Moyes must be careful not to play into Stoke's hands with tactical tweaking

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ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's StatsZone app â now FREE â to assess Everton's attacking options, as suspensions mount...

Throughout the 2012/13 season, Everton manager David Moyes has favoured a 4-4-1-1 formation. But with both Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar suspended for this weekendâÂÂs home fixture with Stoke City, as well as the following weekendâÂÂs visit to Tottenham, he could return to a more straightforward 4-4-2 system.

While Moyes has frequently used an attacking central midfielder in support of a traditional centre-forward in recent years, his âÂÂnumber tenâ has rarely been a creator. Both Fellaini and Tim Cahill specialise at breaking into the box to provide an aerial threat â and therefore the difference between a 4-4-1-1 and a 4-4-2 isnâÂÂt always obvious. Fellaini is probably more of an all-rounder, but Cahill often felt like a pure centre-forward in terms of his contribution, if not his actual position.

Ordinarily, this would concern Moyes in a defensive sense â he remains a reactive manager who focuses on stopping the opposition playing to their strengths. However, the nature of this weekendâÂÂs opposition means a numerical deficit in the centre of the pitch wonâÂÂt be a concern â Stoke are unlikely to form neat triangles around EvertonâÂÂs midfielders, and a 4-4-2 might better suit the style of this game, likely to be based around direct football.

Moyes went with a 4-4-2 the last time Fellaini was suspended, towards the end of December. It was a broadly successful move â Everton recorded 2-1 victories over West Ham and Wigan, before narrowly losing 2-1 to Chelsea before Fellaini returned to the side.

Jelavic and AnichebeâÂÂs roles were interesting. One might have expected Jelavic, the penalty box poacher, to play a fixed role with the more mobile Anichebe making runs into the channels. In fact, it was the exact opposite against Wigan â the positions of their received passes demonstrate that Jelavic was the man drifting wide, with Anichebe a target for long balls.

In that respect, their deployment made sense. Anichebe is much better in the air than Jelavic, boasting an aerial duel success rate of 47% compared to JelavicâÂÂs rather unimpressive 32%, which was summed up nicely in that Wigan match.

Interestingly, although the duo rarely combined during build-up play in midfield zones, they had a decent relationship in the final third. They combined on four occasions in dangerous positions against Wigan, which might not sound particularly impressive â but when compared to SunderlandâÂÂs strike partnership (as outlined here two weeks ago), it does demonstrate a decent understanding.

In the match the following week against Chelsea, things were different. Jelavic was more central, while Anichebe stayed high up the pitch on the left, challenging against right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, who lacks the aerial power of Branislav Ivanovic, ChelseaâÂÂs other option in that position.

Anichebe is a useful option for that âÂÂFlo passâÂÂ, as 1990s Norway coach Egil Olsen dubbed diagonal balls for tall forwards (Jostein Flo, in Norway?âÂÂs case) to challenge small full-backs in the air. However, against a Stoke City side that sometimes uses four centre-backs across their defence, identifying an aerial weakness will be difficult.

In fact, using two traditional centre-forwards might play into StokeâÂÂs hands if Everton rely heavily on a direct approach. Pulisâ side enjoy playing against basic strikers rather than quick, nippy forwards who take up clever positions â Moyes must ensure his attackers offer a varied threat by attacking with guile and intelligence, as well as with direct football.

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