2025/26 James Tarkowski

[Neiler]

Don’t think we can play without him TBH he’s a turbo snide.

And i like a good turbo snide.

 

[NeilMorepies]

Curious how Tarks seems to be getting the blame for Keane’s cockup.

Evertonians are weird…

 

[Benicetoourboys]

Curious how Tarks seems to be getting the blame for Keane’s cockup.

Evertonians are weird…

I'm making a list of those who are against Tarkowski (for possible future use).

 

[davek]

IMO he's finished. The amount of positional errors and loose distribution are piling up for him. Anyone seeing him differently are kidding themselves given this season (and pre-season's) catalogue of disasters.

Neither he nor Keane are good enough for the CB role.

That hands us a dilemma as I cant see us fending off a big bid that will inevitably come in for Branthwaite (in fact I'm highly suspicious that Guardiola allowed Grealish to come here this season and maybe JB's transfer to them has already been arranged). In that case we'll have O'Brien and a fading Tarkowski. And though they've played well together as a combo Tarkowski's decline will continue.

CB might go from a position of relative strength to one of weakness in a very short period of time.

 

[blueblood]

IMO he's finished. The amount of positional errors and loose distribution are piling up for him. Anyone seeing him differently are kidding themselves given this season (and pre-season's) catalogue of disasters.

Neither he nor Keane are good enough for the CB role.

That hands us a dilemma as I cant see us fending off a big bid that will inevitably come in for Branthwaite (in fact I'm highly suspicious that Guardiola allowed Grealish to come here this season and maybe JB's transfer to them has already been arranged). In that case we'll have O'Brien and a fading Tarkowski. And though they've played well together as a combo Tarkowski's decline will continue.

CB might go from a position of relative strength to one of weakness in a very short period of time.

I think given the fee we’d ask for Branthwaite that other teams would could be very wary of bidding for him this summer. He’s had significant injuries this season and last. I think we’ll have him here next season and if he stays fit we might see offers in summer 27.

 

[BackRow PE6]

Moyes values leadership and experience at the back and Tarks is the captain - can’t see any challenge to his starting position this or next season.

 

[davek]

I think given the fee we’d ask for Branthwaite that other teams would could be very wary of bidding for him this summer. He’s had significant injuries this season and last. I think we’ll have him here next season and if he stays fit we might see offers in summer 27.

I'm very cynical over such matters. I see a career being managed in the modern way. Just like Onana's 'significant injuries' when he was here, for example, I think they're mostly niggles that are allowed a lot of down time by clubs to protect an asset - a policy that suits agents down to the ground.

Branthwaite is a generational talent. Everyone knows it, including buying and selling clubs. There's going to be a starting pistol fired in May for his signature...that's if, as I stated, it hasn't already been secured.

We have to be realistic about these things.

 

[davek]

Moyes values leadership and experience at the back and Tarks is the captain - can’t see any challenge to his starting position this or next season.

What leadership does he offer?

He's not leading by example, for sure. And his on-field off the ball behaviour is alarming way too often now.

 

[hallamblue]

What leadership does he offer?

He's not leading by example, for sure. And his on-field off the ball behaviour is alarming way too often now.

I mean, compared to Romero he's a model citizen, but I agree he's on his last legs and should be dropped to 3rd CB next year, coming in for cup games and to cover injury or play at Christmas or when we have games close together. Don't think he'd want that role though, so may have to sell him in the summer.

 

[BackRow PE6]

What leadership does he offer?

He's not leading by example, for sure. And his on-field off the ball behaviour is alarming way too often now.

Hard for you or I to define that as we don’t see the full picture. Moyes obviously likes what he gets from him and the only point I was making was that I can’t see Moyes keeping him in the team but stripping him of the captaincy

 

[chicoazul]

Can see this season that he’s coming into the sunset of his career. Lucky we have Branthwaite and O’Brien to eventually replace and in the meantime learn from him. Still get another few seasons out of him but increasingly he won’t be first choice, and start to be on the bench more.

 

[NeilMorepies]

Moyes will only drop him when his defensive stats are anything less than superb.
He’s still top percentiles in these.

 

[davek]

I mean, compared to Romero he's a model citizen, but I agree he's on his last legs and should be dropped to 3rd CB next year, coming in for cup games and to cover injury or play at Christmas or when we have games close together. Don't think he'd want that role though, so may have to sell him in the summer.

His performance yesterday was enough to lose us the game first half. Most of their chances that half came through Tarkowski's horrendous passing out of defence or his positional decision-making...that Fulham player that ghosted past him in the area and then missed was frightening. He looked like he'd just remembered he was playing in a game.

Hard for you or I to define that as we don’t see the full picture. Moyes obviously likes what he gets from him and the only point I was making was that I can’t see Moyes keeping him in the team but stripping him of the captaincy

Moyes is in thrall to senior players even if they're fading. It's politics for Moyes. His ultimate objective is to control the dressing room. So I doubt that Moyes sees any more than we do in reality.

 

[BackRow PE6]

His performance yesterday was enough to lose us the game first half. Most of their chances that half came through Tarkowski's horrendous passing out of defence or his positional decision-making...that Fulham player that ghosted past him in the area and then missed was frightening. He looked like he'd just remembered he was playing in a game.


Moyes is in thrall to senior players even if they're fading. It's politics for Moyes. His ultimate objective is to control the dressing room. So I doubt that Moyes sees any more than we do in reality.

Ignoring the fact that he works with the players every day of the week and is a highly tenured premiership manager whilst your not, that is some statement that Dave

 

[davek]

Ignoring the fact that he works with the players every day of the week and is a highly tenured premiership manager whilst your not, that is some statement that Dave

I consider myself (and any other observer who knows or has half a clue about football) to be a better judge of any player than a manager who's having to deal with the team dynamics.

As a fan we can just call it for what it is, he cant - or wont.