‘Accumulation of p̷o̷i̷n̷t̷s̷ defeats’
2 wins in 20. An absolutely horrible display – worse than the one against Sheffield United – saw us lose 3-0 to Brighton at the Amex Stadium in a must win game when we didn’t play a single striker.
Brighton came into this with ONE Premier League win at The Amex in their last 20 attempts, yet we made them look like Barcelona (again!) in a relegation six-pointer and failed to land a single shot on target – and that doesn’t even cover the total lack of desire reminiscent of a side no longer playing for the manager.
If this isn’t the end of Bruce then I don’t know if we’ll ever see the back of him. He needs to be sacked immediately.
I don’t care if we replace Bruce with an actual cabbage at this point, because he’s so useless that an inanimate object could do a better job than him at this point.
Fulham’s loss on Friday evening really was quite an unexpected gift to Newcastle United on the eve of one our biggest games of the season against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
The previous game against the Seagulls, in the second game of season, really didn’t play out well for us and was a huge red flag for how our season was going to progress.
Before the game, the narrative and expectations were split between whether a draw was acceptable or not but it was very clear from all Newcastle outlets that a loss was intolerable.
Brighton made one change from the team that beat Southampton last Sunday with Dan Burn dropping to the bench and being replaced by Jakub Moder.
We, however, were able to make two significant changes with Javier Manquillo and Miguel Almiron returning to the team. Both players provided significant upgrades to recent lineups and, with Almiron’s return in particular, there was a little more optimism around Newcastle’s chances down south.
Stats in the build-up to this game pointed to the probability of a 0-0 draw as this match was the eighth time, we had met in the Premier League with Newcastle yet to grab a win and only registering one solitary goal in all of those matches. However, Brighton did not have the best home form before this game either, with them only managing to register one win at the Amex all season.
It was a messy affair at the start of the match but real fear popped up in the early minutes as Brighton tore the Newcastle defence apart but luckily ended in Dubravka saving comfortably, however, this was just a pointer to Brighton’s dominance at the start of the game.
Brighton were probably always going to dominate possession in this match but the complete lack of an apparent plan from Newcastle, 25 minutes in, was seriously baffling. 83 passes to Brighton’s 243 is a worrying statistic indeed.
Flashbacks to the Sheffield United game here as Newcastle have 25% possession against a team who has only won 1 of their 15 games at home.
Isaac Hayden went down badly towards the end of the half and was replaced by Mr Invisible himself, Jeff Hendrick. It looked like a really bad one and hopefully Hayden will recover soon for his sake and for the club’s sake.
After latching onto a long ball, cutting in and being given too much space to line up a shot, Trossard scored at the end of the first half and it can’t be said that it wasn’t coming. A good finish but stand-off defending – not that it was anything less than our appalling first half display deserved!
An absolutely dire first half in which Newcastle were lucky to say that they were only 1-0 down. The approach to the game had shades of the Sheffield United game and was building up to finish in the exact same way.
The second half started and, aside from Fraser hitting the post after some good build-up play, nothing had changed.
The game felt done at 1-0 in truth, but Welbeck then made sure of it by doubling Brighton’s lead in the 51st minute and any hope for Newcastle to get anything from the game fizzled away quickly.
Neal Maupay then added another in the 68th minute to end his dry spell in front of goal, naturally against Bruce’s Mags. 3-0 and we have never looked like threatening except for one shot by Fraser.
Sean Longstaff made a rare appearance in the 75th minute assuring that we haven’t had a single striker on the pitch for the whole game.
The commentator quipped that we’re playing like we’re against Barcelona not Brighton. Sadly true, highlighting how good we make average teams who’ve won one of their last 20 Premier League home games look – just as we did at Sheffield United back in January.
An absolutely awful result and pitiful performance. Sack Bruce.
BRUCE QUITS. Says he is a **** Manager and has been for the last 23 years and offers his sincerest apologies to all NUFC fans for producing the worst football in their lifetimes. Off to his farm in the NW to grow cabbages and make sauerkraut and kimchi. He wished good luck to Graeme Jones wondering who he was, actual quotes were “was that the bloke standing in my technical area talking to Jamal and Callum?”. “I thought he was some Sky reporter”.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I havent seen any NUFC April Fool’s Day stories yet.
When I was in school the Art teacher sent a pupil to the home economics teacher to get left handed cups and to the metal work teacher for a bucket of sparks.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ryan Fraser scores in both of Scotland’s last 2 games – with respect to Scotland … HES SCORING FOR SCOTLAND!!.
The lad is a talented, very capable footballer – a creator & scorer of goals. Yet in a Steve Bruce NUFC side he has been pretty anonymous – if even selected. He’s one of the first subbed when played – usually for Carroll (the perfect player to get on the end of his crosses).
Bruce keeps banging on that we don’t have enough up front. But if Fraser can score back to back for Scotland – maybe it’s that we don’t play to their strengths (and when I say maybe, I mean obviously).
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think Fraser will play on Sunday. I dont think Bruce will risk St Max AND Wilson. I think the front line will be:
Fraser Wilson Miggy
What formation I dont really know, but probably Miggy as a 10 and Wilson a 9. I just hope they can be done with this split striker and 2 false 10s ****. Whoever has been coaching it, whether it be the Steves or Jones they have to stop now.
God knows what the midfield will be?
I also think that Fernandez will be in for Clark who has been away on international duty.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Does anybody really believe any of this speculation of summer recruits? We dont even know what division we will be in or who the owner will be. Olly has an article up today about a possible transfer, but it is really just international break filler 🙂
If we do go down will Ashley keep Bruce and the Steves. How about Jones? Nickson? Charnley? I would think they will all be gone.
#Bruce is a liar, a fraud, a petty and vindictive cabbage.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – it’s not just playing him though, Bruce should be playing to his strengths. Set a team up to maximise what Fraser can bring to the team.
Bruce just puts 11 players on a pitch and get on with it.
I know it’s been said over this week especially, but Bruce simply doesn’t get enough out of these players & Fraser for Scotland is a perfect example.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, mate. It is almost impossible to see how Bruce has lasted this long in Management. He doesnt seem to have a clue and drags his equally clueless puppies around with him (the Steves). Now he seems to have a counter-force forced on him by someone who is just creating a rift – Charnley, Carr, Ashley? To not have to pay comp? Bruce is a petty and vain man so he was never going to accept Jones.
Bruce also repeats the same pattern at every club he has been at. He does the good-guy, then the undermining of the players, then the attack on the fans, then the alienate the press. It is rinse and repeat.
I only hope the relegation outcome for us is not also rinse and repeat.
I’m going for a draw on Sunday 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Nobody wanted Bruce because of his PL record but I dont think we realised what his character was until he came here. I certainly didnt pay much attention to him when he was at Villa or the Mackems. Now that he has been here for 19 months we can see what an awful manager he is but also what a creep he is. I will be turning the sound down next time he turns up on the pundits couch.
Last transfer window but one Sky had McClaren doing analysis. I thought, what does this man have to do to not be considered an expert. His ship sailed long ago – his Man U days were 20 years ago FFS, and he is even known as “the wally with a brolly”. And that was even before his blank stare days at NUFC and sackings at Derby and Twenty.
I doubt Bruce will survive until home fans are allowed in but I wonder if he could show his face around town after he is sacked? Will he get abuse? I am pretty certain Ugly John Carver wouldnt. Same for Pards, I dont think he was vindictive towards players or fans, just not a very good manager once the players tuned him out. I think Bruce will get some stick if he ever shows his face in Newcastle again.
The only way to stop this is to stay up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
There was an article in The Athletic earlier this week which asked if you wanted to see your Manager in situ in a years time. Bruce was lowest with a score of 25 out of 100 but Mourinho was next with 45. I am guessing the Spurs fans think he plays boring defensive football too often. Maybe they think he is wasting the talents of Kane, Son and Bale. Nevertheless, they never seem to get called delusional. They havent won the league since 1962 and have only 2 league cups to show for the last 30 years. But they seem to now think it is their god given right to be in The Champions League. To get there you have to overcome Man City, Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea (and Arsenal). I would say the years that Spurs have got to the CL would be the exception rather than the rule. So whose fans are delusional?
By the way that 25 out of 100 score is misleading because the lowest score you could give in the survey was a 1 on a scale of 1 to 5. That means he gets 20 automatically if everybody rated him 1. So adding another 5 poinst to get to 25 means more than 90% disapprove which tallies with the Chronic survey and what we all feel in our bones and anecdotally and from reading Blogs etc
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Surprising to hear St Max is ahead of Wilson in terms of fitness. Apart from that Steve Bruce said absolutely nothing in his press conference. Maybe The Chronic havent written the whole thing up but it looks like he wasnt asked about the midfield.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
When asked about the Chronic poll where 95% of 14,000 replies wanted Bruce out, he answered “everyone is entitled to their opinion”. Coward. Are the press not allowed to ask follow ups? First thing I would have said is, so it is all histrionics and keyboard warriors then, 95% of them.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Happy Easter everyone
Lets hope Newcastle can be resurrected on sunday eh.
kimtoon(Quote)
Bruce also said that 7 of the squad were away on international duty suggesting that was hampering training. I would suggest giving the rest all those days off hampered training even more. The 7 away were
Dubs – was sick for 2 games anyway
Krafth
Clark
Hendrick
Lewis
Fraser
Andersen
Of the outfield players only Clark and Fraser would be anywhere near my team for Spurs. I actually think Clark could do with a rest anyway and Fernandez needs gametime.
So, as usual, Bruce offers up an excuse.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Happy Easter to you as well. Against my better judgement I am going to watch it. It starts at 8.05am over here. I reckon he will drop the Donkey and bring in Gayle. I also think he will stick with the supposed experience of Hendrick. This is the team I think he WILL pick (not who he should pick):
Dubs
Manquillo Lascelles Clark Dummett
Hendrick Shelvey Willock
Miggy Gayle St Max
No fcn around with split strikers please.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Mind you, I have no idea who will take the set pieces with Fraser on the bench. Well actually I do but he should never be allowed near another set piece in his life. Yes, I am talking about Jonjo.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, i will be brassed off if he doesn’t start Fraser, he needs to pick players with spirit, pace and put them in their best positions while he’s at it.
It’ll be hard enough as it is without his strange player selections and tactics. We are nowhere near as **** as he’s making us look.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: having looked at Bruce’s comments again I think Fraser will start ahead of St Max who will be on the bench. That should solve the set pieces, if we ever get any 🙂 How many corners did we have against Brighton? Probably 1?
It is pretty scary really. Jose has the Brighton blueprint now and he has always prepared dossiers on the opposition. That was how he came to the attention of Bobby Robson when he was his translator. Imagine what would have happened if you had put Kane and Son in that Brighton team 2 weeks ago? Doesnt bear thinking about.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AND… in the last few weeks there have finally been questions about Jones. I asked about him from the start but most were content that he was not Bruce. I always thought that he was caretaker-in-waiting but that was contingent on them sacking Bruce and the Steves 2 months ago. I thought he could handle a game as we brought in a real Manager. Now if we sack Bruce we have a nobody taking over for the rest of the season. The only thing that could possibly be worse is the confusion they have sown with the conflicting tactics and Bruce having his favorites and enemies and picking the team.
Jones can work all he likes on tactics during the week but if Bruce picks Shelvey, Hendrick and Donkey etc. what good will it do.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You know the weirdest thing about all of this is that Bruce is actually playing the victim.
Even more, he is saying he has a good relationship with the guy who obviously set him up and was trying to humiliate him into resigning – Lee Charnley.
Bruce must be the biggest liar and fraud in the history of football. His line about never walking away is laughable, ask any Sheffield United, Sheffield Wed, Hull or Wigan fan.
I wish a journalist would have the balls to catalogue his lies in one place.
Obviously the NUFC PR people will not let them speak or follow up at press conferences but they do have the power of the pen (or internet as it is now).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He walked out on Palace as well. So, that’s 5 teams.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
now that is a scary thought.
kimtoon(Quote)
Is Luke Edwards just taking the p!ss now? Not even Ashley would offer Bruce a new deal to tie him down because nobody else would want him. His reasoning is that Bruce would only have 12 months on his contract and therefore could expect a new deal. I dont care if he had only 12 days or 12 hours, nobody else would want him.
It will be so toxic next year if he stays. Could he ever recover from this years awful football and his constant BS? I just cant see it. Even if we had a decent start we all know his tendency for death spirals. We are witnessing one now and so did Villa and the Mackems among others.
Luke Edwards has now lost all credibility. This is after he laid out what has been wrong in the last couple of weeks but immediately followed up like the patsy he is with Bruce’s defense word for word. He was defending his Pal but had to put in a little bit about what was/had been going wrong just to try to pretend he is a serious journalist and not a suck up to Bruce.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
New thread folks
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2021/04/02/tottenham-h-pre-match-thoughts-team-news-possible-line-ups-score-prediction/
Olly Hawkins(Quote)