There is a different feeling about Everton this season.
After years of languishing in the bottom half of the table and fighting relegation, Everton are finally looking up.
David Moyes has managed to change the club’s fortunes since replacing Sean Dyche at the start of the year.
Moyes has been clear that he wants Everton to return to Europe, and now James Tarkowski has shared exactly what he’s saying in the changing rooms.
Everton manager David Moyes.
Photo by Pat Scaasi/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
What David Moyes is telling his Everton players about challenging for Europe
James Tarkowski spoke to Everton’s website after the Aston Villa game and revealed what Moyes has been saying needs to happen in order to challenge at the top of the table.
“As a group, the manager set his stall out,” said Tarkowski.
“He wants us right at the top half of the table and pushing up there. He showed us what we need to do to do that, the amount of goals we need, the amount of points we need. So he set his stall out and now it’s up to us to go out there and do it over the season.
“It’s been a good start to the season and progress is being made, for sure. I think (against Villa) was the best we’ve played, to be honest, without winning, so now we have to move forward again.”
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James Tarkowski says Everton have some really exciting players on the bench
Tarkowski also appeared to suggest that once some of the bench players get up to speed and into the starting line-up, Everton will be even better.
“I think we’re going to get better,” the 32-year-old explained.
“We’re going to keep progressing, keep improving with the players we’ve got here – there’s some very good players on the bench who haven’t been used today who I think can be very exciting for us.
“We’ve took on Villa and I know they’ve not had a great start to the season, but I think they’re one of the best teams around. So to put a performance like that, to sort of dominate for most of the game, just despite we didn’t get the goal in the end.”
Tyler Dibling, Merlin Rohl and Thierno Barry were the notable players on the substitutes bench against Villa, so it seems Tarkowski is referring to them.
Rohl produced an impressive cameo from the bench.