Player Focus: Why Coleman Can Take the Reins from Baines

Much of the media attention around Everton regards star players potentially moving on between now and midnight on Monday, with Leighton Baines in the spotlight having reportedly made his desire to join United known. The fans can be pretty safe in the knowledge that a far less heralded first teamer seems to have slipped under the radar somewhat.

That player is Seamus Coleman who, due to the Toffees tendency to play down their left, has seen his excellent development as a full-back on the opposite flank go largely unnoticed.

It's true that Baines' side of the pitch is the most integral to Everton's play but on the right side Coleman offers superb balance as he's able to bomb forward, whilst progressing as a defender in the absence of Tony Hibbert. Injury may have played a big part in the veteran's lack of playing time but it's that progression that is likely to curtail the long-serving full-back's first team commitments at the club.

The 24-year old's breakthrough campaign came in 2010/11 when he was listed among the nominees for Young Player of the Year. He was never likely to win the award in the company of the likes of Bale, Hart, Hernandez, Nani, Nasri and eventual winner Wilshere but to appear among such players was a significant achievement nonetheless.

The fact that the following season was plagued by injuries as far as the Irishman was concerned stunted his development somewhat and the experienced duo of Hibbert and Neville tended to get the nod once he had returned to fitness. It was only a third of the way through last season that Coleman really made the right-back spot his own but since the turn of the year it's hard to argue that there have been any better in his position in England's top-flight.

He's certainly started the current campaign in fine form, picking up a goal and an assist in the opener against Norwich and under Martinez he's often been more advanced than Baines on the opposite side. Indeed, Coleman has had to get through very little defensive work thus far this season, making just one tackle over the two matches but as many as 5 successful dribbles and key passes each.

It's this attacking threat that is undoubtedly his strong suit and is the main contributing factor to his WhoScored rating of 7.41 since the turn of the year. That's an average that is only bettered by one other full-back to have made at least 10 appearances since January, and that's Leighton Baines (7.42).

It's true that in this calendar year there hasn't been much between the two Toffees and while Coleman doesn't offer the ability over a set piece that Baines can - very few do - he's developing a creative side to his game in open play that could potentially match that of his teammate.

In the 2013 calendar year no other starting full-back has picked up as many assists (4), with the 24-year old bettering Baines' 3. The latter may have created over twice as many chances per game in that time (2.85) but Coleman's 1.31 is still enough to rank second behind the England international in terms of full-backs. His average also only drops to 1.06 when looking at key passes in open play per game, while Baines' figure falls further, to a still superb 1.6. Again, both averages rank first and second of left and right-backs in the division.

When it comes to accurate crosses the duo's averages are even closer still, with Baines' 1.45 per game when excluding corners not too far ahead of Coleman's 1.06. Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland international almost doubles his colleague's per game figure when it comes to successful dribbles (1.38 to 0.7), whilst he also usurps the United target easily in terms of interceptions per match (2.38 to 1.3).

When you consider that 42% of Everton's attacking touches came down Baines' left compared to 31% down Coleman's right last season the latter's statistics are even more noteworthy having seen less of the ball. Indeed, the right-back has averaged more than 15 fewer touches per game since the turn of the year than his teammate on the opposite flank, and while the side continue to focus their attention down the left they are well aware that Coleman offers a more than adequate outlet if they switch up play.

While it's clear that any departure for Baines would be a big loss for Everton, Roberto Martinez can take solace in the fact that the second best attacking full-back in the league behind the 28-year old on current form may well be Seamus Coleman.