HaydnNUFC

Posted mine last night when I couldn't get any sleep in the Bruce thread. Football clubs are meant to provide 90 minutes of escapism, solitude or whatever for fans in these times. I had it in the Championship season under Benitez, going to games, watching us or whatever. Those 90 minutes probably were one of the few things that kept me going back then when I was really struggling, fuck knows what people have now. Probably a bit deep but y'kna. Anyway here's what I posted last night:

It's vehemently frustrating, like. We've been utter shit for a season and a half under him with a handful of minor exceptions. Pundits and the media barely watch us, Sir Les albeit we love him, showed us this pre Leeds. They just look at the league table, look at results at FT and think he's doing a 'good job' as a result*. This is then contradicted by the opinions at HT and FT of utter shitshows we serve up where the team and individuals are blamed but Bruce isn't. It's Almiron being inconsistent and not scoring for ages, it's Joelinton not being good enough, it's Maxi being erratic and it's our back 4 being unorganised. Bruce is somehow absolved of this despite picking underperfomers week in week out, our good defensive organisation that was seen under Benitez and at some times last season has evaporated, the central midfielders coming deep for the ball and therefore having no options ahead of them which leads to a quick turnover of possession. Bruce just can do no wrong in their eyes because he's their mate, he's one of the lads, he's good craic and he's English which plays into the jingoistic bollocks of a lot of ex players. *I want to build on this point. What is a 'good job'? Midtable again, in spite of not even progression being shown, only regression? This just fuels the fire of my hatred for the elitism in English football, the top 6 status quo. A good job for Newcastle is midtable, yeah their fans want to see more? Pfft, you can't touch the Man Utds, Man Citys, Chelseas of this world, be happy because you're where you belong. Just fucking fuck off you cunts. I digress, anyway: Benitez was the antithesis of Bruce. He was a foreign manager, had a lot of success both in this country and abroad, has had the love of 4 huge different fanbases. Yet the football had the reputation of being dour, defensive stuff which a fair few morons in our fanbase bought into. The Man City home game almost 3 years ago to the day when we were a newly promoted side brought this nonsensical reputation to Rafa's Newcastle; a team that's happy to have <30% possession so long as we could keep the score down. Think back to the media reaction that night, Neville's commentary, interviewers' questions. We almost snuck a result and would've ended a Man City's side's 17 game winning run, a side that would go on to get 100 points. We lost 0-1 yet were a newly promoted team with next to no investment in the playing staff but that label stuck. I guarantee that Bruce would've gotten credit that night if we was in charge of us, or of Sheff Wed or Hull. Thing is, he probably wouldn't have had the know how to. And it seems that we're stuck with him. We can't voice how much we fucking despise him, we don't even know if getting rid would even be the right thing to do due to choices out there and this takeover stuff. Bearing in mind, I don't believe it for a second. Either way its a rancid fucking cycle and I'm sick of it.

Longstaff started 8 league games in 18/19. He made 9 appearances. Hardly the last half. Since he came back from injury for the first game of last season he's been, on the whole, shit. Those 8 games, while under Rafa, are starting to look like a purple patch ever more.

Fully agree. It's why whilst I want Bruce to fucking drop dead and be replaced by literally anyone at this stage I don't think the likes of Howe are the answer. The takeover happens, we'll want the manager changed. Again.

He literally loaned out one of our better CBs at the start of the season for no fucking reason.

Under a normal, competent manager I'd probably fancy us to nick a draw or some form of decent result here, Man City aren't tearing teams apart like they have been in the last 3 years. But we're managed by Steve Bruce, so 4 or 5-0.

Needs a manager that doesn't act like his fucking mate so he can't just be a lazy cunt on the field and not get punished for it. See Rafael Benítez Maudes.

Like fucking clockwork, the fat prick.

Would put money on him saying 'need to roll wuh sleeves up, dust ourselves down and go again'. May be a little 'back to basics' as well.

He will 100% not even consider walking. Steve Bruce only cares about Steve Bruce, look at how he left Sheffield Wednesday.

Hope he has a fatal heart attack on the way home along with all of his supporters and people who try to justify him. Cunt.

Is Ant McPartlin around? Hope he drives the team bus home.

At least big English Brucie gave a the cups a go unlike that horrid forrin Benitez.

Yet to create something so far 2nd half. Bruce is doing a great job though.

Mental how easy it is to beat Lewis.

Aye, fuck knows what's done in training.

And another throw in their third ending up with the keeper in 2 passes. Fuck me.

Hospital pass from Clark there.

Pitch looks shite.

L ngstaff. They haven't put their strongest side out so surely no excuses for Bruce tonight, but there will be.

We're about to play in a cup quarter final against lower league opposition, a strong chance to get into a cup semi since fuck knows how long, 2005? I should be frothing with excitement about it, but I'm going into it with no hope expecting to lose. All the hope sucked out of it all. Bruce, that.

Which of our players do you like out of interest? Apart from Almiron and Wilson there aren’t really many likeable players in the team imo Most to be honest. The core that was here under Benitez mainly, and we added some good characters like ASM. In terms of quality and squad togetherness I think we’re a strong unit. It’s like chalk and cheese compared to the main players that took us down last time. With a decent manager I think we could achieve far more than what we have and be much more interesting to watch. Top 10 maybe. Same thoughts here tbh.

Garbage draw where we get battered for most of the game then pens.