On Saturday against Burnley, Steve Bruce implemented a new formation to try and pose more of a threat in the final third. As far as shot attempts are concerned, he was successful.
The 4-2-3-1 system Newcastle deployed on Saturday did offer much more of a threat than the previous week at Crystal Palace. However, the match at Selhurst Park was hardly a benchmark to measure success by. Newcastle had just 2 attempts on target out of their 8 total shots.
At St James Park against Burnley, Newcastle fired over 20 shots. However, they still managed just 4 on target. The quality of the chances was definitely still lacking.
Though we did see an improved performance over the previous few weeks with Newcastle able to keep a clean sheet while having a constant presence in the opponent’s box.
Bruce made five changes from the Crystal Palace match. Jonjo Shelvey and Javier Manquillo made their returns from injuries while Matt Ritchie and Isaac Hayden were brought back after being on the bench for the two previous matches.
Most significantly, Dwight Gayle was handed just his third start of the season. The 29-year-old had been out with a hamstring injury before returning as a substitute against the Eagles last weekend.
His addition in the starting eleven had as much to do with Newcastle’s increased presence in the final third as the change in formation. Dwight is a natural striker, and his instincts are to get in the box to try and get goals.
Bruce also pulled Miguel Almiron from the right wing and played the Paraguayan as number 10. Almiron looked very comfortable in the role that he played he often at Atlanta United before joining Newcastle last January.
It was Miguel’s performance on Saturday that most impressed our readers. Almiron has quite easily won the poll as the best player against Burnley.
The 26-year-old grabbed just under 40% of the 1,270 total votes to win his third best player poll this year. His other ones came in both matches against Rochdale in the FA Cup.
Jonjo Shelvey claims second place with 16% of the vote while Matt Ritchie gets third with 12%. By the results of this poll, we think Newcastle fans really fancy Almiron playing as a number 10.
Hopefully, Bruce sticks with this new formation and continues with Miguel in this role.
Who Was Newcastle's Best Player In 0-0 Draw Against Burnley?
- Miguel Almiron (39%, 496 )
- Jonjo Shelvey (16%, 202 )
- Matt Ritchie (12%, 153 )
- Dwight Gayle (9%, 109 )
- Martin Dubravka (7%, 93 )
- Javier Manquillo (6%, 74 )
- Joelinton (5%, 60 )
- Federico Fernandez (2%, 26 )
- Jamaal Lascelles (2%, 21 )
- A. Saint-Maximin (1%, 13 )
- Danny Rose (1%, 12 )
- Isaac Hayden (1%, 11 )
Total Voters: 1,270
103 comments so far
Lindisfarne
Mar 2, 2020 at 6:41 AM
Comment #41Once I had Toon and it was a blast
Soon turned out Mike wasn’t too fast
Seemed like the real thing, only to find
Mucho mistrust, Toons gone behind.
Ooo Ooo, Aaa Ah!
Ooo Ooo, Aaa Ah!
martoon
Mar 2, 2020 at 6:54 AM
Comment #42Just a Fat Neil Warnock – I’m not trying to defend Bruce but in the interest of fairness you have to consider the teams he had when looking at stats. I’d say our team now is the best he’s had at top level and so more of a yardstick!
hibbit
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:26 AM
Comment #43just catching up had a busy weekend,
interesting take on Steve Bruce and worth a read,
https://www.themag.co.uk/2020/03/sky-sport-pundit-says-steve-bruce-has-misled-the-newcastle-united-fans-on-behalf-of-mike-ashley/
Reilly
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:30 AM
Comment #44Isaac Hayden: “People don’t realise last season the reason why the formation worked so well was because Salomon Rondon was a massive part of that. You could hit the ball 40 yards to his chest and he would knock four players off the ball. We don’t have that this season.”
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:34 AM
Comment #45Interesting take on Steve Bruce next year and worth a read,
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/18272218.survival-followed-spend-says-magpies-boss/
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:44 AM
Comment #46We may be slightly less entertaining than the ok years and our players may be slightly inferior but we are in a much sounder position financially. The club has generated profits of 100 million for many years and is in a much better place
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:45 AM
Comment #47Jibbers
It’s called bribery to win back the fans and our numpties fall for it every time
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:45 AM
Comment #48Kk years
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:46 AM
Comment #49jimiley
The club has generated profits of 100 million
Correction
The club has generated INCOME of 100 million
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:49 AM
Comment #50jimiley
I you are so dim you don’t know the difference between Income and Profit
you are not particularly worth the chore of engagement.
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:49 AM
Comment #51I = If
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:50 AM
Comment #52Keep trying jibbers.you are well worth the effort
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:52 AM
Comment #53I think the club gambled on AC’s fitness
If big Andy had stayed fit he would have been
a perfect replacement for Big Ron who was always
going to follow Rafa to China
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:52 AM
Comment #54Jibbers
Do you have a job other than a SD employee
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:54 AM
Comment #55jimiley to paraphrase Wayne’s World
“You’re not worthy”
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 7:59 AM
Comment #56Jibbers
A crap gamble . Ac has not been fit for 5 years. Ask any hammer. He was guaranteed to be unfit. Another top decision by the hierarchy. Not quite as bad as big joe
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:00 AM
Comment #57I wonder if this is poster Swemag ?
https://theathletic.com/1640251/2020/03/02/mr-newcastle-burnley-asprilla/?source=shared-article
jimiley
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:01 AM
Comment #58Have you got nothin better to do than defend Ashley 24/7. Somebody must’ve paying you well or you have no life
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:20 AM
Comment #59There will be a pre FA cup tie press conference this morning from Benton
Jail for Ashley
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:21 AM
Comment #60Jib,
That article renders itself as useless the moment it mentions signing Danny Rose on a permanent basis if he impresses. Like Soloman Rondon who impressed more than could be imagined, there is no way they would pay a hefty fee and the type of wages Rose knows are available when he becomes a free agent. You say Rondon was always going to China, probably have a mountain of evidence somewhere to back that up. The reason he was, is because the club in their wisdom never had any intention of signing him.
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:21 AM
Comment #61Mid day apparently
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:23 AM
Comment #62Barely slept a wink last night.
Already filled with excitement for part two of ‘new era’ football.
I can imagine us backing off the gas at about the 20 minute mark as we won’t want to embarrass the smaller team.
Roll on the summer when we ignore the so called star players and pluck players from the 3rd tier in Moldova, after all if we get great players and Bruce coaches them there just wouldn’t be any competition. That’s why he’s managed smaller clubs or those who were struggling. Juventus were turned down for Wigan, Real Madrid brushed aside for Hull City. Now though the master plan will be unleashed in full.
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:23 AM
Comment #63I don’t think Southgate would have been too impressed by Rose’s performance
Jail for Ashley
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:24 AM
Comment #64Have you just been on the phone to Moncur Jib
toon22
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:25 AM
Comment #65JIB
You mean Jabba made a profit
😉
toon22
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:26 AM
Comment #66JIB
Undisclosed Payments
😉
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:28 AM
Comment #67Toon22
No comment.
Sssshhh it’s all perfect and above board.
The 13 year master plan is about to be unleashed.
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:30 AM
Comment #68Rose might be picked as backup to Ben Chilwell
English LB’s aren’t that plentiful
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:31 AM
Comment #69Moncur is in Gibraltar
hibbit
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:34 AM
Comment #70Jib @45
that’s just Bruce putting us in promised land again,
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:37 AM
Comment #71Moncur is in Gibraltar?
This can only mean that he’s sounding out the Gilbraltar FA about Bruce coaching their national team alongside his NUFC duties.
They will win the next World Cup for sure.
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:40 AM
Comment #72Nope
He has a yacht there
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:43 AM
Comment #73Phew that’s lucky, I don’t think the wider spirting world could handle the genius of Bruce in such a wide scale.
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:45 AM
Comment #74spirting or spurting ?
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 2, 2020 at 8:55 AM
Comment #75Spirting, spurting and sporting. All of the ings, even Danny.
The world is just not ready, you know it Jib, Bruce is the man to lead the club nay the whole world forward into Utopia.
After he’s won his 5th straight champions league title, he’s going to fix climate change using only a wooden spoon and a pep talk, he’s that good.
#cans
Mar 2, 2020 at 9:03 AM
Comment #76So according to some on here , London was always going to follow Rafa , even though the player has repeatedly said he wanted to stay and he and his family loved life in the north east …
Who to believe, jib or rondon – tough choice 🙂
#cans
Mar 2, 2020 at 9:03 AM
Comment #77Robson even
#cans
Mar 2, 2020 at 9:03 AM
Comment #78FFS autocorrect… Rondon
#cans
Mar 2, 2020 at 9:05 AM
Comment #79The club signed Carroll simply to appease the fans , they knew he couldn’t stay fit – which is why they gave him a pay as you play deal
People making stuff up.on this blog is unbelievable jeff
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 9:05 AM
Comment #80the player has repeatedly said he wanted to stay
with Rafa