Eddie Howe

[nufc4eva]

Papered over the cracks as nearly threw that away yet again, the style, tactics and formation of this team isn't working in this league anymore and we just labour through games. We won't build the consistency we need to compete for top 6 until Howe can sort that out and we get quicker at moving the ball quickly into space, we take far too long and it shows when we break with pace or move quicker how easily we open teams up. That midfield was utterly fucking horrible to watch today.

[Dokko]

Minus 10 mins of seasonal luck, that was poor. 

 

Santa really is a geordie.

 

 

[tgarve]

2 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

And ?

That’s what matters right now. Let’s see where we’re at end of Jan 

[AJ9]

hard to know what to make of that. Looked a bit better from an attacking sense but also ragged as fuck with some awful passing, finishing and decision making

[HaydnNUFC]

We’re arse to watch nowadays for the vast majority, like. Needs to be remedied with an injection of technical quality in the window.

[Ben]

Must win.........won.

[Matt1892]

That was the first of 4 league games we should be winning, so it gives him time to turn around performances, as we should be beating the likes of Burnley and Wolves on individual ability alone.

[The Butcher]

Must admit I'm not less worried after tonight 

[Myleftboot]

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

We’re arse to watch nowadays for the vast majority, like. Needs to be remedied with an injection of technical quality in the window.

Think we all know that ain’t going to happen.

[gdm]

It’s an away win. Other than that I’m not overly positive. wtf has happened to this side

[TheBrownBottle]

We won, not a great performance but we won.  Hopefully a confidence-booster and a springboard to better performances. 

[Yorkie]

I've no beef with how he managed that game in isolation. Our issues are more systemic, and the reason why that was so uncomfortable, is because we kept missing huge chances to put the game to bed.

 

As for the lack of subs, the game settled just at the point everyone was crying out for a change. Maybe it was fortunate because we were playing a poor opponent, maybe there wasn't a useful change to be made at that point. Either way, it turned out fine. 

 

Credit to him for having us go all guns blazing from the first whistle and winning the game in the first seven minutes. The Gordon choice in particular was totally justified, likewise Joelinton who was our motm.

 

Big result and hopefully a turning point on the road.

[Optimistic Nut]

Anyone notice late in the game, Jones saying something to Howe, then Howe replying with something like, "well go and fucking tell him then", before Jones got up to give some instructions?

[54]

In regards to the subs, its probably worth remembering we have a game every 3/4 days until the 12th February, and the four players that came on today are the only 4 senior outfield players we had available. 

[Smal]

I just don’t think going out and spending loads on more technical players is the answer, like. Our good technical players regularly look absolutely lost with the ball at their feet. It’s a system issue with the ball. I’m not sure how personnel changes it really.

[Pata]

26 minutes ago, Izakaya said:

Yeah Nah he's done. 

 

Thanks for the Cup Eddie. 

 

What the fuck is wrong with you?

[Beren]

1 minute ago, Smal said:

I just don’t think going out and spending loads on more technical players is the answer, like. Our good technical players regularly look absolutely lost with the ball at their feet. It’s a system issue with the ball. I’m not sure how personnel changes it really.

 

Howe has shown negligible interest in building a side which relies on technical ability. Not in word or deed. He's spent a buttload at this point.

[Pixelphish]

2 minutes ago, Smal said:

I just don’t think going out and spending loads on more technical players is the answer, like. Our good technical players regularly look absolutely lost with the ball at their feet. It’s a system issue with the ball. I’m not sure how personnel changes it really.

 

Bingo, seems to be a coaching issue to me. Some job on his hands to improve things. God knows I hope he does because I can't imagine anyone else representing us so well.

[The Butcher]

I would love to know how much we actually work on our possession game in training.

[Pata]

18 minutes ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

I do wonder if he is persisting with this sit back routine when we go ahead to get us through it with a win or two and build confidence defensively. 

We were extremely good defensively in his first full season and I wonder if that is the aim. Grab a lead and hold onto it, issue being we cannot hold a fart in at the moment but he’s hoping when we do, it’ll start to click.

 

We weren't sitting back today though.

[Myleftboot]

I remember him saying a couple of seasons back that he wanted to sign ball carriers. Players who can drive into the opposition half.

[Smal]

2 minutes ago, Pixelphish said:

 

Bingo, seems to be a coaching issue to me. Some job on his hands to improve things. God knows I hope he does because I can't imagine anyone else representing us so well.

I do feel for him, like. Our usual rotations and triangles have been well and truly found out at the same time that we lost our world class striker who created solutions just by being him.

 

He still has to do better, mind. We still regularly look fantastic without the ball imo, but with the ball we look like a team that doesn’t train.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2025 by Smal

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 minute ago, Myleftboot said:

I remember him saying a couple of seasons back that he wanted to sign ball carriers. Players who can drive into the opposition half.

 

He has done that really, that's how I would describe Ramsey and Elanga. They just haven't added anything.

[Thumbheed]

For perspective, we are 4 points off 5th place. 

 

Doesn't excuse some of the performances and results but to say this has been an insanely disjointed season, thats an extremely healthy position to be in. 

[Big Geordie]

Huge win for the team and him tonight. Our lack of control, particularly in midfield is a real worry for me. Once the turnover happens, one ball played through the middle and we are in trouble. Bruno poss shattered, Tonali bang out of form. 

 

Issues still remain.