Eddie Howe

[Holmesy]

1 minute ago, Pixelphish said:

Intensely unlikeable as well. 

There was an Arsenal fan on Talkshit yesterday saying he can't understand why everyone wants them to lose, and it doesn't happen to other clubs when they challenge. Firstly, it does. 
But perhaps not as intensely as with Arsenal because their fans are insufferable, their football is turgid, their manager is a colossal wanker and they get away with murder. They're like the ManUre of old but without the good football.

 

[Robster]

6 minutes ago, Milburn said:

I haven’t felt this down about the club since the Ashley / Steve Bruce days.

 

I’ve lost faith in Eddie Howe. The bizarre team selections, the rigid tactics, the constant leads thrown away… it just feels like the same problems repeating over and over with no real sign of change. Personally, I’d be surprised if he’s still here by Christmas.

 

Regardless of all that, have to back the team and the manager while he’s here. 

What the hell. That must be a joke.

It's a disappointing season but come on.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 minute ago, Milburn said:

I haven’t felt this down about the club since the Ashley / Steve Bruce days.

 

I’ve lost faith in Eddie Howe. The bizarre team selections, the rigid tactics, the constant leads thrown away… it just feels like the same problems repeating over and over with no real sign of change. Personally, I’d be surprised if he’s still here by Christmas.

 

Regardless of all that, have to back the team and the manager while he’s here. 

 

I mean, objectively this is probably the worst time since the takeover, that's not too controversial. 

 

But surely you're not anywhere near as hopeless as we were under Ashley. This is just a normal bad football season, that was existential. 

[Collage]

18 minutes ago, Begbie said:

If you ignore the details everything is simular. Do you think our team is better now than we where in 22/23? Or 23/24? Or 25/26? Imho no, not as a team. Artetas team do you think they are better now than previous years? Big yes. 

 

Cmon..Howe has the final saying so he gets the praise and blame - when he signed Isak, Gordon etc he was a mastermind, and this summer he had nothing to do about it. If Howe said no to Elanga do you think we would have signed him? Lets just be honest about it, everyone makes mistakes now and then, and some mistakes you loose your job like kissing a coworker on a cold play concert.

 

Btw: this discussion is not about Howe in or out, its about comparing him to Artetas case at Arsenal.

Fair. But this season might just be a bump in the road, we don't know that. Up until this season there has been steady progress.

[bobbydazzla]

26 minutes ago, Begbie said:

If you ignore the details everything is simular. Do you think our team is better now than we where in 22/23? Or 23/24? Or 25/26? Imho no, not as a team. Artetas team do you think they are better now than previous years? Big yes. 

 

Cmon..Howe has the final saying so he gets the praise and blame - when he signed Isak, Gordon etc he was a mastermind, and this summer he had nothing to do about it. If Howe said no to Elanga do you think we would have signed him? Lets just be honest about it, everyone makes mistakes now and then, and some mistakes you loose your job like kissing a coworker on a cold play concert.

 

Btw: this discussion is not about Howe in or out, its about comparing him to Artetas case at Arsenal.

 

Come on now, this forum has standards to maintain.

 

"and some mistakes you lose your job like kissing a co-worker at a Coldplay concert"

 

And FWIW I think the act of simply going to a Coldplay concert should be justification for someone losing their job, regardless of whether they kiss a co-worker.

 

 

 

[Groundhog63]

1 minute ago, bobbydazzla said:

 

Come on now, this forum has standards to maintain.

 

"and some mistakes you lose your job like kissing a co-worker at a Coldplay concert"

 

And FWIW I think the act of simply going to a Coldplay concert should be justification for someone losing their job, regardless of whether they kiss a co-worker.

 

 

 

If I win tickets to the World Cup Final I'm walking out at half time 

[Milburn]

12 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

I mean, objectively this is probably the worst time since the takeover, that's not too controversial. 

 

But surely you're not anywhere near as hopeless as we were under Ashley. This is just a normal bad football season, that was existential. 

Rationally, no. It’s obviously nowhere near as hopeless or toxic as the Ashley/Bruce era. That was genuine stagnation and decay.

 

But emotionally? This is probably the lowest I’ve felt since then, because for the first time since the takeover I genuinely don’t believe in the direction under the current manager anymore.

[Astroblack]

Know we’ve had some bad results this season but there HAVE been good moments. 
 

Beat Man U with 10 men

Beat Man City - Barnes double

Beat Chelsea

 

Fa Cup win against Villa away. I’m conditioned to think we’ll crash out of cups. 
 

League Cup semi, lost to the eventual champions, Man City cyborgs

 

beating Bilbao 2-0 in the CL, beating PSV, drawing against the beat team in the world 1–1 PSG. Smashing Quarabag 9-2. 
 

Yeah, we lost to Barca but it was 3-3 on aggregate up until the 44th minute at the Camp Nou. BTW Spanish champions
 

We’ve lost a lot of games by one goal. Our biggest PL deficit was three goals against Liverpool. 
 

He’s changed the culture. Long live the king. 

 

 

Edited May 11 by Astroblack

[TRC]

If he stays the pressure is truly on though so we better make sure he still has it as another step back and an in season replacement would be a disaster.

 

 

[TK-421]

I have a feeling, that he may walk once the season has finished, and the decision may already have been taken.

Before the 'summit' with PIF, loads of people were commenting that he looked jaded & tired in pressers and post-match.

 

Then the summit meeting at Matfen, and the presser following that, he seemed a lot brighter compared to previous weeks, almost like a weight had been lifted.

Now, this could be due to reassurances from PIF, but it could also be that he has decided he's taken the club/team as far as he can, and has decided to walk away. However, I think EH wouldn't want it to be announced until the season finished, as he wouldn't want the focus of the final matches and specifically the final home match to be on him. We haven't had an official word of the clubs support and him staying on, just that report from Ornstein.

I may be wrong, but its just a feeling I have.

 

[Jonas]

22 minutes ago, Astroblack said:

Know we’ve had some bad results this season but there HAVE been good moments. 
 

Beat Man U with 10 men

Beat Man City - Barnes double

Beat Chelsea

 

Fa Cup win against Villa away. I’m conditioned to think we’ll crash out of cups. 
 

League Cup semi, lost to the eventual champions, Man City cyborgs

 

beating Bilbao 2-0 in the CL, beating PSV, drawing against the beat team in the world 1–1 PSG. Smashing Quarabag 9-2. 
 

Yeah, we lost to Barca but it was 3-3 on aggregate up until the 44th minute at the Camp Nou. BTW Spanish champions
 

We’ve lost a lot of games by one goal. Our biggest PL deficit was three goals against Liverpool. 
 

He’s changed the culture. Long live the king. 

 

 

 

Damning by faint praise most of that.

Half of those achievements should go without saying.

 

 

Edited May 11 by Jonas

[Astroblack]

13 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Damning by faint praise most of that.

Half of those achievements should go without saying.

 

 

 

Only because he’s set the bar so god damn high. 

[Wallsendmag]

22 minutes ago, TK-421 said:

I have a feeling, that he may walk once the season has finished, and the decision may already have been taken.

Before the 'summit' with PIF, loads of people were commenting that he looked jaded & tired in pressers and post-match.

 

Then the summit meeting at Matfen, and the presser following that, he seemed a lot brighter compared to previous weeks, almost like a weight had been lifted.

Now, this could be due to reassurances from PIF, but it could also be that he has decided he's taken the club/team as far as he can, and has decided to walk away. However, I think EH wouldn't want it to be announced until the season finished, as he wouldn't want the focus of the final matches and specifically the final home match to be on him. We haven't had an official word of the clubs support and him staying on, just that report from Ornstein.

I may be wrong, but its just a feeling I have.

 

 

I have a feeling your feeling may prove correct. Forget the performances and the results for a minute there's justsomething different about him now when you compare his interviews and press conferences from a few years ago. 

 

Not sure if he's just genuinely knackered, or if he's lost his mojo a bit but his press conferences and pre match interviews just seem to lack that bit spark that they used to. As a supporter they don't really give you the belief that he can turn this around.

 

Always remember that clip in the dressing room before the Man Utd game when he said, "If they want a quick game then we'll give them a fucking quick game!!" You couldn't fail to get pumped up as a player the way he was going on in there. We tore them to bits that day. Wonder if he's still like that? Not sure if he is.

 

I actually do hope he walks after the Fulham game. I think he probably has run his course here but at the same time I don't want to see him sacked either (I don't think he gets sacked in the summer regardless fwiw) so that's best case scenario for me.

[Jonas]

17 minutes ago, Astroblack said:

Only because he’s set the bar so god damn high. 

No because Bilbao/PSV are PL relegation fodder - Quarabag not even, we had a comfortable LC run until we got City, most of our managers have won at Villa who aren't supposed to be distinctly better than us that beating them with 10men is an achievement and Dalglish only lost by more the two goals once too iirc (Leeds)

 

 

Edited May 11 by Jonas

[AyeDubbleYoo]

43 minutes ago, TK-421 said:

I have a feeling, that he may walk once the season has finished, and the decision may already have been taken.

Before the 'summit' with PIF, loads of people were commenting that he looked jaded & tired in pressers and post-match.

 

Then the summit meeting at Matfen, and the presser following that, he seemed a lot brighter compared to previous weeks, almost like a weight had been lifted.

Now, this could be due to reassurances from PIF, but it could also be that he has decided he's taken the club/team as far as he can, and has decided to walk away. However, I think EH wouldn't want it to be announced until the season finished, as he wouldn't want the focus of the final matches and specifically the final home match to be on him. We haven't had an official word of the clubs support and him staying on, just that report from Ornstein.

I may be wrong, but its just a feeling I have.

 

Couldn’t the same signs mean he’s being kept on? 

[Astroblack]

4 minutes ago, Jonas said:

No because Bilbao/PSV are PL relegation fodder - Quarabag not even, we had a comfortable LC run until we got City, most of our managers have won at Villa who aren't supposed to be distinctly better than us that beating them with 10men is an achievement and Dalglish only lost by more the two goals once too iirc (Leeds)

 

 

 

 

Something tells me you dismissed all of SBR's achievements the moment he didn't pick as many points in 2004 as he should have and you thought Souness was the man because he had a decent start. 

 

BIG PICTURE. C'mon. This man beat Liverpool in League Cup final. Teams like US don't beat teams like Liverpool in regular games, let alone a cup final. 

 

 

[Holmesy]

16 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

I have a feeling your feeling may prove correct. Forget the performances and the results for a minute there's justsomething different about him now when you compare his interviews and press conferences from a few years ago. 

 

Not sure if he's just genuinely knackered, or if he's lost his mojo a bit but his press conferences and pre match interviews just seem to lack that bit spark that they used to. As a supporter they don't really give you the belief that he can turn this around.

 

Always remember that clip in the dressing room before the Man Utd game when he said, "If they want a quick game then we'll give them a fucking quick game!!" You couldn't fail to get pumped up as a player the way he was going on in there. We tore them to bits that day. Wonder if he's still like that? Not sure if he is.

 

I actually do hope he walks after the Fulham game. I think he probably has run his course here but at the same time I don't want to see him sacked either (I don't think he gets sacked in the summer regardless fwiw) so that's best case scenario for me.

He might have lost belief in his own ability as well tbh. There could be a crisis of confidence going on.

[TK-421]

5 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Couldn’t the same signs mean he’s being kept on? 

 

Possibly, and I did say that.

 

It's just my feeling, based on nothing more than conjecture.

[jackflap]

2 hours ago, Zero said:

I can accept a transitional season if the time was effectively used for rebuilding and recreating a new formation / tactics.

 

But honestly ask yourself, did Howe really make good use of this season by implementing new formation / tactics or training up new players / youngsters? Did the new players fitting in well?
 

We all know the answer. Howe just kept on doing the same thing again and again and again. This is, honestly speaking, fucking waste of time.
 

Osula is the only discovery, but it’s even more bizarre - if he’s the answer why don’t we just started him last August and stop paying the extraordinary fee for Wissa?

 

You can’t defend Howe by simply saying “transitional season, let it go”. There are a lot of things you should do during a transitional season. 

 

This is what has me most concerned about Howe, last few games we've reverted to things we know don't work in the long run. Burn at LB, Murphy at RW(understandable with Elanga rank I guess) Willock at LW last weekend when he's on his way out most likely. You can't describe this as a transitional season as we haven't transitioned to anything, haven't learnt anything except that last summers recruitment was a disaster.

[jackflap]

Don't want to be overly negative but I think looking back at last season there were warning signs and it wasn't as good as it looks on paper. Carabao success was fantastic but I don't think we should be blinded by it. The league was very weak, Liverpool won it easily, Palace won the FA Cup. Traditional top 6 teams had off seasons. We were playing only once a week and picked up most points during a spell when Isak was unstoppable, very reliant on fortress St James overall. Away record was poor. Villa who I'd consider our main rival almost finished above us despite getting to the QF of the CL and semis of the FA Cup. 

[bobbydazzla]

If I had to sum up this season I'd say it was very consistent rather than in any way transitional.

• Consistently throwing away leads
• Consistently shipping late goals to drop points 
• Consistently playing the same formation and tactics

If there's one thing you can say about this version of Howe's NUFC is that we rarely conjure up a surprise.

 

We're as much of a certainty as taxes and death.

 

 

 

Edited May 11 by bobbydazzla

[AyeDubbleYoo]

11 minutes ago, jackflap said:

Don't want to be overly negative but I think looking back at last season there were warning signs and it wasn't as good as it looks on paper. Carabao success was fantastic but I don't think we should be blinded by it. The league was very weak, Liverpool won it easily, Palace won the FA Cup. Traditional top 6 teams had off seasons. We were playing only once a week and picked up most points during a spell when Isak was unstoppable, very reliant on fortress St James overall. Away record was poor. Villa who I'd consider our main rival almost finished above us despite getting to the QF of the CL and semis of the FA Cup. 

When we have a bad season do you go and run through all the mitigating factors that we should take into account? 

[The Prophet]

5 minutes ago, jackflap said:

Don't want to be overly negative but I think looking back at last season there were warning signs and it wasn't as good as it looks on paper. Carabao success was fantastic but I don't think we should be blinded by it. The league was very weak, Liverpool won it easily, Palace won the FA Cup. Traditional top 6 teams had off seasons. We were playing only once a week and picked up most points during a spell when Isak was unstoppable, very reliant on fortress St James overall. Away record was poor. Villa who I'd consider our main rival almost finished above us despite getting to the QF of the CL and semis of the FA Cup. 

 

The league is arguably even weaker this season, with traditional top six members looking vulnerable again.

 

We had two excellent spells during the 24/25 season. One of them Isak was electric, the other he was anonymous, so much so it was speculated he had an injury.

 

We were 10th in the away table, but one of a number of teams running up to 6th who finished on 28 points. Brighton and City who were 5th and 4th in the away table took 29 points on the road. Hardly a disaster. 

 

Villa finished below us.

 

All in all, revisionist nonsense.

[Alberto2005]

Given Ornstein's comments, do we think he is definitely staying or do people still have doubts?

[Maggies]

With a decent summer, I can easily see Howe getting us back in to Europe next season. He’s proven this twice.

 

But I just can’t see how he gets us any further as the flaws are too fundamental. He’s also proven this twice.

Assuming the pattern continues (big assumption as Howe needs to prove he can do it without Ratface) then how do we break the cycle? Sack Howe next summer?