How big a gamble could ‘Martinez’s Everton’ be?

Following the move of David Moyes to Old Trafford replacing Sir Alex Ferguson as the Manchester United manager, Everton and Bill Kenwright were left to search for a new man in charge. After a 10 year long spell with the Scotsman, the Merseysiders will be facing a new challenge in accepting Roberto Martinez as their manager. There are many ways to look at this dilemma.

Back in 2002, Everton were on the brink of relegation when David Moyes was appointed and it paid off, as they finished 15th that season, escaping the drop. Subsequent seasons saw them finish in top half of the table, consistently. They even went on to play in the Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions. Such was the positive spirit Moyes had instilled into the team to churn out good results. This time around, the focus is different, the goal is different and the manager, of course, is different. Roberto Martinez has been lauded for his ability to work wonders with a below average squad, employing unusual tactics. But all he has managed is a glorious FA Cup win against Man City after getting relegated from top division last season. Now, the customary Wigan relegation battle will be invisible, for a season at least.

With the club (Everton) now vying for top honors in the League, and Champions League qualification being the prime focus, Kenwright will not accept any slip-ups. There are many issues to look into for the new manager even before he steps onto the training ground and interacts with the players. The impending transfer rumors on Fellaini and Baines, and how they will be handled will be the major talking points over the next two months. Reportedly though, Martinez was quoted saying he would hand a contract extension to Baines and convince him to stay.

Then there is the issue of tactics and personnel. David Moyes used a rigid 4-4-2 at times, a fluid 4-5-1 most times and a 4-3-3 when chasing the game. For goals, he often depended on his wide players making overlaps as the 2 midfielders sat deep and distributed the balls. Much of the compactness of Everton last season came from the excellent centerback pairing of Distin and Jagielka. While the change from a 4-5-1 to a 4-4-2, meaning Fellaini being paired with the striker, demanded a much disciplined game from the wingers, it was the fullbacks that excelled in every setup. What Martinez will have at his disposal is a compact team capable of playing on the break and equally adept at disrupting a better opposition with negative plays when required.

Martinez, who pioneered the 3-4-3 formation with the Wigan side, will be looking to enforce the same setup on his new team. In the case of Everton, it actually could turn out to be a much easier task than it seems on the surface. The only downside comes from the dropping of a midfielder for an extra defender. This means John Heitinga could feature regularly next season, or Martinez could bring in a new defender who is capable of playing in a back 3. The onus, though, will be on the adaptability of the fullbacks into wingbacks. Coleman and Baines will be the crucial pieces of the puzzle which can make or break the ‘new’ Everton. The Wingback role demands a higher level of positional sense and more discipline, compared to a fullback.

The midfield will undoubtedly consist of Osman and Fellaini, if the Belgian opts to stay at the club. Else, a not so good Osman-Gibson pairing which was used most of the last season, might not be Martinez’s first choice. Again, if Fellaini leaves the club, the incoming wealth will be spent to reinforce the midfield. The 3-4-3 demands a lot from the two players in the middle of the park, so a player complementing Osman’s dictation and capable of providing the drive to cover the vast gaps ahead will be sought. Fellaini actually fits perfectly into this role and the manager should do his best to keep his priced asset at Goodison next season.

The defensive fatalities of Martinez’s Wigan side last season were well complemented with some adventurous attacking play. Everton were the exact opposite of what Wigan were and there is obviously a galactic gap to close down. Good, solid defenders at Everton should give Martinez some respite and he can go about mending the attacking department, which is in much need of some clinicality and most importantly, ‘goals’. Jelavic was unimpressive last term, so a new striker might be on the cards.

Then comes the point of youth. Everton have good players coming from their academy, but Moyes did not have plans to incorporate them into the first team setup. Anichebe and Ross Barkley are the only ones who got promoted through the ranks. With European football looming large, squad depth is what Martinez will crave for. With the uncharacteristic Thursday night games coupled with the English weekends, how well the Spaniard manages to maintain a fresh squad is the major question. The reputation of being a stringent dealer when it comes to transfers helps the club in maintaining financial stability. But we can expect an occasional cash splurge if the situation requires any.

All this discussion naturally contributes to a fair amount of speculation on which formation Martinez’s Everton will feature in. He could continue to tinker and develop the existing 4-5-1 or could bring about some drastic changes as examined above. Whatever the case, we are sure to see a dynamic and enterprising Everton in the 13-14 season. The most concerning factor for the Everton board will be the consistency. The leap of faith they took in appointing Martinez has a very high possibility of backfiring in their faces, due to obvious reasons. From the likes of it, Martinez’s Everton definitely appears to be a big gamble. One can only wait and see what’s in store.