'Newcastle United needed the Saudi takeover' for real change to happen at St James's Park

As takeover talk fades into the distance and we’re left with the nitty gritty of Steve Bruce and Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United in the Premier League, our writers Liam Kennedy and Miles Starforth assess the season start and the transfer window that was.
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This week’s Toon Trending Topic Q&A touches on deals that were done, deals that weren’t, loans, frees, Bruce’s tactics and results compared to performances...

With Newcastle United closed for business, would you rate the summer window as a success, failure or somewhere inbetween?

MS: “I think it was a successful window for the club, though certainly not perfect. The club has signed an abundance of Premier League experience, which was what Steve Bruce wanted at the start of the window. The players do not need to adapt to the league and country, they’re good to go. Did the job need one or two more signings? Yes, undoubtedly. The worry is that Bruce, without the injured Dwight Gayle, doesn’t have a goalscorer to step in should Callum Wilson be missing for any length of time, while the recent defensive injuries have left some supporters feeling uneasy given that Bruce loaned out Florian Lejeune last month.”

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Steve Bruce, Manager of Newcastle United gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Burnley at St. James Park on October 03, 2020 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images)NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Steve Bruce, Manager of Newcastle United gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Burnley at St. James Park on October 03, 2020 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images)
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Steve Bruce, Manager of Newcastle United gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Burnley at St. James Park on October 03, 2020 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images)
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LK: “Look let’s not beat around the bush, Newcastle United could and should have done more in the summer. But if you’d have asked me whether I’d have been happy with the squad United ended the window with, at the start, I’d have been delighted. United are only an injury or two away from disaster, but what team in Newcastle’s position aren’t? Take Wilf Zaha out of Palace’s side and they’d struggle, for example. Getting a proper striker and a left back were the bare minimum and United did that, with the added quality of Ryan Fraser. Another striker with some beefing up in the midfield would have been the icing on the cake, but after what happened with the takeover in the summer, I’ll take what United got.”

Will Newcastle be tempted by any deals available domestically or on the free list?

MS: “I can’t see any domestic deals coming in unless there’s an emergency of sorts between now and the domestic deadline. There are one or two free agents knocking around, but, realistically, could they really improve the squad?”

LK: “No. I think that’s United’s lot. There are free transfers and plenty of quality in the Championship but I don’t think United will be tempted. Plus their budget for the summer was spent on Jamal Lewis and Callum Wilson.”

Does Steve Bruce have a decision or two to make on his 25-man squad?

MS: “The squad all but picks itself assuming DeAndre Yedlin stays at the club. We know Christian Atsu, Rolando Aarons, Achraf Lazaar and Henri Saivet aren’t in Bruce’s plans, and won’t make the squad. The last decision Bruce had to make was on Jacob Murphy, and he confirmed after the Carabao Cup win over Morecambe that the winger would be named in his squad.”

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LK: “In the end the only real decision that Bruce has to make is between DeAndre Yedlin and Christian Atsu for the 25th man in the squad – that is, unless he wants to add in a free agent or transfer from elsewhere. The likely squad will be: Martin Dubravka, Karl Darlow, Mark Gillespie, Ciaran Clark, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Federico Fernandez, Paul Dummett, Jamal Lewis, Emil Krafth, Javier Manquillo, DeAndre Yedlin, Jonjo Shelvey, Isaac Hayden, Jeff Hendrick, Sean Longstaff, Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin, Matt Ritchie, Ryan Fraser, Jacob Murphy, Miguel Almiron, Andy Carroll, Dwight Gayle and Callum Wilson.”

Results have proven decent, but performances at times underwhelming. What have you made of the start to the campaign?

MS: “The club’s points return - four from seven games - is good. Also, the club has reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. However, the team hasn’t been convincing in a number of games. Bruce, in response, has insisted that his team is a “work in progress”, but fans have pointed out that he’s now been in charge for well over a year. I think one positive thing, aside from the points on the board, has been the contribution of all the club’s summer signings. They’ve all made an impact in one or more games, and that’s promising.”

LK: “Three of United’s games – Brighton, Spurs and Newport – ranks as some of the worst I’ve ever seen Newcastle produce, but in that we’ve had solid wins over West Ham and Burnley as well as a club record away win in the Carabao Cup at Morecambe. It has been a season with awful performances but decent (ish) results. For that reason it is so hard to assess. You do get the feeling it is all built on sand, mind – and that the luck might just run out at some point. For real change on Tyneside Newcastle United needed a takeover – and it might still get there.”

Steve Bruce has hit back at critics of Newcastle United and his tactics lately. Do you think the Magpies have a clear plan and identity? If so, what is it?

MS: “Bruce, speaking to the media last week, was adamant that he’s been crystal clear about how he wants his team to play. He wants to use a back four, get the ball wide - and play two up front where possible. His preferred system, therefore, is 4-4-2, or a variation of it, but that’s not a formation that United can necessarily play against the better teams in the Premier League, and that explains the chopping and changing so far this season. We’ve seen different systems for different games. Bruce has been unhappy with some of the criticism, but questions about identity are important. United had a strong identity, a style of play, under Rafa Benitez, but I’m not sure it has one under Bruce - yet.”

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LK: “This Newcastle United team, to me, is too reliant on individual performances. And that’s fine to a degree, but it would be nice to feel like Steve Bruce’s side have more of a plan than that. This Newcastle side looks very one-dimensional. If ASM or Callum Wilson fail to perform, it’s hard to see how we can really hurt sides. And without those two it is back to the side which laboured throughout the season. For me, too much importance is put on Jonjo Shelvey in this side – he is nowhere near consistently good enough to carry the prominence he does in United’s midfield. And it looks like Steve Bruce might have to learn that the hard way, like his predecessors.”

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