LiquidAK

There isn't a coherent argument to say that Howe hasn't overachieved, even your arbitrary 2.5 year timeframe still has him finishing par for the spending despite an injury crisis.

Ah shit sorry, only the 1 cup final and trophy. My bad, #HoweOut

Sure, if you divorce yourself from all context. Over the last 3 years we've had the 7th highest net spend in the league - in that time Howe has had us hitting that or higher each season, and the season he "only" matched it was when we had an insane injury crisis and a squad unable to cope with a European adventure after decades of chronic underinvestment (hence why we've even had to spend as much as we have since the takeover). Oh and we've hit 2 cup finals and won a trophy in that time too. Howe has, and continues to do a magnificent job with the cards he's dealt. It's way beyond "decent".

Love how he just outright ignored this given the answer wasn't what he was blatantly hoping for

Absolutely buckled at the fact that @Marxen the Mag has apparently had an account since 2016 but has only now been awakened to crusade against the best manager in our recent history. Like the world's most entitled sleeper agent, presumably @Lucky said the activation phrase: "I love Eddie, but serious questions will be asked..." Must be coming up to the part of the cycle where someone starts crying that they're being oppressed for having an opinion while they continue to post said opinion all over (repeatedly) on a free-to-access public forum.

Don't think that's the issue really. He's done a better job of rotating this season, the issue is we lost 2 players who between them are our 1st and 2nd choice left backs and our 1st choice right back. In hindsight we needed more cover on the left as losing Tino due to a freak injury effectively took away two players in one.

On today's showing I'd agree with you. I do think he'll find an answer though.

Van Dijk giving it the biggun in his celebration and then having it chalked off is poetry

Fair point, I keep forgetting we have him he's played on the wings before, so if we're persisting with the 4-3-3 I'd be rotating him between Barnes, Murphy and Woltemade (the latter especially must need a break)

Agree with all of this. Also regarding it still being tight, had we won today (I know, obviously we didn't) we'd have been 3 points off 5th. It's been a really shit patch of form and it won't last forever but we're not totally cut adrift yet. The season is absolutely able to be saved and there isn't anyone I'd rather have in the manager's chair to do it.

Pope, Botman, Trippier, Joelinton & Gordon out of the starting line-up for Ramsdale, Hall (shifting Burn to LCB), Tino, Ramsey & Barnes and we'll look a lot better imo. Perfect time to have a genuine refresh now with the 2-week break and nothing resembling good form to fall back on.

This has to be satire.

Glad we agree

Nee offence Dokko because I definitely don't think the pressure being off can last indefinitely regardless of what he's achieved, but you literally said the exact same thing before the last derby in the cup. He's still here and we've got a trophy in our cabinet, so let's not go nuts with the proclamations

Very little good you can say about that. Barnes goal was lush. Feels like 3 weeks ago

This is nonsense like. The players absolutely love him by all accounts. We can criticise this without writing fanfiction

Not ideal that

At least Hall will start the next game. About the only positive you can really take from this

Still absolutely back him to find a solution, especially once we've got our fullbacks and Wissa back. But can't pretend today hasn't been brutal

Caveat this with saying I still think Howe is the best manager I've ever seen for us and I wouldn't change him for the world (feel I have to say this for the same reason I wouldn't display the St George's Cross, associated with too many mouth breathing lunatics). But this was a bad one. Leaving Burn on with a yellow for so long when we'd been so shit was absolutely awful decision-making, so passive. Has to do better.

Class.

Has our subs bench disappeared like

Pope off please

Fuck me if we get out of here with a point it'll be a robbery