It could’ve went either way in the final 10 minutes, but that’s a huge win for Steve Bruce, a big moment for Joelinton and another reminder of just how important Callum Wilson is to this team!
Our £20m man broke the deadlock in the 88th minute via a cool finish and brilliant assist from Joelinton, and was then on hand to set up the big man just 90 seconds later, with the Brazilian bagging a well deserved goal to seal a much needed 0-2 win.
It wasn’t pretty at times, with a promising first half display followed by an uninspiring second 45 that saw us create very little and begin to sit deep, however it’s a big three points that stops the rot and sends us into the top half and 10 clear of the bottom three.
Bruce made FOUR changes to the team that went down without a fight against Chelsea, bringing in Shelvey, Hendrick, Almiron and Wilson and ditching five at the back in favour of a 4-4-1-1 system – a move that must now become the norm after we created more, won and kept a clean sheet!
Elsewhere, Lascelles and Saint-Maximin dropped out through injury, with Hayden also missing (Covid?) and U-23 star Elliot Anderson on the bench for the first time in a Premier League game as a result.
(4-4-1-1: Darlow – Manquillo, Fernandez, Clark, Lewis – Hendrick, S Longstaff, Shelvey, Almiron – Joelinton – Wilson)
We started well, having 60% the ball in the opening 15 and pressing higher up the pitch, with a good give, go and run in behind from Joelinton creating an early opening for Callum Wilson – only for a last ditch Palace clear their lines after a dangerous ball across the box from the Brazilian.
Aside from the odd decent stop from Karl Darlow, who parried clear powerful efforts from Schlupp and Eze, we were the better side and looking the more likely to score.
Shelvey’s ability to pick out forward passes was making a difference and Joelinton looked lively. He was pressing well, linking up nicely and looking much more confident in possession, however he did lack conviction where it mattered, hitting a tame effort too close to Guiata after catching Dann on the ball.
Going into the second half, this felt a lot like that opening day game at West Ham. We were the better side without being brilliant, but the home side were passive and there for the taking if we wanted a win.
That said, the biggest chance after the restart came for Palace, with Ayew getting in between Fernandez and Manquillo and through on goal – only to poke his effort wide.
Sadly, the much improved pressing and passing game that saw us control large parts of the first half seemed to disappear in the second, with us punting hopeful balls long to Wilson and Joelinton for the first part of the final 45.
Without creating much at all, Palace were now the ones enjoying just short of 60% possession and looking the more likely, with them getting behind our midfield on a few occasions and winning the odd dangerous free kick.
Not much to write home about, but Bruce-ball was creeping back in and we now looked the side both there for the taking and most likely to lose.
Aside from one header apiece from Joelinton and Benteke – who had his well saved by Darlow – there were few chances, meaning it was anyone’s game heading into the final 10 if one side could kick one.
Thankfully, we rode a late Palace storm, with Fernandez doing brilliantly to block a goal-bound Kouyate shot and Van Aanholt flashing wide from a dangerous position…and you know what happened next!
Joelinton burst inside, latched onto a lay off from Wilson and played a clever reverse pass to set his striker partner in behind, leaving our lethal No 13 to do the rest.
A clever finish through Guiata’s legs and brilliant late goal – but we weren’t done yet.
This time it was Wilson who turned provider, getting the ball out to Joelinton down the right hand side. He got one-on-one with his man, cut inside and saw a left-footed shot sneak in via a wicked deflection.
A slice of luck for the big man, but a goal his industrious performance fully deserved, with him refusing to let his head drop after a few too many first-half misses!
Next up, a trip to Aston Villa and several winnable games ahead of a few tough tests after Christmas:
- Aston Villa (A) – Friday 4th December
- West Brom (H) – Saturday 12th December
- Leeds (A) – Wednesday 16th December
- Fulham (H) – Saturday 19th December
- Man City (A) – Saturday 26th December
- Liverpool (H) – Wednesday 30th December
A big win for Steve Bruce and more proof that we must stick with a four-man defence!
HWTL!
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I think I am the only one that predicted a win 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
A far better performance than others recently. Even Joelinton was improved. Mind you, he was a tad fortunate to score, but one of his scuffed shots has to pay off sometime. I thought Longstaff major was industrious as well.
Good result. Made my morning.
I’ll add my economics lesson to the other strand. This one is for celebrating on.
Brisvegas(Quote)
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run 3(Quote)
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happy wheels(Quote)
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happy wheels(Quote)
Didn’t see it as on prime but a welcome 3 points .
kimtoon(Quote)
Good win, slightly better performance and eases worries about relegation.
Sad to see up to 15,000 jobs could be lost with Arcadia going into administration. Doesn’t it make the unions complaints about public sector pay freezes even more grotesque.
Stuart79(Quote)
Olly – I’ve just seen you give Joelinton a 9 and your MOTM ??.
Once I settled down from his missed chances, I agree he had a decent game. I’ve seen the highlights back and his pass for Wilson’s goal was excellent – I think I was that frustrated with him watching the game I didn’t fully appreciate it.
For his goal I was shouting at him to take it into the corner and waste time – negative I admit, but they had chances on the break & it was only about 3 points then. He showed decent skill to turn the defender, but it was poor contact for the shot – a goals a goal ultimately, so fair play.
He didn’t play badly, but he should have scored long before Wilson’s goal.
It’s a good win last night – is that answer then? – partnership of Wilson & Joelinton?
Sharpy17(Quote)
High street dying on it’s **** long before covid to be fair, if it wasn’t for bars and cafes my high street would of been a ghost town long ago. Online buying is king now.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu – ones my Mam mate, she’s at Dorothy Perkins at the metro centre.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Here’s a genuine question for you –
When fit, does Dubravka get back in the side?
Sharpy17(Quote)
It’s a good win last night – is that answer then? – partnership of Wilson & Joelinton?
Sharpy there’s also Fraser and Wilson too don’t forget, we haven’t seen much of that yet, once isn’t it ?
kimtoon(Quote)
What spaceship landed and replaced Steve Bruce with his alien twin brother? I thought we played quite well. We set up further forward, pressed the opposition in their half, Shelvey was not Hollywood Shelvey and played the simple passes, we didnt backpass to Darlow all of the time and tried to play out from the back. There was a lot of energy and did anyone notice that when Eze had that chance on the half hour it was Wilson who tackled him in our box? Normally I would ask what the hell is Callum doing there but he was also running his legs off in the Palace half.
The new Bruce did what we have been asking him to do. Maybe a dinasaur can change its spots after all? I have to give Bruce some credit here.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: I think Darlow has been our best player. I am shocked to say it because he always was a deer in the headlights bofore this new and improved version. I said on another thread that maybe it is maturity or the goalkeeping coach, but he looks nothing like the player he was. He looks assured and comes for crosses now. He was always a good shot stopper, it was his decision making you had to question.
I thought NUFC were mad to give Darlow a new contract based on past performances but he looks a different player now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – I think Fraser is more of a winger though isn’t he?.
Could go 4-4-2 with Wilson, Joelinton up top & ASM and Fraser on the wings?
But if we were to do that I think serious money would need spending on our CM
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – agree with all of that mate – would you drop him for Dubravka though?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good and deserved win!
I don’t get the Joe love in. He should have had a hat trick but scuffed all his shots. Even his goal was a scuffed trundle til it deflected in. With a decent second striker we’d have won much easier.
Longstaff was back to his best. Could he be the no 10 we need?
georgio(Quote)
No, Sharpy he shouldn’t get back in. Darlow has done nothing wrong and has been our best player for most games.
As for your mams mate, I wonder if she’d rather have a pay freeze and a gold plated pension or be out of work… These unions and Labour politicians really don’t live in the real world.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sitting on the fence on that one mate. Dubravka was player of the season last year and Darlow has been so far this year. I would pick Darlow ahead of the Mackem TRex for England though.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Olly gave him a 9. 7 at best. About half the stuff he tried ended up with him losing the ball or on his ar$e. The extremely low bar Joe has set in his NUFC career so far must have fogged Olly’s mind.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Who the hell has been governing for the last 12 years? I am sure it was the Tories and that the Tories head up most of the local councils in England. Even before that there was a Tory in all but name in office – Blair. You live in a different reality Stuart. The Unions have very little power now. You should move here because 47% of Americans voted for the worst president of all time who actively pursued policies that were against their interests and gave away their money (that they paid via taxes) to his cronies and pals.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – I’d stick with Darlow too mate. I think it would be really unfair to take him out when he’s done so well. Yes he looked nervy in the first few games – but who wouldn’t with the lack of first team games – but he’s been outstanding I think & really grown in confidence.
It’s my Mam, not her mate & I think she’d rather the crooked g!t put his hand in his pocket and use some of his multi millions to back the company that made him so much money.
Bought the company for £800m, but his wife on the board and paid her £1.2b in dividends the following year.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Watching Brighton v Liverpool & only 25 mins in so the game could finish either way yet.
But what a pleasure watching Brighton really giving Lpool a game – not sitting back negative and paying them too much respect. They’ve been the better side so far. Liverpool’s quality might been too much come the end – but at least the Brighton fans are getting to see their side giving it a go.
Sharpy17(Quote)
To be fair, Sharpy the onus isn’t on Green to rescue the business if he doesn’t think it is workable. I imagine he’d be the first to put his hand in his pocket if he thought he could make it work.
Many people think that just because he made money from it he should be responsible for investing more money in the business regardless of if he thinks he can make a success of it is a little bit for the birds.
I just wonder if a tax break would be the incentive needed for high street shops to relight the fire.
I certainly think the way to prosperity is through employment in the private sector, not government handouts or public companies. I’d offer tax incentives to business’ linked to the number of employees they have.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy: did you just see Salah ignore Klopp as he was subbed? Mini-me should have been subbed, but still. Liverpool play like 2 games a week so Salah might actually need a rest.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
OK: watching Liverpool as well and it took their sub 2 minutes to get ready. Not to warm up, which I could understand but to tie his laces etc. I see this all of the time when players have been sitting there for 80 minutes and then have to put on a shirt or shin pads. How hard can it be to just be ready to go? Take off your down coat and get out there.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – to be fair he owns the company and made £400m out of it in a year. Of course the onus is on him – why should it be on anyone else?!.
I take it with that mentality you are team Ashley then? – because everything you have just said there is exactly what Ashley is doing at Newcastle.
Green can walk away with thousands loosing their jobs, but will have money in his pocket to buy back parts of the business at a massively knocked down price.
My Mam is retirement age next year and has been savy with her money over the years so should be able to get by – and obviously if she’s struggling I’m here to help out. But she’s worked all her life and just wanted to retire comfortably and on her terms – she’ll limp over the line while a fat cat like that can **** on people and walk away with hundreds of millions of profit from the company.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – he wants his ar$e kicking for that. He’s just come back from isolating & was off the pace – he was ineffective today & Jota was better up there.
Good for Brighton – they deserved something from today. They played really well.
Sharpy17(Quote)
From the Guardian
Green’s image was tarnished irreparably when he sold his ailing BHS department store chain for £1 to Dominic Chappell, a former bankrupt with no retail experience.
The business collapsed only a year later with the loss of 11,000 jobs and a £571m pension deficit, leading to an outcry that eventually forced Green to pay £353m to support the pension scheme.
A parliamentary investigation into the matter concluded the Green family had systematically plundered BHS and described the hole in the pension fund as “the unacceptable face of capitalism”.
It led to calls for Green to be stripped of his knighthood, awarded by Tony Blair for services to the retail industry in 2006.
As he reeled from that financial blow, Green’s reputation suffered a further bashing from allegations of harassment and bullying. The former Labour cabinet minister Peter Hain used parliamentary privilege in 2018 to name the Topshop tycoon as the businessman at the centre of allegations about poor treatment of Arcadia staff.
How anyone can defend that man is beyond me, “the unacceptable face of capitalism”.
Indeed.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stuart is starting to sound a lot like Trump. He blames everybody else saying the system is rigged or the Unions did this or that. The Unions dont really have any clout anymore. You talk like you are living in the 60s man. Trump has been in power for 4 years and still whines on like a little b!tch about everything – “The election was stolen! Covid is a hoax!I didnt pay Stormy Daniels $140,000. I didnt want to execute the Central Park Five who have since been exonerated and were set up by the NYPD. I wasnt the one that created all of the Obama birtherism”.
“No, not me” says the Orange Man-Baby. But all of the ills in the UK are due to scroungers and the Unions according to Stuart. Yes, Stewie, they are the ones with the power! You and Donald should move in together.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – yeah he sold BHS for £1 to one of his crooked pals so he could get out of paying the £300m pension pot – luckily he didn’t get away with it.
He was also caught trying to fiddle the furlough scheme of millions while getting rid of 300 staff back in Sept this year.
He’s a total parasite and it’s wrong we live in a world where someone can asset strip a company – pay his missus £1.2bn – pay it into a tax haven account in Monaco to dodge tax. He & his missus are worth around £2bn – but he can walk away leaving tens of thousands of people unemployed. How much money does 1 family need???.
I know there has been talk of Lewis Hamilton being knighted – but if Phil Green is the measure of a Sir in this Country, I’d turn it down!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So you are saying business owners should be forced to put their own money in to their business if it fails? Or that they can only take profit from their own business on the proviso that they put it back in the company if it starts to fail?
Your analogy with Ashley is rather odd. NUFC isn’t a failing business. It’s doing rather well for him and isn’t in danger of going bust. Where’s the similarity to Acadia?
Stuart79(Quote)
That’s a fair leap from what I’ve said, Eric. So much so that I can’t stop ?
Stuart79(Quote)
And I’m not particularly supporting Green. I don’t k ow what his intentions were and whether he’s stitched the staff up or not but holding owners to 100% account for failed business’ is ridiculous. It’s almost like you think all owners are millionaires who live comfortably and never suffer. Like they have never put their house up as collateral or took loans out to start a business or save a business.
The misunderstanding for many of how business’ work makes it rather odd to debate the matter to be fair
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: do you think you are the only one on here who has set up a business? You would be wrong if you think that and it is quite condescending that you think you are the only one with any entrepreneirial talent on here.
But let’s leave it there. I would rather talk football, especially since Bruce did a decent job on Friday, even though I dont agree that Joelinton was that great. Still laughing at Olly giving him a 9. Maybe if was a Spinal Tap scale where the marks out of 10 went to 11, BUT, not even then. I’d go 6.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So. the TRex Mackem almost made a blunder but there were no Leeds players to take advantage. Then makes a great reflex save, so it is par for the course for him. Should be nowhere near the England team. And his kicking has been **** which is supposed to be his biggest asset.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I never thought I would ever say this, but – DARLOW FOR ENGLAND!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – go on then. A businessman buys a company with tens of thousands of employees for £800m and pays his wife £1.2bn in dividends – what in your opinion is his level of responsibility then?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – no not all owners – Phillip Green. Nobody is talking about all owners – you have said that. I’m talking specifically about Green who has a personal wealth of £2bn. Who is listed as 154th richest person – who has a private jet worth £43m and a yacht worth £100m.
Who will reportedly spend his Xmas in a 30k a night resort in the Maldives while the 13000 employees of the Arcadia group will be out of work.
Nobody thinks all business owners are millionaires- that’s your suggestion. But we know Green is, and we know he’s got previous.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – just to be clear, I am in no way against capitalism. I honestly believe that if you work hard you should be rewarded.
I have also spoken out on here about the benefit system and how I think there is a section of society that sees it as a career choice.
But there is a huge section of society that sits in between. People who just want to do an honest days graft for a decent days pay.
I don’t think that someone who sets up a business should loose (spell check) everything if their venture does work out. I have sympathy for those people.
But I do have an issue with someone who is a billionaire bleeding a company dry before throwing it aside and leaving tens of thousands of people out of work.
I also know that the company have still been operating online and as soon as the first lock down was over & they could open shops again they did – and have actually made profit this year – maybe not the margins Green was wanting, and that may change when he has to start paying all his staff 100% of their wages again – which is why he’s wanting rid now – but they are up.
I just think he has a responsibility to staff and a company he turned a profit of £400m on in a year ??♂️.
I’m not saying I expect him to put all of that money back into it, but he’s done with it so he’s off just stinks to me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Some really interesting games tomorrow:
S’ton/Man U – they both turned us over
Chelsea/Spurs
Arsenal/Wolves
Sharpy – “lose”!!! 🙂 I knew I would make a million spelling errors after I said something to you 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – sorry mate, I was making a valid point to stu (I think, he might not), and saw an opportunity ???♂️
Sharpy17(Quote)
No problem Sharpy. I dont have a problem with Stewie Thatcher either, although I think we might disagree on politics 🙂
Watching WBA and Sheffield. I have to admit Mike Dean can still get about the pitch a bit for a man in his mid-70s.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
No wonder Ryder is so bad if his boss, Mark Douglas, doesnt know how to write either saying: Alex Bruce took a swipe at his Dad’s critics after successive defeats at Crystal Palace”.
We didnt have successive defeats at Crystal Palace!!! We had successive defeats against S’ton and Chelsea!!! These guys do this for a living and write like they are in a 12 year old’s English class.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alex-bruce-gets-back-critics-19362525
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Should someone like Green be required to spend his entire fortune on rescuing a business that might be viable anymore, just because he owns it? Is that what we’re saying? It’s a bit like saying all shareholders in FTSE companies should be responsible for bailing out business they have shares in because they’ve received dividends from them…
Stuart79(Quote)
Well. 10 games in and we are looking like we will not be relegated. That seems like it will be between the current bottom 4. Have Sheffield Utd been sussed? Their squad is pretty **** but they have bottle and their system seemed to confuse teams last year. Now opposition coaches have had a chance to figure it out.
Are Burnley the new Sunderland? You can only ride your luck for so long. Just glad it is not us as Bruce pulls a rabbit out of his hat again. As long as he keeps his gob shut and doesnt take all of the credit for a bit of a lucky win.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Remember Schteve said to judge him after 10 games. How about Brucie? We are still bottom as far as most of the important stats go but we are mid-table. I think we have had 4 decent games, including Friday, and 6 nightmares.
I think somebody actually did some coaching. We set up about 5 yards further up the pitch which we have all been calling for. We occassionally dropped into that all men behind the ball mode but we left Wilson and Joe up top a lot more and even did the high press a few times. And I like Shelvey a lot more when he is not Jonjo Hollywood. He is an accurate passer and doesnt need to do that with every pass. Also, not as many backpasses for Darlow to hoof.
I think this is our lot with Brucie. Just when you think it cant get any worse we have a decent game. At least it is not the death spiral like at Sunderland and Villa.
We just have to hope for the takeover which might just happen now that there is so much pressure on the PL high ups and the so-called big 6 cartel obviously doing things that are not in the interests of the other 14 clubs, aided and abetted by Masters and Co.
BTW, the TRex Mackem’s distribution was awful yesterday. If that is why he is in the England team then Southgate should go to a few more Everton games. Darlow for England!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
4 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws seems about right for this squad. It is just that when we are bad we are REALLY bad and that makes you think we will never score a goal again or even get into the opponents half.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Olly: have you been to the Bernabeu? Really strange place, pretty much in the middle of nowhere and like some concrete legacy of bad ’60’s planning. I still enjoyed myself but they didnt serve beer and the police confiscated my girl-friends tic tacs. This was in 2017 and the fans were booing Ronaldo until he scored 2 in extra time, they also boo-ed Bale who had just won them the Champions League.
As a NUFC fan it was really strange to see Ronaldo being boo-ed. One of the greatest players of all time and they boo him. Put me in mind of that skit in The Life of Brian where the Judean Popular Front are asking what have the Romans ever done for us. What has Ronaldo ever done for us??? How about 4 titles and I think 4 Champions Leagues for a start 🙂
Imagine booing that team, with Ronaldo, Ramos, Bale, Modric in it? It boggles my mind after watching some of the stuff I have at NUFC.
Glad that Joselu is doing OK. Who would you rather have, him or Joelinton? 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
RIP Dave Prowse, proud Bristolian and green cross code man, oh and Luke’s Daddy. 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Is it possible to “look” stupid? Every time I see a picture of Paul Merson’s Giant Balloon Heed the word “stupid” comes into my mind. Then, when he opens his mouth, that just confirms it.
Same with Jamie Oliver, he LOOKS stupid. But actually he is not. Maybe it is the giant balloon heed thing that gets me thinking they are stupid.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Every time I see Merse I think of a 5 year old with a felt tip pen drawing eyes, nose and mouth on a balloon in junior school.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sorry, was just reading Merson’s advice to Frank Lampard on team selection. Just got me thinking… How is he a pundit again? He seems to be the clown to the giggling hyenas that aren’t as clever as they think they are like Sutton, Savage and Thompson.
But… how is he a pundit again? Isnt he an acloholic, gambling addict and failed Watford Manager who has a relapse and then asks for sympathy. Again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It’s amazing what a good bit of coaching can achieve. Southampton play good football and have a end product.
People say it’s a results business but that’s not strictly true. It is if you’re challenging for the league or in a cup but if you’re languishing in mid table it’s about style of play also.
Bruce said he knows we need to have a better style yet we don’t change. He seems incompetent in that regard.
Stuart79(Quote)
I totally agree with you Stuart about style and entertainment mattering for a mid table side. And that’s what we are. Our squad is like 9-13 quality but nowhere near the likes of even Spurs.
I said we should have gone for Cavani on a free despite his age and wages. Do we have a wage structure? Imagine what Cavani would have cost in his prime and he is still some player. You can afford to give someone like that an extra 5 mil a year on top of what you pay your existing players because he was free. Probably wouldnt have come anyway.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Agree Stu – and there is no reason why results based & entertaining have to be mutually exclusive – Saints were unlucky today & deserved something today. I thought Leeds & Brighton showed it yesterday.
It’s what I don’t understand from the pundits – I think most NUFC fans accept it’s highly unlikely we will see our team win anything, so why can’t we at least want entertaining football.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I cant figure out Bruce because sometimes we play OK and other times we look like the players have never seen each other. It is not just against the top teams either. We were **** against Brighton and Southampton.
I have seen a theory that it is Lascelles. That he is the one constantly imporing the midfielders to get back and us then playing on the edge of our 18 yard box and at 25 yards from goal in a 4-5. We didnt do that for a lot of the game against Palace, we left 2 up front and our defenders actually tried passing between each other instead passing back to Darlow to give it a hoof.
I cant work out Lascelles either. He shouldnt be captain though. That just gives him too much authority.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I thought i read somewhere that statistics show we win more games with Lascelles in the team than without.
kimtoon(Quote)
I think we are far better as a back four tbh.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: it was just something I read about Lascelles saying he is barking orders at the midfielders to drop back and that is why we play so deep. We definately played a bit of a press on Friday, especially in the 1st half. Bruce has been too tentative, thinking we would be hit on the break but that just lets the other team dominate.
Sheffield Utd have the lowest point total ever in the PL after 10 games. Worse than Derby. Remember when they had like 15 over the entire season but did the double over us 🙂
Spurs and Chelsea 1st half are making US look exciting 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
How the hell is Abraham ahead of Wilson in the England pecking order? It is like the TRex Mackem not being dropped. We all know at some point he will cost us a game. He also gets on my t!ts with his constant yelling and blaming others.
Darlow for England.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, i don’t get the pickford love in that Gareth has, he is not Englands best goal keeper .
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric – if what we’ve read is suggesting that Bruce is sending them out with one message, then Lascelles as captain is telling the different on the pitch – then that should be obvious to Bruce and the players. Then it’s for Bruce to either work with Lascelles to get the message right – or if Lascelles can’t get that, he has to drop him doesn’t he?.
I definitely don’t think the 3 CBs suits Lascelles. He seems far more comfortable in a back 4. He’s a decent defender but I think Fernandez is our best CB by far.
It can’t help any of the team all the changes Bruce has made this season – 3 CBs, 4 at the back – Manq, Kraft and Murphy all at RB.
Constant changes to the midfield.
It doesn’t lend itself to a settled team or help with consistency of performance if you’re consistently playing alongside someone different.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I actually think Bruce has TOO MANY options. He will outhink himself and mess around too much and then if we win he will keep the same team no matter who the opposition is. It seems a bit naive to set up the same way for Chelsea as Burnley but he has managed for 20 years.
We need a good central midfielder that’s for sure. Hendrick is not the answer. Shelvey is only the answer 1 in 3 games. The Longstaffs, who knows at this point? Miggy is not the answer even though he will run all day. And St Max is not a number 10. Bruce gives us more questions than answers most weeks.
I dont want to dislike Bruce, I really dont. He is not an arrogant pr!ck like Pardew or Allardyce and actually hasnt said that many bad things, only the keyboard warrior stuff really. All managers make gaffs and they are constantly under the microscope so they will occassionally misspeak.
The bottom line now is that Bruce is not getting sacked anytime soon, so if he does well, we do well. I will probably change my tune if we get beat next week 🙂
As I have said many times on here, I get more annoyed at the pundits who condescend to us fans. You know the main culprits – Savage, Mills, Sutton, Keys, Merson, even Luke Edwards. It is like they are watching a totally different game to us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Loads of news today. The main thing is 2 more NUFC players with coronavirus. I have seen speculation that Hayden had it on friday and the fact that St Max didnt travel makes me believe he also has it. There was talk that he had fallen out with Bruce but it is much more likely it is CV-19. Then 2 other players diagnosed today. How many before we call off the Villa game?
And how long do you have to isolate for if you actually test positive for the virus and it is not just contact tracing that calls you a risk? Bad news either way.
Then the Mackems sack their Manager as they currently sit 8th in the 3rd Division.
I also watched Arsenal and Wolves. This has to be the worst Arsenal team of the last 20 years. I went through their starters and there was only Aubamayang that is really any good. Lacazette was on the bench because nobody has figered out how they can play together.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – the way COVID is running through the club he’ll be lucky just to get 11 players against Villa
Sharpy17(Quote)
Not really what we needed. Do you know how long isolation is if you test positive?
Cannot see us training before Wednesday and it is a Friday game. With 4 players out already I think it would be madness to play the Villa game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, think it’s 14 days isolation though i think it can be shorter now if you pay for that expensive test.
kimtoon(Quote)
I dont understand the secracy with who has cotracted Covid. They will probably say it is a prvacy issue, but is it? Is it really? When Arteta tested positive they told us he was self isolating and that the symptoms were mild. Same with Moyes.
It is not even the lead story in the Chronicle. 4 players so far have it and they would rather have yet another interview with John Hall or give Danny Mills’ and Joleon Lescott’s latest praise for Bruce?
Should we even have played the game against Palace? I suppose if they all tested negative, but that doesnt seem to be the case with 2 new positives and us cancelling training.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What is the point of playing in an away strip when there is no clash of colours with the B&W stripes? How many people are going to buy that yellow montrosity? The only 2nd strip I ever see is the maroon and blue horizontal stripes.
I think NUFC should wear the home kit whenever possible. That is the “brand” and they will shift more of them than any of the nondescript second strips. They are almost universally ugly and if a fan wears one to a game nobody even knows what team it is for.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I see Biden has fractured his foot playing with his dog. Or did he just take a stumble walking…. He’s unsteady on his feet that’s for sure. Good start, Joe.
Stuart79(Quote)
Oh, and why was Zaha missing on friday? Because he tested positive for Covid. What is there to hide at NUFC? I am sure they will make an announcement soon or some journo will disclose the players affected, but why the secracy? Bruce likes to talk, so I am surprised that he has not got into this more but it also reminds me of the silence you get from Charnley and Ashley where their attitude is the fans are better kept in the dark.
Full disclosure would actually be helpful if it is indeed 5 1st team regulars that are affected. We should be cancelling the Villa game and rescheduling for maybe next Wednesday or later. It is not like us or Villa have any European games to worry about. This would help get journos on our side to get a postponement.
Also, I bet it was the players going away at the international break whether it be for their national teams or for a break when everybody else is in lockdown. What the hell are we doing playing these useless friendlies anyway. Did we really need another competition – the Nations League – even if it is a backdoor into the Euros?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Surprised you have not commented on the NUFC Covid situation.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This whole Arcadia disaster should be a warning to Jabba. Won’t take much for Fraser Group to go a similar way
Stuart79(Quote)
And Bruce likes to make excuses with his main one that he had players missing. He has done this at every club he has managed. I am surprised he is not playing the sympathy card.
Eric Sykes(Quote)