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News
Isaac Hayden slams critics of Newcastle’s style under Steve Bruce
Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden has rejected the negative perception of the club’s playing style under Steve Bruce, insisting results are what matter the most.
United are going well in the Premier League now after a rocky start.
The Magpies find themselves 11th in the table after 16 games and are seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Bruce is quietly doing a good job, but some have moved to criticise the team’s defensive style under Bruce.
In the eyes of Hayden, there’s only one thing that matters.
He said (): “We get a lot of stick from a lot of people, saying certain things about the style of play or possession or whatever it is, but at the end of the day, this is what we do.
“I think a few years ago if you look at Burnley, people were saying the same thing about them when they finished seventh – ‘they just have no possession, the least passes’, stuff like that.
“It’s irrelevant – at the end of the day, it’s about winning football matches. That’s what we’re doing at the minute.”
TBR’s view – Frustration understandable
Bruce deserves credit for making Newcastle hard to beat and masterminding some excellent results in 2019/20.
It is, however, easy to understand the frustration about the brand of football that has been on show.
It is certainly not the prettiest and one can perhaps imagine some supporters want to be entertained, with previous manager Rafa Benitez adopting a similarly pragmatic approach.
That said, perhaps Bruce’s dull yet effective style could actually see them secure an unlikely top 10 finish.