Eddie Howe

[dcmk]

8 minutes ago, andycap said:

Alonso would be achievable I think. 

I don't believe that at all.

 

And if let's say we did get him, he's been managing teams for the very top honours.  This project would have to really, really motivate him, otherwise we are in an Ancelotti at Everton scenario.

[Stuy_O]

8 hours ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

The player rotation just makes no sense to me. I feel like we’re constantly playing the wrong players in the wrong games and then taking them out for the game they should play.

 

I’d have started Elanga today, give him a chance to do something against the worst team in the league. Keep Barnes in his favoured position and pop Gordon on the bench. If it’s not working we can bring Gordon in or rest Barnes after an hour if it is.

 

Surely this is exactly the game we bought Ramsey in for? To be more progressive than the 3 we have in the middle and break down a team that will sit in.

 

Totally agree. He starts Gordon and Barnes vs Wolves, does this means one is being dropped on Wednesday given the workload? Elanga should have started this game. Same with Ramsey, be amazed if he started vs PSV yet doesn't get a look in today, to give players who will start that game much needed rest. 

 

The tactical inflexibility is beginning to irk me too. The time to gamble was when we brought Tonali off. Get Wissa on and drop Wolte a bit deeper. But Eddie seems totally reluctant to give that a decent trial. 

 

This was the game to do all of the above surely, yet we pranced about with the same players playing the same broken system, and as mentioned they looked like they just wanted it out the way. 

 

Another gripe was our total reluctance to have a shot at the keeper in the soaking wet rain, but as my dad said, they barely got into a position to shoot at all. 

 

 

Edited January 19 by Stuy_O

[HawK]

I think Howe's finally out of his depth with some of the quality of players at his disposal, he doesn't know how to set up a team to do anything other than out run opponents. 

 

One thing that does surprise me is the tactical inflexibility though, at least show you're trying to get the best out of who you have rather than just scratch your head and look confused as to  why the same tactics as the past 4 years seem less effective as time goes on.

 

We only look good when teams over-commit. The last time we could break a low block was when Bruno would scoop a ball over to Almiron as part of a one-two in those golden 2 Almiron months 2 years ago.

 

I am so grateful to Howe for everything he's done but I don't feel a sense of attachment to him, but to this club and I'm not sure he's going to take us any further forward. The more competitions we're in, the worse we tend to get overall, it's the same result each time.

 

The most irksome thing is I think the two things he needs to fix most are the easiest ones, and he doesn't for whatever reason. Squad rotation, really any 2 bob analyst could tell him how to do it and tactics, again it's not rocket science. Developing players, handling the media and the club's hierarchy, THAT'S the hard part. Completely baffles me.

[Displayname]

Other than Murphy we had every single midfielder and forwards available. 

The performance today is just who we are now. Solid, but just so so boring.

 

Selling St.Maximin was a warning sign.

[huss9]

ramsey should have started or at least come on today going on recent form.

and howay Eddie, be a bit more adventurous and proactive with the subs.

 

 

 

[huss9]

2 minutes ago, Displayname said:

Other than Murphy we had every single midfielder and forwards available. 

The performance today is just who we are now. Solid, but just so so boring.

 

Selling St.Maximin was a warning sign.

just dawning on me now that we may not actually be very good.

 

 

Edited January 19 by huss9

[Zero]

37 minutes ago, huss9 said:

ramsey should have started or at least come on today going on recent form.

and howay Eddie, be a bit more adventurous and proactive with the subs.

 

 

 

looking back I think Howe’s plan is to cross and aim at Wolte/Joe, hence he wasn’t willing to sub out Joe and play Ramsay

 

I would simply play them both though 

[TRC]

57 minutes ago, huss9 said:

ramsey should have started or at least come on today going on recent form.

and howay Eddie, be a bit more adventurous and proactive with the subs.

 

 

 

I thought we bought Ramsey to break low block teams down and use him in games like today

[Mountain]

[SUPERTOON]

4 hours ago, HawK said:

I think Howe's finally out of his depth with some of the quality of players at his disposal, he doesn't know how to set up a team to do anything other than out run opponents. 

 

One thing that does surprise me is the tactical inflexibility though, at least show you're trying to get the best out of who you have rather than just scratch your head and look confused as to  why the same tactics as the past 4 years seem less effective as time goes on.

 

We only look good when teams over-commit. The last time we could break a low block was when Bruno would scoop a ball over to Almiron as part of a one-two in those golden 2 Almiron months 2 years ago.

 

I am so grateful to Howe for everything he's done but I don't feel a sense of attachment to him, but to this club and I'm not sure he's going to take us any further forward. The more competitions we're in, the worse we tend to get overall, it's the same result each time.

 

The most irksome thing is I think the two things he needs to fix most are the easiest ones, and he doesn't for whatever reason. Squad rotation, really any 2 bob analyst could tell him how to do it and tactics, again it's not rocket science. Developing players, handling the media and the club's hierarchy, THAT'S the hard part. Completely baffles me.

I’d disagree about him being out of his depth. I actually think our squad, in terms of quality is actually quite poor.

[TheBrownBottle]

4 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

I’d disagree about him being out of his depth. I actually think our squad, in terms of quality is actually quite poor.

Saying the squad quality is poor isn’t a great defence of Howe tbf, given that he’s coming up to half a decade at the club and has now spent in the region of three quarters of a billion quid buying players he wanted. 
 

edit: I don’t think that squad quality is poor

 

 

Edited January 19 by TheBrownBottle

[r0cafella]

The squad is fine, nothing more than that though. It's very unbalanced and been moulded to play a way we seemingly no longer play. 

 

Its a massive head scrarcher how we've got here mind and I'm really hoping Eddie can fix it. 

[SUPERTOON]

36 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Saying the squad quality is poor isn’t a great defence of Howe tbf, given that he’s coming up to half a decade at the club and has now spent in the region of three quarters of a billion quid buying players he wanted. 
 

edit: I don’t think that squad quality is poor

 

 

 

I’m not trying to defend or criticise him here though. I’m just saying I think our squad is poor, probably more average on reflection. I don’t think you can look at the squad and think he is out of his depth due to the quality of it.

[Mountain]

40 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

I’d disagree about him being out of his depth. I actually think our squad, in terms of quality is actually quite poor.

 

I think we've got some great players. You can see sometimes at home we are really impressive.

 

I just think we aren't using the players as well as they could be used and I think the set up is often wrong.

 

I think many of our good results have been because of the players performing indivdually rather than the tactics.

 

I do think the management is good in many ways though regarding stability and Eddie is brilliant with the media.

 

No Glasner and Amorin stuff making things toxic.

 

We just need to take the signings off of Howe's hands I think, you simply can't spend 100 million on two players who aren't moving the needle, considering our PSR constraints. 

[Mattoon]

We've got a decent squad, playing below their capabilities. It cannot be overstated how big a loss Isak is to this team, he was our game changer, our leveller and his replacements are either too raw or not fit. When you have a player like that it lifts the whole team to be more confident and I think that lack of cutting edge has really made us doubt ourselves.

 

There's no denying we are in a slump, we look slow, laborious, indecisive and nervy. A team low on confidence as is evidenced by the sideways and backwards passing, playing hot potato as everyone is too scared to over-commit.

 

It feels like we've been waiting an eternity for it to click and I still have hope that Howe can find the right formula. The next hot streak is just around the corner, but how far away is that corner? These next 3 weeks are pivotal to our season, we could be out of everything and as much as I'd like to see us still battling on 4 fronts, I think it would be best for the team if we did bow out of 1 or 2 competitions so we can refocus and get some alleviation from the relentless schedule.

[r0cafella]

12 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

I’m not trying to defend or criticise him here though. I’m just saying I think our squad is poor, probably more average on reflection. I don’t think you can look at the squad and think he is out of his depth due to the quality of it.

Doesn't that put you in a awkward place? I mean it's Eddie's squad which he's obviously made over the course of the last 4 years. 

[Mountain]

1 minute ago, r0cafella said:

Doesn't that put you in a awkward place? I mean it's Eddie's squad which he's obviously made over the course of the last 4 years. 

 

 

I think he's just made some bad decisions this Summer regarding his obsession for Premier League players.

 

Sunderland have built a good team with loads of cheaper buys from Europe, we could have done that, we could have got 5 bodies in instead of Elanga and Ramsey.

 

But this can be recitfied, if he's able to learn from his mistakes, which I back him to do.

 

If he still backs his decisions then it's worrying.

[TheBrownBottle]

Howe’s done a cracking job to date, but it isn’t with a mediocre squad or group of players.  He’s been backed to the hilt and has 90% of the time justified that backing.   I’m not keen on a narrative that he’s worked miracles with a mediocre squad, though.  

[r0cafella]

Just now, TheBrownBottle said:

Howe’s done a cracking job to date, but it isn’t with a mediocre squad or group of players.  He’s been backed to the hilt and has 90% of the time justified that backing.   I’m not keen on a narrative that he’s worked miracles with a mediocre squad, though.  

I think he's consistently over achieved tbh however I can't say that this season. I think the team and himself are currently underachieving and it'd obviously something we are used to. yed he's been backed and rightfully so, we want to compete with the best after all. 

[Sibierski]

I don’t think if we got a new manager we would be any better with this current sqaud. Been moulded in a way that has it limitations and it would still show.

 

Question moving forward in summer is will we be signing players we desperately need for someone different in squad, or continue on same squad build? Because same road could set us back years. We can’t afford another summer of Wissa / Ramsey / Elanga. 
 

Probably can go big on one top end, then 3-4 rough diamonds, who are technically very good, but need working on game play set up, decisions etc. They then also have a better future sale because of PSR landscape, but would Howe want that?
 

If he’s going to lose Willock, Schar, Trippier, Krafth and maybe one of our named players, is he going to be want those replacements? Or a wave of guys who are 24+ again.

[Mountain]

1 minute ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Howe’s done a cracking job to date, but it isn’t with a mediocre squad or group of players.  He’s been backed to the hilt and has 90% of the time justified that backing.   I’m not keen on a narrative that he’s worked miracles with a mediocre squad, though.  

 

You are correct as per. He was working miracles and has been fantastic, but he's had a lot of money to spend the past year.

 

Hopefully it's a lesson learned and he can find a solution, still a bright future.

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, r0cafella said:

I think he's consistently over achieved tbh however I can't say that this season. I think the team and himself are currently underachieving and it'd obviously something we are used to. yed he's been backed and rightfully so, we want to compete with the best after all. 

Agreed - and making the team better than the sum of its parts is what really good managers do, which is what Howe is.  But we currently look less than the sum of our parts - which is why he’s (correctly) received criticism this season (though some of the criticism has been OTT). 

[Sibierski]

I back howe to improve younger players, but there’s a chance he may well be thinking “I’ve shown I’m a top manager, I want to compete for all the trophies so I need players that are proven. Back me, or I may need to leave”. 
 

His stock is that high, he can take the top jobs if they’re there as much as named guys like Alonso.

 

 

Edited January 19 by Sibierski

[Mountain]

I think now is the time for the leadership above Howe to take some control and ownership and sign some players, immediately.

 

Who's to say we'll ever get Champions League again, just go for it, get some fresh energy in the door.

[Optimistic Nut]

I think Brentford are the only club above us who the squad should be definitely ahead of. We should be nearer Villa too, but Spurs should also be closer to both. 6-7th is still around our par.