Jesus, Everton are in a shocking mess

[Maravilloso Marvo]

Sean Dyche It's that desperate at Everton!

I think that's a great appointment for them to be fair. He's got more chance of keeping them up than Bielsa imo.

Let's wait for the bounce to kick in next week...

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Arteta has made it clear he wants to play with a left-footed centre back (as Pep does - all about the angles innit) so I don't think it is a luxury signing with three* competitions to play for and only Gabriel fitting the bill. Kiwior can also play midfield. And we can also push Benjamin in there whatever Red might say. Still expect us to sign a midfielder though and can't argue with that




*all right probably two after tonight

KT has played on the left of a back 3, so have no idea why he couldn't cover Gabby. We basically play a back 3 anyway, with Zinny next to Partey in a W-M.

Given the Pole can also play LB and DM, I think he could be the long term cover for Zinny. MA's keeps talking about his versatility. Having a young intl who only takes one squad place to cover LCH and LB makes sense. Given the versatility of Tommy and White, that's 6 players covering all the back 4, if KT were to leave to be a regular starter at a top club.

MA doesn't want a winger like KT at LB. He wants a ticked in MF.

[Luis Anaconda]

KT has played on the left of a back 3, so have no idea why he couldn't cover Gabby. We basically play a back 3 anyway, with Zinny next to Partey in a W-M.

Given the Pole can also play LB and DM, I think he could be the long term cover for Zinny. MA's keeps talking about his versatility. Having a young intl who only takes one squad place to cover LCH and LB makes sense. Given the versatility of Tommy and White, that's 6 players covering all the back 4, if KT were to leave to be a regular starter at a top club.

MA doesn't want a winger like KT at LB. He wants a ticked in MF.

No - that's a massively simplistic/innacurate take on our system. Tierney could play one of three at the back as Nacho did in the latter Wenger days but would be out of place in this system. We actually play with a fairly orthodox centre back partnership and you need the physicality of someone like Gabriel (also imagine the effect of swapping a 6ft 3in defender for 5ft 10in one would do to our set pieces at both end, which are an underrated strength this year)

Also stop with the whole WM nonsense - its *******s

[Arsenal Alcoholic Review]

I'm not over the moon with Sean Dyche getting the job just before we play them. He's well able to keep the scoring down against a good team. And as hopeless as Everton are they did somehow manage a point away to City not long ago.

[Luis Anaconda]

I'm not over the moon with Sean Dyche getting the job just before we play them. He's well able to keep the scoring down against a good team. And as hopeless as Everton are they did somehow manage a point away to City not long ago.

They actually have some decent defenders there. Might be vital to start fast in this one

[Tony C]

I’m a little disappointed with Dyche.

He’s too good for them.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

No - that's a massively simplistic/innacurate take on our system. Tierney could play one of three at the back as Nacho did in the latter Wenger days but would be out of place in this system. We actually play with a fairly orthodox centre back partnership and you need the physicality of someone like Gabriel (also imagine the effect of swapping a 6ft 3in defender for 5ft 10in one would do to our set pieces at both end, which are an underrated strength this year)

Also stop with the whole WM nonsense - its *******s

Look - I agree about the height. I hadn't thought of that. {And when we had Gilby and Paddy in MF, that have us 2 CHs and 2 MFswho were all big which was great for corners at both ends.}

But we are playing a W-M when in possession. The three at the back {ignoring Zinny} shuffle across into a back 3. {That's why before Benjamin moved to RB, we had Tommy, another RB who could play CH. It's why he didn't want Hector.}

Zinny moves next to Partey as they both play as DMs {though both can get forward - that's why TP has banged in a couple from the right of the D, while Zinny will work with GX on the left.} Look at their average positions on the maps the stats geeks show.

And we have a classic front three with both wingers starting wide. When we had KT, in attack he'd basically be LW, with Gabby M moving inside to the inside left role and GX dropping back to cover LB if needed. That's the main reason he prefers Zinny - so Gabby can stay wide like Saka and GX doesn't cover LB.

Both GX and Ødin are old skool inside forwards, behind the front 3 but between the CF and the wingers. To me it looks like a WM. And were ESR to play where GX does, we'd have 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 exactly where Herbie would have wanted them.

Last week, when they counter-attacked down our left, Gabby 1 {defender} was on the left corner of or box dealing with it as Zinny ran back to join him but inside him. Whereas a normal LB would have been outside.

There was a thing by that Stilberto chap on Arseblog this week about Zinny. And while it didn't mention WM, it showed where Zinny played and where the players average positions were. And it looked pretty WM to me.

Which of the ten outfield positions do you think aren't WM when we're in possession? We don't play 4-3-3 with a classic no.10 like Cesc, Ozil or ESR before we got Ødin.

We play what they might call a 4-1-2-3. But given Zinny "inverts" next to Partey-started, then in possession, it's a 3-2-2-3. Which is basically a WM.

Jakub Kiwior is 6'2" and MA keeps banging on about his versatility. He's played LB and DM as well. Do you reckon he could be cover for Zinny? A tall left-footer who's comfortable as a DM and has a good passing range.