Everton supporters were not left waiting too long for an indication as to how new manager Marco Silva will set up next season.
“4-3-3, I can tell you," he told the Liverpool Echo during the week. "It is the system I have played more. One second season I used 4-4-2 and sometimes last season three but 4-3-3 is my system, depending on my No.6. Depending the profile of my No.6, I can play one and two or I can play two and one behind the striker.
“If we play [Morgan] Schneiderlin he is a player who likes to play more alone which gives more freedom to the other two midfielders and this is the system I use more. But my model, first of all the team need to work all together and if we have a clean sheet then everything will start from there."
Silva's Everton, in his own words, will look to press high, dominate the ball and attack using fast transitions. And so, what is likely to follow is not a massive deviation in formation from the Koeman and Allardyce tenures - both frequently used variations on 4-2-3-1 - but rather stylistic and tactical divergence that necessitates either an influx of new players or a great deal of work on the training ground with the existing squad.
In some cases, particularly with the veterans in the squad, there may not be the possibility of teaching old dogs new tricks. It's partly why, together with the disappointing finish last season and the bloated wage bill at Goodison, there has been talk from Silva and new technical director Marcel Brands of a cull during the close season. If those already at Everton cannot fit the blueprint, they will be cast aside in favour of those who can.
No more so is this the case than at the back, where Silva's attacking style means defenders can be exposed to fast counters and one-on-one situations.
Given that veterans Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka will head into the new season aged 34 and 36 respectively - and both have shown varying levels of decline in recent seasons - it's hard to see how the pair will cope under the Portuguese. A question mark also surrounds Michael Keane from both a physical and psychological perspective, with the former Burnley man so far struggling to adapt to different ways of playing after years under the tutelage of Sean Dyche.
As doubts surround the future of Ramiro Funes Mori - the Argentine is reportedly seeking a way out this summer - it's not hard to envisage youngster Mason Holgate as being the big winner in central defence from Silva's appointment. Quicker than most of his colleagues and with greater potential on the ball, the England Under-21 international will hope to build on a series of promising outings during the 2017-18 campaign.
The same kind of mobility will also be required at full-back; both in attack and defence. Silva's use of Kiko Femenia and Jose Holebas almost as auxiliary wingers at Watford gave the Hornets extra depth to their play - and he may well look to do likewise at Goodison. Such a role seems tailor-made for the energetic Seamus Coleman, although on the flank, Leighton Baines may not be able to replicate the feat. Silva has already hailed the left-back as a 'fantastic' option, but at 33, Baines now needs to be managed through campaigns.
With cover essential in that area, the Portuguese may look to the youth ranks and recent USA new cap Antonee Robinson. Pacey, powerful and capable of playing at wing-back, the 20-year-old seems a good fit for Silva's system and should be handed a chance to impress in pre-season.
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Further forward, the Portuguese's preference for one screening midfielder and two box-to-box types could well signal the end for both Wayne Rooney and Davy Klaassen; both of whom lack the skill-set to play in either role. Morgan Schneiderlin was name-checked by the new Everton manager as a potential option as a Number 6 due to his technical ability, but with the Frenchman also linked with a move away from L4, links to Sporting's William Carvalho have started to emerge.
Whoever plays there, though, will be tasked with winning back possession and distributing the ball quickly and efficiently to those in front of him. Idrissa Gueye and Beni Baningime both do the former well, but neither yet possesses the range of passing of, say, a Carvalho. The duo, however, could come into their own in games against the top-six if Silva chooses to play with two 'sitters' in front of the defence.
At this moment in time, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Tom Davies and Nikola Vlasic appear the best fits as box-to-box midfielders in Silva's setup, with Ademola Lookman and Theo Walcott the obvious choices in wide areas. Should Yannick Bolasie move on, the Portuguese would probably look to bring in another wide player to supplement his options.The highly-rated Kieran Dowell, who plays either to the right of a 4-2-3-1 or central as the main creator, will probably need to adapt his game defensively to fit into the blueprint as an alternative to Sigurdsson.
Questions remain in attack, too. Cenk Tosun made a promising start to life on Merseyside and should start the campaign as first-choice, while Oumar Niasse did well under Silva on loan at Hull in 2016-17. Elsewhere, Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hold-up play and ability to run the channels makes him another good option from the bench.
As at Hull and Watford, there needs to be an element of selflessness about the lone striker's play in a Silva's system, with wingers often looking to break beyond and into space left vacated. Goals, in isolation, are far from the only factor for the Portuguese when it comes to striker selection.
On the whole, Everton supporters should expect to see the age-profile of the team lowered to fit in with the new high-energy style. Older heads and those unable to adapt will quickly find themselves surplus to requirements. Then the hard work starts. Although fringe players such as Holgate, Lookman and Robinson may well stake their claims, particularly in the centre of defence and midfield, the current squad appears ill-equipped for the rigours of Silva's setup.
A busy summer awaits if 2018-19 is to be anything other than a season of transition for Everton under their new coach.
