Jarrad Branthwaite's return an instant upgrade | OneFootball

Imagine Liverpool without Virgil van Dijk. Imagine Arsenal without Gabriel Magalhães. Imagine your best defender being missing for over half of a season.

For Everton, that nightmare scenario has been a reality.

Jarrad Branthwaite is Everton’s best defender. He elevates not just the back line, but the team as a whole.

His partnership with James Tarkowski has been one of the best in the Premier League across the past couple of seasons.

Branthwaite has it all. Pace, stature, strength. He is excellent with the ball at his feet, and as a left-footer (albeit, one who is equally as comfortable using his right foot), he provides a natural balance to the defence.

Michael Keane has played relatively well this season, but as has been discussed before, his partnership with Tarkowski is not sustainable. Jake O’Brien, when given the chance to play in his preferred position at centre-back, has done well.

But Branthwaite is a level above them all, and when he came on for the second half against Leeds United, that was clear.

David Moyes did not want to call on the 23-year-old so early on in the game, but given how bad Everton’s first-half display was, he had little choice. Everton needed to match Leeds up, and Branthwaite came in to what was nominally a three-man defence, albeit O’Brien played as a hybrid right-back/centre-back, with Nathan Patterson playing ahead of him as a wing-back/midfielder.

Interestingly, it was a similar system to the one Moyes deployed when he first returned to Everton last year, playing O’Brien between the two roles, and it was a revelation.

With Branthwaite back, and Moyes seemingly so reluctant to use Tyler Dibling from the start — and Dwight McNeil, surely, deserving to be dropped — it is a system Moyes may well fall back on in the weeks to come.

Because Branthwaite has to play. He transforms Everton both in and out of possession.

His pace allows him to act as the covering defender for Tarkowski, who can go and engage in aerial duels and look to intercept aggressively.

Branthwaite only had six defensive involvements against Leeds, but that was all he needed to do. Once he had settled after 15 minutes, he looked incredibly comfortable — you would have been forgiven for forgetting this was his first competitive appearance since May.

But it was in possession that Branthwaite really showed his worth.

Branthwaite attempted 56 passes, completing 49 of those (88%). He played 41 passes in Leeds’ half, completing 35 (85%). Three of his four long balls were accurate (75%). The centre-back also played one key pass.

His pass map, too, tells its own story. Branthwaite was focused on channeling Everton down the left, with vertical, crisp passing. Once Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall — a fellow half-time substitute — cottoned onto this, he was dropping into space as an option.

Perhaps that persistence down Everton’s left, is what stretched Leeds enough to then see the Toffees exploit a gap down the right — Dewsbury-Hall slipping in Idrissa Gueye, whose centre was prodded home by Thierno Barry.

Everton’s form at Hill Dickinson Stadium is a worry, but a huge issue is when they have to chase games. Branthwaite helps with that. First and foremost, the defence is less likely to concede when he is in it, and secondly, when the onus is on Everton, he provides them with a quality ball-playing defender to start attacks and pass through the thirds.

This should suit Dewsbury-Hall especially, given how adept the former Chelsea man is at finding space between the lines. It is a crying shame that Jack Grealish is now injured, because he too, would surely have relished playing on the same side as Branthwaite.

Everton will hopefully improve in one of the full-back areas, and/or in attack, before the close of the window.

Yet the importance of Branthwaite being back in the fold cannot be underestimated. The crucial thing now is for him to stay fit.

Stats via Sofascore

Reader Comments (60)

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Darren Hind 1 Posted 29/01/2026 at 16:58:54

A three-man defence?

O'Brien went to the right and, when Patterson came off, he became an out-and-out right-back. With Tarkowski and Branthwaite in the middle, Mykolenko on the left. It was never less than four.

The day our boy Davey goes three at the back is still to dawn...

Ashley Krotosky 2 Posted 29/01/2026 at 17:42:47

He really did make such an impression in such a short time.

If he keeps it up, and he (+ KDH) can just stay fit we should certainly be looking upwards.

Mr Tuchel should also be very interested, though that would mean the 'big guys' with their agents would start sniffing around again, meaning there's a risk of his head being turned. Trying to avoid the risk of that scenario is a big part of the case for us being in Europe next season.

Christy Ring 3 Posted 29/01/2026 at 18:38:53

Branthwaite looked like he'd never been away against Leeds, so composed and his passing to feet superb, and gives us so much pace at tge back, hopefully he's over his hamstring problem now, wouldn't be too optimistic of Tuchel picking him, he overlooked him for the Euro's.

John Collins 4 Posted 29/01/2026 at 18:57:48

Christy,

A rolls royce of a player,his pace allows us to play higher up the pitch as well.

Easy to see the kid played in midfield until he was 15/16,he sees the pass and has the quality to play it.

John Collins 6 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:11:57

10 minutes :-)

Darren Hind 7 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:14:00

Every day.

John Collins 8 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:15:25

The hook was baited a fast bite. :-)

Your monitoring skills are to be admired

Try again.Did we play a higher defensive line second half v Leeds?

Darren Hind 9 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:24:38

Which hook and which bite 1907-1911 is only three minutes.

"Did we play a Higher defensive line up in the second half V Leeds ?"...Than what ?

John Collins 10 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:26:40

Your maths,as well as your monitoring skills, is also to be admired :-)

Darren Hind 11 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:27:49

Yes they are. I afforded you a minute to type. I'll give you a day to think though

Mark Murphy 12 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:30:23

Of course we played higher up the pitch in the second half. We were 1-0 down.

John Collins 13 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:35:48

Woah, easy tiger :-)

Any chance of an answer on how high we played second half v Leeds?

John Collins 14 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:37:04

Tiger, 11

Back of the class.

It was two minutes

Darren Hind 15 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:43:24

Give that man a lolipop. Of course we did. We were chasing the game.

We played the same line we did in the second half against Brentford, Newcastle and Spurs. Risky, but you have to do it. Especially when the crowd had boo'd you off at half time.

The way we set up from the start must have been acutely embarrassing for those who have never seen Tarkowski live and insisted we would play 10 yards higher.

Two minutes ?. I guess I over estimated you

John Collins 17 Posted 29/01/2026 at 19:59:15

But you posted on the Leeds article before the game"Even with the fastest player at the club playing, Branthwaite, he won't be able to drag Tarkowski higher up the pitch, wild horses would be needed"

Which one are you going with?

Darren Hind 18 Posted 29/01/2026 at 20:24:06

Keep up Jethro

I also said he would need a gun to his head to come out to play. That came in the form of certain defeat. The wild horses came in the form of 52000 boos You are ok with metaphors ?

Branthwaite or no Branthwaite. Tarkowski will not come out to play at Brighton. Unless we get a corner, He will do what it says on his tin and defend his penalty...Right from the off.

I hope Jarrod doesnt get rushed back... Like last time, but if he gets the nod. He better bring a fucking tug boat if he thinks he can get Tarks to start further up the pitch.

"Which one are you going with ?"... I'm going with both. Not with a belief, but with a certain knowledge.

David West 19 Posted 29/01/2026 at 20:26:26

Branthwaite makes Tarks look like jack Duckworth is shorts !!

I honestly believe it's time to let tarks have a rest, watching him now we want to be more progressive is just showing his limitations.

Even O'brien doesn't fill me with confidence with the ball at his feet, jarred coming on at HT just showed how much better he is than any other CB or defender we have.

If we can keep him after the Summer a partner on his level would be on my shopping list !

Darren Hind 21 Posted 29/01/2026 at 20:38:52

Nite Jethro

John Collins 22 Posted 29/01/2026 at 20:50:34

Buenas noches El Tigre :-)

Nick Page 23 Posted 29/01/2026 at 21:34:35

Buy a fucking attacking right back

Buy a fucking attacking left back

Buy a fucking centre forward

Start there. Move forward. Just buy anyone. Even spend a few million. Just get some bodies in.

Do the same in the summer

Or….as per usual…..do absolutely fuck all and hope for the best Everton. And when wonder why a shithouse factory like Leeds fucking United make the club look like bastard amateurs. At home. In the league. 👍👏

David West 24 Posted 29/01/2026 at 21:59:56

Nah we don't need "Bodies " We've got Bodies, buying Bodies leaves you with dead bodies that you can't dispose of.

Think Beto, tosun, maupay, gabamin, rondon, bolasie, Walcott, sandro

The list of Bodies that have cost us is ridiculous,

We don't need Bodies we need quality!

I'd rather us wait for the right signings, signings that can make an impact on the team over a long period.

Yes a loan or 2 would be nice to help, at RB especially if there's no viable long term targets available.

Bob Parrington 26 Posted 29/01/2026 at 23:02:04

Was it that we played a higher line in the second half, or was it that we set out to control the speed of play that made the difference, or both. It seemed to me that Moyes had told them at half time to slow the pace of the game down and put Leeds off their high speed transformation that had been stuffing us up in the first half?

Great to see Branthwaite and Dewsbury Hall back. I felt Gana Gueye and Ndiaye were a little off pace but still did a job, particularly Gueye's cross to Barry for the goal.

With Barry scoring again, Jarrad and DH back, Keane finishing his red card ban etc, Patterson playing reasonably well ------- that we won't see any new faces in the team until July/August. (unless Beto goes??)

Anybody on here got views on how the effect the World Cup might have on the transfer market?

Ian Wilkins 27 Posted 29/01/2026 at 23:22:31

I understand that Owners/ Management want to undertake the second stage of a squad rebuild in the lengthier more commercial Summer market.

For what it’s worth I think stage 1 was a very mixed bag, some credits, some questionable additions, and some glaring misses in gaps that needed to be filled.

That said, I don’t see why a progressive management team wouldn’t want to seek to add some quality, some impetus, even if only short term loans ( but better if could mange quality additions), in this window, particularly given the opportunity when European places are so beckoning.

No panic buys. No big financial outlay. Just some fresh impetus, showing some ambition.

It feels like a lack of ambition at the moment. Hope the next few days prove me wrong.

John Pickles 29 Posted 29/01/2026 at 23:50:24

Off topic, I read Ndiaye has been banned for 2 matches for his part in Senegal's walk off in AFCON final.

Annika Herbert 30 Posted 29/01/2026 at 23:53:23

Ian @ 27, it's just a shame we haven't got a progressive management team

Annika Herbert 31 Posted 29/01/2026 at 23:58:01

Are we likely to get much in the way of quality if we have nothing to offer players, other than a bog standard premier league campaign?

Most quality players are looking to play European football, which many think we would be foolish to qualify for at the moment

Mike Gaynes 32 Posted 30/01/2026 at 00:51:16

Ian #27, since management has pretty much trashed the idea of major buys in this window, loans are the obvious path. You need three other elements besides ambition to pull one off. You need to identify quality players who will make us better, and whose salaries are affordable. You need a club willing to loan them out. And you need a player who wants to come.

It's not easy. I looked it up -- only five non-goalkeepers have been brought in on loan across the entire PL in this window, the headliners being Douglas Luiz and James Ward-Prowse. So finding a midseason loan for right back or forward may seem obvious, but it's anything but.

Mike Gaynes 33 Posted 30/01/2026 at 01:05:12

John #29, what I read is that Ndiaye and Sarr got two-match bans for referee abuse. Ndiaye wouldn't have been involved in the walk-off because he'd already been subbed out.

Also, these are African matches that don't affect Ili's eligibility for Everton.

Steve Brown 34 Posted 30/01/2026 at 01:11:39

January buys.

Think Coleman, Jelavic, Pienaar, Donavan and Arteta,

We are told we have a world class recruitment team and analytics department,. But, if we buy a player in January the same team will deliver us a a panic-buy, a body, stop-gap, fill-in? Explain that logic.

At present, we have fundamental structural gaps in the fullback, striker and now left wing positions. The refusal to address these issues would be inexplicable if we didn't already know the reason.

No, not the adherence to our "long-term plan". The payment of a 43 million dividend to TFG's parent company means we don't have the money.

Jonathan Oppenheimer 35 Posted 30/01/2026 at 03:20:32

It seems prudent to wait until the end of the summer window to judge this new recruitment system and team. Last summer was a bit of a mixed bag, but it was happening as the people in charge were still making their way in and were trying to move us forward sensibly. I’d still give them a pretty good grade, given we couldn’t fix everything in one window. Look at what’s been done so far that’s gotten us out of a relegation battle and solidly mid-table:

KDH — 9

Grealish loan — 9

Barry — 5/6 based on recent goals, addressed a need, good goal scoring record in a top league, but plenty of room to become a 7 or 8 based on age (even if I have my serious doubts)

Rohl — 6/7 a bit of an overpay for what he is now, but if he’s a legit midfielder alongside Garner, KDH and Armstrong in 2 years, then it’ll prove savvy

Aznou — 6/7 like Rohl and Dibling, too early to tell, but lots of potential in an area of need, very young, position of need, low cost, time will tell

Dibling — 5/6, if only because it appears an overpay, plus he looks so unhappy and unsure of himself, but has more in his bag, so much more potential than the previous two, given his age and pedigree

Even the ones we can argue about their quality, they’re young enough that they could prove brilliant in time.

Garner contract — 9

Branthwaite contract — 10

Keane contract — 8, given how important he’s been and early in the season was playing his best football in years.

Gana contract — 8, he’s aging and imperfect, but absolutely needed him this season.

I’ll give the benefit of the doubt to TFG, given how many players we had to replace, despite not signing a right back (who would you all have had who was realistic?) and possibly missing on Barry and Dibling — time will tell.

I’ll say for the umpteenth time: No stupid buys this winter. And if we don’t sign a right back this summer, I will be just as angry as the rest of you.

Mike Gaynes 36 Posted 30/01/2026 at 05:19:23

Steve #34, nobody told us we have a "world-class" recruitment team and analytics department. Presumably Kinnear likes his recruitment team because he hired them, and presumably TFG like their analytics company because they bought it.

What we've been told about the January window, by the CEO of the club back in December, is this:

"...all our experience demonstrates how challenging the winter market is to deliver quality and value. We will work towards identifying and executing opportunities that will make us stronger in the long term. But these opportunities will need to be exceptional, and we will avoid short-term fixes that will weaken our hand for phase two of our rebuild next summer."

So like it or not, that's the plan, shared with us well in advance.

As for the idea there's no remaining money to buy players in TFG -- America's 34th largest private company, which sold $11 billion worth of Toyotas last year plus revenues from luxury resorts, golf courses, movies and TV (I was just binge-watching Landman tonight) -- well, I know you share that theory with Michael K, and good luck to you both on that one.

37 Posted 30/01/2026 at 05:30:41

Jonathan #35, agree 100%. I've used the same words -- "pretty good" -- to describe our business last summer, and that was a frantic rebuild with a partial recruitment team. And I don't think any of our deals done then can yet be described as failures.

Kinnear himself said: "Transitioning into the Premier League is challenging, evidenced by the fact that two-thirds of transfers fail. But when players are given time, this success rate can be improved dramatically."

To me, the jury is still out. I'll wait to see how we do in the summer window, and how some of this season's kids succeed or fail over time.

Paul Griffiths 39 Posted 30/01/2026 at 05:42:58

John Pickles 29 - Off topic, I read Ndiaye has been banned for 2 matches for his part in Senegal's walk off in AFCON final.

Good news and hopefully a decent-sized fine. Gana, I hope, got a heavier punishment for walking off the pitch.

Paul Griffiths 40 Posted 30/01/2026 at 06:01:14

Kinnear - the fact that two-thirds of transfers fail.

Give me the evidence to prove this 'fact'. Proper evidence. Show me the precise figures and then, if you are doing it correctly, weight the numbers by clubs.

If you want to stick to an unsupported generalisation do so.You're very good at that. Otherwise, gosh, people might be forgiven for thinking that this could be, golly, yet more preemptory defensive fluff for another window.

By the way, how is the search going for only, in your word, 'exceptional' players. I can't wait.

Jonathan, with respect, I find your ratings in terms of contribution, impact, and, playing time a tad on the high side. By the way, this might be a question of the player and. how he has been used rather than performed.

I might have gone for - KDH 7/8, Grealish 7, Barry 4, Rohl, 4, Aznou 1, Dibling 2.

Not much that is 'exceptional' there so far Mr. Kinnear. Time will tell.

I do agree on this JO - 'It seems prudent to wait until the end of the summer window to judge this new recruitment system and team'.

Mike Gaynes 41 Posted 30/01/2026 at 06:11:26

According to Reuters and the the Confederation of African Football, the only individual punishment for the walk-off was to Senegal manager Pape Thiaw for leading it -- a five-game suspension and a $100,000 fine.

Both countries' federations were fined and two players from each (including Ndiaye) were suspended for various other unsporting conduct, but no players were punished for walking off.

Jimmy Carr 42 Posted 30/01/2026 at 08:08:09

Rohl, Dibling, Aznou and Barry are all players of real potential. Even KDH could have a bit more gas in the tank. TFG have clearly gone for this aspect for both financial and footballing reasons. I’d say their recruitment has been fair and there is at least a plan. We cannot go back to the Moshiri blueprint.

I too don’t want January panic buys and trust the assessment that the market is not good value during the window. We don’t need to panic buy, leave that to the West Hams of this world. I’d like European football but wasn’t expecting it at the start of the season, it would be a bonus.

Wouldn’t mind John Duran on loan though.

Jimmy Carr 43 Posted 30/01/2026 at 08:26:41

Ian (27) fair assessment re perceived lack of ambition.

Paul Griffiths 44 Posted 30/01/2026 at 08:30:04

Duran is a good shout. Why did Villa sell him? FFP perhaps?

Jimmy Carr 45 Posted 30/01/2026 at 08:49:01

Can’t remember Paul whether it was FFP, possibly.

Darren Hind 46 Posted 30/01/2026 at 09:41:59

Not at all sure how you can "Grade" signings that were made with potential and the future very much in mind.

Dibling, Rohl and Aznou may have been here for months. but Moyes's reluctance to take risk them has meant the haven't been able to put in what the average guy would call a full days work between them.

Signing talented youngsters with one eye on the future is what top clubs do. Yet when we do it, a large section of the fan base cant wait to rip them apart.

I find it astonishing that people show so little patience with the young players we have bought. Yet the re-signings of a bunch of geriatrics like Gana. Tarkowski. Coleman (who were never that good in the first place) is cheered from the fucking rafters.

Leave those kids alone

Raymond Fox 47 Posted 30/01/2026 at 10:20:48

To be fair to the ones in charge of signing our players, we wont be the top players choice when appoached to sign. They want European football preferably Champions League, we are not there yet. Another barrier is this PSR or whatever they are changing it to next season.

That leaves us looking at players that are not quite at the level of the very best, this where we have been for as long as I can remember.

I've said before we need a scouting system second to none, one or more of the smaller teams in the Prem. are able to find future stars, we need to too.

Philip Devlin 48 Posted 30/01/2026 at 10:46:53

Raymond - don’t forget unwanted gems from the silly money clubs, like Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall. They’re the sweet spot signings: PL-experienced, desperate to prove a point and game-changers.

Raymond Fox 49 Posted 30/01/2026 at 10:54:38

Philip, thats true we have done well with those two, apart form the misfortune with Jack.

Mick O\'Malley 50 Posted 30/01/2026 at 11:59:07

Darren@ 46, absolutely spot on about the 3 geriatrics, I honestly cant wait for the day when I don't see Tarkowski in an Everton shirt, also correct about the kids being ripped to pieces without anyone taking onto account, age, a new league, different style of play, settling on to a new country etc, yet week after week we see Gana misplace pass after pass and Tarkowski standing on Pickfords toes and just basically getting in the way, but we plays the hard man now and then so all is forgiven

Mick O\'Malley 51 Posted 30/01/2026 at 12:00:10

Ffs can someone fix the edit button

Steve Brown 52 Posted 30/01/2026 at 12:25:09

Mike @ you are right.

Kinnear only said “The recruitment structures we put in place, marrying world-class analytics with industry-leading talent identification and player trading capability, have borne fruit.”

So world class analytics and but only industry-leading talent identification and player trading capability. I don’t understand why he is being so modest.

As for the lack of investment during the January transfer window after £43 million was taken out the club, I suggest you are being a bit gullible if you believe that TFG are not actioning the fundamental structural gaps in the squad due to their “long-term plans”.

But as you said Mike, good luck to you both on that one.

Kevin Molloy 53 Posted 30/01/2026 at 12:39:34

Kinnear pontificating on what it takes to build a successful club drives me nuts. Who does he think he is. He's spent a decade bumping along with Leeds in the Championship, and suddenly he's the expert on how to transition to the Champions 'league places. Shut your mouth Angus and just do what the manager asks you to (if you can, you barmcake). Listen to him trying to take credit for footballing matters this season, like he's had any input worth sharing. He's been concentrating on the chicken wings for £10,99, that's where he comes into his own.

Steve Brown 54 Posted 30/01/2026 at 12:43:31

Mick @ 50, it is one our traits as fans that we blame the young players while the senior pros get away with murder.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies, Jonjo Kenny and Mason Holgate used to get battered on here while senior players like Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Tosun, Ashley Williams, Gomes, Delph and latter day Miralles stole a living.

The youngsters cost us almost nothing, while that list alone cost us over £100 million in transfer fees alone. For youngsters to thrive, they need a solid set of senior pros performing well to guide them.

Jonathan Oppenheimer 55 Posted 30/01/2026 at 13:51:49

Darren 46, it’s the fun of being an amateur pundit and supporter on TW to do things like grade signings as a way to evaluate the job done by the people running our club. I’ll do it again in a year when I’m completely wrong about it.

As for supporting the geriatrics, I am just as frustrated by Tarkowski’s performances as the next person, but he’s been absolutely needed because of how reliable he is. It’s not like we can just go pick up a younger version who is ready to play tomorrow. The RS and Chelseas of the world can do that, we can’t. Same with Gana. As for Coleman, well that may not have been prudent, but it was done for leadership purposes, and that can’t be underestimated. It’s criminal though that he hasn’t been replaced. But to say that none of them were ever that good in the first place, well if you believe that, I don’t know what to tell you.

David West 56 Posted 30/01/2026 at 15:33:07

We are not in the market for top tier ready to go players.

Take Barry for example, 1 season doing well in Spain, we buy him for £25m now, if he stayed in Spain, had another good season it could have been 40-50m this summer.

He's on track for 10 -15 goals, in his first season in the hardest league in the world, if he does that then I don't know why people are on the young lads back.

Yes he can improve his hold up play, his touch, awareness & decision making but there's lots to be positive about the lad.

These are the gambles we have to take, Rohl & Asnou similarly, not massive outlays in today's market but potentially great upsides if we can develop them over a couple of years.

Patience is needed if we want a developing side, of players getting better, rather than signings who are on a downward curve in their career.

Jarred is a prime example, fans have been patient with him, he's made mistakes, had bad games. He's developed into a quality player, bought for buttons.

Dave Abrahams 57 Posted 30/01/2026 at 15:50:03

James Tarkowski hasn’t been at his best this season, no doubt about that, I think he might have been struggling because he came back too early from the hamstring injury he received v City near the end of last season.

Before that he had played most of the season and the two seasons previously without hardly a break in premiere league games and to me he was a rock in defence and a great captain on the field urging his fellow players on and one of the first names on the team sheet.

Now to some he is past it, I think he is still a valuable player to have in the team and time will tell that he is not over the hill just yet.

John Collins 58 Posted 30/01/2026 at 15:58:44

Dave,

100% agree.

He probably played his best football for us over the last couple of seasons before this one, but still a player for me.

Mike Gaynes 59 Posted 30/01/2026 at 17:10:26

Dave and John, clearly the commitment is still there. Tarks is again leading the league in blocks.

Kevin Molloy 60 Posted 30/01/2026 at 17:42:56

if there's one position Moyes knows backwards it's centre back. And he wouldn't be continuing to pick James without good reason. He's the captain, and has genuine strength of character, which impacts the whole team. Would we have the best away record in the league without Tarkowski's leadership and strength of character this last 12 months? almost certainly not. We only need to think back on some of the performances of Michael Keane in years gone by to see how it's a high pressure position and very unforgiving if you're not in the right place mentally.