Fresh from calling Allan Saint-Maximin a ‘clown’ just a few days ago, Gabby Agbonlahor has made another desperate attempt to defend his old pal Steve Bruce.
His rant at our Frenchman was laughable (you can read it in full here) – as if he is to blame over Bruce for our recent struggles – and he’s now turned on Freddie Woodman to try and take the blame away from his former boss.
Agbonlahor claims we wouldn’t have conceded either of Man Utd’s opening two goals if Bruce had a “proper keeper” between the sticks, insisting the NUFC boss was let down by his players at Old Trafford.
Not only that, he’s called our criticism of Bruce ‘boring’, asking ‘what more do we want’ from the 60-year-old – as if he’s working wonders!
Here’s what he told Football Insider:
“Criticising Bruce is boring from Newcastle fans.”
“Your manager is managing a team with limited funds. Everyone else is spending money and Newcastle aren’t so what do you expect from him?
“They put up a great fight against Manchester United for 40 minutes until the keeper decided to throw one in and Ronaldo’s second goal went through his legs.
“With a proper keeper both of Ronaldo’s goals wouldn’t have gone in. The keeper let him down.
“The Fernandes goal you can’t do anything about.
“Steve Bruce deserves a break, he will keep them in the league but he can’t take them to the next level with limited funds.
“Newcastle fans need to understand that. I don’t understand what more they want for him.”
Agbonlahor played under Bruce at Villa and stated last season that we’d be beaten 6-0 every week if Bruce tried to play the ‘attacking football’ we demand – an amusing line which sums up the lengths he’ll go to defend his man.
It seems they both have something in common – it’s never Bruce’s fault. He’s not been backed. He hasn’t got good enough players. He’s being let down at one end by Saint-Maximin and then at the other end by Woodman.
Rubbish. He was lucky to get the Newcastle job in the first place – he arrived as a Championship manager with an abysmal EPL record – has a squad capable of more than just surviving, yet has us second bottom, winless in the league and out of the cup.
The sooner Bruce and his mates in the media realise it’s time he took a look in the mirror and worked on solutions, not blaming others for his incompetence, the better.
If this ‘idiot’ is working wonders at our club and insists we are making progress then why are our results so far worse than the same fixtures last season?
West Ham at home: we won 3-2 last year but lost 4-2 this season
Aston Villa away: lost 2-0 last year and by the same score this year
Southampton at home: we won last year 3-2 with 10 men but drew 2-2 this year
Man Utd away: lost 3-1 last year and lost 4-1 this year
Bruce’s win rate so far in 2021/2022 season 0%
Can someone please tell me where we are making progress? It seems to me that we are going backwards under a Head Coach/Manager who is clueless and makes absurd statements. 😯
Blaymag(Quote)
Getting a bit emotive there Olly.
While you say “His rant at our Frenchman was laughable” many fans agree 100% with him.
His horrendous stats, the number of times he loses the ball and falls over. How many blind alleys does he run up?
It’s like when Miggy arrived. 100% effort but no finished product. Miggy’s calmed down lot now, we need ASM to do the same.
Freddd(Quote)
I totally agree with Gabby and fred-not bruce’s fault-his keeper is hopeless and the fwds cant score or hit the target-im anxious every game-we should have signed Rondon-kept Andy Carrol for his defensive work and ariel threat-shud never have let Armstrong n Toney go-Rafa to blame there
Jim(Quote)
So fans agree that ASM is a ‘clown’?
As for his stats, he has a goal and two assists in 4 league games so far. Keep that going all season and he’d have 9 goals and 18 assists by the end of it, so this isn’t the time to start slating his numbers.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)