Jarrad Branthwaite kicks off his loan spell in the Champions League

Okay, he is lacking in experience but, since we bought him, he like many others has hardly played any match day football.

Now we've got two good, hard centre-halves, the likes of Keane, Holgate and Mina, will have to show what they can do, or we can sell them (if anyone'll buy them!).

I agree on his ability but it will do him and his career no harm to get a full season under his belt which he would not have got at Everton.

Experience and ability is key to the centre-back position and Jarrad just needs to add the experience to his game.

Jarrad will certainly benefit, and hopefully come back a more rounded player after his loan. Love to see a three between him, Coady, Tarkowski and Godfrey.

Hopefully you can keep us informed of his progress every now and again throughout the season.

Please keep us updated.

I can accept playing it slow with Jarrad during his first 2 months across the Channel: new country, new team, new language! Plus, this is a title contender playing European Football (if not Champions League, they will head to Europa League given that they are deep into Final Qualifying Round) and I like having Jarrad to earn his place instead of being entitled to walk straight into the team. I'm sure Marcel Brands has already managed his expectations.

Having a +1 rating at his debut is decent to begin with!

With all due respect to Scottish Premier League, Rangers is a better opponent for Jarrad to play against. Monaco, IMHO, has more skills & pace, but having let go Cesc Frabegas this summer, they might have become too young a team (even comparing to PSV).

So Frank never spoke to Branthwaite until a week before he went on loan? So he didn't say “Hey, you're in the team today” when he played him last season? And didn't say a word to him when he got sent off at Brentford? Just totally ignored him until June when he said “Hi, I'm Frank, fancy a spell in the Netherlands?”

Francis,

Thanks for the update. But this is why I was puzzled by this loan. If Branthwaite isn't good enough for Everton barely surviving relegation, how in the hell is going to be a starter for a Champions League team?

You keep asking questions like that and you'll be banished to Finch Farm!

The game at Stamford Bridge must have convinced most of us. For all the stick he took on here, it was Marcel Brands's scouting team who unearthed the then 17-year-old at Carlisle.

It disappointed me somewhat that Jarrad didn't get playing time from the get-go but, as Dupont (@7) correctly stated, his adjusting to a new country etc would have taken some time.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, the current PSV coach, was the coach of the youth team last year. He would have wanted to have a good look in training, before committing.

I think Jarrad is in good hands, because one of the first things Van Nistelroy did as coach was to move some promising players to the first-team squad.

Seeing the celebrations of the winning goal, Jarrad looked one of the team, not some Englishman parachuted in. For me, another positive.

As for keeping you all updated, the pleasure's all mine.

He apologised for not really speaking to him sooner. Horse's mouth. Disbelieve it if you want mate, I'm not fussed, and I admit I find it strange after he had played for Frank Lampard, but I don't doubt my source at all. The message seemed to be that Benitez was more a people person than Frank has been.

Considering the pressure he was under when he joined the club, Frank is probably only now getting to grips with the club top to bottom – I hope so because I think he will do the biz for us, given time.

Despite Go Ahead getting a man sent off after 30 minutes, PSV leaked another two goals.

Surely this hasn't escaped Ruud van Nistelrooy?

Coming Tuesday they travel to Ibrox Park for the first play-off match against Rangers.

Staying up later, I did get a pleasant surprise watching the Dutch highlights.

I had no idea João Virginia was loaned out here too.

He's playing for SC Cambuur, Leeuwarden.

Yesterday they played FC Utrecht away.

Utrecht are for years now, trying to claim the fourth spot behind the big three, but finding AZ and FC Twente in their way.

They hustled and bustled, but could not find a way past Virginia. Final score 0-0.

Our keeper was easily the best man on the pitch.

I've never really understood why he's never been given a real chance, as I've never found him that bad.

I agree Virginia is a good goalkeeper but never got a sniff of a chance by Everton. Although he was kept out by Pickford, he is still our player but I doubt he will play for us again.

From what I have seen, both these players have real potential, and I love the fact that Jarrad is naturally left-footed which none of the current six first-team centre-backs are.

I remembered where I saw Virginia play last season.
Sporting Lisbon, who took a thrashing from Ajax in the Champions League at home, but Virginia was not to blame.

So he has taken a step down this season, not really a good sign.

PSV did not play.

Whenever Calvert-Lewin gets fit again, watch him turn round in a complete circle with the ball on his right foot, instead of a simple layoff with his left. I find that incredibly poor.

Excelsior scored a goal, a header, and the marker was Jarrad.
It didn't look that good. PSV eventually won the match 1-6.

João Virgínia's SC Cambuur Leeuwarden looked like keeping the nil, with high flying AZ visiting, but they managed to score the winner in the 90th minute, with a well-placed shot.

To be honest, I didn't think Virginia looked that great either.

The PSV left-back and left centre-back were responsible for two Feyenoord goals.

Jarrad scored the first equalizer. It was a corner, he ran from beyond the penalty spot towards beyond the first post.
With the deft touch of a seasoned technician, the ball glided beyond the first post from the outside of his boot.

It was 3-3 at one stage, the other goal conceded was a shot from outside the penalty area, Jarrad ran out to try and stop it, glancing it beyond the keeper.

PSV managed to win the exciting match 4-3 (I could only watch the 1st half live, as there was another match to start at Goodison).

I think he played well, looking imperious at times, scoring a good goal, I expect to see more of him now.

PSV had a mare, they were not at the races.

Cambuur's first goal fell whilst Jarrad lay injured on the ground. He was one of the few PSV players to have played up to their standards. PSV did not defend as a team, something which we are doing much better this season.

Final result was 3-0.

João Virgínia had a good game too, making one very good save. I finally found a site that gives players ratings (for what it's worth).

Jarrad got 6.78 and João a 7.11.

Looking at the site I just found, I looked at João's rating once more. It was 7.9!

Which makes more sense, his teammates were more than pleased when he stopped an almost certain goal.

I think the first two figures I entered were averages. The site is new to me, but I'll figure it out.

I did hear that we're supposedly interested in Cody Gakpo, who'll probably leave PSV in the January window.

Perhaps he's thinking of solidifying PSV's defence with their own players, because he knows Everton have no intention of selling the player.

Despite their blip of losing at Cambuur, PSV have returned to form thrashing FC Zurich (5-0) and FC Utrecht (6-1) in their last two matches.

What this means regarding Jarrad's playing time is anyone's guess.