timeEd32

I think this undersells how difficult it is to find players that have the combination of physicality required to play in the PL and that next level of technique. In a world without PSR or one where we have more money and more cachet our squad might include Ekitike, Pedro, Olise, Szoboszlai, and Guehi among others. Maybe it still wouldn't be the brand of football some want, but I'm not sure how anyone could be certain Eddie couldn't take us up another level with that kind of talent.

Following up on that last point with some very rough math and my own made up stat: Eddie Howe's Revenue Earned Over Expected PL TV Merit Payments: +£33m UEFA Broadcast + Prize money: +£48m UEFA Matchday Revenue: +£24m Carabao Cup Matchday Revenue: +£15m Total: +£120m Those numbers assume an average manager would have also saved us from relegation, qualified for the Conference League once and Europa League once, made the Carabao Cup quarterfinals every season, and finished 8th in each of his full seasons (14th in 2021/22). It also ignores commercial revenue increases even though it is directly related to our performance.

This is the perspective I just can't wrap my head around. You do realize that only PIF (and our CEO/business operation) can take us where PIF say they want to go, right? Eddie has added more to the club's bottom line over the last four years than anyone else. He is Head Coach and Director of Revenue Generation.

The rule probably needs tweaking, but I'd immediately feel better about offside reviews if humans weren't involved. Could be AI's greatest contribution to the world.

I know for a fact that Michael Oliver ran around the VAR control room celebrating the Barnes winner v Leeds (he had been on another game). While that’s amusing as a Newcastle fan it’s also why this system doesn’t work. Too many relationships, too many conflicts of interest combined with rules never intended for this level of specificity and scrutiny. The whole thing is a mess.

Equally likely that he was being given a full rest vs having a message sent. Maybe a bit of both. Mentioned in another thread that he was one of the five fastest strikers in the PL last season. That’s not the player we’ve seen thus far. I still think we’re going to get a much, much better player in the future. The problem is it might be next season.

He was like the third fastest CF in the PL last season behind Haaland and someone I’m forgetting. I think the two behind him were Jackson and Pedro. We were clearly after a type, but between the lack of preseason and the injury we have a broken down version of what we bought.

"Anthony's legs, his desire to press, makes the team play better. It had a really fluid look to it. We wanted to play with a fluid frontline. We wanted to press aggressively. You need quick & mobile players (to do that)."

We've had some bad luck, we've had some very questionable decisions go against us, and we also struggle to convert chances. We survived tonight but we wouldn't be throwing away all these late leads with that extra goal and for me it remains the biggest difference between this season and past ones.

A easily. The Conference League is not really a legitimate competition for the top ~20 richest clubs in Europe.

Some very promising performances. Hope he can keep building on this and give us a spark for the rest of the season. I also hope we use that as a path to selling him and don't get any ideas about a contract extension.

I left them all anonymous to be fair.

I do, but I'm also quite sure Eddie does as well. I just don't know what else should be done without Miley or Tino and with Hall really needing a rest. I do think Eddie is stubborn with his guys to a fault and that is evident in his squad building and how he makes substitutions. We should have recalled Targett or found another fullback option in January.

I either want Europa League or nothing

You may need to wait until our next defeat to get a reply.

Let's light this thread up. Don't be shy now.

Massive 3 points

Come on Nick

Ramsey looks like he can't breathe. Wants to have the winner so badly.

My god, we almost conceded a second bicycle to them.

Osula to make it 3-1.

I have such little faith we're going to hold on and Spurs supporters are streaming for the exits.

For those like @KaKa who think our single biggest problem is Tonali this game is pretty damning evidence.

If we can hold on here then they have Arsenal next. Could be a genuine threat for them heading into March.