Eddie Howe

[NUFC91]

3 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Yup we overachieved and the Chelsea's, Manchester Uniteds and Spurs have all underachieved. 

 

Villa are overachieving at the minute too. 

 

Do you expect us to put perform our budget?

 

We have the 5th highest net spend in the league in the past 5 seasons.

 

My point is the last 3 seasons we finished 4th, 7th and 5th, we have to strive towards that this season surely?

[Weezertron]

6 minutes ago, Hhtoon said:

 

No idea what you're talking about but it sounds silly.

He’s probably pushing against ifs, buts and maybes. Deal in absolutes.

[Shadow Puppets]

31 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

Always fucking annoying to read others downplaying the Sunderland results and performances like. I’ll never understand it. 

I wouldn’t downplay the Sunderland results and performances in isolation… they were dreadful performances and results… but I strongly disagree with the extent to which they have influenced people’s feeling towards the team / manager who have delivered so much for us over the years.

 

But I definitely, despite being from Newcastle and living 10 mins away, have never understood just why people get so riled up about that one fixture. I’ve never understood the level of vitriol… for me and my friends and family (mix of NUFC and SAFC fans in there), it’s always just been friendly banter and bragging rights for a few months. 

 

In the grand scheme of where we’re trying to go, I care far more about the fixtures against Man Utd, Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Liverpool, or cup semi finals, or Champions League games, and find myself “hating” (in sporting terms) those teams far more than I could ever hate Sunderland.

[Miggys First Goal]

 

[Holmesy]

3 minutes ago, Hhtoon said:

 

Agree with you, but thats not a Howe problem - club needs to be better at scouting. I don't give him credit for Bruno or Isak...frankly no idea who was responsible but its a shame they weren't around to do the same.

You say that's not a Howe problem but I don't think any of us know for sure - there definitely seems to have been a PL bias, which has had us paying premiums. 

Many of us have been championing a higher risk profile and targeting younger players with potential, and the noises from the club suggest we're going that way, which Eddie (whether reluctantly or not has agreed to).

The truth is, we don't know whether previously Eddie has dictated the scouting strategy or it was set above him but I would lean toward the former. Regardless, I think the new direction is the best for the club. 

[r0cafella]

8 minutes ago, NUFC91 said:

 

We have the 5th highest net spend in the league in the past 5 seasons.

 

My point is the last 3 seasons we finished 4th, 7th and 5th, we have to strive towards that this season surely?

You should look at squad cost and not net spend, if you want to look at net spend look over say 10 years which is more reflective of a full cycle. 

[Wallsendmag]

17 minutes ago, Hhtoon said:

 

Agree with you, but thats not a Howe problem - club needs to be better at scouting. I don't give him credit for Bruno or Isak...frankly no idea who was responsible but its a shame they weren't around to do the same.

 

Oh aye the scouting dept is currently a mess. Maybe bin nephew Howe and keep Uncle Howe.

[Weezertron]

I don’t think we see much change in approach from Howe next season. I think he has his philosophy and he’ll stick to it. Which is totally fair, that’s who we hired. 
 

I would love if they have some new coaches come in, though. I think that’s a decent compromise between things staying the same and a completely new approach. 
 

I don’t know how likely that is though. 
 

 

 

 

Edited May 4 by Weezertron

[Wilson]

13 minutes ago, Mole said:

The midfield has been an even bigger issue than the attack for me so I don't know if I agree if the right forwards were signed that it would be drastically better.

 

The tools are there for midfield imo, it's been horrendous but I'm fairly certain the midfield we have is more than capable when on their game, granted that doesn't seem very often. 

 

I definitely wouldn't say it's a bigger issue than the forwards. 

[J7]

23 minutes ago, Hhtoon said:

 

No idea what you're talking about but it sounds silly.

Basically, your mitigation is ‘if only we had signed players we had no chance of getting, all would be fine’. It’s a nonsense argument. 

[Mole]

2 minutes ago, Wilson said:

 

The tools are there for midfield imo, it's been horrendous but I'm fairly certain the midfield we have is more than capable when on their game, granted that doesn't seem very often. 

 

I definitely wouldn't say it's a bigger issue than the forwards. 

Technically yes, but those tools aren't really impacting the game in the way we need them to. Also as dogshit as the forwards mostly have been, I would argue they aren't being put into the position to succeed which poses it's own issues. 

 

But yes I could see a scenario where those midfielders could be used in an effective manner, but that's part of adapting and finding solutions to the problems you have. The team in general has felt broken for most of the year and the midfield not offering the solution to any of those issues is a large part of it because it would make things easier for the attackers and defenders to do their jobs.

 

I am definitely not ruling out the manager finding the answer to these problems, it's just he hasn't this year and it's a big part in why the season has gone like it has. Seems harsh, but it's his job to figure this stuff out and hopefully the summer will allow him to, whether that's new signings or figuring something out tactically.

[Hhtoon]

12 minutes ago, J7 said:

Basically, your mitigation is ‘if only we had signed players we had no chance of getting, all would be fine’. It’s a nonsense argument. 

 

That wasn't my argument....

[Coffee_Johnny]

1 hour ago, Shadow Puppets said:

And surely as soon as Eddie wins one more game, he’s statistically our best ever. The others didn’t stick around long enough. Having the most wins should absolutely be cause for keeping a manager during a rough period… why shouldn’t it?

Agree with your overall sentiment but no. This wouldn’t make him out statistically our best ever. Your point is like saying Pardew was a better manager than Roeder, because Pardew won way more games and also stuck around for longer. He did win more games. He did manage more games. He is statistically a far worse manager. 

[Hhtoon]

20 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Oh aye the scouting dept is currently a mess. Maybe bin nephew Howe and keep Uncle Howe.

 

Nephew Howe needs to go. Uncle Howe needs to stay in his lane, assuming the club puts in the structure for him to do so of course.

[TRC]

5 minutes ago, Mole said:

Technically yes, but those tools aren't really impacting the game in the way we need them to. Also as dogshit as the forwards mostly have been, I would argue they aren't being put into the position to succeed which poses it's own issues. 

 

But yes I could see a scenario where those midfielders could be used in an effective manner, but that's part of adapting and finding solutions to the problems you have. The team in general has felt broken for most of the year and the midfield not offering the solution to any of those issues is a large part of it because it would make things easier for the attackers and defenders to do their jobs.

 

I am definitely not ruling out the manager finding the answer to these problems, it's just he hasn't this year and it's a big part in why the season has gone like it has. Seems harsh, but it's his job to figure this stuff out and hopefully the summer will allow him to, whether that's new signings or figuring something out tactically.

I agree the midfield has been an issue but we have a very limited technical front line. None of the front three can slow the game down, create or get others involved at a level a top team needs. It’s basically Bruno doing everything.

 

Would love a winger who can hold the ball a bit and cut teams open like Ndiaye.

 

I'm not including Woltemade in this as we don’t use him.

 

 

[The Prophet]

22 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Oh aye the scouting dept is currently a mess. Maybe bin nephew Howe and keep Uncle Howe.

 

It is?

[Holmesy]

1 minute ago, Mole said:

Technically yes, but those tools aren't really impacting the game in the way we need them to. Also as dogshit as the forwards mostly have been, I would argue they aren't being put into the position to succeed which poses it's own issues. 

 

But yes I could see a scenario where those midfielders could be used in an effective manner, but that's part of adapting and finding solutions to the problems you have. The team in general has felt broken for most of the year and the midfield not offering the solution to any of those issues is a large part of it because it would make things easier for the attackers and defenders to do their jobs.

 

I am definitely not ruling out the manager finding the answer to these problems, it's just he hasn't this year and it's a big part in why the season has gone like it has. Seems harsh, but it's his job to figure this stuff out and hopefully the summer will allow him to, whether that's new signings or figuring something out tactically.

Put a dedicated #6 in there and it could make a big difference in giving the others licence to get forward, not that it necessarily stops them now but one covering with two attacking leaves us less vulnerable than the current free-for-all. We looked loads better when Tonali first dropped into that position.
I'd love to see a crafty #10 option to open tight defences when the relentless wing play doesn't work but I think that's wishful thinking. Some of Wolte's touches around the box have shown us (in glimpses) how impactful that could be.
Maybe a #6 is the key to Eddie unleashing Wolte in that role long-term.

[SUPERTOON]

3 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

It is?

Last summer, the scouting was either really poor, or the people who chose the targets decision making was.

[Wallsendmag]

22 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

It is?

 

£250m wasted last summer says it is.

[The Prophet]

37 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Last summer, the scouting was either really poor, or the people who chose the targets decision making was.

 

I'd agree and disagree, our initial targets looked decent. Trafford, Huijsen, Ramsey, Mbeumo and Delap look good on paper, albeit potentially unrealistic. Back ups previously bid for have included Guehi, El Khannouss and Pedro. Again, not bad.

 

The issue is we moved onto a second choice stopgap in goal, a third CB, a second choice RW, along with sixth and seventh choice strikers (at which point it was panic stations).

 

Elanga aside, who seemed pretty high up the list (and I kind of get why), last summer always struck me as a failure in execution more than anything else.

 

I totally understand and agree the profile of players may have been too ambitious given the wages we can offer, but I wouldn't call it a scouting failure.

 

 

Edited May 4 by The Prophet

[The Prophet]

3 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

£250m wasted last summer says it is.

 

I don't think all of our signings have been failures

 

Even if I did, there's more to it than scouting.

[Jesse Pinkman]

We'll play on the counter all next season, end up in lower European spots, and this season will be repeated in 27/28.

[Elbel1]

1 hour ago, Weezertron said:

He’s probably pushing against ifs, buts and maybes. Deal in absolutes.

Only a sith deals in absolutes 

[Wallsendmag]

7 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

I don't think all of our signings have been failures

 

Even if I did, there's more to it than scouting.

 

None of them have been a roaring success either. Ultimately it's through scouting that identifies the players that are brought into the football club.

[KetsbaiaIsBald]

People love to use the Alex Ferguson near sacking as an example of why you should stick with a manager.  Off the top of my head I cant think of many more that have gone on to success after having this dip and pressure.  Genuine question are there many other cases?  What comes to my mind is when teams stick in the summer it usually follows a sacking in the winter.  I think we should probably keep Howe but my main concerns is that if things do not go 100% at the start of next season we end up in a negative spin and we lose another season.  

 

 

Edited May 4 by KetsbaiaIsBald