We must get to basics
STEVE Bruce will ask his players to get back to basics when they run out at the Emirates Stadium tonight.
The Newcastle United boss has taken full responsibility for the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sheffield United and admits that had he been a fan on Tuesday night he’d have been taking to Twitter himself to let off some steam.
But with the dust settled at the club’s Benton base, and United knowing they are in a relegation battle as rivals such as Brighton and West Bromwich Albion won over the weekend, Bruce has urged his players to put events at Bramall Lane behind them.
Bruce told the Chronicle: “I have openly admitted it, the other night was an absolute horror show, and at the end of the day I’m still a supporter.
“And if I was watching that then maybe I’d be going on to social media and saying we were absolutely ***** – and I get it.
“We have to accept it. I pick the team and I am responsible for it.
“It was my fault, I picked the wrong side, picked the wrong formation possibly, picked the wrong the personnel and I am solely to blame. “That’s why I sit in the chair.” With Bruce approaching the midway point of the three-year contract he signed in summer 2019, it is becoming increasingly difficult to build a case to back up his pre-Christmas suggestion that the club was making progress.
Bruce inherited a team that finished 13th in 2019, achieved the same position last year and the club has now slumped to 15th. True, Newcastle have never been in the bottom three for 14 months and they have reached two cup quarter-finals, but statistically United are one of the worst performers in the division.
So where does that leave a club that look like they are limping towards another relegation battle?
Bruce added: “What can we do about it?
“Fortunately I have seen a response from them on my watch in the last 18 months.
“I can give the ones (when there was a response which followed) that spring to mind, Brentford, Norwich away last season, Leicester away last season and I can reel them off and ask the question: Why? “Let’s be fair to the players, and in their defence a little bit, against Arsenal in the FA Cup we did as well as we can do.
“We weren’t quite good enough but could have won the tie. “Liverpool at home we did well too.
“But why did we throw in that one at Sheff United?
“No matter what formation I picked and what personnel I picked we didn’t do the basics well enough.”
So what are the basics Bruce means and what will he ask his players to do against the Gunners?
Bruce said: “What are they? “Turn up, have a bit of pride in your performance, pass the ball to each other, take part in the game.
“Forget about tactics or analysts, you need that too, but you have to do the basics as well.
“We certainly didn’t do it at Sheff United. At Arsenal and the games coming up, we have to get ready for a scrap and a fight because that’s where we are at the moment.”
If I was watching then maybe I’d be going on social media and saying we were absolutely ****
Steve Bruce