Heron

Ner. You can post as you feel. I'm sure @Ghandis Flip-Flop isn't wanting to be hurtful towards you it's just that everyone is passionate about NUFC and Eddie Howe as a result and it overspills after a game on here. If here is your release then release away. I also get frustrated by negative takes (and especially unfair ones - that I perceive on here), and try to debate them with great passion to try and help the other side see what I see (hey - that's what we all do...right?) But alternative opinions and perceptions are what make us all collectively learn.

None of which are bad when performing so well at home as evidenced by our final league positions

Disagree. Losing a striker whom is considered "world class" at the very end of a transfer window where we'd been claiming we weren't going to sell and then trying to reinvent your team (squad?) around changing alternatives (tactically) is NOT the same as one individual player gaining match fitness.

Yeah - I could only say with any confidence that those top two would likely be wins based on present performance. Who knows though, perhaps we pull more out the bag. We'd need a significant up-turn in performances at home too though and to start making more draws into wins. Next 4 games will be pretty pivotal in the league.

I said to my mate last night I felt we were missing Cunha and Mbuemo types that operate better on the inside. I'm not saying it's the silver bullet but I'd like to see us doing it. However, I dotn think our wingers are doing anything consistently well. For me I'd have Barnes and Murphy in consistently for 2 or 3 weeks now which, ironically might not make us better on the inside (Barnes would - Murphy wouldn't) but both would offer at least more than what is being displayed currently.

Out of curiosity what would 5/6 away wins make you by the end of the season? Around mid table (for away wins)?

The next 4 games will really identify where we'll likely be come the end of the season for me. Away games versus the two worst sides in the league which are entirely winnable if we get our shit together, as are home games versus Leeds and to a lesser degree - Palace. If we can take 10-12 points from those games then all of a sudden things are looking a lot healthier.

Absolutely quality. Made one mistake yesterday overplaying it at LB but weaved in and out and caused problems whilst defending great. Has to go to the WC.

If you take a top class player out of any side it will be less effective especially if you're team is built to play to said individuals strengths. It doesn't make them a bad side all of a sudden just because said player is removed. The team has to adapt and thus far hasn't had opportunity to do so because we signed 2 strikers 6 or 7 games into the season and since then have has only one or two opportunities to do any significant amount of training owing to fixture congestion. It's entirely unfair on Howe and the everyone at the club to suggest the only reason we won owt was because of Isak.

I agree. He was the icing on an already decent cake. He wasn't the full cake - which was my point.

That's not what was written. You could apply the same to virtually any team in history - what successful side ever had a dud at CF...howay man. Moving goalposts here.

This is my criticism of Howe. I don't think he sees that. I think he sees Gordon as equal threat doing that as what Barnes is. That is consistent with my criticisms of Howe too. I love him and I feel his wingers are letting him down but he is also not picking the best combination of wingers which for me is Barnes and Murphy.

This is why Murphy has been our best winger for some time. Cause he doesn't go inside, or at least - not as often - and when he does he often hits the target.

Iska certainly contributed and significantly so...as did every player in that squad and every member of that dressing room.

Gordon is dropping into those positions because of his desire to work his way inside. He wants to cut in and score goals which frankly he is fucking shite at, at present, and has been for around a year. It's because he has a desire to play for him above playing for the team.

@Whitley magpretty much outright suggests that we were only good because of Isak. Said suggestion was ridiculed because as you say it was amazing he achieved what he did with that team.

Gordon is tasked with playing LW and his heat map showed there. It was a completely fucking stupid thing to show. Gordon has also proved to have been more effective going round the outside these recent weeks and not on the inside where he is closed out and cannot hit the target or create goals. He has created goals going round the outside and getting to the byline to deliver. Don't believe everything Gary Neville tells you.

No mate. I ridiculed then suggestion that our success was solely down to Isak - cause it clearly wasn't.

Our wingers have been shite and we don't have new ideas. We dotn have new ideas because we've spent 0 time strategising and devising new means to open teams up because we got our strikers around 6 games into the season and neither are the same profile as Alexander Isak.

You're clearly missing my point. I have said I can understand legitimate concerns but shite like "we were only good because of Isak" is nonsense. We were good because of having a top quality footballer who suited our style of play/we suited our style of play to. It was having the complete team and a cohesive team.

Aye - because he was considered world class by most football fans whilst at Newcastle United. You don't replace those talents easily and you certainly don't fashion a new style of play mid season. To accommodate for that. How the fuck is that a contradiction?

Your making no sense tbh mate. Are you seriously suggesting that we were only good because of Isaks talent? If so, then how haven't Liverpool been better with such a talent?

I can absolutely take fair criticism of Howe but every time we lose it feels like there's a desperate attempt to question him on things that have zero evidence or substance tbh. Gets right on my fucking tits.

Give over man. Isak has done fuck all since going to England's best club.