At St. James’s Park on Sunday, Everton will have left wondering how they did not manage to pick up anything against Newcastle United. They had 62% of the possession, 15 shots, 13 of which were from open play – more than double the home side’s tally – and looked to be the more comfortable side on the ball. Yet, it was the side led by Steve Bruce who emerged as winners, summing up their season so far. A happy knack.
Newcastle now sit on 11 points from their seven Premier League this season, just three off second-placed Tottenham Hotspur. It emphasises how tight the top flight is currently but also how much stability Bruce is bringing back to Newcastle. In the long-term, fans may understandably demand more but, considering their frequent fights with relegation in previous years, it seems like a breath of fresh air at this moment in time.
Cautious Steve Bruce Approach Giving Newcastle Stability
Resolute
“You have to have a certain resilience in the Premier League,” Bruce explained after his side’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in October. “We have been too open, in my opinion, and a bit too easy to play against. We certainly weren’t that today.
“We tried to be a bit more open in the past few weeks and had a couple of hidings. So it was important that we addressed that. The work rate and the resilience, they showed it against a very good side. A point is a good result for us, that is for sure.”
What Bruce brings to the table is nothing new but the effects of it are fascinating. He firstly has Newcastle organised and disciplined without the ball. They rank first in the Premier League this season for clearances per game (23.7), second for shots blocked (4.9) and second also for crosses blocked (2.4), according to WhoScored.com. In addition, centre-half Frederico Fernandez has made 42 clearances, five more than any player in the league so far.
What is even more interesting, however, is how deep Bruce has his side dropping when they don’t have the ball. Last season, they ranked last when it came to the number of high turnovers (sequences starting within 40 metres of the opposition goal from open play) (106) and bottom also for pressed sequences (three or fewer consecutive passes from the opposition ending within 40 metres of their own goal) (344), according to Sky Sports. Bruce is more than comfortable with his side sitting back and letting teams build attacks from deep, therefore denying space in behind, suffocating the opposition in more threatening areas and waiting for them to make a mistake.
Attacking Tactics Under Steve Bruce
In attack, Steve Bruce prefers to use his wide men as his main source of creativity. Last season, Allan Saint-Maximin was Newcastle’s main threat, scoring three goals and providing five assists in the Premier League. In addition, only Wolves’ Adama Traore (5) averaged more dribbles per game than the Frenchman (4.7), while the winger also created more big chances (8) than any player at the club. This season, Saint-Maximin has again been a threat, averaging more dribbles per game than any other player in the league (3.7), while also creating two big chances and putting in seven crosses to go with his goal and assist in the 3-1 win over Burnley.
The difference, however, is that Bruce has strengthened his attack and lifted the burden off Saint-Maximin. Newcastle’s second goal against Everton provided the perfect example, with free signing Ryan Fraser making a clever run in behind before his deflected cross found Callum Wilson who tapped home. Fraser has only played 185 minutes in the Premier League for his new club so far but has already given glimpses of what he can offer, while Wilson already has six league goals to his name this season – only Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Son Heung-min have scored more.
The summer signings of Fraser and Wilson, two established Premier League players, for a combined £20 million looks to have been shrewd business by Newcastle. They also strengthened with the additions of talented left-back Jamal Lewis from Norwich City and experienced midfielder Jeff Hendrick and now look to have strength in depth. That is certainly the case in the attack, with Joelinton and Andy Carroll providing an aerial presence off the bench, as well as Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy, with three league goals and four assists so far this season, offering an extra attacking threat on the flanks.
And yet, despite having options at his disposal, Bruce remains reluctant to sacrifice his side’s organised structure for extra freedom in attack. Only Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace are taking fewer shots per game than Newcastle in the Premier League this season, while they also rank 17th for total number of big chances created (39) and 12th for total crosses (109). “Yes, we have got to improve going forwards,” Bruce told Sky Sports in October. “But first and foremost we have got to ensure that we give ourselves a platform that will give ourselves a chance.”
It is impressive, therefore, that Newcastle have scored more goals (10) than Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Wolves in the Premier League this season. The signing of Wilson certainly makes them more clinical when the chances do arrive, and for a side that defends deep and does not create much going forward, that is a trait that proves to be invaluable.
Bruce will not win any awards when it comes to style and flair but his rigid, cautious system is yielding results. In a season when the Premier League is at its most unpredictable, Newcastle fans will most likely be thankful for some stability and calmness. Yet there will always the temptation of demanding more and it is then that the future of Steve Bruce in charge will become a serious topic of conversation.
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