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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2 Posted 19/01/2025 at 10:59:45
3 Posted 19/01/2025 at 11:18:07
4 Posted 19/01/2025 at 12:31:24
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!
5 Posted 19/01/2025 at 12:58:42
Just criminal negligence to my mind... but there we are.
6 Posted 19/01/2025 at 13:04:14
Another manager who doesn't rate Patterson by the looks.
7 Posted 19/01/2025 at 13:35:18
Thankfully,he's starting today's game, ready to show stuffs.
8 Posted 19/01/2025 at 13:47:30
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.
9 Posted 19/01/2025 at 14:08:00
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.
10 Posted 19/01/2025 at 20:01:53
Well played, Jake, a win on your first start debut!
11 Posted 19/01/2025 at 23:29:27
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.
12 Posted 20/01/2025 at 00:45:45
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.
13 Posted 20/01/2025 at 01:49:35
Good signs… but we were left open at the back on our left far too many times, particularly in the 1st half.
14 Posted 20/01/2025 at 07:16:16
Surely a very shrewd move tactically and something we haven't seen for a long time. Bring it on.
15 Posted 20/01/2025 at 16:49:06
16 Posted 20/01/2025 at 17:26:05
17 Posted 21/01/2025 at 03:51:22
Exactly like he did in his previous stint in charge. He appears incapable of going any higher.
18 Posted 22/01/2025 at 09:22:34
Oh, hang on, didn't we try that already?
19 Posted 22/01/2025 at 10:15:48
20 Posted 22/01/2025 at 16:21:13
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?
21 Posted 22/01/2025 at 16:37:50
Tactically he will improve tremendously with games. I think we have a gem on our hands who will soon be coveted by other clubs.
22 Posted 26/01/2025 at 15:06:45
Very committed, strong in the tackle, and it was a great defensive display against Brighton.
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1 Posted 19/01/2025 at 10:57:21