Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Everton defender Jake O’Brien started last night in Ireland’s 3-0 win over Israel in the Nations League.
The game was shrouded in controversy after goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu had made himself unavailable for the fixture, feeling it would be wrong to be involved.
This prompted a long meeting, after which the significant majority of the squad voted in favour of playing the match. There were no handshakes between the players, and there was no swapping of the customary pennants. The match was also played in front of a reduced crowd, and in Debrecen Hungary.
Ireland lost their opening Nations League fixture 1-0 against Kosovo, so there was a need to respond here.
They did, and Jake O’Brien received praise from a couple of media outlets.
Jake O’Brien praised after Ireland’s win over Kosovo
O’Brien didn’t have the best of outings against Kosovo the other night, showing signs of real rust.
He has obviously not been playing for Everton, making just three appearances so far. His only start came in the Carabao Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
But so far he’s started two out of two for Ireland – and O’Brien recorded some good stats against Israel.
He made 10 defensive actions in total, and a couple of Irish publications were left fairly impressed by his performance.
The Independent gave him a 7/10 rating and said: “The Everton man did all he was asked to do at the heart of the Irish defence and didn’t allow the opposition any chances in the final third. Imperious in the air.”
Extra.ie also gave him a 7/10, saying: “Dealt with every cross which came his way.”
O’Brien won all four of the aerial duels he contested, winning seven out of seven for all duels combined, as per Sofascore.
That the Independent branded him ‘imperious’ is great to see.
It has been a tough start to the season for O’Brien with Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski having been the preferred pairing at centre-back. But this showing will go down well back at Finch Farm.
As we know, Branthwaite has had his injury problems as an Everton player, so it is vital that the options in reserves are in good form, ready to come in for him should he be unavailable to play.
The potential for him to play at right-back looks to have diminished now with the arrival of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and the emergence of Merlin Rohl as an option.
But O’Brien will surely still have a big part to play given Everton’s small squad size.