In a season where four of the previous campaign’s top six clubs are set to have a new man in charge, Roberto Martinez’s arrival at Everton is one of the most intriguing appointments in the Premier League this summer. A new formation and style of play is anticipated from the Toffees which could potentially bring a handful of their assets onto our radars – with this in mind, Seamus Coleman is the first subject of our pre-season “Great Expectations” articles.
Under previous manager David Moyes, Everton rarely, if ever, shifted from their default 4-4-1-1 formation but Martinez’s penchant for a three-man defence should boosts Coleman’s prospects considerably. Likely to line up on the right of the midfield four, with Leighton Baines utilised on the opposite flank, the Republic of Ireland international looks a real out of position prospect across the Fantasy games next time out..
Key Factors
- Classified as a midfielder last term in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, Coleman should this time be listed as a defender. His price is likely to remain kind – a cost similar to the previous season’s 5.0, or perhaps a slight increase to 5.5 looks on the cards given the Toffees resilience under Moyes in the final few months of 2012/13. With Baines expected to rise to 7.5, Coleman’s budget-friendly appeal looks set to offer strong value amongst the Everton defence if, as expected, Martinez rolls out a 3-4-3 formation.
- Having fallen down the pecking order in 2011/12, Coleman re-established his position as a first-team regular last time out. His game time was slightly curtailed by hamstring and thigh problems in Moyes’ final term in charge, though with 24 of his 26 appearances coming courtesy of the first XI, he was more or less nailed on as the season unfolded – injury-free, he started each of the Toffees’ last 12 league fixtures in a run that harvested seven clean sheets, three assists and three bonus points.
- Despite playing as a right-back, he afforded a decent level of creativity down the flank. Coleman supplied five assists over the course of the campaign – only two less than Baines, for example, despite the latter’s set-piece and corner duties, and the same number as Kevin Mirallas for the Toffees. While Baines was the number one defender for assists in FPL, only five other backline options provided more than Coleman, despite the fact he missed 12 of Everton’s league matches – even if Martinez begins with a four-man defence, then, there still looks plenty to be positive about when assessing Coleman’s chances.
- His previous campaign as a midfielder – back in 2010/11 – highlights Coleman’s capabilities from a more advanced berth. Over 34 appearances, he found the net on four occasions and also supplied four assists, in addition to eight bonus points; with more top-flight experience behind him and license to bomb forward as Martinez looks to entertain, the 24-year-old could be primed for a significant Fantasy season before the inevitable reclassification as a midfield option for 2014/15.
