19/01/2025 22comments  |  Jump to last

Jake O'Brien has been speaking ahead of today’s game with Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park this afternoon: “I think I need to start playing more.  I knew it wouldn’t be easy to play games, but I thought I would have played a lot more than I did.

"But I suppose it’s only been half a season and there is another half of the season to go and I think I could play my part in this half the season and start getting more game time. It’s been a frustrating 6 months, but I think the next half of the season is important for me to start getting games.

“I just thought in terms of just coming here, just for the family and everything, it’s close to home. It’s just a great club. I know there’s a lack of game time, but I don’t regret coming here. There’s still a lot of time to show what I’m about.”

There was a small sign from David Moyes last week that O'Brien could see more game time than he did under Sean Dyche, who overlooked the young Irish giant in favour of his established defenders — even when they were struggling with their fitness. 

Under Dyche, O'Brien spent every single Premier League game in the first half of the season on the substitutes bench – except for short spells on the field in the second half of games at Aston Villa in September, and Man Utd in December. Moyes at least brought him on in his first game last week. 

“I've played for a lot of managers and they have all been different and they have looked for different things in players, so I hope David Moyes will see what kind of player I am, and hopefully it is the player he wants to play.

“I think a lot of people just see my size and think, ‘he is just a no-nonsense centre half’. It is probably the opposite, I like to play good football and I like to play possession football, to start attacks from the back, but then chipping in and scoring – defending as well, which is the main part of my game.

“It’s been very positive [the arrival of Moyes]. I think he just wants to start playing more, get a bit more possession. It’s all been positive and there’s not been a whole lot of change because he’s only been here a week, but you can see his ideas in training that he’s trying to implement.

“I just can’t see us going down. Last season we were in this kind of situation, but I think it’s more about us looking up the table and knowing we have the squad to get points. I think we’re better than a lot of teams around us, so I think it’s just about getting a few points on the board and pushing up.”

Quotes sourced from Liverpool Echo

Reader Comments (22)

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Si Pulford
1 Posted 19/01/2025 at 10:57:21
I think he’s got every chance of getting minutes. Branthwaite and Tarks have not been as solid as last year and the inevitable injuries haven’t kicked in at CB yet. Dyche obviously didn’t fancy a few players (Lindstrom, Obrien, Beto, Patterson..) which made a small squad seem even more constrained. Hopefully changes start today with Lindstrom and Patterson in.
Colin Glassar
2 Posted 19/01/2025 at 10:59:45
I’d use him in a back three with Tarkowski and Branthwaite. He looks comfortable on the ball. Patto and myko as wing-backs.
John Atkinson
3 Posted 19/01/2025 at 11:18:07
Completely agree with Colin
Si Pulford
4 Posted 19/01/2025 at 12:31:24
Good shout Colin. We’ve got to try something and if we’re persisting with Calvert Lewin we need to get balls into the box and men around DCL. Wing backs isn’t ideal but it suits the players we have better than flat back four with two defensive midfielders at home and no support for the striker.

Although Myko would need to start some extra practice sessions on crossing. He did her a few in at the end vs Villa.

Only problem is we wouldn’t want it to be a flat back five!

Michael Kenrick
5 Posted 19/01/2025 at 12:58:42
And finally he gets to start a Premier League game.

Just criminal negligence to my mind... but there we are.

Si Pulford
6 Posted 19/01/2025 at 13:04:14
Lindstrom as a right-wingback?

Another manager who doesn't rate Patterson by the looks.

Olalekan Taofik
7 Posted 19/01/2025 at 13:35:18
The guy is ready to start and play well.
Thankfully,he's starting today's game, ready to show stuffs.
Simon Harrison
8 Posted 19/01/2025 at 13:47:30
I agree Michael, whatever the reason for buying him, we have Keane leaving us in the summer, and a visibly declining Tarks this season, surely he could have been slowly introduced as the season progressed.

Not to shore up lost causes, but when we're 0-1 down and lumping long balls forward..? Or even to rest tiring legs in our classic 0-0s.

Mike Dolan
9 Posted 19/01/2025 at 14:08:00
I think Lindstrom can be a very good player for us. I was also glad to read that Moyes would like Dom to get into the six yard box a lot more and that the entire team are now spending training time practicing attacking drills.
Moysie loves Harrison Armstrong. O’Brien gets a start. All of a sudden I am hearing lots of good things.
Leadership will make the difference.
Simon Harrison
10 Posted 19/01/2025 at 20:01:53
Well, after today's performance, I don't think that Jake has done his cause any harm at all.

Well played, Jake, a win on your first start debut!

Kieran Kinsella
11 Posted 19/01/2025 at 23:29:27
Old Moyesy has never shied away from using a centre-back at fullback (Jagielka, Lescott) etc. Funnily enough, Carlo did the same thing (Godfrey, Holgate), so I wasn't hugely surprised to see the line-up in that respect.

But while Sean had said he wasn't “Premier League ready”, various posters on here pre-season suggested he was slow and cumbersome, so I had some concerns.

But evidently the lad has a bit more about him than just his size. Obviously it wasn't the most exciting change in the line-up but it was a change from the usual 11 and it worked out. Good luck to the lad.

Si Cooper
12 Posted 20/01/2025 at 00:45:45
Kieran, re O'Brien: “various posters on here pre-season suggested he was slow and cumbersome”.

I have come to the conclusion that not everybody is good at understanding the mechanics of the body and are confused if the arms and legs aren't all pumping with a sprinter's cadence all the time.

Same for those who are poor at reading the facial expressions of their least liked players and constantly see contempt or indifference.

And those who can't separate out body language from standard fatigue or injury and insist the manager has lost the dressing room only for the form to pick up again at some point.

Bob Parrington
13 Posted 20/01/2025 at 01:49:35
I was quite impressed with O'Brien and Lindstrom vs Spurs.

Good signs… but we were left open at the back on our left far too many times, particularly in the 1st half.

Si Pulford
14 Posted 20/01/2025 at 07:16:16
If that's the new formation then O'Brien will be a starter from now on. From my seat, it looked very tactically astute and went from four at the back to three depending on possession.

Surely a very shrewd move tactically and something we haven't seen for a long time. Bring it on.

Mark Andersson
15 Posted 20/01/2025 at 16:49:06
Comical viwes as always, this is why I love TW..
Ian Bennett
16 Posted 20/01/2025 at 17:26:05
Yep, someone having a moan that Moyes might only get us to 6-8th. Gees, oh for those problems...

Annika Herbert
17 Posted 21/01/2025 at 03:51:22
Not having a moan about Moyes taking us up to 6th/8th at all. The comment was that, if Moyes did well and earned a contract extension, he would consider 6th/8th as our regular ending point.

Exactly like he did in his previous stint in charge. He appears incapable of going any higher.

Eric Myles
18 Posted 22/01/2025 at 09:22:34
Let's just get to 6th to 8th first and then worry about getting someone in to take us higher.

Oh, hang on, didn't we try that already?

Lester Yip
19 Posted 22/01/2025 at 10:15:48
As Keane's contract is ending, and Branthwaite's future uncertainty, he should be in the fold earlier. Can't wait to see him getting more game time.
Simon Harrison
20 Posted 22/01/2025 at 16:21:13
Bob [13]

I agree, that our left side of defence looked a little leaky, but that isn't a surprise though really. The reason being that ,for most of the game, and against Villa, we mainly attacked via our left.

This meant that, for some reason, both Mykolenko and Branthwaite were high up the pitch, with the midfield pushing up too. Which leaves too much space for Tarkowski to cover with his lack of speed.

So, if we lost the ball, like when Kulusevski nicked the ball off us, it was a relatively simple pass to play for Son, who really, really should have done better when shooting from our D.

O'Brien couldn't get over quick enough, and Tarkowski wasn't quick enough despite being Son's marker.

By the way, Bob, could I ask if it is you who is doing the pathway study into the Australian A-League please?

Martin Berry
21 Posted 22/01/2025 at 16:37:50
It looks as though this fellow could have everything to be a great defender. Obviously physically very imposing, speaks well about playing football and passing, scored some excellent headers in France.

Tactically he will improve tremendously with games. I think we have a gem on our hands who will soon be coveted by other clubs.

Mal van Schaick
22 Posted 26/01/2025 at 15:06:45
I think O'Brien is looking like a decent player.

Very committed, strong in the tackle, and it was a great defensive display against Brighton.

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