Team can build upon positives from defeat

Nov 9 2004 By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post

YOU can have an unlucky defeat, a deserved defeat and even a thrashing, but for Everton, their 1-0 loss at Chelsea was a positive defeat.

That may sound like a contradiction in terms, but I watched the game alongside Alan Hansen for Match of the Day and we both agreed that there were plenty of constructive aspects David Moyes could take from the match.

First and foremost, Everton played well as a team, were solid defensively and created chances against a Chelsea side who have stopped supposedly-bigger clubs from doing just that and also cost a good deal more than the Blues

Indeed, if Alan Stubbs had scored with his chance, I believe Everton would have won 1-0 instead of losing by the same score.

Obviously the defence played well and Marcus Bent worked hard in attack, but for me the key to Everton's resurgence is the midfield.

Whether you call it a five-man mid-field, or one man sitting in front of the defence with four in front of him, it is a system that works.

Everyone in it has clearly defined roles that play to their strengths, while it is also very hard to play against. So far only Arsenal have taken it apart, and that was in the first match of the season.

Whoever slots into the different positions looks good in their role, which is pleasing, and the likes of Thomas Gravesen, Kevin Kilbane, Lee Carsley and Leon Osman have all been impressive performers, grasping exactly what their manager expects them to do.

For me though, the biggest beneficiary of David Moyes's tactical masterplan has been Tim Cahill.

Evertonians had to wait for the Australian because of his Olympic duties, but from minute one of his Everton career, he has looked born to play at this level.

He is a great lad and knows his strengths and weaknesses, which fortunately fit exactly with Everton's current style of play.