Eddie Howe

[The Prophet]

I'm interested to see, tactically, what Howe's end goal is. 

 

Last season we were an aggressive, high pressing team, with a lot of similarities similar to early Klopp-era Liverpool. But Howe mentioned on a couple of occasions, wanting to become a more possession based outfit.

 

We saw signs of change in the early season. The press was a less aggressive, we were crisper with the ball and not going long as often.

 

Since then the first team has been riddled with injuries. We've lost a keeper who gives us confidence to push aggressively up the pitch, along with one of our ball playing centre backs, while our most common midfield of Miley, Longstaff and Bruno is neither (as a collective) effective at pressing or comfortable on the ball.

 

It appears Howe has tried multiple variations of the 4-3-3. We've had Trippier coming central, Schar pushing into midfield, Longstaff and Miley as a double pivot, Bruno playing deeper, a man for man midfield and a counter attacking style, but none of it has really stuck. Howe has struggled to get the best out of his limited options.

 

It can and does happen to the best of managers too. Klopp struggled to get a tune out of Liverpool's midfield for the entirety of last season, until they bought Gakpo and used him as a false nine. I just hope like Klopp has, Howe learns from this experience and makes the appropriate adjustments moving forward.

[TheBrownBottle]

6 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

Got to the semi's of the Europa last year and qualified for the Europa again.

 

In the Europa last 16 again with Bayer top of the Bundesliga and undefeated this season.

 

Being a club legend and an overall football legend also helps Alonso.

 

Totally unrelated. In terms of top players turned top coaches over recent years - how we would we rank them as players?

 

Criteria is winning a top 5 league as a player and a manager.

 

Zidane. Alonso. Then it gets hard. I don't remember Pep as a player much but I know he was top. He's younger than Simeone or Deschamps but I remember those two more. Too young for Carlo but his honours list is impressive.

Roberto Mancini was a superb centre forward - top rank

 

Antonio Conte was one of Europe’s finest midfielders in his pomp

 

Luis Enrique was excellent for Real and Barcelona as a player

 

In his prime, Laurent Blanc was one of the world’s best centre backs

[gbandit]

You forgot the British powerhouse Lampard who’s gone to new heights after his playing career

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, gbandit said:

You forgot the British powerhouse Lampard who’s gone to new heights after his playing career

And Steeevie Geee

[Vinny Green Balls]

Cruyff revolutionized the game both as a player and manager. I guess 30 years ago is not exactly recent years anymore. This age thing. Fucking hell.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2024 by Vinny Green Balls

[The College Dropout]

31 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Roberto Mancini was a superb centre forward - top rank

 

Antonio Conte was one of Europe’s finest midfielders in his pomp

 

Luis Enrique was excellent for Real and Barcelona as a player

 

In his prime, Laurent Blanc was one of the world’s best centre backs

All good shouts. Funny I remember Enrique, Blanc and Conte.  Always thought Conte was an Ambrosini type.  Typical Italian CM, hard working and technically sound but not masses of ability. The type you put real quality around. Spends their whole career in Italy. I pegged Marchisio and DeRossi in that bracket. Having never seen him much I assumed Tonali was that type too.  

[The College Dropout]

31 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

Cruyff revolutionized the game both as a player and manager. I guess 30 years ago is not exactly recent years anymore. This age thing. Fucking hell.

 

 

 

Well aye but that was yonks ago. 

Simone Inzaghi did win a Serie A as a player and he’ll win Serie A as a manager. but as a player he wasn’t half the player Pippo was.  They don’t make strikers like Pippo anymore. 

[The Prophet]

Xavi was one of my favourite footballers.

 

Inzaghi was bang average

 

Simeone was Simeone.

[Vinny Green Balls]

7 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Well aye but that was yonks ago. 

Simone Inzaghi did win a Serie A as a player and he’ll win Serie A as a manager. but as a player he wasn’t half the player Pippo was.  They don’t make strikers like Pippo anymore. 

Hey now, sir. 30 years is nothing on a cosmological scale. Kyuss was still around and Alice in chains were at their peak. Jesus, that went by quickly.

 

And as far as Inzaghi, you mean strikers who don't run but perpetually fall? An anti-footballer for certain, but absolutely brilliant at what he did. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone play the offside trap better than he did.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2024 by Vinny Green Balls

[TheBrownBottle]

27 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Well aye but that was yonks ago. 

Simone Inzaghi did win a Serie A as a player and he’ll win Serie A as a manager. but as a player he wasn’t half the player Pippo was.  They don’t make strikers like Pippo anymore. 

Controversial football opinion klaxon … I never thought either Inzaghi brother was top-notch (though Pippo was definitely the better of the two).  Always thought Pippo was the Andy Cole of Italian football - needed a lot of chances to put one away, but in fairness also very good at getting into those positions in the first place 

[TheBrownBottle]

37 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

All good shouts. Funny I remember Enrique, Blanc and Conte.  Always thought Conte was an Ambrosini type.  Typical Italian CM, hard working and technically sound but not masses of ability. The type you put real quality around. Spends their whole career in Italy. I pegged Marchisio and DeRossi in that bracket. Having never seen him much I assumed Tonali was that type too.  

Conte and Tonali absolutely are similar to me as players 

 

edit: Conte was excellent at what he did, mind

 

 

Edited March 14, 2024 by TheBrownBottle

[The College Dropout]

Think Cole was under rated. He’s much closer to shearer in the all time rankings when you exclude penalties. 
 

Pippo wasn’t an all rounder which is what I liked about him. Just a goal hanger.  

[Vinny Green Balls]

1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Conte and Tonali absolutely are similar to me as players 

 

edit: Conte was excellent at what he did, mind

 

 

 

You must have been a special player, dude.

[Erikse]

45 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

You must have been a special player, dude.

 

The solution to our ongoing midfield crisis, potensially?

 

 

Edited March 15, 2024 by Erikse

[McDog]

3 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

The solution to our ongoing midfield crisis, potensially?

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of years ago perhaps he could.

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

You must have been a special player, dude.

Haha had to re-read that - Christ, that sentence of mine needs the end rearranging.

 

Or does it?   

[TheBrownBottle]

27 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

The solution to our ongoing midfield crisis, potensially?

 

 

 

 

19 minutes ago, McDog said:

 

 

A couple of years ago perhaps he could.

I was a right back tbf lads - we’re well stocked in there at the moment.  

[macphisto]

6 hours ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

Cruyff revolutionized the game both as a player and manager. I guess 30 years ago is not exactly recent years anymore. This age thing. Fucking hell.

Did he revolutionize the game or was he just following Rinus Michels' tactics? 

[TheBrownBottle]

26 minutes ago, macphisto said:

Did he revolutionize the game or was he just following Rinus Michels' tactics? 

Michels and Cruyff sort of co-developed Total Football from everything I’ve read - though Cruyff never seemed given to modesty!

[Nucasol]

Interesting stats based analysis on why we’re underachieving this season. Very superficial though:

 

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/insider/story/_/id/39724938/stats-europe-most-disappointing-teams-chelsea-napoli-man-united

[Zero]

I love they use the word “stable” 

[54]

 

[Conjo]

Good. Think everyone can use some nice weather and a reset/re-focus for the remainder of the season.

[Myleftboot]

I see Roberto Mancini being linked this morning obviously because he’s Saudis team manager. Lazy journalism trying to rock the boat.

[The College Dropout]

It's lazy. But hiring people is often about relationships.