Danny Mills has called for Steve Bruce to make drastic changes to how he sends Newcastle out to play, as told to Football Insider.
The former England international feels a team’s identity is one of the key three areas that managers must conquer, if they are to ensure they are given time to succeed in their roles, with the others being signings and results.
With the transfer window now closed, Bruce must get to grips with those already on Tyneside, and find out where best to play them; having struggled to get his message across in the opening day defeat to Arsenal, when Jetro Willems began life as a Magpie in the heart of midfield before realising he was brought on to play in his natural left-back slot.
The boss also had issues with Allan Saint-Maximin’s introduction, as he barked orders across the field to the Frenchman, crying for the summer arrival to move in centrally alongside Joelinton, rather than taking up a position on the wing.
Going more offensive next time out against Norwich City may be the answer, though; with Mills suggesting an exciting, attacking line-up will keep the fanbase happy for longer.
“Definitely,” he said. ”As a manager, you get judged on results, signings and style of play.
“Signings will take a little bit of time, we won’t know about that for a while. Obviously, results we know instantly, that happens on the first day.
“Style of play is a massive thing in this day and age, and this new era of modern football. If they can have an attacking style of play, creating chances and the fans are happy with that, it perhaps gives you that little bit longer with the fans in that honeymoon period.”
Mills is not the only pundit keen to see an exciting blend of football from Bruce, with top Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville recently revealing he found Rafa Benitez’s tactics boring.
“To me, I’m not knocking Rafa Benitez – I think he is a brilliant manager – but I think Newcastle, when I go up there, it should just be mad,” the former Manchester United star said, via quotes by the Chronicle.
“It should be really loud [and] the games should be mad. There should be incident and excitement. To be fair, some games are always 0-0. Every time I went up there over [the last] two years, I was bored.”