Kudos to Steve Bruce

[XM657]

No, we have to keep our positional discipline. It’s vital to the way we play. Fleck does have some licence to dribble and make runs into the box but if Norwood did it, it could leave us very open to a counterattack.

The names I quoted, as stated, were just examples, really any player in a team should be able to attack, in what ever way he's able. My take is, any player with opportunity to attack and moving out of position, should be covered by team mate until such time they can recover there main role. The game is ebb and flow no need for such intransigence. Surely this is what CWAK's attacking CHs are based on.

 

[BushBlade]

The names I quoted, as stated, were just examples, really any player in a team should be able to attack, in what ever way he's able. My take is, any player with opportunity to attack and moving out of position, should be covered by team mate until such time they can recover there main role. The game is ebb and flow no need for such intransigence. Surely this is what CWAK's attacking CHs are based on.

Yes but you’ll usually find that our centre halves and our full backs are already in attacking positions so if Norwood joined in the attack also there’d be no one to cover for him.
You say any player should be able to attack but that’s exactly how we play. I don’t really understand the point you’re trying to make.

 

[LS16Blade]

Bear in mind that Benitez used to set them up defensively too. They’re used to it, they know how to do it. Teams that don’t normally play like that aren’t usually as well drilled so a team like Bournemouth or Arsenal even just aren’t capable of parking the bus.

It's a good point, and if kudos should go to anyone, it should be to the much-maligned Ashley and his board for recruiting a manager that perfectly fitted the players in Newcastle's squad and their established 'style', albeit that might be a misnomer in Newcastle' case, of play.

Newcastle were just as dull and defensive under Benitez; they're accustomed to parking the bus, home or away, and grinding out the points that they need to stay clear of trouble.

They're not the only club in this division who just 'exist' and ensure that they are around for the next SKY cheque; there are numerous of them. Clubs that don't really try to achieve or even progress; that never challenge in the league and treat the cups with contempt.

And with that objective in mind, for Ashley to get a manager essentially in the same mould as Benitez for a seamless transition, was excellent stewardship. There is no danger whatsoever of Newcastle being relegated.

Contrast the likes of Stoke and WBA who (understandably) tired of Pulis style of football but found that attempting to change the style to something more attractive overnight, in the unforgiving world of the Premier League can be dangerous.

 

[essexblade73]

No, I am sorry (well I'm not actually), but no kudos to him at all. Yes their game plan worked but it is anti football & shows he hasn't a clue how to set up & say "come on, we will take you on in a football match". If a game pans out that way, as it did for us at Everton, then yes as a one off it is acceptable, but if the Blades set up like that week after week & not think about winning a game because we were too scared to lose one, I would soon lose interest in football. Pathetic, yay they got one over us, but so what, as far as I am concerned it is a hollow victory.

Agree. Wasnt any tactical nous behind it. Even andy carroll kept looking at the bench bemused. I could have told them to sit back and try the counter. If we had not changed the front two it would have been a different game. However it was a time for players like Norwood the start showing more attacking prowess, have a shot etc, but he didnt.sideways, hollywood ball, sideways...you see when he gets it, his first look is to see if theres long diagonal pass on, if not he slides it sideways. Penetrate fer fucks sake, play some 1-2's centrally, male some space, have a pop.

 

[JordoBlade]

First team that have come with a genuine game plan of hitting us on the break and not showing any attempt to attack. It worked, might not be pretty but it worked.

Watford were similar and frustrated us. We seem to be better letting the opposition have the ball and us breaking with purpose.

 

[YouFUMS]

However, I'm loving his Alex Ferguson-esque skills in pushing VAR out front and centre to deflect away from a sub-par performance...

You thought last night was a sub-par performance?
I've seen every game this season, and I thought it was the most dominant we've been.

 

[BushBlade]

You thought last night was a sub-par performance?
I've seen every game this season, and I thought it was the most dominant we've been.

Yeah, I’ve just watched the highlights again and we should have got something from the game. Dubravka is a good keeper on his day and yesterday was one of them.

 

[XM657]

Yes but you’ll usually find that our centre halves and our full backs are already in attacking positions so if Norwood joined in the attack also there’d be no one to cover for him.
You say any player should be able to attack but that’s exactly how we play. I don’t really understand the point you’re trying to make.

I'm in a reciprocal situation regards your opinions so as before lets agree to disagree before claims of procrastination arise.

 

[BushBlade]

I'm in a reciprocal situation regards your opinions so as before lets agree to disagree before claims of procrastination arise.

We could probably explain it to one another on a tactics board but it’s Friday night. Have a good one. Fingers crossed for Sunday.

 

[Harrisblade]

First team that have come with a genuine game plan of hitting us on the break and not showing any attempt to attack. It worked, might not be pretty but it worked.

Didn't we do pretty much the same to Everton?

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

You thought last night was a sub-par performance?
I've seen every game this season, and I thought it was the most dominant we've been.

Based on recent performances I felt we were a little off the pace - especially second half...

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

Didn't we do pretty much the same to Everton?

Yes 100% I remember watching the first 25 minutes with my eyes covered as we were getting wave of attacks.

 

[Yoonited]

Give credit where credit is due. Bruce has played us three times now and rolled out the same gameplay to nullify us and it's worked pretty darn well.

Tufty hasn't been able to adjust to what/how Bruce has set them up and/or we've not had the rub of the green every time we've come up against him. Lucky generals and all that...

Still looks like a cabbage though!!

It still amazes me they have such support given his anti football tactics. Personally,if we set up like that, I wouldn't watch us. Awful.

 

[Yoonited]

No, I am sorry (well I'm not actually), but no kudos to him at all. Yes their game plan worked but it is anti football & shows he hasn't a clue how to set up & say "come on, we will take you on in a football match". If a game pans out that way, as it did for us at Everton, then yes as a one off it is acceptable, but if the Blades set up like that week after week & not think about winning a game because we were too scared to lose one, I would soon lose interest in football. Pathetic, yay they got one over us, but so what, as far as I am concerned it is a hollow victory.

Agree wholeheartedly mate and thought similar.Fucking awful .

 

[BushBlade]

It still amazes me they have such support given his anti football tactics. Personally,if we set up like that, I wouldn't watch us. Awful.

Yeah you would. I bet you watched us when Blackwell was manager.

 

[Yoonited]

Yeah you would. I bet you watched us when Blackwell was manager.

I got fed up of it after a while Vishnu yeah my loyalty and glass half full attitude kept me going all the way to the play off final v Burnley. Were we that negative? Gimme, probably

 

[Yoonited]

I got fed up of it after a while Vishnu yeah my loyalty and glass half full attitude kept me going all the way to the play off final v Burnley. Were we that negative? Gimme, probably

Bush not Vishnu,frigging predictive.

 

[BushBlade]

Bush not Vishnu,frigging predictive.

No, Vishnu is fine mate. Bush Blade is just one of my avatars.

 

[Maidenhead]

It still amazes me they have such support given his anti football tactics. Personally,if we set up like that, I wouldn't watch us. Awful.

I watched us when we set up not to lose the point we start with rather than put all our efforts into grabbing the other two available.

That's why I have the loyalty points to get tickets for away games now.

Quid pro quo

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Thought we were naive too. In these sorts of games we should sit in too and say we're happy with a 0-0 as well...

What and have the gimmer a couple of rows back from me shouting, "Gerrit forraaaaaard!" all game?

No ta

 

[jono_t2000]

You thought last night was a sub-par performance?
I've seen every game this season, and I thought it was the most dominant we've been.

I don't think you grasp the idea that Newcastle WANTED us to dominate the game... Dominating possession and completing more passes in first half than we do in entire games previously(albeit sideways more often than not) does not translate into winning a game.

Sure if we scored early the dynamic of the game changes, but fact is we didn't. They backed their defence and keeper to get the job done and they did it.

 

[I should coco]

Give credit where credit is due.

Credit? He's a serial walk out wanker bastard.

I remember pissing myself when he was under pressure at Sunderland and he kept saying "I'm not a quitter".
Yeah right Steve. Apart from at the Lane, Palace, Wigan (twice), etc etc etc...

He can fuck right off and deserves no credit for being a self serving granny-look-alike cabbage twat.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Bruce would sell his Granny's front teeth for a quid. He's a fucking wanker. And it's true.

 

[Kev Gee]

'Told Russell the brussell?
he can fuck right off the fat cunt.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Seems an appropriate time to dust this off and repost...

Old cabbage face does seem to know how to get one over on Tufty!

Credit where credit is due both Bruce and Dean Smith set up their teams to nullify us. I actually think it'll start to get easier for us in the next couple of times when ManU and Arsenal will just play and not have a specific gameplan to stop us playing.

 

[SwissBlade]

Seems an appropriate time to dust this off and repost...

Old cabbage face does seem to know how to get one over on Tufty!

Credit where credit is due both Bruce and Dean Smith set up their teams to nullify us. I actually think it'll start to get easier for us in the next couple of times when ManU and Arsenal will just play and not have a specific gameplan to stop us playing.

They both played in a way that isolated our strikers, so they just fed off scraps. Watford played a similar way at their place.

We’re going to see this more and more, so we have to learn to set up or adapt our system to do something different. Perhaps we could switch McBurnie out and play with two wide strikers, rather than two central.

2 of Sharp/ Ziko/ mousse and even McBurnie, cutting in from the wings, Lunny and Fleck coming through the middle would give teams a different set of problems

 

[Brother-Leech]

Are Newcastle the new Walsall? It’s a shame we can’t get promoted away from them

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

They both played in a way that isolated our strikers, so they just fed off scraps. Watford played a similar way at their place.

We’re going to see this more and more, so we have to learn to set up or adapt our system to do something different. Perhaps we could switch McBurnie out and play with two wide strikers, rather than two central.

2 of Sharp/ Ziko/ mousse and even McBurnie, cutting in from the wings, Lunny and Fleck coming through the middle would give teams a different set of problems

Totally in agreement.

Our usual antidote to that is either Fleck/Lundstram bursting through lines to link with the strikers or/and our WBs overlapping and creating angles that way. Neither of which happened yesterday (and one of the reasons we're missing Lundstram)...

Plus the fact Bruce seems to have some gypsy curse over Wilder!!

 

[coaxingstar71]

Yesterdays performance had nothing to do with systems, formations or being worked out. We were just awful, both individually and collectively.

 

[Houston_Blade]

All Bruce does is gets his team to sit in and then break quickly. It’s not rocket science and it works against us 9/10 time.

The reason why Newcastle can beat us 3 nil and give us a game and the pigs only managed a 0-0 park the bus is because Newcastle have some actual footballers and the pigs didn’t.

It works even better when our better players decide that they’ll pass the ball to their team.