Eddie Howe

[black_n_white]

14 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

That's not even true and (unbelievable that this would need saying) a piece of piss game, early in the season, where we coast to victory against an EFL side without breaking sweat is hardly going to break the squad. It's the intensity of CL > PL > FAC against top 3 team carousel that's doing it.

So prioritising the league cup this season was not a factor? 

[Yorkie]

4 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The tie was completely over and you’re guessing at his rationale.  It was an absurdity to play that side given the fixtures that were coming - and this isn’t hindsight. 

 

I'm not guessing at all, he literally said it in his post-match interview on TNT.

[stozo]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

SCR / FFP is precisely why he shouldn’t have clung onto the likes of Joelinton. We don’t sell when players are at peak value. 

I take your point and agree somewhat - we haven't sold players at peak value. But equally I think you have to look at the results of the past few seasons and realise why we haven't sold (and Howe in particular has been anti selling those players). Buying and selling well typically involves shifting players in their prime or late prime and then replacing them with players who are a good few years ahead of their prime. Speaking generally, that probably means in year one, on average, you're replacement is not going to be as good. The epitome of the model is Brighton. Look at them this season. They have a squad of players who are probably going to be at some of the best clubs in the world in four years. But they aren't quite there this season - and they haven't come close to achieving what we've achieved in the past few seasons. Joelinton and Trippier absolutely could have been sold for something two summers ago - but both them ended up being winning League Cup final starters. And I can take a mediocre season this season in exchange for what we got last season. 

[Wolfcastle]

Our reaction after going ahead all season hasn't been corrected. Not tonight but midweek and generally, cant imagine anybody concedes so many after just scoring themselves (approx 15 goals concdeded within 8minutes of going ahead or levelling) 

 

 

Edited March 7 by Wolfcastle

[Yorkie]

3 minutes ago, black_n_white said:

So prioritising the league cup this season was not a factor? 

 

Of course it was, but we've been out of that since early Feb.

 

Please let's not debate whether or not we should've tried to win the trophy we won last year...

[Big Geordie]

Has to stop with playing Big Nick in midfield - it just isn't working at present. May well be having to be forced into it, due to injuries and rotation. 

[Mattoon]

14 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

We weren’t playing well before the fixture pile-up.  This is just the latest excuse for us being a bit shit - and it’s a more convincing one than earlier in the season,  but the exhaustion would have more validity if we’d racked up the points when we’d played the same number of games as the teams we were facing.  I can remember that the line back in November time is that we would ‘click’ soon, that this happens with Howe’s sides.  We’re in March and now it’s down to fixture congestion. 

 

You're right there's much more nuance to it than fatigue, but its been done to death, this season Howe was on a hiding to nothing, the summer transfer business, the cartel taking all our first, second, third and even fourth choices, the Isak situation, the DoF situation, the Wissa situation. I'm not saying Howe is faultless in all of this but come on, let's be objectively honest here, fatigue isn't an excuse, it's a fact, and there are a plethora of mitigating factors to the season playing out the way it has from the start.

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, Wolfcastle said:

Our reaction after going ahead all season hasn't been corrected. Not tonight but midweek and generally, cant imagine anybody concedes so many after just scoring themselves (approx 15 goals concdeded within 8minutes of going ahead or levelling) 

 

 

 

Were absolutely flim-flam at the back and in midfield - so easy to play through, especially after scoring.  We defend like a bunch of strangers at times.  

[black_n_white]

3 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Of course it was, but we've been out of that since early Feb.

 

Please let's not debate whether or not we should've tried to win the trophy we won last year...

I’d argue it should have been bottom of the priority even as holders, if we had gotten through to the quarters / semi then field a team to win it, it’s basics of football management when competing in Europe, all the other sides do it.

[Mikky]

18 minutes ago, Ronson333 said:

He hasn’t shown much of it yet, but id stiil give him the summer to show if he’s got the metal or not.

 

 

 

None of these should be here 

 

Ramsdale - Gillespie - Ruddy

(Pope is no2 - the no1 needs to be signicent upgrade)

 

Trippier - Krafth - Schar

 

Willock - J Murphy 

 

I don’t even know where to begin with the 3 strikers 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, Mattoon said:

 

You're right there's much more nuance to it than fatigue, but its been done to death, this season Howe was on a hiding to nothing, the summer transfer business, the cartel taking all our first, second, third and even fourth choices, the Isak situation, the DoF situation, the Wissa situation. I'm not saying Howe is faultless in all of this but come on, let's be objectively honest here, fatigue isn't an excuse, it's a fact, and there are a plethora of mitigating factors to the season playing out the way it has from the start.

It’s a valid factor, and also an excuse when you run players into the ground when you’re eight goals ahead against shit opposition.  
 

I’ve never went for the ‘he didn’t get his first choices’ line, tbh.  Tell me a manager who does get to sign everyone they want.  There’s only perhaps a dozen - at most - clubs in Europe who’d be more attractive and / or can pay more.  I’m pretty sure that the drop-off shouldn’t be as drastic as we’ve seen - I’m confident that if a player has a choice between us and Brentford or Bournemouth they’d go with us. 

[Mikky]

8 minutes ago, stozo said:

I take your point and agree somewhat - we haven't sold players at peak value. But equally I think you have to look at the results of the past few seasons and realise why we haven't sold (and Howe in particular has been anti selling those players). Buying and selling well typically involves shifting players in their prime or late prime and then replacing them with players who are a good few years ahead of their prime. Speaking generally, that probably means in year one, on average, you're replacement is not going to be as good. The epitome of the model is Brighton. Look at them this season. They have a squad of players who are probably going to be at some of the best clubs in the world in four years. But they aren't quite there this season - and they haven't come close to achieving what we've achieved in the past few seasons. Joelinton and Trippier absolutely could have been sold for something two summers ago - but both them ended up being winning League Cup final starters. And I can take a mediocre season this season in exchange for what we got last season. 

Both Wilson and Miggy should have been sold in Howes second season - had their peak - cost us Anderson and Minteh

[TheBrownBottle]

2 minutes ago, Mikky said:

Both Wilson and Miggy should have been sold in Howes second season - had their peak - cost us Anderson and Minteh

Agreed - you have to look at a player and think ‘how likely are they to repeat that form’.  In Almiron’s case the answer was obvious - never. 

[EssexMaggy]

8 minutes ago, Mikky said:

None of these should be here 

 

Ramsdale - Gillespie - Ruddy

(Pope is no2 - the no1 needs to be signicent upgrade)

 

Trippier - Krafth - Schar

 

Willock - J Murphy 

 

I don’t even know where to begin with the 3 strikers 

We have Strikers ?

 

[Lordshola]

10 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Agreed - you have to look at a player and think ‘how likely are they to repeat that form’.  In Almiron’s case the answer was obvious - never. 

The same with Murphy.

[stozo]

28 minutes ago, Mikky said:

Both Wilson and Miggy should have been sold in Howes second season - had their peak - cost us Anderson and Minteh

I'm sorry but that's nonsense. Firstly, the profits we'd have achieved on Wilson and Almiron selling the in summer of 2023 would never have hit Andersen and Minteh levels. We'd probably have booked profit on both - but not a combined approx. £60m. Then you come into the fact that, even discounting the profit disparity, the only way you keep Anderson and Minteh is if we don't replace Wilson and Almiron. Wilson and Almiron played a combined 70+ games in the 23/24 season scoring a combined 15 goals. Back to the original point - it would have been a tough ask/decent sized risk to sell those players, book modest profits, and then replace with two players who could have matched their output that season. 

[Minhosa]

I’ve said it for ages, even in this thread I think, there’s no shame in losing to Man City, Barca or struggling in the league with such a hectic schedule and an awful window behind us, but the big issue for him is going to be the derby at home. Lose that and he’ll lose a large proportion of the home crowd which hasn’t happened under his reign. 
 

That might be the point of no return imho. 

[The Prophet]

 

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

It’s not just not the biggest game in our history, it’s not the biggest game this season 

[huss9]

just getting in.

some baffling decisions tonight.

some baffling decisions over the summer.

did Eddie throw in the towel as far as the fa cup is concerned?

 

hope i'm not too hungover in the morning .... bairn has a game.

[Yorkie]

Surprised he's called it the biggest game in our history; think that's a bit of a stretch but I loveb knowing that he's obviously extremely fired up. Cos the team will be too.

 

Will be absolutely massive if we win, and dreamland if we win well. Not like him to have this eyes on future games but he clearly has here.

[St. Maximin]

Not impressed by how he went about that game, but there’s not a lot he could do. I want to just accept we’re an injury-ridden team who were outclassed by a much better team who can seemingly spend insane amounts that we can’t. 
 

However… I find it far harder to think like that when we keep losing terribly recently and keep shipping three goals at home. We have in theory excellent defenders, but still leak goals for fun. We’re experts at conceding just before HT/just after scoring too. 
 

I’m pretty much over this season, but hope Eddie gets a good rest in the summer and is well supported. Then hope he gets a good while next season too, but can’t argue with him being under pressure. 

[Disco]

39 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

I’ve said it for ages, even in this thread I think, there’s no shame in losing to Man City, Barca or struggling in the league with such a hectic schedule and an awful window behind us, but the big issue for him is going to be the derby at home. Lose that and he’ll lose a large proportion of the home crowd which hasn’t happened under his reign. 
 

That might be the point of no return imho. 

I agree albeit it won’t be my position. Some cunts on the way out saying he should be sacked so we get a bounce for the midweek game. The mind baffles.  

[The College Dropout]

I don’t get his approach to squad management. Too strong early in rounds, too weak later. There’s no point consistently putting out 70% strongest teams in domestic cups.  We’ll get about here and lose. Play a fair few matches but ultimately not win.  We should target and deprioritise competitions imo.  No starters in league cup until semis at all - we most likely don’t make it. But then really try to win the FA Cup. 

[500bhp]

35 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

I’ve said it for ages, even in this thread I think, there’s no shame in losing to Man City, Barca or struggling in the league with such a hectic schedule and an awful window behind us, but the big issue for him is going to be the derby at home. Lose that and he’ll lose a large proportion of the home crowd which hasn’t happened under his reign. 
 

That might be the point of no return imho. 

Yeah, we just said exactly the same in the pub earlier. When we play the mackems we'll likely be out the CL as well as the FA cup and no European football next season. So it's imperative that we beat them. Lose and the crowd will definitely turn. But I'm confident that Eddie and his team will beat those fuckers.