Rumour Mill — Week of 22 June 2025

My Fulham pals rate him highly and, at 29, he's a spring chicken compared to Young and Coleman.

Free agent, came through at Ajax, played for Lyon and obviously Fulham. And a right-back!!

It could be good business if it materialises.

O'Brien will be first choice there, with Branthwaite and Tarkowski in the middle. Or am I missing something?

Not played loads of games a season. 25, 20, 34, 19, 22 over last 5 seasons is a bit of a worry.

I'd have taken Walker tbh, but it's a potential low-cost option, in an area where we need something.

A free agent with sensible wages, some fans will like the fact he scored against Liverpool, a twat of a goal although a goal is a goal!

Jake O'Brien is a centre-back. He filled in at right-back admirably last season, and can do when required. His future is centre-back.

We shouldn't be looking at him as first-choice right-back.

If we have O'Brien, Tarkowski and Branthwaite, along with another (still possibly Keane?), then that is healthy competition, depth and cover for injuries.

We need a right-back, whoever that ends up being.

I guess he'll now be cover for right-back and centre-back.

Sounds like a Spanish tit!

Dyche made two really poor errors of judgement. One that O'Brien was only a centre-back and couldn't play anywhere else. And Two: that golden boy Tarkowski was irreplaceable. Those decisions went a long way to him losing his job.

Results picked up dramatically when O'Brien was given a shot at right back... They sky rocketed once last ditch Tarkowski was injured was taken the fuck out of there.

Oh and Brian

If it wasnt for the whingers on here, you would have nothing left to whinge about

A Fulham fan I spoke to said if you keep him fit he’s in top 5 right-backs in the Premier League. The downside is his injury issues but I’m much happier with him personally as I think Walker is on the wane whereas Tete should have a couple of years in his prime.

We could have two Branthwaites on our hands.

Players need to be flexible these days.

If it wasn't for the whingers on here, you would have nothing left to whinge about.

Very Zen, Colin.

I don't have a particular issue with O'Brien playing right-back for a game or two. He has done well.

However, what a proper right-back could offer going forward needs to be considered in adding attacking goal threat to a team. Passing, crossing, overlapping is going to be more on point, admittedly at the expense of more goals against.

Seen him give us a hard time on a couple of occasions for Fulham, surprised some haven't heard of him.

Injury record a bit iffy though.

A very promising partnership. I would have said in the making, but for two young centre backs, they looked very accomplished to me when Tarkowski was injured.

With those 3, all fit, we could play a very effective back 3. Although we would need the wing-backs and right balance in midfield.

I doubt that would be in Moyes's thought process. He prefers a back 4.

Colin, Jake absolutely can play at right back. He's proven that. I just don't think over time, and the not too distant future, his natural position is centre back from what I've watched. But at least he's an option if needed.

By the way, your comment on Carragher did make me smile and recall watching them on the tele against Arsenal years ago. Thierry Henry, took him on and made him, playing right back, look like he was jogging on the spot trying to catch him!!

I thought he was very good for the team since he came and he had played every minute of every game until he got injured.

Can't say I was impressed by O'Brien at right-back and I'm waiting to see how he gets on as a centre-back over a longer period than he played when all the pressure was off the team at the end of the season.

I'm not an expert on Tete but I'm pleased we're signing a right back who a) isn't eligible for a free bus pass and b) isn't useless like Nathan Patterson.

Patterson can leave for Glasgow Rangers or QPR, some club like that.

If you are looking for a one dimensional box defender who will have the crowd shaking their fist at his last-ditch blocks. Tarkowski has few peers, but if you're looking to avoid fighting around the bottom of the table all season...There are many, many better options

I think we've agreed on Tarkowski in the past.

He is what I would describe as an old school orthodox, no nonsense centre back. Branthwaite and O'Brien have more ability and obviously potential.

But, for me, his. most important attribute is his leadership and we haven't recently had many of them on the pitch.

From last season, everyone will naturally remember that goal against that lot.

However, his blood and thunder tackle against Mac Allister got the blue corner of Anfield Road off their feet as he left him on the floor. I'm not sure if the Liverpool midfielder came near him too often after that!

I agree with you on Jake, as much as I rate him highly, we have to see him in a settled position over the course of a full season.

Yes he had some bad games especially earlier in the season, let’s be honest which player didn’t, but he got back to his normal better performances as the season went on. I think he started football as a midfielder so he has a pass or two in him but I think he takes less chances than others of losing the ball in a poor team like Everton, same at Burnley not sure how he played at Brentford(?)

Pickford

Tete

O’Brien

Branthwaite

Mykolenko

Ndiaye

Garner

Gana

McNeil

Alcaraz

Beto

4-4-1-1

Already looks better than last season.

CF, CM, and another winger will be needed

Let's see how he comes back from the injury. 33 in November, he might find it a struggle, or certainly might succumb to more niggles.

He's been a good signing. He's had sone ropey games, but overall hes done really well. That said Obrien and Branthwaite are the future, and that's where we should be heading.

Still waiting on news about Gana though. Likewise Calvert-Lewin, but I don't think that is happening. Who knows? I'd be happy if he stayed personally.

In other news, I see the project to finish off laying the 36,000 stones behind the South Stand is nearing completion by the end of this week. Complete with maps, so you can find yours. I have a joint one with my son. We didn't have access at the 2nd test event, but you could look through the fence and it's really impressive.

It does take more than one poor player, but when relegation fights follow the same player to different clubs. His part in it needs to be scrutinised.

I also agree that he does organise the defence, but when he plays we tend to play with a back 9-10.

He would be a far better player if the words "drop five" were removed from his vocabulary.

We lost our first four league games conceding 13 goals. Not only was his leadership qualities exposed. He was personally responsible for at least 7 of those goals with howling errors...We didnt really recover.

His injury was treated like a death in the family on here, but although we were playing both Fulham and Newcastle away. I was supremely confident we would win our last three games without him.

Most players are more productive if they are not spending 90 minutes listening to their skipper telling them pick any opposing player who ventures a few yards forward

We need another left back for cover, a tricky winger, maybe a creative midfielder and an old fox up front-possibly Callum Wilson- although 3 years ago would have been better in his case.

I would keep Chermiti in the squad he has that quality look in what little we have seen.

I thought he was the cornerstone for our improved form under Moyes. If not he, then who gets the credit on the pitch?

But we are also very far apart on Ashley Young as well. Admittedly a consummate professional and had it all sussed in his head, but I thought his much reduced mobility meant he had to be conservative in the extreme which had ramifications for the balance of the team overall. At times the image in his head was clearly shattered by the sudden realisation he was treading water when he used to able to rely on pace to burn.

I’m not saying Jake has cemented the centre-back spot yet, but he did alright for me there as well, especially as he generally had to deal with having one of the lesser right-backs alongside him when he did.

The defence has to function as a unit and weaker links will limit everyone around them.

And you can’t judge a whole season on selecting the first four and last three matches. I can think of numerous games when Tarkowski’s presence won us points.