Jarrad Branthwaite

[Shukes]

2 hours ago, Bailey said:

I agree with your sentiments on Mina. I do think he is a good defender and I can imagine him being a beast in a 1 v 1 game but there is an unpredictability to how he defends that doesn't suit well to a drilled back 4. He must be a nightmare to play alongside.

Branthwaite did take time to adjust when Davis came on but he had Samatta in his pocket and once he had worked out Davis, I think he was fairly comfortable with him as well. The biggest compliment I can give him is that you wouldn't have known from that performance that he was a young lad only playing his second game for the club.

I agree, the season is done, there is no point risking Holgate anyway. Starting him yesterday feels like a bit of a strange decision.

I think we had an outside chance (mathematically) of making top 8 until yesterday. Carlo has been a winner all his life, he would have wanted as strong as possible finish to the season.

He just simply has a team of useless, unmotivated pussies though.

[StevO]

Let’s not put too much on this kid. If he plays five games next season and does well that’s more than enough. He doesn’t need the pressure of needing to be in the team and playing well at this point in his career, even more so in yet another season of transition.

We need a centre half. 

[Romey 1878]

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/1730225/everton-teenager-branthwaite-on-whirlwind-week

[Btay]

On 18/07/2020 at 08:51, StevO said:

Let’s not put too much on this kid. If he plays five games next season and does well that’s more than enough. He doesn’t need the pressure of needing to be in the team and playing well at this point in his career, even more so in yet another season of transition.

We need a centre half. 

Agree but if you’re good enough you’re old enough! I’d love to see him get cup runs as our 4th cb next year

[StevO]

1 hour ago, Btay said:

Agree but if you’re good enough you’re old enough! I’d love to see him get cup runs as our 4th cb next year

I agree. But you don’t see many teenagers playing regularly at centre half. 
There is no need for us to rush him, we shouldn’t be in a position where he has to play. 
If he’s 4th choice it means we’ve probably not bought a centre half and that would be worrying if we want to compete. 

[BedfordBlue]

Looks like he will get the last 2 games 

[Btay]

10 hours ago, StevO said:

I agree. But you don’t see many teenagers playing regularly at centre half. 
There is no need for us to rush him, we shouldn’t be in a position where he has to play. 
If he’s 4th choice it means we’ve probably not bought a centre half and that would be worrying if we want to compete. 

Agree on all points, I’d like to see him integrated into the squad though. 
 

Keane or Mina to move on. I prefer Mina as a defender but he has his injury problems.

[Matt]

10 hours ago, StevO said:

I agree. But you don’t see many teenagers playing regularly at centre half. 
There is no need for us to rush him, we shouldn’t be in a position where he has to play. 
If he’s 4th choice it means we’ve probably not bought a centre half and that would be worrying if we want to compete. 

I think if he’s 4th choice that’s fine for him and the squad. Behind Mina on the bench (which probably means he’s 3rd choice since Mina can’t stay fit), shows faith in him, saves budget for midfield and worst case we have to get a CB in January. I completely agree with not rushing him but what if he is that good? We’d be holding him back in that case which would be worse for him and us. Have to trust Carlo on this one I think, but we’ll get a slightly better, but still rough, idea in the coming 2 games

[StevO]

2 hours ago, Matt said:

I think if he’s 4th choice that’s fine for him and the squad. Behind Mina on the bench (which probably means he’s 3rd choice since Mina can’t stay fit), shows faith in him, saves budget for midfield and worst case we have to get a CB in January. I completely agree with not rushing him but what if he is that good? We’d be holding him back in that case which would be worse for him and us. Have to trust Carlo on this one I think, but we’ll get a slightly better, but still rough, idea in the coming 2 games

If he is that good, then great. You know I’ll be as made up as the rest of us. I just hope we manage to bring in a really good experiences centre half, I think it’s something we need to influence the team. 
I hope this lad is good enough. The ideal scenario for me is that we have four centre halves in the team, Holgate, Keane, Mina and someone new, and Jarrad manages to force his way into the team by being the best of the lot of them. But for us to have enough in the other four that he doesn’t need to be that good just yet. 

[Bailey]

Would being 4th choice and barely being played be better than starting somewhere else every week for a decent club and manager? 

Tough decision. 

Personally I think a pre-season here and the 6 months away at a decent club and then see where he is. As much as I respect the elite level coaching he will get here, its no good if he can't put it into practice.

[c1982]

Excellent again today - a few misplaced passes early on but he just got better and better. Many crumble against Sharp/McGoldrick/McBurnie but him and Keane were excellent.

[London Blue]

I don't think we need to bring in a new centre back unless we sell one now. Holgate, Keane, with Mina and Braithwaite competition and back up.

Seriously impressed by him.

[Btay]

21 minutes ago, London Blue said:

I don't think we need to bring in a new centre back unless we sell one now. Holgate, Keane, with Mina and Braithwaite competition and back up.

Seriously impressed by him.

Still feel like Keane could revert to his usual self and Im seriously questioning how dependable Mina is. I’d have no issue letting one go and getting a starting CB.

Must admit, Thiago Silva could only do wonders for Branthwaite.

[Aidan]

We need a new CB. Get Jarrad a loan and try to sign someone dependable. Resting our hopes on the central defenders at the club at the minute is lunacy, they're not good enough. 

[London Blue]

12 minutes ago, Aidan said:

We need a new CB. Get Jarrad a loan and try to sign someone dependable. Resting our hopes on the central defenders at the club at the minute is lunacy, they're not good enough. 

We don't have European football next season so 5 centre backs is 1 too many. Jarrad can learn from Ancelotti and the coaching team as well as playing for us as there will be some rotation due to injury, suspension and form.

If we send Jarrad (where there is no guarantee he will play)  on loan then spend millions on a centre back + wages just to keep Keane and Hollgate on their toes as they have looked like an effective partnership under Ancelotti does not make sense.

[Bailey]

He was a little rusty early and we could have been punished by those loose passes but he was well on top by the end of the game. Great tackle on Sharp down the channel and a block on what would have surely been a goal from McGoldrick. 

[markjazzbassist]

26 minutes ago, London Blue said:

We don't have European football next season so 5 centre backs is 1 too many. Jarrad can learn from Ancelotti and the coaching team as well as playing for us as there will be some rotation due to injury, suspension and form.

If we send Jarrad (where there is no guarantee he will play)  on loan then spend millions on a centre back + wages just to keep Keane and Hollgate on their toes as they have looked like an effective partnership under Ancelotti does not make sense.

this for me too.  we have no europe, there will be enough cup games to get him time and also Carlo rotates, he always has.  he will get game time.

[Matt]

Lad sounds promising. If we could get Silva in on a free for a season or 2 that’d be ideal

[Aidan]

1 hour ago, London Blue said:

We don't have European football next season so 5 centre backs is 1 too many. Jarrad can learn from Ancelotti and the coaching team as well as playing for us as there will be some rotation due to injury, suspension and form.

If we send Jarrad (where there is no guarantee he will play)  on loan then spend millions on a centre back + wages just to keep Keane and Hollgate on their toes as they have looked like an effective partnership under Ancelotti does not make sense.

Mina, Kean, Holgate +1 make 4

A reasonable amount especially seeing as Keans consistency is awful, Mina can't stay fit and Holgate is learning game in game out. 

Buying a dependable CB when we have none makes complete sense. 

[StevO]

He was very impressive today. 
As Matt said, Silva in on a free would be great. 

[London Blue]

22 minutes ago, Aidan said:

Mina, Kean, Holgate +1 make 4

A reasonable amount especially seeing as Keans consistency is awful, Mina can't stay fit and Holgate is learning game in game out. 

Buying a dependable CB when we have none makes complete sense. 

Keane, + Mina, + Holgate + Braithwaite make my 4.

[Gwlad]

Why is 18 too young to cement a place in the first team? I might be missing something but loans aren't always the answer.

[Hafnia]

Brilliant prospect. Already looks more assured than what we are used to seeing.  

[StevO]

1 hour ago, Gwlad all over said:

Why is 18 too young to cement a place in the first team? I might be missing something but loans aren't always the answer.

It’s not too young, it’s just very very rare. 

[Romey 1878]

He's a really impressive young man. Yeah, he makes errors but that is actually allowed - players make mistakes, even the best, but it's about learning from them and making sure you make as few of them as possible. What I really like about him though is that he makes mistakes and he just continues playing as if they didn't happen. It's good not to have a fear of failure.

It's a really tough one, as others have said. He certainly looks a very good prospect, but is him being here for the season going to help or hinder him? Will he just be sat on the bench, playing the odd cup game, but learning from better coaches and players? Or will he dislodge one of the established CB's and make a starting spot his own? Or would it be better to get less in terms of coaching by going out on loan and playing regular, competitive football?

It's a big decision, and a complicated one. I'll trust that between Carlo and Marcel that we'll get it right.

Also, he's only just 18 and look at the size of him! He's got plenty of growing and filling out to do yet as well. It looks like £750K well spent already.

[markjazzbassist]

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

He's a really impressive young man. Yeah, he makes errors but that is actually allowed - players make mistakes, even the best, but it's about learning from them and making sure you make as few of them as possible. What I really like about him though is that he makes mistakes and he just continues playing as if they didn't happen. It's good not to have a fear of failure.

It's a really tough one, as others have said. He certainly looks a very good prospect, but is him being here for the season going to help or hinder him? Will he just be sat on the bench, playing the odd cup game, but learning from better coaches and players? Or will he dislodge one of the established CB's and make a starting spot his own? Or would it be better to get less in terms of coaching by going out on loan and playing regular, competitive football?

It's a big decision, and a complicated one. I'll trust that between Carlo and Marcel that we'll get it right.

Also, he's only just 18 and look at the size of him! He's got plenty of growing and filling out to do yet as well. It looks like £750K well spent already.

I think someone said 6’5” and 150 lbs!

[c1982]

13 hours ago, London Blue said:

Keane, + Mina, + Holgate + Braithwaite make my 4.

I do wonder if Keane or Mina may be moved on in the summer to bring in a naturally left footed senior cb.

[markjazzbassist]

26 minutes ago, c1982 said:

I do wonder if Keane or Mina may be moved on in the summer to bring in a naturally left footed senior cb.

Mina is left footed

[Matt]

5 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

Mina is left footed

True, but they mean a left footed defender, not injured liability 

[StevO]

1 minute ago, markjazzbassist said:

Mina is left footed

Is he?

He seems to predominantly tackle with his right foot, even in situations where the left would be more orthodox. He tends to pass the ball with his right foot more often than not too.