- James Tarkowski believes Everton didn’t play well in the final game of the season
- The defender believes it wasn’t a bad season for Everton
- Everton were defeated 1-0 as Tottenham survived the relegation battle
Everton’s season ended with a whimper. A 1-0 defeat at Tottenham meant the Toffees finished 13th with 49 points, the same position and just a point more than the last season.
James Tarkowski spoke to Sky Sports after the game. The defender did not hide his frustration and tried to put the campaign into perspective.
James Tarkowski: ‘It probably took us 75 minutes to get going’
Tarkowski was honest about the Everton performance. “Ultimately the corner decided the game so there are more disappointing ways to lose. I didn’t think we played very well and it probably took us 75 minutes to get going.”
That has been a theme of Everton’s run-in. The Toffees have not won any of their last seven Premier League games. They took just two points from the final 18 on offer.
James Tarkowski acknowledged the decline. “It has been a disappointing end to the season and we’ve drifted down the table. We’ve ended the season on a bit of a low.”
The centre-back pointed to a wider issue. “It’s probably just a sign of where we are at as a team. We had a solid away record earlier in the season but have struggled to continue that recently. We have work to do and we knew that anyway. We knew we weren’t the finished article.”
‘On reflection, it wasn’t a bad season’
Despite the late collapse, Tarkowski tried to find some hope and perspective. “I am proud, but the way it has ended is disappointing. We were in an exciting position five or six weeks ago so it hurts and feels a bit rubbish. But on reflection in a few weeks time we’ll probably say it wasn’t a bad season.”
Everton spent most of the campaign in the top half. They beat Chelsea 3-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium and had genuine European hopes. But the final six weeks undid all that good work. They didn’t manage any win in their last seven games.
Tarkowski knows the club cannot settle for mid-table. “We know the size of the club and where everyone expects to be. We’ve got to progress and improve next season.”
That is the challenge for David Moyes this summer. The squad is thin. Only 22 players made Premier League appearances this season, the joint-fewest for Everton in a single campaign. Talking about summer reinforcements, David Moyes has called on the board to support him in the summer.
“We need more players. I’ve seen it more in the last few weeks. I don’t want to make excuses but also some decisions have gone against us,” Moyes said.
The defeat ends the season for Everton but it could have been much better. Now Everton must regroup and be prepared for a massive summer transfer window ahead.
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