Jarrad Branthwaite Scouting Report At Everton 2023/2024 – Crafting The Defensive Dynamo’s Potential Next Step

Who Is Jarrad Branthwaite?

One of the most interesting aspects of the season would be observing which young players are ready to make the leap and highlight their immense footballing aptitude at the highest level.

The Premier League has been no different, with a plethora of under-21 talent not only occasionally impressing but shouldering incredible amounts of responsibility and burden in an attempt to achieve success for their side.

With a huge summer of international football on the horizon and international managers seemingly placing increased trust in younger options, we have seen an incredibly rapid rate of development as the season draws to a close.

Jarrad Branthwaite is a player who epitomises this rapid rise, having established himself as an incredibly well-oiled Premier League defender with undoubtedly elite potential.

Having honed his skills by gaining valuable experience under Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV, Branthwaite has returned to English football with a diverse skill set and the first-team experience ready to stave off the threat of relegation for Everton.

In fact, Sean Dyche would appear to have become incredibly dependent on the young Englishman, who has solidified the spine of an Everton team masking its offensive woes with high-level defending.

This tactical analysis and scout report will begin to address the aspects in which Branthwaite excels, with his defensive actions inspiring Gareth Southgate and earning him a first international call-up ahead of England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.

Our analysis will also highlight the potential next steps for the young central defender, having attracted elite suitors ahead of a significant summer move and the opportunity to further enhance his game with a fresh change of tactics and personnel.

Jarrad Branthwaite Style Of Play

 The 23/24 season has brought about an increased level of responsibility for Branthwaite, with Dyche entrusting him with a regular starting berth.

Having cemented a solid central defensive partnership with James Tarkowski, Branthwaite has amassed a significant level of action in the Premier League, racking up a total of 2,250 minutes behind only Burnley’s James Trafford and Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi.

His imposing physical frame stands tall at 6’5”, making him a handful for attackers to bypass, usually due to his proactive defending and intelligent positioning when attempting to regain possession.

Since Dyche has taken charge of this Everton side, we have seen his defensive structure underpinned by several values, which has been evident throughout his tenure at Burnley.

Out of possession, Everton looks to deploy a deeper, low-to-mid-block formation, with the opportunity to display its resilient and combative defending style while making it frustrating for its opponent to progress into the final third.