According to the Daily Mail, Steve Bruce did not plead with Mike Ashley during their meeting earlier this week for attacking reinforcement. Indeed, despite the Toon Army scoring only 21 goals in 22 games so far this season, the Magpies boss is seemingly ready to gamble on their top-flight status by not forcing a move for a striker.
Joelinton and Andy Carroll have just one goal between them so far and both Dwight Gayle and Yoshinori Muto are both currently injured, leaving Jonjo Shelvey to score most of the goals this season. A central midfielder, he has bagged five times, with Jetro Willems, Miguel Almiron, Ciaran Clark, Matty Longstaff, Fabian Schar and Federico Fernandez all on 2, the joint-second highest amount in the squad.
What does this mean for Newcastle?
Given the lack of goals in the side, it does seem really rather strange that Bruce wouldn’t push for a striker. While the idea of spending big money on one just months after breaking the club-record of Joelinton may be somewhat fanciful given Ashley’s apparent insistence to get him in the first place, even a loan move for an experienced addition might be a smart idea.
It’s hard to argue that the Magpies are in a reasonably good position this season but, as proved over the festive period, things can change very quickly for Newcastle. They are, after all, only five points above Aston Villa in 17th as things stand, so not strengthening when they can does seem rather strange.
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