2025/26 James Tarkowski

davek · Tuesday at 10:03 PM

First time for months this feller has looked anything other than a liability.

That had everything to do with O'Brien being beside him.

Good team work and communication between them.

We cant go back to Tarkowski of the last few months, and that's the reason we have to have O'Brien starting every game with him now.

O'Brien cant play with Keane, and O'Brien cant do the RB role effectively.

MaximusEvertonius · Tuesday at 10:04 PM

That shift of Jake also told me just how much better and stable we are with Branthwaite playing with Tarks.

MACCA75 · Tuesday at 10:21 PM

Did well today, aggressive but not uncontrolled. We were a little bit deeper so they didn’t get in behind.

TraffordBlue · Tuesday at 10:41 PM

Very good tonight and I think he helped O'Brien have his best game at CB for us.

N0L1M1TK · Tuesday at 11:29 PM

Beast tonight won everything!

Paired better with Jake too.

Furey1878 · Wednesday at 9:51 AM

While Keane has seemingly been better than Tarkowski this season, I'd still pick Tarkowski to start alongside Branthwaite or O'Brien any day of the week.

LinekersLegs · Wednesday at 3:11 PM

He’s a good captain

Grealish causes surprise in Bournemouth end as Anthony Gordon delays Moyes Q+A

Everton correspondent Joe Thomas with some moments from behind the scenes at the Vitality Stadium

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

James Tarkowski leads the way with players and mascot

Also setting a good example was Everton captain on the night James Tarkowski. The centre back gave his training jacket to the young mascot he walked onto the pitch with, choosing to keep them warm over himself. It is not unusual for such acts of kindness from the former Burnley defender.

As his teammates prepared for kick-off he carried out one more act of duty - it was notable how he went through to each player to give them support just before the start of the match. During the pre-match warm-up, he also gathered the other members of his defensive unit together for what looked like an intense briefing before they moved onto dealing with balls directed at them by assistant manager Leighton Baines. With James Garner and Jake O’Brien switching positions, this may well have been useful.