LEON OSMAN SHARED a dressing room with Seamus Coleman for six seasons but his assessment of the Everton captain’s current standing is not one blinded by such loyalty.
He sees enough of his old club to know that Jamie Carragher’s recent evisceration of the veteran full back was not warranted, even if it came at a time when his form had dipped.
“When we talk about a team being too good to go down,” Carragher saidon Sky Sports at half-time of last month’s demolition by Tottenham Hotspur.
“Well that’s because we look at Everton’s strikers – Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin – this back-four is a Championship back-four. There’s absolutely no doubt about this whatsoever.
“Seamus Coleman – I actually feel sorry for him – he’s been a great full-back for Everton, but right now this is happening far too much, where people are just running in behind him. And that goes back to Everton’s recruitment, that Seamus Coleman’s still playing right now.”
The spotlight has been on Everton because of the nature of their appalling season, one which could yet see them relegated from English football’s top flight for the first time since 1951.
Osman was a product of their academy and made 352 Premier League appearances until calling time on his career after two decades of service at Goodison Park.
That attachment remains strong now and, ahead of today’s Merseyside derby away to Liverpool, he is adamant that Coleman’s detractors have singled out the wrong target.
“Honestly, I think he’s brilliant. Not just because he is a brilliant professional and because of the service he has given to the club, but because without a doubt he is still our best right back,” Osman tells The42.
“No, he is not at the levels of five or six years ago when he was in his absolute prime and one of the best defenders in the league. But when you get to a certain age, your game changes, you adapt, and Seamus has been able to do that.
I really don’t see why he is getting the criticism because he deserves to play and he’s our leader. Whether he’s barking orders or shouting isn’t the point, it’s the fact that every time he steps out on that pitch he has a ridiculously brilliant attitude and is someone who leads by example.
“He never hides, he never looks for the easy way out. Whichever way some people may look at him, you cannot criticise what he gives. He always give us his all and his attitude is always exemplary.
“He’s the one who is always first into any type of situation, he will back his teammates up and give them support. As leaders go, as people in our team go who have the character that you need to, Seamus is Everton’s strongest.”
Frank Lampard, who hasn’t quite managed to inspire the reaction the Everton hierarchy were hoping for when he replaced Rafael Benitez, seems to have also come around to realising Coleman’s influence will be pivotal in their bid to beat the drop.
“We are in a phase where we need to fight and show commitment,” he told the official Everton website after snatching a last-gasp 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City in midweek.
“The players did that – we started slowly but they showed commitment through the game. My captain, Seamus, was sensational, in terms of his attitude – and we got the point we deserved.”
They will need to draw on every ounce of that spirit if they are to somehow take anything from Anfield today. Liverpool have conceded just twice at home in the Premier League since the turn of the year and are in a gripping title race with leaders Manchester City, while Lampard has overseen six successive away defeats.
“The mood is one of trepidation, it’s tin hat time for us going to Anfield when you look at the records of both teams,” Osman admits.
“Knowing how dreadful Everton have been away from home and how strong Liverpool are, Everton have to have some kind of plan to try and even get a point.
“It hasn’t looked like they’ve had one away from home so far. The optimistic side of me as a fan hopes that the derby might just bring something out of the team with regard their away form.
At home they show heart and desire, it showed the other night to get something from that game against Leicester City at the end. They will need to show much more than that against Liverpool because they are one of the best teams in the world.
“Surprising results can happen in a derby and at this stage of the season strange things can happen, but Everton need to have a plan, and get some luck, for it to happen.
“What they can’t do is what Manchester United players did during the week,” Osman said of that 4-0 demolition on Tuesday. “You need to be going there with a game plan.
“If you go there as 11 individuals and regardless of how hard you might be prepared to work and how much you want to get a result, you won’t. You won’t get anything. You will end up looking silly and pulled apart.
“You will get embarrassed because 11 individuals don’t get anything at Anfield. That’s what Man United were, when they did bother to press it was in ones and twos. The body language was not great and Liverpool took them apart.”
Coleman, and Everton, have been ruthlessly exposed this season.
Standing firm now might just have some reassess their obituaries.
