The build-up to Newcastle’s huge game against West Brom was dominated by the training ground bust-up between Steve Bruce and Matt Ritchie.
The Magpies midfielder was unhappy with his manager for blaming him in the aftermath of the draw against Wolves. And when the pair clashed on Tuesday, Ritchie allegedly called Bruce a ‘coward’.
By the time the full time whistle went, one man was proven right. And it wasn’t the Newcastle United manager.
When you consider the starting XI and the changes he made during the game, it was clear that Bruce only wanted a point.
While Fulham went to Anfield and got the win they deserved, the Magpies settled for a point against the second worst team in the league.
Luckily for Bruce, he got the point he craved. When he tried to do the same thing against Sheffield United, it backfired. Realistically, that should have been his final game as boss.
But here we are in March, and Newcastle are just a point clear of the relegation zone.
Yes, Newcastle were missing their three best attackers for the trip to West Brom. But there was no intent to try and win the game.
Maybe if the players hadn’t been off most of the week, we could have worked on a plan to be an attacking threat despite missing Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin.
But instead Newcastle stuck with the same system despite not having the players required. There was no high press. There was no craft or invention. It was just Dwight Gayle coming off the bench to play in a weird midfield role that he’s likely never played before in his life.
It was a cowardly performance. Bruce was scared of losing. He was so scared he sent his side out with no intent to win.
Embarrassing
Three points would have been the perfect response to a chaotic week. It would have proved we have the fight needed to stay in the division.
But instead, Bruce seems intent on just relying on others to slip up. Sadly for him, that’s not happening.
The fact he brought Andy Carroll on in the 93rd minute just to waste time summed it all up.
It was an embarrassing performance by Newcastle. This can’t be the way we play while we wait for the troops to return from injury.
If we play the same way against Aston Villa on Friday, we’ll get beat. With all due respect, we were lucky it was only West Brom. Even still, they were the team that looked most likely to win.
Sunday’s results actually moved Newcastle higher up the table, but dragged us closer to the bottom three.
Between ourselves, Burnley, Brighton and Fulham, only one team looks absolutely hopeless. Burnley know how to get results, Brighton are creating chances, and Fulham look like a different team completely.
And then there’s Steve Bruce’s cowardly Magpies, scared of trying to win away to the team sitting second bottom.
Matt Ritchie was right. Coward.
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