Newsletter

Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today!

News

This 12 years 3 months Steve Bruce statistic seems almost impossible

3 years ago
Share

As Newcastle fans, we have faced non-stop attacks from the media and fans of many other clubs, for having the audacity of pointing out just how depressing life under Steve Bruce is.

Mike Ashley is bad enough but to then have the kind of tactics and football Steve Bruce has put on show, it is beyond a joke.

Speaking of beyond a joke, when your team have won only two of their last twenty one matches over a four month period, yet you are still being described as deluded because you want rid of Steve Bruce, you begin to doubt your own sanity.

We are constantly told that we are lucky to have Steve Bruce because of his huge experience as a manager.

However, what exactly is he experienced at doing?

Yes this is the twenty third year of football management for Steve Bruce, so he has got longevity, but what about success.

Well, obviously he has never won a single trophy as a manager.

Also, almost half of Bruce’s time as a manager has been spent in the second and third tiers.

So far, Steve Bruce has managed a total of 462 Premier League games at various clubs, including 70 with Newcastle United, Bruce having the very worst record of any other manager to have taken charge of that many PL games or more.

Steve Bruce losing a massive 204 of the 462 Premier League games, drawing another 128, winning only 130.

However, it is this 12 years 3 months Steve Bruce statistic that has made me laugh proper out loud, bearing in mind how Newcastle fans are ridiculed for wanting him out…

Steve Bruce hasn’t won three Premier League games in a row since January 2009.

Just let that sink in.

I knew he was poor but that seems almost impossible, even for somebody of the level of Steve Bruce.

Incapable of putting together even a single three Premier League match winning run in over 12 years!

The last time Steve Bruce won three Premier League matches in a row, was when he was with Wigan in January 2009, he actually won four in a row!

When it comes to Newcastle United, Rafa Benitez actually won three or more Premier League games in a row on three different occasions, these of course the last time NUFC ‘achieved’ such a thing.

Rafa Benitez had a three game winning run in August/September 2017 and a four match one in March/April 2018, then his third and final NUFC one was winning all three games in November 2018 to also win PL manager of the month.

Indeed, despite Mike Ashley’s shamefully chaotic and zero ambition way of running the club, previous managers at Newcastle have often managed this holy grail of three Premier League wins in a row.

A five game winning run in Oct/Nov 2014, a four match one November 2013, six wins in a row in Mar/Apr 2012, a three game one in Oct/Nov 2011.

Whilst Chris Hughton managed an excellent three win run after promotion in 2010. In October and November 2010 he oversaw a 2-1 win at West Ham, that 5-1 hammering of Sunderland and then a 1-0 win at Arsenal, his reward was the sack from Mike Ashley only a month later with Newcastle United safely in mid-table.

Just to depress you a little bit further and heading back to the Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby days, funny how you can so quickly take things for granted to a large extent.

Here are the seasons along with how many three (or more) match winning runs they had and how many wins in each one:

Kevin Keegan:

1993/93: Four – 3, 6, 3, 4

1994/95: Two – 6, 3

1995/96: Four – 4, 5, 5, 3

1996/97: One – 7 (Then Kenny Dalglish with two when taking over halfway through that season – 3, 3)

Sir Bobby Robson:

2001/02: Two – 5, 4

2002/03: Two – 3, 3

Now we have Steve Bruce on the brink.

No, sadly not on the brink of being sacked or resigning, instead this weekend could see the Newcastle United Head Coach complete a hat-trick of Premier League wins.

Steve Bruce winning three Premier League games in a row for the first time since January 2009.

It would be an eventful trio of victories if it did come to pass.

Woeful Steve Bruce tactics and team selection saw Newcastle heading for defeat at Burnley, until ASM came on as a sub and turned the match around single-handedly.

Then despite being gifted a two goal lead and a man advantage, Steve Bruce chose to order his team to go all out defence for the entirety of the second half against ten man West Ham. The Hammers taking full advantage to score twice and equalise, before then Joe Willock rescued Bruce this time, a late winner after he came off the bench.

I honestly do hope that on Saturday Steve Bruce completes this incredible feat.

Liverpool have lost six of their last seven Premier League matches at Anfield and with the luck Steve Bruce has recently carried, this really could be his season…to win three PL matches in a row.

Share

If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk

Have your say

© 2024 The Mag. All Rights Reserved. Design & Build by Mediaworks