Eddie Howe

[UncleBingo]

9 hours ago, Mountain said:

 

 

Bragging that you used to travel long distances in a van to games 40 years ago is rather sad.

 

All the best fella.

I'm not bragging about it, I'm just putting some context on what a 'supporter' used to mean.

You sound like a disgruntled customer.

[Gawalls]

7 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Plenty did predict that it wasn’t a good signing mind.  I can remember writing on here that I was relieved when Howe’s interest in 2024 didn’t end up amounting to anything.  It was completely foreseeable - it was an unimaginative signing carrying massive amounts of risk given the fee.  Howe and his nephew don’t get off the hook on it. 

Oh plenty did predict it, I work in Nottingham and all the forest fans predicted it at the time to me.

[TheBrownBottle]

12 minutes ago, UncleBingo said:

So were you doing it to support the club, or to be entertained?

A little from column A, a little from column B  

[bobbydazzla]

25 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I'm an expert Bobby, was leaving space for you to talk about the defense

[r0cafella]

Last time I checked it was the customers who were cheering on Ashley's NUFC whilst grumbling that people had the temerity to protest. 

[jackflap]

Is the conventional wisdom that Howe is excellent at developing players becoming a but outdated. The main evidence to support that notion would be Burn, Murphy, Almiron but is the argument that he works really well with gutsy but technically limited players not just as strong. 

[r0cafella]

Just now, jackflap said:

Is the conventional wisdom that Howe is excellent at developing players becoming a but outdated. The main evidence to support that notion would be Burn, Murphy, Almiron but is the argument that he works really well with gutsy but technically limited players not just as strong. 

It's funny you mention this as I was just asking myself which players have we developed who've improved technically? And I couldn't really name any. 

[KaKa]

59 minutes ago, Zero said:

I would say it’s the midfield that’s the problem. Tonali as the only 6 no longer work. We looked much more stable playing both Tonali and Bruno together as 6.

 

May be we couldn’t press that effectively by playing 4231, but ultimately you have to sort out the stability issue first. Thats the first priority. No point getting the goal first and destined to lose it back.

 

Been saying it all season. It's Tonali at the base of that midfield 3 that's throwing everything off, when the team has the ball and when they don't.

 

Couldn't believe the difference having him and Bruno in the double pivot had yesterday. That's the most convinced of Tonali I've been in over a year.

 

I'm somewhat upset with Woltemade for not having more of an impact yesterday, although I understand he needs more time having not been given more opportunities in that role earlier in the season, but it might now mean we don't see more of that setup going forward. If Ramsey had started in that position instead of Woltemade I think we would have destroyed Forest that first half.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Yeah, I thought Woltemade grew into the game to some extent. And obviously should’ve had one great assist. But Ramsey looks much neater and more composed, mentally you can tell he’s a more even and reliable type of player. 
 

Would be very harsh to judge Woltemade without a fair run mind. 

[KaKa]

9 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Yeah, I thought Woltemade grew into the game to some extent. And obviously should’ve had one great assist. But Ramsey looks much neater and more composed, mentally you can tell he’s a more even and reliable type of player. 
 

Would be very harsh to judge Woltemade without a fair run mind. 

 

Agree, Woltemade has to get a run the rest of the season to see if he can improve and to get an idea of it's worth persisting with him in the shape the team started with yesterday.

 

We should already know this by now, as he should have been given more opportunities in this sort of setup, and it's somewhat farcical that it's only happening now with three games left in the season.

 

However, once he is then substituted, just slot Ramsey in there and stop with the damned 4-3-3.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I would get rid of Wissa before Woltemade I think, he just looks useless. Unless we can dominate the ball more next season and create more chances for a poacher.

 

At the moment I’d rather bring Barnes on up front. 

[TRon]

1 hour ago, jackflap said:

Is the conventional wisdom that Howe is excellent at developing players becoming a but outdated. The main evidence to support that notion would be Burn, Murphy, Almiron but is the argument that he works really well with gutsy but technically limited players not just as strong. 

 

I challenged that concept a year ago. 

[TRon]

10 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Gordon and Elanga aren’t technical footballers either.  Elanga is just a runner; Gordon is a more effective runner.  That we’ve played more crosses into the box than any other side and have fuck all to show for it speaks of the footballing intelligence in our play, our wingers, and our coaching / coaches.  Just endless, aimless lobbing the ball into the box with little to no outcome.  It’s like watching Franz Carr all over again. 
 

Bruno and Hall are the only two really adept technical footballers in the side.  Woltemade is more like a technical footballer, but not a particularly good one.   That’s not close to being good enough given just how much money has been spent. 

 

 

Can't argue with any of that. I've thought exactly the same that Bruno and Hall are the most technically adept, and you could argue Miley has potential as well, although he is still developing the more attacking side of it.

 

That said, I can appreciate pace and power as much as anyone, but it still relies on outstanding forwards, and we don't have any. 

[TheBrownBottle]

12 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

 

Can't argue with any of that. I've thought exactly the same that Bruno and Hall are the most technically adept, and you could argue Miley has potential as well, although he is still developing the more attacking side of it.

 

That said, I can appreciate pace and power as much as anyone, but it still relies on outstanding forwards, and we don't have any. 

Yeah, completely agree - nowt wrong with non-technical forwards as long as they’re good; our forward line is fucking dreadful

[The Prophet]

While I agree we need to keep adding better footballers to the squad, you're always going to need an element of physicality, particularly with the way the league is at the moment.

[TRon]

6 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

While I agree we need to keep adding better footballers to the squad, you're always going to need an element of physicality, particularly with the way the league is at the moment.

 

I think all leagues need physicality, it just depends on what the balance is between power and skill. 

 

Just take our CL games for example. We overwhelmed the weaker teams with ease in the group stages, but whenever we came up against the best sides, they just passed all around our press and made us chase shadows. 

 

It's a difficult one though, because they had really good footballers, and they are probably out of our budget. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

23 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

 

Can't argue with any of that. I've thought exactly the same that Bruno and Hall are the most technically adept, and you could argue Miley has potential as well, although he is still developing the more attacking side of it.

 

That said, I can appreciate pace and power as much as anyone, but it still relies on outstanding forwards, and we don't have any. 

 

Gordon is meant to be one of the most intelligent players coming through the England setup. Particularly he was always praised for his great movement, ability to keep defenders guessing and spin inside or outside. Part of the reason he was able to play CF so well in that younger age group tournament. 

 

Doesn't matter too much now he's leaving obviously.

[TRon]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Gordon is meant to be one of the most intelligent players coming through the England setup. Particularly he was always praised for his great movement, ability to keep defenders guessing and spin inside or outside. Part of the reason he was able to play CF so well in that younger age group tournament. 

 

Doesn't matter too much now he's leaving obviously.

 

I still like Gordon although I know a lot of fans hated him even before his desire to move became public. He's not got the tricks of the really top wide players, but he's still top level just because of his pace and relentless running. If he was happy here I would want to keep him as part of any front 3. I think he will be hard to replace. 

[Holmesy]

5 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

I think all leagues need physicality, it just depends on what the balance is between power and skill. 

 

Just take our CL games for example. We overwhelmed the weaker teams with ease in the group stages, but whenever we came up against the best sides, they just passed all around our press and made us chase shadows. 

 

It's a difficult one though, because they had really good footballers, and they are probably out of our budget. 

That's where our style of football hits its ceiling and why people are crying out for us to move to a possession-based approach. Our style is small club overachieving mentality. We can occasionally overawe some of the bigger teams in a one-off game with our intensity, but more often than not they will beat us with their superior passing, movement and control. And now that teams have worked us out, and some of the smaller teams have started adopting possession-based football, we find ourselves behind them in the league.

 

Possession-based football is what all the most successful teams in Europe play, so if we're not transitioning to it, we're also going to be stuck in small club overachieving territory.

[TRon]

3 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

That's where our style of football hits its ceiling and why people are crying out for us to move to a possession-based approach. Our style is small club overachieving mentality. We can occasionally overawe some of the bigger teams in a one-off game with our intensity, but more often than not they will beat us with their superior passing, movement and control. And now that teams have worked us out, and some of the smaller teams have started adopting possession-based football, we find ourselves behind them in the league.

 

Possession-based football is what all the most successful teams in Europe play, so if we're not transitioning to it, we're also going to be stuck in small club overachieving territory.

 

 

The problem is, buying the sort of players who take you to the next level costs SCR busting funds. The teams who have been humiliating us with their superior football tend to have the best players. 

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

3 hours ago, bobbydazzla said:

The biggest issue is defenders who can’t defend.

1 clean sheet in last 22 games.
 

20 goals conceded in the last 15 mins of games.

 

27 points thrown away from winning positions.

 

From the tightest defence in the league in 22/23 to an absolute fucking shambles in 25/26.

 

That takes some doing. 

 

 

 

I agree that generally this season there has been a real sense of fragility in defence. However, it's not just down to our defenders, as a collective team, we don't do enough to see out games. Our midfield stops showing for the ball and doesn't recycle possession effectively. Our forwards can't hold the ball up to relieve pressure and keep the ball high up the pitch.

 

Even when we were (imo) the better team on the day against Forest, we were under unceasing pressure for the last 10 mins because of all those aforementioned issues. Time-after-time our defenders had the ball and were looking up the line or anywhere to a teammate and nobody gave them an outlet. 

 

It's not an excuse for some of the weak defending and errors we've seen this season, but the mental and physical fatigue from constant last-ditch defending would take a toll.

[LFEE]

14 hours ago, joeyt said:

I have to say "well he's not on the pitch" is one of the daftest things I've read on here for a while in defence of a manager

Was in defence of a goal. Too many of you really look into football as some kind of exact science. As if days and days on the training field makes a difference to a full back that had just been clattered reaching the ball.

 

The reaction in some quarters is mental but the blame game is society today more than ever rather than take a reasoned approach.

 

I think it’s clear there is a lot of people on here just need a break from NUFC 

 

I think I’m the only one excited about the changes ahead. If you’d aren’t getting any joy out of it then just have a break.

 

PS Fixtures are released in just over a month 

[bobbydazzla]

11 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

I agree that generally this season there has been a real sense of fragility in defence. However, it's not just down to our defenders, as a collective team, we don't do enough to see out games. Our midfield stops showing for the ball and doesn't recycle possession effectively. Our forwards can't hold the ball up to relieve pressure and keep the ball high up the pitch.

 

Even when we were (imo) the better team on the day against Forest, we were under unceasing pressure for the last 10 mins because of all those aforementioned issues. Time-after-time our defenders had the ball and were looking up the line or anywhere to a teammate and nobody gave them an outlet. 

 

It's not an excuse for some of the weak defending and errors we've seen this season, but the mental and physical fatigue from constant last-ditch defending would take a toll.

 

Aye, agree with that. As team we're incapable of keeping clean sheets and protecting a decent position and that's down to all 11 players on the pitch, not just the back 4/5 and keeper.

 

But my reply was to someone who had highlighted the weaknesses of our midfielders, strikers and wingers and I felt that the defenders also needed to be included in the criticism.

 

 

[The Prophet]

2 hours ago, jackflap said:

Is the conventional wisdom that Howe is excellent at developing players becoming a but outdated. The main evidence to support that notion would be Burn, Murphy, Almiron but is the argument that he works really well with gutsy but technically limited players not just as strong. 

 

Difficult to say coming off the back of such a dumpster fire of a season.

 

Up until this summer, fair to say Krafth, Schar, Lascelles, Burn, Hall, Bruno, Joelinton, Almiron, Murphy, Isak and Gordon had all hit peaks not previously seen (even if those were solid, but unspectacular).

 

Pope, Tino and Botman have regressed, largely due to injury. Tonali has been all over the shop in terms of form, while Barnes and Wilson had been pretty steady.

 

I'd say overall he is excellent at developing players, but he's still learning to do that playing twice a week, every week.

[Holmesy]

5 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

 

The problem is, buying the sort of players who take you to the next level costs SCR busting funds. The teams who have been humiliating us with their superior football tend to have the best players. 

The teams that have been humiliating us in the league have smaller budgets than us. We're not going to be able to compete with the likes of Barca and Real Madrid any time soon but we shouldn't be routinely losing to teams like Bournemouth, Brighton and Sunderland. If it's a one-off fluke, fair enough but it's happening all the time. 

And if we ever want to compete with the big boys, we have to start by putting the right foundations in place to do that. That's the kind of transition season most of us would accept - a drop off in form as we openly move to a different playing style. 

 

It's not just that we've been crap (we have), it's that the teams that used to be below us in the league play more progressive football than we do and buy players that suit that style.

 

Players with good technically qualities that don't cost a fortune are out there, we just don't seem to be interested in them.