Are Carlo Ancelotti's constant team changes damaging Everton

Everton were soundly defeated 2-0 by Fulham last night in perhaps the worst performance of the season so far.

There were probably several factors in this loss, but for me one of the reasons for the defeat was the strange and dysfunctional team that Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti picked.

I’m always loath to criticise Ancelotti, after all what do I know compared to a coach who has won 20 odd trophies in five different countries and leagues!

However, I can’t help thinking that his tendancy to almost constantly change the team and shuffle around his personel and formations isn’t helping the side’s chances. If there are injuries fair enough, but if that’s not the case why this many changes?

Obviously, with the number of matches being played at the moment in what is a uniquely congested fixture shedule, there is a need to rest certain players from time to time and you can’t play the same eleven all the time.

But the team he selected last night showed too many changes for me. First of all why a completely new central defensive partnership?

Pairing Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate didn’t seem to be necessary. It’s a brand new combination in that crucial position and I don’t think it worked. Ancelotti could have picked Yerry Mina for this game alongside either Godfrey or Holgate as Mina didn’t play on Wednesday night.

Then at least he would have a properly balanced, natural centre-back pair rather than a combination that had never played together.

The Toffees have had a constant struggle to stem the number of goals they are conceding this season, even when they were winning so handsomely at the start of the campaign. But eventually more perhaps through expediency than anything else Ancelotti did find a back-four of Holgate, Godfrey, Mina and Micheal Keane that worked and proved consistently resilient.

Of course his two first-choice full-backs Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne have now returned and he can’t play the same four players at the back every single week without some changes to rest one or two. But why not essentially stick with that defence and just rotate one out every other week?

Moving into midfield and Ancelotti was obviously constrained by the continued absence of his midfield lynchpin Allan. I assume had the Brazilian been fit he would have played although he might have been rested for the Manchester City match instead.

Anyway the manager brought in Andre Gomes alongside Tom Davies and the ever-reliable Abdoulaye Doucoure while pushing Gylfi Sigurdsson into a more advanced attacking position.

Gomes had a poor match again. Every time you think he’s turned the corner and is finding his best form again, he goes and produces a performance like that. To be honest I think that for whatever reason the Portuguese always seems more confortable playing in a deeper position alongside an athletic and all-action player like Doucoure.

Meanwhile Sigurdsson was very ineffective playing as a sort of false centre-forward. I don’t get that decision either. Why not either play Richarlison as the point of the attack where he has operated before, or bring in Josh King who can play up front or out wide? Maybe King wasn’t fit enough but if he was he should have started.

And I’m never convinced that both James Rodriguez and Sigurdsson can play in the same team.

Both want to play that number ten-type position but I think it creates confusion and means the Blues lack enough pace and direct attacking threat.

It also leads to Everton playing too much slow and ineffective keep-ball, passing it around and back too often without having enough purpose and penetration to balance it out.

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I would have played Sigurdsson in midfield in an advanced positon in front of Doucoure and Davies who have done so well together recently and rest Rodriguez for the City game, especially as he had picked up a knock at Manchester United last week.

As it happened the Colombian was again hurt last night and so is now a doubt for Wednesday’s match.

Then alongside King and Richarlison, I’d have brought in Alex Iwobi on the right of the attack where he has played regularly and generally well this season.

There is no perfect team and formation, certainly not yet and it’s clear that the Toffees are still three or four players away at least from being a genuinely consistent contender.

And injuries, suspensions and fatigue mean that you always have to have players who can come in for a few games and perform. I understand all that.

But I do think that Everton really need more stability in selection and formation to give the current team enough of a solid base for success this season. There’s still a lot to play for but if the Blues keep on putting in performances like that last night, I fear we are going to be really regretting all these home defeats in May.

Ancelotti’s team changes damaging Everton

By Matt Townsend | Feb 15, 2021

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