I’ve noticed a bit of a theme emerging whenever pundits or former managers speak out about Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United this season.
Whether it’s Pulis, Pardew, Merson, Sherwood, Sutton or Savage, they’ve all said in recent weeks that we either don’t have the players in our squad to be an ‘exciting’ side who play good football, or state us fans need to reign in our so called ‘unrealistic’ expectations, with Pulis stating over the weekend that staying up would be a “fantastic achievement” for Steve Bruce.
Personally, I find it baffling that the so-called ‘experts’ can look at this Newcastle United squad and say it just “doesn’t have the quality” to be any other good or easy one the eye.
Take Southampton and Aston Villa for example. I’d argue that their teams on paper aren’t much better than ours, yet look at the difference. Both play with intent, have clear identity, are ever-improving and a joy to watch.
The likes of Hasenhuttl has a plan and the ability to execute it. A set system, a vision of EXACTLY how he wants his team to play and the ability to improve the players at his disposal as a result.
Then I look at Dean Smith’s Villa and the way they fearlessly demolished Arsenal 0-3 on Sunday night. OK, they were poor last season and they have the hugely talented Jack Grealish, but the way they’re approaching games this season with a similar set of players (ability wise) to NUFC speaks volumes.
Yet, ask any pundit about the job Steve Bruce is doing at Newcastle United and they’ll shower him with praise as if he’s defying all the odds to keep us afloat.
They seem to forget this is no longer ‘Championship’ squad full of £5m signings – this is a side with a top goalkeeper, plenty good centre-backs, a £15m left-back Liverpool wanted, a ball-winning Hayden and ball-playing Shelvey with a front four full of pace, power and spark. A good manager would get this group looking very decent – not turning up at Southampton a beaten side or barely laying a glove on Wolves.
We’re limited in areas – I think our midfield lacks a driving force and consistency as Shelvey’s often a luxury, Sean Longstaff struggling for consistency and Hendrick so limited – but there’s real potential in this side.
Results are OK at times but they feel so unsustainable when we play badly 9/10 under Bruce, concede the most shots in the league and have less efforts on the opposition goal than all 19 other Premier League sides as things stand.
I’m sick of being told to accept this is all we’re capable of, with so many throwing the ability of our players under the bus (including our manager himself!) in a bid to defend Steve Bruce’s ability as a manager.
It’s also pretty tiring seeing Bruce take offence to very fair criticism/questions and the media constantly defending him when the squad at his disposal and money spent (for once!) has created a team capable of so much more.
I love Newcastle United, but it’s a sad state of affairs that I no longer wake up looking forward to watching us on a matchday.
Follow us on Twitter (@NUFCBlogcouk) and on Facebook HERE
Sack Bruce . Simple. He does not have a clue, way out of his depth
Jon(Quote)
Well said. Those gutless spineless goons Sutton and Savage on the 5Live show the other day? Antagonists the pair, winding up some Newcastle fan. Using all sorts of arguements that the club’s a “big club”, not won anything etc etc. Sutton states facts but his opinions are utter gash.
Are we really supposed to accept opinions from a bloke who only ever looked good at Celtic and Norwich and was vastly overpriced?
Savage? Stupid Welsh clown who should stick to ballroom dancing and posing in a mirror.
They annoyed a (clearly drunk) fan of another club on the same programme, he got annoyed and then swore. Off the pair of these has-beens went, having goaded this caller, their holier than thou “you mustn’t swear” speil coming from them.
Clearly the BBC have nobody else to employ, but frankly, the licence fee could be better spent than on this dense duo. Loathsome odious lumps of detritus
Andrew Phillips(Quote)
I personally think we have a great team of players this season, enough to bring a semi pro player in on the say so of one awesome talent. (ASM) And yes he’s in our squad, let’s not forget we have a league and Cup winning manager In front of us, Rome wasn’t build in a day! Yes people will disagree with me here but I think we are capable of mid table finish at present results. However the geordie faith lives on in us all we can’t deny that! And want a higher finish. I think we were dealt a massive blow in the takeover saga. Time will tell on that but also we have international break to fix our issues for the return of play.
Toonfan87(Quote)
This article reflects my thoughts perfectly. I used to look forward to newcastle playing, but now, it is such a tedious chore. We play such shitty anti football. If I wasn’t a newcastle fan, I would want us relegated. Bruce is a **** manager. Always has been.
Anthony(Quote)