Jason Cundy in disbelief at what he saw from Everton in draw vs Leeds, one player really annoyed him
Everton fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against Leeds United, but Jason Cundy was left frustrated by elements of the Toffees’ perfomance.
James Justin opened the scoring in the first half, in what was a timid display from the Toffees.
However, David Moyes’ half-time team talk seemed to work, and Thierno Barry continued his hot streak to make it four goals in his last five games in the 76th minute.
The 23-year-old’s resurgence has certainly come at a good time, seeing as Jack Grealish is set for a spell on the sidelines, with surgery a possibility.
Barry struggled to impress early on in his Everton career, but he is finally starting to look settled in L3.
However, while the striker was great versus Leeds, James Tarkowski has received criticism, with Jason Cundy the latest to chip in.
What annoyed Jason Cundy about James Tarkowski?
With a game at home against relegation candidates, Moyes would have wanted a lot more than just one point.
The European places are there for the taking, but some poor overall displays from the squad in the first half meant the Blues could also muster a draw.
One player who left a lot to be desired was Tarkowski. His performance was a long way from being his best game in the Everton shirt, but it was also not his worst.
The Everton captain has been labelled underrated, but he must do better in order to increase his reputation.
And his actions in the first 45 minutes of the game have seemingly not helped, with him irking Jason Cundy quite a bit.
Speaking on talkSPORT following the game, the former Chelsea defender admitted the centre-back ‘annoys’ him.
Cundy said: “I can’t believe that all over the pitch Everton got bullied. Physically, you got bullied. You allowed Leeds to go into your backyard and stamp their authority on the game.
“He annoys me, Tarkowski. He is one of those centre halves who is perfect for David Moyes; he puts his head on anything, he’ll go through anyone, but he is always looking for that little cheap free kick.
“And I’m like, you are the one with the armband; you are the one who sets the tone; you should be the one pointing the fingers around telling everyone to go win their tackle. But he is the one going down looking [for a free-kick]. He annoyed me in that first half.”
Why Tarkowski’s foul winning is actually good for Everton
While Cundy might not like Tarkowski’s methods, the Englishman is certainly good at drawing fouls for his side.
At the Hill Dickinson on Monday night, no player was fouled more than the Everton defender, with Tarkowski sharing that stat with Vitaliy Mykolenko. Both players won three fouls for the Toffees as per Sofascore.
From Cundy’s perspective, as a neutral, it is understandable why that could be frustrating to watch, but it is a great way for Everton to alleviate pressure against their opposition and to win back possession.
However, he might also have a point in the 33-year-old needing to step up more in terms of leadership. The first-half display was certainly not good enough, and if hopes of a European finish are to be realised, the Merseyside club need their leaders to perform.
Of course, his performance in the second half was much improved, and in the end they were able to snatch a point.
But on another day, Everton could have been sitting just two points off fifth, and this may be an opportunity missed.
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