Those of you who have been reading my articles, know that I typically don't cover match previews. This is for two reasons. The main reason is you can find a preview everywhere you look, and no one does previews better than the lads over at NFTV"s YouTube channel. The second reason is that I am quite superstitious. The last time that predicted us to win a game was 2007 vs Derby County, and we all know how that ended. However, given the circumstances, this time I am willing to make an exception.
Wednesday evening could very well have been the final straw for many Newcastle fans in regards to Steve Bruce. Many of us felt that the team selection was incorrect to face a team such as Leeds United. Many of us thought this was a game fit for Andy Carroll to make an impact, and Jonjo Shelvey to play as the anchor man in the heart of the midfield, and use pacy outlets such as Ryan Fraser and Miguel Almiron. But for some reason, Bruce didn't see this. You have to ask the question is Bruce the right man to take the club forward.
I think one of the most important factors to take into account is how well the dressing room respond to his tactics and do they give everything for their manager and for the club. The previous game leads me to think not. Two goals in quick succession scored the exact same way in the 5-2 defeat to Leeds. Two players trying to defend against five or six attackers may tell us everything that's going on in the dressing room.
I've already written an article titled "On borrowed time". And weeks later I'm writing something similar. And I feel more sure of my statement this time around. And that's because this time I am not the only one saying it. If Newcastle loses against Fulham and Brentford on the back of the dreadful display at Elland Road. He has to be on borrowed time. No other manager would survive this, however, given Mike Ashley record of keeping hold of managers past their sell-by date, Steve could very well come out of this unscathed.
On the other hand, we have been in these situations where it would seem that Bruce needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat. And he's accomplished it. But how long can we keep doing this? We drive so close to the edge of the cliff, all it takes is a bump on the most narrow section of road and were falling. But somehow Bruce manages to change lanes just in time. But sooner or later his luck must run out. Could it be this month? My heart says yes but my head says no. He will most likely be given the January transfer window to turn things around.
If Bruce did get the sack. Who would replace him? Eddie Howe would be the favourite to take the hot seat at St James Park. This would make sense given the relationship Howe already has with Matt Ritchie, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser from their time at the south coast in Bournemouth. Another bonus to this, if given the funding, could be the players still at Bournemouth who could follow him up to the Toon, Namely Josh King and David Brookes. I know that we need full-backs but id love to sign these two.
Either way, what we all want the most is the best for our great club. As we have all said in the past, " We don't demand a team that wins, we demand a team that tries".
By Sam West
Howay the Lads
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