David Moyes risked the wrath of Evertonians on Friday, as, in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip up to Newcastle United, he spoke about Jarrad Branthwaite and Harrison Armstrong playing out of position.
Branthwaite had played at left-back against Manchester United on Monday, replicating the role he had featured in away at Brighton at the end of January, albeit on that occasion, Vitaliy Mykolenko was unavailable. He had also come on late on against Fulham in that position, but had then played in his natural, preferred centre-back role against Bournemouth.
Armstrong, meanwhile, has featured in every single game since he returned early from his loan spell at Preston North End, but mostly has had to settle for playing out wide on either flank.
When asked to explain those choices, Moyes said: "I think this is probably the first time we've had enough players to rotate and try things. Branthwaite is as comfortable at left-back as he is at centre-back.
"Quite often when you're a young central-midfield player, you often find your way into the first team playing off the sides. I think Mikel Arteta, when he came here, probably had to do the same thing. When you're a young centre-back, you often end up playing at full-back.”
Now, I should stress that Moyes answered the question in chunks. At first, he spoke about Branthwaite’s suitability to playing left-back, and then he spoke about Armstrong, and how young, central players in both defence and midfield often have to find their way in from the flanks. He then went back to stress how he felt Branthwaite was suited to playing left-back.
Understandably, though, this caused ire within Everton’s fanbase, especially coming off the back of successive home defeats.
Branthwaite is still young — he’s only 23. But he is not a young player who should be needing to bide his time to play in his best position. He is Everton’s best defender; he is one of Everton’s best players, full stop. Before Saturday, he had played 80 times in the Premier League, making 72 starts. The vast majority of those had come at centre-back.
Add in that it felt like Moyes had crowbarred Branthwaite out wide to simply ensure Michael Keane features from the off, and it does begin to wind fans up the wrong way.
So, Moyes’ answer could certainly have been less muddled, and did invite some criticism. It also set everyone up to think Everton would rock up at St James’ Park with a defence made up of all four available centre-backs, with Jake O’Brien back in at right-back.
However, thankfully, Moyes brought back Mykolenko — who has plenty of limitations, but is a solid enough defender — and moved Branthwaite back to centre-back.
Branthwaite was not brilliant against Bournemouth. He looked a bit rushed in possession and was caught out a couple of times, but that was surely to be expected on his first start in the position in a Premier League game since last May.
And at St James’, he looked much more assured. Both on the ball and off it.
The standout moment, of course, was his goal — Branthwaite brilliantly directing a near-post header in at the far post after meeting James Garner’s corner. But he didn’t put a foot wrong throughout, even if Newcastle’s first equaliser came via a hugely unfortunate deflection off his right leg as he attempted to close down Jacob Ramsey’s shot.
He won all six of his duels, with four of those being aerial duels. Only James Tarkowski, who always looks better when playing next to Branthwaite or Jake O’Brien than he does Keane, made more clearances (10) than Branthwaite’s eight.
Keane has played well this season, but Branthwaite should not be getting moved around from centre-back to facilitate the 33-year-old playing, unless it absolutely cannot be avoided. His presence in the centre is just too crucial — Everton have had to wait most of the season for it, so Moyes must not get in his own way there. Branthwaite should be treated as the immovable object that the rest of the defence is built around.
He is more than good enough, and even if it is unlikely, if he delivers more performances of the level he demonstrated on Saturday, then he shouldn’t give up on his World Cup hopes just yet, either. Thomas Tuchel’s ignorance of Branthwaite last season was disappointing, to say the least, especially when inferior players such as Jarell Quansah have received regular call-ups. But this term, Branthwaite’s injury issues mean he was always in a race against time to get the nod to head to North America in the summer.
Moyes can help him, though, and help Everton, by playing him in his best position. Because Branthwaite may well be half-suited to filling in at left-back, but the Toffees are much, much better when he is at the heart of the defence.
Reader Comments (37)
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2 Posted 01/03/2026 at 15:05:29
Whatever it is, we will be after a first-choice left-back, right-back, and right-winger this summer. All need to add pace to the side.
3 Posted 01/03/2026 at 16:38:04
4 Posted 01/03/2026 at 16:45:47
And above all, he's a left-sided centre-back, he's wasted at left-back -- another one of Moyes's ridiculous decisions.
5 Posted 01/03/2026 at 17:40:23
Although Mykolenko has his limitations & O'Brien is uncomfortable at right-back, I'd say that's how he picks our back four for the rest of the season if they stay fit.
Jarrad Branthwaite has pace and reading of the game will hopefully help Tarkowski when we're playing a higher line at home, and his passing ability helps us get through the lines, without hoofing it.
I'd start the same 11 on Tuesday.
6 Posted 01/03/2026 at 19:35:50
Surely playing Burnley, we could give Armstrong or Rohl some minutes?
7 Posted 01/03/2026 at 21:24:30
8 Posted 01/03/2026 at 21:32:27
Do we not play Burnley on Tuesday?
9 Posted 01/03/2026 at 21:37:03
Obviously 10 days rest after Burnley!
10 Posted 01/03/2026 at 22:00:27
11 Posted 02/03/2026 at 05:53:34
I stopped myself from quoting that fact about Baines because I'd convinced myself it was a false memory or something. Pretty sure he only played Baines in the end because he was forced to because of injury/discipline.
It's what I think regarding Patterson, Aznou etc also. He's hardly an innovator our Davey. Likes his tried and tested Premier League experience, even if if the replacement comes on and does pretty well.
12 Posted 02/03/2026 at 06:10:17
Patterson is atrocious defensively and Aznou for the little we've seen of him, is similarly defensively poor.
13 Posted 02/03/2026 at 06:33:32
Would it be too much to ask that players are used in their best position when they are the best we have, for example, Travers on the bench.
14 Posted 02/03/2026 at 07:24:18
I think it's useful sometimes for players to play out of position as that gives them an appreciation of different positions as well and might just help them in their preferred position.
15 Posted 02/03/2026 at 07:26:57
It's very rare for a team to play well after such a long break, although I remember it working well for Marco Silva when his team had a really long break a few seasons ago.
16 Posted 02/03/2026 at 07:35:21
Maybe so as Ray Wilson started out as a winger while Tommy Wright and Hibbert were both midfielders and John Hurst a Blackpool Schoolboys centre-forward.
But it doesn't seem to be helping Harrison Armstrong, Patterson or Aznou and may perhaps be best used on the training ground.
I remember Alan Ball saying he always used to look forward to the training games against the youth team which I think were a regular part of training under Harry Catterick who didn't need dragging off screaming and kicking to watch the kids playing away at Tranmere's Prenton Park.
17 Posted 02/03/2026 at 08:09:07
A 3-week break until we play Brentford...
There's going to be some bizarre articles appearing on ToffeeWeb during that period. Might pen one myself.
18 Posted 02/03/2026 at 08:54:03
19 Posted 02/03/2026 at 09:05:19
Incredibly niave management. City might have scored a goal after the ball had gone out of play but, as bad as Martin fucking Atkinson always was, I felt like choking Roberto after that game.
20 Posted 02/03/2026 at 09:22:05
I am amazed how quickly some people write off young players before they have really had a proper chance to show what they can do.
21 Posted 02/03/2026 at 09:36:59
'and Aznou for the little we've seen of him, is similarly defensively poor'.
What in your Moyes lovey world makes these pathetic 13 words in any shape or form reasonable?
Here's the clue Mr. Walker. Defensive duties were not on your beloved Lourdes Moyes’s mind when he sent him on for a small cameo. Anzou brought a fresh air on with him in, note this Mr Walker, attack.
Please respond Mr Walker, you won't, and maybe back up your erm view that 'Aznou for the little we've seen of him, is similarly defensively poor'.
22 Posted 02/03/2026 at 10:10:37
After all, the Nottingham Forest job will be coming up soon and you are bound to know how to save them from the drop.
23 Posted 02/03/2026 at 10:31:12
Need more than 3 weeks to do that one justice, mate.
24 Posted 02/03/2026 at 11:01:52
Bradley Lowery, the tribute to the Hillsborough victims, and trying to save Bury, when it was already too late. The end.
25 Posted 02/03/2026 at 11:36:18
Reading your posts, you're better off not applying.
26 Posted 02/03/2026 at 11:50:29
You missed out the night he made his mother cry when he sold Wayne Rooney to Man Utd.
I don't know what the hard-nosed Alex Ferguson thought of that load of nonsense.
27 Posted 02/03/2026 at 11:58:17
Who is, Bill?
"Errrr, me."
28 Posted 02/03/2026 at 12:29:15
Baines didn't get regular starts at left-back because he was injured and Lescott was playing well there despite hating it.
The reason Lescott couldn't play in his preferred position was 'cos of the Jagielka - Yobo pairing that was also playing well (Don't change a winning team?).
29 Posted 02/03/2026 at 13:26:17
What season are you referring to with the Baines injury?
And how long did the injury stop him playing?
30 Posted 02/03/2026 at 13:29:05
If anybody thinks Moyes can be trusted with a huge transfer kitty in the summer, then you must be mad.
I guarantee we'll be chock full of late 20s early 30s utility players and be celebrating another mid-table finish and early cup exits.
31 Posted 02/03/2026 at 13:30:24
I suspect they had told Mykolenko all week about the threat presented by his man in the air, and we then conceded a textbook header.
32 Posted 02/03/2026 at 15:33:01
People who think they know everything are a great annoyance
to those of us who do!!
33 Posted 02/03/2026 at 15:35:09
34 Posted 02/03/2026 at 15:59:35
I'm keen to see the details of "the myth".
Can you answer my question @29 please.
35 Posted 02/03/2026 at 23:03:13
Only lasted one more season, then the Abu Dabi folks bought City and started throwing big money at everyone they thought was good.
Baines had some injury when he first came. His ankle? He made appearances that season but was never pushing Lescott out of that left corner. Not that year.
36 Posted 03/03/2026 at 02:06:05
Nonetheless he started 13 premier league games in that first season with 9 substitute appearance and I think 7 (?) games in Europe.
37 Posted 03/03/2026 at 08:31:42
You didn't get back to me mate?
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1 Posted 01/03/2026 at 14:43:36
Horses for courses.