Chris Sutton is adamant that Steve Bruce has not lost the dressing room – but admits the loss of Callum Wilson is a ‘big problem’ for the Newcastle United boss.
Even though Newcastle still have a 7 point gap to Fulham, it could be cut short to 1 point by the next time we play, with the Cottagers playing Burnley and Sheffield United before our trip to Old Trafford on Sunday night.
That said, Sutton feels there’s been plenty positives to take from recent performances.
Here’s what he told BBC Radio 5Live after last night’s flat display in a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge:
“You look at the recent performances of Newcastle, second half against Leeds they were unlucky not to get anything out of the game against Everton they were superb, and against Crystal Palace they had the better chances.
“The win against Southampton when they finished the game with nine men – Bruce certainly hasn’t lost the dressing room.”
A lot of the Newcastle fan base feel like the appointment of Graeme Jones has made a bigger impact on the squad, this being the reason for the upturn in form from the last month.
With the formation change, quick thinking fans soon realised Jones used the same for Belgium in the World Cup 2018. Despite the poor performance in the defeat to Chelsea last night, we came into it with 2 wins in the last 3 games.
Sutton explains the big problem Bruce has on his hands when being dragged into the relegation dogfight, feeling Wilson’s absence created a big problem:
“The biggest problem Newcastle have is Callum Wilson being out for eight weeks.
“That is an enormous blow because they are a totally different team.
“They have just got to hope Saint-Maximin hits form and avoids injury.”
Newcastle were hit with the news that Wilson would be out for up to eight weeks after he sustained a hamstring injury in the 3-2 win versus Southampton last weekend.
Bruce may have not lost the dressing room but the players look bored, disinterested and clueless in most games.
If the national media did not believe we were in a relegation battle, they better start believing it.
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Not having a MANAGER is a bit of a problem
NUFC Board have to act quickly and get Frank Lampard
Bruce just isn’t 1) going to keep us in the Premiership
2) has proved he can’t manage in the championship EITHER = so why on earth keep him in this position (!!?)
3) not wanted next season NO MATTER what Division we are in – get a MANAGER in ASAP
KK(Quote)
Yes brain damaged Sutton is right for a change
Bruce hasn’t lost the dressing room because he never had them onboard with HIS negative approach
Fans have seem over 2 years exactly what Bruce brings to the table = nowt & to go on about one second half and another game that we clung on to a win = down to poor finishing by Southampton and a lot of luck…
…this isn’t management on any level – its just throwing players on the pitch and hopefully they pass to each other (!!!???)
Get rid ASAP and get a MANAGER = Lamp’s
KK(Quote)
When I played the fullback s job was to mark the winger now called a wingback, I lost count of the number of times Krath jhab Alonso and Werner to mark,he’s not that good at marking one man never mind two. The manager and assistants didn’t seem to see this and that’s where the danger was coming from, very bad coaching in my book
Bill Burn(Quote)