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Opinion

Steve Bruce moves major step towards the sack as woeful record continues – Relegation zone

2 years ago
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Steve Bruce was appointed by West Brom on 3 February 2022.

The mates (pundits, journalists etc) of Steve Bruce were loving it, saying (along with fans of other Premier League clubs) how hilarious it would be if / when Eddie Howe relegated Newcastle United and Bruce led West Brom into the top tier in place of NUFC.

The Baggies were fifth in the table when Steve Bruce took the job and the former NUFC boss said he was confident that the squad he inherited would not just make the play-offs, instead he confidently declared they could get an automatic promotion spot.

Long before the end of last season, it was clear that not only would West Brom not get automatic promotion, they wouldn’t even get close to the play-offs. The disastrous Steve Bruce appointment leading to a terrible run of form and a finish in mid-table, eight points off the play-offs and 21 (TWENTY ONE!) points off the play-offs.

Despite this latest shocking job he’d done at a club, Steve Bruce this summer had the cheek to try and downplay Eddie Howe’s achievements at Newcastle United and claim that he (Bruce) had done a great job at NUFC that fans should be grateful for. What a bloke!

The laughs continue (though not for the West Brom fans…).

Wednesday night witnessed a dismal goalless home draw for West Brom at home to Cardiff, Steve Bruce taking the Baggies into the relegation zone, third bottom and no wins in the opening four games.

West Brom fans in despair, since Bruce and his son (and the other Steves) took over at West Brom.

In their opening 29 league games last season (before Bruce), West Brom picked up 45 points at an average of 1.55 points per match, in Bruce’s 14 games it is only 15 points at an average of 1.19 points per match.

The writing is on the wall for West Brom fans, realising just which direction their club is heading in, if they give Steve Bruce more time. From claiming automatic promotion was a real possibility six months ago, to the reality of now facing a relegation battle. A home game this weekend seen as potentially the game where Steve Bruce could / should be sacked if he can’t pick up a win.

A reminder that in these past 15 months, Steve Bruce has won only six of 29 league matches he has overseen, a 20% ‘success’ rate.

The one thing you can rely on with Steve Bruce…well two actually.

Firstly, he will never tire of coming out with excuses for his failures.

Secondly, his mates in the media / football will never tire of defending him and ignoring the stark reality.

Contrast this with Eddie Howe at Newcastle United, he inherited a total mess left by Steve Bruce, who had managed no wins at all and only three points at an average of 0.37 points per game last season in his eight matches.

Since then, Eddie Howe has produced an incredible 48 points from the next 29 PL matches, at an average of 1.66 points per match. Howe winning 14 of his 29 NUFC PL games, a win success of over 48%.

Funnily enough, all the pundits and journalists haven’t had much to say about Eddie Howe / Newcastle comparisons since West Brom actually started playing under Steve Bruce…

West Brom fans commenting via their West Brom Index message board after last night’s latest Steve Bruce failure against Cardiff and now stuck in the Championship relegation zone:

‘Bruce has had a lot of time with this team now and there is no improvement in results.

He hasn’t used the foreign market, which tells me hasn’t a clue about it, as surely there are better options in the rest of the world than the like of Grabban.

Tonight was a must win and in my eyes he should get the boot whilst the window is still open.’

‘The guy has no idea lives in the past , wont give youth a chance , will no doubt send out the same team for the next game ,then trot out the same excuses.’

‘Absolutely no point having a youth set up with this guy around.

Doesn’t matter if you are rubbish, as long as you have experience you are in the team.

Too many old school managers frightened to give youth a go, and we wonder why they continually jump ship.

If last season didn’t teach him that a lot of the senior players aren’t up to the job then I give up.

It’s just ‘Wash, Rinse, Repeat’ with Bruce. All this guy does is talk, without putting his words into action.’

‘Bruce must be bad because i would rather have Val. Absolutely nothing to look forward too. just retire and take your backroom with you. its tedious stuff.’

‘Bruce is starting to do my head in he persists with Phillips and Reach players way past their best and leaves TGH on the bench a player who should be getting vital playing time to develop his game.

TGH and the other kids will lose heart and finish up leaving the club and making a mark elsewhere and who could blame them when the idiot we have in charge persists in ignoring them and playing hasbeens.’

‘Our squad is capable of a top 6 finish. Our manager and his pedestrian, predictable and failing tactics, isn’t.’

‘I was gutted when Steve Bruce was appointed and he’s done about as well as I expected but can’t see him being sacked anytime soon so I guess we have to just put up with him.’

‘Sadly Bruce has not bothered to study the game as its evolved. The formation and players he has just doesn’t align with the tactics he sets out.

He has set the team formation and personal that totally contradicts his tactics.

Forgot the owners and the board we cannot change that the issue is the tactics they are so so so poor. None of our players know what they’re doing. The subs have killed me off, they’re the most depressing changes I’ve seen at Albion.’

‘Gourlay’s comments when he hired Bruce still seem glaring to me. He said “we hired steve as he can hit the ground running, he get’s immediate results”. All we have done is gone backwards under him. While a striker is needed, surely you have to make the players you coach better. There are worse squads than ours doing a lot better…’

‘Lose against Hull and I think the fans will make it quite clear where his future lies.

If we are going to fire Steve Bruce can we please do it whilst a good candidate is still around.’

‘I think he’s finished and it’s a case of when, not if he is gone this side of the World Cup.’

‘Get rid.’

‘Do not need this Brucie bonus.’

‘Steve Bruce has got a worse record that the previous manager, but yes let’s carry on and it’ll all be rosy.’

‘Just seen a fairly revealing stat showing Bruce’s results and points per game since taking over from Ismael. Based on his 1.19 PPG, we would on average finish in 17th place across a full season.’

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