The terms ‘pressing’ and Everton Women have become synonymous in this season’s FAWSL. In Willie Kirk’s past year in charge of the toffees, he has managed to transform Everton from a team who were fighting relegation last season to a team competing as leaders of the mid-table. A key factor to their rise in form has been the way they press as part of their defensive organisation. With the FAWSL at halt along with major leagues around the world, it is time to look closer at Everton women’s pressing tactics and how Willie Kirk has been perfecting it throughout this season.
This tactical analysis scout report will break down Everton’s pressing tactics and use analysis to understand how their defensive system works in different phases of the game.
System and defensive game model
The most common formation used by Willie Kirk with Everton women is the 4-2-3-1. Although he tried the 4-5-1 and the 4-4-1-1 in the initial games of this season, the 4-2-3-1 is the one that manifests his principles of play most distinctly.
The 4-2-3-1 has four lines of pressure. The first line of the press begins with the centre forward, which can be played by Simone Magill, Chloe Kelly or Hannah Cain. The primary role of the centre forward is to add pressure on the deepest opposition player that receives the ball while building out of the back. When the centrebacks pass the ball to each other, the centre forward also makes angled runs to break the passing lane. With intelligent timing of the press, she can force the play onto a corner of the pitch and cut out the passing angles to the back forcing the ball long or out of play.
The second line of the press is led by the central attacking midfielder, usually played by Inessa Kaagman or Molly Pike. The preliminary objective is to man-mark the opposition pivot who plays in front of the defensive line. The attacking midfielder can also support the centre forward if she drifts out of position while pressing.
Th
