TheBrownBottle

Perhaps, but it’s also one the reasons I like the man. Most PL managers wouldn’t be this honest. But his players are badly letting him down and this is the closest I’ve seen to Howe calling them out in public. And he’s right about all of it, too.

Yep. I seem to remember predictions of Brentford’s demise post-Frank. Likewise Brighton post-Potter. It is almost as if excellent scouting and player acquisition is more important than coaching - and that in terms of coaching, top drawer coaches are more common than people think.

But that’s not the point you made. If Howe was managing Arsenal would they be cruising to the title? If Arteta was at NUFC would we be 12th? I’m not sure would be the obvious response.

I was talking to a mate about the worst signings in our history a while back - but I don’t think that I named two who were signed in the same season. We’re well on track for at least two added to the list this season. Every doubt that I had re his character in the way he got his move just looks like it’s compounding. He is stealing a living atm.

But that’s still thinking like we have no agency. Surely the management team knows that before signing players. If the system is rigid, surely you get your nephew to track players with a similar profile to Isak (even if they aren’t as good). Woltemade isn’t even close to being similar. Why the fuck would you sign a player knowing full well he can’t play in that system and then refuse to adapt to it? It’s borderline negligent. It would be like a long ball team replacing their massive centre forward with a midget.

Funnily enough I think the ownership’s obvious lack of giving much of shite is keeping Howe in situ - if they were serious about their insane ‘no.1’ talk then he might be out the door.

If we were playing well before that you’d have an argument

Yes; this does seem to be forgotten. We had a horrific run of about ten games when we fell to pieces but otherwise looked good that season. edit; the CL matches we faced were also much harder.

Do no 10s not shoot either or something?

Emery accepted and then freaked out at Staveley’s constant briefing of the press

It has to be said, the reason the fixtures are so punishing at the moment is that we also had a shitload of straightforward ones back-to-back and have mostly looked crap in those too

Yep, after the Man Utd 5-0 his decline was rapid - by Jan he wasn’t a PL player anymore.

He’s being really badly let down by some of his most experienced players too, mind. That’s starting to anger me.

Agreed, it isn’t easy given the relative squad size - but he also hasn’t learned anything from the previous campaign. An obvious example would be Bradford (H) in the league cup this season. We’re as close to the relegation zone as the CL places

I hope he doesn’t tell the board that he can’t cope with European campaigns

Not good enough I’m afraid

They never did.

Edit: wrong threaf.

Emery and Howe accepted when we were bottom of the table. Don’t see why we’re less attractive today.

They could probably rest some players at this rate

Agreed on all points re Liew - but that’s playing the ball not the man. Still doesn’t mean he’s wrong. it’s absolutely relevant. They’re bullshitters.

Yeah, sadly being a complete cunt isn’t limited to Wearside. And we’ve got our new friends from a country which has the death penalty for folks living as they were born, who’ll all happily chime in too

It doesn’t take five years to decide whether or not you’re building a stadium, let alone actually building the fucking thing

It’s hard to argue with any of this: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/feb/05/newcastle-united-saudi-vision-bleak-suspicion-unfulfilled-promises?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I agree, but then we knew that before last summer. The Sesko saga was proof of how amateur we were - it was patently obvious what was going to happen.