Steve Bruce message to Newcastle United fans – We are making progress this season | OneFootball

Steve Bruce now moves into October without a single win so far.

Seven games and Newcastle United with three points from a possible eighteen in the Premier League, alongside an immediate exit from the League Cup.

Not one victory despite having played the likes of Southampton, Burnley, Villa, Watford, Leeds and West Ham – four of those games at St James Park.

The travelling Newcastle United fans were calling for Steve Bruce to go, from the first whistle to the last, with the management failings so obvious to see this season (and these past two years…).

I now it is said so often but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true…Bruce inherited a mid-table team from Rafa Benitez, then has been backed in the transfer market more (£125m+ net spend) than any other Newcastle United manager (head coach) in the club’s history.

Unlike the rest of us, the NUFC Head Coach insists…’I can see us progressing, where others can’t, but I certainly can.’

Steve Bruce going on to say: ‘We should have won this game comprehensively. But we haven’t and that’s the story of us so far [this season].’

There is some truth in what Steve Bruce says, not a lot, but a little bit nevertheless.

Yes Newcastle United were the better team on Saturday BUT Watford looked pretty woeful. If you finish below the Hornets this season, you won’t be in the Premier League next August. Watford caught out a much changed Villa on the opening day of the season going 3-0 up before almost drawing as the visitors scored twice. It was then three straight defeats without scoring a single goal, before coming out best in a battle of arguably the two worst teams in the division, winning 3-1 at Norwich, another club where if you end up below them in the final table you will be guaranteed relegation.

Newcastle had the better chances against Watford but there were opportunities at both ends in what turned out to be a messy but entertaining match in the second half between two poor teams.

Steve Bruce then though wants to claim that this being the better more competitive team is anything but a one-off, saying ‘that’s the story of us so far [this season]’…no it’s not Steve. Certainly in the other five Premier League matches, Newcastle United have been second best and the other two points NUFC have got, well if anybody deserved to win those matches (against Southampton and Leeds) it certainly wasn’t Newcastle!

Steve Bruce likes to rewrite history and Leeds haven’t won a game all season, were low on confidence and missing a host of injured players, yet came and totally dominated the first half and should have had the game won by half-time, which they would have done but for terrible finishing. It was a more even second half but at best you would say Newcastle in that Leeds game were a bit like Watford on Saturday. Improved after the break but fortunate to get a draw.

Southampton and Leeds are both still without a Premier League win and yet they each came to St James Park and dominated the matches, both teams having 65% possession away from home and dominating the other stats as well, having more and better opportunities etc.

We all hope that Newcastle can use Saturday’s more attacking / chances at Watford into the matches to come BUT unlike Steve Bruce, we are also acknowledging how very unlikely that is, because the upcoming opposition clubs are VERY VERY unlikely to be anywhere near as poor as Watford. Indeed, despite having poor starts to the season themselves, both Wolves and Spurs (the next two that Newcastle play) have comfortably beaten Watford and kept clean sheets in those wins.

Steve Bruce insists Newcastle United are ‘progressing’ this season.

We will know a lot more after these Wolves and Tottenham matches but on what we have seen so far, progress only exists in Bruce’s head.

“I am just going to get on with my job.

“Try to do the job as best I can.

“I can see us progressing, where others can’t, but I certainly can.

“We should have won this game comprehensively.

“But we haven’t and that’s the story of us so far [this season].

“So we have to keep bashing away and working hard.”

Steve Bruce talking to NUFC TV:

“I hope they [the travelling Newcastle fans] enjoyed it.

“There is a lot of positives.

“We have played well again…but unfortunately haven’t got the result.

“They [Watford] took a poor corner if truth be known, they’ve got a first challenge [at the near post to flick the corner on] but unfortunately Joe [Willock] switched off and the guy [Sarr] has got around the back [to score]. He [Joe Willock] is a young player and he learns…but we are disappointed.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Watford 1 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 25 September 3pm

Goals:

Watford

Sarr 72

Newcastle:

Sean Longstaff 23

(In brackets the first half stats)

Possession was Watford 52% (50%) Newcastle 48% (50%)

Total shots were Watford 15 (6)  Newcastle 20 (11)

Shots on target were Watford 4 (2) Newcastle 6 (2)

Corners were Watford 5 (2) Newcastle 6 (5)

Referee: Jarred Gillett

Newcastle United:

Darlow, Manquillo, Fernandez, Clark, Ritchie, Sean Longstaff, Hayden, Almiron (Murphy 79), Willock (Gayle 83), Saint-Maximin, Joelinton

Unused Subs:

Gillespie, Schar, Lewis, Hendrick, Krafth, Fraser, Anderson

Crowd:

20,650 (2,200 Newcastle)

(3 Positives and 3 Negatives from Watford 1 Newcastle 1 at Vicarage Road – Read HERE)

(Steve Bruce bewildering decision – Leaves Newcastle United fans wondering…Read HERE)

(Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer discuss Newcastle making history under Steve Bruce – Read HERE)

(Steve Bruce declares ‘We created enough chances to win three games’ (One would be nice…) – Read HERE)

(Watford 1 Newcastle 1 – Match ratings and comments on all the NUFC players – Read HERE)

(Match Report – Watford 1 Newcastle 1 – 35 shots, end to end game and an Aussie rules referee – Read HERE)