“Brilliant’: David Moyes Praised for Fixing Key Issue at Everton with £17m Signing”

Everton are now comfortably clear of relegation, having pulled away from the danger zone in recent weeks.

Currently, the Toffees sit 15 points ahead of Ipswich Town and Leicester City, making a drop into the Championship highly unlikely barring an extraordinary collapse.

David Moyes, since replacing Sean Dyche, has not made drastic changes to the team.

Instead, his biggest contribution has been instilling confidence in a squad that previously lacked belief.

One player who has notably benefited from this newfound confidence is Jake O’Brien.

O’Brien recently admitted he struggled under Dyche but has flourished under Moyes, and Everton legend Michael Ball has now heaped praise on him in his latest column for the Liverpool Echo.

Michael Ball hails Jake O’Brien for bringing calmness to Everton

O’Brien has started Everton’s last seven Premier League matches.

Notably, Everton have remained unbeaten in all of them, with the Irish defender adding much-needed solidity to the backline.

His adaptation to the right-back role has been particularly intriguing. While naturally a central defender, O’Brien has adjusted well to a system where he occasionally tucks inside, allowing the winger ahead of him to push higher as a wing-back.

Despite the complexity of this role, O’Brien has thrived, earning praise from former Everton full-back Michael Ball.

In his Liverpool Echo column, Ball highlighted how O’Brien has made Everton a calmer, more composed side under Moyes compared to Dyche’s tenure.

“There have also been squad members we’d hardly seen anything of, like Jake O’Brien, whose performances have been fantastic since the new manager brought him in as a right-back,” Ball wrote.

“Despite playing in a position that isn’t natural to him, he’s held his own and brings a calmness in possession.

We were very hectic under Sean Dyche and often looked nervy on the ball, but Jake has got that presence, like Jarrad Branthwaite, and composure that helps set up our play.

“Jake has shown his football intelligence in knowing what to do. It’s not natural for him, but he understands what a full-back is supposed to be doing, and he’s executing it well.

“Moyes mentioned he has deployed this type of tactic before with Joleon Lescott.

Jake has done well against some very tricky wingers, and since he came into the side, the opponents’ most dangerous player has often been their left winger.

“He has won many of those battles convincingly. Even when on a yellow card against Manchester United, he remained disciplined, composed, and picked his moments.”

O’Brien: One of Moyes’ biggest success stories at Everton

O’Brien’s rise at Everton has been impressive, especially considering how little he played under Dyche.

To Dyche’s credit, Everton were relatively solid defensively during his time in charge, and Ashley Young was performing well at right-back.

However, O’Brien, who arrived from Lyon for £17 million (The Guardian), has now made that position his own and is proving to be an excellent addition to the squad.

Pundit Adam Virgo described O’Brien as “an absolute revelation” after his standout performance against Brentford, where he also scored a well-deserved goal following a commanding defensive display.

After Beto, O’Brien might be Moyes’ most significant success story so far in his second spell at Everton. His development raises exciting possibilities for the future.

With James Tarkowski aging and Everton reportedly in the market for a new right-back this summer, there is a real question of whether O’Brien could transition into a central defensive role alongside Branthwaite in the 2025/26 season.