A season of progress at Everton unravelled in the final weeks, and captain James Tarkowski has admitted the manner of that collapse still hurts. The Blues went winless in their last seven Premier League games, losing four, and saw a realistic chance of European football slip away as they finished 13th.
Under David Moyes, Everton had produced some memorable away displays, with victories at Manchester United, Aston Villa and Newcastle United. A thumping win over Chelsea even brought Champions League qualification into view. But the run-in proved costly, and Tarkowski was left to reflect on what might have been. Speaking exclusively to the ECHO, the only British media outlet present for the pre-season win in Hamburg, he said: "It was so disappointing. I was gutted with the way the season ended."
Gutted by the run-in
Tarkowski expanded on the frustration, pointing to the hard work that had gone into putting Everton in a strong position. "[It was so disappointing] because of how much good work we did throughout the earlier part of the season," he explained. "We won some massive away games last year, so it was a massive disappointment the way it ended. But, listen, today's another day."
Hope from a season of change
Despite the disappointment, Tarkowski saw cause for optimism in the wider changes at Everton. The club emerged from successive relegation fights and off-the-pitch turmoil into a stunning new stadium under the new ownership of the Friedkin Group. "There was a lot of change last year," he said. "There was new ownership, the manager had come in six months before. There were a lot of new faces around the building, and in the dressing room... The whole feeling of the club had changed over that season. I want this club to be right up there, battling, and we got close last year to getting there, but just didn't have enough in the end. Hopefully this season goes a bit different."
The 33-year-old, who served as captain for most of the campaign in the absence of Seamus Coleman and signed a two-year extension in October, is set to be one of the most influential members of the dressing room following the summer departures of Coleman and Idrissa Gueye. He also spoke about the need for a summer reset. "Seasons are tough, physically and mentally, so [the summer] was a big refresh, good reset, and then you come in ready to go and looking forward to it," he added. "Whether you have won the league, got relegated or have come mid-table, I think you always need it. It is so demanding, mentally as much as it is just physically, they are tough seasons. Now we're ready to go again and looking forward to it."
Pre-season momentum
Everton's preparations for the new campaign received a lift in Hamburg, where a 2-1 win over the Bundesliga side was followed by news of a transfer breakthrough. The club are advancing towards a deal with Arsenal over Christian Norgaard. A first-half strike from Merlin Rohl and a stoppage-time own goal secured the victory, either side of an equaliser from former Leicester City forward Patson Daka.
Tarkowski played the full 90 minutes, having missed parts of the previous two pre-seasons through injury, and said he felt strong. The win followed a draw at Bolton Wanderers and a defeat at Stoke City. "Results matter a little bit because you can build a bit of confidence and get a bit of momentum from that. These games are difficult games," he said. "If you lose a game, I'm not saying it's any good, but they're definitely good to build momentum. So, to get a win, even with it being an own goal, I felt the pressure leading up to the mistake was good from us. These were a good side."
Branthwaite partnership
Tarkowski started alongside Jarrad Branthwaite, who spent much of last season dealing with hamstring injuries, including one that saw him stretchered off against Liverpool in April. The Merseyside derby was level at the time and Branthwaite's injury and Virgil van Dijk's late winner were decisive blows as Everton sought a return to Europe. Branthwaite is working towards full fitness and this was his second start of pre-season.
Tarkowski has been encouraged by the centre-back's return. "We all know how good Jarrad is when he is fit and playing," he said. "He's been through a lot. I know how hard he works, he is one of the most professional players I've been around for his age. He is so in tune with his body, and what he needs now. So, fingers crossed he stays fit and on the pitch because we know what an asset to our team he is when he is."
