Eddie Howe

[andycap]

I've never wanted him out like. 

But we need to understand that he makes mistakes and fans should be allowed to voice that. Without been tarred with the negative brush. 

[STM]

46 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

I think what bugs me the most about the negative posts about him in here, and there are many (though usually by the same 5 or 6 posters), it isn't that there's negativity, it's the lack of balance. I am one of Eddie's biggest supporters but even I don't think he does everything perfectly. Yet, you only see those posters that can't wait to stick the boot in, when things have gone wrong. They disappear whenever there's something positive going on, a good win, whatever. If you're going to criticize, fine, but at least stick around and acknowledge the good things too.

 

 

 

 

They also don't specifically say they would sack him, they don't have the guts for it and they also don't given an alternative.

[LionOfGosforth]

7 minutes ago, STM said:

 

They also don't specifically say they would sack him, they don't have the guts for it and they also don't given an alternative.

 

Yup, it's all passive aggressive nonsense. "Im not saying i'd get rid but..." etc etc ad nauseum.

[Lush Vlad]

Agree with the last two posts. 
 

The ones that were getting fully stuck into Howe when we were doing shit. Now don’t seem to post much now we’re doing well again. Or only come up with thinly veiled digs at him. Whilst trying to find any reason to dig him out and loads of hypothetical reasons why the club might replace him. 
 

If we fail to finish 6th or 7th now. Then it would be really disappointing, granted. As we’ve got ourselves in such a great position. But considering plenty would have taken top 6-7 this season. All things considered, whilst not being perfect. Howe has done an outrageous job. 
 

I genuinely think if we finish 6th. Then factoring everything in. It’s arguably a better season than the one before. 

[andycap]

So basically no one is allowed to have a negative opinion about Eddie. Just the back eddie to the hilt brigade can. 😂 

[Dr Jinx]

Top 6 with the injuries we’ve had would be very respectable. Just leaves you wondering where we could have been if it weren’t for that handful of absolutely sloppy games where we should have been better.

 

What should the target be for next season?

[LionOfGosforth]

1 minute ago, andycap said:

So basically no one is allowed to have a negative opinion about Eddie. Just the back eddie to the hilt brigade can. 😂 

 

Who are you even responding to? All anyone actually said was, have a bit of perspective and balance. When things go shit, go ahead, fill yer boots, it's a footy forum after all. When things go well, stick around and actually acknowledge it, instead of disappearing because the agenda isn't being filled. This is for the 6-8 posters who do this crap on a regular basis.

[LiquidAK]

LET ME HAVE MY OPINION, he wrote, posting on a publicly accessible forum available for anyone with an internet connection to read.

[Lush Vlad]

1 minute ago, Dr Jinx said:

Top 6 with the injuries we’ve had would be very respectable. Just leaves you wondering where we could have been if it weren’t for that handful of absolutely sloppy games where we should have been better.

 

What should the target be for next season?

Depends how the summer goes. But I think Top 4-6 again and try to get past the QF’s of the cups this time, then who knows. Although the draws were difficult to say the least in all comps.
 

If it’s just ‘very respectable’ with all the injuries we’ve had. What were you expecting from us this season exactly?! 
 

Tough crowd. 

[andycap]

2 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

Who are you even responding to? All anyone actually said was, have a bit of perspective and balance. When things go shit, go ahead, fill yer boots, it's a footy forum after all. When things go well, stick around and actually acknowledge it, instead of disappearing because the agenda isn't being filled. This is for the 6-8 posters who do this crap on a regular basis.

I'm always about. it's just the vague 6 to 8 posters makes me think your referring to me. 

[LionOfGosforth]

5 minutes ago, Dr Jinx said:

Top 6 with the injuries we’ve had would be very respectable. Just leaves you wondering where we could have been if it weren’t for that handful of absolutely sloppy games where we should have been better.

 

What should the target be for next season?

 

Respectable? Mate, it would be a stellar finish, not even up for debate.

[LionOfGosforth]

2 minutes ago, andycap said:

I'm always about. it's just the vague 6 to 8 posters makes me think your referring to me. 

 

Nope. I'm talking about a handful of posters who, when we're losing, not playing particularly well, they fill the match thread and this one with reactionary nonsense. When we're winning, playing well, they are absolute ghosts. Have no time for that whatsoever.

[andycap]

1 minute ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

Nope. I'm talking about a handful of posters who, when we're losing, not playing particularly well, they fill the match thread and this one with reactionary nonsense. When we're winning, playing well, they are absolute ghosts. Have no time for that whatsoever.

Okay mate got you now. 

[Dr Jinx]

1 minute ago, Lush Vlad said:

Depends how the summer goes. But I think Top 4-6 again and try to get past the QF’s of the cups this time, then who knows. Although the draws were difficult to say the least in all comps.
 

If it’s just ‘very respectable’ with all the injuries we’ve had. What were you expecting from us this season exactly?! 
 

Tough crowd. 

I wanted us to be better than we were the previous season and I can’t say that we have been. But I understand the reasons for that.

 

We’ve got some sort of defensive shape back thankfully but it almost feels like the summer will be a rebuilding job for all the long term injuries we have so I don’t know what the target should be. If we sign another couple of quality players maybe it should be top 4, but then what should be a consequence of failing to reach that?

 

Is settling for a top 6 finish something the Saudis are gonna be happy with?

[LiquidAK]

Why does it always circle back to getting all hot and bothered over the prospect of a ruthless Saudi power play when there's been no evidence in the last 2 years that that's the route they're taking? Just have a wank before you post. 

[Lush Vlad]

5 minutes ago, Dr Jinx said:

I wanted us to be better than we were the previous season and I can’t say that we have been. But I understand the reasons for that.

 

We’ve got some sort of defensive shape back thankfully but it almost feels like the summer will be a rebuilding job for all the long term injuries we have so I don’t know what the target should be. If we sign another couple of quality players maybe it should be top 4, but then what should be a consequence of failing to reach that?

 

Is settling for a top 6 finish something the Saudis are gonna be happy with?

 

Seemed like being better than last season, be it league finish or winning something (lol) was always going to be tough, no?
 

CL to contend with, no longer a bit of a surprise package, we 100% over-achieved against what was expected in almost everyone’s opinion. Although perhaps not yours, as you seem tough to please  then throw in clubs that couldn’t possibly be so shit again, whilst also having no Europe to contend with. Then we had some shit luck with injuries and players missing, plus some poor management of said injuries and barely got minutes out of our summer signings. 
 

I don’t feel like it will be a rebuild?! We have good players returning and hopefully playing more than this season. The emergence of some younger players. Tonali to come back in. Hall and Livramento getting meaningful minutes at the back end of this season. Along with a full pre-season this summer. Howe showing that he does have tactical versatility. Despite what some on here and social media say. I could go on, but I can’t be arsed.   
 

With what, even say 3 first team players brought in. We would look in better shape than we have for an age. How doe we need a rebuild? 

On that last point. I don’t know if it is or not. Will there be mitigating circumstances again. With some of these being out of our control? Like drawing 70s Brazil and the Harlem Globetrotters in the knockout rounds of cups? 
 

 

[80]

3 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Depends how the summer goes. But I think Top 4-6 again and try to get past the QF’s of the cups this time, then who knows. Although the draws were difficult to say the least in all comps.
 

If it’s just ‘very respectable’ with all the injuries we’ve had. What were you expecting from us this season exactly?! 
 

Tough crowd. 

My private target was 5th. Considering how the season's gone, we can be pretty satisfied. I think I'm most pleased that the club/squad seem to have held it together psychologically, which Eddie can take a huge slice of credit for. It's been a season of highs and... Not exactly lows but big struggles. But if they hadn't kept their togetherness, there would've been big lows.

 

My happiness is balanced out a bit by my view that the league overall has been worse this year. That's why I think last season was an especially epic achievement. If our team (inc. injury spell) had been playing in last season's division, with teams like Brighton and Brentford snapping away, consistently accumulating points, I think we'd end up about 2 or 3 positions lower than we will. So we've gotten away with our disastrous middle spell relatively lightly.

 

Next season? Like you say, depends on the summer for us and others. 3rd-6th and a cup sounds decent. But I'll probably judge it more on whether I feel we've improved on this season, particularly on areas I think we could e.g. fatigue management. If we keep Bruno, I'm really pretty excited about it.

[Lush Vlad]

Agree with a lot of that. But not sure on the league?
 

Not really looked at it points-wise. But surely Spurs are doing better than last year. Liverpool are better and miles clear of us. Villa are doing loads better than us and 16 other clubs.  Even Chelsea haven’t been as bad. Man U have been crap but are still in and around us points wise. 
 

So aren’t some of the teams that have had a bit of an off-season. Just been replaced by teams who have done a bit better? Like most seasons in that 7-13 kind of range?

 

I still also think we over-achieved massively last season. So it was always going to be tough when in Europe and not having a bit of that surprise element.  Then everything that could go wrong did go wrong. So like you say, it’s been a very good season, so far. 

[James]

This is Howe’s third season with us really.

 

first two seasons were near perfect, but he essentially placed himself where questions start being asked whether he is a good manager or an elite manager.

 

i really hope he pushes on and succeeds with us. Next season is massive because this season really showed three or four flaws to his managerial capabilities - all are redeemable but next year he has to show that he has learnt from mistakes made this season.

 

these are the four question marks:

1. Workload management

2. injury management

3. is he too loyal to certain players?

4. Tactical adaptability 

 

[McDog]

My hopes for this season were getting to the UCL knockout rounds and getting any sort of Europe next year. Despite unprecedented injuries Eddie’s got us close to that. People that want a perfect manager will always be disappointed. This guy has been nothing short of brilliant since he took over in accomplishing what he has. Onwards and upwards. Next year doesn’t need to be any sort of rebuild, good players coming back and some replacing dead wood.

[KaKa]

1 hour ago, andycap said:

I've never wanted him out like. 

But we need to understand that he makes mistakes and fans should be allowed to voice that. Without been tarred with the negative brush. 

 

His biggest supporters on here point out when they think he could/should have done things differently.

 

Difference is it's not done in a manner that makes out the man is some sort of dunce that's lucky to still be in the job.

[80]

14 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Agree with a lot of that. But not sure on the league?
 

Not really looked at it points-wise. But surely Spurs are doing better than last year. Liverpool are better and miles clear of us. Villa are doing loads better than us and 16 other clubs.  Even Chelsea haven’t been as bad. Man U have been crap but are still in and around us points wise. 
 

So aren’t some of the teams that have had a bit of an off-season. Just been replaced by teams who have done a bit better? Like most seasons in that 7-13 kind of range?

 

I still also think we over-achieved massively last season. So it was always going to be tough when in Europe and not having a bit of that surprise element.  Then everything that could go wrong did go wrong. So like you say, it’s been a very good season, so far. 

It's one of those things that's arguably impossible to prove. I'd dig into statistics to try and better evidence my view on the league, but honestly I can't be bothered! 

 

It's more of an eye test thing. Just feels like the league has contained a lot more paper tigers this year. Spurs haven't been THAT good and they'll comfortably finish 6th if not 5th. West Ham are 9th and they've been on holiday for a little while now. Chelsea kids are squabbling over who takes penalties, and they're frightening us and a Man United that ought to be staring at the bottom half. Last year, it seemed like anyone in the top half was a pack of skilled, dogged bastards who could give anyone a game.

 

So - with some very good excuses - it does feel like a missed opportunity for us.

 

 

Edited May 8 by 80

[SteV]

6 minutes ago, James said:

This is Howe’s third season with us really.

 

first two seasons were near perfect, but he essentially placed himself where questions start being asked whether he is a good manager or an elite manager.

 

i really hope he pushes on and succeeds with us. Next season is massive because this season really showed three or four flaws to his managerial capabilities - all are redeemable but next year he has to show that he has learnt from mistakes made this season.

 

these are the four question marks:

1. Workload management

2. injury management

3. is he too loyal to certain players?

4. Tactical adaptability 

 

I think he’s went a long way to answering number 4 in the last 2/3 months.

[LionOfGosforth]

9 minutes ago, James said:

This is Howe’s third season with us really.

 

first two seasons were near perfect, but he essentially placed himself where questions start being asked whether he is a good manager or an elite manager.

 

i really hope he pushes on and succeeds with us. Next season is massive because this season really showed three or four flaws to his managerial capabilities - all are redeemable but next year he has to show that he has learnt from mistakes made this season.

 

these are the four question marks:

1. Workload management

2. injury management

3. is he too loyal to certain players?

4. Tactical adaptability 

 

 

Disagree completely with number 4, just in the past 4-5 games, he's shown massive tactical adaptability imo. I think number 1 is part of his learning curve, number 2 very difficult to achieve in the midst of an apocalyptic injury crisis. Number 3, possibly yes, but only if you've been a coach and right in front of your players discussing their playing time can we know what that's like. He even hinted at it in the Overlap interview. 

[Dr Jinx]

18 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

 

Seemed like being better than last season, be it league finish or winning something (lol) was always going to be tough, no?
 

CL to contend with, no longer a bit of a surprise package, we 100% over-achieved against what was expected in almost everyone’s opinion. Although perhaps not yours, as you seem tough to please  then throw in clubs that couldn’t possibly be so shit again, whilst also having no Europe to contend with. Then we had some shit luck with injuries and players missing, plus some poor management of said injuries and barely got minutes out of our summer signings. 
 

I don’t feel like it will be a rebuild?! We have good players returning and hopefully playing more than this season. The emergence of some younger players. Tonali to come back in. Hall and Livramento getting meaningful minutes at the back end of this season. Along with a full pre-season this summer. Howe showing that he does have tactical versatility. Despite what some on here and social media say. I could go on, but I can’t be arsed.   
 

With what, even say 3 first team players brought in. We would look in better shape than we have for an age. How doe we need a rebuild? 

On that last point. I don’t know if it is or not. Will there be mitigating circumstances again. With some of these being out of our control? Like drawing 70s Brazil and the Harlem Globetrotters in the knockout rounds of cups? 
 

 

Definitely not tough to please. Supported this team so long I’ve seen it all. We’re in good times and it’s brilliant supporting the club the last few years. You look forward to each weekend now with a real hope that we’ll keep pushing forward collectively.

 

That doesn’t mean I can’t be critical of mistakes that happen, or poor performances. If Eddie Howe is as critical of himself he’ll have thought or said the same things that posters on here have said.

 

We went to shit defensively earlier on season and that was a real concern, he looks to have stabilised things but when I say rebuild I mean Botman missing for a large portion. Potentially majority of season.

 

Burn is not a long term solution.

 

Lascelles same boat injury wise.

 

Trippier was showing signs of slowing down this season. Let’s see how he is when he’s back but he may well be a candidate for moving on.

 

We may need 2-4 players to come in to cover all those positions.

 

So yeah, a rebuild of sorts.