A lot of Newcastle United fans are furious following Keith Downie’s latest tweet about Newcastle not buying a striker in the January transfer window.
The Sky Sports reporter said that he asked Steve Bruce why the club did not sign a striker, and was told that Bruce could not find anyone better than what he already has.
Was Bruce right to not bring in a striker?
Yes, the options they have are good enough
No, everyone is injured
This meant that when Joelinton went off last night after he had scored the Toon’s second goal, Newcastle had to play without a striker. (23:12)
They were nearly punished as Oxford United came roaring back only for Allan Saint-Maximin to score a winner in extra time.
However, the lack of a striker on the bench for the Toon annoyed these fans.
Asked Steve Bruce again yesterday why he didn’t bring in a striker in the window. He once again reiterated there was nobody available better than what he has. Surely an option off the bench would have been advantageous though, even if a journeyman or loan?
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) February 4, 2020
such a weak excuse saying that. There are players out there, I don’t want to hear any whinging from her later in the season.
— Tommy Strong (@strong_te) February 4, 2020
implying Joelinton is so good that no one in the world could replace him?
— Robin Chan (@robinthebest) February 4, 2020
He’s thick Keith. How can nobody be worse than four strikers who have scored once? He’s deluded and a con man.
— Gary Harrison (@tinyhaz) February 4, 2020
Madness Keith, we were lucky tonight could have gone very wrong
— Kev Gaddes (@kevlaa83) February 4, 2020
And especially with the injury crisis we have at the minute..Makes no sense at all…
— boybaff70 (@BaffDarren) February 5, 2020
He’s lying … He was not allowed to buy a striker because Mike spent 40 mil on the last one and he’s a flop .. obvious
— chez (@Chez261984) February 4, 2020
What do we think?
The Magpies were without Dwight Gayle, Yoshinori Muto, and Andy Carroll last night, which meant as soon as Joelinton went off, the Magpies lacked any presence up front.
Elias Sorensen has just returned from an unsuccessful loan spell with Carlisle United, and maybe he should have been on the bench.
This would have given the Toon a target to aim for and might not have allowed Oxford back into the game.
Luckily for Bruce, his side now have a break before they travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal, and he will hope to have at least one striker available.