Leeds, Villa ruin Bruce’s agenda at Newcastle United

The pressure continues to pile up on the shoulders of Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce.

The 2020-21 Premier League campaign has caught fans across England and the globe by surprise. When looking at the table through four games the most shocking observations are that Aston Villa are second, Liverpool are fifth, Leeds United are eighth, and Manchester City sit in 14th.

Newcastle United are off to a good start on paper with seven points to guide them into the top ten, but luck has played a major role in the team’s early success.

The Magpies performed well against West Ham (2-0) and Burnley (3-1), but were easily dominated by Brighton (0-3) and Tottenham (1-1). This inconsistency needs to stop, and the best way to do that is by playing the attacking football we all witnessed in the club’s two wins this season.

Steve Bruce has been hesitant to shift from defensive, counter-attacking football, but he needs to. The style of play in the Premier League is beginning to change, and the Magpies will suffer greatly if they do not start adapting.

Aston Villa made Liverpool look a League Two outfit by scoring seven goals, and Leeds United also gave the Reds a run for their money on opening day, and they did take a point from Manchester City on Saturday.  Newcastle United would certainly benefit from this style of play for two reasons.

Firstly, it would bring the best out of several players in the squad. How can you be a defensive-minded coach with players like Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron, Ryan Fraser, Callum Wilson, and Dwight Gayle at your disposal?

Secondly, top teams always know what to expect from the Magpies, and this is reflected in the same script top managers share at their press conferences: “we expect to face a disciplined, organized side in Newcastle United”.

In other words, “we know Newcastle United will park the bus, play boring football with 30% possession, and hit us on the counter two, maybe three times”.

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By making the quick transition to attacking football, the Toon would catch superior opponents off guard. Top teams spend all week in training working out ways to break down a nine-man defense when they prepare for the Toon, but would struggle adjusting their tactics mid-game when Newcastle United are playing fluid football.

As a fan looking in from the outside, it is easy to make this proposal, but with more teams leaving defensive tactics behind, Newcastle United need to follow suit before it is too late.

With this being the Magpies’ fourth consecutive season in the top flight, the team is composed of seasoned Premier League players. Bruce needs to value their experience and trust their abilities in the final third.

If this happens, Newcastle United would regularly be a top ten side, and, at the very least, would be left out of any relegation discussions in the future.