James Tarkowski has highlighted the need to start scoring goals again following his side’s 3-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at home on Sunday.
It was the Blues’ second consecutive defeat in as many games following the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. Everton’s forwards have drawn blanks on consecutive weekends and they have scored more than two goals only once this season, in the 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers before the first international break of the season.
Everton’s forwards, most notably Beto, are underperforming in front of goal and the Toffees have scored just nine goals from an xG of 12.4 in nine league games so far.
Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside after the loss, the centre-back said: "We need to start scoring goals, we need to start putting the ball in the back of the net.
"That might sound like I'm picking on forward players, but I'm definitely not, that's for the whole team, including myself.
"We need to find ways to score. Tottenham's centre halves scored two against us.
"Set pieces decide games a lot of the time, and you saw that Tottenham won the game from set pieces."
The hosts had golden opportunities to score against Spurs on a rain-soaked night at Bramley-Moore Dock but were kept out by a fantastic performance from opposition keeper Guglielmo Vicario. Everton registered 12 shots to the visitors’ seven on Sunday, as well as recording an expected-goals figure of 1.53 without finding the net.
Reader Comments (16)
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3 Posted 27/10/2025 at 14:02:31
4 Posted 27/10/2025 at 14:08:00
Familiar Everton territory again, James, lower half of the table and a negative goal difference.
5 Posted 27/10/2025 at 14:13:16
6 Posted 27/10/2025 at 14:35:03
Sort your shit out!
7 Posted 27/10/2025 at 16:00:36
8 Posted 27/10/2025 at 16:28:53
And maybe, if you and Keane had spent more time marking your men rather than ball watching as if you'd paid to get in (look at the last five goals we've conceded to check that out), we'd be even better off!
9 Posted 27/10/2025 at 17:34:38
What makes water wet!!
10 Posted 27/10/2025 at 18:54:42
Shit show by all on and off the pitch, with the exception of Ndiaye.
Change things up, for fuck's sake, and stop this madness of Beto off for Barry. Leave them on the bench and put Ndiaye up top with Charly Alcaraz behind.
Oh, by the way... who pushed for Dibling at £40M? He's shite. We had more out of Harrison on that wing last season.
11 Posted 27/10/2025 at 19:00:48
I agree with most of what you say but how many minutes has Dibling played?
12 Posted 27/10/2025 at 20:37:19
Other clubs seem to suss it out immediately. Bournemouth won promotion in 2022, Sunderland promoted this year, both look ahead of us, both know the modern game is about attacking.
We are still playing 90s football, we still lack pace, power, goalscorers.
Everton, the club that time forgot.
13 Posted 27/10/2025 at 20:51:41
"Modern football is about attacking." Is it?
Right now, Arsenal are top and it is based off their tight defense. I watched the game yesterday and it was reminiscent of the old days of Boring, Boring Arsenal.
Meanwhile, the pragmatic, usually defense or counter-attacking Emery sees his team dominate possession against the suddenly pragmatic and more defensive-minded Man City.
I don't think it is about attacking versus defending. It is about execution.
14 Posted 27/10/2025 at 21:13:34
There's no right way or wrong way, just as long as whatever you implement gets results.
15 Posted 27/10/2025 at 21:21:06
We are trying to pin our hopes on a very ageing defence, even Mykolenko runs like he's 38.
Tarkowski, I love him, but I think he's on a declining pathway now.
Our midfielders are all too fragile and lightweight, the Gana and Garner midfield doesn't offer much really now, at either end.
Dewsbury-Hall looks decent at times but he's not exactly dynamic.
We are lacking a solid beast midfield player and some pace in wide areas.
16 Posted 28/10/2025 at 04:40:30
If either of our full-backs, whoever they may be, need assistance, then somebody in midfield or the wide player or winger on that side, or both, should be helping out.
At the moment, he is too easily pulled out of position or backs off, trying to get into a blocking position. Against Spurs, and despite having Tarkowski, Keane, O'Brien and Beto, all tall players, we were beaten twice aerially from set pieces and the third from a header, two if you count the one back across goal setting it up, almost without anybody challenging for any of them or offering the keeper any protection.
Or were we unaware of Spurs using these set-piece tactics?
18 Posted 29/10/2025 at 14:28:16
Spurs have the same team as last season and sit in the top 4. That's down to the manager.
Maybe now we can see why West Ham wanted Moyes gone.
The defending was awful. So is ours! A centre-back at right-back says it all. Doing the same things but expecting a different outcome. Typical Moyes.
A false 9 and some changes to the team can't be a bad thing. Rohl into the team? Garner at right-back? But it's Moyes. He won't.
Transfer window is looking a wasted opportunity. No Dibling. No Aznou. Continuing to put Alcaraz on the wing. Give the strikers some coaching? What's big Dunc or Rooney doing these days? Get them in.
Sort it, Moyes. For fuck's sake.
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2 Posted 27/10/2025 at 13:22:27