Shadow Puppets

Even though it has been literally the best it’s been just a year ago?

Time and time again? The first season in the Champions League we finished 8th, and clearly had nowhere near the size of squad to deal with those extra games. This season has been poor, with plenty of mistakes from the manager and poor performances of the players, but ignoring the main mitigation (losing a world class striker who’s nearly impossible to properly replace) seems blinkered too. I don't understand why people can’t be willing to give a manager as good as Eddie Howe even the chance to put it right in the summer, given everything he’s done for us.

What? So you’d prefer that he didn’t change to 4-3-3 to get us the goal?

Or dare see what happens when you actually buck the trend in football and don’t sack your manager? (especially one who’s proven time and time again to be excellent).

I think there HAS been an improvement last couple of games. But the glaring issue all season has been the striker situation, and that isn’t going to change until the summer.

I’m not willing to lay the blame solely at Eddie’s door for last summer’s window like. You can paint your agenda that way if you want, but if you have no structure in place to go out and get the players that were much higher on the list, what do you expect. The owners should take far more responsibility for that. (Eddie’s not blameless of course, but 90% of his transfers in his tenure have been outstanding… there’s no reason why we can’t move forward with another good run of transfers)

Yes I’m aware of all that thanks… but I made peace a month ago that nothing’s going to really improve / change without 4-5 players in and out this summer. Not sure why people are surprised if we don’t all of a sudden start playing beautiful football, when the issues with the squad (particularly up front) have been evident for a while.

We know what the problems are. They pretty much all lead back to last summer (both in the outgoings and incomings). Small tweaks and little improvements here and there is all I really expect between now and the end of the season. This summer is huge, but with an actual DOF and CEO in place, and hopefully shipping out Gordon early, we can rebuild significantly.

Thankfully it seems like the majority of Match going fans are still very much onside. Support for Eddie and the lads was really excellent today.

In other games I’d agree… but today, that was a genuinely good goal from Anderson, and we weren’t really under any pressure at all until that moment.

Or just people willing to allow one of our best managers of all time to put things right in the summer?

The sooner people realise that every game in the PL is difficult, the better. Forest are a decent side, playing for safety. Yes, they had a few injuries, but we were comfortable for 90% of the game and could/should have had another 1-2 goals.

I didn’t feel like we were in any trouble whatsoever until they scored, no. In fact, it only really looked like we’d go on and get another. It was a pretty dominant performance. It was a good goal from Anderson. Sometimes they happen.

I thought we dominated the game (as did everyone who I’ve been with today), but with the usual issues with our attacking play. Not really an outrageous take.

Oh good… this thread is a wonderful place after a draw in which we were comfortably the better team for 90% of the game. We know what the majority of our problems are. We know that they’re not likely to improve without a transfer window. Eddie’s still the man… just need the summer and a big reset / phase 2 to begin.

He didn’t have a bust up with Hall, man. Absolute nonsense.

This is still just a mockup. In real life the middle black stripe is quite a lot thinner (and centralised), and the three black stripes next to it are closer to the centre because of that. And obviously no Sela. They shot all photos and videos without any sponsors (apart from Noon on the sleeve), so I guess that means we’ll be sponsorless for a period of the new season. I saw a few players the other day, and the rumour doing the rounds amongst the players is that it’s going to be Guinness 0% when it’s announced. Whether that’s true or just what they’ve heard, I don’t know 🤷‍♂️

I’d like to believe he just messed his words up, but watching the Geordie Journos over the last few months, I feel like they’ve all been riling each other up, and the attention they’re getting / their Patreon etc is going to their head. They think they’re the voice of the crowd or something… and they’re coming across more and more like self professed “voices of the people” every day, validated by the over reactionary, thick as mince, YouTube comments section every weekend. But when you’re in a press conference, you’re not a fan, you’re not there to let your emotions and feelings bleed into it… you’re there to ask questions and report facts. I find them all massively unprofessional and disrespectful to be honest.

Yes, he was asked it that way. Proper dickish way to put it.

The idea of the question is fine… the disrespect in the way he asked it isn’t. “If you are a man of your word” for fucks sake.

Really disrespectful question from Dominic Surr (Geordie Journos) today at the press conference, that Eddie briefly took offence to. Words to the effect of, "with you previously saying that you wouldn't play anyone who wasn't fully committed, if you actually are a man of your word, will you play Anthony Gordon?" The implication being that he was calling out Eddie for not being a man of his word. Prick.

I wouldn’t downplay the Sunderland results and performances in isolation… they were dreadful performances and results… but I strongly disagree with the extent to which they have influenced people’s feeling towards the team / manager who have delivered so much for us over the years. But I definitely, despite being from Newcastle and living 10 mins away, have never understood just why people get so riled up about that one fixture. I’ve never understood the level of vitriol… for me and my friends and family (mix of NUFC and SAFC fans in there), it’s always just been friendly banter and bragging rights for a few months. In the grand scheme of where we’re trying to go, I care far more about the fixtures against Man Utd, Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Liverpool, or cup semi finals, or Champions League games, and find myself “hating” (in sporting terms) those teams far more than I could ever hate Sunderland.

Did Keegan win a cup? And surely as soon as Eddie wins one more game, he’s statistically our best ever. The others didn’t stick around long enough. Having the most wins should absolutely be cause for keeping a manager during a rough period… why shouldn’t it? On another note… this short-sighted, modern day, instant gratification bollocks that infests every day life is the absolute pits. Support the man who gave us our best days, who works harder every day for this club than any manager I can recount, and who has actually backed it up and has the receipts. If you can’t back him after a rough spell (even one where he’s clearly struggled), who can you? Also, over the last few weeks I’ve been hearing a lot about how there’s “no room for sentimentality in football”… why exactly? It seems pretty much that every club that sticks with a manager long term has more success than those who chop and change… and I’d prefer to have an emotional attachment to my club, manager and players than be like Chelsea of Man Utd. Arsenal fans were calling for Arteta’s head last season… now he’s on the verge of winning the league and taking them to a Champions League Final. Pep had a really rough season last season, Man City fans were calling for his head on Talksport every week… “his time is up” etc… the club stuck by him and he’s going to take Arsenal all the way to the final day most likely, and potentially win 2 other cups. There are dozens more examples where sticking with a manager who has already proven to be a great fit brings more success than chopping and changing at the first real sign of problems. Patience and support… that’s all that’s really needed.

Only if you’re incredibly short-sighted and overly weigh the importance of one fixture.

“Huge risk” seems a bit dramatic like… I could quite easily turn around and argue that’s it a much much bigger risk to let him go, considering his obvious ability, success rate, demeanour, representation of the club, respect within the squad, lack of obviously better replacements etc etc.