Stifler

I mean my point is that so far, when it really matters against good teams where we need a result to go to the next level, we have faltered. In his first season it was the cup final. Last season it was against Man Utd in the League, and AC Milan in the Champions League, and I think we should include the Chelsea League Cup match as I believe a result there would have too us to the final again, and Man Utd when we were battle for Europe. In all of those cases we lost the game. With Man Utd we beat them twice in mid season games that were not ‘crunch’ games in regards to our season, then went on to lose to them when it mattered again, @Froggy actually pointed this out, albeit in the manner he does say it in. I’m not discounting what Howe has done. When he came in we were down, we were fucking out and gone, and our new owners were realistically looking at having to start to project as a Championship club. He came in and we very nearly got in to the top 10 never mind stayed up. In the space of about 18 months he has taken us from relegated without even a whimper, to a team finishing in the European places. We have elevated up levels. I can’t deny that, and I commend him for it. However, there have been some people questioning if he is the man to take us to the next and final step and that would be to win a cup or at the very least challenge for the title. So far he has yet to do that, we have yet to just finish off games where the real pressure is on us.

Opportunity well and truly missed.

Bournemouth was worse like. There was no fucking excuse for being that bad.

Yes, but in saying this, you also see how in this game we came at it differently to how we like to play, and how teams who have got points of Man City this season have played?

I’m on about in relation to the next level in which we win something. I’m not disputing that he’s done amazing for us to take us from that position to where we are. I’m just struggling to see him being able to take us to the next step.

In relation to the discussion of taking us to the next level which would be winning something, then yeah, pretty much.

And let’s see how we do in the final then.

I’m not disputing that he hasn’t. But so far in every make or break game, we have broke.

Those limitations are what people are discussing if it will prevent us from taking a step up.

No we don’t, you qualify for the Conference League.

Everyone in the Man City thread is saying the exact same things. We choke when it comes to the big games that we need to win.

Let’s continue this on the 17th March, I hope I’m admitting that I’m wrong.

And the point I’m making is that when it really matters, in the key make or break games, we break.

Said it for quite a while to be fair, it’s just our fanbase won’t allow you to criticise on the back of a good result. How could I have came on after knocking Arsenal out of the cup and said that? Let’s face it, Top 4 finish aside, we have chicken every big game we have faced against the top 6 teams. Lost the cup final to an average Man Utd team who fluked their way into the top 4. Beat them in games afterwards, but lost to a poor Man Utd team when a result for us would have got us into Europe and it was between us and them for the last place. Got beat off a poor performing Chelsea side in the league cup quarter final last season.

I think he’s niave far too often. He seems to have an idea of how a game will go and won’t change the plan once it’s set. We end up not being able to up the tempo, and not giving ourselves a chance to turn things around. He had a plan for this game, and 3-0 at half time, it won’t change in the 2nd half. We likely have a plan already in place for the cup final, and that won’t change between now and then, even if Liverpools first 11 suddenly became unavailable. I also think his teams concede far too many goals, and that’s not just us, it was the same at Bournemouth.

This is it. We can do well and build ourselves up to a point, but as soon as we enter that key game, that’s it, we fold. It’s why I’m not massively excited about the cup final.

The more time goes on, the more I think people like Simon Jordon are right. He’s a good manager, but he’ll not take us to the next level.

He’s massively limited to be honest.

Birmingham was fucking poor as well. People gloss over it because we won and had made changes.

We’ll beat them, but on the league game.

Piss off.

This. We can’t start a game slow and grow into it.

Aye, worked fucking wonders the last fucking time.

Typical us, go fucking missing when we play a decent team in an important match.

Oh fuck off man. Dr Newcastle has entered the fucking building.