On Thursday, The Athletic posted on X, sharing their latest article on the “50 best players in the Premier League”.
This time, it was based purely on form, as a previous article had caused some contention for including players based on reputation and past performances too.
That previous list didn’t feature a single Everton player. This time, 3 made the cut.
Now, any list like this is always designed to cause some kind of contention: That’s what generates clicks and views, after all.
However, the 3 Everton players who have made the cut this time are: Jarrad Branthwaite (#25), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (#29) and Thierno Barry (#38).
Now, each of those players has a fair shout to be included. Branthwaite has been excellent, and deserves the recognition. Dewsbury-Hall has really picked up the mantle in Jack Grealish’s absence, and looks back to his best, while Barry is on a stellar run of form.
But there is an Everton player that, frankly, could well have ranked above all of them on this list, and that’s James Tarkowski.
There was a baffling urgency among some sections of the fanbase when it came to wanting to move Tarkowski out of the defence.
Indeed, there was even some furore that Tarkowski had been named as the club captain in the wake of Seamus Coleman’s departure in the summer.
Some of it was understandable, in the sense that last season, Tarkowski was generally not as good as he had been in previous campaigns, and at 33, it was perhaps time to phase him out of the team.
That was combined with a desire to see what Jake O’Brien could do in his natural position of centre-back, playing alongside Branthwaite: A pairing that many Evertonians probably do see as the ideal first-choice duo moving forward.
Yet that ignores plenty of key context.
Everton require a leader; this is a largely inexperienced team. Indeed, in the majority of games this season, Tarkowski has been the only outfielder aged 30 or over to start.
The other key element is that Tarkowski and Branthwaite had, prior to last season, when the latter spent most of the campaign out injured, formed one of the Premier League’s most formidable defences.
And even when Tarkowski doesn’t perform at his very best, he still puts up big numbers.
Take last season, for example. Tarkowski led Premier League defenders for duels won (235) and blocks (52). He ranked 4th for clearances (242), 3rd for headed clearances (141), 2nd for aerial duels (148) and 2nd for aerial duels won (148).
This term, he ranks joint-3rd for duels won (67) and leads the way for interceptions (23). If anything, the drop-off in some of Tarkowski’s numbers suggests Everton are defending slightly better this season than last, because Tarkowski is having less to do.
But what he is doing, he is doing extremely well.
Sure, he is still liable to the odd calamity: He was very fortunate to escape punishment for the hair-pull against Coventry City, and he was at fault when Bournemouth took the lead in that game back in August. Tarkowski did go on to atone by scoring a last-gasp equaliser.
Otherwise, though, he has been largely flawless. He is adding composure, steel and organisation to Everton’s back line. Next to Branthwaite, Tarkowski has been able to just focus on what he does best, rather than having to worry about what his partner is doing, which has too often been the case when he has been paired with Michael Keane.
Last season, Tarkowski’s best displays came next to either Branthwaite or O’Brien. And that trend has continued in 2026-27.
There will be a time to phase Tarkowski out. In my book, there should be some games, perhaps after the turn of the year, when O’Brien and Branthwaite are given a few matches together.
But right now, Tarkowski deserves plenty of credit. He has proved he is a proper leader, and one who still has the quality to go with it.