Eddie Howe

[Dr Jinx]

We were really poor yesterday, a promoted team coming here and playing us off the park isn’t a great look.

 

But am choosing at this point to believe that we were instructed to sit back and play counter which were good at.

 

But again.. and I’ve made this point so many times. Why does it always look like we have to work harder than any other team to pick up a win?

 

Man for man we have a better midfield than Southampton but they were literally in our half (before the sending off) with one of their players with his foot on the ball deciding whether to pass left or right.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

I think we would have grown into the game with 11 and the end result would have been near enough 50:50 possession with us coming out 2-0 winners.

 

It was however a bit of a repeat of the second half of last season where we started a few games very poorly and needed to grow into them. We need to get that switch on from the whistle to get the best from Howes philosophy and style of play. It will come

[Izakaya]

13 hours ago, Collage said:

Schär is gone then. "Fortunately for us it was a red for Fab". Does sound like he says that tbf but they could have changed the subtitles...

I think he just mumbles 'unfortunately' or it was a slip of the tongue. I don't see any situation where Howe says a red for one of our players is fortunate. 

[Ellis H]

They were known in the Championship as a team that will keep possession to an extreme level, making many pointless passes. Their average per game was about 65% I think. 

[janpawel]

34 minutes ago, Dr Jinx said:

We were really poor yesterday, a promoted team coming here and playing us off the park isn’t a great look.

 

But am choosing at this point to believe that we were instructed to sit back and play counter which were good at.

 

But again.. and I’ve made this point so many times. Why does it always look like we have to work harder than any other team to pick up a win?

 

Man for man we have a better midfield than Southampton but they were literally in our half (before the sending off) with one of their players with his foot on the ball deciding whether to pass left or right.

I do worry, or hope that we do develop the ability to control a game at our own pace, and not constantly seek transitions to score our goals. But with our personal, I'm not so sure 

[Superior Acuña]

I'm not going to judge us on the 60 mins with ten men - that's a long time to play with ten men whoever the (PL) opposition, but was concerned by the first 30 mins, especially given how poor we were in many games the second half of last season, and we had most our key players there (incl no Dubravka to blame). Still, was only 30 mins so hopefully can't read much into it....

[r0cafella]

We weren’t great, that goes without saying. I can’t help take positivity from the result though, we lose this game last season imo. 

[Zero]

I don’t understand the negativity here. May be people expected us to crush Soton easily but I am very pleased we are able to execute pressing for once and steal a goal, and then able to grind it out till the end. You couldn’t ask for more given Schar being sent off unfairly.

 

Krafth and Kelly both look reliable. Livra able to handle the pressure for 90 mins. Hall got a lesson but redeem himself with that goal line save. Pope back on form after a disastrous season. Joe in beast mode, finally looks fresh. Bruno didn’t lose his position like last season.

 

I have lots of positives to take from this match. Probably the only negatives are the front three - Murphy a bit unlucky but he did fuck all within his limited playing time. But that’s not on Howe.

 

May be last season was so disastrous (especially on the defence side) that my expectation is lower. I think Howe and the players did pretty well and shouldn’t get any stick, except Schar

 

 

Edited August 19 by Zero

[Guest]

People were moaning last season that his tactics were causing injuries. We press less, people are moaning we didn't press with the same intensity. Some people just like to moan. 

[ATB]

4 hours ago, janpawel said:

I do worry, or hope that we do develop the ability to control a game at our own pace, and not constantly seek transitions to score our goals. But with our personal, I'm not so sure 

I been banging for this for years. But I have given up the thought of that happening. Its either the players or Howe, or both.

 

But for us to take the next step I think we have to be able to controll games.

[ATB]

2 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

People were moaning last season that his tactics were causing injuries. We press less, people are moaning we didn't press with the same intensity. Some people just like to moan. 

Less press is ok, if we can keep the ball.

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, ATB said:

Less press is ok, if we can keep the ball.

 

We had games like the first 15-20 mins a few times last season, then got a foot hold and blew teams away (Sheff Utd at home being best example). Pretty confident with 11 men we'd eventually have got there. 

 

I'm also not sure we have the keeper to play a possession based game necessarily. If he's kicking it out for a throw-in, we naturally have to try and win the ball back more often tham we'd like. His other attributes cover it to a big extent so it's one of those things we have to deal with.

 

Similarly, Burn was a colossal on Saturday, his pass % was 20% less than Bednarek and Stephens for Southampton though. His average is around 78-80% normally so we'd expect a bit less given the scenario on Saturday with 10 men, and it also looks like we're trying to solve that with someone like Guehi who averages 10% more which is significant. 

 

Guess we just need to find the right balance.

 

[ExiledGeordie]

I don’t think we were terrible or awful. Yes it was disappointing we didn’t come out of the traps straight away but Gordon looked a little off the pace and I think we just lacked a little zip which effected the press. It was a flat start to the game for sure but I was fairly confident we’d make our quality count as the game went on then the red card happened. 
 

The first few games some players are always finding their form and fitness. I think we would’ve gone on and won 11 v 11 and as it was we dealt with a difficult situation really well in the end and still won.

 

Im interested to see what we look like this coming weekend though as we’ll have to be a lot sharper. 

[LiquidAK]

Feels kneejerk to get overly concerned about looking off it in the first 28 minutes of a new season. We had plenty of games last season where we didn't turn it on until the second half and ended up comfortably winning the game - this would've been no different without the red. As it was we looked as defensively solid as we have in years, and still got the 3 points.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

Feels kneejerk to get overly concerned about looking off it in the first 28 minutes of a new season. We had plenty of games last season where we didn't turn it on until the second half and ended up comfortably winning the game - this would've been no different without the red. As it was we looked as defensively solid as we have in years, and still got the 3 points.

 

Aye, the red card scuppered things a bit but the timing of our goal gave us something to hold onto and also meant we could play pretty safe. They created a few chances but it was only really the goal line clearance where they looked like scoring. 

[ExiledGeordie]

1 hour ago, ATB said:

I been banging for this for years. But I have given up the thought of that happening. Its either the players or Howe, or both.

 

But for us to take the next step I think we have to be able to controll games.

I think a fully fit Tonali can help with this.

[ExiledGeordie]

A lot of our play under Howe relies on being super fit, so it’s fair to say we’re probably no quite there yet and finding our way a bit. That’s no excuse for flat performances but I think you’ll see us looking much sharper a few games in.

[ATB]

Agree that we problably slow because our best have had little pre season. But I think its clear were not gonna change our style.

 

No europa is a bless in that. Though Howe need to be able to manage that if he want to be successfully here. And that need to inclued us beeing in controll more, i think.

[Terrymac1966]

Eddie was out-thought  and out-manoeuvered again on Saturday right from kick off Southampton looked organised and were easing past us way before the sending off.

Same happened against Brighton last season.....not everything Eddie does is worthy of the praise he gets on here. Sometimes he is gubbed by a more astute manager.

 

What we do have is grit and determination.

What we don't have is the riches we thought we had.

Same positions lacking as end of June...what a wasted window.

[Rocker]

2 minutes ago, Terrymac1966 said:

Eddie was out-thought  and out-manoeuvered again on Saturday right from kick off Southampton looked organised and were easing past us way before the sending off.

Same happened against Brighton last season.....not everything Eddie does is worthy of the praise he gets on here. Sometimes he is gubbed by a more astute manager.

 

What we do have is grit and determination.

What we don't have is the riches we thought we had.

Same positions lacking as end of June...what a wasted window.

[Cronky]

Let’s bear in mind that we played for over an hour with Krafth and Burn at centre back and two relative novices at full back, but the opposition still couldn’t score against 10 men.

 

Ever since Eddie arrived, I’ve been mystified as to why we don’t concede more goals. It’s got to be something he’s doing.

 

In general, our squad isn’t nearly as good as our results have suggested. We are still some way from being able to dominate games in the way that the best teams can do. But we are good at maximising what we have.

 

Four of the starting eleven were here when we were in the drop zone and looking set to go down with about 20 points.

 

 

Edited August 19 by Cronky

[mattypnufc]

Genuinely reckon the tactics were on purpose by the way. 

 

Out thought?  By Russel fucking Martin? Give me a break. 

 

Let them make a mistake.  Press when an opportunity arises.  Etc etc. 

[midds]

The timing of the goal set the pattern for the rest of the game. For the last 15 mins of the first half we looked a bit short obviously but still went after them, forced the mistake and scored the winner. We then went straight into the HT break, readjusted and tightened the formation, sat back in our shape and forced them to try and break us down. It wasn't pretty but it was organised and fairly rigid, we defended as a unit and scoring another wasn't the priority as we already had the lead, not conceding was all we had to do. 

 

Goals change games and Joelinton's definitely did. I'm also not ignoring how messy the first half hour was either, we didn't look great 11 v 11 it's got to be said

[Vinny Green Balls]

2 hours ago, Terrymac1966 said:

Eddie was out-thought  and out-manoeuvered again on Saturday right from kick off Southampton looked organised and were easing past us way before the sending off.

Same happened against Brighton last season.....not everything Eddie does is worthy of the praise he gets on here. Sometimes he is gubbed by a more astute manager.

 

What we do have is grit and determination.

What we don't have is the riches we thought we had.

Same positions lacking as end of June...what a wasted window.

Some on here are becoming more and more cartoonish. It’s like 4chan for football.

[LFEE]

9 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

People were moaning last season that his tactics were causing injuries. We press less, people are moaning we didn't press with the same intensity. Some people just like to moan. 

Yep. I still remember the days when you paid no interest to a teams form until after 6 games and the league table after 10. It’s one game. Chill.

 

We’ve definitely been trying something different this pre season. Speaking of which i think last pre season helped us be ready for the start of the season due to the level of opposition. This summer has been a bit up and down in quality etc and players coming back at different times at different levels so all to be taken into consideration.