Sky Sports release killer Steve Bruce stats – Are Saudis about to score avoidable own goal?

A Saudi-backed takeover has given us an immediate and much needed boost off the pitch, but there’s still a lot of work to improve performances on the pitch improve.

As a result, Sky Sports have released a hard-hitting piece that exposes just how bad we’ve been in our opening seven games this season, along with the appalling number behind Steve Bruce’s two and a bit years on Tyneside.

Despite a £93.3m net spend – the 8th highest in the Premier League since Bruce took the job – we’ve averaged 1.11 points per game (18th), had just 12 home wins (16th), have the worst ranked expected goals scored (1.07 per game) and score an average of 1.11 per game (15th).

See the killer stats in full below, followed by the damning numbers behind our defensive woes this season:

With Bruce set to be on media duties during Friday’s press conference, it looks increasingly likely that he’ll still be in the dugout when Tottenham come to town on Sunday.

It’s been reported that the Saudis only want him gone when they have a replacement in place, however this feels like an early own-goal from the new owners.

They have asked for patience, which is totally understandable when it comes to investment, initial communication and key appointments from top to bottom, but starting this new era with Bruce still in the dugout suggests they may not appreciate just how much of St James’ Park want him gone.

Things could change between now and Sunday, but there can be no room for sentiment when we’re 19th in the table, without a win and currently sat with the worst defence in the Premier League ahead of a meeting with Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

19 thoughts on “Sky Sports release killer Steve Bruce stats – Are Saudis about to score avoidable own goal?

  1. Saudi takeover euphoria,Bruce still here FFS ,New manager needed asap, Bruce is not a premiere league manager, mediocre championship manager on a good day!!

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  2. Bruce has proved that he ain’t a MANAGER at any level – get rid ASAP

    It can only start with a clear of the waster!

    Looking like the new owners will have to what the fan’s think of the Numpty on Sunday – incredible that he’s not been moved on!

    Time to stop wasters like him being paid Millions for Failure – start telling managers that if you do well, you’ll get paid well BUT if not you walk without the pay off – don’t believe in your ability DON’T come!!!

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  3. I’d have shook his hand, then put him and his staff on gardening leave until we sorted it all out….Clean sweep needed, use Jones until a new manager is appointed. My brother thinks they are waiting to appoint the director first and then he is also involved in the manager recruitment.

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  4. That the new owners are so out of touch with local feeling (and football for that matter) doesn`t auger well for for the future. Our great day tainted with sourness. I`d love to see the useless, lying baftard booed off the pitch, run out of the park & driven out of town in a giant hollowed-out cabbage.

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  5. FFS it didn’t take you long to get on the back of the new ownership !!

    We all know Bruce is a sitting duck, it will happen when it happens, it will be sooner rather than later, show the patience that was asked for, remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

    I thought it was just Ashley that made you so negative, seems it’s just the nature of this blog to be pessimistic about everything !!

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  6. Get off the new owner’s back. Relax. Mike Ashley has gone. Too early for this nonsense.
    We will never be in this situation again!

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  7. David:
    FFS it didn’t take you long to get on the back of the new ownership !!

    We all know Bruce is a sitting duck, it will happen when it happens, it will be sooner rather than later, show the patience that was asked for, remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

    I thought it was just Ashley that made you so negative, seems it’s just the nature of this blog to be pessimistic about everything !!

    One article (amongst many praising what new owners have said so far) doesn’t make us negative or pessimistic towards the new owners! Deary me… 🙄

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  8. Against a team like Tottenham there is no harm in having Bruce, the bad thing about him is he has no attacking nouse about him; however defensively he seems to succeed against the bigger teams on occasion ! fingers crossed that and a bit of luck and the toon will get 3 points on Sunday

    I also agree with Amanda Staveley he has kept us in the league the past two seasons maybe not in a great position, give him his 100oth game and let the new owners make the decisions they want.

    I am also strangely grateful to Ashley if he hadn’t bought us and run us like a business NUFC would probably not have been bought by PIF so the future is partly down to the way he has run the club, although it has been depressing getting through those years the future is only upwards and cans to our new owners

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  9. Ashley bought the club for 134 million he did not know it was 100 million in debt, so in total he spent 234 million before you get to transfers. He then sold it on for 300 million making 64 million profit.

    Ashley took care of Ashley. Any debt left behind from Shepherd and Hall has now being picked up by the new owners. Not to mention every penny Ashley sucked out of it! The fans suffered managers and players alike.

    However, keep jumping down the throats of those in charge, and we’ll look like a bunch of deluded fans, oh yea, we’ve been there.

    New broom and all that.

    Now Ashley era will indeed be looked at with fresh eyes – how would we feel if when you had these big plans on transfers, there’s a short fall of a hundred million?

    His fault – he should have done due diligence. Plus, at the time he pushed a reluctant owner – our!

    Not forgetting, it’s normal for clubs to be run in debt! So what, we were paying transfer fees off over a protracted period of time. Only, Ashley paid there and then. Not only paid but received the money up front, for Andy Carroll. Which until Ashley – was unheard of!

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  10. Fsake. You Stoke a fire to create an effect to gain a living. Who do you think would have stuck through the **** he has? Regardless of your thoughts or opinions let’s be fare here and accept who he worked under before hand, It was only last week we were mourning the 90s! We have been giving the best global exposure ,(human rights needs addressing big time but so does famming and thug life). But bad news sells, global promotion already and not a ball kicked. ( feel like I’m tripping my self up already here I’m just a fan of the club no more no less). Bruce has the club’s best interest at heart and by no means you can all say he’s had a fair crack at the whip? Our team is made of useless CBS I mean come on utter Garbage. Midfield not a clue and some lonesome talent up top on the odd occasion accompanied by another talented baller in Wilson but unfortunately not present enough to promote a better outcome in league position. I like to think of Bruce as the man who puts you in the recovery position. Perhaps he’s there to take the blame incase we lose at the weekend.hes been through worse but least he stood by the hard times and kept the sale alive so thank you Bruce. Big thanks and enjoy your retirement.

    Olly Hawkins: One article (amongst many praising what new owners have said so far) doesn’t make us negative or pessimistic towards the new owners! Deary me…

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  11. David Barber:
    Ashley bought the club for 134 million he did not know it was 100 million in debt, so in total he spent 234 million before you get to transfers. He then sold it on for 300 million making 64 million profit.

    Ashley took care of Ashley. Any debt left behind from Shepherd and Hall has now being picked up by the new owners. Not to mention every penny Ashley sucked out of it! The fans suffered managers and players alike.

    However, keep jumping down the throats of those in charge, and we’ll look like a bunch of deluded fans, oh yea, we’ve been there.

    New broom and all that.

    Now Ashley era will indeed be looked at with fresh eyes – how would we feel if when you had these big plans on transfers, there’s a short fall of a hundred million?

    His fault – he should have done due diligence. Plus, at the time he pushed a reluctant owner – out!

    Not forgetting, it’s normal for clubs to be run in debt! So what, we were paying transfer fees off over a protracted period of time. Only, Ashley paid there and then. Not only paid but received the money up front, for Andy Carroll. Which until Ashley – was unheard of!

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  12. dmacbrew: That the new owners are so out of touch with local feeling

    I’m sure they are completely aware of local feeling.
    They are also aware that removing Bruce and putting Jones in charge would get us very little in the way of improvement against Spurs.

    Why are fans getting so worked up about this? They’ve got their take over, Ashley’s gone and there are hundreds of millions available for transfer.
    You’ve waited 18 months for this to happen, but you can’t wait 10 days for Bruce to leave?

    Bunch of kids. Showing all the common sense and patience of a bunch of millennials

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  13. It’s like inviting your ex-wife to your wedding reception …. and letting her make a speech …

    Ashley’s puppet … awful manager … lousy record everywhere he’s been.

    Jones is an England coach … I don’t see the problem … get rid asap.

    #BruceOut

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  14. Bob:
    Fsake. You Stoke a fire to create an effect to gain a living. Who do you think would have stuck through the **** he has? Regardless of your thoughts or opinions let’s be fare here and accept who he worked under before hand,It was only last week we were mourning the 90s!We have been giving the best global exposure ,(human rights needs addressing big time but so does famming and thug life). But bad news sells, global promotion already and not a ball kicked. ( feel like I’m tripping my self up already here I’m just a fan of the club no more no less). Bruce has the club’s best interest at heart and by no means you can all say he’s had a fair crack at the whip?Our team is made of useless CBS I mean come on utter Garbage. Midfield not a clue and some lonesome talent up top on the odd occasion accompanied by another talented baller in Wilson but unfortunately not present enough to promote a better outcome in league position. I like to think of Bruce as the man who puts you in the recovery position. Perhaps he’s there to take the blame incase we lose at the weekend.hes been through worse but least he stood by the hard times and kept the sale alive so thank you Bruce. Big thanks and enjoy your retirement.

    Stuck through the ****? He is the ****, and getting paid millions for being so.

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  15. BykerBill: I’m sure they are completely aware of local feeling.
    They are also aware that removing Bruce and putting Jones in charge would get us very little in the way of improvement against Spurs.

    Why are fans getting so worked up about this? They’ve got their take over, Ashley’s gone and there are hundreds of millions available for transfer.
    You’ve waited 18 months for this to happen, but you can’t wait 10 days for Bruce to leave?

    Bunch of kids. Showing all the common sense and patienceof a bunch of millennials

    Improvement? Maybe not but it wouldn`t hurt to have the crowd 100% concentrated on backing the team, and Jones deserves some recognition for what he has done. The match should be all about atmosphere with no distractions. That`s not going to happen now.

    And who are you by the way? You talk about the fans as `they` as if you don`t include yourself.
    I`m from Byker by the way and 74 years old, hardly one of your millenials.

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