Newcastle vs Brighton was a snooze fest and that’s putting it lightly.
The Magpies were played off the park by Graham Potter’s men, who we made look more like Barcelona or Manchester City. They passed it from left to right and back again, with no player in black and white able to lay a glove. Had the Seagulls been more clinical in front of goal, we would’ve lost convincingly.
The only thing that got the home fans up on their feet was the emergence of Andy Carroll. Every time he warmed up was met with a huge round of applause. It almost felt as if Steve Bruce was just sending Carroll out over and over again to try and get the fans off the team’s back.
Carroll was unable to save his side, as the full time whistle blew to end a drab 0-0 draw that should serve as a serious wake up call for the Newcastle board.
Potter has done what Bruce can’t
Graham Potter has been in charge of Brighton for the same number of games as Bruce has been Newcastle boss. His side had a clear style and identity that every player had bought in to. Six games in, and we’re still no clearer on what Bruce’s masterplan is.
On paper, Brighton was a winnable game. And it’s not as if we don’t have some decent players. There’s the makings of a good team, they just need the right manager to get the best out of them. And already, it doesn’t look like Bruce is that man, to the shock of pretty much no one.
Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley should be worried after Saturday’s performance. Their decision to appoint Bruce is going to blow up in their face unless they act quick.
The writing is on the wall. The performances are poor. The team is fragmented. There seems to be no real game plan. The fans are walking away.
The same happened last time we went down. Steve McClaren couldn’t get the job done with a decent team, and Rafa Benitez’s appointment came too late in the day. This can’t happen again.
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