Rafa Benitez Defensive Tactics At Everton 2021/2022 – Tactical Analysis

After spending two years in China with Dalian Professional, Rafael Benitez returned to the Premier League, signing a three-year contract with Everton.

After eight games, they had 14 points, just one behind the top four.

Benítez believed the attacking performance was more about the quality of players, but the defending was more workable.

He wanted to see Everton defending as a team, being strong, with intensity, and taking the momentum to become a solid side.

After the players were introduced to some very clear defensive principles, the Toffees became a tough team to beat.

They showed great character at Old Trafford and Turf Moor, where they conceded first but came home with four points in total.

This tactical analysis will detail Benítez’s defensive tactics and highlight the key plays that transformed Evertons defense.

Midblock & side traps

Evertons PPDA of 13.48 this season was the seventh-highest in the Premier League, indicating that their pressing intensity was not particularly high.

However, they had the third-lowest xGA at 8.64, even lower than the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea.

The Toffees were also quite impressive in several other defensive metrics; their defensive duels won % (61.3%) and aerial duels won % (47.8%) were both above the mean, while they had 47.21 interceptions per 90, more than any other team in England’s top-tier football league.

But how exactly do they defend on the pitch?

This analysis will use some in-game examples to illustrate the defensive principles of Benítez.

The midblock shape of Everton can vary from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2 or even a 4-3-3, depending on how you interpret the formations.

The most important must be the defensive principles.

From eit