Eddie Howe

[Elliottman]

13 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

It's very unlikely we're going to be playing next season with Dubravka playing half a season and Burn first choice left back.

 

Or Tonali being out for 3/4s of it, Barnes missing half of half of it, etc.

 

We're still battling for Europe as it is, I think next season will be even more fun.

We’ll be class next season, certain of it. 

[Cronky]

I've quoted this before, but I feel impelled to do so again - 'Past success is only briefly a glad memory. It quickly becomes an accusing finger'.

 

That's taken from 'The Football Man' by Arthur Hopcraft, in his section on Managers. I was 13 when I first read the book and that leapt out at me as a truism even at that young age. Nothing's changed and it applies now to Eddie. His past achievements have created a yardstick which can quickly become an unwelcome burden.

 

[PauloGeordio]

 

[astraguy]

3 hours ago, Geogaddi said:

Spot on this , the only criticism I would aim at Eddie is persisting with Burn when we have a better left back on the bench , feels like he is just doing it to be stubborn now .

yea i wouldn't sack Eddie Howe he hasn't had two of his signings all season let alone the previous ones ,But i knew once 60-70 mins came burn would come off for Tino its plain daft 

 

 

Edited February 18 by astraguy

[andycap]

His handling of returning injured players has been terrible. Willock comes back and he plays him two games back to back for a full 90 then he breaks down. Isak comes back half fit and he had him running on fumes against PSG even though he couldn't walk then he eventually breaks down, burn does his back in then brings him back way to early and he's been a starter ever since when there was no need to as tino was doing fine. Joelinton early in the season he was fucked yet he kept getting played till he broke down. 

[Sibierski]

Top 7 was the aim before the season, and despite the mess we've endured, it's still a viable chance (with an outside shot of domestic success). Europe disappointing with how it ended, but on face of it the group we had and first experience, it's produced some great memories and our level wasn't far off sides that will go into QFs.

 

Just main concern, despite still being close to 7th place finish, our performances have not indicated that we look like finishing there. After Arsenal, we go on a run of 6 games where there's no reason we can't be going into games fancying a win. Need to get the fear back, as sides at the moment enjoy playing us because they know they'll have a fair amount of chances and back themselves to get a result as a result. Last season, it was barely a sniff and sides had to be clinical to get a result.

 

Mood will flicker game by game, but don't think a true feeling will be known till the March Internationals. Could be FA Cup SFs and 7th going into that break (or just within 1-2 points of 7th), or out of FA Cup and bottom half. 

[LiquidAK]

5 minutes ago, andycap said:

His handling of returning injured players has been terrible. Willock comes back and he plays him two games back to back for a full 90 then he breaks down. Isak comes back half fit and he had him running on fumes against PSG even though he couldn't walk then he eventually breaks down, burn does his back in then brings him back way to early and he's been a starter ever since when there was no need to as tino was doing fine. Joelinton early in the season he was fucked yet he kept getting played till he broke down. 

In all of those bar Burn (the one element I think the majority agree he's questionable on) he basically didn't have a choice due to the others missing. These players had to play because we had no-one else, and no chucking some kids on was never a serious option if we expected to compete and win games. Playing those players early back from injury was a gamble, but one Howe realistically had very little choice but to take.

[LiquidAK]

Hell even on Burn, there's an argument that Tino is a young lad only back from a very serious ACL injury. If he played every game from Burn's injury onward this season and broke down with a reoccurrence, I've no doubt some of you would add that to the list of "mistakes" Howe is making.

 

Personally I'd like to see Tino start, but with many things this season there's an element of Howe being damned either way with sections of the fanbase 

 

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

3 hours ago, Paullow said:

But on the other hand, we're also only 2 points away from the bottom half. We have Arsenal away on Saturday, Brighton (game in hand) have Sheff U (a) and Everton (h) in the coming days, Wolves have Sheff Utd (h) on Sunday, West Ham have Brentford (h) on Monday, so a very good chance we'll be 10th in 8 days time, and that's probably the worst position anyone would have expected at the start of this season. You have your big 6, Villa have ambition and a good manager, West Ham's wage bill is pretty high, and Brighton have built a good side, and have a good structure in place, but we shouldn't be finishing below any other side, and while someone obviously has to, to potentially finish bottom of that mini league would be extremely disappointing, injuries / fixture congestion or not.

Did people set their goals for the season based on having everyone injured? 

[TRon]

3 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

In all of those bar Burn (the one element I think the majority agree he's questionable on) he basically didn't have a choice due to the others missing. These players had to play because we had no-one else, and no chucking some kids on was never a serious option if we expected to compete and win games. Playing those players early back from injury was a gamble, but one Howe realistically had very little choice but to take.

 

 

Put it this way, if there's a chance of Isak being fit to start next week against Arsenal, I'd rather give him an extra week off, or put him on the bench at a push if there's any chance an extra week would allow him to recover fully rather than rush him back in a game we will probably lose anyway.

[LiquidAK]

Just now, TRon said:

 

 

Put it this way, if there's a chance of Isak being fit to start next week against Arsenal, I'd rather give him an extra week off, or put him on the bench at a push if there's any chance an extra week would allow him to recover fully rather than rush him back in a game we will probably lose anyway.

Agree now, sure. Not as easy a calculation when we were still fighting in the CL, in both domestic cups and early on in the league.

[Paullow]

12 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Did people set their goals for the season based on having everyone injured? 

The post was more in response to 'we're 7th' and the painting that we're in a decent position generally, whereas I was pointing out that we'll soon very likely be far lower than that, and in what would be considered a poor position, and yeah, injuries or not, I'd still expect more than 2 points from Bournemouth, Forest, Luton at home in recent weeks.

 

The season has kind of felt like a write off to me for a couple of months now, and I'm not that bothered when we're dropping points as it doesn't really feel like there's much jeopardy to the matches, (not apathy of the Ashley era, just more of a get this season out of the way and regroup), but if we were to finish 10/11/12 (and not make the FA Cup final / semi final) then it will absolutely be a poor and disappointing season, regardless of unfortunate circumstances.

 

 

 

Edited February 18 by Paullow

[SUPERTOON]

Didn’t we finish 11th the season Howe took over ? I’d say finishing in and around that would be classed as a poor season, despite the issues faced.

[Ronaldo]

12 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Didn’t we finish 11th the season Howe took over ? I’d say finishing in and around that would be classed as a poor season, despite the issues faced.

Finish 11th and we’ll see players leave and the club interviewing new management. 
 

Fortunately I don’t think we will.

[andycap]

41 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

In all of those bar Burn (the one element I think the majority agree he's questionable on) he basically didn't have a choice due to the others missing. These players had to play because we had no-one else, and no chucking some kids on was never a serious option if we expected to compete and win games. Playing those players early back from injury was a gamble, but one Howe realistically had very little choice but to take.

We still lost majority of them so kids would of done. 

[andycap]

36 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

Agree now, sure. Not as easy a calculation when we were still fighting in the CL, in both domestic cups and early on in the league.

Not at all he was flagging basically a statue for weeks after 45 minutes. 

[LiquidAK]

3 minutes ago, andycap said:

We still lost majority of them so kids would of done. 

You can see how that's just hindsight though surely? He'd have gotten pelters if he rested players for kids and we lost perceived winnable games as a result, or if we whimpered out of the CL rather than being an inch away from qualifying.

[andycap]

We've known we'd be without joelinton and have to field a weakened midfield so surely a formation change to a more defensive shape and be a counter attacking team to utilise our pace up top should of been implemented and stop the goals getting conceded. 

[andycap]

1 minute ago, LiquidAK said:

You can see how that's just hindsight though surely? He'd have gotten pelters if he rested players for kids and we lost perceived winnable games as a result, or if we whimpered out of the CL rather than being an inch away from qualifying.

I don't think so myself fans aren't daft to know players are shagged get fresh legs on. Plus I'm talking about bringing fresh legs on not starting them. 

 

 

Edited February 18 by andycap

[LiquidAK]

Just now, andycap said:

I don't think so myself fans aren't daft to know players are shagged get fresh legs on. 

 

We have very different views on how reasonable and understanding some of our fans can be.

[Wolfcastle]

The more I think about it. The more I'm 100% behind him.

Not least because there's nobody else could do any better save for the possibility of something in training that would limit injuries and that might not even be a thing. There isn't going to be a player overhaul now.

Folk have to learn to ride out a disappointing spell as they're always going to happen and accept that you can go backwards one season and it not be a trend that you have to pre-empt with a change of manager. Ferguson and Wenger dropped backwards several times, KK and Sir Bobby did too.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

It’s fairly mad that we’re not all just sat here enjoying having such an amazing manager. Football is odd sometimes. 

[Geordie Ahmed]

I find it fascinating that there are some that are either done with Howe or think they are close to that.

 

Even if this season was a stinker I think he's earned the right to have that, the idea that a manager has to have mint season after mint season is utterly bizarre and there doesn't exist a manager that's ever had that. Pep is the best around yet seasons 1 and 4 were poor from him and season 8 looks like it will be a drop from the previous season (I guess after a treble it's always likely but their points total will be less).

 

As it is I don't even consider this season to be a stinker, think the majority felt top 4 would be tough and a good season would be Europa League spot, cup run and not embarrass ourselves in the CL. So far that is still very much on, in fact if we weren't robbed in Paris we would still be in the CL.

 

The above expectations would have been under normal circumstances but we've had a brutal injury situation. It's not just the number of injuries it's the positions that we've got them which has caused problems and given us very little flexibility. Miley has been forced to play way more minutes than would have been planned, long term that isn't necessarily a bad thing for his development but it's not ideal for the team. At that age players either go out on loan with no pressure or they get blooded in to the team gradually. Miley has played 1066 minutes in the League this season at 17 years old. As a comparison Phil Foden at 19 years old played 893 minutes in the PL (2019-20 season), the following season he managed 1614 minutes with 17 starts. There's be a pretty solid chance he surpasses that.

 

Of course I understand some will ask questions about the injury situation and what part Howe/medical team play a part in it but we've been hit with freak injuries that are just down to bad luck (Barnes, Burn, Anderson, Targett, Murphy, Pope, not injury but can add Tonali in this list) and not something we can blame anyone for. 

 

The performances recently have been a bit all over the place and overall we concede a lot of chances, I do think the reason for this is due to a combination of no Pope, Burn situation and the midfield profile (which can't be helped as there is no other midfielder available). And yes you can make the claim that Howe should do better and learn to adapt but we live in a world where City struggle with just Rodri missing. As things stand we are missing 4 players that walk into the starting eleven (Pope, Joelinton, Willock and Isak)

 

Ultimately, I hope we finish the season strongly and get a European spot but even if we don't I hope there isn't even the slightest bit of pressure on Howe. I 100% believe he needs to be here for the start of the next season and I am absolutely convinced that we'll have a good season as long as we don't get brutalised by injuries again. 

 

Many wrote Howe off in January 2022 and he made them look like a bunch of mugs. Anyone writing him off or even strongly questioning him will be made to look a right mug when we look back in 8-10 months time. 

[Wolfcastle]

Just without Pope alone being injured and being modest we'd probably have 5 more points

[Ronaldo]

20 minutes ago, Geordie Ahmed said:

I find it fascinating that there are some that are either done with Howe or think they are close to that.

 

Even if this season was a stinker I think he's earned the right to have that, the idea that a manager has to have mint season after mint season is utterly bizarre and there doesn't exist a manager that's ever had that. Pep is the best around yet seasons 1 and 4 were poor from him and season 8 looks like it will be a drop from the previous season (I guess after a treble it's always likely but their points total will be less).

 

As it is I don't even consider this season to be a stinker, think the majority felt top 4 would be tough and a good season would be Europa League spot, cup run and not embarrass ourselves in the CL. So far that is still very much on, in fact if we weren't robbed in Paris we would still be in the CL.

 

The above expectations would have been under normal circumstances but we've had a brutal injury situation. It's not just the number of injuries it's the positions that we've got them which has caused problems and given us very little flexibility. Miley has been forced to play way more minutes than would have been planned, long term that isn't necessarily a bad thing for his development but it's not ideal for the team. At that age players either go out on loan with no pressure or they get blooded in to the team gradually. Miley has played 1066 minutes in the League this season at 17 years old. As a comparison Phil Foden at 19 years old played 893 minutes in the PL (2019-20 season), the following season he managed 1614 minutes with 17 starts. There's be a pretty solid chance he surpasses that.

 

Of course I understand some will ask questions about the injury situation and what part Howe/medical team play a part in it but we've been hit with freak injuries that are just down to bad luck (Barnes, Burn, Anderson, Targett, Murphy, Pope, not injury but can add Tonali in this list) and not something we can blame anyone for. 

 

The performances recently have been a bit all over the place and overall we concede a lot of chances, I do think the reason for this is due to a combination of no Pope, Burn situation and the midfield profile (which can't be helped as there is no other midfielder available). And yes you can make the claim that Howe should do better and learn to adapt but we live in a world where City struggle with just Rodri missing. As things stand we are missing 4 players that walk into the starting eleven (Pope, Joelinton, Willock and Isak)

 

Ultimately, I hope we finish the season strongly and get a European spot but even if we don't I hope there isn't even the slightest bit of pressure on Howe. I 100% believe he needs to be here for the start of the next season and I am absolutely convinced that we'll have a good season as long as we don't get brutalised by injuries again. 

 

Many wrote Howe off in January 2022 and he made them look like a bunch of mugs. Anyone writing him off or even strongly questioning him will be made to look a right mug when we look back in 8-10 months time. 

No one questioning a manager should be accused of being a mug when we’ve won 2 out of 8 PL games with some pretty comfortable looking fixtures. Fans are always entitled to ask questions. You can love the bloke and not be sure he’s the right fit long term.
 

Out of curiosity what will happen, in your opinion, in the next 8-10 months?

 

 

Edited February 18 by Ronaldo