Eddie Howe

[TheEntertainer]

1 hour ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Bournemouth just finished 6th. Sunderland were 7th, Brighton 8th and Brentford 9th. It should absolutely not take a miracle to finish above that lot.

Yeah the opinion that top 5 is very difficult because we should be finishing 7th based on our financial means makes no sense to me. There were 3 points between 7th and 6th and 6 points between 7th and 5th, it's hardly a chasm. I agree we should be aiming for around 7th, but that makes 5th very achievable, not virtually impossible. If we can finish 7th, we can finish 5th, not saying we should expect it, but we shouldn't be talking like it's virtually impossible. 

[Skeletor]

The perceived difficulty is probably because this season made us feel very negatively about our squad, not because the competition is so far ahead.

[Wallsendmag]

Personally I thought the league was of very poor quality last season. Arsenal basically won it on set piece goals, Man City nowhere near consistent enough to put genuine pressure on them, the defending Champions were awful and lost 12 games,  Bournemouth finished 6th despite losing their best players and a newly promoted team finished 7th on a negative goal difference.

 

Top 6 has to be the aim next season especially with no European distractions.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

7 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

Personally I thought the league was of very poor quality last season. Arsenal basically won it on set piece goals, Man City nowhere near consistent enough to put genuine pressure on them, the defending Champions were awful and lost 12 games,  Bournemouth finished 6th despite losing their best players and a newly promoted team finished 7th on a negative goal difference.

 

Top 6 has to be the aim next season especially with no European distractions.

 

It was low quality in a way but it was very competitive and no points came easily to anyone really. 

[Wallsendmag]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

It was low quality in a way but it was very competitive and no points came easily to anyone really. 

 

I just thought the standard and quality of football throughout was poor. Barely watched a game from start to finish that didn't involve us (even switched a few of ours off well before the end) as I found the vast majority of them boring as hell and that's not like me.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 minute ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

I just thought the standard and quality of football throughout was poor. Barely watched a game from start to finish that didn't involve us (even switched a few of ours off well before the end) as I found the vast majority of them boring as hell and that's not like me.

 

Yeah I completely agree, I'm just saying the quality being low doesn't necessarily mean that it's easier to collect a higher points total. 

[TRon]

6 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

It was low quality in a way but it was very competitive and no points came easily to anyone really. 

 

 

It was very competitive in a Sam Allardyce sort of way. Everyone in tactical cunt mode with set pieces and low blocks being used to snuff out any form of creativity. 

[Wallsendmag]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Yeah I completely agree, I'm just saying the quality being low doesn't necessarily mean that it's easier to collect a higher points total. 

 

Yeah I see what you're saying but in a regular season I don't think there's a hope in hells chance of a newly promoted Sunderland finishing 7th on 54 points with a -6 GD as an example. 

[TRC]

Last season just felt like everyone was so tired. I’d expect the same next season with the World Cup and one of the reasons why we should keep Tonali as he’s probably one of the best players not to be going to the World Cup so will be fresh.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

In a way the nature of the league was uniquely bad for a team like us. Physically tired in a competitive league and not having the ability to just keep the ball and kill games off. 

[NUFC91]

51 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

In a way the nature of the league was uniquely bad for a team like us. Physically tired in a competitive league and not having the ability to just keep the ball and kill games off. 

 

That's just an excuse really, we played our final 7 games with a 3 week break and played once a week.

[TheEntertainer]

I think the problem was everyone was keeping it tight and trying to nick goals through set pieces and our game relies on high tempo pressing and counter attacks which is hard to do when teams aren't committing forwards and aren't really taking risks. Forest and Liverpool both play a similar way and they both had bad seasons as well (though there were other factors for both of them). We didn't have a plan B and then our confidence went and that was that. 

[Jonas]

7 hours ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

It was low quality in a way but it was very competitive and no points came easily to anyone really. 

Don Bradman theory in action.

Nobody particularly good, nobody particularly bad making for a shit spectacle.

[sanyi75]

18 hours ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Bournemouth just finished 6th. Sunderland were 7th, Brighton 8th and Brentford 9th. It should absolutely not take a miracle to finish above that lot.

That's exactly why it should be a miracle, because even with these teams we have to take it into account. Of course I would like us to finish in the top 6, and I'm rooting for it, but: Liverpool will strengthen significantly, Chelsea too, Mcity is still strong, just like Arsenal, Emery will ask for players, there's also MU. We should strengthen in every position, and here is the problem that should be solved, but the rivals have the advantage.

[Optimistic Nut]

17 hours ago, black_n_white said:

We should be aiming for 6th next season.

 

Arsenal, City, Liverpool & Man U top 4.

Us, Chelsea, Villa & Spurs competing. 

 

Hopefully Europe takes its toll on Brighton, Bournemouth &: Sunderland. 

[NUFC91]

41 minutes ago, sanyi75 said:

That's exactly why it should be a miracle, because even with these teams we have to take it into account. Of course I would like us to finish in the top 6, and I'm rooting for it, but: Liverpool will strengthen significantly, Chelsea too, Mcity is still strong, just like Arsenal, Emery will ask for players, there's also MU. We should strengthen in every position, and here is the problem that should be solved, but the rivals have the advantage.

 

Finishing above Sunderland, Brighton and Bournemouth should be an none negotiable, far bigger budget and spendings than them 3. 

[sanyi75]

17 hours ago, TheEntertainer said:

I think the problem was everyone was keeping it tight and trying to nick goals through set pieces and our game relies on high tempo pressing and counter attacks which is hard to do when teams aren't committing forwards and aren't really taking risks. Forest and Liverpool both play a similar way and they both had bad seasons as well (though there were other factors for both of them). We didn't have a plan B and then our confidence went and that was that. 

Very good summary, and here the big question mark is whether Howe is able to change, in tactics, formation, and in choosing the right people. I'm a little angry with him now because now the European Cup could have been easily reached, and we scattered a lot of points, he still deserves a chance.

[The College Dropout]

20 hours ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Bournemouth just finished 6th. Sunderland were 7th, Brighton 8th and Brentford 9th. It should absolutely not take a miracle to finish above that lot.

That required under performance from

us, Spurs and Chelsea. You can’t expect those club will underperform again. 

[The College Dropout]

All of us Chelsea, Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Man U, Villa and Spurs should be aiming for top 6. We all can’t get it. 
 

The extra games for most of the traditional mid pack should be a killer for them.  Expect them all to finish bottom half 

[Wallsendmag]

4 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

That required under performance from

us, Spurs and Chelsea. You can’t expect those club will underperform again. 

 

Spurs have finished 4th bottom for 2 seasons in a row. When does them being a top 6 team not be seen as a normality? To go from 17th 2 years running to top 6 would take a miraculous turnaround. Chelsea have a very good manager now so they'll undoubtedly move back into top 6. Villa have CL football next season and may well drop out of it.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Wallsendmag said:

 

Spurs have finished 4th bottom for 2 seasons in a row. When does them being a top 6 team not be seen as a normality? To go from 17th 2 years running to top 6 would take a miraculous turnaround. Chelsea have a very good manager now so they'll undoubtedly move back into top 6. Villa have CL football next season and may well drop out of it.

Their squad will be top 8 in terms of squad cost and wages. It will not be a miraculous turnaround to finish 6th with no European football, a good manager and a good transfer window and better luck with injury. 

[Monters]

3 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Spurs have finished 4th bottom for 2 seasons in a row. When does them being a top 6 team not be seen as a normality? To go from 17th 2 years running to top 6 would take a miraculous turnaround. Chelsea have a very good manager now so they'll undoubtedly move back into top 6. Villa have CL football next season and may well drop out of it.

Would assume flavour of the month manager, potential spend and media bias play a large part. 
 

Personally I don’t think they’ll make the jump but do they think they’ll be aiming there, as we should be too. 
 

Depending on how the season goes I’m not sure failure to make top 6 should lead to automatic sacking but others may do and I can understand the thinking. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don’t think a sacking should ever be based on league position really, with the exception of relegation maybe. 

[Monters]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I don’t think a sacking should ever be based on league position really, with the exception of relegation maybe. 

Totally agree! 

[Wallsendmag]

4 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I don’t think a sacking should ever be based on league position really, with the exception of relegation maybe. 

 

If we finish 17th next season I'll 100% be calling for the managers sacking!