Eddie Howe

[Heron]

2 hours ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Exactly, it's mental to imagine we should be managing our schedule like Man City do when our squad is nowhere near that level. 

 

Also we are kind of vulnerable because we can't maintain possession like some top teams can. To do that would mean a significant rebuild which we also might not be able to afford. We would be talking about replacing 5 or 6 starters and we would also need attacking ability that could turn that dominant possession into goals in basically the opposite way to what we've done since Howe has been here. We would also then complain about all the low blocks we wouldn’t be able to break down. 

 

Agreed we have bought some players similar to what we already had when some people would have gone another way, but I'd argue that shows we were actively trying to improve our depth so that we could handle those extra games better while keeping our style quite similar. 

 

 

 

[Taylor Swift]

Poor recruitment is coming home to roost. When he took over, the recruitment was incredible. We hit on every player (Bruno, Trippier, Botman, Isak). Now we miss on most players (Wissa, Elanga, maybe Woltemade). We also sold a world class player.

 

Winning is mostly about recruitment. Man Utd bought 3 good players and they’re rocketing up the table.

 

If our recruitment doesn’t get fixed, Howe will be sacrificed. But the next manager won’t be able to fix anything, see: Spurs.

[McDog]

11 minutes ago, Taylor Swift said:

We also sold a world class piece of shit.

 

 

 

Fixed that.  Was a net gain on a few levels but I get your overall point.

[Taylor Swift]

17 minutes ago, McDog said:

Fixed that.  Was a net gain on a few levels but I get your overall point.

I was referring to Anderson.

[Yorkie]

28 minutes ago, Taylor Swift said:

Poor recruitment is coming home to roost. When he took over, the recruitment was incredible. We hit on every player (Bruno, Trippier, Botman, Isak). Now we miss on most players (Wissa, Elanga, maybe Woltemade). We also sold a world class player.

 

Winning is mostly about recruitment. Man Utd bought 3 good players and they’re rocketing up the table.

 

If our recruitment doesn’t get fixed, Howe will be sacrificed. But the next manager won’t be able to fix anything, see: Spurs.

 

Pinning all of our problems on recruitment and then using Man Utd as some shining example of how it could be is such a frustrating take.

 

They've bought expensive shitehawk after expensive shitehawk and then spent yet another fortune on two of the league's best attackers and, hey presto, they're doing better than fucking shit for once (three games after peddling another manager at great expense).

[Taylor Swift]

3 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Pinning all of our problems on recruitment and then using Man Utd as some shining example of how it could be is such a frustrating take.

 

They've bought expensive shitehawk after expensive shitehawk and then spent yet another fortune on two of the league's best attackers and, hey presto, they're doing better than fucking shit for once (three games after peddling another manager at great expense).

They’re also a good example of how recruitment is what matters most! 
 

If you hit on players, the floor is raised. If you miss, the manager has to perform miracles. 

[McDog]

14 minutes ago, Taylor Swift said:

I was referring to Anderson.

 

 

Well, I stand corrected, fine lad that one.   

[Yorkie]

9 minutes ago, Taylor Swift said:

They’re also a good example of how recruitment is what matters most! 
 

If you hit on players, the floor is raised. If you miss, the manager has to perform miracles. 

 

They're an even better example of how PSR dictates everything and why the people behind out summer recruitment should be cut some slack.

[Taylor Swift]

2 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

They're an even better example of how PSR dictates everything and why the people behind out summer recruitment should be cut some slack.

Correct that PSR dictates everything, but that means we have to be ruthless in recruitment. We gave Howe too much control and now we're paying the price. This summer is a chance to correct the mistakes of last.

[SteV]

1 hour ago, Taylor Swift said:

We gave Howe too much control and now we're paying the price.

Given the situation we found ourselves in, and the personnel available within the club at the time (and it’s probably a different discussion about how we ended up there), what was the alternative?

[Ben]

1 minute ago, SteV said:

Given the situation we found ourselves in, and the personnel available within the club at the time (and it’s probably a different discussion about how we ended up there), what was the alternative?

 

Buying nobody until full N-O sign off from every poster 

[Crimson Cardigan]

I think it’s only fair to point out that cartel clubs like Man U are allowed to sign limitless amounts of dud players with no financial consequences, where as one mistake for us is seismic.

[Abacus]

I went for option 1, though I get people who have had a few gripes this season, whether that's team selection, rotation or tactics. I also get those who think he has had too much say over transfer policy, at least this season. 

 

But then, I'm not sure how much he can be at fault for that transfer window given where we were in the summer. I'm also sure there are gripes with any manager occasionally over team selection or tactics.

 

And despite an inconsistent season we've still gotten to a semi final and aren't doing badly in the three other competitions, quite apart from what he's done prior to that, ever since he arrived, and how he carries himself. I'm nowhere near wanting a change, but I do think he needs to be able to freshen things up a bit over the summer.

[r0cafella]

6 minutes ago, Abacus said:

I went for option 1, though I get people who have had a few gripes this season, whether that's team selection, rotation or tactics. I also get those who think he has had too much say over transfer policy, at least this season. 

 

But then, I'm not sure how much he can be at fault for that transfer window given where we were in the summer. I'm also sure there are gripes with any manager occasionally over team selection or tactics.

 

And despite an inconsistent season we've still gotten to a semi final and aren't doing badly in the three other competitions, quite apart from what he's done prior to that, ever since he arrived, and how he carries himself. I'm nowhere near wanting a change, but I do think he needs to be able to freshen things up a bit over the summer.

I'm curious, who's fault was the summer transfer window?

[Displayname]

I put unhappy because that's what i mostly am watching our games other than CL this season. 

Don't really think the grass is greener on the other side for us atm though. I want him to get another season to show what he can do with the players he bought with some time on the training ground. Preferably without being in any european competition(I'd still take CL ofcourse).

 

 

Edited February 2 by Displayname

[Kimbo]

1 hour ago, SteV said:

Given the situation we found ourselves in, and the personnel available within the club at the time (and it’s probably a different discussion about how we ended up there), what was the alternative?

I’d love to know what Mitchell’s plan was for that window and how we ended up in that situation in the first place.

[r0cafella]

3 minutes ago, Kimbo said:

I’d love to know what Mitchell’s plan was for that window and how we ended up in that situation in the first place.

Club line, he left because Eales did  

 

Anyone with a functioning brain, he lost the power struggle. 

[Stuy_O]

The questions about our recruitment and the summer gone are plentiful. 

 

Who's idea was it to go after Marc Guehi and no one else relentlessly in 24 when it was obvious Palace were taking us for a ride? What exactly was discussed between manager, owners, sporting director about transfers in the 12 months after? 

 

Was there any pre planning or collective agreement about targets? Mitchells exit and us going for a slew of players seeking cartel wages strongly suggests not. If this was true, what were PIF doing to allow the situation to worsen?

 

 

Edited February 2 by Stuy_O

[The College Dropout]

Eales was so poor in his communication.  Majorly rubbed Eddie the wrong way. Vetoed Isak contract.  Didn’t even sign any players for us.  Just a total car crash.  

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, Stuy_O said:

The questions about our recruitment and the summer gone are plentiful. 

 

Who's idea was it to go after Marc Guehi and no one else relentlessly in 24 when it was obvious Palace we're taking us for a ride? What exactly was discussed between manager, owners, sporting director about transfers in the 12 months after? 

 

Was there any pre planning or collective agreement about targets? Mitchells exit and us going for a slew players seeking cartel wages strongly suggests not. If this was true, what we're PIF doing to allow the situation to worsen?

IMO we sign Guehi if Staveley was still there and her power had not diminished. It would’ve got to £60-65m mind and people would question if we over paid. That was our transfer plan prior.  

[Abacus]

6 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I'm curious, who's fault was the summer transfer window?

 

Personally, I think it was a mess starting with uncertainty over the unsettled Isak. Not having replaced Eales earlier added to it, Mitchell being a poor fit. Not only that, Howe gets criticism for having Andy assisting with transfers because of their connection, but likewise Mitchell and Eales were reportedly great mates which is almost as bad.

 

Then of course we did try to go for Ekitike before getting gazzumped. As well as with a host of other targets, like with goalkeeper. I think having a shrewd transfer operator in place could have prevented much of this, at least in terms of having a less chaotic seeming window.

 

I do think there was then an overreliance on long term Howe targets, but with him having to call the shots what would you expect. So I don't think it's as simple as blaming any one person for what was a muddle at the top, albeit outright mistakes sit with him.

 

I'm also not quite ready to call it a disaster. Thiaw has been excellent, Ramsey has started to look more effective, Woltemade looks a talent, just still needs to develop and the team to develop around him. Wissa has been disappointing so far, as has Elanga. It does feel like square pegs in round holes, the result of a late scramble to get what we could get. A lot of which might also have been made better with more time with everyone in pre-season and then playing and training together outside of a hectic schedule, so I'm interested to see what happens next season.

 

Even if you are of the view that it was an outright bad summer, I don't think one summer means you write off the manager on the back of it. Yes, I'm aware we can't afford to make mistakes unlike other clubs, but it's surely not realistic to expect everything to go right.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Wissa’s performance is mainly due to being injured, you could say the same for Ramsey. Elanga has been poor obviously. Thiaw has been class.
 

Woltemade is interesting one because I assume Wissa was meant to take the majority of the load while he went through the Howe integration plan, but again that couldn’t happen due to injury. 

[TRon]

I voted happy with him but some gripes because I really don't see any other managers out there with a silver bullet. We need better players because we went backwards this summer. Signed a good few squad players which was needed, but our first team is weaker. 

 

One of my gripes with Howe is that he doesn't seem the type to take a back seat when it comes to player recruitment though. I can understand it from a managers POV, but it can backfire if he's set on the wrong players. 

[r0cafella]

29 minutes ago, Abacus said:

 

Personally, I think it was a mess starting with uncertainty over the unsettled Isak. Not having replaced Eales earlier added to it, Mitchell being a poor fit. Not only that, Howe gets criticism for having Andy assisting with transfers because of their connection, but likewise Mitchell and Eales were reportedly great mates which is almost as bad.

 

Then of course we did try to go for Ekitike before getting gazzumped. As well as with a host of other targets, like with goalkeeper. I think having a shrewd transfer operator in place could have prevented much of this, at least in terms of having a less chaotic seeming window.

 

I do think there was then an overreliance on long term Howe targets, but with him having to call the shots what would you expect. So I don't think it's as simple as blaming any one person for what was a muddle at the top, albeit outright mistakes sit with him.

 

I'm also not quite ready to call it a disaster. Thiaw has been excellent, Ramsey has started to look more effective, Woltemade looks a talent, just still needs to develop and the team to develop around him. Wissa has been disappointing so far, as has Elanga. It does feel like square pegs in round holes, the result of a late scramble to get what we could get. A lot of which might also have been made better with more time with everyone in pre-season and then playing and training together outside of a hectic schedule, so I'm interested to see what happens next season.

 

Even if you are of the view that it was an outright bad summer, I don't think one summer means you write off the manager on the back of it. Yes, I'm aware we can't afford to make mistakes unlike other clubs, but it's surely not realistic to expect everything to go right.

Fair enough on some of these points.

 

with regards to Isak, players come and go all the time, it shouldn't have had such an impact imo, Brentford lost much more than we've done and have somehow managed. We knew he wanted to leave after the cup we had plenty of time to come up with something we managed it poorly imo and are lucky hes been both shit and a crock as it would have felt even worst. 

 

With Eales, he's the CEO essential running the business operation, his absence is a bit overblown imo, I don't look at it and think our window would have been much different if he was around.

 

Given the level of spend and the output we've seen so far the window isn't a disaster, it's an absolute catastrophe, that may change in the future but as of now its an unmitigated disaster so much PSR heardroom has been pissed away.   

[Ghandis Flip-Flop]

51 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Club line, he left because Eales did  

 

Anyone with a functioning brain, he lost the power struggle. 

Or a bloke who quickly falls out with people wherever he’s been, fell out with people even quicker this time after a disastrous interview a matter of days into his new job.

 

lets not forget it was that shitehawk, who in not negotiating a new deal for Isak was the true architect of what went down last summer.

 

And then even if he did lose the power struggle, he fucked off at the most inconvenient and disruptive time for the club rather than at least leaving post window proper.