Steve Bruce gave his press conference yesterday for the game tonight at Oxford United in the 5th round replay of the FA Cup, where there must be a result,
The lads will then have a break before our next game at Arsenal a week on Saturday.
Maybe we can win both those games?
It will be a welcome break form one and all.
The 0-0 draw against Norwich last Saturday was the second successive 0-0 bore draw at home, and our lads didn’t play well at all
But at least we go two clean sheets!in those games
Steve Bruce – his players are giving everything
Bruce has valiantly defended his team, who now have taken 31 points from 25 games – not too bad a haul – 7 points above relegation and 5 points from the top six.
This is what Steve said yesterday as reported in the Shields Gazette:
“In the last couple of weeks, maybe we’ve been lucky,”
“But I can’t see that the accumulation of points over the last seven months is luck.”
“I think that’s an insult to the players, I really do. They might not be technically the best, but they go out and give us as much as they can give. That’s all you can ask.”
“I could play the way Norwich play quite easily, but, for me, it’s all about keeping the club where we need to be.”
“I think if we changed to four at the back, we’d be in trouble. I think the players we’ve got are comfortable in the system we’ve got.”
“We didn’t play well against Norwich, because we didn’t do enough with the ball, we didn’t create enough problems for them.”
“I have to say in defense of the players, particularly at the top end of the pitch, where we’re crying out for something a bit different”
“I haven’t been able to freshen things up and give them a few days off.”
If we can win tonight, the mood of the fans will be raised considerably.
What Will Be The Result Against Oxford In The FA Cup Replay?
- Win (57%, 1,620 )
- Loss (43%, 1,202 )
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- Average (48%, 1,708 )
- Poor (33%, 1,176 )
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Comments welcome.
30 comments so far
hibbit
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:22 AM
Comment #1Ed and if we lose melt down !!!!!!!
hibbit
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:24 AM
Comment #2not exactly a convincing vote for a win, in a one off game against a division one team is it ??
RobLeenio
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:27 AM
Comment #3Repost:
Bruce deserved credit for stabilising the squad and making us competitive in the first half of the season, keeping us clear of the relegation zone and getting us through to the Winter break in good shape. Still being in the FA Cup at this point is a pleasant surprise too, though that may change tonight obviously.
He now needs to push on from here. He’s had rotten injury problems, especially among the strikers and other forwards, but that situation is changing. He’s also recently had some good additions to the squad which should improve the quality of play.
If the football continues to be as poor as it has been, with the returning players and new signings, then that won’t be good enough. I’m not done in my judgement of him yet, maybe won’t be until this time next season, but things need to improve between now and May and the sooner the better.
Thing is, I think he recognises that too. Does he have the ability to make it happen? I guess we’ll find out.
Moonraker15
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:33 AM
Comment #4Bruce, we know the players are giving their all! They aren’t the problem! YOU ARE you dinosaur and your mate Mike Ashley.
I’ll bet if we lose tonight it’ll be “the players just didn’t have enough”. You won’t be saying “we” you’ll be saying “they” !
Freakin yes man who’s having his last hoorays before retirement!
TomaKaThor
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:34 AM
Comment #5While I don’t think Bruce or the coaches are good enough for where I aspire Newcastle to be if we got a new owner, we are never going to get the kind of manager of coaches ect I want while under Mike Ashley…
Yes the football is dreadful and yes we have been lucky but I don’t see how much can change until the owner changes
RobLeenio
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:34 AM
Comment #6nezza “hasn’t had any success and gets clubs relegated”
Bruce was relegated with Birmingham after having kept them in the PL for four consecutive seasons, then brought them back up in the season immediately following relegation.
He kept Wigan safely mid-table for two seasons, same with Sunderland for two consecutive seasons, not relegated with them.
He brought Hull up from the Champo, kept them up the following season and got them to an FA Cup final and into Europe, was relegated once the following season and again got them promoted the very next season, before leaving as he and the Chairman didn’t get on.
He got Villa into the Champo play-offs, made the final and lost narrowly to Fulham.
That’s not a history of relegation and no success, it’s a history of managing small clubs with limited resources and doing pretty well with them.
I get people are unhappy at the moment, but lazy rewrites of history are misleading and unhelpful.
TomaKaThor
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:37 AM
Comment #7I do believe Bruce wants us to play better attacking football it’s just him and the coaches don’t have a clue how to train the players to do it, which is why he is not good enough in that regard of being a manager.
DaveD1000
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:38 AM
Comment #8Paul_Watson
@Paul_Watson__
I’ve heard that Steve Bruce is going to try a new formation tonight and will play Dubravka AND Darlow in goal. He’s playing “2 up top” in reverse in an attempt to nullify the Oxford attack. #nufc
11:30 AM · Feb 4, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
Moonraker15
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:39 AM
Comment #9TomaKaThor
We had a mini revival under Rafa especially in the second half of his final season when Miggy came in!
Remember the level of support for Rafa? The flags, the constant chanting his name, the optimism!
All blown out cos the owner has no ambition!
Are we the only club this would happen because of the loyal fans?
WLtoon
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:39 AM
Comment #10Bruce had the most expensively assembled team in the championship with Villa and the football was still dire.
The Villa fans could,nt wait to see the back of him , they were 14th when he was sacked as far as i can remember.
Cant remember who took over from Bruce but he guided them to the play offs with the same players as Bruce could do jack shit with.
A good tradesman never blames his tools, piss pure excuse for a piss poor manager.
If he is in charge next season we will go down plain and simple,
We wont get the luck we have had this season
DubaiMicky
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:40 AM
Comment #11According to the Shields Gazette’s Liam Kennedy, Jack Young and Tom Allan have both travelled, Dubs hasn’t.
We can’t lose this…. Can we?
Starts at midnight and I’m off to a quiz tonight 8-10.30 or so – will I make the ko after a belly full of beer? #Cans!
RobLeenio
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:40 AM
Comment #12https://www.premierleague.com/managers/2197/Steve-Bruce/overview
Jib
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:43 AM
Comment #13WLtoon
Bruce had the most expensively assembled team in the championship with Villa and the football was still dire.
You could change that to :-
Rafa had the most expensively assembled team in Europe with Real and the football was still dire.
It’s about as relevant
jimiley
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:45 AM
Comment #14Does the manager not believe in luck then?
He has trawled the world in January but could not find anyone better than the four strikers who have a total of ONE goal after two thirds of the season. That’s a quarter of a goal between them.
Such absurd statements make him a figure of ridicule and not support.
Jib
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:50 AM
Comment #15Jack Young is listed as a DM but he has a great shot on him
I’d love to see him make his senior debut tonight
(hopefully 2nd half when we are cruising)
RobLeenio
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:50 AM
Comment #16Villa was a basket case of a club around that time, loads of managerial changes
Tim Sherwood: Feb-Oct 2015
Kevin MacDonald (caretaker): Oct-Nov 2015
Remi Garde: Nov 2015-March 2016
Eric Black (caretaker): Mar-Jun 2016
Roberto di Matteo: Jun-Oct 2016
Bruce took over after Di Matteo after he won one of only 11 matches and with the club sitting in 19th place in the Champo and staring at relegation.
He stabilised them, kept them up and next season missed out on promotion by a narrow margin (playoff final defeat to Fulham).
Next season was a bad start and the Villa owner got an itchy trigger finger, so Bruce was gone. You can’t slag Bruce off because his successor took the team to the play offs and not at least acknowledge that he did the same the previous season.
Moonraker15
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:50 AM
Comment #17Oh! Jib the font of knowledge is on Rafa’s case again predictably!
So, are things better now that the owner is giving away 10 thousand season tickets? Wonder why he’s having to do that which is unheard of in the football world never mind the most successful league in the world!
toon kk
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:50 AM
Comment #18I do agree with Bruce, it’s just the quality is not there. our players are giving their best, we’re playing exactly the same as last season, most of our players are the Same Rondon and Perez our goal scoring players have gone so goals are hard to come by. We’re stuck with Joelinton although with the right players around him he’d definitely improve.
I’m expecting a tough game tonight, hard one to call, not Alot of difference between us.
WLtoon
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:51 AM
Comment #19Jib
that us true but Rafa won things and we played a bit more attacking football in the 2nd half of last season when we acquired Almiron.
We have St Max in the team now and are still turgid going forward.
See how fans feel tonight if we lose against a lge one team.
Anglo Saxon
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:53 AM
Comment #20Jib camping and cruising you got all the attributes.
Anglo Saxon
Feb 4, 2020 at 11:55 AM
Comment #21Think Ashley will have a large wager tonight any thoughts which team.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:00 PM
Comment #22Bills son
Are you honestly as thick as you come across?
You said I brought your father on to the blog, I mentioned him, you brought him on to the blog
You brought your father onto the blog by the name you chose, duhhh.
You’re a proven liar, I’d be surprised if you’ve ever been to SJP
WLtoon
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:00 PM
Comment #23He will go for the best odds so i reckon his wager will be on Oxford lol
sifu
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:01 PM
Comment #24I remember the last time we went to Oxford and got hammered. I think the same will happen tonight.
toon kk
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:02 PM
Comment #25Wltoon
We had Perez and Rondon last season.
Our style of play is exactly the same as under Rafa. The quality just is not there mate. It was acceptable by most under Rafa, Bruce has not got the same respect so fingers are being pointed.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:03 PM
Comment #26Rob
I get people are unhappy at the moment, but lazy rewrites of history are misleading and unhelpful.
You should ring Bruce and let him know, he’s at it too
Anglo Saxon
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:04 PM
Comment #27WLtoon I’m of the same opinion mate, hope I’m wrong, but he is a gambler.
geordietom
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:07 PM
Comment #28OP …
i’m not unhappy mate just waiting for the big Announcement Ashley has left the building …
WLtoon
Feb 4, 2020 at 12:11 PM
Comment #29Toon KK
i get your point but ST holders should be watching better than the garbage that they are getting. cant see it getting any better either. it does.nt look good for next season
boss hoggs atm
Feb 4, 2020 at 1:08 PM
Comment #30Lol, we’ll it wasn’t much Bruce