Eddie Howe

[Sandrotastico]

Talking of rebuilds

 

For me -

 

Keep

Pope - backup if he wants to be.

Tino - If we can.

Hall 

Botman

Thaiw

Burn

 

Bruno

Miley

Tonali - if we can.

Barnes

 

All the rest can go for me if suitable money comes in...

Sadly that includes 4 we just bought, which highlights the poor summer we had.

 

It's a big big job ahead.

 

 

 

[Optimistic Nut]

14 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Yeah I could see that happening. Expect Frankfurt will come back in for Osula in the summer, I just can't see a scenario where Woltemade fits in here, and Wissa's best position would appear to be back up to a better striker.

 

I think that was the original plan for Wissa. He'd fine in as the Wilson replacement as cover for Ekitike/Pedro. We then needed him to be the main striker which would have been fine if he'd hit the ground running with his Brentford form but then he got injured. 

[Wallsendmag]

10 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

I do think that he will be giving us quite a few goals in the future if we can put together a set of players and system that clicks offensively. Right now we're all over the place. He was a great finisher at Brentford.

 

 

 

 

If you look at his career last season was a bit of an anomaly.

[Kid Icarus]

Completely giving up on signings 6 months in is crazy. If they're still not producing the goods next season I think that's the point where you say it's not working out. 

[J7]

26 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

Someone needs to have a word with him instructing him to prioritise the derby now imho. He needs to prepare for that game like his job depends on it. If we fail to perform again in that, he’ll lose the stadium completely imho. 
 

That has to be his priority number one. 

It’s a month and a half away! If we’re going to pretend it should be the be all and end all like the mackems do, then the best way to prepare for it would to be to go into it on form. We should be above our seasons hinging on the fuckin derby like them lot.

[Erikse]

1 hour ago, Whitley mag said:

I don’t think anyone wants him to get the sack and unlike some managers, he took full accountability yesterday which sums the bloke up.

 

He basically built Bournemouth and brought them through the divisions, think even their fans admit he’s a control freak. So it’s no surprise he’d want final say on transfers and that’s what he had under PCP until Amanda left.

 

His spat with Mitchell I’d guess has a bit of blame at both doors, but it was rumoured Ashworth was also unhappy with his remit and the job wasn’t as advertised.

Be careful what you wish for. He ended up with full control this summer and I think PIF trusted him entirely. It’s backfired and his signings of Wissa, Elanga and Ramsey, for the fees paid has left him and the club in a very difficult PSR position.

 

I don’t see any evolution like some, apart from he occasionally goes to 3 at the back when we’re facing difficult opposition. Trippier is finished why didn’t he move Thiaw to right back last night?

 

The patterns of play haven’t changed and we’re overly reliant on limited wingers to create chances, or Bruno through his sheer will to win forcing something.

 

Our squad on paper looks the strongest it’s ever been in his time here, yes where short in areas but this is the 2nd time he’s failed to rotate successfully.

 

Hopefully he turns it around, or if worst happens it ends amicably. His place in our history is assured, but after last summer would I trust him with a war chest this summer, or that we’ll evolve next season, not sure myself and the club should be discreetly looking at other options to take the project forward in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have more depth than ever, but not sure our starting 11 is actually that much better than the team from 2022-2024. Some of the key players from that timeframe:

 

Trippier, Isak, Wilson, Schär, Bruno, Gordon, Botman, Joelinton, Willock, Pope, and Burn.

 

Isak has been sold, and so has Wilson, who declined due to injuries and age.

 

Gordon has declined massively in general.

 

Botman, Willock and Joelinton has declined due to injuries, and can't be relied on for the same reason. Could say the same about Pope.

 

Trippier has declined massively due to age, which Schär and Burn are also starting to show signs of. Schär moreso than Burn.

 

On paper our midfield is better for sure, and Bruno is even better now. We should be getting more out of our midfield.

 

Unfortunately this just goes back to our recruitment last summer, when we were supposed to replace some of these. How much blame Howe has in all of the factors mentioned is hard to say. Except for players getting older, ofcourse.

 

 

Edited February 8 by Erikse

[Minhosa]

4 minutes ago, J7 said:

It’s a month and a half away! If we’re going to pretend it should be the be all and end all like the mackems do, then the best way to prepare for it would to be to go into it on form. We should be above our seasons hinging on the fuckin derby like them lot.

It’s the only game that can kill him. Another defeat to them would be unforgivable. 

[Erikse]

17 minutes ago, Matt1892 said:

Why don’t you think it will be much?

 

Actually if you sell Wolte at the same price as his total leftover ammortizarion, and buy another striker for that same price and wage (maybe even a bit more), I guess that would mean that we break even on the budget? I guess that's pretty good.

 

 

Edited February 8 by Erikse

[J7]

1 minute ago, Minhosa said:

It’s the only game that can kill him. Another defeat to them would be unforgivable. 

A continuation of the poor form could end his time here too. Not that he would do what you suggest, and he should go anyway if he did, but the club should be the priority, not just desperately trying to save his job.

[Minhosa]

28 minutes ago, J7 said:

A continuation of the poor form could end his time here too. Not that he would do what you suggest, and he should go anyway if he did, but the club should be the priority, not just desperately trying to save his job.

One and the same. 

 

 

Edited February 8 by Minhosa

[Kimbo]

31 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

We also need 3 fullbacks if we sell Tino. I think we will sell Wolte or Wissa if we're going to buy a striker. I don't think any team in the league has 3 expensive (pure) strikers in their squad.

 

 

 

The number of players we need shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll have the financial head room, we should have the recruitment team in place now, and we have 7 months to get signings and sales lined up. Buying 8 players just doesn’t seem an issue to me.

[Wallsendmag]

5 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Completely giving up on signings 6 months in is crazy. If they're still not producing the goods next season I think that's the point where you say it's not working out. 

 

If we want to be a Brentford, mid table, maybe flirt with getting into Europe, I think he'll be fine for us, I suspect we have more loftier ambitions though and for those I don't think he is good enough. He'll be 30 soon and looking at his career, last season apart, there's not really much to suggest he'll be a really good signing for us.

 

You're right it's still early days of course but the signs certainly aren't promising. His lack of application is as big a concern as is his lack of quality for me.

[Erikse]

8 minutes ago, Kimbo said:

The number of players we need shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll have the financial head room, we should have the recruitment team in place now, and we have 7 months to get signings and sales lined up. Buying 8 players just doesn’t seem an issue to me.

 

Yeah, but despite earlier success, I feel that we've allways been slow in the windows. Usually not much happening at the beginning of the windows. I really hope that will finally change, and also that we go for players with good value that we can realistically get, which is what we need.

 

 

Edited February 8 by Erikse

[Sandrotastico]

3 minutes ago, Kimbo said:

The number of players we need shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll have the financial head room, we should have the recruitment team in place now, and we have 7 months to get signings and sales lined up. Buying 8 players just doesn’t seem an issue to me.

Neither of ours are pure strikers though, from what I see.

I believe Wissa played most of his career as a wide left forward and Woltemade, well yeah - god knows.

 

But I agree.

 

 

Edited February 8 by Sandrotastico

[Matt1892]

6 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

Actually if you sell Wolte at the same price as his total leftover ammortizarion, and buy another striker for that same price and wage (maybe even a bit more), I guess that would mean that we break even on the budget? I guess that's pretty good.

 

 

 

In theory we could get another player for the same few as we paid for Wolt as the annual amortisation would be the same as it is now, only with an extra payment to be made in the final year.

 

So no impact to what has been budgeted so far.

[Dr Venkman]

2 hours ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

As I’ve said before, absolutely no need for personal insults or name calling. It’s perfectly acceptable to have a difference in opinion without resorting to that. 

Name calling bad, name changing good.

[Dr Venkman]

Eddie has his faults, like all managers/coaches. They’ve been well covered and discussed on here so pointless me listing them again. For me the choice is whether or not you choose to have patience with him. And it is a choice.

 

There’s no guarantee a new appointment would be ‘better’, just like there’s no guarantee he can turn it around. On balance, though, I’d still prefer to give him the opportunity to sort it out. I think the reasons for that are obvious, TBH. I think he’s worth the patience.

[Superior Acuña]

Would we not make a significant loss selling Nick this summer? Such that it'd be worth seeing if can make it work better in another season. Can't imagine the club accepting a significant loss so fast.

 

 

Edited February 8 by Superior Acuña

[nufc4eva]

We won't sign more than 5 maybe 6 players in summer in reality so going to need to get more out of players we have or bring in youth players. If he's going to do that then now is probably the time to start. If Tonali and Livra and Gordon went then that's a lot to replace as well as needing upgrades across the pitch. We need one athletic beast of a midfielder that just keeps it simple but can cover ground quickly/closedown and tackle and another more skillful. A technical attacker/winger and a all action full back I reckon. 

[nufc4eva]

Oh and a keeper that's not a clown like the current 2

[TRC]

5 minutes ago, Superior Acuña said:

Would we not make a significant loss selling Nick this summer? Such that it'd be worth seeing if can make it work better in another season. Can't imagine the club accepting a significant loss so fast.

 

 

 

Loan him back to Germany for a year

[Keegans Export]

There's also the question of how much more difficult does it become to sell "the project" to current and prospective players if we don't pick up a bit of form.

 

Let's say we go out at the R16 in the CL, lose to Villa in the Cup and finish 10th. Does it make it harder to push this narrative that we have genuine ambitions on challenging the elite clubs if we keep the manager in place? 

[sixx]

I usually hate this sentiment but it looks like we need a reset of sort. We desperately need a fresh approach tactically and in the transfer market. But what do we want from cups and Europe seeing as we, and most other clubs around us, can’t cope with the added pressure? How can we progress in the next decade? 
 

Buying PL-experienced players isn’t working out now. Competing with Man U, Chelsea, Barca, Liverpool and City in the transfer market is beyond our reach. Competing on all fronts isn’t working. Trying to press less and gaining more control in games hasn’t worked.

 

I’m not entirely convinced a new manager is the right answer to these problems but we need a new plan and new objectives.

 

On a more positive note we have a core of players to work from. Livramento, Hall, Thiaw, Bruno and Woltemade. And one of the most promising midfielders in world football who also happens to be a local lad. Building something new around them should be our primary objective. And that means saying goodbye to the majority of the old guard; Murphy, Pope, Schär and Trippier.

 

Pair a rebuild like that around an objective of winning the Europe League for example and I’d be very happy.

[Holloway]

12 hours ago, Heron said:

TBH I've had like 10 pints so don't recall if I drew in this or others. But you're absolutely right and what I am trying to say is not anything other than that.

 

My point is more towards the fact that Howe has gone beyond what any manager had for 69 years and deserves more respect than that which he is receiving.

 

We can talk about the takeover but we made a world record signing with Shearer under Keegan. We've merely joined the race under Howe thanks to PSR.

 

For context that's like us spending £140million on one player...

 

 

 

Commendable spelling and grammar at this stage of the game 

[huss9]

12 hours ago, Minhosa said:

Love Eddie. Think he’s dignity and class personified. 
 

I think his biggest mistake tonight was in starting Wissa. 
 

In respect of the bigger picture, the disjointed mess we’re all seeing now is as a result of;

 

1) The summer being a total clusterfuck. 
 

2) ZERO time on the grass which is where he does his best work. 
 

3) The lack of structure above him since Staveley left. 
 

We’ve also got to remember that he’s never experienced 2-3 games per week in his previous management roles so this is all learning to him too. When we were in the CL a couple of years ago, it was his first time and now he’s got that responsibility with a totally dysfunctional front 3. 
 

Given European football is likely not going to happen next year, I’d ask you, who do you back to take us back there playing one game per week? I can’t think of anyone better. Genuinely.

 

I’d wager we’ll be top 4/5 next year when only playing once per week. 
 

He’ll have also learnt from the last summer too. Tonali will be shipped early, he’ll have been working with Wilson on incomings. 

 

I feel we have to back him through to the beginning of next season personally. 
 

Last summers window was a disgrace but he’s intelligent enough to know that imho and if wasn’t all on him. 

 

 

 

bigger mistake was murphy just returning from injury rather than elenga who has been improving and needs a run of games.