Everton v Man City (3-4-3) - Premier League - - ShareMyTactics.com
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Let me start by saying that I hope that we are taking it a game at a time focussing on our opponents 1 at a time. I also believe all 6 games are winnable but to expect us to win our last 12 league games straight is perhaps a bridge too far. With Gareth Barry unavailable against his parent club some sort of change will be forced upon us so we can think about this 1 change in isolation. Moving Barkley or Osman back and maintaining our shape are the 2 obvious choices. My preference is a little radical but starts with bringing Barkley back into a midfield 4 where he would be joined by McCarthy and our 2 current full backs. The reason Baines and Coleman can do this is that Martinez is a known admirer of the three at the back system allowing 2 of the most attacking full backs in the league to play as genuine wing backs. We tried it pre season and have switched to it a couple of times late in games. Hopefully they have been exposed to it in training too and even if not we have a month to prepare. Jagielka should be back playing by then and will hopefully have some first team minutes under his belt. Stones is playing brilliantly in Jags' absence, but may at some point benefit from a rest allowing Jags back in. If all 3 are 100% match fit by the start of May, this formation allows our current and future club captains to both play alongside the club's POTM for March. 3 up top worked a treat against Arsenal and in this system has more support available from midfield. Lukaku from the right was a revelation and allowed Naismith to play as a centre forward where he seems much more comfortable. He should play there or not at all in future. Behind the striker is just about acceptable but please no more seeing him on the wing unless it's an emergency. Also if Kolarov plays left back for City, Lukaku's presence may just make him think twice about marauding forward stopping a genuine threat. I am sure Lukaku and Mirallas are capable of rotating wings if an extra dimension is needed. Hopefully we're still in the hunt for fourth at this stage and I honestly think this approach to the game could get us a point or even 3 no matter whether City are fighting for the title or not. I did one of those bloody predictors and had us missing 4th on goal difference. Still at least now United are out of the Champions League we know what we have to do and it's in our own hands.
