Eddie Howe

[Shearergol]

12 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

Eh, Pretty quickly after Villa I felt we didn't look the same team as last season. What was that stretch we had after AV, lost 3 of 4, or 4 or 5, or around that. I guess the mollifying factor, from the outset, was that we were supposed to have a down season after qualifying for CL, so it didn't quite shock the nerves then.

 

City, Liverpool then Brighton. Then we drew with Milan, beat Sheff United 8-0, City in the cup, Burnley, PSG 4-1, drew at WH, smashed Palace.

[Geogaddi]

22 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

Eh, Pretty quickly after Villa I felt we didn't look the same team as last season. What was that stretch we had after AV, lost 3 of 4, or 4 or 5, or around that. I guess the mollifying factor, from the outset, was that we were supposed to have a down season after qualifying for CL, so it didn't quite shock the nerves then.

We lost to Liverpool, City and Brighton after Villa, hardly surprising results, we then lost one of our next 9 league games including beating Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United in the league. We also hammered PSG during that time, took Man United apart at Old Trafford and beat Man City in the cup, we hammered Sheff United 8-0. At this point in the season everyone was happy. It was the Everton game it all started to fall apart.

 

 

Edited March 13 by Geogaddi

[Displayname]

Yeah we were on a really good run after that Brighton game, atleast at home we looked like we did the season before.

[Greg]

54 minutes ago, Geogaddi said:

Its madness how quickly it has all just fell apart,  to think how good we looked in that home game against Man United only three months ago, we only won 1-0 but it could have been 3, 4 or 5 really with how well we played, this was a week after hammering Chelsea 4-1 and 3 days after being robbed by the ref of a win in Paris.  You would never in a million years have foreseen how badly our season would collapse after that week, yet Pope got injured then Trippier lost his head at Everton a few days later and we have never been the same since. Still fully 100% behind Eddie whatever happens in the remainder of the season. but its obvious we need a big clear out in the summer and I just hope he is ruthless enough to do it, as if he isn't and we start next season badly playing the same way we are now then its going to be hard to continue defending him.

 

 

 

 

When Nick Pope got injured, basically.

[Geogaddi]

Just now, Greg said:

 

When Nick Pope got injured, basically.

Carragher made a point the other night that I do agree with, whilst Pope has undoubtedly been a huge miss for us you cant blame us falling apart as badly as we have on our goalkeeper getting injured.

[The Prophet]

16 minutes ago, Geogaddi said:

Carragher made a point the other night that I do agree with, whilst Pope has undoubtedly been a huge miss for us you cant blame us falling apart as badly as we have on our goalkeeper getting injured.

 

The midfield has left us defensively exposed too. Longstaff has been in poor form since returning from injury, Miley is inexperienced and Bruno on his own lacks the athleticism to compensate for the other two.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

20 minutes ago, Geogaddi said:

Carragher made a point the other night that I do agree with, whilst Pope has undoubtedly been a huge miss for us you cant blame us falling apart as badly as we have on our goalkeeper getting injured.

 

No, you also need to consider the other 27 injuries. 

[Paully]

https://theathletic.com/5332174/2024/03/12/michael-edwards-liverpool-fsg-profile/

 

 

I never knew about this – I’m certain they’ll go for an elite manager when Klopp goes but you never know especially with Hughes coming as sporting director from Bournemouth

 

 

After everything that has happened since Klopp arrived on Merseyside, it can feel like a trick of the imagination that Liverpool gave serious consideration to hiring Eddie Howe rather than the man who, eight and a half years later, counts as Anfield royalty.

Howe was on a three-man shortlist with Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti for the manager’s position and it was part of Edwards’ job, then as Liverpool’s technical director, to determine who had the outstanding credentials to replace Brendan Rodgers.

Ancelotti passed all the criteria in terms of his record in the Champions League and the statistics relating to his teams at Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid, but his transfer record counted against him because the system devised by Edwards and Liverpool’s analysts deliberately placed less emphasis on a manager’s recruitment in his first year.

Their theory was that a manager might not have the ultimate say when it came to transfer business during his first season but, in years two, three, four and five, that manager’s influence would be greater and signings would not happen without his input.

A lot of Ancelotti’s recruits were deemed to be on the older side and that jarred with Liverpool’s thinking. Edwards wanted players aged 26 or under who were approaching their peak years and would still have a re-sale value three or four years later.

Howe, now at Newcastle United, was managing Bournemouth and had a reputation for developing younger players and playing attractive football.

He had also been a player at Portsmouth when Edwards was starting out at the south coast club. Their friendship, however, never came into it. Howe did not have the experience of competing in the Champions League, whereas Klopp ticked every box in terms of achievement, transfer business and playing style. Edwards made his recommendation to FSG and left them to get on with the business of making it happen.

 

[TRC]

3 hours ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

No, you also need to consider the other 27 injuries. 

You can blame injuries, but we have the worst away defence in the league along with Sheff United.

 

Even our make shift team should have a better defence than that.

 

I just can't understand our tactics vs Chelsea. Chelsea have struggled to defend counters and go up against a low block all season no idea why we didn't do that.

[Geogaddi]

4 hours ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

No, you also need to consider the other 27 injuries. 

Injuries has a massive impact in December no doubt about it but it's getting harder and harder to use the injury excuse now though , performances against the likes of Luton and Bournemouth at home , as well as Blackburn away have been shambolic an that was against teams where we had a much better starting line up than they did . Even against Chelsea the other night , they were poor but we were just even worse and that's wasn't really anything to do with injuries .

[Lotus]

EH must be absolutely shattered. For his mental health I hope there is no downward pressure on league position this year and he can concentrate on performances with a view to next year.

Feels like he’s had to spend far too much of this season choosing between bad and worse. Must be incredibly taxing.

 

I understand how it helps our profile having some form of European football regularly. Will help recruitment imo. Players will become used to seeing the club playing against continental teams. I’m sure that will help. But this year just feels like a write off. If they believe he is our SAF then have to give him a bye this season after everything.

 

If they have doubts though or all the board are not aligned there’s gonna be a weird atmosphere at the club.

[STM]

It's a snowball affect.

 

Some will, somewhat rightly, point out that our performances have hardly improved since players have returned and fixture congestion has easied.

 

I'd argue that the damage was already done. The bulk of our first team are certainly mentally fatigued and probably physically fatigued too. Their confidence is shot and to add to that they've still got annoying injuries still occurring throughout the squad and key players missing too. It's been like a game of whack-a-mole for some time.

 

Personally, I think at the soonest opportunity we need to bring, Miley, Anderson, Targett, Lascelles and maybe even Krafth into the starting 11. Some fresh legs and fresh minds. If we still lose, cest la vie.

 

In the summer we need some signings who haven't been traumatised by this seasons hardships.

[timeEd32]

34 minutes ago, STM said:

It's a snowball affect.

 

Some will, somewhat rightly, point out that our performances have hardly improved since players have returned and fixture congestion has easied.

 

I'd argue that the damage was already done. The bulk of our first team are certainly mentally fatigued and probably physically fatigued too. Their confidence is shot and to add to that they've still got annoying injuries still occurring throughout the squad and key players missing too. It's been like a game of whack-a-mole for some time.

 

Totally agree with this. It's why I find the "what's the excuse now?" and "is it the fatigue again?" posts so incredibly irritating.

[huss9]

1 hour ago, Lotus said:

EH must be absolutely shattered. For his mental health I hope there is no downward pressure on league position this year and he can concentrate on performances with a view to next year.

Feels like he’s had to spend far too much of this season choosing between bad and worse. Must be incredibly taxing.

 

I understand how it helps our profile having some form of European football regularly. Will help recruitment imo. Players will become used to seeing the club playing against continental teams. I’m sure that will help. But this year just feels like a write off. If they believe he is our SAF then have to give him a bye this season after everything.

 

If they have doubts though or all the board are not aligned there’s gonna be a weird atmosphere at the club.

unfortunately that comes with being in the premier league and having high expectations for your cloob.

[Ronaldo]

Quite surprised at the percentage of pundits saying he will and probably should be sacked. 

[timeEd32]

14 minutes ago, Ronaldo said:

Quite surprised at the percentage of pundits saying he will and probably should be sacked. 

 

Who besides Keys? His comments have fueled a lot of content.

[OverThere]

Sh$t stirrers will sh$t stir!

[Conjo]

5 hours ago, Geogaddi said:

Injuries has a massive impact in December no doubt about it but it's getting harder and harder to use the injury excuse now though , performances against the likes of Luton and Bournemouth at home , as well as Blackburn away have been shambolic an that was against teams where we had a much better starting line up than they did . Even against Chelsea the other night , they were poor but we were just even worse and that's wasn't really anything to do with injuries .

 

Such a simplistic way to look at it. Injuries aren't an excuse btw, it's the single most significant reason for our poor form.

 

Expecting key players coming back from long injuries to just seamlessly slot into the team as if they were in top form?

The knock on effect on players who's had to pick up a ton more minutes than they normally would because of injuries aren't expected to feel any fatigue anymore because they had a bit longer to rest/train between games?

Mental fatigue not even being considered?

 

Injuries has had a massive impact since November up until now, and probably will for the rest of the season. I was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel before Chelsea, but then Barnes got injured before a ball had been kicked (or, apparently, felt a "tightness" as he came on against Wolves), and our player of the season went off with something that looked long term after 30 minutes. Now we have two right wingers that will probably at minimum play all minutes for our next two games, maybe more. What if one of them gets injured? With Gordon out we don't even have our makeshift 3rd striker as cover for Isak while Wilson is still out. What if Isaks body breaks down again? Not entirely beyond the realms of possibility.

 

That sounded very doom and gloom. I still think we'll have a decent end to the season, but that will be more down to Howe rather than the quality of the team we'll be able to field. Back to 2 keepers on the bench agains Man City? Harder and harder to use the injury excuse

 

 

Edited March 13 by Conjo

[KaKa]

24 minutes ago, Ronaldo said:

Quite surprised at the percentage of pundits saying he will and probably should be sacked. 

 

They want him to take the England job after Southgate.

[KaKa]

9 hours ago, Paully said:

https://theathletic.com/5332174/2024/03/12/michael-edwards-liverpool-fsg-profile/

 

 

I never knew about this – I’m certain they’ll go for an elite manager when Klopp goes but you never know especially with Hughes coming as sporting director from Bournemouth

 

 

After everything that has happened since Klopp arrived on Merseyside, it can feel like a trick of the imagination that Liverpool gave serious consideration to hiring Eddie Howe rather than the man who, eight and a half years later, counts as Anfield royalty.

Howe was on a three-man shortlist with Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti for the manager’s position and it was part of Edwards’ job, then as Liverpool’s technical director, to determine who had the outstanding credentials to replace Brendan Rodgers.

Ancelotti passed all the criteria in terms of his record in the Champions League and the statistics relating to his teams at Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid, but his transfer record counted against him because the system devised by Edwards and Liverpool’s analysts deliberately placed less emphasis on a manager’s recruitment in his first year.

Their theory was that a manager might not have the ultimate say when it came to transfer business during his first season but, in years two, three, four and five, that manager’s influence would be greater and signings would not happen without his input.

A lot of Ancelotti’s recruits were deemed to be on the older side and that jarred with Liverpool’s thinking. Edwards wanted players aged 26 or under who were approaching their peak years and would still have a re-sale value three or four years later.

Howe, now at Newcastle United, was managing Bournemouth and had a reputation for developing younger players and playing attractive football.

He had also been a player at Portsmouth when Edwards was starting out at the south coast club. Their friendship, however, never came into it. Howe did not have the experience of competing in the Champions League, whereas Klopp ticked every box in terms of achievement, transfer business and playing style. Edwards made his recommendation to FSG and left them to get on with the business of making it happen.

 

 

I have no doubt that if we drop the ball with Howe he will end up somewhere decent and make complete fools of us by doing very well. In fact I'm almost certain it's going to happen.

 

There's just this delusional and entitled vibe around the place at the minute that I think is only going to lead to bad things for the club, if the owners buy into it.

 

We'll soon see.

 

[Disco]

4 hours ago, OverThere said:

Sh$t stirrers will sh$t stir!

Weird censorship aside a lot of people are gasping for him to fail and NUFC to disband.

[Dr Venkman]

20 hours ago, The Prophet said:

 

The midfield has left us defensively exposed too. Longstaff has been in poor form since returning from injury, Miley is inexperienced and Bruno on his own lacks the athleticism to compensate for the other two.

[The Prophet]

1 hour ago, Dr Venkman said:

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Bruno and he's comfortably one of our best players.

 

 

Edited March 14 by The Prophet

[The College Dropout]

14 hours ago, Lotus said:

EH must be absolutely shattered. For his mental health I hope there is no downward pressure on league position this year and he can concentrate on performances with a view to next year.

Feels like he’s had to spend far too much of this season choosing between bad and worse. Must be incredibly taxing.

 

I understand how it helps our profile having some form of European football regularly. Will help recruitment imo. Players will become used to seeing the club playing against continental teams. I’m sure that will help. But this year just feels like a write off. If they believe he is our SAF then have to give him a bye this season after everything.

 

If they have doubts though or all the board are not aligned there’s gonna be a weird atmosphere at the club.

It’s also advent bump in revenue. £15m for winning the conference league and an extra 6-7 home game receipts. So call it £20-25m. Then the impact on commercial deals and any performance based incentives. 
 

Thats the difference between needing to sell a useful player and not. Or a new signing. 
 

I think for the whole mood of the club we need to finish the season strongly.  

[OverThere]

40 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

It’s also advent bump in revenue. £15m for winning the conference league and an extra 6-7 home game receipts. So call it £20-25m. Then the impact on commercial deals and any performance based incentives. 
 

Thats the difference between needing to sell a useful player and not. Or a new signing. 
 

I think for the whole mood of the club we need to finish the season strongly.  

It's true but are we capable? Shipping 3 goals a game isn't going to get anything done. Whatever he tries the problems seem to remain. Here's hoping he can figure out why this keeps on happening.