One thing Steve Bruce did on Sunday that really impressed us was his bold team selection. After the Leicester performance, a statement needed to be made and Bruce did just that.
He brought in two players who had barely featured in Matty Longstaff and Ciaran Clark. He also handed Allan Saint-Maximin and DeAndre Yedlin their first starts since returning from injury. This proved to be a masterful decision by the head coach.
These players struck a perfect balance between experience and youthful exuberance, while adding the power and pace the team needed to threaten Manchester United.
Dropping Paul Dummett must have been a difficult one for Bruce. The local lad had a bit of a nightmare against Leicester filling in at left-back. However, he had put in some top performances this year including winning Man of the Match honors in the Tottenham win.
Jamaal Lascelles– hoping team have set the standard after Manchester United
Skipper Jamaal Lascelles spoke to nufc.co.uk about the team selection last weekend and what he expects going forward:
“The manager made a few changes; we know how hard a job it is for a manager to drop players and put players on the bench, but he’s put Matty Longstaff in there, added Ciaran to the team and obviously Allan (Saint-Maximin) was back in the team, so a few new faces who haven’t really featured this season and they did a great job.
“It was a fantastic debut for Matty – you couldn’t write it – and I was pleased for him and his brother that they were playing together. All over the team, we were enthusiastic, energetic, in their faces. We’ve set our standard now and that’s how we always need to play. Nothing less.
“We’ll enjoy this little international break and after that, we’ll start planning for another big game at Chelsea. I think momentum is a big thing in football but I think a little break won’t do us any harm and we can refresh but still knowing that we’ve just beaten Man U, and we’re still on a high from that, so hopefully we can go into the Chelsea game full of confidence.”
The team has shown little consistency this season so we’ll have to wait to see if last weekend will be the standard going forward. The match at Stamford Bridge on October 19th will be another against the so called top six.
While Chelsea have had a respectable start under Frank Lampard, only Liverpool have looked unbeatable this campaign. Chelsea are in 5th place but are in somewhat of a transition mode under their former midfielder.
We anticipate that Newcastle can come out and give it a real go at Chelsea in a couple of weeks. There should only be Florian Lejeune and Matt Ritchie unavailable for the game. The increased competition for places will be even more intense after Steve Bruce has shown his willingness to bring players in from the cold.
32 comments so far
geordietom
Oct 9, 2019 at 3:57 PM
Comment #1đ
lesh
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:15 PM
Comment #2NY Mag
No problem, my skin’s pretty thick these days.
Mindshaft
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:18 PM
Comment #3Got confirmation of my Chelsea tickets today ))
lesh
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:19 PM
Comment #4Wynsleap
You forgot to mention the deficit that Labour left years ago. Your chums haven’t trotted that one out yet but give it time – anything to divert attention from years of austerity and oh, nearly forgot, lies and the lies that keep on lying.
Enough of that from me but……
cleveleysbob
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:29 PM
Comment #5I see Lesh is trying to re-write history!!
Give over Lesh this is an NUFC football blog, not a Corbyn campaign mouthpiece!
Wonderful result on a Sunday, hope we can repeat that at Chelsea.
beefman13
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Comment #6Neil with respect, Bruce only picked that team on Sunday because his previous team threw the towel in, imo it was not a bold selection it was a team picked wers the previous players that played in that Leicester game had no argument about getting dropped, I mean Atsu walking in to the team game after game, gotta be kiddin me. Matty o ly got in t h at team because of the failings of his failings of his previous choice, The manager won’t get any credit from me, should not be here.
Mag52
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:47 PM
Comment #7Come off it Beefman.
Bruce had Ki to replace Hayden, but he opted to go with Matty. Ki would have been the safe option.
He played Clark in place of Dummett, and Clark had a decent game.
He chose to start Yedlin while the possibly more defensive Kraft and Manquillo were left out.
He had a number of options, and, on this occasion, made the right choices. It might not always be the case.
bettyswallocks
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #8There you have it lads and lasses Lesh once again confirming that he really does believe the dishevelled old paraffin lamp ( Rhyming Slang ) is the right man to lead this country.
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #9beefman13
Bruce only picked that team on Sunday because his previous team threw the towel in.
That’s called managing
martoon
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:57 PM
Comment #10Jib comment #23
“Martoon
I think itâs everything if you use their search engine
which is why I linked it.
Sometimes you have to scratch your own arse”
Why have a dog and bark yourself???
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2019 at 5:03 PM
Comment #11Robleenio,
Only six hearts so far for your earlier post. Disappointing, deserves a lot more.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2019 at 5:14 PM
Comment #12Has someone Jib knows suffered misfortune or been ill lately, he seems to be very full himself since his spell on the naughty step.
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 5:19 PM
Comment #13Martoon
Woof woof
RobLeenio
Oct 9, 2019 at 5:26 PM
Comment #14Jail, it’s a repost and canny long. It got 30-odd the first time round. Thanks though.
Jib, pretty sure that relates to the trademark of Newcastle United, not the logos and crests, though the kit list makes me wonder. Not had time to look into it properly, but Ashley was after Rangers’ crest and was denied it, which made him throw a proper tantrum.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mike-ashley-demanded-ownership-rangers-4404886
Given that context, I’m not sure why he wouldn’t have taken the NUFC one, given that it would be easy to do so as owner of the club.
Not proof, I understand, or anything like it. I’ll get back to this later.
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 5:32 PM
Comment #15Rob
That remark by Ashley about
“what’s an extra ÂŁ10M to a sheikh”
could be him trying to squeeze summat from
the TM’s – who knows ?
toon22
Oct 9, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Comment #16JIB
The traitors well on his way to being the worst manager in prem history
Give yer head a wobble
LoL
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 6:18 PM
Comment #17toon22
I wobbled my head
Bruce isn’t even in the top 20 worst managers in the PL
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 6:19 PM
Comment #18I forgot LoL
Sorry
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #19Jiblets,
John Carver was probably the worst, Brucie however is the second worst consistent PL manager,
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2019 at 6:53 PM
Comment #20Frank De Boer was pretty shite as was that guy at Spurs, was it Ramos, Christian Gross was pretty lame as well, how many games we talking before you can be considered for the worst ever in the top twenty.
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 6:58 PM
Comment #21Jail
Bruce is the second worst consistent PL manager
wtf does that even mean ?
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:35 PM
Comment #22Jib, jail’s mastery of english is second only to his extreme levels of bitterness. What a dick.
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:43 PM
Comment #23I always think of Jail’s worship of Rafa when I listen to
Tina Turner’s
River Deep Mountain High
“When I was a young girl I had a puppy that always followed me around”
Jib
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:43 PM
Comment #24How’s life Jail ?
Ruff
lesh
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:44 PM
Comment #25cleveleysbob
Why didn’t you tell the ones who posted political comments before I did, to desist from doing so?. Sorry, but if it’s ok for our right-leaning friends to post their views, then I believe that those of us who disagree with them have every right to respond. What’s good for the goose etc
Despite the fact that Corbyn commented on Ashley’s abuse of NUFC, some of your chums took the opportunity to snipe at him and that, I thought that a tad unfair. I don’t expect an answer but I assume you’d see that as unfair opportunism. Oh, and for information, I’m no great fan of the man.
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2019 at 7:47 PM
Comment #26Did the pup shit everywhere and then rub his arse in it?
bettyswallocks
Oct 9, 2019 at 8:03 PM
Comment #27Lesh……… Anyone in the public eye who comments on Ashley’s abuse of NUFC can only help our cause, therefore the comments made by your comrade were appreciated and obviously hit a nerve. However if you think it was done out of genuine concern as opposed to political point scoring then you are sadly mistaken.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2019 at 8:06 PM
Comment #28Consistently worse as in the second worse with 250 games, worse than Pulis, Hughes, Allardyce and Pardew Jibbers.
Munster,
I’m truly lost for words at your last post, it’s like what some patient in a secure unit would come out with. Quite remarkable. Shakes head in disbelief!!!
lesh
Oct 9, 2019 at 8:14 PM
Comment #29Munster Mag
I wasn’t born yesterday! But, Corbyn spoke out and I’m not holding for any of his opponents doing so – after all, they support business.. Innit!
lesh
Oct 9, 2019 at 8:15 PM
Comment #30Munster
* ….not holding my breath waiting for any of his opponents ….. Etc
lesh
Oct 9, 2019 at 8:17 PM
Comment #31Bettys…
Posts 29 & 30 should’ve been addressed to you, not Munster
cleveleysbob
Oct 9, 2019 at 10:13 PM
Comment #32Lesh, apologies, didnât see previous article/posts, so kinda only saw yours in isolation, as Jib would say, âmy badâ:)