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2 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Mad to think that we were 3 minutes away from beating Watford which would have meant a 100% win record in the PL in 2022.

 

This team is looking up, not down.

 

:lol: we're definitely at least another win away from me even contemplating forgetting Clark's red against Norwich. 

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16 minutes ago, Dr Venkman said:

Not helping yourself with this like [emoji38]

Well, he may well not be transformational for us, but he already has a track record with another club. I'm not treating him as a god, dude :lol: I could understand the criticism to a point, but it got to absurd levels, man.

 

 

Edited by Vinny Green Balls

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2 hours ago, 54 said:

One thing he's not getting much praise for is for how good we've been defensively, in the last 5 games we've only conceded 3 goals, given his reputation when he first came in, that year off has clearly taught him a few things. 

 

Yep. There has to be some serious level of planning to be pressing so high up the pitch yet maintaining such good defensive shape in tandem. It's inspiring.

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2 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

Well, he may well not be transformational for us, but he already has a track record with another club. I'm not treating him as a god, dude :lol: I could understand the criticism to a point, but it got to absurd levels, man.

 

 

 

Oh, sorry, I see what you meant not. Bournemouth's Keegan... :thup:

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"It wasn't the prettiest - and we're probably the first to admit that - but I think it was beautiful at the same time, from our perspective because the beauty was in our defending and in our detail.

 

"I thought the players gave everything to what was a difficult game - I don't think either side played the perfect game.

 

"We feel we have got a good balance; the shape of the team is good and we feel the organisation is there.

 

"We had to manage the lead and do the horrible things really well and, even in the last few minutes, the lads were putting their bodies on the line and stopping crosses and blocking shots - everything you need when you are in a relegation battle.

 

"In weeks gone by, we might have lost that game - or not won it - and now I think we are showing newfound resilience and confidence, so that is great to see."

 

 

On Kieran Trippier:

 

"Trippier got stamped on and he couldn't continue with a problem on the top of his foot, so he's gone for an X-ray at the hospital.

 

"We're keeping everything crossed hoping that there's no broken bone."

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Very Rafa like off the ball in terms of defending, shape, compactness, keeping our discipline and seeing a game out. He was criticised for being too gung ho at Bournemouth and lacking defensive nous, but our last 3 games is as good as I’ve seen off the ball defensively in many a year, you’d think Rafa was back in the dugout… bodes so well!

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What I like most about Howe is his constant striving to be better. Staying up isn’t something he will celebrate, and if that does happen and we come top half next season, he won’t be happy with that too.

 

I know I shouldn’t bring him up again, but it is just a complete and utter different Universe to our last “manager” who was delighted finishing 17th. 

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1 hour ago, HTT II said:

Very Rafa like off the ball in terms of defending, shape, compactness, keeping our discipline and seeing a game out. He was criticised for being too gung ho at Bournemouth and lacking defensive nous, but our last 3 games is as good as I’ve seen off the ball defensively in many a year, you’d think Rafa was back in the dugout… bodes so well!

 

for sure, even better is the pressing higher up the field while not looking completely exposed at the back. after years of pulling my hair out during the bruce and pardew eras where one or two players press with no plan while the rest of the team dropped off leaving loads of space in between... they really were a pair of charlatans. no plan or team cohesion, got away with it for so long. so much better now, and Howe deserves a lot of credit

 

 

Edited by Palestoon

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47 minutes ago, TRon said:

Very gratifying that he's won both head to head battles with his rivals for the job of NUFC manager. Lampard and now Gerrard put in their place, no doubt about it, we made the right choice.

 

I'm sure the media will be as swift to point that out as they would if it had gone the other way.

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56 minutes ago, TRon said:

Very gratifying that he's won both head to head battles with his rivals for the job of NUFC manager. Lampard and now Gerrard put in their place, no doubt about it, we made the right choice.


Their players are in for a rough one as neither are going to get any criticism anytime soon.

 

We’d have gone from one pundit darling to another if either of them had come in.

 

Got to say Howe looks the perfect appointment at the moment.

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Another thing, I remember people saying when we appointed Howe that he was someone the previous regime would have appointed and did consider as a replacement for Bruce.

 

I genuinely don’t think he would have came here under Ashley. He has been on record saying he has turned down various clubs as he wanted the right opportunity. 

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1 hour ago, Danh1 said:

Another thing, I remember people saying when we appointed Howe that he was someone the previous regime would have appointed and did consider as a replacement for Bruce.

 

I genuinely don’t think he would have came here under Ashley. He has been on record saying he has turned down various clubs as he wanted the right opportunity. 

100% this. He turned down jobs and was quite clear in coming here that his backroom staff came with him. He is a man of integrity and principals with his own football ideas, visions and beliefs - he would not have touched Ashleys poisonous regime.

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1 hour ago, Danh1 said:

Another thing, I remember people saying when we appointed Howe that he was someone the previous regime would have appointed and did consider as a replacement for Bruce.

 

I genuinely don’t think he would have came here under Ashley. He has been on record saying he has turned down various clubs as he wanted the right opportunity. 

I remember Howes' first two games and someone on here wanted rid of him.  All I said was "give your head a shake".  I don't think he's shown up since.

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Hindsight and all that, but I'm glad he didn't start Bruno. The disruptions to our defence, and losing our talisman and leader, could have spelled disaster without the work rate and determination of the middle 3. Bruno is likely a better player than all of them and I've no doubt he could have handled it, personally. But for the team as a whole I think having that settled midfield was vital.

I'd be itching to start him against West Ham, but don't want anybody dropped. 

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I reckon it's going to be the same until we're safe or doomed - he'll be pretty much universally admired except in the last half hour of a nervy game when a significant proportion will revert to NEED TO CHANGE THIS OR IT'S ON HIM WHEN WE CONCEDE

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