2025/26 Jake O'Brien

[GoldenToffee]

Was like watching a weird Jonjoe Kenny-Mason Holgate-Ben Godfrey hybrid out there tonight. Never seen him actually look frightened but he was well and truly destroyed in the second half.

 

[RomanReigns]

Thought he struggled against Gnonto as well

He can’t cope with speedy wingers

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Ndiaye was to blame there tonight. He went AWOL and was bang out of order leaving O'Brien exposed. And Tarkowski was lax in covering for O'Brien too. We had our LB going across the pitch at one stage to give the lad some much needed help.

If I were O'Brien Ild be having some stern words with Ndiaye especially tonight.

You can tell you don't what the game in real time.

Our problems arose on right because we insisted on playing the wide diagonal ball to O'Brien to flick on to Ndiaye inside...thus when we lost the ball we where exposed at RB.

Ndiaye had a bad game but to blame him is an absolute nonsense.

Santo did a job on us..end of.

 

[davek]

You can tell you don't what the game in real time.

Our problems arose on right because we insisted on playing the wide diagonal ball to O'Brien to flick on to Ndiaye inside...thus when we lost the ball we where exposed at RB.

Ndiaye had a bad game but to blame him is an absolute nonsense.

Santo did a job on us..end of.

Clueless.

I watched the game from second one to final whistle.

If O'Brien got up the line to link up with Ndiaye then it was on Tarkowski to get over that side and cover him. He was poor all night doing that (Tarkowski has cratered as a leader this season and looks out of control).

Ndiaye just ambled around not getting back at any time during the game. Dibling offered more help to O'Brien when he came on for a late run out.

 

[riddick]

The manager doesn’t see it as one of the higher priority positions

I feel like this needs to be pointed out. That people EXCUSED not getting a RB in because "we HAVE backup there! Our starting RB is a CB, the backup is a 38yo who can't run anymore, LB backup is ALSO a CB but they're injured this season too".

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Clueless.

I watched the game from second one to final whistle.

If O'Brien got up the line to link up with Ndiaye then it was on Tarkowski to get over that side and cover him. He was poor all night doing that (Tarkowski has cratered as a leader this season and looks out of control).

Ndiaye just ambled around not getting back at any time during the game. Dibling offered more help to O'Brien when he came on for a late run out.

You know absolutely nothing about football.

Stick to moaning about Naming Rights.

 

[Curtis]

1st half I thought he was decent then he started to lag in the second half and became a major liability, becoming easily out maneuvered. I know options on the bench are limited but when a player starts to display lapses in concentration like that you need to replace him.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Games like this we see the downsides of playing a giant CB at RB. He's done a job there on the whole but it seriously limits us at times going both ways and its even worse when Tarkowski is clearly struggling as you have two similar type of players lumbering after fast wingers.

I don't think JT is fully recovered, he's played through injury for us before and could have rushed back out of duty. We acknowledge O'B and Branthwaite are the future CB pairing, this is the cost of pish poor recruitment for the past 5+ years, the mistakes need accounting for.

 

[Preki]

If Patterson isn't up to it after four years why is he still here?
Very poor effort not getting a right back in this summer.
How hard can it be?

 

[Rita_Poon]

We have a few ball payers and it all becomes so easy for the opposition to prepare for that.

Imagine us with Summerville: makes us a real threat against anyone.

We need that pace and skilful player and we dont have it.

We've wasted loads of cash this summer...loads.

uh-oh, it's fairytale stuff, someone wants Grealish replaced... 6 league games in.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Not completely convinced he’ll make a great central defender either tbh. Isn’t quick, and isn’t as good in the air as he should be.

Not being asked to do a great deal aerially in the RB position, so that part of his game isn't being utilised so much. Hopefully his time at RB will teach him what he needs to do as RCB to be as supporting as possible.

 

[Rita_Poon]

He struggled tonight, but, I think West Ham made a conscious decision to overload down their leftwing. The game may well be up for him. Playing out of position against a speedy winger, who is being backed up by a marauding full back, his limitations as a full back are laid bare. However. He's been sussed now and the happy hammers won't be the last team who set up to profit from his shortcomings as a full back.

We can't play Garner at both RB and RW. Something has to give, and he seems integral as supporting CM. Considering a lot of forum accounts were coughing up that he was a bench player at best prior to the season start, he (Garner) suddenly seems essential in 3 starting positions.

Everton: Boggles the mind.

 

[Rita_Poon]

I think this is the case. Reminds me of when Dan Burn played left back for Newcastle.

Jagielka at RB vs newcastle probably over a decade ago. Still reeling.

 

[Pabbers]

Been superb for us for ages….games like this are bound to happen.

He is not a prime Walker, and we will never ever likely have one.

Summerville is a belter of a player.

It happens.

 

[Eggs]

Been superb for us for ages….games like this are bound to happen.

He is not a prime Walker, and we will never ever likely have one.

Summerville is a belter of a player.

It happens.

….he’s been terrific for us filling in at RB, certainly one of our most consistently good performers since Moyes put him in the role.

Summerville had him on toast last night and then their LB suddenly turned into an Olympian sprinter down his flank. That happens to all full-backs, not just the temporary ones.

He’s not the long-term answer but I can’t be critical of him as he’s generally decent.