James Tarkowski has shared that he’s now fully recovered from the injuries that hindered his early season. Filling in as Everton captain during Seamus Coleman’s absence, the 31-year-old revealed that a glute injury in pre-season, followed by a back issue, had affected his ability to train fully, leading to a dip in both his and the team’s form.
Everton’s defensive struggles were apparent in their opening four Premier League matches, where they conceded 13 goals and failed to secure any points. However, since then, they’ve significantly tightened up at the back, conceding only four goals across the last seven matches, earning three clean sheets and picking up 10 points.
Despite their improved defense, Everton’s attack remains a challenge. A 1-0 loss to Southampton highlighted their missed scoring chances, while a recent 0-0 draw with West Ham underscored the need for improvement in the final third. After the international break, the team will look to turn things around when they host Brentford on November 23.
Reflecting on the season so far, Tarkowski acknowledged in an evertontv interview, “Our defending early in the season was far from our standards, both for me personally and as a team. But we’ve improved a lot lately. Jordan (Pickford) made some big saves against West Ham, and overall, we defended with confidence. It’s a good base to build on, and with the busy Christmas period approaching, we hope to add more goals.”
Everton currently sit 16th in the league, just three points above the relegation zone, and will look to capitalize on upcoming home games against Brentford and Wolves. With a challenging set of fixtures through the holiday season, maintaining their solid defense will be key.
Tarkowski, who joined from Burnley in 2022 and has played every minute of Everton’s league campaign this season, now feels back at full strength. “The early part of the season was frustrating with the constant niggles, but that’s part of the game,” he said. “Now, I feel like I’m where I want to be physically, and I’m determined to keep performing at my best.”
