Tarkowski admits he has been playing through an injury issue

Proper old-school pro, not the woke type!

Totally disregarding the fact that we concede a penalty. I'm a blue, and if I had been the ref, I would have spent him off for his lunatic pub-team assault.

Didn't he do the same against Palace last season? Another game he should have been gone and a three-game ban.

Dyche should warn him, do that again and it's out of the first team for you. How old is he, 12?

That seems like money well spent.

I fear we're just going to have to “find a way” this season in defence. It will involve rotations across the back four as the injuries hit. I just hope we can settle upon what the manager considers his best back four, and we can have a repeat of the rock-solid performances most prevalent in the run in last season.

I can foresee that Jimmy Garner will be accommodated, possibly as a right-back, as Dyche knows exactly what he is going to get, and of course, he can easily step into central midfield should the tactics dictate. Whilst there may be an argument to go into some games with a back three, I just can't see our manager going down that route.

He was playing with an injury.

You could see it.

I guess O'Brien is not considered ready to start a game but other positions are weak and the options are not too solid anyway.

Dyche is trying his best, as are all the players, but the sad truth is we don't have the strength in depth to be more competitive, especially up front.

Tarkowski has been very consistent but may need a
rest.

It would be nice to just hold our own until funds can be made available to improve the squad.

The comments about the penalty against Newcastle are in my view very harsh. They were both pulling each other to start with, then Tarkowski threw him off.

It was a penalty but not an attempt to get sent off!

When they are all fit it has a decent look as a back 4.

When will they all be fit though? Anyone know?

That'll be the reason for him turning his back instead of charging the ball down against Villa. The reason for the excruciating attempt at a Cruyff turn against Brighton. The reason he twice turned his back on the immediate danger in two consecutive games and ran back facing Pickford. The reason he has been running under crosses all season.

He's been worse than poor. The biggest single reason we have been leaking goals left, right and centre. But he's been more than happy for Young and Keane (who have both been miles better) to be his fall guys.

Frankly, I find it a little embarrassing that he leaves it until now to say anything. Playing injured as the season comes to a close is understandable, but what sort of idiot risks wrecking his whole season by doing it at the start? It's not as if he has helped the team by doing so. Jake O'Brien must be disgusted reading this.

Injured? My arse. People with injured backs don't try to throw 15-stone opponents across the penalty area.

I never like players being wheeled out on Evertonfc.com baring their souls and apparent commitment. But in Tarkowski's case, it has occurred to me on seeing him playing that he is not as fit as last season and could be carrying a injury.

Though some of the instances you have thrown up seem to be more part of the headless play he can be capable of. The O'Brien point and risking the season are valid points. Imo, it is a bit of both, resulting in a half-truth.

One central defender is injured and the other one (who had his best game for a long time playing against a team who never played with a recognised forward) is still showing the same defensive frailties he has shown since he came into the club and still our £17M summer signing is rendered redundant?

A bit harsh to say the least, did you not see that he missed most of pre-season, so how can you say he wasn't injured, and would you not credit him for wanting to play?

You seem to forget how good he's been since he joined us, and his superb partnership with Branthwaite last season, both should have been picked by Southgate for the Euros, instead of Dunk and Gomes.

Dyche knew he was carrying an injury and still picked him?

I think he is one on the main reasons we are still in the EPL, but I'm getting angrier and angrier with his performances.

Angry that he is still being selected, angry that others take the blame or his errors, angry about the goals he is costing us. Yes, he has credit in the bank and no doubt he will come good at some time... but he is killing us.

This lame-arsed "I'm carrying an injury" interview has made me even more angry. If true, it's disgusting that he is prepared to deny O'Brien his chance. Risk further injury and sacrifice results.

For what?

How do you arrive at that, Dave?

You reckon Tarkowski is monitoring TW and is a right cunt for not putting us right?

The manager picks the team and is aware of this issue so we can't have or shouldn't have a go at a player who has given us so much.

If it's meant to get them fit it's patently failing.

Tarkowski would have to be deaf dumb and blind not to have known about the shite Keane and Young have had to put up with. They have both been booed before they have touched the ball, for fuck's sake.

While those two have acquitted themselves reasonably well, he has been guilty of howler after howler. He can make public excuses for himself, but he offers no public support or his teammates?

Nobody has suggested he was a cunt – except you, but he hasn't exactly been holding his hands up and accepting that his form has been less than Premier League standard and detrimental to the team.

I don't do scapegoats or favorites. I simply say it as I see it and I'd like to think I can do that without thinking of them as cunts. The guy has been desperately poor all season. The last thing this club needs is more excuses.

Jay,

I'm at a loss to understand why you think Tarkowski is in any way helping the team? Nor your point that we shouldn't be calling out his form because he has given so much.

Your roof may have kept your house dry for years, but if it started to spring leaks this year, you will either fix it or replace it.

I'm sure he is well aware that he's not played to his usual standard, as much as you and I.

I personally think Young and Keane have been more than decent and don't deserve the flack they get but at the same time I'm not going to start jumping all over Tarkowski either. The team overall and the manager have, in my view been poor. Not just one individual.

I'm just questioning the thought that he's somehow a coward for not coming out and saying it's not Keane's or Young's fault, when actually there are not many of “us” more reasonable fans who are still on their backs.

However, I do believe that a fit Tarkowski and Branthwaite are our optimum pairing.

This has to be one of the most stupid things ever posted on ToffeeWeb. What's Tarkowski meant to do: ‘Grab a mic at the end of every match and say, ‘don't boo them, boo me???'

Honestly, some people don't think before they post.

Tarkowski has been crap this season. Turned his back against Villa for their winner, silly penalty given away v Newcastle, plus other incidents mentioned in earlier posts

It's frustrating that we select players who are making mistakes ahead of less experienced players who could also make mistakes. The darn mistakes are still happening regardless!!

I think I will leave it there.

I didnt call Tarkowski a coward or a cunt. They're your words.

Ben King

Young and Keane were being abused and booed before they touched a ball. That`s quite a rarity in football. Tarkowski didn't need to grab the mike as you so "stupidly" suggest. He had any number of interviews where he could have defended his teammates. He didn't. Perhaps as the captain he should have done. Especially as they were trying to carry him.

Finally, the penny has started to drop and people are now beginning to turn the heat on him... He comes out with this lame excuse that he`s injured – despite playing every minute of every game.

If you took your own advice and thought before you posted, you may understand that.

Or that some of the fanbase continue to blame or/and attack Young and Keane despite them playing no worse than most of their teammates.

Patterson is now fit. He is an international right-back. We don't have a fit right-back. He won't start next week. Dyche will explain he needs more time.

Tarkowski might feel that he is below par and perhaps letting people down around him (by the way, I would not be surprised if he has shared this with the other lads at the back) but there is no way on this earth, in my opinion, that he is "more than happy" to let the boos rain on Young and Keane.

Actually, I don't think that Keane does get that many, if any, boos. Like some on here, the crowd has seen Keane play well, sometimes very well.

Maybe Tarkowski should run on the pitch when Fulham come to the Old Lady in sackcloth and ashes and run to the centre circle and flagellate, making sure to do a full circle so that his whip/ping is seen by all?

Tarkowski isn't denying O'Brien anything. He doesn't pick the side. If Dyche thought O'Brien belonged in the 11, he'd be there.

And the idea that Tarkowski has been "more than happy" to use Young and Keane as fall guys or that he's responsible for telling the fans to lay off them is simply ridiculous. Not his job.

If you want to believe that he's not really injured and just making excuses for playing like crap, you go right ahead. Didn't you think Keane was crap a couple of years ago before it turned out he was playing "every minute" with a badly infected foot?

And I don't think any "penny has started to drop" -- fans aren't stupid, they already know he's been playing poorly, whatever the reason. Whether he's being booed from the stands or not, they know it. And so does Dyche.

Fucking laughable. In a very competitive category, one of the most ridiculous posts I've read on here.

I suspect you're right. In fact I know it.

I have been repeatedly critical of Tarkowski's form this season. I think it stems from listening to criticism of players who are actually playing better than him. I feel he got away with his share of blame and in my desire for balance, I have probably gone the other way.

You don't have to be in football to understand the point of him being content to let others take the heat for him. You simply have to understand human nature. How many of us have known we are under-performing in our roles as singers, footy players, workplace teams, but have breathed a sigh of relief when other members were called out? The point is only "stupid", as Ben says, if you don't understand it.

Mike

All Tarkowski has to do is say to Dyche, "I'm not up to playing, boss". Then Dyche has to consider playing O'Brien. What Tarkowski is doing is disingenuous. He is putting himself up or selection... Then moaning that he is injured when he plays badly. I can't have it. By doing this every week, he is denying O'Brien his opportunity.

As for your point that the penny hasn't suddenly dropped and he isn't only now being called out. Here's a challenge or you; Search through the TW matchday threads of our first six games and see if you can find a single post criticising his performance.

Good luck mate.

The Palace game was the only time he's actually played anywhere near like he played last season, and then he went back to his early season form, once he didn't have Branthwaite partnering him the following week.

The only thing I can genuinely conclude after reading this article is that Tarkowski has been a bit too honest and hasn't given enough time towards his thoughts with regards thinking about other members of the squad.

If I was Dyche, I would actually be questioning Tarkowski's naivety.

Re this, "Search through the TW match day threads of our first SIX games and see if you can find a single post criticising his performance."

I went no further than the Newcastle game.

I counted 8 in Lyndon's report thread and stopped at 15 in Michael's.

I wasn't talking about people who criticised that crazy attempt to throw a player off the pitch. I was talking about his performances in the first six games.

Same challenge offered up to you, mate.

Really good response, Dave C (30). Giving some ground in some places and sticking to your guns in others with plausible expanded reasoning in my book, which you don't have to agree with if you feel otherwise.

Tarkowski has been poor - worse than Keane. I just don't agree with your assertion that he's “letting them be the fall guys” (your words).

But it's the weekend and even Everton can't ruin this one so have a good one and UTF next week T.

It was called Married to the Game. Like a nightmare version of Footballers Wives. Our James was, how shall I put it, like a 30-year-old inbetweener.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Married-Game-Season-1/dp/B0CLMVKQHY

There was only one single criticism of Tarkowski in Lyndon's match report thread post-victory over Palace.

It summarized Tarkowski's play through the first 6 games as, "his shaky start".

A mild criticism perhaps, but criticism it is.

Here's Lyndon's report of that game. Link Scroll down to comment #158.

I've met your challenge successfully, then. That brown teddy bear up there on the top shelf? I'll have that. For my youngest granddaughter.

The injury thing is old news; it was reported at least 2 weeks ago. Be fit enough to play or state you are injured. You are supposed to be a professional.

Some on here have pointed out previously that Tarkowski must be injured; others have pointed out his obvious poor form. Why can't Dyche also see that???

My question is: Why isn't Dyche picking O'Brien? Is he really that bad that he cannot compete with an injured and out-of-form Tarkowski and Keane? If so, why the hell did we buy him?

As far as Patterson is concerned, I reckon that Dyche may even end up picking Garner ahead of him at right-back anyway regardless of fitness. He doesn't like Patterson and clearly it seems he doesn't like O'Brien either.

Shit scared of losing their jobs… when the opposite is the case.

Nigel @ 43, that is exactly the question. Why is Sean Dyche picking a player who did not complete a pre-season, is carrying an injury, and playing poorly?

On the limited evidence (admittedly) of watching O'Brien play for Ireland and Everton, he has done okay. My assumption is that Dyche sees Keane as the only cover for Branthwaite on the left side of the pairing, and he does not think pairing O'Brien and Keane is feasible.

I can understand the logic but, at an outcome level, continuing to play an injured Tarkowski has not worked, So, why keep doing it? Give Tarkowski proper time to recover as it is a long season.

I am only pissed off now because our coaching staff, by ignoring Tarkowski's obvious injury, have actually encouraged him to play ineffectively, which has perhaps cost us results. This is not a sign of a well-managed club.

I pray that that it is simple incompetence of our staff that would allow possibly our single most important player to humiliate himself in games where previously he would dominate.

I'm sorry but this poor start to the season is directly a measure of our coaching staff, and their now obvious attempt to hide an obvious injury is mind numbing.

I can't believe the lines that come out of the spokespersons any more. Thank God that we are almost sold because this club is more Micky Mouse than Micky Mouse. I think the lack of standards displayed by either Dyche or Thewell is simply inexcusable.

Pickford was in the same boat but I reckon it's more mental fatigue with him. Euros, a couple of weeks off, and back at it again. It's too much. I'd tell him to go away for a fortnight do a couple of weeks in the gym and on the grass when he gets back and then put him back into the team.

Why England don't give him a rest during the pathetic Nations League games is beyond me. Play Pope, for fuck's sake.

I don't have to search. I wrote several such posts myself, one each after every game I watched in real time. (I missed a couple and had to watch them back later.) If you look through my posts, you'll see 'em.

But I'm sorry, the idea that he's blocking O'Brien somehow by not volunteering to sit out is simply Looney Tunes. No professional athlete waves the white flag to miss a game. Ever. That's nutsoid.

Who plays is the decision of one man and one man only. You don't like who's playing and who's not, blame Dyche.

Or in this case, blame O'Brien himself. If he had earned Dyche's trust in training, he'd have been plugged in for the 4th game as Jarrad was last year. Clearly he hasn't. That's not Tarkowski's fault either. It is not his job at all to make sure the kid gets minutes.

I have been making a point of asking why Tarkowski is getting away with his performances on this website. Even after the personal nightmares he experienced against Brighton, Bournemouth and Spurs, he didn't get a mention – that's why I made the point.

Nobody is asking for him to voluntarily step down as if it would be some sort of noble gesture. I think the club, the team and the fans are entitled to expect him to be professional enough to look after himself, his teammates and his own future by not antagonizing an injury. That's how young players often get their chance to show what they can do.

Back injuries can be difficult, even impossible, to pick up by X-rays and scans. It has to come from the player. The manager will make his decision based on what the player tells him. If a skipper says he's good to go, then a manager is entitled to believe him.

O'Brien and Keane have played two games together this season and we conceded only one goal. Yes, one of those games was against a lower league team, but contrast that to the 13 goals we conceded in the four games during that period.

I don't not rate Tarkowski. I think he has been and will be crucial to whatever small successes this team may achieve – providing he recovers that mental strength. But I'm an Evertonian first and he has worried the fuck out of me all season long. This interview does nothing whatsoever to ease my concerns.

Can't stick (or sick of) the phrase – or am I just becoming a touchy old bastard?

I think it's also fair to say that Doucoure, Harrison, Mykolenko and Gana Gueye have also been called out for their poor performances. If I've missed anyone, I apologise… but Keane and Young have both received due praise since the first two games.

Regarding O'Brien, maybe he's just not ready? I think he'll get his chance but Dyche is trying to keep his experienced players together. See also Iroegbunam, Lindstrom, and Dixon. They'll all be involved in the future, I hope.

Yes, it must have got O'Brien thinking why he hasn't been picked during Tarkowski's run of poor form.

I wonder what Virginia is thinking watching Pickford make as many mistakes, or more, as Tarkowski but still getting picked game after game?

He's been rubbish all season, and not just because Branthwaite has been out. Tarkowski is a big boy, and playing while injured is clearly restricting him but O'Brien is clearly not up to standard, otherwise why not play him? Could be be any worse than a sub-par Tarkowski? Well clearly that's a yes - he also hasn't been picked by Ireland lately either has he?

Incidentally, Keane has been decent in the last few games, another thing that seems to get overlooked. So too, Young.

I seemed to recall a Calvert-Lewin thread not too long back where a particular poster repeatedly lauded Dominic for playing while not 100%, excused below-par performances on that basis, and pinned the blame for him turning out while as well-tuned as the ‘frozen with wee and foul wizardry' Tin Man squarely on the shoulders of the selfish/blinkered twats naming the line-up, rather than on the player himself.

Indeed, rather than slamming him for a lack of ‘professionalism', that same poster claimed the club and fans actually owed the gutsy player a debt of gratitude for being prepared to do so.

I thought that poster was you Dave, but after reading your take on Tarkowski playing through injury and/or while not at peak fitness, presumed I must… surely…have been mistaken.

So, of course, to satisfy my own sad bastard curiosity I simply had to take a look:

“We know many of his health issues were actually caused or exacerbated by his willingness to play while injured.”

“Rafa played him with a broken toe, for fuck's sake.”

“I would suggest he has played through a lot more pain than the fans who are now demanding "loyalty" would have been prepared to do.”

“I (and the very definite majority) respect, admire and applaud him for repeatedly putting his injured body on the line during those seasons and for crawling off his sick bed”

Strangely, I couldn't find the part where you then proceeded to say, “it's disgusting that he is prepared to deny Beto his chance. Risk further injury and sacrifice results.”

If the game of ‘scapegoats and favourites' is indeed something you hold no truck with, then why the vastly different take on Tarkowski taking to the pitch while not fully fit? Why is he, personally, to blame for not taking himself out of contention, being ‘unprofessional', not looking out for “himself, his teammates and his own future by not antagonising an injury”, while Calvert-Lewin was praised for going above and beyond, with the finger being pointed instead squarely at those selecting him?

Then again, the fact you also cast doubt on Tarkowski's character by suggesting he could just be crying wolf about any injury woes to excuse his own wavering performances/on pitch wankery and is (somehow) something of a coward for not coming over all Father Karras, stepping in and shouting “Take me! Take me!” when people take pot shots at Young or Keane, does a decent enough job at suggesting the reasoning behind such disparity.

After all, he seems to think it worked with Calvert-Lewin: minimum requirement is maximum effort, eh?

ps: John Daley – are you the Ruletero guy or am I confusing you with someone else from my distant foggy ale-sodden past?

Hope you are well

You are missing a few key points here. Key because they demonstrate the difference between the two cases and why I view them differently. Lets go to Calvert- Lewin first

The quad injury was picked up by a scan. How do I know ? the club told us. It was confirmed numerous times as he went around the world trying to get it fixed. We also know the injury was picked up while playing with a broken toe. How do I know ? The club told us that too. We also know that Rafa knew the Xray had confirmed that the toe was broken - He asked him to play anyway.
To explain why you cant recall me saying DCL was denying Beto the chance to play. Thats an easy one. I didnt say it. Beto was playing in Italy at the time.
I suppose you can claim he was denying the youthful Rondon his chance, but most people will remember Rondon doing that all by himself.

The difference here is, there was no credible replacement for DCL at the time. He was asked to play because the club were desperate. The club had still not replaced Lukaku. Richarlison was asked to do it until gormless Rafa realised he was already doing two jobs or him.

Tarkowski is a different story. We havent seen him limp of the pitch unable to carry on. We havent seen him try to save himself from further damage by waving to the bench saying he was struggling. Even when the games were gone at Spurs and at Home to Brighton he stayed on to the bitter end. How was that not to the detriment of the team ? He'd caused half the goals in the first place.
This wasnt a DCL situation. We had a 15m center halve just itching to get on.

Calvert- Lewins injuries were very real. Career threatening if left to desperados like Benitez and Lampard. Tarkowski's injury seems to come and go - depending on whether he has Branthwaite next to him or not.

I believe Calvert Lewin did it for the good of the team, but did Tarkowski ?

He's thirty two in a couple of weeks. If somebody was to come in and take his place at this stage of his career. He would have to face the prospect of never getting it back again.

I don't think we can equate O’Brien’s situation with Virginias Dave.

I don’t think Pickford has been anything like as inconsistent as Tarks this season, I thought Pickford was one of our best players against Newcastle even without taking the penalty save into consideration whereas Tarks was dreadful and I’m a big fan usually.

I thought Pickford was MotM v Newcastle because of the penalty save, he didn't have an awful lot to do apart from coming out and catching some centres, something that he doesn't usually do, and a quick reaction save off Keane's knee.

Against Palace, he had a very poor first half then settled down in the second half without having to really exert himself except for coming out and catching a couple of centres. His ranting and raving was still apparent in both games, he had poor games v Bournemouth, Spurs away, along with the Villa and Leicester games. I never saw the Brighton game, only the highlights, where he didn't look too clever.

So I think Virginia could be thinking "When am I going to get a chance?" – and his contract is up at the end of the season. But, if Pickford carries on like he did in the second half of the Palace game and the Newcastle game, then he will obviously carry on playing and hopefully keep the better form up, it certainly needed to improve.

Tarkowski is the type of player that will play on. Dyche is the type of manager that will stick with certain players and Tarkowski is one of them. There are positions in the team that could do with a bit more competition or even a recognised player for that position.

We only see the matchday selections. The decisions on who plays are made at Finch Farm. So God knows what goes on there with the rasping whims and phycology of Dyche and the politics of Finch Farm. I am absolutely convinced that it would do my head in if I was part of it.

I had to laugh at a recent media report regarding the Friedkin Group likely additional expertise. It followed the lines of enhancement of weaknesses in a organisation cut to the bone. They obviously hadn't looked at structures or wondered about the high wages percentage, meaning the report was just clickbait.

Your comments are completely nonsensical. Completely.

Obviously Tarkowski is going to do a job for the team if requested. It's hardly his fault if the manager requests him to play.

Ridiculous that you persist with the lame idea Tarkowski let others take the blame for him. Just odd that he didn't use his Jedi mind control to persuade 40,000+ people to lay off Keane and Young (who have actually come in for praise this season).

We've all accepted Tarkowski has been crap this season. But to have a go at someone playing through the pain for the team and his manager is ludicrous. You're obviously an armchair fan that doesn't understand the value of leadership on the pitch.

It hasn't worked but anyone that's played sports would understand why the manager and player tried it.

But we love giving our players a good kicking, so go for it, pal – knock yourself out. You're right – we're all wrong. Tarkowski is an absolute selfish wotnot and there's no persuading you.

I know your post and I know you like to get all insulty.

But you do not know what you are talking about. I was a season ticket holder for over 40 years and also spent many years coaching at a level you would not recognise. I am no armchair fan.

You now pathetically claim that "we've all accepted that Tarks has had a crap season" but where were you when we were conceding 13 goals in four games ? Show me your err...Acceptance ?

I have had lots of assurances from people who "claim" they were critical of Tarks in that period, but not one single shred of evidence. There's a very good reason for that. You guys were looking everywhere else to point the finger. How could it possibly be Tarks's fault ?

I don't do kicking players. but when I read Head-in-the-sand gibberish from people like you challenging facts I have raised. I feel compelled to replay.

I hate to point this out. But many of the post on here opposing my views (maybe even all of them) start by saying "Yeah Jags has been crap" - Talk about arriving late to the party!!!

If (as you have finally admitted) he has been crap. What are you arguing about ?

As for the injury; Really...REALLY ??????. The guy hasnt missed a single minute of any game. He runs around like an extra for chariots of fire in the warm ups and he's been seen by millions of people trying to throw an opponent into the top balcony. Back injury ? My arse

I was aware of the Apostle. I was also aware of the stadiums in Exeter and Newcastle, but until this thred I didnt realise we had a saint James of our own.

"He may have been our worst player by some considerable distance this season, but don't you dare criticise him. That what Young and Keane are for" - Wonderful logic.

I will now depart this thread there is a cracking one across the pages involving Christine and Dave A.. I feel I am witnessing the demise of the knowledgeable Evertonian on this one.

Over the form displayed in the last few seasons, Tarkowski would get picked over Keane every time IMO. Yes, he has had a couple of poor games this season but so have many others.

He has at least had the honesty to say he is not fully fit and I'm sure the manager is aware of that too and, in his privileged position of being the one to pick the team, has decided an 80 or 90% fit Tarkowski is his preferred option.

Dave is right to ask questions regarding Tarkowski's recent play. They are part of the reason for Everton's poor start to the season.

If everyone was putting the boot in Tarkowski, you would, rightly, offer the defence that he doesn't pick the team and always, as do they all, give it their best.

Not like you at all, Dave.

As you are somebody I have respect for I feel I owe you a response to that.

I was very uncomfortable with the abuse (and it was abuse) players like Keane and Young were taking. I never thought I would see a day when an Everton player was boo'd on to the pitch. I guess thats a sign of the times, but my discomfort just grew greater. I could see Tarkowski was making error after error, but still everyone else was taking the blame. His game against Brighton was as bad as it gets for a player of his experience, but when I logged onto ToffeeWeb all I saw, was post hammering everyone else. I asked why he was not being criticised, but nobody responded. This became a feature of our opening games of the season. I just didnt get it. Why was he afforded so much leeway ?

James Tarkowski's roof fell in when he gave away that penalty. The world saw what he did and Evertonians, in their numbers, finally turned the spotlight on him. It took seven games though. Suddenly in the midst of all that heat he breaks his silence and reveals he has been carrying an injury. Everyone will have their own opinion on that. I know I have mine.

Somewhere up there you will see a post by Paul Ferry. He thought I had gone over the top on JT and said so, when I looked at my post I had to concede that in my desire to apportion blame evenly. I had gone too far the other way. I thought that was it or me on this thread Then John Daley came in.

John seems to believe I was treating DCL's scientifically proven injuries which were spread over two years and the niggle Tarkowski now claims he is carrying, differently. He was dead right, I am, but I don't believe I was applying double standards. I believe the two cases are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Not in my wildest dreams can I imagine a manager like Dyche asking a player who declares himself injured to play. Only by declaring himself good to go was Tarkowski going to be selected. There are no telling Xray's here. No scans showing injury. The only evidence Dyche has is Tarkowski's word.

Niggles are part and parcel, especially when you are 32.

If he had played OK..ish, or even competed I might have accepted the claim that he has been brave and noble playing through pain, but his performances were destroying confidence...And now he is blaming the injury ? Hmmmm

Sorry Andy. You say this is not like me, but it is. I will always defend players from what I see as unfair criticism, but I will be just as keen to call out a player who I think has had a bad game/s. I certainly don't do favoritism. You clearly disagree with me, but you don't say what about or why. I see you as a Knowledgeable Evertonian yourself, so I would be interested to hear your thoughts. I like to think I'm a reasonable man and can be swayed by a stronger argument.

Unfortunately, pearls of football wisdom like the following wont really sway me - Fucking laughable. Most ridiculous post I ever read (sigh). "Nutsoid". Looney Tunes. One sided bullshit. One Eyed.Nonsense, Ridiculous. You're an arm chair fan.

Make it good please Andy. Tell me in plain English, which bits I have gotten so horribly wrong.

Praise them if they do well. Criticise if they don't. But don't have targets lined up in the snipers arc of fire at the first opportunity for a misplaced pass or mistake for those waiting to have a go at their least favourites. Football is a game of mistakes.

On topic, I've admired Tarkowski, but this season I called out a while back that he didn't look right. Playing with an injury, missing Branthwaite? Who knows. Jarrad can't come back soon enough for me.

Keane and Young have played well recently. I'm hoping that report about Ndiaye being injured is fake news!!

Every Everton player who gets a knock, strain, bruise, cut or even a “niggle” is thoroughly assessed by expert medical staff at Finch Farm and the manager is advised accordingly of his fitness to play by that staff.

It is not simply a matter of declaring himself fit; if it were, we could save ourselves thousands by getting rid of the medical staff altogether.

How do you know there are no scans or x-rays? I'm willing to bet there are detailed records kept of every player's injury history and personal fitness plans developed to try and ensure that injury is less likely to recur.

So the assertion made (without a shred of evidence) – that it was Tarkowski's own decision to play whilst carrying an injury – is just not sustainable in a professional football club.

Dyche made the decision, end of!