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Steve Bruce excuses are worse than his tactics after Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 4

3 years ago
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Steve Bruce was left floundering yet again on the sidelines.

Manchester United arriving low on confidence.

Solskjaer under pressure, his defence rocking as it had conceded 11 goals in three Premier League games, only one club had conceded more before this weekend.

The Man Utd boss making five changes as he prioritises PSG on Tuesday.

So what does Steve Bruce do? Has his team sit so deep in defence it allows Mata to totally dominate, all but zero pressure put on Harry Maguire and the other defenders who have looked so poor.

Steve Bruce embarrassingly claimed after the game that the late goals gave the scoreline an unfair look.

The reality was that Man Utd totally battered Newcastle United and it was pure luck the visitors hadn’t scored four or a lot more, far earlier.

Manchester United had 28 shots in total 14 on target.

It was the most shots any Premier League team had faced in a game this season, whilst it was the most shots on target that Man Utd have had in a PL away game for five years.

Remember, this was a Man Utd team so low on confidence and missing the likes of Martial, Greenwood, Pogba and others, as well as new signing Cavani. Man Utd fans weren’t hopeful.

Steve Bruce coming up with the usual lame excuses: ‘Look we have tried to change and it will take time. It is a work in progress for us, we have got three or four new players who have just come to the club…’

What exactly is he trying to change to?

All we see are the same old negative tactics, the whole team defending so deep and seemingly zero attacking plan, apart from give the ball to Allan Saint-Maximin.

That was the entire attacking tactic throughout the whole of last season.

Steve Bruce has been here for 15 months and been allowed a £100m net spend, he might have to come up with some more original excuses in the weeks and months ahead.

Against West Ham, Newcastle scored with their only two efforts on target and against Burnley, ASM scored a goal out of nothing to give NUFC the lead and then made a goal out of nothing for Wilson to tap in the goal to regain the lead.

Add in the miracle of a point at Spurs and Newcastle are incredibly lucky to have seven points after five games, as tonight proved, that luck can only last for so long.

Steve Bruce:

“Up until the last 10 minutes we were in it.

“De Gea makes a great save from Callum and you need those things to go for you when you are playing against the big teams.

“The frustrating thing is that we end up getting beat 4-1.

“That is cruel on us but we were a bit naive in the finish, horribly naive, but up until 85 minutes we were in with a shout.

“Look we have tried to change and it will take time.

“It is a work in progress for us, we have got three or four new players who have just come to the club, so it is a little bit different.

“We’ll have a few bumps along the road for sure but we’ll keep working away at it.

“The defeat looks worse than it really was.

“We found it very difficult [during the match].

“There is no disputing that.

“They will do that to teams.

“If you leave them space they have lightning pace at the top of the pitch.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 4 – Saturday 17 October 8pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Shaw OG 2

Man Utd:

Maguire 23, Fernandes 86, Wan-Bissaka 90, Rashford 90+6

Stats in brackets are from half-time:

Possession was Man Utd 64% (64%), Newcastle 36% (36%)

Total shots were Man Utd 28 (13) Newcastle 7 (2)

Shots on target were Man Utd 14 (6) Newcastle 4 (2)

Corners were Man Utd 7 (5) Newcastle 0 (0)

Crowd: 00,000

Referee: Craig Pawson

Newcastle United team v Manchester United:

Darlow, Krafth, Fernandez, Lascelles, Lewis, Shelvey, Hayden (Schar 49), Hendrick (Almiron 88), Joelinton (Fraser 72), Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Unused Subs:

Gillespie, Carroll, Manquillo, Murphy

(Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 4 – Instant NUFC fan/writer reaction to Saturday’s defeat – Read HERE)

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