Eddie Howe

[mouldy_uk]

I still love you Eddie 

[Gawalls]

3 minutes ago, dcmk said:

Although I agree that Tonali is better.

 

Sean Longstaff is seriously underrated on this forum.  Instrumental for us last year.  

Anderson has earned a place off the bench before him in my opinion, at least he’s proven in the summer he can shoot on target. 

[KaKa]

Tough couple of games for the boss man. Think he'll be better for it though.

 

We need a new approach for these calibre of teams IMO.

 

Would like to see us setup to draw them onto us a bit more,with maybe more of a mid block instead of sitting deep, and look to then counter attack them from there.

 

We have a lot of players that could really punish these teams in more open space.

 

Sure we'll try something different next time around. Learning experience.

[Dokko]

I've never been a fan of his subs. Too late and like for like for most part, so was excited for this season for him to have a bench to work with, to see if that was the problem. That and his lack of rotation would be forced upon him due to additional games.

 

Be interesting to see what he does next. He'll be mad as fuck, but isn't the type to dig his players out in front of the cameras. They'll find out how well they played in the dressing room and in training till next weekend.

 

Sometimes you learn more from the setbacks than you do the wins. I think we can turn the last couple of defeats into positives with reactions from the players, maybe even an unexpected transfer from the board. Mind, someone needs to find out what's going on in Bruno's head as he's just not started this campaign, that and him snapping on SM, makes me think he's not 100% happy. 

 

Overall shit day, but Eddie is the man to get us back on track. He's brought us back from far worse than this and got us far higher than anyone ever expected. I understand emotions are running high, but the reaction on here towards him is getting close to the entitled shame we said go ourselves we wouldn't be like.

 

 

 

 

[Vinny Green Balls]

Just now, Theregulars said:

Well I’m not sure your take is as nuanced as reality suggests it should be. When the pressure of the run-in really ramped up - ie when Liverpool started winning every week - we drew at leeds looking pretty ropey, we played great v Brighton, and we were edgy and a pope wondersave away from a loss against Leicester. We were meek AF in the cup final. We were meek away to city both this and last season. We were wank at home to arsenal last season. We devoured spurs when we needed to and beat Man U at home in a big match. 
 

His record in big fixtures is mixed. It suggests to me that he isnt quite top table at this stage. Today we didn’t look like a well coached team.

That Man U game when we seriously needed a win, and it was one of the most lopsided 2-0's in history.

 

The proof is still carved in stone that we got there by winning when we absolutely needed it with a ridiculously thin side that pretty much had individuals forced to play more minutes than any other top ten team. It's a hell of an achievement, and you'd have to be a really self entitled loon not to acknowledge it. 

[Gawalls]

4 minutes ago, Theregulars said:

As I’ve said in my other post now, his record in big matches is really mixed. We seem to line up afraid of the bigger sides. That needs to change or he won’t last in the role; it’s denying factual reality to suggest he’s a big game manager. He isn’t, on evidence with us thus far.

Man U didn’t beat us in the league last season nor did spurs or Chelsea, we got a good point at arsenal and against Man City. Were these not big games?

 

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by Gawalls

[Vinny Green Balls]

Just now, Gawalls said:

Man U didn’t beat us in the league last season nor did spurs or Chelsea, we got a good point at arsenal and against Man City. We’re there not big games?

He's having a mare. That's really what it is.

[Theregulars]

1 hour ago, ilikenewcastle said:

Apart from all those times we won big games.

I’ll go through them again:

 

- cup final: lost 

- CL crunch run-in: Leeds away scabby draw, Leicester home very nervy, Brighton home fantastic 

- last year away games vs sky 6: lost at Liverpool, lost at Man City, drew at arsenal, drew at Manchester United, won at Tottenham, drew at Chelsea - meh record 

- cup semi last year: it gets forgotten but we laboured massively. Adam Armstrong was fucking unlucky not to tie the home leg 1-1.

- last year home games vs sky 6: great draw v city, meek against arsenal, great win against Manchester United, poor loss against Liverpool, good win vs Chelsea, destroyed spurs 

- this year first 2 big games: lost with poor performances.

 

The point I’m making is, on evidence, his record on big occasions isn’t great. I don’t think it’s as wild a take as you’re making it out to be. This is before we remember all the really disappointing performances last year when we couldn’t score. 
 

He is a very very good manager, I sense that he isn’t elite. I hope I’m wrong.

[dcmk]

It's somewhat comforting to know that we have a manager who actually gives a shit and wants to succeed, so with every loss we are taking some lessons from.

 

 

[Gawalls]

2 minutes ago, Dokko said:

I've never been a fan of his subs. Too late and like for like for most part, so was excited for this season for him to have a bench to work with, to see if that was the problem. That and his lack of rotation would be forced upon him due to additional games.

 

Be interesting to see what he does next. He'll be mad as fuck, but isn't the type to dig his players out in front of the cameras. They'll find out how well they played in the dressing room and in training till next weekend.

 

Sometimes you learn more from the setbacks than you do the wins. I think we can turn the last couple of defeats into positives with reactions from the players, maybe even an unexpected transfer from the board. Mind, someone needs to find out what's going on in Bruno's head as he's just not started this campaign, that and him snapping on SM, makes me think he's not 100% happy. 

 

Overall shit day, but Eddie is the man to get us back on track. He's brought us back from far worse than this and got us far higher than anyone ever expected. I understand emotions are running high, but the reaction on here towards him is getting close to the entitled shame we said go ourselves we wouldn't be like.

 

 

 

 

Agree on the subs and you’re take on Howe - and you take on the entitled sham. Hell that’s your full post isn’t it? Guess I’ll give you a thumbs up then.

[Jagten]

29 minutes ago, 80 said:

 

I see where you're coming from, but I don't really think that's right. I'd say one of the best things about what we've done overall is build a squad and club that, if Eddie somehow disappeared tomorrow, is really well positioned to be taken on by A.N.Other. There's nothing eccentric about it, no sense of personality cult. Just team spirit, fitness, tactical awareness and natural quality. I wouldn't accept any manager coming in and struggling Bruce-style to convert the team to 'his way of thinking'.

 

Conversely, if the club had hedged it's bets with, say, an oppositional sports director we could end up at war with ourselves and not getting the best out of what we have which, overall, Howe absolutely has.

I slightly disagree re squad composition. We have one progressive passer, which is evident when teams sit off us. It feels to me like we've witnessed a subtle recruitment step-change since Isak, and signings have been more about enabling Howe-ball. I don't want an oppositional sporting director, but I do want a directorship that appreciates risk management. The most likely outcome is that Howe eventually fails. I hope we keep this in mind.

[Theregulars]

4 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

That Man U game when we seriously needed a win, and it was one of the most lopsided 2-0's in history.

 

The proof is still carved in stone that we got there by winning when we absolutely needed it with a ridiculously thin side that pretty much had individuals forced to play more minutes than any other top ten team. It's a hell of an achievement, and you'd have to be a really self entitled loon not to acknowledge it. 

It was a colossal achievement to finish 4th with that squad.

 

it doesn’t mean that he’s also not the best in big games - he just isn’t, his record in them for us is mixed. 

[Andy]

2 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Tough couple of games for the boss man. Think he'll be better for it though.

 

We need a new approach for these calibre of teams IMO.

 

Would like to see us setup to draw them onto us a bit more,with maybe more of a mid block instead of sitting deep, and look to then counter attack them from there.

 

We have a lot of players that could really punish these teams in more open space.

 

Sure we'll try something different next time around. Learning experience.

 

To be fair, the gameplan was working until they went down to 10 and were forced to sit back. It's not so much the calibre of opposition that was the problem, it was breaking down a low block - an issue carried over from last season.

 

Even if you take away their sucker-punch goals and the game had finished 1-0, it would've been evident that the issues with breaking teams down are still there. Howe needs to suss this out quickly, as there'll be plenty of teams that'll employee these tactics this season. 

[Vinny Green Balls]

1 minute ago, Theregulars said:

I’ll go through them again:

 

- cup final: lost 

- CL crunch run-in: Leeds away scabby draw, Leicester home very nervy, Brighton home fantastic 

- last year away games vs sky 6: lost at Liverpool, lost at Man City, drew at arsenal, drew at Manchester United, won at Tottenham, drew at Chelsea - meh record 

- cup semi last year: it gets forgotten but we laboured massively. Adam Armstrong was fucking unlucky not to tie the home leg 1-1.

- last year home games vs sky 6: great draw v city, meek against arsenal, great win against Manchester United, poor loss against Liverpool, good win vs Chelsea, destroyed spurs 

- this year first 2 big games: lost with poor performances.

 

The point I’m making is, on evidence, his record on big occasions isn’t great. I don’t think it’s as wild a take as you’re making it out to be. This is before we remember all the really disappointing performances last year when we couldn’t score. 
 

He is a very very good manager, I sense that he isn’t elite. I hope I’m wrong.

He had shittier players overall and a much thinner squad. Speaking of not being particularly nuanced.

[Theregulars]

3 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

He's having a mare. That's really what it is.

I don’t think I am - I think it’s a fairly reasonable comment. His record in big games with us is mixed. 

[HaydnNUFC]

5 minutes ago, Theregulars said:

Well I’m not sure your take is as nuanced as reality suggests it should be. When the pressure of the run-in really ramped up - ie when Liverpool started winning every week - we drew at leeds looking pretty ropey, we played great v Brighton, and we were edgy and a pope wondersave away from a loss against Leicester. We were meek AF in the cup final. We were meek away to city both this and last season. We were wank at home to arsenal last season. We devoured spurs when we needed to and beat Man U at home in a big match. 
 

His record in big fixtures is mixed. It suggests to me that he isnt quite top table at this stage. Today we didn’t look like a well coached team.

 

Do think this is quite short sighted tbh. Last season Man City away we missed quite a few chances, should've scored at least twice. Hammered Man Utd and Spurs. Don't think we were 'wank' against Arsenal at all; they just took their chances and we didn't. Leeds away was crap for 25 minutes then we fought back and got the lead in an away game against a team scrapping against relegation in their first home game under a new manager. Brighton we were class and it was fairly unprecedented how Leicester set up against us; we had about 80% possession and missed a load of chances again, hit the woodwork twice iirc.

 

Today was crap, but the games in isolation don't add up to him having a mixed record in big games at all imo.

[Theregulars]

Just now, Vinny Green Balls said:

He had shittier players overall and a much thinner squad. Speaking of not being particularly nuanced.

I don’t think that’s fair. You just challenged me to admit he did well last season, which I’ve done. Can you now concede that his record in big fixtures is mixed? 

[dcmk]

1 minute ago, Theregulars said:

I’ll go through them again:

 

- cup final: lost 

- CL crunch run-in: Leeds away scabby draw, Leicester home very nervy, Brighton home fantastic 

- last year away games vs sky 6: lost at Liverpool, lost at Man City, drew at arsenal, drew at Manchester United, won at Tottenham, drew at Chelsea - meh record 

- cup semi last year: it gets forgotten but we laboured massively. Adam Armstrong was fucking unlucky not to tie the home leg 1-1.

- last year home games vs sky 6: great draw v city, meek against arsenal, great win against Manchester United, poor loss against Liverpool, good win vs Chelsea, destroyed spurs 

- this year first 2 big games: lost with poor performances.

 

The point I’m making is, on evidence, his record on big occasions isn’t great. I don’t think it’s as wild a take as you’re making it out to be. This is before we remember all the really disappointing performances last year when we couldn’t score. 
 

He is a very very good manager, I sense that he isn’t elite. I hope I’m wrong.

We massively over-achieved last year.  No elite coach in the world would think Champions League football would have been an achieveable aim for us last season.

 

Yet this guy did it, and got us to a domestic cup final.

 

The entitlement is off the charts with some on here.

 

 

[Vinny Green Balls]

Just now, Theregulars said:

I don’t think that’s fair. You just challenged me to admit he did well last season, which I’ve done. Can you now concede that his record in big fixtures is mixed? 

with shittier players and a thinner squad. It is perfectly fair, particularly since you claimed that my stance wasn't nuanced.

[Theregulars]

Just now, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Do think this is quite short sighted tbh. Last season Man City away we missed quite a few chances, should've scored at least twice. Hammered Man Utd and Spurs. Don't think we were 'wank' against Arsenal at all; they just took their chances and we didn't. Leeds away was crap for 25 minutes then we fought back and got the lead in an away game against a team scrapping against relegation in their first home game under a new manager. Brighton we were class and it was fairly unprecedented how Leicester set up against us; we had about 80% possession and missed a load of chances again, hit the woodwork twice iirc.

 

Today was crap, but the games in isolation don't add up to him having a mixed record in big games at all imo.

But literally they do. His record is a mixed bag of outcomes in them, including some quite meek losses. It’s not blasphemy to criticise Eddie Howe. The last 9 days show that he needs to get better in some areas, especially in matches against the big teams and in big matches. 

[Theregulars]

Just now, dcmk said:

We massively over-achieved last year.  No elite coach in the world would think Champions League football would have been an achieveable aim for us last season.

 

Yet this guy did it, and got us to a domestic cup final.

 

The entitlement is off the charts with some on here.

 

 

Arguably it’s entitled to walk around calling anyone entitled who disagrees with you. 
 

I’ll state it again - he did a great job last year and we overachieved. Nonetheless, his record in big matches is mixed. 

[BonesJones]

Haven't been registered here that long, so seeing a few particular reactions on here for the first time.

 

You'd swear Eddie has been here many many years and we've caught up with the spending of the Sky six.

 

In reality, the new owners have only been in the door for five minutes, and as Eales said, it was another opportunity to build a club from basically scratch.

[Theregulars]

1 minute ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

with shittier players and a thinner squad. It is perfectly fair, particularly since you claimed that my stance wasn't nuanced.

I don’t think it is, really. Your stance appears to permit no criticism of Howe. Yes, we overachieved with a small squad. But also, yes, his record in big games is mixed. Why can’t both be true?

[et tu brute]

Just saw his interview on YouTube and he thought a very 'good performance', no Eddie it was anything but

[dcmk]

Just now, Theregulars said:

Arguably it’s entitled to walk around calling anyone entitled who disagrees with you. 
 

I’ll state it again - he did a great job last year and we overachieved. Nonetheless, his record in big matches is mixed. 

 

Most managers' records in big matches will be mixed.  

 

Peps record in Champions League was mixed until last season.