Bruno Guimaraes sends wake up call to Newcastle teammates in telling ESPN interview

Newcastle United have not been the same team they were last season. In fact, at times they've not felt like a team at all.

The Magpies added six players to their ranks in the summer, and while replacing Alexander Isak was never going to be easy, a lot of people felt, on paper, that the overall effect of the transfer window would translate to a net positive.

That has absolutely not been the case, but it's not fair to point the finger just at the new additions, as there have been plenty of players who were here last season and beyond who have not lived up to expectations.

After such an amazing campaign last time out, Jacob Murphy has returned to being the player we all thought would be one of the first out of the door after the takeover. Nick Pope has seemingly completely lost the plot. Anthony Gordon's head has been elsewhere for most of the season, and Tino Livramento, after making such a strong start to the season, has seen his form drop off a cliff before his latest injury. And that's just to name a few.

Newcastle vastly improved in how they played on Saturday against Arsenal, and we can't help but feel that it was no coincidence that this improvement came at the same time as Bruno Guimaraes' return to the starting lineup after a 10-week absence.

The skipper makes Newcastle a better team, nobody can deny that, but it's a massive worry how much we rely on the Brazilian.

Bruno has mixed emotions about this season

Bruno has been speaking to ESPN Brazil about this season, and he was asked if the players have maybe become complacent. While Bruno initially tried to avoid saying so, he ultimately agreed that some complacency had crept into the team.

"Without a doubt, (this has been the) worst season since I've been here. We've done great things for the club recently. In the last four years, since the club was bought, we saved the team from relegation, we won a title after 70 years, we went to the Champions League twice...

“I don't know if some players got a bit complacent; in general, we got a bit complacent, but it's not a good season. 

"I'd say it's a season to forget. We have four games left, we know that the gap to 7th, 8th, which will qualify for Europe, is possible.

“We have four games to finish in the best way possible, but it's not a good season on average, even though, individually, I'm having a good year, with more goals scored in the Premier League. It's a strange mix of feelings"

Are some players coasting?

There have definitely been a few players who have got complacent this season, and with that, they have stopped trying, perhaps with the expectation that they'll be moving on at the end of the season.

Actually, why am I dancing around it? I'm obviously talking about Anthony Gordon. He's clearly buying into his own hype, but the problem is, his lack of effort is only going to put potential buyers off. Everyone wants a player of Gordon's ability in the team, but if he's only going to apply himself for the 'big' games, who is going to want that kind of half-arsed commitment?

Eddie Howe is adamant that we've all got it wrong about Gordon, but Everton fans will tell us otherwise. If he truly is committed to teh club, then he'll say or do something to prove it, but saying 'I just ignore it' every time he's asked isn't going to make the accusations go away, especially when the performances don't back it up.

I'm not sure how this piece about Bruno Guimaraes became a hit piece on Anthony Gordon, but here we are. It pains me to write it, too, as I loved Gordon last season, and I still see how good he can be now.