Former Premier League striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed that Everton need to sign two wing-backs in the January transfer window amid claims that Tom Davies and Alex Iwobi were ‘frightened’ against Leeds due to being played out of position – but this is not the pressing issue.
There is always a sense of fragility when transitioning to a new tactical system with a novelty in the way the team is set up. Indeed, in the cases of Davies and Iwobi, their roles in a fluid, defensive back five is virtually foreign and antithetical to the style of play which both men have developed in their careers. The former is a natural midfielder, whilst the latter is best-known as a winger.
Indeed, Agbonlahor expressed his thoughts to Football Insider about the two wing-backs who featured against Leeds, saying: “That position is tough because you don’t know whether to take the winger or the full-back so it’s something that only a natural defender will understand.
“Maybe it’s something Everton need to look at it in the future, to add more strength in depth in full-back positions.”
The fluidity of a 3-4-3 or a 5-2-3 system is supposed to generate a greater strength when off the ball in part, enabling the wing-backs to track back easily to support a bolstered centre-back trio buoyed by the extra man. Moreover, that same transitional emphasis comes to the fore, with the wing-backs acting as ‘second wingers’ to support attacking phases.
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The real question is whether this system is even necessary at all. Everton’s early form of five league wins was neatly supplemented with their own fluid moves, even if it was tainted by the occasional defensive lapse.
A narrow 3-2 victory over Fulham and a 1-0 loss to Leeds despite sufficient fluidity and creativity from the new system left much to be desired in Carlo Ancelotti’s side, notably in defence. The new system hardly feels like a true upgrade to Everton, and more of a temporary coping mechanism for injury issues.
To enter the market for not just one but two wing-backs would undoubtedly upset the balance of the squad. Still recovering from injury, Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne are long-term absences, though the former is due back imminently and the latter is expected to be out for a maximum of three months after ankle surgery. Ancelotti needs to factor in the long-term presence of such reinforcements too, unless short-term deals for suitable talents can be achieved.
A reversion to the previous 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 systems which were previously favoured would ultimately deliver two key benefits; the saving of funds and risk of squad imbalance whilst also reverting to what has been proven to be effective. Whilst more defensive discipline and work is clearly needed, the latest attempt to counteract defensive issues has yielded little reward.
