James Tarkowski believes Everton need more leaders in their dressing room and revealed how difficult this season has been playing without a centre-forward.
Sean Dyche claimed his club "must strive for more" after securing the win they required against Bournemouth last Sunday to ensure Premier League safety on an afternoon of nerve-shredding tension at Goodison Park.
Everton's latest great escape was done without the influence of Seamus Coleman after the defender suffered ligament damage against Leicester City at the start of May. The full-back’s absence left a massive void on the pitch.
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And although the likes of Tarkowski, Jordan Pickford, Yerry Mina and Conor Coady stepped up in the final weeks of the campaign to ensure Everton got themselves over the line, Tarkowski believes his squad needs more leaders to ease the pressure on Coleman and ensure his side don’t find themselves battling to avoid the drop again.
He said: "This club can’t be in this position again, and we said it before this season, but it really can’t. The club is too big, and we have got too good a team and too big a fan base.
"My thank you is more to the fans. It is easy for them to not get behind us, but to be in the position we were in and for them to turn out the way they do, I think is incredible.
"We do need more leaders in there [the dressing room]. There has been a lot of pressure on Seamus through the years.
"He is an incredible captain, but it can’t all be on Seamus, so myself, Jordan, there are so many people who need to start standing up and being counted.
"That is over the next few seasons, and as I say, into next season, things need to improve because we haven’t been good enough this season."
Everton face another crucial summer in the transfer market as they attempt to trim a bloated squad and bring together a group that will be fit for purpose. Built by several different managers - although not one player has been signed by Dyche - and three directors of football, the Blues continue to pay the price for wasting millions in the early years of Farhad Moshiri’s reign.
The Blues ended the season with four league goals from their three forwards, Calvert-Lewin, Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms. However, Calvert-Lewin only made 18 appearances in all competitions, with a number of injuries keeping him sidelined.
Both Dyche and Director of Football Kevin Thelwell will be under pressure this summer to bring at least two new attackers in, as the club simply cannot afford to gamble on its top-flight status by neglecting the forward line again.
Such was the position Everton found themselves in heading into their final day clash against Gary O’Neil’s side, Demarai Gray, normally a winger, was the man selected to lead the line for his side. And Tarkowski, speaking with the same refreshing honesty as his boss, has revealed just how difficult it has been to operate without a recognised centre-forward at times this season.
He said: "It is [difficult] because we sort of need a focal point at times. Dom has been class when he has been here, but he has just been so unfortunate with injuries.
"I thought Demarai did well [against Bournemouth], and he has to be a bit more different. He has to get in behind as well as holding it up.
"I thought first half we played quite well, and with a focal point in the box we might have scored two or three. We have had to just deal with it.
"We have had a lot of injuries recently. We went from having a squad of 25 first-team players to 15 or 16 from nowhere, and that has been difficult, but we had to adapt."
And while this summer is set to be a big one for his club, it will also be one to remember for the 30-year-old, as he is set to get married, safe in the knowledge his side will be a Premier League club next season.
"I get married this summer, and my wife-to-be has been a bit stressed about me not being too happy at home because I have been focusing on football," he revealed.
"It is nice to get over that line, and I can go and enjoy my summer. Get married, but then there is a big focus on next season."
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