Questions need to be asked about what is going on with the injuries at this club. Newcastle were forced to play with ten men for the bulk of the second half due to four players leaving through injury.
The players gave their all to keep the score respectable, but many of them should not have been put in the situation they found themselves over the past few matches.
Newcastle made one change after a first-half that quickly turned south with two more defensive errors. Sean Longstaff was on for Jonjo Shelvey, who had to be replaced with an injury following Jetro Willems and Javier Manquillo from the first half.
Longstaff was our final substitution, so when Fabian Schar hurt his hamstring in the first few minutes of this half, we were down to ten men for the second time against a dangerous Leicester side.
The formation became a 5-3-1 with Miguel Almiron in at left wing-back and a back three of Krafth, Lejeune, and Fernandez.
We’ll give it to the lads as they got on with it and didn’t drop their heads. They even managed to threaten Leicester City in the 59th minute, but Joelinton whiffed at his shot in the box.
Playing with ten men and the heavy holiday schedule took its toll. Newcastle looked knackered, and it became a game of damage limitation for the last 25 minutes.
They almost held out, but to rub more salt in our wounds, Hamza Choudhury blasted the ball into the top corner from outside the box. To be fair, it was an unstoppable shot, and the lads were shattered at that point. But to have the man who injured Matt Ritchie score was a sickening sight.
Now what kind of side Bruce can field for the FA Cup match at Rochdale on Saturday will be the question. He might have to look to the reserves for some bodies to fill out a squad.
106 comments so far
Lindisfarne
Jan 1, 2020 at 4:59 PM
Comment #1Newcastle lose more than half the crowd
MagpieRanger
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Comment #2Relagation form. The writing is on the wall Mike, cough up or sell up.
Nufc-83
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Comment #3Only thing to do is laugh at that.
Bambams
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Comment #4I was told a couple of weeks ago Bruce is really pushing the fitness levels in training. There are lighter training sessions when its within 48 hrs of a match (after or before) but in between the boys do so much running – maybe this could be down to why we are having so many muscle injuries.
I didnt expect a win today – this is how far my expectations have fallen over the years under that piece of turd AshLIE
Rochdale !!!!!!!
TomaKaThor
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:02 PM
Comment #5Don’t care tbh, is funny watching how fickle the majority of fans are though, they turn on players so quick both ways, few good games, ”world class” a few bad ones and sell them they’re garbage… Nobody is safe from the arm chair football fan
Nufc-83
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #6He has to put out a reserve side for the cup game surely?
sing in the corner
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #7Eagerly awaiting Bruce’s post match comments..
Please don’t bemoan our luck..
Welshbirmgeordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #8GROUND ZERO for NUFC. Worst game I have ever watched. Bleak with no hope left.
Mad Frog Boom 22
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #9Lady luck has left…..what next?
MagpieRanger
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:04 PM
Comment #10Nufc-83, that’s exactly what fat Ash would have liked, no cup run again.
toonbrother
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:05 PM
Comment #11those silly fans booing joelinton have clearly learnt nothing from the perez debacle
its not the player that’s the problem
its the system
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:05 PM
Comment #12Why would we sell Gayle? We’ll need him in the Championship as he can score goals at that level. Great plan Ashlie – Keep him.
Neil you say “Questions need to be asked about what is going on with the injuries at this club.” shouldn’t these questions have been asked long ago as its too flaming late now? We’ve been a team of sick notes for an awful long time.
Anyway it will give the Club the chance to play a much under strength side at Rochdale in the FA CUP . Get knocked out in the 3rd round as per usual so we can concentrate on trying to finish 17th or above in the Premiership Why would a Club with no ambitions change a habit of a lifetime
Welshbirmgeordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:07 PM
Comment #13Toonbrother.
It’s BOTH. He’s not good enough and the system is wrong as well. You imply Linton is good enough, he’s clearly not. He’s not a winger or a centre forward….what is he?
TomaKaThor
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:07 PM
Comment #14Exactly toon brother, they expect miracles from him
Moonraker15
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:07 PM
Comment #15The inevitable is happening – meltdown!
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:08 PM
Comment #16Sing in the Corner . We were moaning about the ref when his name was announced BEFORE the game even started .ALL the blame lies with the greedy stubborn owner & the Clueless Manager – both not fit for purpose
TomaKaThor
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:08 PM
Comment #17Linton will no doubt move on like many players before him and show his quality at another club, our club is the problem
kc2012
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:08 PM
Comment #18What a horror show.
Injuries or not we were 2nd best from start to finish in that game. Leicester didn’t even look like they needed to break stride.
Steve Bruce says he wants 3 new players but after Today’s showing and mounting injuries I think we need a striker, a couple of actual wingers, a proper holding midfielder and atleast 1 defender as cover.
Muto should be kept simply because he looks like he actually wants to play football more than Gayle and is probably a much better player than we’ve seen and could be decent if we actually played to his style of play (which isn’t going to happen) but I doubt there’s many strikers in World football that would score more than 5 goals for our current style of play.
Gayle, Saivet, Colback, Ki and Atsu should all be sold. I like Atsu for some reason but have to face the fact that he’s never going to really make a difference for us. I’d also probably sell Lejeune over Clark aswell.
Bring back big Mo Diame.
jimiley
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:09 PM
Comment #19I hope the ten thousand freebies are enjoying the footy.
I think they will gradually realize that there is better entertainment elsewhere,
t home the home supporters are expected to enjoy their team do the majority of the attacking. But we cede the majority of the play to the opposition regardless its Watford of bindippers. I would not go to games to watch the other team play keep ball. Its weird how people get their fun.
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:09 PM
Comment #20HEY Liecester, Perez – £30M well spent boys!!!!
gonufc (Newcastle United Sports Direct Advertising Club)
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:10 PM
Comment #21This is all comes from Ashley’s disgraceful ownership. That is the bottom line for all of this. Just sell!
Pain in the Blog
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:10 PM
Comment #22The venom on this blog is astounding. Lejeune was not only match rusty but exhausted. Four first choice players injured. Played half the match with ten men. FFS get real you whinging ****s. We were never going to win that match anyway. Give your heads a shake and stop acting like children who’ve broken a toy.
dougie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:11 PM
Comment #23The first half of the season luck has ran out.It was a miracle how we accumulated those points.The football on show is dire,some of the worst I’ve ever seen.Attackers that can’t score or create coupled with defenders that incredibly can no longer defend spells serious trouble.The second worst manager in Premier League history in the dugout and the treatment room nearly full.The wheels have come off and it’s reality check time.The club is run on a shoestring and is a shambles from top to bottom.Dont be expecting reinforcements either, the parasite thinks Sports Direct FC will scrape to 17th.
Rotonda heights
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:11 PM
Comment #24Munster
I know you think bruces long running training sessions were great and thought they were better than rafa’s more passive sessions. Would you concede rafa knew what he was doing.
I really despair at the total footballing ignorance of some people like jib. Keeps getting it so spectacularly wrong while still having a pop at real fans he couldn’t hold a candle to.
Welshbirmgeordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #25Pain in the blog
You’re a troll. Everyone has every right to be disheartened, there is no hope left.
Lindisfarne
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #26Bambams
Does not surprise me, no defensive cohesion leading to losses and players confidence is shot.
Rob1971
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #27Bruce has to be blamed for that, lejune out for ages with injury is then made to play 4 games in a row while looking way off the pace, Bruce said it himself that he was out of sorts yet still starts with him today? This is another game at home where the opposition keeper has had 1 save to make, I hope fans aren’t blind to see that this is going to be a battle to stay up, villa, Watford and Southampton all wining today Watford and Southampton are bang in form while lose 3 in a row and ship 9 goals.
jimiley
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #28The midfield and defence can score goals but our forwards have to be the most shot shy in our history. In other words the crappiest.
Its an excuse to say the midfield creates nowt, they score and three forwards should be able to create chances for each other. They create very little and score even less because they are crap. And that includes Almiron.
bill
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:13 PM
Comment #29New owner required and replace the whole team. I cannot think of any player in that team that is worth keeping.
Moonraker15
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:14 PM
Comment #30Toonbrother/Toma
When a player is crap he gets booed! What do you expect? Applaud him? You do that when he’s good you numpties!
Rotonda heights
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:16 PM
Comment #31Tomakor
I dont think the players are all that bad but are being very poorly coached by a man whose excuses book puts pardew to shame.
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:16 PM
Comment #32KC Strangely we seem to do OK when Clark plays and he has chipped in with a few goals. I agree Gayle, Saivet, Colback, Ki and probably a few others like Darlow have to go.I don’t think Mutu is going to make the grade either but we need him as sort of back up until somebody else is signed. The long term injuries to Ritchie,Lascelles and ASM are a real worry on top of the fact that we need a proven goalscorer and a Midfield ball winner and playmaker.Those who couldn’t even make the squad, I.E Colback and Soviet should be given away to get them off the wage bill.
TomaKaThor
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:16 PM
Comment #33Moonraker
I look forward to seeing you say he is class if he scores in hmm I think it would take 3 succesive games for you.. Clown
Pain in the Blog
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:17 PM
Comment #34Welshbirmgeordie,
And just who the **** are you?
Moonraker15
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:17 PM
Comment #35It’s a shambles! We are about to visit the Championship again and this time we’re staying for a while!
bill
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:19 PM
Comment #36The parasite is the problem. Don’t bother looking any further.
jimiley
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:19 PM
Comment #37Such performances will not take long to clear out the freeloaders. More regulars will follow.
The best fans in the UK will at last make a stand. After 10 bleedin years!!!!!
Moonraker15
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:19 PM
Comment #38Toma
I doubt he will score shay and he’ll never be class you goon! He’s useless!
toonbrother
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:20 PM
Comment #39is linton the reason we’ve conceded 9 goals in the last 3 games
despite playing 5 at the back
smacks of scapegoating to me
really unintelligent behaviour by those “fans”
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 1, 2020 at 5:21 PM
Comment #40You’re spot on Rotunda .The truth is often painful but by saying it as it is does not make you a poor supporter. Good money was taken off loyal fanatical supporters(the best in the land) today under what could be construed as under false pretences . The freebies apart.