The Technical Area – Martinez’ Full-Backs

With only a single match played out by most of the top-flight teams, it’s perhaps a little early to read too much into the data delivered from the weekend’s action. Then again, we wouldn’t be Fantasy managers if we weren’t keen on scouring the numbers and analysing patterns as we line up to make our first trades of the brand new season.

A goal and assist against Norwich on Saturday, boosted by the maximum Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points has already earned Seamus Coleman a bandwagon of his own. As a result, we compare his Carrow Road display to that of fellow full-back Leighton Baines and also reflect on the right-back’s statistics from the season gone by as the Technical Area returns:

Assessing the average position taken up by Roberto Martinez’ players when in possession, Coleman’s (23) attacking menace down the flank is obvious. Despite playing as a full-back in a 4-3-3 formation, the Republic of Ireland international basically operated as a winger, providing width from deep and allowing Kevin Mirallas (11)– on the right of the front three – to find his way into more central areas. In addition, Coleman’s position fares positively compared with fellow full-back Leighton Baines (3) on the opposite flank and, indeed Steven Pienaar (22), on the left of the Toffees’ frontline.

Coleman GW1 v Coleman 2012/13

Looking at Coleman’s statistics from the previous season, it’s noticeable that, in terms of touches, there was barely any difference. Last term, he averaged 59.6 per match and on Saturday, he registered 58 – more or less identical, then. What’s key, though, was where he was on the ball – the previous season’s average of 21.7 touches in the final third (36% of total touches) jumped to 28 (or 48%) at the weekend – an encouraging sign of his foraging runs down the flank.

Analysis of Coleman’s minutes per pass received starts again bode well. Saturday’s 2.8 was virtually identical to last year’s average of 2.9 but it’s when we move further up the field that the difference is more apparent; he received 17 passes in the final third against Norwich, up on the 13.4 from 2012/13. His distribution also stepped up another level – an indication he’ll be a key protagonist in Martinez’s possession-based tactics. Coleman’s pass accuracy of 90.6% is significantly up on his previous 80.5% and his number of successful passes in the final third (13) is not far off double the 7.7 average from 2012/13. Furthermore, a total of two successful crosses against the Norwich, while hardly eye-catching, is, nevertheless, twice the number registered from last time out.

Ultimately, though, the main statistics to pique Fantasy managers’ interest are key passes and goal attempts; indicators of his attacking points potential. Saturday’s showing saw Coleman create two goalscoring opportunities for team-mates – an average pace of 47.5 minutes to 84.4 last time around. His more advanced prompting also led him into the box more often; an average of three touches in the opposition area was up on the 2.1 of 2012/13, while a total of two attempts on goal (or 47.5 minutes per shot) was a huge improvement on the average of 228 minutes per attempt on goal under David Moyes.

Coleman v Baines GW1

Ultimately, though, the real test is when compared to Leighton Baines. While Coleman hogged the headlines, Everton’s Mr Reliable once again produced a strong showing yet failed to return the Fantasy points. Baines registered an incredible 104 touches against the Canaries (Coleman and Mirallas combined managed 109) and with Steven Pienaar also managing 83, it’s clear just how much the visitors utilised their left flank.

Despite seeing far more of the ball than his fellow full-back, Baines made just 10 more touches (38 to 28) in the final third than Coleman, received four more passes (21 to 17) and made more successful passes in the final third (19 to 13). Significantly, all three of these statistics in the vital attacking area were up from from 2012/13 – Baines had previously averaged 32.6 touches, 17.2 passes received and 12.8 successful passes in the final third under David Moyes; it’s intriguing to note this is very similar to Coleman’s data on Saturday.

Although Baines’ overall distribution accuracy was down on Coleman’s (85%to 90.6%), he supplied more successful crosses (five to two) and, crucially, registered five key passes for the Toffees. Indeed, not only was this the most impressive creative display from Everton (Coleman, Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic were next best for Martinez’ men with two apiece), Baines made more “key passes” than any defender in the Gameweek and just one less than joint-top Philippe Coutinho and Eden Hazard, with six apiece. With just a single touch inside the opponents’ box, though, Baines failed to replicate Coleman’s threat and also managed just a single attempt on goal; a slight worry, given how much time he spent on the ball.

Granted, while one match is too small a sample size to get overly-excited about, the signs are nevertheless encouraging for both , with Coleman looking particularly strong here. His average position in relation to his team-mates’ at Carrow Road suggests a narrow front three will afford him plenty space to forage down the flank and find himself in more offensive positions time and again. The upturn in statistics in comparison to last terms affords further reason for optimism and with Martinez keen for his marauding right-back to lend more weight to his side’s attacks, Coleman has wasted little time in justifying our decision to label him a Great Expectations prospect earlier this summer.