HaydnNUFC

pints

Was a relief to hear it played at the right time. Made a conscious effort to join in the roar at the end. That’ll show them.

Just from what I've heard from others, read and researched (as I only turned 3 during 03-04, so feel free to pull me up if talking shite again ) that the football had turned dour; we won 13 games in 38, won 2 league away games all season which were both in October and we finished on 56 points. Competing with Liverpool, Charlton and Villa for a European spot whilst exiting both domestic cups early doors. And the performance against Marseille was the straw that broke the camel's back for many, all the while we lost to Man City (who finished 16th) and failed to beat either Southampton who had nothing to play for or an already relegated Wolves to miss out on Champions League late in the season. Then summer 04, the two clubs who we were competing with in the previous couple of seasons for CL spots in Chelsea and Liverpool (less so Chelsea due to the Abramovich takeover) both moved on their well liked statesman-like managers in Houllier and Ranieri and replaced them with Benitez and Mourinho. We should've done the same with moving Robson on but didn't, instead waited until 4 games into 2004-05 to sack Robson and replaced him with Souness of all people. Robson, imo, if he wasn't going to be sacked in summer 04 he should've been given 2004-05.

As basic as it sounds, I don't think I've ever seen Tino kick the ball hard. He never puts his foot through the thing seemingly whether that's shooting or crossing. Even the 1 goal he scored for us was him dribbling past a couple players then falling over the ball as it went into the net. Him passing the ball square to Bruno in the seconds before the final whistle instead of getting it in the box on Sunday sums that part of his game up. Doesn't offer enough going forward, certainly not as much as Hall does. His defensive contribution arguably balances that out but aside from Man City at home, since he's come back from injury he's been poor imo.

I don’t think any club will pay him the wages that he’s on here tbh. That contract he was given whilst injured in mid 2024 instead of moving him on was a mistake from a squad progression/evolution perspective.

And another one against Leeds in early January.

We haven’t exactly played the most startling CL opposition this time around though yet still look regularly awful in the league. They haven’t blown sides away in the Europa League either, still winning the games yet still able to be on a run of 10 wins in 11 in the league. More inclined to say it’s an Emery style run than a Howe one given he’s now on 2 of them. Saying that they weren’t unlucky at all is like saying we weren’t unlucky at all to not progress from the CL in 23-24 and I imagine you don’t take that view of it.

They did yet they sit on 33 points from 16 games despite contending with Thursday/Sunday Europa League matches. I don’t think we would either. Whether that’s a positive or a negative depends on the lens you look at it through, I suppose. We have the wage structure to contend with the rules which is savvy but when one of our highest earners is Joelinton I’m not too sure it’s all sunshine and roses.

Howe isn’t blameless for that. He’s got the influence, the people around him he’s wanted, he had the money to spend and we look the poorest we’ve been under him.

And they were 9 points clear of us at this stage the last time we had European football to contend with. They then finished the season ahead of us. Last season they brought in players to improve the first team and were extremely unlucky not to finish above us and only didn’t on GD despite refereeing decisions they were on the end of despite remaining in the CL until April. Even if with their PSR issues in the summer and playing Thursday/Sunday they currently sit 11 clear of us.

No one was expecting that in one window. Even just the addition of 2 players good technically at RW and at CM would’ve done wonders but he’s chosen not to go for that. Why that is is anyone’s guess, he had the funds to do it and it wasn’t dependent on the Isak saga. And I don’t get what you mean by this. We needed upgrades on what we had and only Thiaw has been that so far. We’ve seen little of Ramsey but Willock gets the nod ahead of him. I’ve been astounded at how bad Elanga has been. We aren’t set up to get the best out of Woltemade and we sorely lack technicians throughout the team. It honestly feels like we only have 3 or 4 in the whole squad.

The squad that he’s built? It’s clear imo from the passive and insipid nature of our performances and set ups this season that he hasn’t been able to evolve how we play to cope with 3 games a week. We needed and still need better ability on the ball to help us keep and pass it efficiently, so we don’t exert ourselves physically in every match we play but we revert to a watered down version of what’s worked in the past assumably out of fear of a repeat of the injuries of 2023-24. Which is an absolute dream to play against as we’ve seen.

Thing is with this, if he’s unable to manage 3 games a week regularly then he’s not going to be here very long and rightly so tbh. As a club aspiring to challenge the top clubs we can’t afford to keep writing off 1 season in 2 because he can’t cope with it. Villa under Emery managed fine last season with CL football which they were playing until the QF stage in April, should’ve still probably finished ahead of us with those refereeing decisions on the final day coupled with the aids we serve up against Everton and are flying currently playing Thursday/Sunday, the lesser quality of their opponents this season in the EL taken into account obviously.

Or if he wins a bit of silverware again but I think I would tbh. But there’s plenty nuances to it. If we continue being so dreadful to watch and we miss out in addition then yes but only if we can guarantee a quality replacement. And there aren’t any out there currently, nor do I think the board have the nous to find the next Iraola/Glasner type from abroad especially given Howe had a role in choosing the sporting director. A very healthy way for a club to be run. I’m close to the end of my tether at present tbph but voted no in the poll as there’s no genuine upgrade out there so getting rid now would be pointless. And I don’t want him sacked, I want him to do well and to enjoy watching us play football.

Don’t get what he’s on about at all especially with ‘tax payers’ like. Mate of mine watched it in the Bodega today in town like yourself and people being arseholes in there I’ve been told? Full on scraps? Sounded grim.

What on earth is he on about?

Hence the links to Atalanta’s Ederson. Joelinton was injured as per from January-May 2024 and was given a new contract in April? On more money than Isak as well apparently. Scandalous stuff tbh.

It did fuck things but it shouldn’t have fucked our ability to keep possession as much as it appears to have done this season. It’s an area of our game that needed improving on regardless of the Isak saga given the extra games we knew we had to play, but nothing has been done to try and remedy or augment that. We had the money to do it and chosen not to.

Almiron was also replaced way later than he should’ve been and I reckon Joelinton will be as well.

Not really imo. 1) Even if you just talk about net spend we spent £100m on footballers and appear to have nothing to show for it outside of Thiaw. Elanga was signed well before Isak kicked up a fuss and other than Woltemade I’m not sure the other signings were related/dependent on the saga. 2) True, but we finally had a fair wedge to spend to finally improve the team and we look as poor as we ever have done under him. Elanga has been shocking, Woltemade isn’t involved anywhere near as much as he should be and Willock gets the nod ahead of Ramsey. We look the poorest we’ve been in possession since Bruce was in charge and don’t seem able to change it, so our main creative outlet is depending on turnovers high up the pitch. He’s went to a watered down limp version of what worked before out of fear of a repeat of the 23-24 injures imo which is a dream to play against. Passive, lack of guile and no incisiveness on the ball.

Watching us is a total fucking chore which is indefensible given the money spent in the summer. Must’ve heard or read ‘that’ll be our Brentford away moment’ after about 3 or 4 matches now. Things need to improve sharpish. Can’t see any discernible reason why they will, though.

I’ve thought this, we’re so regularly passive that I’m thinking it’s an intentional set up from the manager. But it’s frankly suicide when you lack technical quality in possession which we chose not to go for in the transfer market.

The performances were also poor back then tbh. Even in half of those wins. Spurs had half a squad available, a child in net and we were clinging on towards the end. West Ham was a dross match. Man City was frankly an embarrassing showing given how poor they were at the time. Arsenal was as nonexistent an attacking performance as today was. Villa tore us apart.