There has been much talk of a change of tactics for Newcastle this week, but they must be careful what they wish for with only 31 points in the bank.
Let’s be honest, the brand of football that has been on show this season has been nothing short of diabolical. No team has scored fewer goals, no team averages less possession and no team averages fewer shots per game, according to WhoScored, yet they still have a seven-point buffer on the relegation zone.
Saturday was a real wake up call to the club that they are not yet safe. Playing against a Crystal Palace team who were in equally poor form, who have faced similar issues in finding the net and creating chances, they were clearly second best and conceded 18 shots – nearly double Palace’s average – with nine being on target.
Resultingly, Steve Bruce has come out and said he is considering a ‘change of formation’ and ‘a change of personnel’ – but is now the right time?
No team this season has scored fewer goals from open play this season, but they still find themselves in 14th, probably needing a few more wins just to lift them to safety.
Given that they are so close to securing their status for another season, will switching it up have the desired impact that they want, or just cause them to have their confidence dented even further?
Chris Waugh from the Athletic believes that they are most likely to change to a 4-2-3-1 which could see the introduction of goalscorer Dwight Gayle, but playing to his strength is going to really change how they normally play.
It might not be pretty, but the way Newcastle have managed to hang onto games at home and score goals via set-pieces has worked. They face Burnley on the weekend, a side which is similarly physical, and they could be left with egg on their face if they try and get the ball on the ground more.
It seems Bruce made his mind up early about how they were going to play. It was negative, but it’s keeping him in the job and United in the Premier League. He should be encouraged to adapt for next season, but right now, there is still a job to do, and to throw everything they have done so far out the window might not be the best approach in such an unforgiving division.