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2024/25 James Tarkowski


No Branthwaite

Tarks struggling

Rinse .....Repeat.
Going against the consensus on here but I didn't actually think he was all that great against Palace when he did play alongside Branthwaite. He doesn't look fully fit to me but I suppose he could just be in decline and that's what I'm seeing. I hope not and I hope the next international break gives him a little more time to recover and get back to last season's form. It's a bit worrying that Branthwaite looks like our only reliable centre half this season and he's seemingly struggling with his own injury problems.
 

No hyperbole but he's been one of our worst performers this season so far.

I know he's under tactical orders, but after you see that all of your long balls are leading to absolutely nothing, surely any player would look at mixing it up.

The incident for the penalty was utterly ridiculous from him. You wouldn't even be surprised if certain referees gave a red card for that too. From the captain, as well.

Give Pickford the armband ffs.
 
He’s a classic old-fashioned warhorse defender. Nothing wrong with that. Body on the line all the time making up for any technical deficiencies with aggression and physicality.

Just needs a good fast technical defender next to him to be a perfect combination. You see it when playing with Branthwaite despite his relative inexperience.
He can’t be expected cover someone similar, that would put the pair a whole skill set down.

Tarks stopped plenty of balls, and made plenty of tackles yesterday, OK he was a bit OTT for the pen, but that pair were wrestling for most of the match. It was obviously Newcastle’s way of keeping him busy at set prices.
 
It's as if he needs a top quality centre half alongside him to make him look like a good player.
More to do with pace and recovery of his center back pairing, which Braithwaite has spare and then some. Tarkowski and Keane are essentially the same style center back, thus poor balance when paired. Not aversed to Keane paired with Braithwaite.
 

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