Eddie Howe

[The College Dropout]

3 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Our midfield has absolutely not proven to be more than capable.

 

The story of the season has been Bruno having to carry the whole unit, while Gordon and Isak have had standout performances higher up the pitch to win us games.

Aye. Playing a lot of the season without 3 of our 4 best CMs has been a killer.  We’ve been so weak in there. I’ve been against signing squad players but maybe we need too. Even if on loan.  
 

I want to see this squad with some fitness and a proper RW. 

[Gallowgate Toon]

Pope injury aside, I do think the midfield away from home has been our biggest problem. Not enough physicality to grab games, not enough technical ability to help us control pace and build play, but also seemingly awful at winning second balls. All the good things you see away teams coming here and doing we've not been able to do.

 

I don't think it's a shock when you consider the other mids who've played most have been Longstaff and probably Miley.

 

I feel like we'd have been able to get around this more with physical players up top who could help us gain territory but only Wilson has the profile for that really.

[The Prophet]

19 minutes ago, Matt1892 said:

We haven’t all season though and need to accept that we are going to have injuries, like all clubs do. Tripper, Schar and Botman have played the majority of Premier League games and on top of that as a club we decided to commit a lot of money to 2 more fullbacks as priority signings last summer.

 

So we can’t use that as an excuse for our poor away form that has gone on pretty much all season.

 

 

 

It's gone a bit beyond "injuries, like most clubs do" this seeaon mind.

[KaKa]

1 minute ago, Decky said:

Longstaff has frustrated the life out of me this season but to suggest our midfield isn’t capable at this level is laughable. Again, we’ve 57 points after the worst injury hit season in our history. Bruno didn’t do all that by himself. Our midfield has been absolutely fine in plenty of games. Last night, Brighton, Palace, all those games was the whole team underperforming. Our midfield has had its problems all season but you don’t get this many points in the Premier League with players that aren’t capable of being good at this level. 

 

We have been achieving what we have despite the midfield combinations we've had to manage with this season.

 

That is credit to Bruno  and to the manager for finding a way to make it work.

 

That is why it is comical when people moan about the manager so much.

 

I need to know which manager is going to have us controlling games with Longstaff, Miley/Anderson and Bruno.

 

Please let me know.

[Decky]

4 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

We have been achieving what we have despite the midfield combinations we've had to manage with this season.

 

That is credit to Bruno  and to the manager for finding a way to make it work.

 

That is why it is comical when people moan about the manager so much.

 

I need to know which manager is going to have us controlling games with Longstaff, Miley/Anderson and Bruno.

 

Please let me know.

Im not suggesting anyone is better than Howe for us, far from it. He’s the man to take us into next season and beyond but I just think performances need to improve. We had 6th in the palm of our hand and we’ve blown it. There’s no other way to look at it for me. One point from Brighton and Man Utd is piss poor, we’re better than that, even with a midfield of Bruno Longstaff and Anderson. 

[KaKa]

6 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Aye. Playing a lot of the season without 3 of our 4 best CMs has been a killer.  We’ve been so weak in there. 

 

It's why the team performances have been so inconsistent. The midfield as a unit has been poor.

 

This has affected the team both going forward and defensively at various points. 

 

We're not even seeing the Longstaff of last season in there as he is not even at those levels.

 

It hasn't been good.

[The Prophet]

We couldn't control the game last night because we still had too many average players in key positions. 

 

We've lost Schar and Botman, who are excellent at bringing it our from the back, with Krath and Burn not nearly as effective. Then Anderson (who is still young and has time to improve) and Longstaff in for Willock/Joelinton and Tonali in the middle of the park.

 

Chuck in a poor keeper and a less than fully fit Isak and we were carrying too many passengers.

 

 

Edited May 16 by The Prophet

[ExiledGeordie]

12 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Aye. Playing a lot of the season without 3 of our 4 best CMs has been a killer.  We’ve been so weak in there. I’ve been against signing squad players but maybe we need too. Even if on loan.  
 

I want to see this squad with some fitness and a proper RW. 

Yes Longstaff and Anderson were completely ineffectual yesterday. Bruno constantly has to carry the midfield. I hope Tonali can help with this moving forwards.

 

Still feel like we lack creativity at times from midfield in final 3rd but it was our finishing which was the issue yesterday. 

[KaKa]

Just now, Decky said:

Im not suggesting anyone is better than Howe for us, far from it. He’s the man to take us into next season and beyond but I just think performances need to improve. We had 6th in the palm of our hand and we’ve blown it. There’s no other way to look at it for me. One point from Brighton and Man Utd is piss poor, we’re better than that, even with a midfield of Bruno Longstaff and Anderson. 

 

Performances don't need to improve, they absolutely WILL improve. There's no doubt about it for me. I cannot see a situation where we will be missing all of Joelinton, Tonali and Willock again, all at the same time, for such an extended period.

 

The last two games have been frustrating. We're already making the midfield work as best we can, then on top of that Isak has apparently been ill, and of course Wilson is then not available either. Even today here comes Trippier to directly affect two of Man United's goals.

 

Don't know what on Earth is going on with Wilson, but just having him available likely gets us at least 3 or 4 points from both games.

 

I'm already looking forward to next season. I know it's going to be very different and the joke is going to be on everyone else.

[Whitley mag]

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

 

From the outset of your comment you have already got the premise of the whole discussion wrong, which is typical.

 

You've added on if he has a poor season next season, which was never what we were talking about.

 

Regarding his transfers they have mostly been excellent, and with another summer to continue to build the squad and with Tonali also coming back in, and the right wing finally getting addressed, I'm betting on Howe making all the nagging naysayers look impossibly dumb.

 

I'm really really looking forward to it.

With all respect don’t think I have, the discussion was started with @et tu brute suggesting he would be in trouble next season if things go in the same vein as this season.

 

I don’t think that is an unreasonable assertion as some have painted it out to be.

 

 

Edited May 16 by Whitley mag

[KaKa]

Just now, Whitley mag said:

With all respect don’t think I have, the discussion was started with @et tu brute suggesting he would be in trouble next season if things go in the same vein as this season.

 

I don’t think the is an unreasonable assertion as some have painted it out to be.

 

 

 

 

He didn't say if things go the same as this season though.

 

It goes without saying that if at the end of next season things are similar to this one despite the squad being improved and players coming back, that questions will start getting asked.

 

 

[Whitley mag]

2 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

He didn't say if things go the same as this season though.

 

It goes without saying that if at the end of next season things are similar to this one despite the squad being improved and players coming back, that questions will start getting asked.

 

 

He said like it or not he’s under massive pressure next season, which pretty much is what you just accepted in this post.

[sushimonster85]

As others have said, not having Joelinton, Tonali, & Willock for most of the season is what has really killed us. Our three most phsyical CMs all missing, all (largely) at the same time. You can handle one missing, maybe even two, but all three has left our midfield looking very lightweigh most of the season. 

[et tu brute]

7 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

He didn't say if things go the same as this season though.

 

It goes without saying that if at the end of next season things are similar to this one despite the squad being improved and players coming back, that questions will start getting asked.

 

 

Howay pretty obvious what I meant and I clarified that in other posts

[The Prophet]

Pretty funny seeing him getting panned on Twitter for not playing Pope, despite the same people getting stuck in to him for rushing players back earlier in the season.

 

I hope Pope is ready for the weekend though. Brentford will bombard the eighteen yard area with crosses and long throw ins.

[KaKa]

2 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

He said like it or not he’s under massive pressure next season, which pretty much is what you just accepted in this post.

 

Don't think he's under pressure going into next season at all.

 

The issue this season has been player availability, no matter how much people might want to overlook this. It won't be the same next season, and we won't be inconsistent in  the same way. 

 

If somehow this does end up being the case then I'm sure questions will start being asked at the end of the season.

 

This is not the same as saying he is under pressure going into next season.

[KaKa]

5 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

Howay pretty obvious what I meant and I clarified that in other posts

 

If that's what you meant fair enough.

[r0cafella]

3 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Pretty funny seeing him getting panned on Twitter for not playing Pope, despite the same people getting stuck in to him for rushing players back earlier in the season.

 

I hope Pope is ready for the weekend though. Brentford will bombard the eighteen yard area with crosses and long throw ins.

I’m not planning the manager but I do get the point. We rushed players back when we had a lot of games to play, we can somewhat afford to rush players back now as they will be getting a break. 
 

im not for bashing the gaffa though but I do see some logic to wanting pope back asap. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

9 minutes ago, sushimonster85 said:

As others have said, not having Joelinton, Tonali, & Willock for most of the season is what has really killed us. Our three most phsyical CMs all missing, all (largely) at the same time. You can handle one missing, maybe even two, but all three has left our midfield looking very lightweigh most of the season. 

 

People can go on about Howe being too loyal all they want, but the reality is that he didn't have any choice for most of the season. 

[ponsaelius]

I personally can't even countenance some of the things I'm reading and hearing (outside of here TBF) about it being time to make a change, particularly if we miss out on Europe. I'm glad to be confident that the club obviously aren't reactionary enough to make a strategic decision like that based on the difference of 2-3 points. Like even if/when we do decide to make a change in manager - it would be done with more visionary scope and based on longer term trends.

 

At the moment I simply can't imagine that any other manager would come in and do demonstrably better than he has done. Is he perfect? Obviously not, and this season has shown that quite clearly in terms of tactical flexibility and squad management. However we need a manager who can coach and motivate players, squeeze value out of substandard players and can develop and improve young players to increase their value. That is how we bridge FFP until we can build a squad that can compete at the next level. He's ideal for this and has undoubtedly exceeded the remit since he came in.

 

I do think the role of a manager is actually overplayed. They are just one part of an overall structure from ownership, corporate management and right down to playing staff. It's far more important to have everyone pulling in the same direction on the same page and with continuity. There will come a natural point where perhaps there needs to be a change in management to progress, just like replacing a squad player with an upgrade, but we're clearly not there yet. Maybe next summer if we have another sticky year we can revisit - not now.

[Dr.Spaceman]

5 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Don't think he's under pressure going into next season at all.

 

The issue this season has been player availability, no matter how much people might want to overlook this. It won't be the same next season, and we won't be inconsistent in  the same way. 

 

If somehow this does end up being the case then I'm sure questions will start being asked at the end of the season.

 

This is not the same as saying he is under pressure going into next season.

 

There isn't one Premier League manager who isn't under pressure. You think if we lose the first 3 games there'll be no consequences? Yasir will be on the blower at the very least.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Basing anything on final league position is really idiotic in general, TBF. One goal or one decision can make the difference between getting Europe and not.

 

Howe just needs a bit more quality (and not an injury crisis) and we'll absolutely great next season. 

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

I personally can't even countenance some of the things I'm reading and hearing (outside of here TBF) about it being time to make a change, particularly if we miss out on Europe. I'm glad to be confident that the club obviously aren't reactionary enough to make a strategic decision like that based on the difference of 2-3 points. Like even if/when we do decide to make a change in manager - it would be done with more visionary scope and based on longer term trends.

 

At the moment I simply can't imagine that any other manager would come in and do demonstrably better than he has done. Is he perfect? Obviously not, and this season has shown that quite clearly in terms of tactical flexibility and squad management. However we need a manager who can coach and motivate players, squeeze value out of substandard players and can develop and improve young players to increase their value. That is how we bridge FFP until we can build a squad that can compete at the next level. He's ideal for this and has undoubtedly exceeded the remit since he came in.

 

I do think the role of a manager is actually overplayed. They are just one part of an overall structure from ownership, corporate management and right down to playing staff. It's far more important to have everyone pulling in the same direction on the same page and with continuity. There will come a natural point where perhaps there needs to be a change in management to progress, just like replacing a squad player with an upgrade, but we're clearly not there yet. Maybe next summer if we have another sticky year we can revisit - not now.

?

[Dr.Spaceman]

Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Basing anything on final league position is really idiotic in general, TBF. One goal or one decision can make the difference between getting Europe and not.

 

Howe just needs a bit more quality (and not an injury crisis) and we'll absolutely great next season. 

 

And that for me is where the pressure comes from. If we add to the squad and don't have an injury crisis every man and their dog will be expecting us to be turning those draws / losses against poor sides into wins. Not to mention improving our away form.

 

I'm with you though, I also think we're a couple of good additions and a fitter squad away from being mint again.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just now, Dr.Spaceman said:

And that for me is where the pressure comes from. If we add to the squad and don't have an injury crisis every man and their dog will be expecting us to be turning those draws / losses against poor sides into wins. Not to mention improving our away form.

 

I'm with you though, I also think we're a couple of good additions and a fitter squad away from being mint again.

 

Oh sure, well it's reasonable to expect a good season if we don't have to deal with the ridiculous events we've had this time around. 

 

Any manager is always being assessed, but I asses Howe as being absolutely brilliant so far.