Eddie Howe

[Pata]

16 minutes ago, Marxen the Mag said:

To be honest, I am not one to have posted much at all. Like ever.

 

 

 

I refer to those as the golden years of N-O.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

50 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The League Cup is a major trophy - it’s just the lesser of the major trophies available.  The Division Two (or whatever they want to call it today) title isn’t a major trophy.

 

And the only time finishing 4th / 5th didn’t offer a European place was three decades ago, when English clubs returned after the Heysel ban, mostly because our coefficient was zero (and didn’t improve for a while because the league was shite). 
 

If Howe went tomorrow I’d argue that there should be a statue of the man outside the ground.  Even if he can’t turn this around and it all goes to shit then we should at least be able to acknowledge that he has done a fantastic job and we should be very grateful and happy that he’s been involved with our club.   I waited my entire life to see what happened earlier this year, I’m fucked if I’m underplaying that achievement (it’s worth remembering who we beat on the way to that trophy).  

 

On the last paragraph, you hit the nail on the head. Even if he finishes in the 10-15 range this season Howe is in the top 3 pl era managers for us and one of the top 5 premier league managers over the past 10 years.

 

If last season was his peak then it's a very high peak, not quite getting to the summit of Everest is no failure when you've got 90% of the way there I'm shorts and a Wham tee shirt competing against a team of climbers decked out in the best specialist equipment 

 

 

[LionOfGosforth]

10 minutes ago, Marxen the Mag said:

So the more you post the more right you are. Is that your logic?

 

As I said I felt sorry for some of the people on here who made very good points but was just shut down and ridiculed. Otherwise I wouldn't even have posted now.

 

And maybe I should just get back to appreciating what we are based on how we have been the last decades. We are owned by PIF though and want to be one of the best clubs in the world. Maybe that has been lost on many people as well. Let's see how PIF feels and what they might do. We live in a new reality. That's the truth.

 

 

 

 

Well actually, my logic was to question you because after a first domestic trophy in 70 years, I had assumed that 100% of our fans would be pleased about it but you mentioned that the League Cup isn't a major trophy (I doubt the 250,000 people who lined the streets would agree but it's a take nonetheless), we were lucky to get CL and Eddie Howe might not be very good and PIF may be feeling negative as well.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

Well actually, my logic was to question you because after a first domestic trophy in 70 years, I had assumed that 100% of our fans would be pleased about it but you mentioned that the League Cup isn't a major trophy (I doubt the 250,000 people who lined the streets would agree but it's a take nonetheless), we were lucky to get CL and Eddie Howe might not be very good and PIF may be feeling negative as well.

It's a trophy that gave me the happiest moment in my life. I'm not downplaying the feeling. As I had it myself. But we would have reacted the same way had it been the Conference League. I give up now. People on here are way more in their own bubble than I thought. No objectivity. And when someone like Lucky or I try to bring it, you all get so defensive that you refuse to see reality.

[Vinny Green Balls]

No objectivity  are you Jordan Peterson? Not that’s it’s difficult to be objective when you subjectively choose to support a team.

 

 

Edited November 11, 2025 by Vinny Green Balls

[LionOfGosforth]

I feel like i'm missing a huge portion of discourse here, I must be, this isn't making sense 

[Lucky]

Ok. Over the past couple of seasons there’s been recurring issues.

 

We have to work way harder to get results than most other teams. Look at Man Utd v Brighton from a few weeks ago. They barely broke a sweat, played poorly but it was still more than enough just to play that way and get a win.

 

When does that ever apply to us?

 

For me it’s training and tactics. He runs players into the ground week in week out. Rarely changes the team. They’re fucked basically. Bruno, Joelinton etc.. they are shadows of their former selves.

 

This goes right through the team too. We just don’t look strong anymore. Always taking extra touches on there ball because the movement is gone.

 

Everything is quick layoffs or flicks on the transition which when it works looks great, but currently that’s probably a 1 in 50 shot.

 

We can have games with more possession but there’s no control.

 

We generally need to score 2/3 goals in a game to win because we always fade.

 

If you disagree with that, fine. But if you agree with those observations, why does Howe get an everlasting free pass for it?

 

Don’t make out that I have something against him, I don’t. I like him and I love the way he handles the media. He’s a classy guy. I just think he’s gone off the boil and doesn’t know how to fix this.

 

Happened at Bournemouth. The press faded and they started shipping goals.

[Erikse]

57 minutes ago, Marxen the Mag said:

Guys, I just said I was the happiest in my whole life when we won that. I had waited 30 years for it!

 

But come on, pretty much everyone except us agrees it's not one of the major trophies. There is a reason it has been called the Mickey Mouse cup for ages. And yes great teams we beat on the way. But we have some amazing players, and who many thought was the best striker in the world last season! I really do think Howe get's too much credit.

 

And I love him. I have previously said I think he sounds like the most intelligent manager I have ever listened to. But that doesn't mean I can't use my own intelligence to question him.

 

 

We're the first team outside the "big six" to win it since Swansea 2013, 12 years ago.

 

 

Edited November 11, 2025 by Erikse

[Vinny Green Balls]

The giants that Bournemouth were. It’s so ridiculous to compare Bournemouth to where he is now when it comes to the weird idea that he failed there. They got relegated on goal difference and were a small team on paper that was generally picked for relegation scraps at the beginning of each season. 
 

he was also there for nearly a decade which is hardly a fail. I’m just tired of people using that against him as if it wasn’t largely a massive success.

 

 

Edited November 11, 2025 by Vinny Green Balls

[LionOfGosforth]

4 minutes ago, Marxen the Mag said:

It's a trophy that gave me the happiest moment in my life. I'm not downplaying the feeling. As I had it myself. But we would have reacted the same way had it been the Conference League. I give up now. People on here are way more in their own bubble than I thought. No objectivity. And when someone like Lucky or I try to bring it, you all get so defensive that you refuse to see reality.

 

I'm confused. You said he gave you the happiest moment of your life and you're not downplaying it, after saying let's be real, it's not a major trophy and he might not be any good. So people ask what that's all about and we're being defensive and living in a bubble and have no objectivity? I've got that right? Need to confirm because i'm utterly confused as to where you're going with this.

[Erikse]

50 minutes ago, Heron said:

I base it on what I see from Howe.

 

We scored some of the most goals in the league last year that we've ever scored (if I recall correctly), changing tactics to beat the countries top sides on the way to our first trophy in years.

 

In seasons prior we had one of the best defences in Europe and won lots of scrappy but organised 1-0s.

 

I just think there's a lot of nonsense perpetuated on social media when we hit a bad patch tbh. He's not untouchable and we have been woeful in the last two away games, but it feels like folk rewrite history to me like.

 

Howe has earned the right to be backed in times such as these.

 

I rarely see many viable alternatives or solutions either...

 

 

 

 

That was actually 23/24, when we finished 7th. 85 goals, which is wild for 7th.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

 

I'm confused. You said he gave you the happiest moment of your life and you're not downplaying it, after saying let's be real, it's not a major trophy and he might not be any good. So people ask what that's all about and we're being defensive and living in a bubble and have no objectivity? I've got that right? Need to confirm because i'm utterly confused as to where you're going with this.

Because of what we had been through with Ashley and decades of no trophies, ANY trophy, even the Conference League would have given me/us that incredible feeling.

 

I'm just trying to say that doesn't buy him endless credit when he doesn't seem to make us better AS A TEAM. You could argue we were best as a team and overachieved the most right when he got here and as a team, we have only gotten worse, or at best stood still, despite adding almost a full team of very expensive players of his choice.

 

Missing a few players should not mean we turn completely crap, which has been the case very consistently now. I do think it's also a mentality issue with the players, so have to question his motivating skills as well.

 

Winning the smallest cup out there, when you have the best striker in the world at the time, I think means you are allowed to question him a bit.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2025 by Marxen the Mag

[Lucky]

3 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

The giants that Bournemouth were. It’s so ridiculous to compare Bournemouth to where he is now when it comes to the weird idea that he failed there. They got relegated on goal difference and were a small team on paper that was generally picked for relegation scraps at the beginning of each season. 
 

he was also there for nearly a decade which is hardly a fail. I’m just tired of people using that against him as if it wasn’t largely a massive success.

 

 

 

Overall it was a massive success what he achieved there. I’ve never said it wasn’t. But he got them relegated, he had a side that was overachieving and eventually ran out of steam and couldn’t change things to repeat the successes.

 

Criticisms were choosing players he trusted rather than changing the side up and losing the pressing style that brought them that success.

 

Does it not occur that the thing he’s good at, just isn’t sustainable?

[Ben]

Looks like the media are going with a couple of gobshite fans and saying we want Howe out.

 

Gotta get those clicks no matter the outcome.

[Erikse]

1 minute ago, Marxen the Mag said:

Because of what we had been through, ANY trophy, even the Conference League would have given me/us that incredible feeling.

 

I'm just trying to say that doesn't buy him endless credit when he doesn't seem to make us better AS A TEAM. Missing a few players should not mean we turn completely scrap, which has been the case very consistently now. I do think it's also a mentality issue with the players, so have to question his motivating skills as well.

 

Winning the smallest cup out there, when you have the best striker in the world at the time, I think means you have to question him a bit.

 

Compare the winners of the EFL Cup to the winners of the Conference League.. Chelsea won it on walkover last year, only because they just happened to be in it. Other than that the winners are West Ham, Olympiacos and Roma. It is 10 times more difficult to win the EFL trophy than it is to win the Conference League.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

Compare the winners of the EFL Cup to the winners of the Conference League.. Chelsea won it on walkover last year, only because they just happened to be in it. Other than that the winners are West Ham, Olympiacos and Roma. It is 10 times more difficult to win the EFL trophy than it is to win the Conference League.

I agree with that. But do you not think we would have celebrated and been just as happy had we won that as our first trophy?

 

And it was well known, also in the final, all experts said we looked like we wanted it more. I'm not sure we would have won had we played one of the top team in the CL final. The other teams motivation does play a part. So yes to me Howe has only taken the first step in proving himself.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2025 by Marxen the Mag

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Ben said:

Looks like the media are going with a couple of gobshite fans and saying we want Howe out.

 

Gotta get those clicks no matter the outcome.

I don't want him out. I want him to prove us wrong. But he is running out of time and repeating the same mistakes. Lucky described it very well.

[Erikse]

Just now, Marxen the Mag said:

I agree with that. But do you not think we would have celebrated and been just as happy had we won that as our first trophy?

 

I have no idea, but to me the EFL Cup feels better, because of who we beat on the way. What is your point with that, though? When judging how big an achievement is, surely what matters the most is how difficult it is to achieve?

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Erikse said:

 

I have no idea, but to me the EFL Cup feels better, because of who we beat on the way. What is your point with that, though? When judging how big an achievement is, surely what matters the most is how difficult it is to achieve?

It's about how much credit Howe should get and how much he has proven. People here talk about him being a proven top top manager now. I disagree. Until he shows consistency. If he was a proven top top manager, we should definitely give him a whole seasons free pass like Pep got last year. But he is not there yet. IMO.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2025 by Marxen the Mag

[Ben]

3 minutes ago, Marxen the Mag said:

I don't want him out. I want him to prove us wrong. But he is running out of time and repeating the same mistakes. Lucky described it very well.

 

He should have until the end of the season at least 

[Erikse]

5 minutes ago, Marxen the Mag said:

And it was well known, also in the final, all experts said we looked like we wanted it more. I'm not sure we would have won had we played one of the top team in the CL final. The other teams motivation does play a part. So yes to me Howe has only taken the first step in proving himself.

 

 

 

 

If this is how it is in the EFL Cup, why don't other teams than the biggest ones win it? Surely there are many teams in the league who "wants it more" every season, who hasn't won anything in ages?

[LionOfGosforth]

1 minute ago, Marxen the Mag said:

It's about how much credit Howe should get and how much he has proven. People here talk about him being a proven top top manager now. I disagree. Until he shows consistency.

 

Working within the constraints of PSR, 2 LC finals, 2 CL campaigns and a first trophy in a lifetime, all within the space of 4 years after decades of doing literally nowt, shows a lack of consistency? Sorry, disagree.

[Guest]

Just now, Erikse said:

 

If this is how it is in the EFL Cup, why don't other teams than the biggest ones win it? Surely there are many teams in the league who "wants it more" every season, who hasn't won anything in ages?

As I said, we have amazing players and who most regarded as the best striker in the world at the time. Might have made a difference... You talk about us as if we are a tiny team where he massively overachieved. I disagree, especially considering our extra motivation and Liverpool's lack of it (possibly).

[Conjo]

29 minutes ago, Lucky said:

Ok. Over the past couple of seasons there’s been recurring issues.

 

We have to work way harder to get results than most other teams. Look at Man Utd v Brighton from a few weeks ago. They barely broke a sweat, played poorly but it was still more than enough just to play that way and get a win.

 

When does that ever apply to us?

 

For me it’s training and tactics. He runs players into the ground week in week out. Rarely changes the team. They’re fucked basically. Bruno, Joelinton etc.. they are shadows of their former selves.

 

This goes right through the team too. We just don’t look strong anymore. Always taking extra touches on there ball because the movement is gone.

 

Everything is quick layoffs or flicks on the transition which when it works looks great, but currently that’s probably a 1 in 50 shot.

 

We can have games with more possession but there’s no control.

 

We generally need to score 2/3 goals in a game to win because we always fade.

 

If you disagree with that, fine. But if you agree with those observations, why does Howe get an everlasting free pass for it?

 

Don’t make out that I have something against him, I don’t. I like him and I love the way he handles the media. He’s a classy guy. I just think he’s gone off the boil and doesn’t know how to fix this.

 

Happened at Bournemouth. The press faded and they started shipping goals.

 

We've lost 5 games.

[Pilko]

We can't describe Man City as "must win" or even "must not lose" or anything, but I would describe it as "must not deliver performance that looks like the players just met in the car park for the first time".

 

Eddie has said many times that the lack of training time and 3 games a week has hindered things a lot. We now have 2 weeks to prepare for Man City, where 7 of the likely starting 11 (minus Bruno, Tonali, Woltemade and Thiaw) are not away on international duty. 

 

We just need to see an obvious marked improvement and coherence to the gameplan from West Ham and Brentford. Even if we end up getting beat.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2025 by Pilko