Jake O’Brien netted a stoppage-time equaliser to earn Everton a 1-1 draw against West Ham United.
David Moyes spoke of his delight for Jake O’Brien after rescuing Everton a share of the spoils against West Ham United.
But O’Brien – one of the beneficiaries of Moyes being appointed Blues chief for a second spell – nodded home Idrissa Gana Gueye’s cross. O’Brien signed for Everton last summer from Lyon for a fee of £16 million but was a bit-part player under former boss Sean Dyche. However, he’s been Everton’s regular right-back since Moyes retook the Goodison reins and also rescued a point at Brentford last month.
And the Scot praised the improvements that Republic of Ireland international O’Brien is making – while challenging centre-halves James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite to start contributing in front of goal. Moyes said at his post-match press conference: “He’s beginning to get a couple of goals. I’ve been moaning at Tarky and Jarrad to start getting more goals from set-pieces but our deliveries from set-pieces today, there was no chance anybody could score from them. They were so poor.
“But I have to say I am pleased for big Jake. He is coming on, improving. He is a young centre-back making his way as a false right-back in some ways but he is doing good job and I’m pleased he got the goal, he is capable of it. It’s an important goal for us.
“The way we play, we try to play him a bit of a hybrid. The way West Ham played meant he had to play much higher, really be like an attacking full-back today. We’re talking about a young centre-back and it hindered the way we played in the first half, we couldn’t damage West Ham enough and needed to be better. But we got there in the end, we got the point in the end.”
