'What are you supposed to do?' - Harry Redknapp becomes latest pundit to defend Steve Bruce

Harry Redknapp has defended Steve Bruce’s conservative style of play at Newcastle United, claiming that the Toon manager is unable to do much else with the players at his disposal.
Steve Bruce and Harry Redknapp (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images)Steve Bruce and Harry Redknapp (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images)
Steve Bruce and Harry Redknapp (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Magpies boss has come in for criticism from supporters this season over his negative tactical approach, so much so that he pledged to change the way that he set his side out as a means of appeasing the disgruntled fanbase.

Since then, Newcastle have picked up valuable wins against Everton and Southampton, with the 3-2 victory over the Saints representing the first time that Bruce’s men had scored more than two in a top flight match since the beginning of October.

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The Toon Army are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone as well, and speaking about the Toon Army’s survival hopes on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, pundit Paul Merson said: “Because there’s no crowd there, I think they can sit 10 behind the ball now.

"I think if there was 55,000 people there and they were playing at home to a mid-table team and they sat 10 behind the ball, I think the fans would go mad.

"Because no-one’s in the ground, it gives them a licence to be a little bit more negative.”

Responding to the former Arsenal man, Redknapp said: “Brucey gets all the grief now, but they weren’t free-flowing under Rafa [Benitez].

"He plays to what he has. What are you supposed to do there?

"They are what they are.

"If they survive again and finished, sixth or seventh from bottom, it’s a fair enough season for them.”