In the 12th game week of the 2020-21 Premier League season, Everton hosted Chelsea at the Goodison Park in front of the fans for the first time in 9 months in an important fixture for both the teams. Everton have been winless in their last two games while Chelsea are coming back on an impressive win against Chelsea last weekend and also while securing the group in the Champions League.
This tactical analysis focuses on the tactics deployed by both the managers and how they tried to outplay each other. Let’s begin the analysis.
Lineups
Everton lined-up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation this season with Gylfi Sigurdsson starting in the CAM role. Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey were deployed as the make-shift full-backs after injuries to Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne in the recent weeks.
Chelsea made just one change from their 3-1 win against Leeds last weekend with Havertz coming in place of Ziyech. The rest of the team retained their place as Lampard look to extend his winning ways.
Chelsea with possession
Giroud starting as the target man was tasked with the roles similar to the other traditional number-9. Frank Lampard in recent months have heavily relied on Giroud’s hold-up play and ability in the air as a weapon to break down defences. Giroud would often drop and drag a defender with him. This space vacated by the defender would be immediately occupied by a winger mostly Timo Werner in such cases. The example has arrows signifying the opposite movements by the forwards. Again, in this case, Giroud held the ball very well and played it to Kovacic, whose first-time pass to Werner was mishit.
