Archive for author: workyticket

A Merry Christmas beckons for Newcastle United?

December 14th, 2020 | 20 Comments |

St James' Park at Christmas — A Merry Christmas beckons for Newcastle United?

With two victories against Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion already under their belts, the Christmas fixtures could be a very good period for Newcastle United if they can keep up the momentum in the run up to Christmas. All of their next three opponents, Leeds, Fulham and finally, Championship side, Brentford, in the League Cup Quarter Final are all below them in the league. Can Steve Bruce take the bull by the horns, silence the doubters and make the most of this opportunity? (more…)

Newcastle make their best start since the Championship, but Bruce still gets no respect

December 8th, 2020 | 7 Comments |

He’s the Rodney Dangerfield of football, Rodney Dangerfield being the famous American comedian whose catchphrase was ‘I get no respect, no respect at all!’ But meanwhile, despite all the moaning, considering the resources at his disposal, Newcastle are actually doing as well as can be expected, at the least, they certainly aren’t doing badly.

In their first ten games, Newcastle have won 14 points with a 40% win percentage, not the greatest until you consider that in 2019/20 they’d only won 3 points, and before that, Benitez only won 3 too, though he equalled Bruce’s first ten game total in our first season after promotion. Bruce and Benitez have had similar league finishes, both have played a similar style, counterattacking football with a big target man up front which isn’t the most exciting to watch, and yet one was almost worshipped and the other is treated with disdain, but why? (more…)

Who is Newcastle United’s best player so far? The answer may surprise you

November 20th, 2020 | No Comments |

Then again, maybe not in a season which has so often been about hanging on in defence and hoping for a goal on the break.

Whilst Callum Wilson and Allan St Maximin might be grabbing most of the praise up at the front, it is stand in goalkeeper Karl Darlow who has really given Steve Bruce a ‘selection headache’ (as they say) whenever Martin Dubravka recovers from his heel injury.

Whilst it has been a fairly average season for the Magpies so far, by recent standards anyway with the team currently lying in 13th, same as they finished last season, poor Darlow has received a battering in goal, fending off more shots than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League. His record so far this season being 39 saves and 1 penalty save. He is also currently Newcastle United’s most highly rated player on Whoscored, beating Allan St Maximin and Callum Wilson to the top spot. (more…)

Are the Bellagraph Nova Group all that they seem?

August 19th, 2020 | 63 Comments |

As Phaedrus once wrote: “Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.”

I have thought of Phaedrus’s wisdom more than once when investigating prospective new owners of Newcastle United. Who can forget Rick Parker’s infamous Mackem ‘fakeover‘ where a Sunderland supporting scallywag posed as ‘Richard Parkinson,’ a £250 million textile baron and offshore investor from Ponteland who declared an interest in buying the club for £90 million, promising to turn Newcastle United into a fan’s trust and reinstalling Alan Shearer as manager with a large transfer kitty. Then there was Barry Moat, the mysterious ‘Capital Group’ and several others… (more…)

Is Joelinton Right About Toon Fans’ Bruce abuse?

June 25th, 2020 | No Comments |

In a recent interview with Natalie Gedra for Brazilian ESPN, Newcastle United forward, Joelinton, spoke about several aspects of his time on Tyneside. One of those was his observations about the fans’ treatment of Steve Bruce since he became the Magpies’ manager in July 2019. On this he said:

“When he [Bruce] arrived, he came under a lot of pressure, part of the crowd didn’t want him because of his old work. A nice guy, a hard worker, but who demands, and is a friend, always with word of encouragement. The fans acted badly with him as soon as he arrived. He’s doing his best. For me, he’s a great coach.”

To say that Bruce’s welcome after the departure of Benitez was ‘muted’ would be an understatement, it was verging on hostile. Even now, after a 3-0 victory against a team (Sheffield United) who were 5th in the Premier League, and the second best behind Liverpool in terms of goals conceeded going into the game, a fan on this site reacted to the Magpies’ performance as follows: (more…)