a formation change on tap for Everton?
Thus far into his managerial career, Roberto Martinez has built a reputation for being an innovative tactician whose teams played attractive football. Martinez’s squads at Wigan had a habit of controlling possession against superior teams, often thanks to his vaunted 3-4-3 formation, which surely puzzled the lock-step, do-as-I-do Premier League.
During his first year on Merseyside, Martinez managed to establish his possession-centric ideals, but stopped short of implementing his favored three at the back formation. We saw glimpses of it during preseason, but then not again until the second to last match of the season against Manchester City. Given the transitional state of the squad and a full season of Martinez’s philosophy imbedded into the team’s foundation, will we see the 3-4-3 at Goodison this season?
It’s tricky. Let’s start at the beginning.
Do we know for sure that Martinez intended to bring his Wigan tricks to Everton?
Yes. Martinez himself has stated he has specific beliefs as to how the game should be played, and reports out of the academy suggest they tinkered with hybrid formations last season. We also saw Martinez use the formation, as mentioned, in preseason and against Manchester City.
Will the Blues line up the same way we saw in Wigan’s 3-4-3?
Part of Martinez’s tactical genius stems from the flexibility of his formations. While at Wigan, commentators had fits trying to determine how the Latics were lined up. At times it would appear as a 5-3-2, other times a 4-3-3, and then again as the intended 3-4-3.
Inherit variations and variables aside, there is a key difference between Martinez’s Everton squad and Martinez’s Wigan squad: Ross Barkley. Against City, Everton lined up in a 3-4-1-2, with Barkley playing behind the two forwards (Lukaku and Naismith). With Barkley in the squad, it’s safe to anticipate a similar wrinkle. Steven Pienaar, on the other hand, could be an intriguing option in the Shaun Maloney winger drifting inside role.
Does Everton have the personnel for the formation?
Given the lack of attacking options, it’s hard to argue Everton have the personnel for any formation right now. Still, they aren’t too far off.
Wingbacks: Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman are the best attacking fullback duo in the Premier League, while Bryan Oviedo and Luke Garbutt offer some depth, at least on the left.
Center-backs: John Stones and Sylvain Distin have the requisite athleticism (although Distin is a bit scary on the ball) to play as the outside two of the three center-backs, while Phil Jagielka has the intelligence to clean up the mess behind them. Antolin Alcarez succeeded to an extent in this formation at Wigan.
Center midfield: Gareth Barry and James McCarthy have both the defensive presence and ability to maintain possession required for this system. McCarthy is another member of the Everton Athletic club.
Attackers: At Wigan, Martinez utilized a versatile striker who could both dribble at his man and hold up play, a hybrid winger-forward who could stretch the field vertically and horizontally, and a hybrid winger-attacking midfielder. We’ve established Barkley would eliminate the latter position, and Arouna Kone would resume his role as the striker.
As for the Victor Moses, hybrid winger-forward role, Kevin Mirallas would make a very intriguing option. Mirallas is, after all, a combination of the two positions, never quite fitting the mould of either.
What signings do the club need to make in order to complete the formation?
In no particular order:
-Left-footed, ball-playing defender
-A “sweeper” style center back to deal with crosses and clear out any danger
-A second James McCarthy
-Versatile forwards capable of playing inside and out wide
Funny thing about those needs. Everton happen to be linked with a number of players who fit those descriptions, including a handful of targets who, on the surface, otherwise make no sense at all.
Earlier in the window, the club were rumored to be interested in Ryan Shawcross and Steven Caulker, both of whom could grow into the pivot point of the three man partnership at the back.
Left-footed defenders Bruno Martins Indi and MK Dons youngster Brendan Galloway have also been linked. It’s possible they are seen as long-term replacements for Distin, but either could give Martinez the flexibility he covets in defense.
Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette has been mentioned as a possibility to bolster the strike force, but he’s not someone who can be expected to lead the line on his own. He’s a better fit in tandem with a strike partner.
The latest rumor has Everton close to signing Muhamed Besic. If you watched the World Cup, you’d know that Besic is, in a lot of ways, a Bosnian version of James McCarthy. The damage those two could do together.
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A lot of this is speculation and conjecture. We don’t know what Martinez’s plans are for next season, nor do we know the veracity of the above transfer rumors. It seems safe to say Martinez is looking to increase the flexibility of his squad, but to what extent remains unclear.
Hazarding a guess, I’d expect a variant of the 3-4-3 formation to be rolled out at different points during the year. It was tactical chicanery that helped Everton to a stunning defeat of Arsenal at Goodison last year, and no doubt Martinez will look to use any resources available to assist the club’s battle for Champions League qualification.