Everton must find Jake O’Brien upgrade as David Moyes experiment reaches natural end
Everton star Jake O’Brien cannot be considered a starter anymore.
The Irishman has been shifted to a right-back position as part of an experiment by David Moyes, but it is not working out.
The 24-year-old has been solid, but the Blues need more from the right side of defence, something which the former Lyon ace does not offer.
That was evident in the 2-1 loss to West Ham on 25 April, in which, he was substituted by Moyes in the 65th minute at the London Stadium.
Everton must secure an upgrade on O’Brien in the summer, as the experiment has reached its natural conclusion.
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How did O’Brien perform in Everton’s loss to West Ham?
O’Brien was a worthy option for Everton after they never signed one, but they can’t neglect the position any longer.
That was obvious in the defeat in East London, as he proved that he is not a natural in the position.
He lacks the attacking intent that a modern full-back possesses, which was shown by the fact that he made two passes into the final third and only had one touch in the opposition box, per Fotmob.
He failed with his only attempted cross and had a 75 per cent pass accuracy in the contest, which does make for the best reading.
| O’Brien’s stats vs West Ham | |
| Passes into final third | 2 |
| Touches in opposition box | 1 |
| Cross attempts | 0/1(0%) |
| Tackles/Clearances/Recoveries | 2/4/2 |
| Ground duels won | 4/8(50%) |
| Aerial duels won | 3/3(100%) |
Defensively, he was solid but nothing special, as he made two tackles, four clearances and two recoveries.
In terms of duels, he won four of eight on the ground and all three in the air, for 50 and 100 per cent success rates.
It is so painfully obvious that he is not a right-back, and Moyes and Co need to find an upgrade in the near future.
What next for O’Brien?
O’Brien has to shift back into a centre-back role, his natural position, especially with Jarrad Branthwaite suffering from persistent injury issues.
His weaknesses in attacking areas will be hidden in that position, and he can excel properly, rather than having extra expectations placed on him, that he can’t fulfil.
It makes sense, the experiment has paid off, as in, he has not looked too out of place, but it must not continue for much longer.
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