Please, Moyes... Mix It Up at the back!

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Please, Moyes... Mix It Up at the back!

ToffeeWeb

Wed, May 13, 2026 ·

19 min read

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Michael Keane (L) and James Tarkowski of Everton celebrate following the team's victory in the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton

(Photo by Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)

It has been abundantly clear all season long that James Tarkowski and Michael Keane do not work together as a pairing. In all honesty, it's been clear a lot longer than that.

Let's just go back to the start of last season. Since then, Keane and Tarkowski have played 34 Premier League games together. Everton have lost 15 of those matches, but have also averaged 1.4 goals against per game.

In the same time, in the 29 times Jarrad Branthwaite has played alongside Tarkowski, Everton have lost eight matches, while their average goals against drops to 1.0. With Jake O'Brien and Tarkowski playing together, it's three wins from four matches, and 0.25 goals against per game.

You catch my drift.

And this is not just a Keane issue. The problem is that the partnership is simply not suited — the flaws of both players are exposed.

It is frankly ludicrous that Keane has played so much this season. And this is not to dig out Keane, who it must be said has arguably performed better than Tarkowski at times. He stayed on last summer as fourth-choice centre-back, yet he is on 31 league appearances.

O'Brien, meanwhile, has continued to be shunted out on the right, despite playing well whenever called upon in his actual position. But really, it all boils down to Everton's issues at right-back and, perhaps even more crucially, David Moyes' refusal to trust one of his options.

It's clear that Tarkowski and Branthwaite are Moyes' first choice in the middle, but with the latter's injury issues, that has exposed Everton's failure to address the right-back position last summer, and in January.

But it has also exposed the flaw in Moyes' thinking — that stubbornness with the Scot that can drive even his most ardent of supporters up the wall.

We'll possibly look back at Branthwaite's season-ending injury, suffered late in the Merseyside derby, as the moment Everton's campaign died. Since then, they have shipped eight goals in three-and-a-bit matches.

And it comes down, at least in part, to Moyes' refusal to see Nathan Patterson as a feasible right-back option.

I really do struggle to see how Moyes can have looked at the recent performances, defensively, against West Ham and Manchester City , and decided it was right to stick with the tried and tested (and poor) defence for the trip to Crystal Palace .

However, if he does it again against Sunderland , then frankly he deserves all the criticism he will get if it goes wrong.

Patterson is far from perfect and does not have a future at the club, but he is a right-back, and there is no way that it's worth the trade-off of then sticking with O'Brien in that role, looking clunky and disjointed, and having to go with Keane and Tarkowski in the middle. It's just not working.

And if Moyes really can't bring himself to start Patterson, even just for the final two matches of the season, then do something different.

Could James Garner slot in there, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drop deeper in a midfield three, perhaps alongside Merlin Rohl and Tim Iroegbunam , if Idrissa Gueye is not fit?

I for one would not want to see Garner taken out of midfield, so it just comes back to, for the sake of two matches, putting Patterson in, for the sake of balance; for the sake of not persisting with a pair of veteran campaigners who are looking worse by the week.

Moyes's refusal to change from his preferred pecking order has cost Everton — make no mistake. He can point to experience all he wants; ultimately, that experience is not delivering results.

The numbers do not paint a pretty picture. Everton have the fourth-worst expected goals against (xGA) figure in the Premier League this season.

In the last couple of weeks, that has caught up with them. They are still the league's biggest xGA to goals conceded overperformers (conceding 46 times from 54.6 xGA), but as we have seen, when your luck starts to turn, it proves costly.

Moyes simply has to change it. He has to get out of his own way. There are two games left and if Everton are going to have a chance of Europe, they realistically have to win both of them, or at the very least take four points and hope for huge favours elsewhere.

He has the chance to be brave, rather than falling back on his pragmatic nature. That means playing somebody else at right-back and ditching one of Tarkowski or Keane — neither of them are playing well enough to demand a place, anyway.

Everton's attackers have missed chances as of late, and big ones at that, but a team cannot be expected to score three or more goals to have to win a game.

Please, Moyes, see what everyone else can see. Make the change.

Stats courtesy of Opta's Aaron Barton on X

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John Pickles4 Posted 13/05/2026 at 18:46:04

Please Patric, enlighten us on what Patterson can bring to the table that the last 4 Everton managers have missed.

I would rather see Seamus appear, if injury free!

David West5 Posted 13/05/2026 at 19:18:03

It's not about mixing it up, it's about moving them out !What have we ever achieved with tarks or keane as Cbs? Patterson isn't going to win you football matches !!

Full overhaul needed, tarks was a free, when we were skint, from.a relegated team.He's done his job, he was a means to an end.I appreciate his service, but it's time to move on.

Keane and tarks should only be bench warmers from next season.Myko is capable back up. Job needs to prove himself at this level at CB. Branthwaite is our only defender I'd start.

Jim Bennings7 Posted 13/05/2026 at 19:49:31

I can't stress enough how big a thing having pace is in today's game.

I don't particularly like the way it is in modern football now, but it's predominant all about athletes, power and speed.

We are crying out for two modern day pacy athletic fullbacks and again, I can't stress enough how much a change in the dynamic that would give you.

Going forward, fitness permitted with Jarrod Branthwaite it should really be him partnering Jake O'Brien next season but I feel we desperately need a younger agile central defender bringing in as soon as we can to add to the numbers.

Bear in mind here too, Tarkowski and Keane are in their 30's now, and neither have ever been blessed with pace at any stage in their career's.

Tarky has been a great signing for us, a free agent and an absolute solid defender but the game is as every season passes becoming more and more about fast athletic players.

You only need to see the decline across the park with St Virgil.

I think unfortunately the days when you had the likes of Stubbs, Weir, Richard Gough etc etc playing on until 35 plus in that area of the pitch are going to become fewer.

Patric Ridge8 Posted 13/05/2026 at 21:50:30

#1 Eric - as others have pointed out, Keane and Tarkowski have played together the most this season.

There doesn't need to be much more evidence that the defence hasn't worked this season. Only Burnley , Wolves and West Ham are poorer in terms of giving up chances, so something is clearly not working. Everton's defenders are good at making it difficult and Pickford has been great, but eventually it catches up with you - we've seen that recently.

The right-back issue is what needs to be solved in the summer. I don't care whether it's Patterson, Garner (but I'd rather him be in midfield), Coleman or Rohl at right-back in the next 2 games, but something drastic needs to happen IMO if they are to get 2 wins that could still get Europe.

Ian Bennett9 Posted 13/05/2026 at 22:14:00

Id be amazed if Patterson is put in.

I just don't see a manager breaking loyalty of players that he will keep, for a player that will be gone in the summer.

Once a manager has made his mind up on a player, it is usually never changed. Getting through the injuries & afcon is one thing, but being put ahead of the rest of the group is something completely different.

There is far more of a chance of seeing a farewell appearance from Coleman, than Patterson.

Liam Mogan10 Posted 13/05/2026 at 22:18:10

'Never change a winning team er, I mean a team that has won 3 points out of the last 18. Never change that team. We were in with a chance of Europe. Remarkable really. All credit to the lads. I believe in miracles, Brian Clough-like tbh'

Sean O'Hanlon11 Posted 13/05/2026 at 22:55:53

I agree with you, Patric, but sadly Moyes is just too stubborn.

The last 2 games are dead rubbers -- but he still won't change it at the back. This is why Moyes has failed to bring any success to Everton.

He fails to realise that his stubbornness has caused his lack of success.

Mal van Schaick12 Posted 13/05/2026 at 23:09:38

Agree with Jim #7. The priority is new right full backs, then we will have an extra centre half with O'Brien. Don't take Stones on, get Esteve or Harwood Bellis as a centre back cover/player.

It will be interesting to see who else will be shipped out and who will be brought in?

Eric Myles13 Posted 13/05/2026 at 23:42:29

Jay #2, that win ratio is only because they've played so few games ;-)

If you want to calculate percent of games lost with Tarkowski - Keane I bet it would be low.

Lester Yip14 Posted 14/05/2026 at 02:29:48

Keane as a whipping boy status never change no matter how he's performed.

Steve Brown15 Posted 14/05/2026 at 02:46:00

Given the defence has leaked at least 2 goals a game recently - 11 in the last 5 games - then it is common sense to make a change at the weekend.

I know Moyes is cautious, but at this point what does he have to be cautious about? Europa League and Champions League are out of reach and the European Conference League is all effort and no reward.

Play Patterson - O'Brien - Keane - Mykolenko against Sunderland. It would be a revolutionary step forward for him to select players in their correct position, and at worst it puts Patterson in the shop window for a summer sale.

Darren Hind16 Posted 14/05/2026 at 06:50:35

I watched Everton play down at The Cottage last season. Tarkowski was injured and fans in the alehouse were worried. I'm not sure why. We murdered them and Keane scored a cracker.

Then I was up in Newcastle to watch us play a very good Newcastle side who had qualified for the Champions League. We beat them too... comfortably.

I didn't get to the home game against Southampton in between those games, but we kept a clean sheet then too.

These three games were to prove a gift horse for Moyes. He got to see how his team played without the mistake-ridden, but seemingly undroppable Tarkowski. He was to look it squarely in the mouth. Tarkowski was back at the start of the season -- and so were the numerous mistakes.

The gift horse again presented itself to Moyes when we went to The Emirates this season. Tarkowski the undroppable was injured again. Yes, we all know about Pickford's clanger in the 90th minute, but before that we had witnessed the most comprehensive defensive display of the season and it was against the Champions elect.

Garner, Keane, O'Brien and Mykolenko hadn't put a foot wrong all night. There was no visible weakening of our midfield as Gana, Dewsbury-Hall, Iroegbunam and Ndiaye took the game to -- and for long periods outplayed -- the Arsenal "Supertstars".

Having witnessed a great performance, Mr Brightside never played that team again. He has persisted in playing his creaking old captain in the mistaken belief that, if he keeps doing the same thing, he will get a different result.

Mr Brightside couldn't pick out a gift horse in a police line-up.

No matter. The fingers-in-the-ears brigade will continue to blame the players for his fuck-wittery

You see, you have to understand... there are nooptions.

Martin Reppion17 Posted 14/05/2026 at 07:18:11

Seamus crocked. Patterson not rated. Our options other than playing O'Brien are to choose between picking our best right-back, or our best midfielder.

It seems that, with a plethora of potential central players, Gana, Dewsbury-Hall, Röhl, Iroegbunam... even Armstrong, the better choice until a different option is found is to play Garner at right-back. After all, he has an Under-21 World Cup Winners medal from that position. He can still be used on dead balls and offers much more coming forward.

As to summer signings, both this year and last, we can not simply buy whatever player we want. Available players have the choice of clubs. Whilst we all know that anyone with a brain should want to play for Everton, it isn't as simple as that. Sometimes the failure to bring in a player is not down to lack of effort.

Mick O'Malley18 Posted 14/05/2026 at 07:52:31

Patterson was part of a defence that played well in a string of decent results when he was last in the side. I honestly don't remember him costing us any goals, whereas our WWF wrestling champ at centre-back has cost us quite a few.

He's constantly dropping off and standing right in the way of Pickford. With O'Brien at centre-back and Patterson at right-back, we can move out of the 6-yard box when defending.

How many times has Hulk Hogan cost us goals with deflections cos he is standing on Pickford's toes? But as long as he's doing his faux hardman routine, the fans let him off.

Ian Bennett19 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:16:13

The key factor here is Branthwaite. He is the difference between a good defence and a shit show.

We can go around the houses all day, but his performances last season made the difference, and him missing ¾ of this season hurt the side, massively. He is the only genuine class defender we have.

He made the difference in the Fulham and Southampton wins that Darren references, and he made a difference when he was back in the side that had us looking at Europe.

With him in the side, Moyes is a genius. With him out of the side, he is a muppet. The common factor here isn't the manager. The common factor here is having a side with good available players within it. And we are still short.

The individual mistakes of either Keane or Tarkowski would have undoubtedly been reduced with Branthwaite making fewer.

He also has far more pace and ability to read situations, that could rescue other goals given up so freely by Tarkowski and Keane.

Would he have prevented some of the goals we coughed up, like Man City's 2nd, Wolves' equaliser, Brentford 's shit show, to name a few? Yeah, probably, and with it be sat on probably another 8 to 10 points with him in the side this season. He is a player good enough to get you European football, and play well with it. The rest of the defence aren't on either score.

Are we getting a sizeable improvement dropping Garner to right-back, and putting O'Brien to centre-back? It is a coin toss. It assumes O'Brien and Keane are error-free, and you're prepared to sacrifice a lad who has got an England call-up on the strength of his performances that have outshone Wharton, Anderson , Gibbs White , Rogers directly in one-on-one games. It is an option of course, but it doesn't guarantee success to the promised land.

Well... play Patterson then. Yes, that was a partial option. Nathan had also missed 14 games this season, and had struggled to play regularly for the last 4½ years through a succession of managers.

I understood he was available for transfer last summer and that, with his contract expiring in 2027, he was unlikely to be offered another. Would his contribution have been stronger than Tarkowski's? I doubt it. Certainly no manager is going to drop his captain, who is always fit, for a lad with 56 games in 4½ years.

He certainly did himself no favours in a 5-1 horror show in the EFL Trophy defeat vs Bradford, followed by another 9-game injury spell at the start of the season. After that, I suspect the management team had given up on him. Has Moyes cut off his nose? Possibly. But at some point, a line has to be drawn. Chances don't sit on the table forever.

Terry Farrell20 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:20:47

Ian,

Jake O'Brien is quick and decent on the ball. Don't confuse him with the lack of pace of Tarkowski and Keane.

He has earned the right to play centre-back and will be a stalwart there is we let him!

John Collins21 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:23:37

We have no luck as a club.

Moyes would have qualified for the Champions League if he had Branthwaite available.

Paul Griffiths22 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:42:10

Big fan of yours JC - 21 - but I don't believe that mate.

Patric Ridge23 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:48:42

14# Lester

Not using Keane as a whipping boy, but the facts are what they are. I think this idea he's been good this season is, to be honest, farcical. He's been okay. But he and Tarkowski leak chances and goals as a centre-back pairing.

It all comes to back Moyes' stubbornness on the right-back, though (and the club's failure to buy one!).

But it could be Keane who drops out or Tarkowski, as neither of them have played well. When they play together, both of them are a problem, as we keep seeing.

Terry Farrell24 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:53:04

100% correct Patric. Its not a witch hunt on Tarks or Keano its an observation that we see regularly that together they get done on the break for speed on the bigger pitch at HD. As individuals alongside pace the balance works.

Darren Hind25 Posted 14/05/2026 at 08:56:38

More windbaggary

If me auntie had bollocks.....

Branthwaite may be our best defender, but when the curtain comes down on this season he will have played a quarter of it. How the fuck can he be key when he hasnt been available for 75% of it. BHe wasnt key to our victory at the cottage and he wasnt even on the pitch at St James's or the Emirates.

Moyes is no different to any other manager. He has to play with the hand he has been dealt. Bleating and whining about the aces which were not available to him is pathetic. Claiming he is a genius when Branthwaite plays is just an insult to the intelligence of Evertonians who understand the game.

He has dozens of options. Always has had. The only reason this conversation is happening is because he has systematically chosen the wrong one.

Branthwaite cant play. it's not fair on Davey.....So lets all go home.

Ian Bennett26 Posted 14/05/2026 at 09:01:04

Terry, I haven't said Obrien lacks pace. I said that there is no guarantee him & Keane would be error free.

I actually think he had done pretty well at right back. He struggles with the ball going forward, but we don't appear to concede as many on his side - which is why Moyes has carried on id think.

Let's see the side on Sunday, I wouldn't be surprised if Tarkowski and Obrien start centre back, and Coleman plays some part at right back if he has anything left.

Terry Farrell27 Posted 14/05/2026 at 09:28:05

Fair enough Ian. I have 100% confidence in his ability with the ball as a cb. Hes shown that as a right back overall given you are playing against one side of the pitch with little room to manoeuvre versus centre back.I think the lad is a real talent good attitude quick and tough.

Rob Dolby28 Posted 14/05/2026 at 09:30:54

The time to shake things up is in the summer. Go out and buy some pacey defenders and a decent striker and let's see how we go.

The defence has been good this season with some impressive performances. It's a balancing act as we aren't scoring enough goals so rely on defence which is the Moyes way.

I would like to see kdh play deeper alongside Garner. Play Alcatraz, George, Grealish , rohl or even Dibling if he ever gets his finger out in the advanced attacking centre mid role.

The system has been the same since we had Dyche only Moyes has brought in kdh for doucoure to play that role.

Moyes did change the formation slightly when we played villa and in the 2nd half v leeds but other than that it's been like for like.

John Collins29 Posted 14/05/2026 at 10:15:03

Paul 22.

I don't believe it either, mate. It was a tongue-in-cheek reaction to a post a couple above my reply.

Ian Bennett30 Posted 14/05/2026 at 10:15:36

He has dozens of options. Always has had. The only reason this conversation is happening is because he has systematically chosen the wrong one.

Unreal. So, if he chose your magical option, then it would be Champions League here we come. You really are deluded. But if that floats your boat on how to stay a fan, then crack on, brother.

Brian Harrison31 Posted 14/05/2026 at 10:30:51

I think Branthwaite missing so much of this season and last season has had an impact on us, hopefully his recuperation in Germany is going well and maybe we see a lot more of him next season.

I would hope in the summer we sign a decent right-back to allow O'Brien to play in his natural role of centre-back.

I just hope next season we aren't forced to start with Tarkowski, he has been a good buy but now is well past his usefulness. He was never very mobile but he just gets slower as the weeks go by...

I desperately hope we inject some much-needed goals into this side. To actually be in the Top 10 with no player in double figures for goals is unbelievable.

I just hope the rumours about us beeing interested in Jarrod Bowen are true as he would definitely add much needed goals to this team.

Finally, I would sell Barry and buy the best striker we can afford and have Beto as back up.

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