It’s not really been mentioned up until now, but there was one part of Steve Bruce’s interview after the dismal 2-0 defeat at Southampton that stood out – and not in a good way!
After accepting the “best team won” on Friday night, the Newcastle boss was then asked just why we struggled to cope against the Saints if he knew exactly the sort of pressing and high-energy side we’d be coming up against.
As you can see 30 seconds into the clip below, Bruce had no answer for the Sky Sports reporter who was keen to know more about our tactics on the night, with the gaffer saying “yeh…I mean…well there’s the problem”, before blaming our loss on individual errors instead:
It’s as if he just didn’t know what to say, which isn’t a big surprise when it comes to questions relating to tactics, yet still pretty alarming when he’s the man in charge of it all.
Steve Bruce has been in the game a while and may know a bit more than some of us give him credit for, but it can’t be ignored just how often he dodges any form of discussion regarding our tactical approach to games.
He infamously stated during his time at Sunderland that he “doesn’t really do tactics”. This comment may have been blown out of proportion ever so slightly, however he hardly helps himself when practically accepting after Friday’s defeat that he has no answer when it comes to stopping Southampton’s simple but effective style of play.
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A very good defender but not a MANAGER
We have all seem the NUFC Board wait too long before before getting the right man in!
NUFC have to move now to get a Manager in and save the players – over the past year we’ve seen the value going through the floor, with players being played out of position without a clue what was going on – players actually holding their arm’s up in disbelief on substitution’s
The past year has been a dreadful watch – but numpty’s plea for more time is unbelievable (!?)
He’s been given enough time – in fact ALL we’ve seen of Bruce is crying to the Press and getting his Family and Drinking Buds to say he’s doing his best – that I believe = total rubbish!
Please get a MANAGER
KK(Quote)
Now we know that the toon have ten players running around not knowing what tactics to implement With a goalkeeper who is a good shot stopper but loathe to catch the ball also average punching it. What a team we have and with a imbecile coach the future looks bleak.
Len. Galloway(Quote)
Bit harsh on Cabbage head I think.
Interview implies that Bruce and coaches worked on Southampton’s full press all week but the players weren’t good enough to play out or simply didn’t carry out their instructions. Probably both.
Our midfield is so weak. We just don’t have the quality to control a game in there. I think that’s more of a problem that Bruce’s tactical limitations.
Ben M(Quote)