buzza

We had better offer him a new contract then... his current one runs out next summer!!

Best match we have played by a country mile. There was no player to really moan about today, every one of them gave a decent/good/great performance. The back three and wing backs is very defensive but it works for the style Bruce seems to want to play. It could be so much better if we moved slightly further up the pitch (as a block) rather than sit in an area covering fifty yards from goal.

As seen in other threads, I am in total agreement about ASM and his free role restricting him rather than adding to our attacking threat. The problem for us is that if Bruce does play him out wide he will not track back to help out the wing back. If he did, it would be a simple swap of positions between him and Almiron. Bruce is not capable of working this out, we will stay as we were on Saturday for the foreseen...

The positives from the match: 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 suits the players we have at our disposal (more so when hayden is back). Jacob Murphy has a sweet pass on him and has improved 150% Hendrick is much better as a centre midfielder, with almiron next to him and putting in a shift they looked really solid (Shelvey, take note!) The three at the back look much more comfortable than in a back four If we wanted to... we could play very positively with this formation At last, Brucey Bonus played Fraser from the start and he played well (was to be expected) The negatives from the match: ASM looked uninterested, is the laziest when defending (at least look as if you want to defend slightly). We were playing so deep that by the time our attacking players received the ball they were still inside our own half. We allow opposition centre halfs and full backs loads of time and space to initiate attacks in our own half. Could we ever think about pressing as a unit further up the pitch? Steve Bruce should have hooked ASM at half time but doesn´t have the gonads.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/match-analysis/premier-league-202021-tottheham-vs-newcaslte-tactical-analysis-tactics Analysis of our tactics (or lack of) which leaves no doubt about the quality of management we have...

Joe Linton did ok yesterday, OK being that he put in the shift but didn´t really contribute in much of what he is supposed to do (create danger). I don´t think Bruce is doing a bad job with him, giving him minutes to build some confidence. I would love to see him come good and the only way is to build him up... Bruces´ post match comments on the tactics (lack of) for yesterday were lamentable, reminded me of Pardew tbh.

Shelvey is in the team because of the defence we have i.e. they aren´t good enough to bring the ball out. Shelvey has to drop deep to get the ball and then play a long raking pass past his midfield mates (they don´t pass the ballk out either). If we had signed Holden from arsenal it would have given us options to get rid of shelvey in the middle as he is composed on the ball. At the moment we are very "one-paced" in the middle with shelvey and hayden. I would prefer a more dynamic "pivot" next to hayden such as either hendrick or matty, someone who could actually back up the attacks and have the drive (balls...professionalism) to track back afterwards. Shelvey just doesn´t want to do the work necessary and is a "luxury"... I would rather he played a 433 or 4231: -----------Defence------------- Hendrick-----Hayden------Almiron AsM--------Wilson-------Fraser ---------Defence-------------- ------Hendrick -----Hayden--------- ASM--------Almiron---------Fraser ------------Wislon----------------

Thought the ref was very much against us today, gave them loads and turned his back on all of our shouts...

Brightons' 352 was always going to overrun us in midfield, the only ones capable of quick pressing are hendrick and hayden, hence the virtual non possession. Brucey also should have played his quicker agile players up front (almiron/fraser) as they have big centre backs. He just doesnt get tactical footbal... P.s. Carrol seemed to be walking for most of the 1st half.

Would go with following: ASM wilson fraser Hendrick Shelvey Hayden Lewis lascellles fernandez manquillo Darlow

Think he will play a 433. Carrol as lead and asm and wilson wide

Rafa, phone George and put the record straight!! although we all know the truth we just need someone with a voice, respect and relevance to put the fat creep in his place...

Good Post. I think the only thing you have missed is how clever Ashley´s people are in the selection of the new manager, knowing they have a great firewall to the possible backlash... Why did they pay 4 million when other much better managers were available? Why did they go for a manager with absolutely no category whatsoever? ... because he was a Geordie they could easily spin on his arrival and use the homegrown ticket to avoid a complete and full backlash from the fans. Also, Knowing Bruce would come out spouting his love for the club and churning out soundbites to at least calm/connect (one of "our own"). You have to take into account that I suppose half of our fanbase isn´t media savvy and this lot are best placed to swallow the strategy in place. I hope Rafa hits back today or tomorrow, just for the sake of those "out of the loop" or gullible enough to soak up the shi** that he came out with yesterday. It only takes a modicum of intelligence to weigh up the events over the last 12 years and come to the conclusion of who to believe...

One can only wish all sorts of malign things to happen to this bloke. He is a horrible example of a person and it shows through his lack of respect for everything and everyone as long as it serves to make him and his accounts fatter. Karma for this lardars* would be nice

Like the title a lot more now! I honestly feel like a gullible five year old at them moment: It´s quite amazing how easy it is to get caught in the flow of hope and optimism and then to get dropped into huge vat of putrid shi*.

It really doesn´t get any lower than this... does it? Turned down by Fat sam (anything more humiliating?), only to decide that a plastic manager with his only redeeming factor being that he "supported Newcastle as a kid" and who has been quoted "I don´t believe in tactics" is nº1 to replace our ex-world class manager. I wish I had a season ticket... only to rip the fuc**** thing to shreds and set fire to the remains. :rant:

Well done to the mirror! At least some of the press have a bit of local knowledge

An alternative could be that the BGZ group didn´t want to keep Rafa as manager and the easiest way for them to enter the scene, change the manager and not rile the fans would involve a scenario like the one we are seeing now. On the other hand, it is most likely to be that fat good for nothing pile of sh** who owns the company just doing what he normally does... anything to pee us off and to make himself more wonga (pun)

Just the sight of that slimy tw** really makes my stomach churn. TBH anything/anyone is better than what we have had to put up with for the last 1o years or so (Rafa fully exempt)

Are Mbappe, dibala, sancho and co. now considered "realistic" targets?

Feghouli is a fast and tricky winger but very inconsistent. Not exactly a Rafa player if you ask me (no defensive wortk tbh)

Nail on head!!!

I thought the back three were quite poor last night, they hardly one a single ball in the air and were line rabbits in the headlights every ti.e a long ball was launched at them.

In central midfield we have nobody who could make any sort of difference

I haven´t seen Diame look so bad. every ball he touches he loses and he is nowhere near interceptions of any sort.