Analysing Ainsley Maitland-Niles' Start at Everton

When Everton only brought in Ainsley Maitland-Niles to strengthen the right-back options in the summer transfer window, many supporters were incredibly disappointed. 

Not even based on the ability of Maitland-Niles, but due to the fact that we've needed a right-back for many years now, and we end up with a cheap 29-year-old in the final hours of the window. 

On a more positive note, it finally meant we had a player being deployed at right-back who has plenty of experience in that position. Not a centre-back being played there, not a midfielder out of position, a proper right-back.

That might be a small point that many argue due to the fact that Maitland-Niles has previously claimed that he's a midfielder, but I think it's safe to call him a right-back at this stage of his career.

Since coming into the side, Maitland-Niles has made the position his own. After scoring his wonder goal against Manchester United, the former Arsenal man has started all three games, including in the Carabao Cup against Wolves. 

But what does Maitland-Niles offer Everton?

Firstly, Maitland-Niles offers Everton better balance on the right-hand side of defence. Merlin Rohl struggled positionally at times when filling in there, while Jake O'Brien didn't ofer the natural width or attacking threat that a traditional right-back would. 

Maitland-Niles loves to get forward to try to help in the final third. He's not a Daniel Munoz-style wing-back who spends more time in the opposition half than his own, but if the opportunity is there, he'll be looking to help out. 

This helps whoever is playing on the right-hand side of attack, not only offering a passing option, but also dragging away markers to create space, allowing the winger to get into 1vs1 situations more often. 

I don't think it's any coincidence that Tyler Dibling has enjoyed more success in his two appearances while having Maitland-Niles behind him. 

Everton's right-back didn't need to be a goalscoring or creative threat, necessarily, but simply someone who is just willing to get into the final third and knows what positions to take up. You didn't get that with O'Brien, for obvious reasons, but Maitland-Niles knows when to go or stay, and will make decoy runs or be a passing option for his winger. 

A big compliment you can give to Maitland-Niles is he's just a fairly solid, 6/10 minimum full-back. You might not be seeing many man of the match performances, but you're unlikely to come away from games very often thinking he stunk the place out. 

Another compliment is that there aren't many fans talking about the right-back situation anymore. It's perhaps a case of Everton kicking the can down the road by signing a 29-year-old, but it's comforting knowing it's not really an issue that supporters are concerned with.

More depth would have been beneficial, of course, but Maitland-Niles has come in and adapted back into the Premier League seamlessly. He's not a world-class-level right-back and certainly has weaknesses to his game, but considering he's been thrown straight in at Everton, he's more than held his own so far.

In the long term, Everton still need to find a new right-back, but it will be nice to have less of a panic next summer. The Toffees can take their time in identifying a long-term option for the right-back position, bringing in a player who can compete with Maitland-Niles before eventually taking over.