Everton defender Jake O'Brien is finding his feet under manager David Moyes, excelling in an unfamiliar right-back role. Meanwhile, fellow Irish talents John Joe Patrick Finn and Andrew Omobadiele are making waves in Ligue 1.
Everton defender Jake O'Brien has expressed his elation at being given the opportunity to showcase his abilities under the new management of David Moyes . O'Brien, who joined Everton from Olympique Lyon for a €20 million fee, has found himself playing in an unfamiliar role as a right-back in Everton 's past two matches, consecutive victories against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
His performance against Brighton, where he played the full 90 minutes and successfully contained tricky left winger Kaoru Mitoma, has been particularly noteworthy. 'We knew it was always going to be tough coming down here, but happy we got the three points and it's a top, top performance,' O'Brien said after the match. 'I think I just had to be patient, wait for my chance, and gladly the gaffer's given me a chance to come into the side and play a new role. I'm just happy to play my part in whichever role he wants me to play. I'm happy that it's two wins in two now. I knew it was always going to be different. I suppose when you look at me you don't think of a full back, but I have qualities where I can defend one on one and bring the ball out as well. So I think I can be natural and just express myself.'O'Brien's arrival at Everton was met with high expectations, but he struggled to break into the starting lineup under previous manager Sean Dyche, making only three substitute appearances in the Premier League. This limited game time even resulted in him missing out on a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad under manager Heimir Hallgrímsson. 'I think there was for a lot of question marks over my head on what kind of player I was, and it was frustrating that I wasn’t able to show what kind of player I was, but gladly now I can come to the side and start to show bits of my game,' O'Brien admitted.Elsewhere, fellow Irishman John Joe Patrick Finn made an impressive debut for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1, playing against Paris Saint-Germain. The 21-year-old midfielder, who is eligible to play for Ireland, Spain, France, and Cameroon, is expected to choose Ireland. His performance against PSG, which saw Reims secure a 1-1 draw against the league champions, was lauded by manager Luka Elsner, who described Finn as showing 'character'. Fellow Irishman Ike Orazi, who joined Reims from Shamrock Rovers in 2023, is also at the club. Additionally, Andrew Omobadiele made his debut for Strasbourg, coming off the bench in their 2-1 victory over LOSC Lille.
Everton Jake O'brien David Moyes John Joe Patrick Finn Stade De Reims Ligue 1 Irish Football Andrew Omobadiele Strasbourg
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