Eddie Howe

[The College Dropout]

I personally don’t think Eddie ‘greenlit’ the Shelvey sale. At least not in the traditional sense.  
 

I think the club said to Eddie we want to let Shelvey go because of xyz and Eddie eventually said ‘ok’.

 

Myself sometimes I’m asked if a team member can move and I have full power to say no. Sometimes I’m more told than asked, I accept and tow the company line because it fits a long-term

vision even though it makes the short term targets more difficult.  It’s a world of difference. There’s no way Eddie wanted to sell Shelvey and not sign a midfielder. 

[Lush Vlad]

5 minutes ago, Infatuation Junkie said:

I’m shitting it for 2 weeks time.

Weirdly, I’m not. 
 

Don’t want to appear small time and like I’m just happy for a day out at Wembley. But it’s been so long since we’ve been close to a trophy. Somehow the pressure feels less and not more, to me. I don’t think we’ll beat Man U. But it’s a final. So fuck knows! 
 

It is just nice to be competing at the right end of the table and in a cup competition again. 
 

I think if we had got to a final under Ashley. I’d be more nervous, as it would feel like a fluke. But whilst it might be a bit naive and overly optimistic. I’d expect us to be challenging a bit more in the future and for this to not just be a one off deal for this season. 

[The College Dropout]

2 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

Whoever decided to leave us with 4 centre mids for the rest of the season?

 

Willock hamstrung, Joelinton on the verge of 2 games out, Bruno serving a suspension and Longstaff. They've all played pretty much every game this season, this was bound to happen.

No football manager would willingly have their squad in this position. 
 

FSG have had criticism for doing the same thing at Liverpool.  When they didn’t get Touchameni they didn’t get any class CM. THe fans are saying they can’t let seasons go by waiting for the right players every time when they have urgent needs. 

[The College Dropout]

You can criticise the people for not trying to capitalise on opportunities and making weaknesses weaker. 
 

Overall absolutely everyone has done a stellar job. No doubting that. We are on an upward trajectory. The best owners and managers can make mistakes, miss opportunities and score own goals.  
 

[Wolfcastle]

It used to be a given and expected that sides would hit a tricky patch during a season and have to ride it out.  Even title winning sides in times that weren't as liable for dominance as this.

Who are we that we shouldn't be allowed to experience that at this point?

Keegan's sides did, Fergie's sides did (nearly let Blackburn in, did let Arsenal in), Blackburn themselves did, Arsenal might be now.

 

Were having a great season, were going places, in the grand scheme of things its not much to have to suffer.

 

19 minutes ago, joeyt said:

Can you be delighted with the season so far whilst also be critical of how unnecessarily thin our squad is?

None us know if it was unnecessary.  Shifting some of our fringe players appeared to be a gift horse we cant look in the mouth prior to Jan.

Are we not basically one centre-midfielder away from everyone being placated? Which they tried to sort by all accounts. 

Point it out maybe but wouldn't go as far as criticising in the grand scheme of things

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Wolfcastle

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We’ve basically put in one bad performance in living memory

[STM]

Arsenal have 1 point in 2 games.

 

Man City got beat last week.

 

Tottenham got stuffed off Leicester.

 

Man Utd were 2-0 down at home to Leeds the other day.

 

Chelsea and Liverpool are so far down the league we can't even see them.

 

Our biggest issue is that we've lost a spark in attack and we find it impossible to lose games. The spark will return soon enough.

[The College Dropout]

We are 14th for XG over the last 6 btw.  This isn’t a one-off. 
 

You build a squad because you expect injuries, form issues, rotation, suspensions and want different tools in attack. 
 

No 4-3-3 manager wants to have 4 central midfielders in the squad. You want 6 capable of playing in midfield. Going with 4 is a clear risk. If you can’t see that…. I just don’t know what to say.  

[Coffee_Johnny]

33 minutes ago, Infatuation Junkie said:

I’m shitting it for 2 weeks time.

I know it is easier said than done. But don’t do it to yourself, man.  Makes literally no difference if we angst over it or dare to dream. This could be the best bit, the anticipation. The build-up. Imagining the day. Picturing us turning-up and giving it a real good go, as we did (apparently) in the ‘76 LCF. If we let ourselves go there, just dare to hold it in mind, entertain the very real possibility of a NUFC captain facing our supporters and holding aloft a major cup. Epic. A seachange in our fortunes and the confidence that can become an ingrained belief that we actually can not only compete (we are..) but actually win. Way I feel at the moment, I can’t fucking wait! 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Coffee_Johnny

[Conjo]

5 hours ago, Theregulars said:

I’d also add, he’s no longer injured! He played yesterday. 
 

Let’s try a different approach. With Bruno suspended and Willock injured, would you rather play Shelvey or Anderson?

 

Easily Anderson. Excellent opportunity for him to get an extended run in the team to show that he belongs here.

[STM]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

We are 14th for XG over the last 6 btw.  This isn’t a one-off. 
 

You build a squad because you expect injuries, form issues, rotation, suspensions and want different tools in attack. 
 

No 4-3-3 manager wants to have 4 central midfielders in the squad. You want 6 capable of playing in midfield. Going with 4 is a clear risk. If you can’t see that…. I just don’t know what to say.  

 

You are absolutely correct. What was our squad like circa December 2021? Should have kept Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick around for squad depth IMO.

[Theregulars]

Just now, Conjo said:

 

Easily Anderson. Excellent opportunity for him to get an extended run in the team to show that he belongs here.

I think if he belonged here we’d know already, but I hope I’m wrong.

[STM]

 He's a bairn man. Spurs fans had Harry Kane written off too. 

 

Thank fuck Ashworth and Howe are making these decisions and not reactive fans.

[arnonel]

41 minutes ago, joeyt said:

Can you be delighted with the season so far whilst also be critical of how unnecessarily thin our squad is?

 

Sure. But can we trust there is a plan? Can we finally, after decades, believe the club is run by experts, with a plan. A plan we have no sight of.

 

 

Can WE be patient? 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by arnonel

[Conjo]

40 minutes ago, joeyt said:

Can you be delighted with the season so far whilst also be critical of how unnecessarily thin our squad is?

 

Sure you can, if you can accept that the word "unnecessarily" is your subjective opinion, and that there are valid counter arguments for why the squad isn't as complete as you'd like it to be.

[Conjo]

8 minutes ago, Theregulars said:

I think if he belonged here we’d know already, but I hope I’m wrong.

 

Most likely yes, but we'll never know unless he gets more than 10 minutes of game time every other month.

[LV]

I’m glad most on here are level headed about it all.

 

Restored my faith a bit. 

[Wolfcastle]

Just about the last thing I'd do is break up the Schar-Botman combo, but Schar could go midfield.

With Burn (and some rejigging) Lascelles taking his place at the back. Ideally Burn with Targett at left-back.

Its an imperfect world for us at this stage without a huge squad of quality replacements in each position

[Menace]

Shelvey literally did an interview saying he was begging Howe to let him leave after getting a stern no - why would Howe keep an unhappy player around? Our fans need to chill out a little bit, Bruno is back, we can pivot to 4-2-3-1, theres 16-17 games left. It really isn't the end of the world for god sake. We're arguing about letting Shelvey go and not getting in a replacement... I think Howe/Ashworth and co have slept on it and probably decided it was for the best to let him go rather than have him on for another year where he will warm the bench and make 5 appearances max whilst sucking up our FFP.

[The Prophet]

6 hours ago, greydos said:

I just don’t think this whole “we’re keeping our power dry for the summer” argument really cuts it. There’s clearly time and place for buying players to get you through a short-term problem, Chris Wood is recent successful proof of that, arguably Targett and Burn also. There’s no guarantee a long term target will come to us in the summer. And the idea the owners have a master plan for advancing to champions league and staying there in future is tantamount to saying they can accurately predict the future performance of other teams and so know that, even if Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Brighton improve, because of a few commercial contracts signed we’ll be sustainably better than those sides on the pitch. There can be no such guarantee! A January disappointment 

 

Generally speaking the stronger your squad is the more chance you have of accumulating the 70-80 points required for Champions League football.

 

You can't predict the future, but using this logic, with a half a season remaining there was absolutely no guarantee additional signings would have sealed a top four finish this season. 

 

Other than being a bit short in midfield there weren't any short term-problems to fix. 

 

Long term, the club will have identified a number of targets for the summer. Clearly we do a lot of due diligence. We'll an idea if the players are keen, how much their clubs wants, along with all the other background checks. It guarantees nothing, but it puts us in a strong position. 

 

With FFP, along with Profit and Sustainability still important factors to considered, splashing out on a short term term signings seems less appealing. Of course, the club will know a lot more about this than us lot.

Putting all that aside, given we have no idea if our recent dip in form is driven by long term causes or if it's just a minor blip, it's hard to know how much impact a short term signing would of had. Especially given Howe's reluctance to start new recruits.

 

So lots of ifs, buts and maybes. Naturally that won't stop certain fans whining on about January every, single time we drop points. That definetly isn't tedious at all. Similarly the fans that were gasping to say "I told you so" after having a moan about the summer window are in dreamland.

[Theregulars]

26 minutes ago, STM said:

 He's a bairn man. Spurs fans had Harry Kane written off too. 

 

Thank fuck Ashworth and Howe are making these decisions and not reactive fans.

A lot of “bairns” his age get regular PL minutes, because they’re good enough. Howe’s as good as admitted in the summer that the ideal scenario was to loan him out, but lack of squad depth meant he stays. 
 

I repeat that I very much hope I’m wrong, but the times I’ve seen him in person and on the telly I’ve not thought that there’s anything there.

[relámpago blanco]

I personally think Man United will struggle against our midfield when Bruno is back without Erikson and Casemiro.  Their midfield is bang average without those 2.

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by relámpago blanco

[Coffee_Johnny]

Just now, relámpago blanco said:

I personally think Man United will struggle against our midfield when Bruno is back without Erikson and Casemiro.  Their midfield is bang average without those 2.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, Casemiro will be back. 

[Theregulars]

1 minute ago, relámpago blanco said:

I personally think Man United will struggle against our midfield when Bruno is back without Erikson and Casemiro.  Their midfield is bang average without those 2.

 

 

 

Casemiro will be playing, so that’s half your argument dead in the water.

[Theregulars]

32 minutes ago, STM said:

 He's a bairn man. Spurs fans had Harry Kane written off too. 

 

Thank fuck Ashworth and Howe are making these decisions and not reactive fans.

Also, I take umbridge at being called “reactive”. All I’ve said is that yesterday’s performance was poor against a poor team and that I don’t think selling Shelvey was sensible with no replacement. I don’t think there’s anything unreasonable about either argument.