Eddie Howe

[Turnbull2000]

If FFP and FMV leaves us with a similarly weak squad next season and eventually costs us a Bruno or Isak, I suppose 5-8th is the only realistic long-term target whoever our manager is.

[Chicken Dancer]

Mind I do agree he’s not shown (yet) he can be ruthless in his team selections, tonight isn’t on him. 
 

Away form over the season has been shit so I suppose that is on him, but tonight we could/should have scored 5 or 6.

[Dr.Spaceman]

Surely we can do better than this.

[Smal]

Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Surely we know there’s a big difference between being unsafe to play and fully fit. 

well yeah, for an outfield player sure. That's been evident with our outfield players all season.

 

I don't really get it with a goalkeeper though. If there's a big risk he's going to hurt himself by diving then... he shouldn't be on the bench. Otherwise if he's fine then surely he has to start in front of Dubravka who's been awful all season?

[Vinny Green Balls]

1 minute ago, et tu brute said:

I have my opinion nothing more. If it's that unpleasant (as for anyone else) you're more than welcome to put me on ignore. After all you're just a person on a message board who I'll nearly certainly never meet face to face. I'm not some whistleblower, all I'm saying is that in my opinion he will be under massive pressure and then what happens is that some spit their dummies out instead of actually trying to give their opinion on why they think that is not the case. It was the same with Rafa also when he was manager.

I never had a reason to block you, man. I have no problems with you. I just think that some of your comments here have been full of hubris. 
 

you don’t need to stoop to calling people sheep or claiming that you have your finger on the pulse of reality while everyone else is clueless. It’s part of some of the most annoying social media tropes, and it doesn’t help your otherwise valid argument at all. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just now, Smal said:

well yeah, for an outfield player sure. That's been evident with our outfield players all season.

 

I don't really get it with a goalkeeper though. If there's a big risk he's going to hurt himself by diving then... he shouldn't be on the bench. Otherwise if he's fine then surely he has to start in front of Dubravka who's been awful all season?

Why does it have to be about hurting himself though? Maybe he’s just not fully ready or fully sharp? I think we can be confident Howe knows Pope is better than Dubravka. 

[KaKa]

3 minutes ago, Donut said:

I don't understand why some of you get so rattled when it's pointed out that he might be under some pressure right now and heading into the next season. He's not your dad you know? He's had a tough and difficult season having to deal with so many injuries and the Tonali situation and has done reasonably well all things considered. 

There's been some amazing games and there's been some abysmal ones. It is what it is. The business is absolutely ruthless. Just look at other clubs in the country.

 

I'm certain if we can keep injuries at bay and shift some of the deadwood in the squad, he will have a truly excellent season again. Time will tell.

 

There is no intelligent reasoning behind claims he is under pressure. It's the same silly reaction after every loss, because certain people are sure they know exactly who should be playing, what formation should be played and when subs should be made.

 

This manager has been punching above his weight since he got here and continues to do so with some diabolical players still having to be utilized. Mostly because he is getting more than expected out of these players, whilst having supplemented them with excellent signings of his own.

 

I'm sure the same owners that have publicly stated we are ahead of schedule, and who have seen players already at the club and players signed, continue to increase in value, can't wait to get rid.

[Smal]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Maybe he’s just not fully ready or fully sharp?

I'd probably expect a half-fit Nick Pope to save all three of their goals, or maybe just the second and third ones on a bad day. That's how big the difference between him and Dubravka - who is honestly not a Prem or even Championship standard goalkeeper these days - is. Dubravka has been conceding goals like this all season to an embarrassing degree. There are a variety of other reasons Dubravka makes us so much worse as well.

 

This is what I mean by wondering whether Pope isn't playing because of the risk of injury. It's the only justification I can think of. 

[wormy]

6 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Why does it have to be about hurting himself though? Maybe he’s just not fully ready or fully sharp? I think we can be confident Howe knows Pope is better than Dubravka. 

 

 As much as I'm gagging for Pope back in goal it's not exactly outlandish to see why he'd prefer a 'match sharp' Dubs over him, but if we needed to call upon a 'keeper off the bench it's a no brainer of Pope over Karius when neither are 'match sharp'.

[sushimonster85]

Howe won't be under pressure currently. The noises coming out of the club all season is how everyone was prepared for it to be a much tougher campaign, the injuries on top of all that just made it worse. Now, if we don't get Europe and find ourselves in a similar position this time (or even come Jan/Feb) next season, then he will be under big pressure. 

[Ellis H]

On another day we win that quite easily. Haven’t had the chance to say that about us at Old Trafford much in my lifetime so I’ll try to take tonight as something of a positive.
 

Games like this just make me think about how good we could be with some key upgrades and fewer injuries. Even in defeat we’re usually scoring a few and could/should have scored even more. 100 goals in a season is a very real prospect.

[et tu brute]

Just now, Vinny Green Balls said:

I never had a reason to block you, man. I have no problems with you. I just think that some of your comments here have been full of hubris. 
 

you don’t need to stoop to calling people sheep or claiming that you have your finger on the pulse of reality while everyone else is clueless. It’s part of some of the most annoying social media tropes, and it doesn’t help your otherwise valid argument at all. 

If people start going off one without actually giving a reason, then I'm going to give it back. All I said was like it or not he is going to be under massive pressure next season. I also give my reasons for that and I also stated that he deserves the opportunity next season. They are clueless if they just then start bitching off without even saying why. That is a sheep response. Anyway as I said there is always the ignore button (not you personally) for everyone, makes no difference to me. 

[et tu brute]

6 minutes ago, KaKa said:

There is no intelligent reasoning behind claims he is under pressure

I totally disagree, but I respect your opinion

[Groundhog63]

58 minutes ago, Andy said:

Tonight summed the season up really, played well in spells but just not good enough consistently, and way too sloppy at the back. 

 

When you look at the team we've started with for most of the season, and particularly the bench, it would be hard to argue it as being better than the 7th or 8th best lineup in the league. We are where we belong. Pretty much a "par" season from Eddie, all things considered. 

Fuck me, where did this beacon of reality come from ??

 

100% 

[huss9]

cannit blame howe for today. blame the poor finishing.

the system worked and created us a handful of easy chances.

surely the goalkeeper coaches study the goals and have a discussiion with eddie. the keeper's the only strange decision tonight.

[wormy]

Can't be arsed to wait for each page to load and read back to get a general feel for whether we're asking questions of Eddie tonight or not. But I can't be upset at him tonight. 

 

We weren't outplayed. It was an even game. We can laugh at Man U being a shit show all we want but even as a shit show we're playing catch up with them. They didn't roll over for Arsenal and weren't going to roll over for us. Another day that's a win for us with some top quality chances going begging for us. 

 

Same old story. We don't have the squad for this. We could've thrown all those players coming back from injury in to the XI from the off and then what? One of them breaks down again/he keeps them on and we run out of steam/he subs them and Man U capitalise on those lesser players coming on? It's all ifs and buts when you're relying on a squad of mostly solid pros but clear back ups with genuine quality smattered in between.

 

Howe isn't perfect but he's a damn sight closer to being so than the squad he's managed to keep in the hunt for Europe all the way down to the final day. 

[gbandit]

Howe’s class, how we’re where we are this season is a miracle, it’s so hard to field a different line up week after week or the alternative, playing the same 11 with no let up game after game. He’s not at fault for our squad still have major weaknesses. Can’t wait for him to strengthen the team in the summer 

[TheBrownBottle]

No shame on losing 3-2 at OT - even against this Man Utd team

 

Away form has been really poor this season, though, and would have been considered poor at any time in my lifetime.  There are mitigating circumstances, but hopefully Howe has the solution next season

[Ronaldo]

1 minute ago, gbandit said:

Howe’s class, how we’re where we are this season is a miracle, it’s so hard to field a different line up week after week or the alternative, playing the same 11 with no let up game after game. He’s not at fault for our squad still have major weaknesses. Can’t wait for him to strengthen the team in the summer 

Can’t absolve him completely. Maxi gone so we could spend nearly £40m on Harvey Barnes to sit on the bench behind Jacob Murphy? There’s time for it to change but that’s a shitshow.

[cubaricho]

6 minutes ago, wormy said:

Can't be arsed to wait for each page to load and read back to get a general feel for whether we're asking questions of Eddie tonight or not. But I can't be upset at him tonight. 

 

We weren't outplayed. It was an even game. We can laugh at Man U being a shit show all we want but even as a shit show we're playing catch up with them. They didn't roll over for Arsenal and weren't going to roll over for us. Another day that's a win for us with some top quality chances going begging for us. 

 

Same old story. We don't have the squad for this. We could've thrown all those players coming back from injury in to the XI from the off and then what? One of them breaks down again/he keeps them on and we run out of steam/he subs them and Man U capitalise on those lesser players coming on? It's all ifs and buts when you're relying on a squad of mostly solid pros but clear back ups with genuine quality smattered in between.

 

Howe isn't perfect but he's a damn sight closer to being so than the squad he's managed to keep in the hunt for Europe all the way down to the final day. 

 

Allllll of this.  

[TheBrownBottle]

Also, for all the talk of ruthlessness, it’s not the board who need to be ruthless with Howe, it’s Howe and his team who need to be ruthless with the playing staff.  I felt last summer we’d missed a big chance to cash in on average players who Howe had coached beyond their mean ability.  We have to be ruthless this summer and try and get some of the Ashley-era players out if we can. 

[gbandit]

Just now, Ronaldo said:

Can’t absolve him completely. Maxi gone so we could spend nearly £40m on Harvey Barnes to sit on the bench behind Jacob Murphy? There’s time for it to change but that’s a shitshow.

I’m not going to defend Murphy starting over Barnes. We’ll likely see a very different Barnes next season provided he stays fit and we’ll also likely see a lot less of Murphy next season 

[The Prophet]

I'd happily wager he isn't under any pressure at all.

 

In the Amazon documentary, they even record a board meeting where it's pointed out the average finishing position following a first time stint in Europe is 8th.

 

7th-8th is about par, 6th would have been an overachievement considering the circumstances.

[Danh1]

Deserves next season but I want to see a lot of the players who’ve featured a lot this season nowhere near the first team. Appreciate some of them have played due to injuries but they won’t ever be good enough. 

[TheBrownBottle]

2 minutes ago, Ronaldo said:

Can’t absolve him completely. Maxi gone so we could spend nearly £40m on Harvey Barnes to sit on the bench behind Jacob Murphy? There’s time for it to change but that’s a shitshow.

Barnes has the same number of goals as ASM this season despite missing most of it and not playing in a pub league