Everton FC: Why Sylvain Distin Is the Toffees' Unsung Hero

Playing alongside two attacking full-backs, and a club captain who starts in defence for England, Sylvain Distin's contribution isn't always one to steal significant column inches.

He rarely scores—always a handy boost to a defender's reputation—and can often look uneasy in possession, which is another unfashionable trait in these tiki-taka times. 

His long career has also never seen international football or featured many European campaigns, further reducing his appeal.

The Frenchman has, however, produced a high level of consistency throughout his time at Everton, rarely receiving the amount of acclaim his continued excellence merits. As a vital part of the Toffees' defence, he is one of the club's—and Premier League's—most unheralded players.

Distin joined the Toffees in 2009, viewed as a like-for-like replacement for Joleon Lescott, joining at a similar time to John Heitinga—whose signature fetched far more hype.

Spending over £5 million on a 31-year-old defender didn't exactly titillate Evertonians—especially with Portsmouth engineering something of a fire-sale at the time—and many anticipated Distin becoming an alternate to Heitinga and Phil Jagielka in defence.

However, over time it was the Frenchman who proved the more natural fit with Jagielka and has now gone on to start over 150 games in the past four seasons, 36 more than Heitinga.

The left-sided centre-back is one of the key positions in Everton's system and Distin is an ideal fit for the role. It certainly keeps him busy and it requires all of his pace, strength, height and experience.

With Leighton Baines one of the Premier League's most attacking left-backs, Distin is expected to not only marshal his own channel, but be prepared to regularly dart across and cover any space to his left.

This is where his experience and speed come in, using all of his years to read the game and know when's best to shuffle over. 

On his right is generally Jagielka, one of the leading defenders in the top flight, outstanding on the ground and in one-on-one scenarios. 

However, Everton's captain is not especially tall or commanding in the air for a centre-back, meaning Distin is also required to meet most crosses and divert the danger. This is why the Frenchman's power and height are equally crucial to his role.

The statistics emphasise this point further, with no defender contesting more aerial duels than Distin in the entire Premier League last season. He went up for 178, compared to Jagielka's 137, and his success-rate of 71 percent was among the best in the top flight.

His extra work is also highlighted, with the Frenchman averaging 12 defensive actions per-match, more than any other Everton player. Only four Premier League players made more clearances and just seven made more defensive actions, further accentuating Distin's value to the club as well as his position's importance. 

He is one of the main reasons the Toffees have kept such a successful defence, ranked in the top four for both of the past two seasons. Given these numbers, Everton appear far more liable to concede if he falters at his game than any other outfield player.

Baines and Jagielka are undoubtedly two of the Premier League's leading players in their positions, but without Distin alongside them—often mopping up and executing the less glamorous tasks—neither would be anywhere near as effective.

Now in the very twilight of his career, approaching 36, this may be the last season the Frenchman can sustain such impressive consistency. Given the importance of his role, it's vital Everton begin identifying a suitable successor, with similar facets in his game, as soon as possible.

It may not be until after he goes that Distin's considerable input is fully appreciated, and only then may he get the recognition his contribution warrants.

Statistics via Squawka and WhoScored? 

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