Eddie Howe

[SUPERTOON]

13 minutes ago, Erikse said:

This is from september last year:

 

 

 

 

 

Ironically none of them actually play there.

[TRon]

3 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

FWIW I think there are a few legit reasons you can give for why we're where we are, but framing Isak's last few performances as just him lacking sharpness, too much responsibility isn't really it either. Him and Gordon have missed clear cut chances, including a pen, that our style of play under Howe has created. If you can't absolve Howe, then I don't think you can absolve them for those those things, or anyone else responsible for the contributing factors, nor can you just cherry-pick either imo 

 

 

 

 

Blaming players for missing chances over a few games is a bit mental though. The best players in the world will miss chances. If there's criticism of Howe then it should be based on what he's done for the past 12 months or so, not a window of 5-10 games.

[Sempiternal]

31 minutes ago, Erikse said:

This is from september last year:

 

 

 

 

 

That is a wild quote. 

[Sima]

Should go after Terzic if Howe were to be pushed.

[Sempiternal]

Offer Hansi Flick obscene amounts imo 

[Holmesy]

His attitude has always been high risk, high reward and he accepts that playing a high defensive line leaves us exposed at times but balances it out with more attacking prowess, so a #6 probably isn't in his nature because it's one fewer attacking options.

According to his quote, we have 3 players who can play there already but none of them ever have, so I just don't think it's on his radar at all.

 

His teams have consistently finished in the top 5 for goals conceded in the PL, with our 4th position season being the exception. But I imagine they would also be in the top 5 for chances created (although I can't find anything to back that up).

 

But there's a naivety to it that just doesn't sit well at all. Our 4th placed season showed that balancing a solid defence with an effective attack gets you much greater rewards. He's too intelligent not to realise that so is he just trying to make a point to the board?

 

[Dr.Spaceman]

45 minutes ago, Bishops Finger said:

Might be total coincidence but my workmate has just sent me a photo with him and Rafa and he's in Newcastle or nearby

 

[Jackie Broon]

20 minutes ago, Sempiternal said:

That is a wild quote. 

 

There was another conference around the same time when he basically said he didn't believe in defensive midfield players in the modern game.

[Sempiternal]

Just now, Jackie Broon said:

 

There was another conference around the same time when he basically said he didn't believe in defensive midfield players in the modern game.

I like Eddie a lot but I find that really crazy. They are being bought for insane amounts of money, by big teams so I don’t know why he thinks this 

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Would be weird given he's primarily interesting in coaching... what would he be coaching if not patterns of play?

Do you see patterns of play? Now?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

Do you see patterns of play? Now?

Sometimes, not as much as we want obviously. But that’s not the point, the fact it’s not working doesn’t mean he’s ‘not a patterns guy’. 

[PauloGeordio]

7 minutes ago, Sempiternal said:

I like Eddie a lot but I find that really crazy. They are being bought for insane amounts of money, by big teams so I don’t know why he thinks this 

Those big team money spenders have it wrong obviously 

[Holmesy]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

Do you see patterns of play? Now?

There was a definite discernible pattern in the season where Miggy was on fire. Those little intricate moves around the box, dinked balls over the top, overlaps etc. were definitely orchestrated. Once that well ran out though, it's been difficult to identify anything that resembles a planned move

[Sempiternal]

I read a good analysis recently about how teams basically figured out that flat midfield essentially all rush to the ball carrier so teams were drawing them and hitting one pass into the spaces they leave behind 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

9 minutes ago, Sempiternal said:

I like Eddie a lot but I find that really crazy. They are being bought for insane amounts of money, by big teams so I don’t know why he thinks this 

I’d like to hear that exact quote. I doubt he thinks Man City should drop Rodri. 

[PauloGeordio]

1 minute ago, Holmesy said:

There was a definite discernible pattern in the season where Miggy was on fire. Those little intricate moves around the box, dinked balls over the top, overlaps etc. were definitely orchestrated. Once that well ran out though, it's been difficult to identify anything that resembles a planned move

Added to the autobahn in midfield.

[Sempiternal]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I’d like to hear that exact quote. I doubt he thinks Man City should drop Rodri. 

Yes I would too, on face value it sounds absurd. 

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Rock and hard place for Eddie and the board come January.

 

Spend big to support Howe and if it doesn't come off then we've got a squad not fit for many managers style of play

Don't back him and keep the money for the summer, may as well sack Howe now and give a replacement the second half of the year to work things out

Spend on club targets (i.e. Mitchell), you're hanging Eddie out to dry for the second half of the season.

 

 

[Jackie Broon]

19 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I’d like to hear that exact quote. I doubt he thinks Man City should drop Rodri. 

 

No chance of finding the quote but I took point he was making to be that in the modern game, or how he wants his teams to play, he wants midfield players who offer more than just sitting and covering the defense.

 

Rodri is probably the prime example of the type of midfielder he wants.

 

The counter argument would be that we can’t afford a Rodri and so maybe need to compromise.

[Erikse]

We used to have our left back function as a 3rd centreback when attacking, but with a more attacking minded left back (which I think is a necessary evolution of tactics), the lack of a pure defensive midfielder is more apparent. Trying to find a new centreback to play as a left back is not a long term solution imo. It doesn't give us a good balance when attacking.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Hall could also play inside instead of overlapping mind, he has the ability to do it. 

[J7]

17 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

It was that we've been absolutely shite for a year and are honking, but if you think that's the same thing, fair enough I suppose.

Like I said, I think it’s a bit over the top, but we’re only 5 points better off than skint Everton over 38 games, have had dreadful away form being explained away as needing the crowd behind the team and have failed in the crunch matches like Milan at home and Man Utd away. We’ve got numerous players now we’ve spent £40m plus on and have spent hundreds of millions. Cup performances have gone back to what we saw in yesteryear. Blackburn and Wimbledon were very poor performances and we went out to City without making it a game. 

[Mikky]

7 minutes ago, Erikse said:

We used to have our left back function as a 3rd centreback when attacking, but with a more attacking minded left back (which I think is a necessary evolution of tactics), the lack of a pure defensive midfielder is more apparent. Trying to find a new centreback to play as a left back is not a long term solution imo. It doesn't give us a good balance when attacking.

With 2 natural attacking full backs, you can’t play a flat 3 in midfield, especially when both your centre backs are slow, it leaves you defensively exposed - you should then really compensate that by playing 2 in the pivot - giving your 2 CBs protection allowing 1 fullback at least to always roam with the other inverting if needed or keeping position - its a huge tactical floor as we seem to have no flow within the team 

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, Holmesy said:

There was a definite discernible pattern in the season where Miggy was on fire. Those little intricate moves around the box, dinked balls over the top, overlaps etc. were definitely orchestrated. Once that well ran out though, it's been difficult to identify anything that resembles a planned move

IMO that was the players doing. Finding their own patterns. when the personnel changes we stop doing it or something really discernible.  
 

Our 8 push high and wide when we get the ball and we try and play the ball in those pockets. 

We often looked bereft of ideas going forward.  

 

[Lush Vlad]

Sort of combining various thoughts and comments from other threads.  But the midfield 3 really doesn't work and I don't even think it is down to personnel now, or last season when I thought it was more because of injuries and fatigue.  We are just dead easy to play against and teams find space against us for fun. 

 

I don't think any of the midfield are immobile, even Bruno gets about despite being slow.  But out of possession, we often look a yard slower and teams pass round us with ease.  Seems like our lads are chasing shadows and the passing patterns other teams deploy against us sees the midfield 3 just doing doggies and chasing shadows.  Like if you've ever played CM against a player or team that are clearly better than your level.  You always feel a yard off it and like you can't quite get to the ball or man in time.  I just don't believe that so many midfielders are so much better than our 3.  So surely it is a system issue?

 

In possession, it is pretty tragic.  Tonali and Joelinton get so wide or run off up the pitch and then effectively mark themselves out the game.  We occasionally stumble on some sexy passing moves.  But it always feels like it is off the cuff and not because of a discernible style of play.  Our build up from the back to the midfield is still just 'give it to Bruno.  If he really is being marked too tightly, pass it along the back for ages and then boom it long and see if we can get in behind or win the second ball.'  It was evident how bad this was yesterday, as Schar had a dreadful game and his long passing was off.  Hall's wasn't quite up to scratch, either.  

 

Also, we used to be a nightmare team to play against.  I think teams probably dreaded our shithousery, physicality and style.  But it does feel like we have been worked out and of course, gone a bit stale.  Not gone backwards, as such.  But stood still, not refreshed the squad and I suppose at this level.  Others overtake you and you have in fact gone backwards.  

 

The set pieces are atrocious and have been for a while.  I know there obviously is planning that goes into them, but it doesn't look like it.  It just seems like for corners, it is an inswinger aimed around the penalty spot or back post.  That's it.  Free kicks from anywhere near the halfway line.  Clip a diagonal and hope one of the CB's wins a flick on.  It's pretty basic, boring stuff.  Not sure what metric you would use.  But they must be up there (down there) with the worst in the league?! 

 

The Joelinton/Willock link up on the left was a minor positive from the game for the short time we saw it and worked quite well.  But that will only happen when Gordon isn't available.  Despite all my moaning.  I do feel like with some better individual decision making and finishing.  Along with cutting out some individual and collective errors, we could have got quite easily got 7 points from our last 3 games instead of 1 and the complaints would be a lot fewer in number.  The performances have been slowly going the right way in some ways and it has been fine margins that have cost us points.  Not being totally outplayed or outclassed for 90 minutes.  

 

TL;DR - Squad has gone a bit stale.  Teams have figured us out.  Individual fuck ups the last few games have cost us just as much as the balance of the side.  I think Howe needs to change the midfield set up.  I think he is more than capable of doing so based on how detailed he is and he could tinker and come up with a more balanced side.  But perhaps, and this is a total guess.  He is stubborn and has a approach similar to Klopp regarding his plan A.  Something like 'if plan A isn't working.  Then we need to work harder' or words to that effect. 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2024 by Lush Vlad