Eddie Howe

[Mike]

The bit where he cupped Miggy's face felt like the end of a movie.

[Heron]

1 minute ago, TheGuv said:

The whole pub (The Junction) was silent in his post match press conference. 
 

If that’s a barometer of feeling amongst the support, he’s certainly got the majority behind him. 
 

Keep on gannin Eddie

Likewise in the 'berry mate. Afterwards a few of us chanted too, you can guess what... 

 

Cause 20mins solid of it isn't enough... 

[Danh1]

Made sure to clap each stand at full time too.

 

Thought the atmosphere for 20 mins of the second half when we were getting on top and then after our goal was tremendous 

[Heron]

6 minutes ago, Danh1 said:

Made sure to clap each stand at full time too.

 

Thought the atmosphere for 20 mins of the second half when we were getting on top and then after our goal was tremendous 

The way it should be. Backs to the wall, come out swinging. 

[Chris_R]

1 hour ago, Nobody said:

We absolutely did not. Before they scored, we were closer to 2-0 than they were 1-1. 

 

We had one solitary shot on target in 90 minutes, and that was the penalty. They had 69% of the possession and 6 shots on target. I don't expect us to outplay them with 10 men, but explain to me how we were closer to a second than them to a first? Which chances do you think we created that were especially noteworthy?

 

We offered nothing after we scored. I said as much with over 25 minutes remaining; that it was unsustainable to play like that. Given what then happened, I stand 100% by what I said before and after.

 

It's like cricket: Even if you're playing for a draw because a win isn't feasible with the time remaining, if you just repeatedly block, block, block, then the fielders get closer and closer and eventually you knick one and you're caught out because they've crowded round you, knowing you're no threat to them. You've got to drive them back with the occasional attacking shot, put them on the back foot. Same here. We don't have to outplay them, but we have to drive them back up the pitch a bit by offering some kind of threat, which we absolutely did not do. That allowed them to camp in our half, committing most of their players forward, and them equalising became far more likely.

 

Don't misunderstand me, nobody is a bigger fan of Howe's than me. I've lived in Bournemouth for the last decade and a half, I've seen up close what he can do. But I can think that and still say things could have been better today.

[Lazarus]

Thinking out loud here....

 

Ive been thinking its weird that Shelvey and Joelinton, the 2 players we all thought were beyond redemption, have responded to Howe this first few weeks or so. Even Fraser has looked better.

 

Our defense is still a bit shaky and I don't think Howe knows his best back 4 or 5 yet (but hes a step closer after tonights game) so Im wondering if Howe has prioritised attacking over defending in his training sessions so far.

 

We seem to have improved offensively but havnt made the same leap defensively.

 

 

[Oregon_Geordie]

I'm with Eddie 100%.

This Club is rotten and he's giving it 200% with fuck all at his disposal, not to mention a few brain dead jokers in the squad.

 

Fede should have started. Clark is totally to blame tonight, so hopefully, fingers crossed, he now knows his best back 4.

We need to start with that back four and the same team, but questions over Wilock remain, in my eyes. Maybe Hayden or Miggy?

 

We're at crunch time, but there are other teams we can beat with some confidence. I don't think Leicester or Everton are unbeatable right now either.

We just need that first fucking win!

 

HWTL.

[Decky]

I'm with him 100% even if we do go down. This is far from his mess. How many managers could make this squad look half decent and how many of those managers would have taken the job? Eddie took a chance with us and he deserves time to build his own team even if we're in the second tier for a season. 

[Disco]

Wild and sad, albeit not surprising, listening to the TF podcast and they’re getting well stuck into Howe on a level it took them ample time to do with Pardew and Bruce.
 

I’d be absolutely amazed if he wasn’t part hired (and I hope they stick with him) on the basis he can blast the Championship. It’ll be us, Norwich, +1 + probably WBA.  

[MarkyMark]

Howe has to take responsibility for chucking some vital points down the pan, though.  If he was listening to that knacker Jones then more fool him (and the fact Jones was kept on at the request of the new management team - I won’t say owners, because we know who they are, and they aren’t involved day-to-day - is another one of those worrying aspects of putting PR people in management roles). 

 

Dubravka, Fernandez, Lewis etc aren’t great footballers - but at least they’re mediocre ones.  Darlow, Clark, Ritchie etc are utter shite (though in Ritchie’s case, this is age not ability).

 

The ‘three games’ patter doesn’t excuse dogshit selections.  Considering how super duper prepared I constantly hear he is, it’s even more troubling that he made the selections he did.  It’s not quite red flag stuff, but it is probably a yellow one. 

 

I don’t think we’re down yet, there’s plenty of time to put a run together and get out of it.  But it’s getting tougher by the week. 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Conjo said:

 

Agreed. The positive thing is that he seems to be learning by benching Darlow and Clark (against Arsenal). Who knows what he'd done ahead of Norwich if it weren't for Ritchie and Lascelles suspensions? My gut feeling (based on nothing tbh  ) is that Lascelles would have played today, but not Ritchie.

 

The biggest indication of his judgement of players will come next game. I'd be extremely dissapointed if Lascelles and Ritchie are back in the team against Burnley at the expense of Fernandez and Lewis.

This is where Howe at least has a chance compared to Benitez. Benitez had to work out the duffers with just 10 games left. Another 2 games and he’d have kept us up without a doubt. It’s not ideal that he’s learning while we’ve dropped 4 points at home which we really shouldn’t have, but he’s at least got time and a transfer window to learn who he can and can’t trust.

[Lush Vlad]

3 hours ago, Disco said:

Wild and sad, albeit not surprising, listening to the TF podcast and they’re getting well stuck into Howe on a level it took them ample time to do with Pardew and Bruce.
 

I’d be absolutely amazed if he wasn’t part hired (and I hope they stick with him) on the basis he can blast the Championship. It’ll be us, Norwich, +1 + probably WBA.  

Really? Bit surprised by that. As all I heard the last couple is how we need to be behind the team and manager regardless. As we’ve been crap for long enough and need to show some patience. 
 

About as fickle as a good few of the posters on here then  

[NEEJ]

8 hours ago, TheGuv said:

The whole pub (The Junction) was silent in his post match press conference. 
 

If that’s a barometer of feeling amongst the support, he’s certainly got the majority behind him. 
 

Keep on gannin Eddie

This is class. 

[NEEJ]

7 hours ago, Lazarus said:

Thinking out loud here....

 

Ive been thinking its weird that Shelvey and Joelinton, the 2 players we all thought were beyond redemption, have responded to Howe this first few weeks or so. Even Fraser has looked better.

 

Our defense is still a bit shaky and I don't think Howe knows his best back 4 or 5 yet (but hes a step closer after tonights game) so Im wondering if Howe has prioritised attacking over defending in his training sessions so far.

 

We seem to have improved offensively but havnt made the same leap defensively.

 

 

It's not that surprising when you consider we haven't reinforced the defence in any meaningful way since 2018. The defenders we once thought of as solid, dependable footballers under Rafa are three years older and have spent the majority of that time listening to the Steves/on holiday. 

[Gallowgate Toon]

I'm going to remain positive. We're often competitive in games, other teams, amazingly, have actually lost more than we have this season. If we can turn the tide on a couple of those draws before Christmas then we could just stay within enough reach for a big January to blow the doors off.

 

Tbh, this is probably hugely naive, but I'm relaxed about relegation. I still feel like I'm basking in the club feeling resurgent - things like actually liking a manager & owners, having hope for the future, our atmosphere actually returning. This is all under the assumption that the owners don't jump ship if we go down, of course...

[The Prophet]

So far I'm happy with him.

 

There's been a definite improvement in performances. Pressing high up the pitch in numbers and committing numbers forward was totally unheard of a few weeks back.

 

Obviously the defence is still a problem, but there have been signs we're getting there in the last two. There's been far more coherence in trying to defend as a unit and not leave the back line as exposed.

 

Individuals have also improved, Shelvey and Joelinton being the obvious two and I also think given time, he'll get a tune out of the likes of Fraser, Almiron and Murphy.

 

That said its not been perfect and I think he's still learning about his squad. For a man that had allegedly thoroughly researched every player prior to his arrival, you'd have thought he'd have know Dubravka is by far our best keeper and that Clark, Krafth and Ritchie are absolute liabilities. He's definitely learnt the hard way and I'll be disappointed to see any of them in the side again unless necessary.

 

So yeah overall a plus, especially given he's had some rotten luck with COVID and a suspect referring performance away to Arsenal. I think the wins will come, its just whether they come soon enough to prevent us being totally cut adrift.

 

 

[Guest reefatoon]

A huge positive we can take is how he has already changed the fitness of the team. For having 10 men for 80 minutes yesterday, I thought we battled and competed brilliantly and that was due to the players looking much sharper and fitter. I think some people might be missing the fact of what a monumental job it is to try and turn this team around from the unfit loser mentality they all had, to now battling and working their arses off for the full 90 minutes. Looking back on yesterdays game now, I think we did a cracking job under the circumstances and there were loads of positives we can take out of that. 

[sugoinufc]

1 hour ago, NEEJ said:

It's not that surprising when you consider we haven't reinforced the defence in any meaningful way since 2018. The defenders we once thought of as solid, dependable footballers under Rafa are three years older and have spent the majority of that time listening to the Steves/on holiday. 

Our defence / defenders are not good enough - the main reason imo.

I have never seen Joelinton work that hard defensively.

We have quality going forward and focus has been on a more attacking expression. 

You do not fix that defence over night. Ideally we have to buy a whole new defence + goalie imo.

[Guest reefatoon]

Just now, sugoinufc said:

Our defence / defenders are not good enough - the main reason imo.

I have never seen Joelinton work that hard defensively.

We have quality going forward and focus has been on a more attacking expression. 

You do not fix that defence over night. Ideally we have to buy a whole new defence + goalie imo.

Saying that, I think our back 4 yesterday all played really well and looked solid throughout (I know it was Norwich) and mistakes only started creeping in a bit due to total tiredness of being down to 10 men for so long. We definitely need to upgrade on defence, but if we can keep that back 4 playing for now, I think they will do ok until we can improve.

[Guest HTT II]

Howe needs new players clearly, this isn’t his team, if he got to bring in a few of his ‘own’ players to build a spine, I feel we would soon start to see the real Eddie Howe type set up. January is so important. 

[Guest HTT II]

I’d go all out for Trippier, Ake, Lingard and maybe Barkley on loan. 

[Unbelievable]

I'm aware that patience is required and that testing positive will have complicated matters for him, but we can't really afford much of it. We've managed to collect two meagre points in two home games against promoted sides favourites for going down again, (plus Arsenal away). Burnley at the weekend is now an absolute must win game for the club and the new manager, or all momentum and positivity could be quickly lost what with our horrible fixture list for the rest of December. 

[steve_69]

The next team sheet will be quite telling. Howe has happened upon our best back 4 by accident (despite us all knowing it all season) and we know for certain that under Bruce, Lascelles would be straight back in and Fede back on the bench. If Howe does that as well it will be a massive let down and a definite black mark in his book

[Thumbheed]

Keep having to remind myself how the team took time to adapt to Rafa's methods, so trying not to be too critical, but last night's back four should be a massive lesson for him as well as Joelinton bring more suited to the flank.

 

Will be disappointed if that still isn't apparent next game.

 

  

[AyeDubbleYoo]

56 minutes ago, Unbelievable said:

I'm aware that patience is required and that testing positive will have complicated matters for him, but we can't really afford much of it. We've managed to collect two meagre points in two home games against promoted sides favourites for going down again, (plus Arsenal away). Burnley at the weekend is now an absolute must win game for the club and the new manager, or all momentum and positivity could be quickly lost what with our horrible fixture list for the rest of December. 

 

Sadly the fact we can't afford it isn't really too actionable or relevant, it will take time to get the improvements he wants. It was bad luck that some must-win games cropped up after a couple of weeks training and a bout of covid.