DC Magpie

There's the other fact that when he starts up front for us, we get much better results: 9 starts up top = 20 points - We were earning just over two points per match, a pace that would have us comfortably in Europe. 23 starts without him up top = 22 points - Earning less than a point in the standings per match with Anthony/Wissa/Osula up top. We'd be shitting our pants in the relegation battle at that pace. Hell, at this rate, we still might be before the season's up.. (Editor's Note: I realize this is an incredibly simplistic view of things, but I just cannot get my head around what Eddie's doing this season. He's just incapable of changing tactics and formations.)

It's incomprehensible that they came out that flat. We had three fucking weeks to prepare for this shit team who's won three times at home all year. The players are mailing it in. Right or wrong, Eddie has to go. He's lost the team, and he is incapable of changing or innovating. The team came out flat, got a lucky goal and you just knew it was a matter of time until we pissed it away. Wissa exchanging shirts with Mateta after the game was the perfect "we don't give a shit" moment. That guy can't get out of town fast enough for me. He'll be sending heart emojis to Evanilson this week no doubt.

I thought for certain he'd be back up top. Osula?!?

Good point. He contributed mightily in September and into December. If you look back at how many goals (and assists) were critical in securing a win (+2 points over an otherwise draw) or in in our draws (+1 than if we'd lost) it's probably fair to say we'd be 6 or 8 points lower in the table. And we'd be shitting our pants along with Spurs, Forest and Leeds right now. I understand this is simplistic. Maybe another striker would have scored in his place, etc. But given his recent struggles, it's easy to forget what he did for us in the Fall.

LOL = exactly. We need to get the team back on the pitch so we have something real to talk about.

This one. Toon Review. It's a passing comment they quickly dismiss, but I'd not be surprised.

I think it would be professional neglect for the German teams not to be monitoring Big Nick. He's been a complete fish out of water here since we pulled the old Wissa-roo on him. Spending a week or so with the German team last week, you know he had to be hearing a lot "you need to come back home and play for Dortmund/Bayern/Whomever". Relatedly, I heard on a podcast this morning that a caller has a "friend of a friend" who works for the team who is certain Nick has told the club that he'd want a transfer if Howe is brought back next year. Despite the air-tight sourcing of this reportage, that actually wouldn't surprise me.

Honest question from a somewhat new NUFC supporter and "soccer" dilettante. Has Eddie run the same 4-3-3 his entire time here? Was it the same at Bournemouth? It seems a scrappy formation intended to counter teams who are technically superior and more talented. Is that the case? And if it is, could his devotion to the 4-3-3 be a hindrance to us signing some of the better technical players? Well, I guess that's more than one question, but they're all honest, so please don't rip my head off.

I'm telling you, once he gets this mental thing behind him and starts putting a few in, the sky's the limit I think. Everything that's wrong is between his ears right now. Just needs a confidence boost.

Ah, so now Eddie Howe is Mr. Miyagi? Wax on, wax off, Nick, Wax on, wax off.

I would definitely force him into the weight room - he can definitely bulk up and not lose speed.

They were booing Sane and not Nick then, right? He was "this" close to having two goals and an assist. He needs something to go his way to get him out of this funk. It's all the US announcers were talking about - his poor form at Newcastle.

This is not Germany's official starting 11 today, but goodness gracious what I wouldn't pay to see us come out in a formation like this for the rest of the season. Ramsdale / Livramento Thiaw Botman Hall / Tonali Joelinton / Gordon Bruno Barnes / Woltemade

Have him bring Tresoldi with him to pair him up with big Nick up top. Tresoldi is scoring goals like it's a video game in Belgium. Cheap too.

he doesn’t appear to be in the starting 11 tonight

Saw the highlights of the Italy game last night. He certainly looked to be in fine form. If Woltemade goes out and scores a hat trick against Switzerland today, I'm gonna scream.

Was Chelsea his last start up top for us? Maybe not, but it wasn't too long after that we pulled the old Wissa-roo, was it? I'm not sure Nick is the type of player where you scrap everything and build your system around him, but I also think our 4-3-3 is tired and needs to be put out of our misery, and having Woltemade as an option up front provides a lot of opportunity in a new system. Not sure Eddie has it in him though.

I'm not saying that we would necessarily want all three to leave, but I think a lot depends on the level of overhaul the muckety mucks think we need. Hell, we don't even know if Eddie will be back. Point is, we may not have a whole lot of choice. If Gordon has a good World Cup and can fetch £80M or more (plus he'll be an insufferable pout if he feels forced to stay here). Tonali should fetch the same or even more. Not sure what Livramento's value would be. Freeing up cash isn't the worst thing if you're truly rebuilding and rethinking the approach to be more possession and less hair-on-fire. I don't know what to believe any more, but the "word" is that Tonali's agent is hinting that we have given him the same handshake agreement we gave Isak - namely that if we miss Europe we'll facilitate him leaving. Also, depending on who you believe, both Tonali and Tino are garnering interest from Man City. If we could package either of them for a deal to get Trafford and say £50M cash, I'd love to pencil him in as our starting keeper for the next decade. I'm convinced our keepers cost us at least 10-12 points in the table this season. Also hearing Robin Risser as a potential answer in goal. He'd be a little cheaper.

My completely uninformed, based on nothing guess as to who of note will be out. Willock, Trippier, Schar, Livramento, Tonali, Gordon, Murphy, Osula, Pope. Burn will be back, the team will look for younger players, and hope Eddie knows how to develop young talent. Our academy is a mess.

What's the deal with Balogun? Does Arsenal still have their hooks in him somehow? He's having a good year with Monaco.

They're just now getting around to voting for Manager of the Month for April 2025? Now THAT was a good month.

And until recently, Gordon had scored exactly one goal in the run of play in 14 months. All strikers hit rough patches. Most are maybe benched for a bit while they work their way through it, but nobody gets shuffled off to a position they've never played as a result. Woltemade is, and always has been, our best striker this season, but our refusal to adapt our formation and tactics makes him a man without a position in Eddie's predictable and stale system. And if they thought he'd be faster, then they didn't watch the film very well, did they? That's not his game. Even so, somebody here compared the EPL points we earned in the standings with him up top versus not. We were strikingly (pun intended) more efficient in getting results and amassing points with Nick up top.

For a holding midfielder to be considered amongst the favorites for the Golden Boot is pretty special stuff. I think Eddie really has taken his game to new heights. 2026 World Cup Golden Boot Odds (Top Candidates) Kylian Mbappé (France): +600 Harry Kane (England): +700 Lionel Messi (Argentina): +1200 Erling Haaland (Norway): +1400 Lamine Yamal (Spain): +1800 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): +1800 Lautaro Martinez (Argentina): +2000 Ousmane Dembélé (France): +2000 Nick Woltemade (Germany): +2000 Romelu Lukaku (Belgium): +2500 Vinicius Júnior (Brazil): +2500

Gah. It's no wonder I'm in such a bad mood all the time. Yes - I get the "goals per game" is lower than some others, but good grief that's a lot of goals to concede.

Here is the podcast I mentioned. As someone said above, it was John Gibson.