Everton have totally lost their defensive solidity in recent weeks and it has wrecked the club’s bid for European football.
The Toffees are now highly likely to miss out on the Europa League and even the Conference League, after going winless over the last five matches.
Which Everton player frustrated you the most against Crystal Palace? 😬
Everton have conceded at least two goals in each of their last five Premier League matches, which last happened in the 2020/21 season when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge.
Undoubtedly, Everton have really suffered after losing Jarrad Branthwaite to injury.
The partnership between James Tarkowski and Michael Keane has not looked anywhere near as solid as in the opening weeks of the season.
With just two games left, David Moyes surely ought to consider shifting Jake O’Brien into the middle.
Jake O’Brien must play at centre-back for Everton’s last two games
One of the biggest issues Everton have at the moment is a lack of pace at the back.
Tarkowski and Keane are both quite similar in that they are rugged, physical defenders who are good in the air and strong in the tackle.
But neither has a turn of pace like Branthwaite.
But one man who does have a turn of pace is Jake O’Brien.
The Irishman has mainly been deployed at right-back this season, and for most of the time since Moyes has been back at Everton.
Everton don’t want to finish the season with a whimper, and one way they can avoid doing this is to solidify the centre of their defence.
Tarkowski is unlikely to be dropped by Moyes, so Keane should be the one to make way.
That backline is crying out for someone who’s a bit quicker. By having someone in there who has a bit more speed, that should naturally move the line a bit higher, relieving some of the pressure.
Against Palace, Everton defended so deep, perhaps due to Tarkowski and Keane having no recovery pace.
Tarkowski himself has called Branthwaite and O’Brien ‘freak athletes’, and to be using one of them out of his natural position feels like an oversight – especially when the two that are being selected are struggling.
Patterson or Coleman should play right-back
With O’Brien – who gave the ball away 15 times against Crystal Palace – shifting inside, this would then prompt a change at right-back.
Moyes has not fancied Nathan Patterson whatsoever this season. But the Scot did actually have some good games after he came back from injury – his best perhaps coming against Sunderland in the FA Cup.
There’s also Seamus Coleman, who has obviously barely played this season but should still be considered.
James Garner has done a job there too, but the midfield would miss him too much.
Two games to go… where do you see Everton actually finishing in the table? 😫
Europe now feels incredibly unlikely… 👋
But with Everton having a clear issue at centre-back right now, O’Brien moving inside feels like a clear solution.
This would also hand O’Brien just that bit more experience playing in his natural position in the Premier League, ahead of potentially playing there regularly alongside Branthwaite next term.
So there’s no good reason for Moyes not to do it.
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