Eddie Howe

[Andy]

Just now, Pilko said:

The Burn thing seems strangely stubborn, Livramento has proven to be reliable and a good defender and we could do with his pace in the backline if the opposition has speedy wingers when we've got the table footy keeper rooted to his line 9 times out of 10.

 

Can understand why he wants him in for his height and his leadership qualities but I would also expect a bit more of a "horses for courses" approach if there's someone on the opposition right wing who can catch pigeons.

 

Also don't understand the hesitation to sub a clearly gassed Gordon when we have Murphy available, he was on fumes for about 15 minutes. It didn't matter in the end but it seemed fairly clear to see.

 

Good win in the end but another heart stopping game to watch. I'd love a boring 1-0 win with loads of control from us soon.

 

This is pretty much how I feel about the Burn situation too, it's my only frustration with Howe really. Tino looks better at both ends of the pitch, the only advantage of Burn is aerial duals, but that shouldn't be a deciding attribute for a modern fullback. 

 

He's costing big chances 2 or 3 times a game, Elanga could've scored today 10 minutes before he actually did, in near-identical circumstances. Him constantly being exposed for pace is a big part of the reason that we constantly drop back so deep imo. 

[LionOfGosforth]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 I can think of a few. The back three element, height against high balls, experience with the other unit, he sees Tino as primarily an RB, he wants at least one decent sub to bring on, Tino would be exposed too because our midfield is porous. Probably others. 
 

I’m not saying which of those are true but it’s really not hard to put yourself a bit in the manager’s shoes. 
 

Edit: soz other people already have loads of reasons

 

 

 

 

I'd add tactical structure to that (maybe you meant that by the back 3 comment), plus team harmony/loyalty and also, he doesn't think he's as bad as some on here clearly do. Also Tino may be struggling in training due to prior injury...so yeah, plenty of reasons. I'm not the one screaming in match threads about it and calling our esteemed gaffer an idiot and a fraud so not quite sure why you picked on my post 

[nufcjmc]

30 minutes ago, Rafalove said:

Haven’t really criticised how much and I’m glad we won, but I thought it was a bit mad not bringing Murphy on with our current injury situation.

Agreed although playing devil's advocate Murphy has played recently and while I hope in the match day squad fit to start it may be that they wanting to manage his minutes due to length he was out. I would have changed it just to try and utilise the squad with the benefit of the 5 subs and now having a few genuine options but we clearly don't know how much the squad is suffering knocks. 

[Checko]

I would have preferred Tino today as well for pace vs the counter. It's worth bearing in mind though that when Burn came back in we had been shipping a ton of goals with Tino at LB. I don't think it was Tino's fault, but I can see why Howe would want to go back to the back 4 that conceded the joint fewest goals in the league last year.

 

It hasn't really worked overall to be fair, but Burn has been overall very solid for 2 years here and is one of the team leaders. Even just a few games ago he was having some good games, so you don't necessarily just discard him after a couple of bad games. There are things like squad harmony and dynamics to be considered, which we won't know so much about. Also he's really fucking tall.

[Rafalove]

Just now, nufcjmc said:

Agreed although playing devil's advocate Murphy has played recently and while I hope in the match day squad fit to start it may be that they wanting to manage his minutes due to length he was out. I would have changed it just to try and utilise the squad with the benefit of the 5 subs and now having a few genuine options but we clearly don't know how much the squad is suffering knocks. 

 

Perhaps. And Howe has earned the benefit of the doubt. Though even a ten minute cameo would suffice just to give someone like say Wilson a rest. Gordon needed to come off five or ten minutes sooner.

[The College Dropout]

8 minutes ago, David Edgar said:

 

It isn't though, is it? You know exactly that it is about Dan Burn at left back. Who isn't going to be frustrated by his lapses and cost goals in recent games? I do think Howe is an idiot for keeping him in the side when Tino is there. I can only assume there is something we don't know preventing Tino from starting.

He just rates Dan Burn as a LB much higher than anyone else in the squad. Dan Burn has started nearly every match of note that he’s been fit for since he joined.  

[TheBrownBottle]

If I had a criticism it wouldn’t be selection - it would be running players into the ground well past the point of their endurance.  Gordon had ran has race and needed his head to be wobbling when he was jogging back before a sub was made.  That’s how you can get fatigue injuries.  We’ve got to start identifying earlier that a player is completely spent.

 

We won so as far as I’m concerned Howe got the selection and tactics right. 

[Chris_R]

40 minutes ago, David Edgar said:

 

I can only assume there is something we don't know preventing Tino from starting.

 

There isn't though, is there?

 

Livramento, who's looked excellent every time he's played, doesn't play because of Burn

Hall, who Chelsea fans were gutted to lose, didn't play because of Burn

Targett, Villa's player of the season before he joined us, didn't play because of Burn

 

It's got nothing to do with who the other player is, or their fitness or availability, he just insists on playing Burn no matter what. And TBH I can't see that changing, because he's shown no sign at all of wanting to change it.

 

It's like he thinks this is some kind of tactical masterplan, us going 3 at the back when Trippier goes up, like there's no way we can deviate from that, no way we can play differently. Even though literally every other team in the world manages to play without a giant left back, and despite how shaky Burn is against pace.

 

Love Eddie, love Burn frankly too, but this stubbornness in the face of clear evidence is awful and he needs to try something else. But he won't.

 

 

Edited February 10 by Chris_R

[Gallowgate Toon]

For all of the snipes about him only having Plan A, btw, I think he's trying quite a lot of stuff at the moment and has had backup plans in recent away games.

 

We tried much more of a 3-2 today in possession, Miley back and usually partnered by either Tripps or Longstaff with Bruno roaming. Feels like the 3-2 is a way to try hold possession more and manage the gaps we leave during turnovers at the moment. Didn't work perfectly as our inclination is still to press a lot but it shows that he's tinkering imo.

[Rafalove]

9 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

If I had a criticism it wouldn’t be selection - it would be running players into the ground well past the point of their endurance.  Gordon had ran has race and needed his head to be wobbling when he was jogging back before a sub was made.  That’s how you can get fatigue injuries.  We’ve got to start identifying earlier that a player is completely spent.

 

We won so as far as I’m concerned Howe got the selection and tactics right. 

 

 

Again he gets the benefit of the doubt for now as we still have a small squad and for large periods had few options, but as we build a bigger squad he will need to utilise it. 
 

 

We’ve had a lot of injuries this season but he’s also had moments where he could have protected players better.

being 3-0 up against Crystal Palace at half time  four days before we played a midweek game against Dortmund for one.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Murphy picked up a knock in the warm-up which gives more explanation to Gordon staying on. Still could've brought Krafu on a few earlier, like.

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, Rafalove said:

 

 

Again he gets the benefit of the doubt for now as we still have a small squad and for large periods had few options, but as we build a bigger squad he will need to utilise it. 
 

 

We’ve had a lot of injuries this season but he’s also had moments where he could have protected players better.

being 3-0 up against Crystal Palace at half time  four days before we played a midweek game against Dortmund for one.

Murphy was on the bench mind - he did have an option today

 

edit: didn’t realise Murphy had a knock.  But honestly, even Ritchie for the last few minutes.  We can’t just be burning players out

 

 

Edited February 10 by TheBrownBottle

[AyeDubbleYoo]

23 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

I'd add tactical structure to that (maybe you meant that by the back 3 comment), plus team harmony/loyalty and also, he doesn't think he's as bad as some on here clearly do. Also Tino may be struggling in training due to prior injury...so yeah, plenty of reasons. I'm not the one screaming in match threads about it and calling our esteemed gaffer an idiot and a fraud so not quite sure why you picked on my post 

Didn’t mean to pick, I was just trying to suggest some reasons. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

FWIW I’ve never really rated Burn as an LB and I was criticising him even when we were good. I’m just saying that from a manager’s POV there must be a lot of factors to consider. And also, it’s just one individual selection so is quite a small factor in our results. 

 

 

Edited February 10 by AyeDubbleYoo

[LionOfGosforth]

Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Didn’t mean to pick, I was just trying to suggest some reasons. 

 

No sweat mate, i'm in here fighting EH's corner, not questioning him.

[alexf]

Props for the result and for trying something different to unlock Bruno higher up the pitch. 

 

However I really don't think the result should justify the team selection.

 

I believe that should have been far more comfortable than it was. 

 

It needs to be flipped. Tino should be starting games and Burn on at the end if we need to sit deeper and see out some pressure. 

 

Also we complain we had no subs before and players getting run into the ground but then we run Wilson and/Gordon till the end when Gordon looked done for a lot sooner. 

 

 

Edited February 10 by alexf

[Chris_R]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

And also, it’s just one individual selection so is quite a small factor in our results. 

 

It really isn't, when he's so fundamental to us conceding so many goals and chances, and us having no option down the left flank because he's such a slow, limited footballer.

 

It's like if you put an actual dwarf in goal, you couldn't say "it's just one individual selection, so quite a small factor in our results" when teams would mercilessly exploit that game after game.

[LionOfGosforth]

3 minutes ago, Chris_R said:

 

It really isn't, when he's so fundamental to us conceding so many goals and chances, and us having no option down the left flank because he's such a slow, limited footballer.

 

It's like if you put an actual dwarf in goal, you couldn't say "it's just one individual selection, so quite a small factor in our results" when teams would mercilessly exploit that game after game.

 

Do you really think our best manager in 20 years, who took us from rock bottom to 4th in 18 months, sits and analyzes recent games and says to himself "Ya know what, Burn's struggling, we're gonna keep conceding with him at LB, plus we're playing Forest this week and they have a pacy bloke at RW. Burn will again struggle, so I think I quite like the sound of that and i'm going to keep him in so that I can fulfill all of the negative prophecies on Newcastle-Online"?

 

At this point it probably should occur to you (and the others questioning the sanity of this), that there are a myriad of reasons why Burn is playing, why Tino doesn't just come in. And none of those reasons will include enjoying seeing our left side get roasted and conceding goals because of it.

[Izakaya]

2 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

Do you really think our best manager in 20 years, who took us from rock bottom to 4th in 18 months, sits and analyzes recent games and says to himself "Ya know what, Burn's struggling, we're gonna keep conceding with him at LB, plus we're playing Forest this week and they have a pacy bloke at RW. Burn will again struggle, so I think I quite like the sound of that and i'm going to keep him in so that I can fulfill all of the negative prophecies on Newcastle-Online"?

 

At this point it probably should occur to you (and the others questioning the sanity of this), that there are a myriad of reasons why Burn is playing, why Tino doesn't just come in. And none of those reasons will include enjoying seeing our left side get roasted and conceding goals because of it.

Mind sharing some of those reasons? Cos it seems no one else can figure them out. 

[Chris_R]

"And none of those reasons will include enjoying seeing our left side get roasted and conceding goals because of it."

 

And yet, that's what's happening.

 

 

Edited February 10 by Chris_R

[Lush Vlad]

21 minutes ago, alexf said:

Props for the result and for trying something different to unlock Bruno higher up the pitch. 

 

However I really don't think the result should justify the team selection.

 

I believe that should have been far more comfortable than it was. 

 

It needs to be flipped. Tino should be starting games and Burn on at the end if we need to sit deeper and see out some pressure. 

 

Also we complain we had no subs before and players getting run into the ground but then we run Wilson and/Gordon till the end when Gordon looked done for a lot sooner. 

 

 

 

I actually would have made changes earlier. But to play devil’s advocate, it was a tight game, Howe clearly has his guys he trusts and he sees as his main men. So like it or not, they are going to play for as long as they reasonably can to execute his gameplan. 
 

Gordon did looked gassed. Whilst simultaneously still offering a great outlet and also helping out Trippier defensively.
 

I did think Wilson could have come off earlier and Murphy on (just seen he got a knock in the warm up) Gordon through the middle for a bit. But if they equalised and he was sat on the sidelines. Howe would get stick from plenty of fans and pundits alike. 

 

 

Edited February 10 by Lush Vlad

[LionOfGosforth]

Just now, Izakaya said:

Mind sharing some of those reasons? Cos it seems no one else can figure them out. 

 

Christ .

 

That Tino is still recovering from injury. That he doesn't see Tino as a LB. Maybe Tino doesn't train quite as well as he thinks he should. That Burn brings a tactical structure to the team that he prefers. The back 3 component to our success last year. Experience and familiarity with the others at the back. Tino can come on and make a difference which Burn isn't likely to do. That he's loyal and enjoys fostering harmony and that means not booting players out because a few nutcases in our fanbase can't help but revel in negativity and enjoy being right when things go wrong.

 

All or some of the above and probably a dozen others that neither I or you can guess because we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. That enough for you? 

[80]

Could do with some of this training again. We seem to have gotten back into the habit of standing and watching teammates dribbling with the ball.

[The College Dropout]

5 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

Christ .

 

That Tino is still recovering from injury. That he doesn't see Tino as a LB. Maybe Tino doesn't train quite as well as he thinks he should. That Burn brings a tactical structure to the team that he prefers. The back 3 component to our success last year. Experience and familiarity with the others at the back. Tino can come on and make a difference which Burn isn't likely to do. That he's loyal and enjoys fostering harmony and that means not booting players out because a few nutcases in our fanbase can't help but revel in negativity and enjoy being right when things go wrong.

 

All or some of the above and probably a dozen others that neither I or you can guess because we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. That enough for you? 

Which injury is this? 
 

I really like Howe and he does so much right. But he does a few things that is difficult to understand. His continued selection of Burn is one of them. 
 

Livramento is a good 6ft by the looks of things and decent in the air. We lose some but not a crazy amount. I think he likes the left footer in there a lot. Plus the leadership. 
 

Ive never thought Burn was solid defensively. He’s been a weak link 1v1 for a long time. 

[LionOfGosforth]

15 minutes ago, Chris_R said:

"And none of those reasons will include enjoying seeing our left side get roasted and conceding goals because of it."

 

And yet, that's what's happening.

 

 

 

 

We've also just took 7 from 9 scoring 10 goals including 2 tough away games. Following on from going into the 5th round of the cup, destroying the Mackems on their own ground. I think i'll lean on the positives to get me through it.