‘Newcastle under Steve Bruce is unsustainable’ 'Bruce hasn’t yet lost Mike Ashley' - Our NUFC writers deliver verdict on under-fire manager

Steve Bruce is coming under increasing fire from supporters following Newcastle United’s dismal Carabao Cup exit at Brentford.
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An increasing number of fans are fed-up with the style and direction of the team under Bruce, with Newcastle in 12th place in the Premier League with 18 points ahead of the Boxing Day game away to Manchester City.

A managerial change is not understood to be on the agenda.

However, owner Mike Ashley’s position could change if things deteriorate further at the club.

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce.Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce.
Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce.
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Our team of Newcastle United writers deliver their verdicts on Bruce and his future ahead of a busy festive period with pressure mounting.

Miles Starforth – ‘Steve Bruce hasn’t yet lost Mike Ashley’

Things are unravelling at Newcastle United.

Steve Bruce insisted that he hadn’t lost the players after the club’s 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Brentford, but it seems clear he has lost most fans.

And it’s hard to see a way back for him.

That said, with St James’s Park empty – and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future – there are no supporters screaming for him to go at games.

Behind-closed-doors football, in that sense, buys Bruce time, though a glance at the club’s festive fixture list suggests that things could get worse before they get better.

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Can they get better under Bruce? It’s hard to make a case for that on the evidence of the past week or so.

Newcastle are moving in the wrong direction, but Bruce hasn’t yet lost Mike Ashley.

Ashley will act if, or when, he feels the club's Premier League status is in jeopardy – and we're not there yet.

Liam Kennedy – ‘Newcastle under Bruce is unsustainable’

He wasn't the man any Newcastle United fan wanted to replace Rafa Benitez and 18 months or so down the line he has done very little to convince people otherwise.

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Two reasonable cup runs - the last which was a stuttering Carabao Cup jaunt which included painfully bruising wins over Blackburn Rovers and Newport County - have papered over the cracks somewhat, with the football in general being abject to watch.

Bruce's side were actually better in the first six months of his tenure than they are now. Nothing is improving.

After the results and performances in the last four games, under any other owner, Bruce's job would be on the line. Under Mike Ashley, we know, it isn't.

The football is dire. The tactics, game plan and game management much, much worse.

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Under Bruce Newcastle United rely upon individual brilliance to get results, it is chalk and cheese from the man who went before - and that's the only comparison anyone needs.

Put simply, Newcastle under Bruce is unsustainable and the next few weeks are likely to underline that.

Ross Gregory – ‘Bruce has had his time as a top-flight manager’

Steve Bruce looks to have lost the Newcastle dressing room - and should lose his job.

I'm not saying the players want him out or have turned against him. Far from it, he's a likeable bloke who they get on well with.

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But it's clear from their body language and performances that they don't believe in, or understand, what is being asked of them.

Bruce has had his time as a top-flight manager. With a 28% Premier League win percentage, he has a history of relegation scraps and bottom-half dwelling.

This season is no different. Unless Mike Ashley wants United to be dragged into another fight for survival (and let's face it, he has form in that department himself) then he must act quicker than he did in 2009 and 2013 when he left it until March before making a change.

There are enough progressive, talented coaches out there who could instill an identity and get a tune out of a squad which, while it may not be top eight quality, is certainly better than it is showing.

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There is nothing on Bruce's CV that suggests he is the man to get them playing the right notes again.

Not that this should surprise anyone. There was nothing on his CV that suggested he should have been given the job back in July 2019, either.

Jordan Cronin – ‘Action is required before it’s too late’

I think it’s pretty obvious that Steve Bruce is out of his depth.

He deserves credit for persuading Mike Ashley into signing proven Premier League players in the summer, but what has he got to show for it?

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The tactic this season has been to let the opposition have all the possession, rely on your goalkeeper to make record amounts of saves and pray you nick a goal at the other end.

It’s not sustainable and Bruce’s luck is running thin.

He’s had 18 months to work with a large majority of these players, so it speaks huge volumes that there is no plan or identity to this team.

If anything, the players have regressed and their body language is extremely worrying.

Newcastle have been here before and they know how it tends to end.

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Action is required before it’s too late, otherwise a risky game is being played.

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