Eddie Howe - Granted Freedom of Newcastle

[The Prophet]

Individual defenders are too easy to isolate and pull out of position because they're so exposed.

 

It takes one pass to cut through our entire midfield and expose the back line. 

 

Howe has tried tinkering, swapping Longstaff and Miley, pulling them deeper, pushing Bruno forward, etc, but the lack of athleticism and tactical awareness in the middle of the park is blatent. Without a wholesale system change I'm not sure what else we have left in the locker.

 

It's also very telling how little confidence the back line have in Dubravka. Schar, Botman and Burn have all looked frustrated in recent games.

[midds]

1 minute ago, Hanshithispantz said:

But their most dangerous player when Burn went off was that lad who replaced Semenyo down the same side. Livramento was bombing on and leaving gaps, he got in a couple of times - same happened against Luton.

 

I wouldn't look forward to any of our defenders against Saka with how we are at the minute tbh 

I'd argue that's because we were chasing the game as a result of being behind...which was also an indirect result of Burn being exposed and conceding goals down his side. Tino starts and it's a totally different game with 20 mins to go imo but that's all hypothetical. 

 

Personally I'd love Howe to got with a Rafa-esq 5-3-2 next weekend. It's Arsenal away so let's mix it up completely and have 3 CBs, 2 wingbacks with a solid, compact CM 3. Then have 2 (quick) wasps just buzzing about for 90 mins. If we scrape a draw it's a brilliant result but let's just dig the fuck in and make them work for it. Sit in, stay close and flood the CM, force them wide and try and frustrate them. Let's give Arsenal a different puzzle to solve than the one they're fully expecting 

[madras]

Just now, Jagten said:

It's not been a disaster, but this level of move in expected goals against is basically unprecedented. (Since the start of December, we have also conceded the most goals in the league.) Something has broken, and these sorts of results will probably continue for a while. 

 

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

[Vinny Green Balls]

2 minutes ago, Jagten said:

It's not been a disaster, but this level of move in expected goals against is basically unprecedented. (Since the start of December, we have also conceded the most goals in the league.) Something has broken, and these sorts of results will probably continue for a while. 

 

We’ve also scored quite a lot lately, so it’s not completely broken.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by Vinny Green Balls

[Jagten]

5 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

We’ve also scored quite a lot lately, so it’s not completely broken.

 

 

 

Sure. I’ve watched Pardew and Bruce’s interpretations of how not to concede and I liked that much less.

[The College Dropout]

We have the worst defence in the league by nearly any metric since the Joelinton injury. 
 

Again, if he doesn’t find an answer he will be under serious pressure.  

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by The College Dropout

[Sean]

19 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

Calling this season a disaster is quite over the top, Sean. 

Disaster is not to be taken literally, it's more used for effect, I don't mean it has been a truly disastrous season by any means.

 

But we have kinda gone from one disaster, or issue if you prefer, to the next.

[madras]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

We have the worst defence in the league by nearly any metric since the Joelinton injury 

Are you pinning that on the Joelinton injury?

[jack j]

10 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

We’ve also scored quite a lot lately, so it’s not completely broken.

 

 

 

We will score the 2nd highest amount of goals we've scored  in a premier league season since robson was here. Behind last season

 

BRING BACK RAFA

[The College Dropout]

Just now, madras said:

Are you pinning that on the Joelinton injury?

No im saying it as a matter of fact.  
 

But I don’t think the system works without at least one top athlete in midfield. Howe needs to change the system. I don’t think adaptability is a strength of Howe. 

[madras]

3 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

No im saying it as a matter of fact.  
 

But I don’t think the system works without at least one top athlete in midfield. Howe needs to change the system. I don’t think adaptability is a strength of Howe. 

As a matter of opinion.

[Bally21]

If and its a big IF Eddie gets chopped ..... what's your angle on who is next.. come on then????

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by Bally21

[The College Dropout]

4 minutes ago, madras said:

As a matter of opinion.

No.  We’ve conceded the most goals in the league since Joelintons injury.  That’s a fact.  By every Xg against model I’ve seen we’re the worst in the league since that injury.  
 

We’ve conceded 2 or more goals in 6 out of the last 7.  It’s awful. 
 

I watch some FPL content. A lot of people have Areola and Dubravka.  Over the last 6 games Newcastle and West Ham have been the worst defences in the league (prior to this GW).  

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by The College Dropout

[madras]

Just now, The College Dropout said:

No.  We’ve conceded the most goals in the league since Joelintons injury.  That’s a fact.  By every Xg against model I’ve seen we’re the worst in the league since that injury.  
 

We’ve conceded 2 or more goals in 6 out of the last 7.  It’s awful. 

 But are you trying to say it's purely because if Joelintons injury as its coming over that way ?

 

Its part of it but not nearly the entire story.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, madras said:

 But are you trying to say it's purely because if Joelintons injury as its coming over that way ?

 

Its part of it but not nearly the entire story.

No.  I mean since that tie we’ve become the worst defence in the league.  That is a fact.  
 

I agree with you it’s a part of the story but Howe’s job is to manage and coach. He needs to tighten us up or I think it could cost him his job. 

[The Prophet]

In the interests of trying something different, when Isak is fit, I wonder if we could slot Gordon into that left hand number eight role. 

[Guest]

He could tighten us up, but then we stop scoring. While the goals are leaking, the goals scored has been 2 or more since New Year. With the forward players missing I'm not sure results would be any better by him sacrificing his style of play to play deeper, etc. because I'm not sure we'd have the drive to play the other way.

 

I think a change in one or two positions personnel wise might help in the short term though.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by Optimistic Nut

[The Prophet]

As long as we don't completely nosedive, Howe will be safe until next season.

[SUPERTOON]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

As long as we don't completely nosedive, Howe will be safe until next season.

Tough run of games coming up, feels like another important period. Progress in the cup is vital. 

[Wolfcastle]

By all accounts Spurs were justifiably beaten at home by Wolves without anything like the injury problems we have, its all relative, doesn't mean Ange is a knacker

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by Wolfcastle

[Heron]

Love him, but he needs to 'reflect'

[The College Dropout]

7 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

He could tighten us up, but then we stop scoring. While the goals are leaking, the goals scored has been 2 or more since New Year. With the forward players missing I'm not sure results would be any better by him sacrificing his style of play to play deeper, etc. because I'm not sure we'd have the drive to play the other way.

 

I think a change in one or two positions personnel wise might help in the short term though.

 

 

 

We’re over performing our attacking Xg over the last 6.   Suggesting we’ve had quality finishers.  Suggesting we are scoring due to the quality of finish rather than the quality of chances/ attacking play.  

 

Certainly against Forest we were clinical and they wasted chances.   
 

Nothing in the Xg data against opponents suggests if we carry on as we are results will improve.   We’ve already got more than we probably deserve. 

[Gazzaschicken]

8 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

As long as we don't completely nosedive, Howe will be safe until next season.

I think he will be safe regardless this season but pressure will be on next season and will see what odds he is for first manager to be sacked. 

 

Injuries have obviously been the issue this season but the expectation will be there to push on next season.

[Dokko]

Let's be honest, he's had a shit hand this year, but he's fluffed the cards he was dealt with, and made things harder for himself (I said back in March this would happen) 

 

It really depends whether PIF want their jewel in the crown for X deadline. If they aren't arsed then Mandy & co will report back the circumstances and protect him. If its a case of tough shit we have a target and you've not met it, then this is his last season at this table. I honestly hope he gets another crack at it, but each time playing Dan Burn every game at LB regardless of form, fitness and ability,  removes part of my patience for him. He needs to decide whether its sentiment or sacrifice going forward, i was told he had no room for the former, well that's bollocks for a start, it even grabbed him a point today. 

[TheBrownBottle]

6 minutes ago, Heron said:

Love him, but he needs to 'reflect'

I think this is exactly it.  Get to the summer, and get to the drawing board (not as in ‘rip it up and throw it out’, but as in review and reflect).  I think Howe should be fully supported this season - if everything is the same this time next year, then my opinion would be that thoughts probably should harden.