Eddie Howe

[Lush Vlad]

19 minutes ago, brummie said:

I think if a manager - anywhere, not just yours - performs as stellar-ly as Howe did last season (and the season before, wasn't it?) then has a duff season, albeit one with mitigating circumstances like injury problems, he's bought enough time, he's owed a duff season.

 

I know football isn't like that, though.

Well said. 
 

I would hope and expect to see at least some shoots of encouragement after Jan, mind. As it has been getting worse and not better. If the performances start resembling Howe’s Newcastle again in some way. Then he 100% deserves another summer window and to see how we go next season. Pretty much regardless of where we finish. 
 

Been a victim of his own success in over-achieving. Then unfortunately having to compete on 2-3 fronts with half a squad. 

[r0cafella]

4 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

I don't think box-to-box in itself is a problem if the team shape is good but Bruno/Miley/Longstaff is fairly powerduff from an athleticism perspective. Slow defence compounded the problem.

The issue is, we have zero tactical flexibility because we lack and specialists to perform certain roles. Even if you swap out what we had today and put in both joes it’s the same issue right? Massive space in front of our defence and a lack of creativity. When it works it’s obviously great but when it comes unstuck it looks amateurish. 

[Holmesy]

4 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

He's not perfect, but too many limitations to ever win anything big? He's 46, he's exactly what we need tbh, a young, progressive coach who will get better with us. What limitations he has I'm confident he'll be working on.

 

Serious question - what signs have you seen that he’s working on his limitations? 
 

We’ve been wide open in midfield for weeks, and we’re still wide open now. We've been prone to counter attacks all season and we still are.  We’ve had no plan B all season and we still have no plan B.

I wish I had the faith and confidence you do, but what I’m seeing doesn’t give me any. 

[Wolfcastle]

12 minutes ago, brummie said:

I think if a manager - anywhere, not just yours - performs as stellar-ly as Howe did last season (and the season before, wasn't it?) then has a duff season, albeit one with mitigating circumstances like injury problems, he's bought enough time, he's owed a duff season.

 

I know football isn't like that, though.

Its an annoyance of mine but not universally right or wrong. A manager losing his job for being under par of the high standards he over-achieved to establish in the first place.

Every manager has had seasons where they've gone backwards. Its only terminal if its someone that's never shown they can do anything prior.

Happened to KK and Sir Bobby. 2000/01 under Sir Bobby was horrific, arguably worse and even more boring than Dalglish's first full season.

[Rod]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I agree to an extent - though most of those clubs won’t have spent c.£400m on transfers in 18 months. 

Not sure exactly how much they have spent but Forest have signed a load of players.

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, Joe1984 said:

Most of that 400 million has been or still is injured tbf.

I agree, but was just caveating that this isn’t one of those sudden surges by a club which returns to the mean after a season.  Serious money has been spent 

[Miggys First Goal]

Was it Eddie who was Yassir’s first choice? That might give him some breathing room. 

[buzz]

Just now, Miggys First Goal said:

Was it Eddie who was Yassir’s first choice? That might give him some breathing room. 

 

They claimed that but I find it hard to believe personally 

[dcmk]

Just been on, class again, recognises the issues today in transitions. 

 

Not trained properly for a month due to the circumstances.

 

Wish some fans would stop sniping at him, he's not perfect, no one is.  Let him work it out.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by dcmk

[Ketsbaia]

Considering there'll be zero points throughout January, I do worry about Howe.

 

Although 'worry' might be wrong, as his predictable tactics + questionable in-game decisions are a big part of this complete freefall. Suddenly the season is destined for 8th-10th, all those good times quickly forgotten.

 

I don't know how we get out of this.

[hakka]

24 minutes ago, brummie said:

I think if a manager - anywhere, not just yours - performs as stellar-ly as Howe did last season (and the season before, wasn't it?) then has a duff season, albeit one with mitigating circumstances like injury problems, he's bought enough time, he's owed a duff season.

 

I know football isn't like that, though.

 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, Wolfcastle said:

Its an annoyance of mine but not universally right or wrong. A manager losing his job for being under par of the high standards he over-achieved to establish in the first place.

Every manager has had seasons where they've gone backwards. Its only terminal if its someone that's never shown they can do anything prior.

Happened to KK and Sir Bobby. 2000/01 under Sir Bobby was horrific, arguably worse and even more boring than Dalglish's first full season.

Christ yes.  A pretty poor transfer window in 2000 - and we spent a fair chunk of change - before a season that could only be described as inert. 

[LiquidAK]

Just now, Holmesy said:

Serious question - what signs have you seen that he’s working on his limitations? 
 

We’ve been wide open in midfield for weeks, and we’re still wide open now. We've been prone to counter attacks all season and we still are.  We’ve had no plan B all season and we still have no plan B.

I wish I had the faith and confidence you do, but what I’m seeing doesn’t give me any. 

Big picture, his Bournemouth side were notorious for being terrible in defence - he spent his time after that job travelling around and visiting other clubs to see how they run things - then had the best defence in the league with us in his first full year.

 

It's not linear, we've been shocking in defence today, but he's shown he'll adapt longer term.

[Pilko]

That was a real bad one today. An absolute lack of control in the match, like a basketball game at times, and a midfield akin to a saloon door as Forest ran through time after time. The defence waving forlornly for offside like a Sunday morning side as Wood wandered through for their third was pitifully poor. 

 

Positives were we looked much better going forward and were it not for Almiron's absolutely chronic end product and decision making we could have outscored them today. Miley looked bright again also and Isak looked much more like himself.

 

I'm seriously worried about the derby. We don't have the winning knack at the minute and nowt seems to be dropping for us. 

 

I've no doubt Eddie will get us back to winning ways but fucking hell that was a tough watch today.

[KingArthur]

11 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Absolutely and it’s another instance whereby we have recruited ourselves into a corner to go all in on Howes vision. 
 

we have a squad full of players who are box to box, no holders and no creatives. 

Agree. Even Tonali is more of a Howe-player than what we perhaps need. Of course first thing to do is to get everyone fit, but Bruno-Miley-Longstaff is so slow trio there that they can't all go charging to opposition box ffs. 

[1892er]

Eddie mentioned last week how we were reactive rather than proactive. I found that a bit ironic considering he brought on Tino when it was obvious Burn was going to get skinned for pace every time. Not quite sure what's going on but we look burnt out with still half a season to go. 

[Gallowgate Toon]

3 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

The issue is, we have zero tactical flexibility because we lack and specialists to perform certain roles. Even if you swap out what we had today and put in both joes it’s the same issue right? Massive space in front of our defence and a lack of creativity. When it works it’s obviously great but when it comes unstuck it looks amateurish. 

Massive space in front of defence is a team shape thing though. A DM doesn't magically cover 2 spaces at once. We will always be front foot against those sides, it's worked very well for nearly 2 years. 

[The College Dropout]

2 minutes ago, Ketsbaia said:

Considering there'll be zero points throughout January, I do worry about Howe.

 

Although 'worry' might be wrong, as his predictable tactics + questionable in-game decisions are a big part of this complete freefall. Suddenly the season is destined for 8th-10th, all those good times quickly forgotten.

 

I don't know how we get out of this.

Even if it’s in Feb. We’ll grind out a win. And start putting a run together. Once we have options back. 
 

If we get to 90% fitness and fresher legs. We are largely better player for player than 12 teams in this division. 

[Joe1984]

3 minutes ago, Ketsbaia said:

Considering there'll be zero points throughout January, I do worry about Howe.

 

Although 'worry' might be wrong, as his predictable tactics + questionable in-game decisions are a big part of this complete freefall. Suddenly the season is destined for 8th-10th, all those good times quickly forgotten.

 

I don't know how we get out of this.

Don't count points until they are lost or won. Football can suprise you.

[TheBrownBottle]

4 minutes ago, Rod said:

Not sure exactly how much they have spent but Forest have signed a load of players.

Agreed, and I think Howe has done an excellent job generally - though as much as I think that he needs to be backed during a difficult spell, I also don’t think what has been performed are miracles or wonders.  With signing on fees I’d be willing to bet that the club has sunk half a billion quid on transfers

[El Prontonise]

That winter break can't come soon enough.

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Massive space in front of defence is a team shape thing though. A DM doesn't magically cover 2 spaces at once. We will always be front foot against those sides, it's worked very well for nearly 2 years. 

I mean if your player with a dedicated DM It’s his job to sit and protect the defence. At least you have somebody responsible for that area of the pitch. 
 

Our current way of playing asks so much of our midfielder and wingers they have so much ground to cover. 
 

Generally teams playing with such an aggressive set up will have a super high line to accommodate it, but we have such a slow defence they want to sit deep causing acres of space. 
 

It’s a tactical issue. 

[Yorkie]

What's so frustrating is that no bullshit ref call and no Trippier brainfart and we're still in both of those cup competitions despite the nosedive in performances. Then the confidence isn't utterly shot.

 

Really do feel he deserves a colossal amount of grace. And financial backing next month. 

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Massive space in front of defence is a team shape thing though. A DM doesn't magically cover 2 spaces at once. We will always be front foot against those sides, it's worked very well for nearly 2 years. 

Shape was the biggest issue today for me.  Kept banging on about it in the match thread.  It’s got progressively worse in recent weeks.  

[pubteam]

Eddie's high press only works with a fit squad. The fact we have no backup plan is crazy, we can't play 100mph football at all stages of the game.