Let the Relegation Battle

[ghostrider]

Like I said. It's up to each individual as to how they see things. If you see it like that then that's your prerogative. I haven't seen anything to tell me we will struggle for the season and I'm certainly not going to write off new players after only a few weeks of attempted adjusting to life in Newcastle and also the premier league.

They have to gel in with the players we have who are seasoned and Bruce has to find the right pattern for the players. If he doesn't then he doesn't...but if he does, I can see this squad doing decent over the entire season and like I said I predict 9th for no other reason that a positive mindset on the players coming good.

Last season under Benitez we went 10 games without a win. 3 draws.... and the excuses made for him were " ohhh it's not surprising when you look at the fixture list."

Well fair enough if that's the case but remember he started that season after finishing 10th the season before with his seasoned players under his set up and well bedded into his system.

So Steve Bruce being.... not only a newbie.... but also coming in under a cloud and basic immediate dislike by some fans, absolutely requires the time to get things moving in his way, which includes getting all players up to scratch and finding his niche so he can carry the job on.

The 10 winless games Rafa started us off on were as dismal as all hell in the main but the 10 teams we played were not exactly all scary prospects. It just appeared they were due to them being scattered among the 10 winless games.
Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal in the first 4 games gave the impression of the struggle and we actually gave Tottenham a game, just like we gave arsenal a game this time around...first game.

Crystal Palace, Leicester, Man Utd, Brighton and Southampton weren't exactly full on panic but we didn't gain much from all those games. 3 points for 3 draws.
We did manage to keep the scores down, some will say.
Yep, we did.... but we also managed to score just 6 goals.
And guess what?
Rafa was lauded, not picked at by the majority.

Call Rafa chalk and cheese with Bruce if people want but Rafa's gone and Bruce has to pick up a squad by the scruffs and get them performing for him. Sorting the wheat from the chaff as early as possible. It may take a good few more games to gain that, regardless of how many think he's a championship manager or a failed premier league manager, because I certainly wouldn't class him as a failed premier league manager.

He got Birmingham in to the premier league.
He got them to 13th in that first season.
Same as Rafa with us, really.

The following season Bruce had Birmingham 10th after initially being 4th earlier on.
It's almost like Benitez with us only Bruce went from 13th to 10th and Benitez went from 10th to 13th.

Not too bad for Bruce to be fair.

Anyway Bruce managed to finish 12th in his third season with Birmingham.
Not bad going when you think about it.

He also managed to get Wigan to an 11th place premier league finish.
He led sunderland to 13th.
He got Hull promoted to the premier league and managed to keep them up along with getting them to an FA cup final, only losing it in extra time after being 2 goals up to Arsenal.


You could say I've cherry picked the good about Bruce's managerial career but the point I'm basically trying to make is, he's done a decent enough job with teams after getting them into the premier league, on the whole, even if there's been enough downers in his managerial career.

Not too many managers gain a full on success when managing far from fashionable teams and being asked to basically perform way above expectation, which he had done on many occasions.

He might just get us into good fettle....... He might not... but I'm not going to dwell on the negative aspect of what may happen. I'd rather concentrate on the positive aspect of what may happen.

What we have in our favour is very simple. We have a geordie manager who is a Newcastle United fan, which means he really will care and not just put a face to the camera and blag it along like some have.

So it's like this.
What Bruce's done in the past is irrelevant, except for massive experience.
What he does for us as of now and in the season ahead, is what counts.

Plenty of excuses were made for an overpaid manager for bang average to dismal performances, so let's afford Bruce some quality time to gain a foothold and also striving to do it on wages that are dwarfed by the manager who had us 10th and 13th, which was not exactly progress, yet touted as just that...which was odd.

So my positivity is simple.
Come on Bruce, let's see what you can achieve once you get your teeth fully into it.

He's our manager and we need to get behind him quickly if people actually give an eff about Newcastle United.

Our first 10 games this season are no worse looking than last, so Bruce deserves leeway.
Arsenal, Norwich, Tottenham, Watford, Liverpool, Brighton, Leicester, Man Utd, Chelsea and Wolves.
A tougher looking start to the season than last, In my opinion. But........it doesn't really matter because all teams have to be played and it's about getting a foothold.
Some teams manage an early onslaught and some don't. We haven't as of yet....but let's see.


"Stay positive" I say and if you can't, then I will until I can't see any positives.
We can all dissect the games as the season goes on and we can always pick out the underperformers of the day as well as the managerial rights and wrongs of the day. It's natural and nobody is immune to getting stick...but let's do it for real reasons and not just because.

[Derek57]

Rafas' first 10 games were indeed difficult points wise, however he was given time as his record at top level meant people knew he would get it right and he did.
The quotes on Bruces' record are all low level stuff and no one except you maybe believes he will be able to match Rafas' ability.
We will not only get beat in more games under Bruce, it will be the manner in which we lose will see him attract negative attention.
On a more positive note, we will hear less from you as you won't be able to defend the situation week in week out and you tend to disappear when your narrative goes astray.

[toptoon]

It's ludicrous to compare Bruce and Rafa when you look at the club's they've managed and their records. When you see that then you realise it's a case of blind hope expecting Bruce to get it right.

Rafa, followed by Bruce. Only at Newcastle.

[ghostrider]

Rafas' first 10 games were indeed difficult points wise, however he was given time as his record at top level meant people knew he would get it right and he did.

He didn't really get anything right, did he?
6 million a season for 10th and then 13th is not what I'd call getting it right. I'd call it nothing more than average.

The quotes on Bruces' record are all low level stuff and no one except you maybe believes he will be able to match Rafas' ability.

What I mentioned is far from low level. It's premier level and no different.

We will not only get beat in more games under Bruce, it will be the manner in which we lose will see him attract negative attention.

You seem to predict doom and gloom. Two games in. Fair enough if you predict that.

[tinostongue]

You can put as much spin on it as you want but everyone else can see the dire situation we are in. Fair enough we are only 2 games in for every team but we aren't going to get any better whilst others are.
Bruce is only going to struggle more and more with team set up and tactics and from what i observed was that the players didn't seem interested in parts of the game after all this talk by them of better atmosphere, better dialogue etc etc.
No positives for me and we will be cast adrift fairly quickly.

The players must be feeling so de motivated after working with Rafa, and now having Bruce. They will be fed up and who can blame them, I can only see a long disappointing season ahead, but you know what, it doesn't get to me like it used to, it doesn't ruin my weekend anymore when we lose, ive had all the passion sucked out of me, and its that fat smug, cockney pie faced c..ts doing. So glad I cancelled my season ticket, last season(after 35+yrs) wont be going back till hes gone. Its the only way!

[Geordie1974]

Couldn't care less about last season.Find it funny how the Ashley arse lickers say move on from Rafa,give Bruce a chance but lose a few games and its them empty headed arseholes that bring Rafa into the equation and try to compare the 2 starts.

[Sclox]

Couldn't care less about last season.Find it funny how the Ashley arse lickers say move on from Rafa,give Bruce a chance but lose a few games and its them empty headed arseholes that bring Rafa into the equation and try to compare the 2 starts.

Aye, selective memory it seems.

But the fatman disciples are fast running out of spin material to use.

[HughieG]

Thats a big relief then.

For a minute I thought we were in deep shiit.

[usedtobeshearer]

He didn't really get anything right, did he?
6 million a season for 10th and then 13th is not what I'd call getting it right. I'd call it nothing more than average.

What I mentioned is far from low level. It's premier level and no different.

You seem to predict doom and gloom. Two games in. Fair enough if you predict that.

There's no end to your spin is there?

When defending Ashley you claim just being in the Prem is success...which is it?

Don't bother replying...I've long since seen through your bull.

[bix01]

Club is like a dead lifeless husk, not even hope anymore. Like a few people on here have said, it's pointless letting it get to us.