nbthree3

Bruce's Newcastle vs the two seasons before according to WhoScored (Bruce first, not like you'd need that to know!)

Brighton are owned by a professional gambler whereas we're owned by a mug punter

It's really telling that in Bruce's appointment article the club gloss over his managerial career A former Wallsend Boys Club player, Bruce began a decorated professional career at Gillingham, where he carved out a reputation as a solid and determined centre-half with a favourable goalscoring record. After a three-year spell at Norwich City, which included winning the League Cup, he moved to Manchester United, where he would go on to lift three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup, as well as a further League Cup. Bruce made 84 appearances for Birmingham City between 1996 and 1998, before a career in the dugout got underway with a player-manager role at Sheffield United. In a 21-year coaching career since, Bruce has taken charge of a further eight clubs and has clocked up more than 900 competitive matches.

Tbf they had a red card really early on, same as in the Leicester 9-0. But to lose twice by that scoreline

Cardiff away, his first game - 5-1 Bournemouth home a week later, 4-1 Chelsea home 1st game of 19/20 - 4-0 Newcastle Boxing Day 2019 - 4-1 Bournemouth post-Restart - 5-2 Newcastle away 20/21 - 4-1 Leeds pre-Christmas 2020, 6-2 Southampton home, 9-0 Leeds the other week, 5-1

I don't think Ashley cares for the style of football if it guarantees PL safety so he can sell for £300m one day. Fans obviously do and we rightly should protest

Ashley doesn't see runs of form like 27 points in 26 games, that'll do us well for 40 points and safety (or comfortable safety knowing 29 points kept you up last year) so it's fine for the hierarchy. And he doesn't want to pay the "7 figure" compensation fee so that's another thing going, too lucrative to sack when you could've spent the money getting him here on Rafa's contract extension??

Anybody who challenges the typical media narrative on Bruce gets respect from me, we have Sunderland fans in the comment here justifying his dismissal, 22 points in 28 games. We're 27 points in 26 games so marginal gains and all that

"Nickson may have been running the rule over sought after midfielder David Brooks, who has also been subject of interest from Crystal Palace and is represented by the same agency that the Magpies use regularly for deals." Yes please

Hope's probably the best local journalist we have, usually a lone figure in the backdrop of happy campers at the club peddling what the hierarchy would want to hear. He doesn't shy away from criticising - "you calling me a liar?" and had a row with McClaren too "I'm not the problem, you are Steve"

His system is the 442 diamond, played that consistently with Luton. It worked well in League 1 for Nathan Jones and he kept that on. However his Luton conceded the most goals in the division with 71 by the time he left which was in the middle of the pandemic before Restart. 43 goals scored was the 4th lowest and the xG tables from what I've seen had them rooted at the bottom so for whatever reason it wasn't successful. More suited to a coaching role definitely than management. In his own words "he tried attacking everybody" and it left them exposed like proven Since Brighton we've exclusively played 3-5-2 which Bruce tailored this summer's incomings - only Willock but remember he kept "bashing away" apparently - on. Always risky if it didn't work out. Few lines when he was appointed https://www.nufc.co.uk/nufc-tv/latest-videos/graeme-jones-speaks-after-joining-steve-bruces-coaching-staff/ "I'm here to offer a neutral opinion... I've seen lots of different styles and approaches... the big thing for me has always to try control games with the ball, you can control games without the ball and there needs to be that balance." "If you haven't got the best players in the league you need to be a little pragmatic... to get a style of play that benefits Newcastle United that gets the best players out on the pitch." "I'm coming in here to help, to offer a different opinion... the longer I stay neutral, the better... the more supportive I can be in that role" "It's up to Steve whether he uses that opinion and that advice, or little bits to help us go forward."

The system change (442 diamond which we didn't go back to when Wilson etc got injured) until March and Willock's purple patch post-Brighton kept us up. That 3-0 was a real turning point

Doesn't look good

Pretty much but he hasn't been replying to fans which was his main point. "Pearls of wisdom"

5 points behind on last season already, looks like the luck's coming from other games this season

Yeah I heard it, load of boos hahahaha

I heard anti-Bruce!!

Fans completely silent, bar the "Toon Toon Black + White Army" I hear every few mins. It's apathy at its finest

Incredibly lucky not to be 1-0 down there

Arsenal bottom

Forest goal 1-1