Advertisement

David Moyes sends 'hybrid' Jake O'Brien message as Everton defender gets new role

David Moyes speaks with Jesper Lindstrom, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jake O'Brien during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Goodison Park. Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images
-Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited


David Moyes heaped praise on Jake O’Brien for his role in Everton’s win at Brighton and Hove Albion and explained what the centre back may need to do to keep his place in the team.

The defender has been one of the big winners of Moyes’ return to the Blues, earning his first Premier League start in the win over Tottenham Hotspur and then backing that up with his performance on the south coast.

After his surprise inclusion on the right of the defence against Spurs, Moyes suggested he was one of the only unknown quantities in the squad he had inherited. He has found a home for the centre back as a right back in a system that has seen Jesper Lindstrom and, later in the game against Brighton, Nathan Patterson, switch between wing-back and right wing depending on the status of the match.

READ MORE: Everton handed new referee verdict over Iliman Ndiaye booking and Brighton penalty complaints

READ MORE: Neal Maupay subject of abusive banner as Nice vs Marseille match stopped over chanting

The move has provided fresh opportunities for O’Brien, Lindstrom and Patterson, while proving successful with Everton securing back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

O’Brien, who spoke of his frustration over the lack of game time that followed his summer arrival from Lyon and his hope Moyes’ appointment would change that, has taken full advantage. He made 10 clearances at The Amex and won all four of the tackles he committed too.

While the in-form Kaoru Mitoma and wing back Tariq Lamptey caused early problems for him and Lindstrom, they battled through and eventually quelled the threat from Brighton’s left side.

After the game, Moyes said he had liked the look of O’Brien when he watched him in the FA Cup win over Peterborough United, the match that took place hours after the dismissal of Sean Dyche and which was the only one before his return to Merseyside was confirmed.

He said: "I think he was the one player who, to be fair, Leighton Baines played him in the cup against Peterborough, I'd watched the game and I thought he'd done quite well. He is a centre-half, but a lot of young central defenders make their debuts as full-backs.

“I was one when I was at Celtic, for example. But if you look at a lot of centre-backs, sometimes midfield players might have to play wide. So Jake at the moment might need to... We have got two really good centre-backs so to get him in, we've tried to use him a little bit as a full-back. A little bit of a hybrid at times, sometimes playing a bit further in. Try and get him some game time.

“He's improving, he's got a long way to go, he's got a lot of things to do. I've been really pleased with the two performances. He's come into the team and we've won two games.”

For O’Brien, the opportunity Moyes has provided has been welcome, even if it is in a slightly different position to the one he has built his early career upon.

He said: “It’s a different role that I haven’t really played before, but David Moyes has been excellent since he came in and explained it really well for me. I suppose I’m not a natural right-back but it’s part of my game that I can show high up the pitch and obviously defend as well, which you saw here. “The more I play, the more I’ll grow into it. I think that’s football in general. You adapt to new positions and the way the team play. It’s great to have two wins out of two.”