By John P
September 8 2005

Everton has set the standard this season for tactics, with a sharp increase in calling for a lone striker. Even more recently and controversially, Sven chose these same tactics against Wales and Northern Ireland.

Moyes has put this down to Premiership bosses being more tactically aware of having to win the ball in midfield. Moyes has also pointed out, in his article on Everton FC website, that the 4-5-1 formation can push forward to a 4-3-3 attacking formation.

"There has been a big change in the Premiership in terms of the systems teams play."

The interview with Moyes, on the official Everton website, also went on to state that even the biggest clubs in the Premiership, Manchester United and Chelsea, are even playing with a lone striker as the battle for midfield supremacy is more heated now than ever before. Teams are playing with more midfielders because that is exactly where you lose and win games. In my opinion, Arsenal will not win the league this season, they have great attacking midfielder, a formidable striker and a solid back four, but they lost their ball winner Viera. Arsenal will still get a top 3 place, but, there is a hole in their team that Batista would have filled adequately. Moyes states that we have an excellent balance of midfielders with defensive midfielders like Neville and Carsley and attacking options in Arteta, Cahill, Davies and recently Van Der Meyde.

If the recent sources are anything to go by, and we are signing a striker in January's transfer window, then the pressure will be off Bent, Beattie and Vaughan to score goals. Duncan Ferguson will have to do a lot this season to prove himself, although scoring goals was never his forte, but his presence is always enough to win and lose games, but the ageing striker has become more static than in recent seasons and perhaps the injuries are now taking it's toll on our beloved striker. Bent has shown the same passion for the club but a proven goal scorer such as a fully fit and inform Beattie or Robbie Keane would only aid Everton's formation of 4-5-1.

Interview:http://www.evertonfc.com
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