Jake O'Brien

[Big Nevs Vaz]

Wouldn't be at all surprised if he stayed.

His agent obviously put those stories about interest out there. Would be surprised if we sold at this late stage, unless we have a very clear target in mind to replace him.

I think he could end up staying, seeing if he can break into the team in the coming weeks/months and if he doesn't maybe he reassesses his options in January/next summer.

He would be well advised by his agent to sit tight and see how the first half of the season plays out. We're also looking at a new manager next season if not before.

[MayorFarnham]

If only Moyes had other ways of judging JOB V Keane/Tarks, like daily training sessions or something.

[NomadskiEFC]

If only Moyes had other ways of judging JOB V Keane/Tarks, like daily training sessions or something.

I can’t believe JOB has been that appallingly bad in training that Keane or Tarks remains the solid choice.

Moyes just doesn’t want to risk a relatively youthful CB partnership. That’s it. Experience is a crutch Moyes leans on.

[AjaxAndy]

I can’t believe JOB has been that appallingly bad in training that Keane or Tarks remains the solid choice.

Moyes just doesn’t want to risk a relatively youthful CB partnership. That’s it. Experience is a crutch Moyes leans on.

You must accept though that what Tarks brings in organisation and leadership is something few players possess surely?

I think most wouldn't argue that purely as a player doing the tackling, passing it out etc O'Brien is probably equal to if not better, and has other qualities like pace that exceed Tarks. However that's not all a manager has to consider, and removing the key organiser and leader not just out of the backline, but the team entirely is hugely problematic.

That's not a crutch, that's basic management and almost no managers would ignore that importance of what that brings to the team.

Obviously playing Keane over JOB would be an entirely different argument, so any people make around that I'd say is completely valid.

[Bumble]

You must accept though that what Tarks brings in organisation and leadership is something few players possess surely?

I think most wouldn't argue that purely as a player doing the tackling, passing it out etc O'Brien is probably equal to if not better, and has other qualities like pace that exceed Tarks. However that's not all a manager has to consider, and removing the key organiser and leader not just out of the backline, but the team entirely is hugely problematic.

That's not a crutch, that's basic management and almost no managers would ignore that importance of what that brings to the team.

Obviously playing Keane over JOB would be an entirely different argument, so any people make around that I'd say is completely valid.

Presume regarding leadership this is why we have bought Norgaard.

[Kerryblueboy]

If only Moyes had other ways of judging JOB V Keane/Tarks, like daily training sessions or something.

Or it could be argued he could judge it on performance last season how did we do with tark and Keane as a partnership

[UnsyisaRhino]

Or it could be argued he could judge it on performance last season how did we do with tark and Keane as a partnership

Yeah the stats for that partnership aren't great, and pickford's form papers over the cracks a bit, especially in the first third of the season.

[brap2]

I can’t really make the argument he should start.

I think at a football club with its head better screwed on id know more after 2 seasons here though which I think ultimately is what we’re all frustrated with really.

We don’t often actually go and buy young players who look decent, we got one, but for one reason or another we’re no clearer if he’s any good and now he’s likely leaving, with who a lot of us probably see as a bit of a poster boy for our most recent decade of shite smiling in his place with trust from his manager the young player obviously has never had.

[Toddacelli]

Presume regarding leadership this is why we have bought Norgaard.

You do need a leader in the back line though. Pickford can bollock from behind and Norgaard can bollock from in from but you need someone looking along the line to keep everyone in shape or that one pass cuts out everyone and they are inside and through on goal with nothing to stop them.

[Kerryblueboy]

Yeah the stats for that partnership aren't great, and pickford's form papers over the cracks a bit, especially in the first third of the season.

Great point how many times did he bail them out

[StirlingBlue]

Or it could be argued he could judge it on performance last season how did we do with tark and Keane as a partnership

If Branthwaite is injured and we don't need O'Brien at RB he's absolutely 3rd choice and would start over Keane, why are we pretending otherwise?

The only reason Keane and Tarks got so many games as a duo last year is that O'Brien was our only viable RB option in Moyes eyes. Not even Moyes thinks it's a good idea to have 0 pace in your back line, especially when he has us pressing quite high at times.

[Kerryblueboy]

If Branthwaite is injured and we don't need O'Brien at RB he's absolutely 3rd choice and would start over Keane, why are we pretending otherwise?

The only reason Keane and Tarks got so many games as a duo last year is that O'Brien was our only viable RB option in Moyes eyes. Not even Moyes thinks it's a good idea to have 0 pace in your back line, especially when he has us pressing quite high at times.

Did you not see rams post that when Jared went down on Saturday it was Keane who was warming up

[Bumble]

Did you not see rams post that when Jared went down on Saturday it was Keane who was warming up

Probably what prompted JOB's agent to start doing the rounds earlier this week.

[NomadskiEFC]

You do need a leader in the back line though. Pickford can bollock from behind and Norgaard can bollock from in from but you need someone looking along the line to keep everyone in shape or that one pass cuts out everyone and they are inside and through on goal with nothing to stop them.

That happens without a JOB JB partnership. It happened on Saturday.

Can’t be using fear of the unknown as a reason not to try something, particularly when those fears are already realised with who we do play.

Not trying the partnership is my bug bear, and if we sell Jake and he slips straight into a teams defence I will be pissed because I reckon he will be rock solid.

[AjaxAndy]

Did you not see rams post that when Jared went down on Saturday it was Keane who was warming up

Tbf people are reading something in to what may well have been nothing.

JOB partnered Tarks a few times last year when Keane was available, and he has all the data available to him that shows how bad the goals against is when Tarks and Keane are paired.

There's absolutely no evidence Keane was coming on if Branthwaite had to come off, but obviously that doesn't actually matter to some, because it's perfect ammunition to have a moan and claim things that might not be true.