Everton are a club that has been built on working-class ideals, with a steely attitude and an unrelenting work ethic a prerequisite for donning the royal blue jersey with success.
The fanbase’s desperation for such simple attributes are what have allowed some stars to forge careers despite boasting very little technical know-how, merely endearing themselves to the home support and riding that wave of adulation.
If those stars in question are to boast some quality too, then it does not take long for them to become heroes around Goodison Park.
It is fair to say that such a notion applies to James Tarkowski, who has taken no time to become a fan favourite following his 2022 free transfer from Burnley.
The 31-year-old embodies all of those aforementioned assets, but has come under some recent scrutiny for one thing he did last weekend…
What did BBC Pundit say about James Tarkowski?
Although Garth Crooks can be somewhat unpredictable in his Team of the Week selection, the inclusion of Tarkowski is one few would argue with after he kept quiet one of the Premier League’s most potent front lines.
He marshals his back four with poise and immense power, and pulls no punches in an effort to secure any points he can get.
Occasionally his controlled aggression might spill over, and the BBC pundit felt like against Aston Villa that was the case.
He would write: ‘Everton were well up for last weekend’s match against Aston Villa – and no-one more so than James Tarkowski. I don’t know what he had for his pre-match meal but it must have been rather spicy.
‘The centre-back is a determined and committed defender but it has to be careful. There are too many occasions where I’ve seen him flying into tackles when his opponent is on the half-turn; Tarkowski takes advantage of the situation by making his challenge dangerously heavy.
‘Such was the case with Moussa Diaby when he left the Villa striker in a heap on the floor and moments later he flattened defender Alex Moreno. He was booked for the challenge and quite rightly.
‘It’s clear Tarkowski likes to mix it and there is nothing wrong with that provided he’s not trying to hurt people. We had enough of that in the 1970s and 80s.’
How important is James Tarkowski for Everton?
It is this kind of fear factor that he instils which makes Tarkowski such a vital asset for Sean Dyche, with his free capture one of their greatest in recent memory.
After all, the speed with which he acclimatised to life on Merseyside was admirable, having played every single minute of every Premier League game last season.
Seeking to do so again this campaign, the titanic centre-back has been imperious this season under his former boss, with his defensive figures only backing up such a suggestion.
Nothing gets past him, and pairing his 4.8 ball recoveries and 4.3 clearances per game (via Sofascore) with the silky Jarrad Branthwaite, the two have struck up an immediate and supremely successful partnership.
Although some outsiders might be frustrated by the nature of his crunching tackles, with the Diaby one in particular perhaps toeing the line, there are few English fans who would admit to not loving the type of challenge that has become synonymous with the £100k-a-week general.
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