2025/26 Jake O'Brien



Too slow on the ball, too slow off the ball. But at least he wins headers right? Well not quite, he doesnt even win a fair share of those. Just what on earth is he doing there? Get him in centre back for Tarkowski and that alone will improve the team 5-10% by speeding play up on the right with Garner back there or just about anyone else.

Wheres Coleman? If hes fit and was given a new contract just give him another run of games there
 
Too slow on the ball, too slow off the ball. But at least he wins headers right? Well not quite, he doesnt even win a fair share of those. Just what on earth is he doing there? Get him in centre back for Tarkowski and that alone will improve the team 5-10% by speeding play up on the right with Garner back there or just about anyone else.

Wheres Coleman? If hes fit and was given a new contract just give him another run of games there
If he's not winning headers then centre back will be a poor fit too.
 
Overall he's been really poor this season. Whether people think that it was fine to go into this season with him as a makeshift RB or not, to not even provide him with stiff competition for that place when he's been struggling is terrible from a recruitment POV.
 

Much better in the air, but slower than Ben Godfrey (pre-Covid definitely, post Covid probably as well). Possibly a better passer, but more limited running with the ball. Overall I'd play him at right back above Godfrey if that was an option still, but then again we have Garner and Coleman (for 20 mins, until he gets injured) who would be better. Not sure Patterson plays football anymore.
 
He's definitely dipped from last season, but then I think that was inevitable. He's always going to have his limitations, given the player he is.

Find it hard to be too harsh on him.

Even the suggestion of moving Garner to right back - I'd rather see Garner at left back and Mykolenko out of the team.

We all knew before a ball was kicked that both full back positions and striker was where we looked weak, and it's proven at least as bad as we all feared.
 
I'm not sure what Moyes expects of O'Brien. He's a CB and everyone knows it.

His own country trust his Everton team mate who Moyes wont start anymore as RB.

He cant cross the ball so he's no use trying to hit the line and swing one in, so he checks back (under instruction probably) and hands the ball to Ndiaye or Garner and has no function to play in an attacking sense from there. I think he's in the starting XI for his long throws now, tbh.

It's a waste of his talents and Ild rather just start Coleman there and sub him after 70 minutes or so.
 
Was easier playing RB last season with Doucoure to aim for in the AM role. Hit to far and it's a possibility for Beto to wrestle for, hit to short and it's into the Gana cover, and Doucoure put himself about harrying. The style of play we try now is vastly different.

Last season with Dyche given up, we were fire fighting, anything would do, get the ball up the pitch and contest it, winning the second ball and going from there.

This season we're trying to play actual football a bit more, but we don't have all the pieces and some of what our success last season was built on has been let go. This has exposed both fullbacks who are not brilliant with mid and long range passing, so our distribution suffers, and confidence wanes and suddenly we're pumping the ball forward to nobody because losing possession back here makes matters worse.

Called it weeks ago, KDH cannot be expected to play DM CM and AM all at once. If he was able to do that, he'd be on Broadway!

Sides have cottoned on, don't press Myko and O'B so they are the easy ball option in possession, chances are they make a poor pass and gift possession back. Over 90 minutes our fullbacks will tell the tale and show their quality in comparison.
 

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