Jake O'Brien and Sean Dyche at Everton.
(Credit: Imago)
Goodison News Speaking to Ian Darke
Wed 12 March 2025 19:42, UK
Everton have turned their season on a complete 180-degree change since David Moyes was reappointed by the Friedkins in January.
Moyes has always been quick to credit his players rather than himself, despite the Toffees going eight games and counting unbeaten in the Premier League under his guidance.
But when you sift through some of the players in the squad, there are in fact many who have raised their own game since Moyes’ return to Goodison Park and have dragged themselves out of a bad patch in the eyes of supporters.
David Moyes just ‘gets’ Everton and knows how to get a tune out of the Toffees (Credit: Imago)
Jake O’Brien in a new lease of life at Goodison
It would take more than one hand to recognise the number of players who have enjoyed increased levels of performance in the past two months.
Beto, Jesper Lindstrom, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Jack Harrison, James Garner and of course, Jake O’Brien can all come firmly under that category.
MORE TOFFEES STORIES
O’Brien is a curious case, given his impact for Lyon last season at both ends of the pitch. He clearly wasn’t a player Dyche had suggested, given he was on the periphery and barely featured at all under the former boss in the Premier League.
However, under Moyes, the 6’6” Irishman has become a regular, even despite the rekindled pairing of Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski.
Now the first-choice right-back, O’Brien has excelled in his new role and his making the berth his own with very little fuss. It certainly helps Moyes out, given the injuries to Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson, and the phased-out reliance on Ashley Young as a versatile full-back at the age of 39.
TV commentator Ian Darke, speaking exclusively to Goodison News, has praised the impact of O’Brien and brutally admits his “face clearly didn’t fit” under Dyche, despite arriving in his tenure.
“We’ve seen it plenty of times at different clubs. O’Brien is a classic case of a change of manager being a change of fortune,” Darke said.
“Everybody has different opinions and O’Brien’s face clearly didn’t fit under Dyche. But Moyes has come in and seen something he likes; he’s in the team every week and he came up with a vital goal at Brentford.
“It’s green for go for him at the moment really, isn’t it.”
Jake O'Brien
O’Brien scored five goals for Lyon last year from the back (Credit: Imago)
Everton want to finish the season strongly
Everton are likely to lose their unbeaten run before the end of the season – to maintain it until they move stadiums this summer would be elite-level management from Moyes.
And again, the credit would have to go to the players immensely. But they have done what they needed to do this season, and that is avoid relegation.
Jake O’Brien Under Dyche Under Moyes
Appearances (Premier League) 2 9
Clean sheets 0 2
O’Brien has enjoyed his football under Moyes
It seemed doom and gloom, toothless and abject until Moyes arrived, and now an Everton team once on the precipice are flying to Bramley-Moore Dock on cloud nine.
Players such as O’Brien, who have enjoyed their blank canvas to recreate their Toffees careers, could go on to become heroes in a new and exciting era to wear blue.
Related Posts