James Tarkowski

[Cereal Killer]

When can we get rid?

The Haaland goal was pathetic, he’s right there in front of you, you’re looking at him

[Bumble]

Just not a very good defender anymore.

Starting to lack both individually and as a captain.

Been great for us but needs phasing out in favour of JOB.

[Audrey Horne]

Please god replace him in the summer

[Silas]

He's going nowhere, probably better to make peace with that

[AjaxAndy]

Hopefully a full pre-season helps him get back to his best. He's not really ever looked right after missing this season's.

Started really poorly, sort of recovered for the middle of the season and now has dropped off again.

Obviously though JOB and Branthwaite would be the desired pairing, but hard to imagine Moyes dropping one of his trusted leaders unless absolutely necessary.

[Escalator]

He's going nowhere, probably better to make peace with that

Don’t have an issue with that, people were screaming to get shut of Keane last season, thank God we didn’t.

[superpull]

O'Brien, Branthwaite, Tarkowski and Keane is a properly shaky pool of centre halves; for various reasons (Not fully tested at this level, injury prone, fading fast and, well - Keane).
But we can't afford to have 5 on the books i reckon.

There's probably enough natural talent there to see is through. Just. But a lot is going to be asked in terms of midfield discipline over the year.

[Bumble]

O'Brien, Branthwaite, Tarkowski and Keane is a properly shaky pool of centre halves; for various reasons (Not fully tested at this level, injury prone, fading fast and, well - Keane).
But we can't afford to have 5 on the books i reckon.

There's probably enough natural talent there to see is through. Just. But a lot is going to be asked in terms of midfield discipline over the year.

Start of this season I would have said that was a good enough group of 4. The start of the 2026/27 season I'm not so sure it is.

Tarks and Keane are a year older, slower, less influential and more prone to injury/mistakes.

JOB looks solid but hasn't had a proper run in the position and Branthwaite sadly looks too injury prone.

I would have tried for a Nathan Ake for example and passed on a contract extension for Keane.

I'm just not sure we can afford to start the season with just those 4. All fit or not.

[kramer]

I think Tarkowski and Keane both play better with O’Brien or Branthwaite next to them. Defending against modern PL attacking units is hard with two pace-less CBs.

What we really need is O’Brien not to be needed at RB because we have a superb defensive record with him partnering one of the two snails.

[Cods]

O'Brien, Branthwaite, Tarkowski and Keane is a properly shaky pool of centre halves; for various reasons (Not fully tested at this level, injury prone, fading fast and, well - Keane).
But we can't afford to have 5 on the books i reckon.

There's probably enough natural talent there to see is through. Just. But a lot is going to be asked in terms of midfield discipline over the year.

Despite this: ...apart from the Title contenders Brighton & Palace we've conceded the fewest goals in the league. Tarks has missed only one game, and Keane has missed only 5.

It can't be all Pickford/Gana/Garner. A lot of our strong defensive performance is due to them, and the solid marshalling of our makeshift(?) fullbacks.

I do want to see Jake and Jarrod in partnership soon, but let's see if that's even a possibility first.

Different game, but Richard Gough was 4 years older than our experienced two centre halves when he joined, and 39 in his last game. As had been said availability is the best ability. Ours are still fit but like Gough don't have the leg speed.

[Cods]

Start of this season I would have said that was a good enough group of 4. The start of the 2026/27 season I'm not so sure it is.

Tarks and Keane are a year older, slower, less influential and more prone to injury/mistakes.

JOB looks solid but hasn't had a proper run in the position and Branthwaite sadly looks too injury prone.

I would have tried for a Nathan Ake for example and passed on a contract extension for Keane.

I'm just not sure we can afford to start the season with just those 4. All fit or not.

To be fair, Ake is 31, only 2 years younger than Tarks and Keane, on as much as both of them combined (and would want more), and has only managed 25 starts in the last 2 seasons largely due to long term injuries. I can see why we might have passed on options like him.

If we're bringing in experience to replace either one of these two it has to be an large improvement in performance and they have to be able to play.

[NickNack]

I don’t mind either Tarks or Keane being here, I’d just rather it was one or the other in the team, or if fit Branthwaite & O’Brien. As mentioned when Jake has played CB our record has been good & if Branthwaite is fit he plays

[superpull]

Despite this: ...apart from the Title contenders Brighton & Palace we've conceded the fewest goals in the league. Tarks has missed only one game, and Keane has missed only 5.

It can't be all Pickford/Gana/Garner. A lot of our strong defensive performance is due to them, and the solid marshalling of our makeshift(?) fullbacks.

I do want to see Jake and Jarrod in partnership soon, but let's see if that's even a possibility first.

Different game, but Richard Gough was 4 years older than our experienced two centre halves when he joined, and 39 in his last game. As had been said availability is the best ability. Ours are still fit but like Gough don't have the leg speed.

Missed my point a bit there - only Branthwaite is "unreliable" in terms of availability from those 3.

I think Tarks has been a great signing, I really do. Brings an experience and a snide that is nearly as important as any other attribute. But he has declined noticeably over the last season. There will come a time when he can't keep up, I think that will become more evident next year.

Hopefully O'Brien is as good in the middle as we all suspect he can be and Branthwaite gives us a season where he has zero injuries. If that's the case I actually think Tarks or Keane stepping in for a game or two every now and again for rests/suspensions is an acceptable risk to take.

But we can't just ignore the unique issue each of our centre halves have going into the next season.

[Bumble]

To be fair, Ake is 31, only 2 years younger than Tarks and Keane, on as much as both of them combined (and would want more), and has only managed 25 starts in the last 2 seasons largely due to long term injuries. I can see why we might have passed on options like him.

If we're bringing in experience to replace either one of these two it has to be an large improvement in performance and they have to be able to play.

I’m not wedded to Ake, which is why I said for example, I just think we need to freshen the back 4 up as we all know Moyes has his favourites and we’ll see Tarks and Keane together a lot more if he has the option to do so.

For the same reasoning I hope Gana takes the decision out of Moyes’ hands and decides to leave in the summer.

[crackling]

Has Tarks declined, or do we attack more under Moyes, which means the midfield doesn't give as much protection as under a Dyche side that just sits back and stays very tight?