Bruce out.
We’ve seen some rubbish since Steve Bruce took charge, but this is a new low for his Newcastle United, with us allowing a previously winless Sheffield United side to play us off the park in a well deserved victory for the Blades.
Yes, we went down to 10 men via two idiotic tackles from Ryan Fraser in the final three minutes of the first half, but we set up so negatively, sat too deep, were passive throughout and took until the 83rd minute to get our first shot on target.
We looked lost all over the pitch and a side that had zero faith in the man that had essentially sent them out to ‘try not to lose’ against a bottom of the table Sheffield United who’d drawn two and lost 15 of their 17 league games before today. Is it any wonder we looked flat from the off when THIS was our plan?
An embarrassing display and perhaps one of the most negative and unacceptably poor approaches to a game I’ve seen from the team I used to adore watching every week. Not now.
That’s now no wins in our last EIGHT in all competitions and TEN hours of football since we last scored a goal from open play, with us also having a woeful 33% of the ball in this one. The results also means third bottom Fulham (who sit 8 behind us at present) now have TWO games in hand on us.
Before the game, most on social media were absolutely bewildered by Bruce’s negative-looking line up before kick iff – and with very good reason. If five in defence wasn’t bad enough against the league’s bottom side who’d scored 8 in 17 games this season, it was even more alarming to see Dummett at left wing-back, Hendrick, Sean Longstaff and Hayden in midfield and Fraser the only attacking player in the side capable of creating for Callum Wilson.
Why was Matty dropped? Why stick with a back five against a side who have been there for the taking all season? Why set up against a winless team as if we’re travelling to Anfield hoping to steal a point? It was beyond grim, and Bruce got what he deserved in the end.
The game kicked off and it was an unsurprisingly scrappy affair over the opening 10 minutes. Lots of long balls, several sloppy passes and neither side able to take control of the game.
It was difficult to know who was playing where, with Longstaff and Fraser regularly swapping sides and Hendrick playing down the middle. One thing was quite clear, mind….Wilson was isolated as ever.
Then to the first few chances of the game, which both fell to men in red and white. First it was McGoldrick who got in behind an AWOL Fernandez and fired too close to Darlow, then Lundstram skied a shot high and wide after finding space in the box seconds later.
The Blades were getting too much joy down Yedlin’s side and were well on top now. We looked lost, passive, were sat far too deep and struggled to string more than two passes together in their half as a result. It was a truly turgid start that was reflective of Bruce’s unbearably negative set up.
Wilson then had a rare touch in the final third and should’ve done better, with Fernandez’s fizzing cross headed wide by the usually reliable striker. It came at him quickly, however he’ll be annoyed to have missed.
Usual service was resumed moments later. First off, we gave them too much time to cross and saw McGoldrick rise above Dummett at the back post – only to head over. Another Blades attack then followed, but we got away with it via Clark’s brilliant block to deny Burke’s goal-bound strike.
If the opening stages weren’t dull enough, this was becoming quite possibly the most infuriating and shambolic approach I’ve EVER seen from a NUFC side, who should’ve been set up to hurt this winless Sheffield United side – not sit off, sit deep and gift them opening after opening.
One counter attack three Newcastle players (yes, we got THREE in their box!) resulted in Osborn blocking a powerful strike from Hayden, but that was as good as it got…before another wave of Sheffield United chances arrived.
First it was Burke, who was through on goal and likely to score before a flying Fernandez bailed us out with a heroic sliding challenge, then a ball across the box was somehow hooked clear from Dummett before Darlow batted away a Bogle striker after the Sheffield United wing-back was allowed to dance through our defence and into the box.
We’d handed them the confidence they’d never had all season by sitting back and gifting them time, space and far too many chances, however we then shot ourselves in the foot in brainless fashion as Fraser picked up too stupid yellow cards in the space of three minutes to see red.
The half-time whistle went and it was the best moment of the first 45 minutes. We know how bad we can be under Bruce, but this was a new low. Not one shot on target (the SIXTH time we’ve done this in a first half this season…more than anyone else in the league), 38% of the ball, an idiotic red card and incredibly fortunate to be level, with Sheffield United having 10 shots and coming close on countless occasions.
After the break we moved to more of a 4-1-3-1 with Schar screening a back four in front of Fernandez and Clark, however that didn’t stop the hosts creating yet another big chance just a few minutes into the restart as Darlow made himself big to block another big chance for Bogle at the back post.
At this point Sheffield United had 65% of the ball, with them picking up from where they left off just before the break and bringing on a striker for a defender in Rhian Brewster.
We were sitting ducks and had managed just 12% of the ball over the first 10 minutes of the second half. Grim….yet it was about to get even worse.
After just about surviving the constant pressure Sheffield United were putting us under with the man advantage, Fernandez was caught swiping the ball away from Billy Sharp with his hand. The prolonged VAR check was ominous and the referee pointed to the spot after looking at the pitch side monitor.
Sharp stepped up and sent Darlow the wrong way to give the hosts a 1-0 lead to put them just 15 minutes away from their first win of the season. It had been coming and was exactly what both they and we deserved.
Steve Bruce’s response? Bring on Andy Carroll and hope hoof-ball to the big man could save his bacon this time around.
Sharp should’ve seen red himself moments later for a cynical and nasty challenge on Schar, but it was somehow ignored by VAR and the original decision of a yellow remained.
Our first shot on target arrived in the 83rd minute via a Wilson header hit straight at Ramsdale, however that was soon followed by a deflected strike from Brewster that came back off the post and into Darlow’s gloves.
The hosts were getting edgy, yet we constantly gave them the breaks in play they needed via a host of needless fouls – several coming from a frustrated Fabian Schar who had clearly lost his head since being seethed down by Sharp.
Six minutes of added time did feature a tame Jacob Murphy free kick hit straight at Ramsdale and a Bogle header that just went wide of his own goal, but the Blades held on for their first win of the season.
We all know Steve Bruce is not a Premier League manager and stealing a living at St James’ Park, but that was a new low even by his poor standards.
He has to go.
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I’m now bored of Bruce , Ashley and of the club overall.
In fact I’m embarrassed, we set up in a defensive formation against the bottom side , who, absolutely bossed the game.
I feel nothing anymore and I’ve said it many times, but I don’t even watch all the games as we are so negative and boring, predictable and pedestrian, Bruce out , absolutely enough is enough
Bakes(Quote)
A new low. We are in a real struggle and if we are relegated with this squad we will be down for some time.
Noel fitzpatrick.(Quote)
bruce needs to grow a pair and resign before he takes the club down, tonight was the lowest of the low under the clueless idiot BRUCE OUT NOW
kev the mag(Quote)
Boring Boring Bruce!! Really time to seek new employment.
Cant Go On watching rubbish like this, almost embarrassed to be a toon fan. 😥
Paul Gillespie(Quote)
Taxi for bruce, how much longer do have to watch this dross, woefully display yet again !! Instead of more excuses just admit to yourself your out of your depth before we end up in the championship.
davep(Quote)
Welll done sheff utd
As for nufc thats thats the last game i will ever watch 50 yrs a fan .
How can a manager go to a team with 1 pt from home and no wins go with a defensive attitude.
Bruce was a defender and thats the format he we always use, against Liverpool or Manchester United thats ok but against the bottom team is totally unacceptable.
Nothing will change so my watching now will be highlights only not that there will be many.
Goodbye nufc
Brian(Quote)
I’ve followed the toon since I was a lad and can honestly say I’ve never been so embarrassed calling myself a fan of this rubbish. So much so I’ve now decided I will not watch another game until Bruce has gone and taken Hendrick and Frazer with him.
Alan pickering(Quote)
Bruce is actually lucky there was a penalty so he could talk about perceived injustice instead of how **** we were. Longstaff cannot play another game for NUFC. And what was with the 8-0-2 formation against the bottom club. Just an embarrassment all round from Bruce and the players. Even Wilson, who had 2 free headers.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We NEED a MANAGER
It was Bruce that pushed for Hendrick and Backslider Fraser – I didn’t hear Hendrick’s name mentioned in the second half (!!???)
Why wasn’t that numpty changed?
Look it’s been 5/6 changes in every game for the past 16 months in the hope! And one wonders why we don’t play as a team = unbelievable!!!
Time to get rid of Bruce NOW and get a MANAGER = if nothings done by MD Charmless = he’s got to go as well
KK(Quote)
Been watching since Kenneth Wolstenholme was on on a Sunday on Tyne Tees. I think I was 10 when I first went to SJP. So that’s 47 years. That was one of the worst performances I have seen in the PL or old 1st Division.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bring out the SICK BUCKET had a enough of lockdown an mr bruce GOODBYE prem an NUFC.
Austin Bateman(Quote)
Total **** once a defender always a defender, you cannot play defence like he did with Man Utd we don’t have the Calabria, wake up or get out, we defend to far back and do not pressure further up the field woeful.
Paul Estebanez(Quote)
What a shambles – 40+ years a fan and never have I felt so low! No investment, useless manager with no desire to play attractive attacking football. Don’t want to waste my time any more watching the rubbish being dished up week in week out! We are heading for the drop, might even let the Premier league off the hook when we get relegated and the Saudi’ s withdraw their interest – so sad!
Bruce out!
Johnny W(Quote)
Echo everything everyone has said so far.
Annoyed with Fraser for that 2nd foul. It was stupid having been booked already. He’s been out a long time & tonight was his chance to show what he can do & shut a few people up.
That said, I think his fouls were born out of frustration because he had 3 midfielders behind him who done absolutely nothing!!. I’m going to lay off Hayden coz he can’t do it all himself – it’s Longstaff & Hendrick I have the real problem with.
I’ve had my rant on the previous article but those 2 are awful.
Now, that I find a joke is that Bruce accepts our criticism, especially based on the first half. Fraser wasn’t sent off until a few minutes before half time – and Bruce accepts we were bad in the first half … WHY DO NOTHING ABOUT IT THEN???
To his own acknowledgment we weren’t good enough, and yet his first sub was only made when Dummett got injured.
I can accept a manager getting his starting 11 wrong – but to do nothing about it when you can see how bad it is – that’s unforgivable imo. THATS THE ONLY THING HE HAS TO DO WHILE THE GAMES IN PLAY!!!.
If Ashley doesn’t sack him, then he deserves a 3rd relegation – and with as many players coming to the end of their contracts, I don’t think he’ll be as lucky as to bounce straight back up – and I don’t think he’ll have 50k fans ready to buy season tickets as they have before.
Sharpy17(Quote)
He has to go, it’s that simple really.
kimtoon(Quote)
So many people voicing their concerns but with all due respect they are way behind the time frame. I and people who are in a similar age group have loyally supported this lot since the 50’. We have put up with cheats liars and so called investors in Newcastle United. Not one of them worked but then there was the Sir John and the Keegan era. Nothing won but good times for true supporters. As we all know this lot is a disgrace if not to themselves but to the whole of Newcastle
Robert Thompson(Quote)
Ryder’s player ratings usually get about 10 comments. They got 269 tonight. I think the fans have now finally had it with Bruce. Fully deserved after that performance. Maybe a hiding from Arsenal will be the last straw?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This looks like the Bruce death spiral. It happened at Sunderland and Villa.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bruce said in his press conference “I’ll never walk away from a challenge. I have been in it long enough to have that respect”.
He walked out on Birmingham. He walked out on Sheffield Wednesday.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think Sharpy said after the Fulham draw that we would be lucky to get any points before the end of January. We got 1 against Liverpool but I think we will be underdogs in all the other games. Leeds is the only home game and they destroyed us last time due to the way Bruce sets up.
Tonight was a disgrace. He was fcn playing for nil nil.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Rafa is gone that’s all fine and dandy but to those that tried to compare this rotten cabbage head and his rotten garbage tactics to that of Rafa’s should be ashamed. If you try to compare any of this trash to what we were under Rafa, like him leaving was no big loss well then I am sorry for you. A proven winner versus this proven failure.
I was enraged and embarrassed when we went out in the cup quarter final. At this point I am not even mad anymore just resigned to the club’s continued utter failure and embarrassment so I will just drink myself to sleep. F*c* off cabbage head and the FCB!!! Just sickening
Cabbage Head PR Guy(Quote)
The next few days are going to be insane in the US. Impeachment tomorrow. Then there is another rally planned by these right wing nutters for the 17th. At the same time the FBI will be tracking down the insurrectionists. They will go all out to save face because they completely fcked up on Jan 6. That could have been a bloodbath if these Trump supporters werent so stupid.
Then there is inauguration day. Currently there are 15,000 National Guard plus police who will be at the Capitol. What sort of visual does that present. I dont know if people in Britain know what the National Guard is, but they are citizen soldiers. Weekend warriors, but pretty well trained. Their job is to help with disasters and protests and some of the time they go over the top. They are the ones you see being violent in the B & W clips of ’60s civil rights rallies. They are required because the US doesnt want the regular army deployed on American soil.
In addition to this there are riots planned at state capitols. A lot are open carry states so you will see guns. Michigan has temporarily banned guns in their state capitol.
Get ready. This could turn very ugly but even if it doesnt you will see on TV what a mess Trump has turned America into. Whatever you think of Clown Boris, he is a complete amateur in comparison to Trump in terms of ruining a country.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – yeah, I actually said that the Sheff Utd game was the only one I could see us getting points from in a long list of difficult fixtures through til March now.
I just don’t understand how he can admit that the first half was the worst we’ve ever played & have done nothing to change it – well I do understand it’s Bruce we are talking about, but even he should be doing something there.
He’s too bothered about being everyone’s mate. He doesn’t want to hook anyone incase they fall out with him.
We are stuck with this, coz Ashley isn’t doing anything about it any time soon imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
It’s almost like the Democrats have been desperate to impeach Trump for 4 years… He’s right when he says it’s a witch hunt and it’s been a long one and nothing has stuck. Maybe this time. Through enough mud and all that… I would say, make him a martyr and God knows what happens.
Stuart79(Quote)
Does the media think we’re idiots? Piers Morgan continues to quote our vaccine rates per 100,000 taking into account our population but continues to use total deaths when he’s wanting to give the government a whack. Shouldn’t we be using a calculation that takes into account our population and even better our population density. That would give us a much better and accurate assessment.
Stuart79(Quote)
Whilst I’m on it, I notice the media are now frothing at the mouth about a couple of examples of inadequate food being sent to a family for kids lunches. We were told about 3m kids are starving and have about 6 examples of inadequate supplies. Not bad going. Why can’t parents just accept vouchers? Oh yeah – the government were told it’s de humanising and makes people feel poor and useless. Well, you’re either starving or your not. I can’t imagine the families of the 50’s and 60’s refusing food vouchers because it made them feel bad. My mate works in a supermarket in Newcastle and he said he couldn’t believe the the abuse the vouchers took. To say only a small % was spent on food was an understatement. Simple solution- give them £30 vouchers only to be spent on food. Job done.
Oh and I want to know why last year the story was how our children are obese and this year they’re starving. Is that what we call an oxymoron?
Stuart79(Quote)
It actually did stick. The problem was that the Republicans controlled the Senate and they voted along Party lines apart from Mitt Romney. They all knew he was guilty. The world knows he was guilty. It’s the way the US system works that if a Party has a majority in The Senate the other party will be blocked on anything significant they want to do.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
How the hell can Gary Monk and Tony Pulis be considered for the NUFC job? Is this just Lee Ryder pulling names out of his ****. They have been sacked from like the last 3 Championship jobs each has had. How long did Pulis last at Sheff Wed? 10!!!
Bruce only has 18 months left on his contract and is reported to be the lowest paid Manager in the PL. Compensation shouldnt come into it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Remember there were rumours/reports of player meetings in the last few weeks because they were disgruntled at the style of play? Imagine them seeing the set up last night with 5 at the back and 3 defensive mids. I dont care what Bruce says about having Longstaff push up in training, that is not what happened on the pitch.
So you go in with an ultra-defensive set up against the bottom team who had 2 points from 51. It must have been a punch in the gut. Bruce may want to be their friend but he doesnt know how to motivate them.
Also, reading what he says in press conferences and a bit between the lines, he actually thinks he has done a good job and has changed our style of play over the Xmas period and last night. I think he must be going to the same Svengali as Ugly John when he said he was the best Manager in the world. Bruce’s delusions are now at that level.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He says he wanted us further up the field, are we playing in a farm ?
And if his statement is true then why pick effectively a back 5 in Ferdy,Schar, Clark, Dummett and Hayden?
Why pick Sean and Hendricks and not Miggy, or Murphy ,Why leave our attacking options Carrol, Gayle, Joe and Miggy on bench?
He says he went with freshness, so why pick a just back from injury Dummett who only two days ago played a lot of minutes in the cup ?
You do not set up like that if you want to get further up the pitch fool.
We had a go against Liverpool and Arsenal i suspect because he knew we had nothing to loose, but sets out for a nil nil against bottom of the league, why ? because he’s a coward who is more scared of losing to similar teams who can lay bare his complete inadequacies as a tactician .
He blames the red for our loss in part, newsflash Steve , we were **** before the red and the red happened because of your tactics and apparently Sean and Hendricks were false 10’s !!!!
Jesus Christ, save us from this fool.
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh ****, just noticed we play Arsenal on Monday night. That has traditionally been a graveyard for NUFC. I think I am going to have to get an intravenous drip filled with whiskey to watch that one. And I dont even like whiskey.
And what is this from Bruce about playing 2 false 10s? What does that even mean? I will try to work it out. That he figured Sheffield would think Longstaff was midfield but he really was a 10. Or that Fraser was a winger but was really a number 10. That is not how it worked. Longstaff played as defensive mid as usual and Fraser was on the wing. It was that way from the start, not after we came under pressure.
The one thing false we certainly have is a false manager!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
George Caulkin Retweeted
Chris Waugh
@ChrisDHWaugh
·
2h
Mike Ashley’s ownership is faceless, silent & often dismissive of overwhelming fan opinion.
But fan concerns about Steve Bruce’s #NUFC reign are legitimate & can’t just be ignored.
Serious internal questions have to be asked & they have to be asked now:
I would argue, serious questions should of been asked before he was even appointed, did they not even look at his passed clubs records.
I think he’s walked out on 4 clubs, sacked by the others.
But, hey he doesn’t walk away from a challenge !
kimtoon(Quote)
George Caulkin
@GeorgeCaulkin
·
14h
This does not feel like a “work in progress”. It feels like a study in decline.
Fraser’s idiotic first-half dismissal shouldn’t mask what happened before – supine attitude & awful performance. Sheffield United deserved winners. #NUFC 8 games without a win.
Well said George
kimtoon(Quote)
Bruce in training. OK other Steves, we are going to play with 2 false 10s this week.
Steves: What does that even mean boss?
Cabbage: I dont know, but it makes it sound like I do tactics. What we’ll do is play exactly the same way as we do against the top teams but I will try to cover this up with talk of false 10s later. Ryder will buy it I am sure.
Steves: OK Boss, but we have families to feed, where are we going to find another job after this?
Cabbage: I dont care I’ll have my compensation and I think Barbados are still letting Brits in so I can do my beached whale impression for 3 weeks. I will make out in the press that I am not a quitter when I in fact know it is inevitable and need the comp for that Time Share I looked at in Barbados after I was sacked by Villa.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Seems like Little Chrissy Waugh has grown a spine since he left The Chronic.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – he also said he was trying something different with Fraser and Longstaff in behind Wilson – I’m pleased he said that because I never would have guessed Longstaff was supposed to be up there!!.
But he said because we’ve been struggling up top … that being the case, why the hell can Gayle not get onto the pitch then???
Why is no journalist smart enough to call him out on that?. Gayle was an unused sub again last night.
He bangs on about counter attack – surely Gayles pace must be an asset?!.
Gayle must be in the middle of negotiating a move away – it’s the only explaination for not using him isn’t it?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Beats me why you continue to watch Morgan, all it does is wind you up Stu.
kimtoon(Quote)
Sharpy mate, he has said on more than one occasion that he really rates Gayle and tried to sign him twice before but couldn’t afford him. So why not play him then?, his injury before was his reason, fair enough but he’s been fine for a while now so no excuse.
Why not try Gayle and Wilson together or Gayle and Carrol from the start and give our opponents something to really think about.
That was f**king cowardly yesterday, he went out not to loose when we should of been straight at them from the get go imo.
Look how we attacked them in the last 10 mins with only 10 men, why not that mentality and set up from the start?
Bloody clueless coward he is. We needed those 3 points cause there’s nowt coming on monday is there.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu, i agree by the way , we should be using vouchers instead of putting big firms in charge of supplying food parcels, especially if they are Tory party donors as we have now been informed. It’s like the PPE thing all over again.
With the buying power this and other companies have they should be able to pack those boxes with really wholesome food that last and stretches. What the hell was all those bottles of water all about? water is free ffs. Even if we have only seen a few cases on twitter, it doesn’t justify profiteering from the poor.
Am I shocked? sadly no .
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu – as you’ll imagine we disagree on this one. What was delivered in those ‘food parcels’ was disgusting & good on the person for speaking up. These companies are being paid a lot of money & are profiting from this gig – that’s just not right mate.
Vouchers were the best option but some idiot suggested the parents were spending them on booze & fags. Can I say that is a complete lie – not with 100% certainly, but largely that was utter nonsense.
Please look into who exactly has the need for food vouchers. It’s not the dross as some people call them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Steve Bruce. Is that it? Is this the best you can do? You’ve had 18 months now.
I understand it’s difficult. Covid and having only 8-9 PL quality players. The rest are rubbish – don’t play them.
We have one striker, 3 CBs, 3 wingers, 2 goalies. Give Anderson a go.
And just go yourself! That was the worst performance I can remember. Just go!
georgio(Quote)
Kimtoon: I have never understood the bottled water thing in a developed country like the UK or US. Water is tasteless and clean water is available in the tap. Why would you WANT to pay $1 for a bottle of water unless you stop on a hike or bikeride or during a golf game? My ex-girlfriend used to get like a case of the stuff a month. It only cost $10 but she should have just given the money to me instead and I would fill old bottles with tap water 🙂
Apart from buying water when you are outside I am OK in a place like Mexico, if you want flavoured water instead if sugar based soda or if you like fizzy water. All of these are for health and safety.
Giving water as part of a food package is just a waste of resources, including the time it takes to pack and distribute.
I DO NOT have an opinion about everything under the sun even though it may seem like that sometimes. This just reminded me of my ex-girlfriend who would have like 40 bottles in a closet at all times.
AND THE OTHER THING – they come in plastic bottles. Have you seen the state of some of the beaches in the world. It is a disgrace in places like Bali. There is a plastic catastrophe going on and the Govt are giving it out in food parcels. That might be as bad as funneling money to their cronies.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – I just don’t understand it. Squad rotation and resting players – Carroll played 120 mins in the FA Cup – Gayle got about 3 mins of the same game.
I don’t care if we are trying to sell Gayle or not. Until he’s sold he’s our player & a good option up front.
Play him and one of 2 things happen – 1. He scores and gives you a chance of picking up points. 2. He doesn’t score & it strengths your defence that your squad isn’t strong enough.
He got his team wrong last night, but not to change it in the first half – take Longstaff or Hendrick off and put Gayle or Almiron on instead – that was just pathetic.
I can’t stand seeing Bruce’s face now let alone hearing his stupid drivel in his interviews.
Sharpy17(Quote)
These meal kits look ok to me. It must be different in different parts of the country.
Bruce out.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/what-inside-free-school-meals-19613036
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The football is appalling, covid is a mess and Govt reaction to covid is a mess. On top of that you lot have Brexit and we have Trump. Oh, and how about the lockdown, travel restrictions and the effects this must be having on mental health. Even to the point of increased family violence. I can honestly say this is the worst time I have lived through. Worse than the Financial crisis when I lost my job. At least there was a calming influence there with Obama, Merkel and even Gordon Brown.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Even though the school meals in the NE look nutritious, would the parents even know how to cook with these ingredients or are their childrens’ diets a burgers and pizza?
I saw reports quite a few years ago showing what Amrican schoolkids eat (it might have changed since. The school cafeterias gave them a choice, and guess what, they chose pizza and burgers. They even had to remove vending machines from schools because the kids were getting cheetos and up to 6 cokes a day.
To Stewie’s point. No wonder they were obese. I am not sure if the kids will want the apples etc from the food packages when they are used to a Mars Bar a day.
Rant over. There is just so much to rant about at the moment 🙂 we are in dark times.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Dark times indeed Eric 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
What do we disagree on? I agree about the examples we have seen. It was a joke. But I’ve only seen a couple of examples so I’m assuming everyone else is getting adequate supplies.
What I think we disagree on is the number of children in this country who are starving. 3m were told. Now that’s rubbish. I’m still yet to meet anybody who’s kids are starving and I don’t know anybody who knows anybody who’s kids are starving. But anyway, that’s another issue.
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim, I’ve not seen the reports about the Tory donors getting the food supply contracts. Who is it?
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric – Mexico is one of my favourite places. I love it coz I love swimming in the ocean and seeing the ocean life out there. But the about of plastic bottles out there is just ridiculous.
I once stayed in a hotel in Malta and they had no plastic bottles at all – water stations everywhere for people to use their own reusable bottles – it is great.
I found out that the bigger bottles – 5 gallon bottles, they can be reused/recycled. It’s only the smaller bottles that can’t.
All hotels should be forced to switch to water stations and ban water bottles that can’t be recycled.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Charlie Bennett: Warren Barton is my favourite pundit over here. He used to be on a lot more but a different network does the games now. It is not just because he loves NUFC either. He would tell it like it is and not sugar coat it for his mates in Management like most do in the UK. He would also go off on the odd rant.
If Sky, BT or Amazon had a clue they would have him on as the lead analyst. Instead they have “homers” like Carra and the Nevilles (Phil is the worst ever). I actually like Clive Allen as well. Am I allowed to like c@ckney pundits?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – no we agree on that. But god I’d hope we never get to a point where we have 3m starving children in the UK.
But this is where certain political journalists use words to accuse anyone who disagrees of being woke or whatever it is.
Just because someone isn’t in a position where they and their families are ‘starving’ doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling to adequately feed their families.
The food vouchers enabled families to buy ingredients for a more balanced, healthier diet rather than cheap processed foods that have little nutritional value at all – that obviously in turn causes health issues.
I read an article last year that said in 2018 their were around 300,000 cases of rickets in the UK – RICKETS?!. It also mentioned things like scurvy and gout – health conditions from the Victorian days mate.
That was in 2018. Do you think that will have got better or worse?.
They should switch back to vouchers, and anyone wanting to claim them should be offered a home economics course for buying and cooking nutritious food. For people with kids who are suffering with health problems because of their diets should be made to go on the courses. Those that refuse, we should absolutely intervene.
I’m not going to say take their kids off them or lock them up for child neglect coz it’s not as easy as that really. But we should step in and ensure the kids are at least fed properly.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m still seething at that turgid display last night. I’ve felt bad many many times watching them, but last night was truly a new low. On a par with being taken to penalties by a league 2 side. It’s true that the pen was dubious and we could’ve easily had one ourselves, and they should’ve had a red card for a far worse tackle than Fraser’s, but that cannot disguise that fact that we just didn’t turn up. Couldn’t pass, couldn’t run, no passion, no possession, and only saved from a bigger defeat by the fact that Sheffield were awful and wasteful in attack. Some of those players (I use the term loosely) should never pull on a toon top ever again. Longstaff, Hendrick, Fraser, Yedlin… I would even take Pardew back as a manager rather than have to watch one more game with cabbage heed in charge. And I hated Pardew! A few more weeks and the Fat Twa.t can kiss goodbye to his team, his buyer and his millions.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Oh it’s going to get worse, Sharpy. Decimating the economy has seen to that. With the added humdinger of children being permanently scarred by lack of education.
Stuart79(Quote)
Bruce reckons we played with two false no 10’s last night. Or that was the set up. Longstaff and Fraser. Unbelievable. It was false 2-11
Stuart79(Quote)
They were false football players… should be in the boot cleaning room and nowhere near the pitch…
Gilly Toon(Quote)
You may think I am going over the top, but this is not normal.
* there has not been an attack on the Capitol building of the US since 1812.
* 5 people were killed including a Police officer with a fire extinguisher.
* Trump encouraged the insurrection even as it was taking place.
* There are now 15,000 armed National Guard in DC. They need special authority to be armed.
* They are boarding up State Houses for fear of armed attacks by white supremacist militants egged on by the Orange Man-Baby. They are evacuating Govt buildings.
* Trump is deservedly being impeached for a second time for pushing vigilantes with guns to turn on their own police. This is the self proclaimed “law and order President”.
* These people are not militia as defined in the 2nd amendment. They are overgrown kids playing soldier. They are traitors. Vigilantes. If you look up the word traitor is exactly what these people are.
I have never seen anything like this and it is all down to trump and his lies. His BIG LIE that the election was stolen. If this was happening in Britain or France there would be a constitutional crisis. Boris would be voted out by his own party. These people are brainwashed. It is a cult. And he is a c@nt.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – I’ve just watched Matt Hanc0ck getting interviewed on GMB this morning. As much as I can’t stand Piers Morgan and think he’s a clown – he asked Matt Hanc0ck if he regretted voting against free school meals.
It’s was an awkward watch seeing Hanc0ck dodge answering it – and it’s situations like that that cause people to lose faith & doubt the politicians.
He looked so cowardly & shifty by now answering the question honestly.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – I know mate. My son is in his first year of secondary school – a shock to the system at any other normal time. But this situation is overwhelming.
I can feed him just fine & my wife is working from home & I work shifts so am off every 3 days for 3 – so he’s covered. But so many kids won’t be.
I have dyslexia Stu, and it wasn’t picked up on until I was in my final year of primary school – good old 80s education ??.
I started secondary school with the reading age of a 5yr old.
I know firsthand what an inadequate education looks and feels like and I fear for some of the kids going through this. It is why I’ve been so annoyed by the management of this, and Gavin Williamson in particular. He is inept and so far out of his depth.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Gilly – how much of this is the players and how much the manager in your opinion mate?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stuart79
January 13, 2021 at 12:12
kimtoon:
Stu, i agree by the way , we should be using vouchers instead of putting big firms in charge of supplying food parcels, especially if they are Tory party donors as we have now been informed. It’s like the PPEthing all over again.
With the buying power this and other companies have they should be able to pack those boxes with really wholesome food that last and stretches. What the hell was all those bottles of water all about? water is free ffs. Even if we have only seen a few cases on twitter, it doesn’t justify profiteering from the poor.
Am I shocked? sadly no .
Kim, I’ve not seen the reports about the Tory donors getting the food supply contracts. Who is it?
Stu, sorry been out, only just seen your post.
Here you are
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/free-school-meals-tory-donor-rashford-b1786501.html
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/tory-corruption-trends-as-mps-ask-is-nothing-spared-from-their-greed/12/01/
kimtoon(Quote)
And this https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/tory-donors-resorting-to-stealing-childrens-lunch-money/
In case you can’t open link due to ad blocker
This is the piece
By now, most of us are familiar with government’s mismanagement of public money during the pandemic. Ineffective procurement processes have led to the outsourcing of £10.5bn contracts without competitive tender, to companies owned by Conservative Party donors and the relatives of MPs, often with little experience in the field of providing these services.
So far, these processes have led to the disastrous Serco Test and Trace system (£410m), 6 million undelivered sets of PPE for NHS workers (£108m), and consultants from the Boston Consulting Group being paid £7,000 a day, to help the government deliver its test and trace system.
It is thus unsurprising, but still shocking, to see this repeated once again. With pictures emerging online of scanty supplies delivered to children in place of £30 school meal vouchers, social media users quickly began adding up the value of exactly what was being provided.
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Using prices from ASDA, one observer noted that she could have bought all of what had been delivered in the alleged £30 “hamper” for £5.52. Given the access that these suppliers have to bulk purchasing, the reality is that the parcel could have been cost even less to those who put it together.
As the outrage at this failure spread online, details quickly emerged that these meals had been provided by a government-hired contractor.
The contractor in question, Chartwell UK, is part of Compass Group plc, a multinational food service provider based in Chertsey, Surrey. Compass Group plc’s chairperson up until 1 December 2020, Paul Walsh, is a Conservative Party donor who sat on David Cameron’s business advisory group, and whose former company, Diageo ltd, is alleged to have underreported its profits to minimise its tax.
Compass already has a number of government contracts, including via one of their subsidiaries, Medirest. This particular brand has also had a degree of bad press, after cleaning and catering staff went on strike in 2010, demanding back pay that had been owed to them since 2006, and in 2019 over “poor wages and what they say is overbearing management and heavy workload.” In fact, a Google search of this company reveals that Medirest staff are often on strike in one part of the country or another.
Another subsidiary of Compass Group is Eurest Support Services, who were embroiled in allegations of corruption after receiving confidential bid information to supply UN peacekeepers in West Africa. Andy Seiwert, a senior executive at Eurest, was accused of meeting with a member of the UN procurement department Alexander Yakolev, who later pled guilty to corruption charges. Another UN diplomat, Vladimir Kuznetsov, was accused of receiving $1m in bribes from groups including Compass, and was later found guilty of other charges relating to the case.
The ‘levelling up fund’ shows why Johnson’s rebrand is dead on arrival
It will take freedom of information requests to figure out how competitive the tender was for Chartwell UK to win the contract to supply free school meals. However, whether or not it was granted fairly, or fast-tracked, this has shown once again the failure of the government’s procurement process.
While Conservative MPs like Ben Bradley may view meal vouchers as “a £20 direct debit to a crack den or a brothel”, research from the University of Oxford shows that direct cash transfers to those in need are primarily spent on food.
The government could have done something easy and popular, and used the tools at their disposal, like universal credit, to increase the amount of money going to families. Instead, their seemingly unfounded fears of ‘scroungers’ using this money for anything other than food has led to a wealthy private contractor making what appear to be considerable profits at the expense of those most in need.
The Conservative Party needs to set aside their unsubstantiated fear of the poor misspending taxpayers’ money, and to take a look at the vast sums being filched off the taxpayer by their own friends and family.
kimtoon(Quote)
PM questions , the exchange between Boris and Keir regarding food parcel contents is from 11.44 to 17.19, seems dept of education set out guidelines as to what should be in the parcel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqJdcNuhCgA
kimtoon(Quote)
So now there is a new variant from Brazil which Boris is said to be very worried about.
It’s like this virus knows we have a vaccine isn’t it .
Almost human like in it’s determination to get one over on us.
kimtoon(Quote)
if there had been no lockdown there would be crowds at SJP wanting Bruce out,hes a lucky boy on that score
get the ****** out ffs
icedog(Quote)
As a Sheffield Wednesday fan I was hoping Newcastle would do a job on the other side of the city s***e but when I saw the side and formation that Bruce put out I couldn’t believe it, he must have thought they were playing Barcelona, he’s an absolute joke as a manager and now Newcastle need to get rid or they’ll be in a relegation battle because surely that’s no good for confidence and moral losing against rock bottom Blades who were breaking all records.
Wayne Davidson(Quote)
Wayne , he wasn’t wanted from the start by most fans and even less so now. As Ice above says , he’s very lucky no fans are in SJP .
kimtoon(Quote)
Wayne – welcome on mate, and sorry for last night – it was horse **** wasn’t it.
Always had a soft spot for your club coz they had some good players when I was growing up. Chris Waddle, Andy Sinton and my favourite CB still Des Walker – plus you had a mint panini shiny ???.
I bet you were buzzing when Bruce left – mind you, don’t think he’d have lasted long going off how long Pulis managed ?.
Shame to see yous down there mate, hope you manage to turn it round ??
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim – he wouldn’t have to worry about any new strain if he stopped the bloody flights in & out!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim – Compass are a PLC, they’re not owned by a Tory donor. The really isn’t any substance or evidence in wrong doing to your accusation I’m afraid. The government really wouldn’t give a contract this big to a company where their MD works for a donation of just £10,000. ?
It’s also worth noting Compass are probably the biggest catering company in the UK. I’d follow your accusation if it was a starter company set up by a big donor with no experience in catering, but Compass? It’s laughable.
Stuart79(Quote)
I agree, Sharpy. He should have just said why he voted against it. It was pathetic.
Stuart79(Quote)
I’m also non plussed as to why we haven’t shut our border completely to anybody who’s been in S.A in the last two weeks coming in from any country and also the same with Brazil. Hopefully that will follow.
Stuart79(Quote)
Watching City v Brighton and Brighton have shown more courage & desire in the first 30 mins than we did in the whole 90mins last night
Sharpy17(Quote)
I see Clark is signing a contract extension. Good on the face of it but clearly not looking at sacking Bruce.
They’re sleep walking to exactly the same situation as McClaren.
Stuart79(Quote)
I think every NUFC fan has given up on Bruce now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)