Everton’s defence is now even more reliant on James Tarkowski | OneFootball

Everton saved their best performance of the Premier League Summer Series for last. After two disappointing defeats in New Jersey and Chicago, the Toffees put in a much-improved display to draw 2-2 with Manchester United in Atlanta.

The most exciting name in the Everton starting XI was the reintroduction of vice-captain James Tarkowski at centre-back, after several months out of action with a hamstring injury sustained in a home defeat to Manchester City back in April.

Luckily for the Blues, Tarkowski had the summer months to recover, but the state of Everton’s defending in pre-season before the 32-year-old's return raises questions over the team’s reliance on his presence at the back.

Before his injury, Tarkowski played in every single Premier League match for Everton since joining the club from Burnley in the summer of 2022. Across the last two seasons, he's helped the team to the fourth-best defensive record in the Premier League, despite finishing in the bottom half of the table.

Last campaign, Tarkowski led the centre back group in tackles, blocks, and interceptions per 90. He finished last season with a total of 64 tackles, which was almost 30 more than his partner Jarrad Branthwaite, who had 36.

Tarkowski also excels at long-range passing, which Everton often rely on to get out from the back. He played 173 accurate long balls last campaign, with his average of 3.9 per 90 leading the Everton squad.

In the five matches Everton played without Tarkowski at the end of the last campaign, the team performed well. After a loss to Chelsea and a draw with Ipswich Town, Everton finished the campaign with three wins on the bounce. The pairing of Jarrad Branthwaite and Jake O’Brien proved effective, resulting in clean sheets against Southampton and Newcastle.

However, there’s another player from that squad who Everton missed in pre-season. Ashley Young, who departed the club upon the conclusion of his contract this summer, stepped in at right-back for those matches, which allowed O’Brien to move into the centre of defence.

For all the criticism, often deserved, which was lobbied against Young during his two years in Everton blue, he was a reliable defensive option and showed it in those final three matches. Experience and organisation were just two traits the now-departed defender brought to the side.

Fast forward to July, and Everton entered pre-season without either Young or Tarkowski as options in defence.

The two players who needed to step up the most were Nathan Patterson and Jake O’Brien. Jarrad Branthwaite is now a known quantity. The 23-year-old has proven himself over the last two seasons, partnering Tarkowski and rightfully earning his place as one of the most exciting defensive players in England.

On the other hand, Everton supporters have seen enough of Michael Keane to know that while he’s been a reliable servant to the club over his eight seasons, and is capable of a worldie on his day, he’s far too prone to defensive mistakes to be a reliable starting centre back.

Patterson and O’Brien both still have something to prove. Since signing from Rangers in 2022, the former has only made 26 league starts for Everton, and with Young’s departure, it feels now or never for the 23-year-old to show he’s Premier League ready.

While for O’Brien, the question is more about his best position. When he signed from Olympique Lyonnais last summer, Everton fans were under the impression he was the future centre-back partner for Jarrad Branthwaite. However, the Irishman’s best performances for Everton have come at right-back.

Neither have acquitted themselves particularly well in pre-season so far. In those five matches before Tarkowski’s return, Everton conceded eight goals, kept no clean sheets, and the only win came against Port Vale in a match played behind closed doors.

Despite showing some attacking nous against Accrington Stanley and Blackburn, Patterson struggled defensively against Premier League opposition.

He was slow to put a tackle in on Phillip Billing for Bournemouth’s first goal in the Summer Series, and miscued his challenge on Dango Outtara, which opened up an opportunity for the winger to get Bournemouth’s second.

As the leading centre-back, O’Brien struggled to organise the Everton defence. He also had an opportunity to put in a challenge on Billing, or direct Patterson to do so, but did not. While it was his misplaced back pass that sent striker Daniel Adu-Adjei through on goal for Bournemouth’s third.

In both instances, Everton were playing five at the back to give O’Brien additional support, and when that failed again against West Ham, Moyes returned to a back four, replacing Patterson with James Garner.

However, this didn’t work either; Garner isn’t a full-back by trade, and was caught out of position for West Ham’s second goal. While O’Brien again was slow to close down the striker, giving Niclas Füllkrug plenty of time to pick his spot to make it 2-1.

Once O’Brien returned to right-back against Manchester United, his performance improved. Both he and the Everton defence seemingly increased in confidence alongside the veteran presence of Tarkowski, even without Jarrad Branthwaite.

There’s no doubt that, when fully fit, Everton have one of the best defensive units in the Premier League. But, just as this pre-season has cemented the need for recruits in attack, it should also serve as an early warning sign as to the future of the defence.

At 32, Tarkowski’s fantastic injury record won’t continue forever, and Everton must prepare for a future without their vice-captain. Whether that is securing a new long-term right-back, or committing Jake O’Brien to the position permanently and looking to bring in a future partner for Branthwaite, it's another area that Moyes and the recruitment team must reinforce.

Ian Jones 4 Posted 05/08/2025 at 16:35:59

I agree that Young and Doucoure were leaders on the pitch and they did contribute more than people thought. However, it was a sensible move to release them. Time for new leaders to step up to the plate.

The hated handful of Keane, Doucoure, Young and Harrison were deeply flawed but certainly contributed to keeping a sinking ship afloat.

Hard work, digging deep, flashes of unexpected brilliance and a bit of nous too. Not to be sniffed at.

But we can now do much, much better now thank goodness.