Everton insiders baffled at what Sean Dyche keeps doing with £17m player

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Everton’s season may not have started as planned, but with five points from their last three matches, things are certainly healing.

It’s frustrating that the Toffees have given the rest of the Premier League yet another head start by losing their opening four fixtures, but things are never easy around Goodison Park.

It simply wouldn’t be Everton if there wasn’t a little bit of added adversity sprinkled in.

Some of these poorer results were unfortunate, such as squandering two 2-0 leads in successive matches, but against both Brighton and Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur, there was no excuse for their underperformance.

Some, however, have laid that blame solely at the feet of Everton manager Sean Dyche.

And now, some inside the club are starting to question one particular decision he continues to make too.

Everton insiders question Sean Dyche’s Jake O’Brien decision

Speaking to journalist Graeme Bailey, he would reveal the exact thing that Dyche continues to do which is leaving many within Everton baffled.

He would exclusively tell Everton.News: ‘I think that some in the club are still wondering why Jake O’Brien is not getting a chance. If we don’t see him before January do they look at another centre-half? I wouldn’t rule it out.

‘Defence will be the main thing.’

Everton signed Jake O’Brien in the summer for £17m, but he is yet to make his first Premier League start. Meanwhile, Michael Keane has started all but one, replaced upon Jarrad Branthwaite’s return to the first team.

Everton fans want Jake O’Brien to replace Michael Keane

Those inside the club are not alone in their confusion with Dyche’s decision-making in this regard, with many calling for Keane to be substituted for O’Brien in the starting side.

After all, the 31-year-old in question has spent seven long years at Goodison Park, enduring varying success across that period.

At times he has looked like the strong, competent centre-back that Ronald Koeman signed from Burnley, but mostly he has looked nervous, hardly inspiring confidence to his teammates.

Clearly a player who thrives under very specific conditions, Keane has overseen so many managerial changes, and suffered as a result of it.

But, to see him still recognised as a mainstay in 2024, when Kevin Thelwell sought out O’Brien to fix this exact problem, is highly confusing.

The Republic of Ireland international was coming off the back of an outstanding campaign with Lyon, where he proved himself as a towering defensive stalwart who was dominant in both boxes.

He seemed like the perfect Dyche player, yet he continues to watch on from the bench.

It will be interesting to see whether the manager changes his standpoint on this position in the coming weeks, and if internal pressure will force his hand.

That seems unlikely, especially after Dyche admitted he will ignore any advice given about Iliman Ndiaye’s positioning.