Where do Newcastle go now after yesterday’s dismal performance against Norwich City? The optimist will think, well this is the deepest part of the pit, and we’ll begin to crawl our way slowly out now. The pessimist will be ready for the descent further into the muck that Newcastle United are in at the moment.
Either way, both sets of fans will be filled anticipation of what awaits them over the next few weeks. We haven’t got a clue what this Newcastle team is at the moment.
We saw flashes of something forming in the first match at home against Arsenal. It was a followed by one of the worst displays by a Newcastle squad in recent memory. It combined a lack of direction from the coaching staff, as well as a lack of commitment from the players on the pitch.
Newcastle started the game under an onslaught from Norwich which was to be expected. Norwich manager Daniel Farke hinted as much leading up to the match. There was no secret as to how Norwich were going to play.
Steve Bruce– back to the drawing board at Newcastle
Newcastle had no answers and after a week to prepare for Norwich, the lack of a plan is very concerning going forward. In the Chronicle, Steve Bruce had the following comments about what Newcastle had tried to do.
“Once we turn it over can we counter-attack quickly?
“When you play with the system we are playing with, it is important you get on to your shape quick.
“The first pass, for example.
“We put two crosses into the box, and we basically should have scored twice.”
While Newcastle did have two excellent opportunities to score on the break yesterday, they didn’t do enough to force more of those chances. They didn’t pressure Norwich enough and didn’t keep their defensive shape when they were under pressure.
It was a poor performance that Newcastle fans should be extremely concerned over.
Steve Bruce said as much yesterday in the following comments also published in the Chronicle.
“It is a big disappointment, and it always will be.
“You can’t take them for granted.
“They had a long way home after a disappointing performance.”
Now, Steve Bruce will have to formulate something for Tottenham next Sunday. It will be a big ask for this squad to get anything at Spurs.
We understand that this squad is still being primed at the moment and is far from the final product. However, we hoped for signs of progress at Norwich and saw the exact opposite.
Steve had the following comments about the week ahead as he prepares the team for Spurs:
“I will go back to work this week and try to get prepared better and look forward to Tottenham.
“We all know that the players can do better than that and it’s something we’ll look at.”
The players can do better, and they will know that. Everyone must do better. For Steve to be successful, he must get the best out of this team, and that begins on the training pitch.
This past week wasn’t good enough. Former Norwich and Newcastle forward Darren Huckerby summed it up best. The Newcastle fans do deserve much better.
Brilliant performance from #Ncfc dominate from start to finish, Newcastle were poor, Newcastle fans deserve better
— Darren Huckerby (@hucks6dh6) August 17, 2019
58 comments so far
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:35 PM
Comment #1Munster
He’s not that good.
Ashley just spunked 40m on the Brazilian Riviere and he hasn’t been on holiday.
Grafton83
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:43 PM
Comment #2By staying away we are supporting the club in the long run, it seems illogical but the sooner nufc aren’t advertising sports direct in the premier league, the sooner we aren’t making huge profits from premier TV money, the sooner our squad has no saleable assets over £10m the sooner MA will loss any interest he has and will finally move on.
Think long term and support the club by staying away. It’s hard but we need short term failure for long term success
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:52 PM
Comment #3Did we actually spend 40 million though ?
If hes not fit by Sunday were looking very short on strikers, putting more pressure on the team
Belfast
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:53 PM
Comment #4Time to grow a set of bollox Steve and be your own man. Time to use your own system and use your own tactics and stop trying to impersonate Rafa with this three at the back shite. The second half last week and yesterday was a total shambles. It clearly isn’t working.
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:54 PM
Comment #5Hopefully by the middle of Sept we will see Jabba in a bit of turmoil over the problem he has with SD and the lack of an auditor
Belfast
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:56 PM
Comment #6If we play the same system against Spurs we’ll get murdered. I’ll be flabbergasted if it’s three at the back again.
Belfast
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:58 PM
Comment #7I wish I’d a pound for every time you said that toon22. I’d be on a cruise right now
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:58 PM
Comment #8Belfast
Hes not shown he has the skill to turn us around, this is about what you get with the traitor at every club hes been at
A final reflection on Steve Bruce’s time at Aston Villa
1 comment
For some reason – Steve Bruce is off to Newcastle United. Toon fans should be wary.
https://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2019/7/16/20695888/a-final-reflection-on-steve-bruces-time-at-aston-villa
IrishRob
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:58 PM
Comment #9“Look forward to Tottenham” god he’s as thick Shít.
Prestonmag66
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:58 PM
Comment #10Bruce is completely out of his depth and will hopefully be found out (sacked) sooner than later. Shame for the guy but in his heart of hearts he would have known this before accepting the role. Maybe he should have listened more to his pal, Shearer, and not accepted the position.
Be well, Steve. No-one wishes you any harm but just funk off before the gówno hits the fan!
Frank pingles come sock
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:59 PM
Comment #118.30pm
Channel 5
Undercover at sports direct (Shirebrook)
Must watch
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 7:59 PM
Comment #12Belfast
Here ya go
https://www.drapersonline.com/news/sports-direct-asks-government-about-auditor-problem/7037184.article
Sports Direct asks government about auditor problem
Belfast
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:00 PM
Comment #13Probably on my third bottle of Dom Perignon.
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:00 PM
Comment #14Problems for fatso are piling up
IrishRob
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:01 PM
Comment #15Prestonmag… you Polish?
Genjikai
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:03 PM
Comment #16We want ashleyout. We want ashleyout.
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:03 PM
Comment #17Mid Sept either Jabba de lists SD or appoints an auditor
Or the LSE will suspends his shares and the government steps in to appoint someone to do the audit
The big 4 wont do it, the rest are to small
Either the government decide he is to big to hurt or they appoint hopefully the HMRC to audit his tat
toon22
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:04 PM
Comment #18Its the best hope we have had in a long time, his problems are mounting
Jail for Ashley
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:13 PM
Comment #19Prestonmag66,
Why a shame for the guy? Shearer told him, he must know McLaren who admitted himself he should have stood up to them more. He knew he was walking in to a shambles run by clowns to be a puppet for a proven strategy that does not work. That’s why I hat the tw@t even more than I did before. He is a very wealthy man $30M he didn’t need the job, he could have stayed comfortably where he was and done us all a favour. His big fat ego got the better of him and made him take a job he knows he didn’t deserve, he’ll never work again after this and will be associated with yet another relegation.
jimiley
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:17 PM
Comment #2047k at Arsenal.
After all the hype about a boycott, thats the best we could do??
The fans deserve Ashley. They are beyond help.
toon kk
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:20 PM
Comment #21Many are writing Joelinton off already? Maybe he could have done better but what support or service did he get. The whole team should hang their heads in shame and reimburse travelling fans from their own wages.
Bruce maybe a championship manager but no manager would expect that shambles.
There was zero effort.
Bigjim67
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:20 PM
Comment #22Been a shit week and an even shittier weekend, usually i would say :- a new week let’s be positive and you never know we might sneak a point against spurs.
Not even gonna try to kid myself though.
From what i saw of yesterday’s performance we have zero chance. I’ve tried to get myself to support SB but it’s never going to happen, I’ve just lost all enthusiasm for this season.
TOF where are ya? Bladey? Ilovetoon? Can’t argue with the missus, she takes it too far. ?
jimiley
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:20 PM
Comment #23Preston mag
If you are Polish can you get me some fresh bilberries?? I know they are common in Poland..
They are like golddust in England.
Market stall holders look a t you as if you have two heads and produce blueberries. Most have never heard of bilberries.
TheTinman
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:23 PM
Comment #24Can’t blame Joelinto yet, but he should have buried that header. Might have changed the game.
Belfast
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:26 PM
Comment #25I think the three at the back only ever worked because the emphasis was always on being organised and being hard to beat to be honest. Sheffield United today – perfect at it. I’m not sure what the emphasis is on at the moment. I’m still trying to work it out.
I’m kinda hoping he’s came in and thought right I’ll not change to much here and see how we go at first and play it by ear. If that’s not the case like we’re up shit creek.
toon kk
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:30 PM
Comment #26Alot of our players have given up before the season starts because of Rafa moving on.
They need to put effort in and work harder.
Its easy to blame Bruce. The team maybe limited in quality but hard work can help compensate.
We all know Bruce should not have been given the job and MA always thinks he knows best but he needs a chance it took Rafa 10 games to get a win and motive our players.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:36 PM
Comment #27toon kk,
He knew exactly what he was up against
c-dog
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:37 PM
Comment #28Toon kk
You are a disgrace
Bruce is incompetent
Our dissatisfaction might help force him out which is the only chance we have of avoiding relegation
Jail for Ashley
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:47 PM
Comment #29Are people forgetting that in that ten game winless run we were 2-0 up at Old Trafford, had 29 shots against Brighton but no £40M striker, missed a penalty at Cardiff and were in the game for most of them except Leicester. Did it look anything like we were in it once Arsenal scored last week, the players know that Rafa was their only hope of achieving something here, despite their guff in the press they’ll all be feeling as despondent as us.
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:49 PM
Comment #30I would never write any player off, I’ve been wrong about several in the past but up to now Joel does not look to be the big mobile skilful striker we need and hasn’t impressed me at all, really hope i’m wrong!
Mindshaft
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:55 PM
Comment #31I heard or read somewhere that the actual payment for Linton was something like 25 million with the additional 13 coming in add-ons for games played , goals etc – no idea if figures are true but it was well reported that there were a lot of add ons in the contract
toon kk
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:58 PM
Comment #32C Dog
Read my post, I sead we all know Bruce should have not been given the job.
Point I’m making is the players could have tried far more.
Jail
Bruce like Pards were over the moon to get a job opportunity better than they could have ever dreamt of. I agree they probably know as we do they’re out of their league literally!
Mindshaft
Aug 18, 2019 at 8:58 PM
Comment #33Jail, I was going to say the same thing – huge difference between this year and last although ultimately it doesn’t matter – if this isn’t sorted out soon Ashley will be looking at another relegation and I doubt this bunch of players will get us out if it this time …
Hope Ashley has inserted relegation clauses in their contracts
bill
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:00 PM
Comment #34Very disappointing programme on 5. More like an SD advert. That’s my take on it.
bill
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:03 PM
Comment #35Should have been 3-0 up at Old Trafford. Blatant penalty not given.
toon kk
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:05 PM
Comment #36We’ve been scratching around the relegation zone for years. RAFA knew our only strength was to defend especially against strong teams., Bruce has one strategy and it will take us down if the players don’t work hard enough.
bill
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:06 PM
Comment #37Under Rafa we looked organised, in the last two games we look as if we don’t know what we are doing.
The Newcastle Armchair
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:17 PM
Comment #38We’ve looked like Pardew the last two games
The blog atmosphere also reminds me of those times
beermonkey
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:27 PM
Comment #39Bill
Not exactly hArd hitting journalism was it
Like you say more of an advert
Look at me I am del boy done good
We got a few things wrong but it not my fault how was it supposed to know
But look at what we are doing now aren’t we great
Bleatin' n Bruced
Aug 18, 2019 at 9:29 PM
Comment #40People writing off the likes of shelvey again, no workrate, strolling around etc. how do you expect him to fare when the shape of the team around him has turned into s hook blancmange and you’re relying on a a heart attack candidate wobbling at the touchline concentrating on not soiling himself to give you instructions on how to play with the hotchpotch team that’s been chucked in around you.
It doesn’t take much to make a player’s head drop and I can see those short deliveries and lax defensive errors are as much down to the knowledge that your promising career is about to be nose – dived by a sock trader and his patsy crew.