Eddie Howe

[McDog]

Just now, Jonas said:

They'd be happier tonight to be sitting 10th and out of the league cup just so long as we'd won tonight. Tomorrow and yesterday doesn't matter, just the instant gratification of not feeling bad this instant.

 

How many days since we restricted the best team in the country to a few half-chances on their own ground.

We only play that team because we've a very important game on Tuesday.

 

 

I struggle to call the League Cup important but getting some silverware and the goodwill and confidence it would generate I do get it. Getting to a cup final would be exciting for everyone.

[NEEJ]

36 minutes ago, RS said:

That result will drop us down the League significantly.  Being beaten by a third division team is a massive hit for morale

Aye, just like it did last time. We absolutely tanked, didn't we? 

[TheBrownBottle]

7 minutes ago, Jonas said:

They'd be happier tonight to be sitting 10th and out of the league cup just so long as we'd won tonight. Tomorrow and yesterday doesn't matter, just the instant gratification of not feeling bad this instant.

 

How many days since we restricted the best team in the country to a few half-chances on their own ground.

We only play that team because we've a very important game on Tuesday.

Straw man argument for me.  It’s hardly one or the other.

[Chris_R]

20 minutes ago, RS said:

35 minutes would have beat them.  Hereford these were not.  Bad decision unless it was to force some spending. 

 

What if it didn't? You wanted 35 minutes but we played most of our first team for the last 36 minutes (counting stoppage time) and only scored one. We also conceded one! So 35 minutes would have been no guarantee to beat them, because it didn't tonight.

 

For the other 60 minutes, our reserves lost 1-0. So, what if we'd done as you asked and started with the first team players, and were 1-1 after 35 minutes? What then? Keep them on? How long for? We've seen a 1 goal lead wouldn't be enough (Fancy our reserve players in a shootout? I don't), so surely you need at least 2? There's no guarantees in football. We could easily have gotten to 60-70 minutes without being 2 clear, then our players are fucked for the next match.

 

But then you have to play them in that one because if you cannot rest them for a FA Cup 3rd round match, you sure as fuck can't rest them for a LC Quarter Final. But because they're tired and playing PL opposition, they could easily lose that too. But they'll play the full 90 and so will be even more knackered to face Fulham, who we must beat to keep our top 4 ambitions alive.

 

You see the problem yet? We have a good first XI but a shit, paper-thin squad. We can't fight on all fronts this season, it's not possible.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Chris_R

[Theregulars]

I think we have 15 players who are up to standard. Pope, Trippier, Botman, Burn, Schär, Targett, Shelvey, Bruno, Willock, Longstaff, Joelinton, Almiron, ASM, Wilson, Isak. 
 

Obviously we can’t just bin half a squad off that quickly, so we have to remove and replace over a few years. This is the inevitable price of being taken over from a position of significant weakness. 
 

As I said in the match thread, desperately unlucky that ASM, Shelvey and Targett were out, and that Isak was rusty.  
 

I’d hope that, sensibly, they add 1-2 players this month capable of filling in / competing for a first team place. It’s hard to find players in January to whom you can’t guarantee a start and whose clubs may not be willing sellers, or who may fully understand our weakness and shaft us on price. 
 

It’s just reality and it sucks today because it’s embarrassing to lose to a league 1 club. We’ve just got to rinse it off and focus on the tasks at hand now. 

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, Theregulars said:

I think we have 15 players who are up to standard. Pope, Trippier, Botman, Burn, Schär, Targett, Shelvey, Bruno, Willock, Longstaff, Joelinton, Almiron, ASM, Wilson, Isak. 
 

Obviously we can’t just bin half a squad off that quickly, so we have to remove and replace over a few years. This is the inevitable price of being taken over from a position of significant weakness. 
 

As I said in the match thread, desperately unlucky that ASM, Shelvey and Targett were out, and that Isak was rusty.  
 

I’d hope that, sensibly, they add 1-2 players this month capable of filling in / competing for a first team place. It’s hard to find players in January to whom you can’t guarantee a start and whose clubs may not be willing sellers, or who may fully understand our weakness and shaft us on price. 
 

It’s just reality and it sucks today because it’s embarrassing to lose to a league 1 club. We’ve just got to rinse it off and focus on the tasks at hand now. 

Agreed - though I’d add Dubravka as a decent backup keeper (assuming he stays). 

[RS]

Let’s be honest. The man is performing premiership miracles. That team he put out against Sheffield wed would be rock bottom of the premier league. 
 

No giant killing when a second 11 is as bad as we have. Just embarrassing. 
 

 

[Theregulars]

8 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Agreed - though I’d add Dubravka as a decent backup keeper (assuming he stays). 

I’m not convinced about him at the moment; he’s made enough mistakes over the last 18 months to have the jury out. It’s compounded because we’ve been treated to 6 months of a great keeper, and it makes his shortcomings more obvious. I thought the Manchester United move was bizarre and it’s not done any favours to anybody, except loris karius’ bank balance.

 

But yeh, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to include him and make it 16. 

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, Theregulars said:

I’m not convinced about him at the moment; he’s made enough mistakes over the last 18 months to have the jury out. It’s compounded because we’ve been treated to 6 months of a great keeper, and it makes his shortcomings more obvious. I thought the Manchester United move was bizarre and it’s not done any favours to anybody, except loris karius’ bank balance.

 

But yeh, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to include him and make it 16. 

With you 100% on all of that - but he’s ok as a squad player for me.  In complete agreement with your squad selections - which tells us we’re roughly eight in/out transfers away from being a really top squad

[Jonas]

51 minutes ago, McDog said:

 

 

I struggle to call the League Cup important but getting some silverware and the goodwill and confidence it would generate I do get it. Getting to a cup final would be exciting for everyone.

A League cup quarter-final is more important than an FA Cup 3rd round game surely to goodness.

Same vice-versa.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Jonas

[Jonas]

42 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Straw man argument for me.  It’s hardly one or the other.

It is. No Quarter-Final and not challenging for top 4 - we play a full strength team today and win.

Unless people expect to win every game or go through the season using 14 players.

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, Jonas said:

It is. No Quarter-Final and not challenging for top 4 - we play a full strength team today and win.

Unless people expect to win every game or go through the season using 14 players.

It is unprovable that playing a stronger XI today results in failure in those two fixtures.

 

Just as playing the starting XI we did today doesn’t mean success in those fixtures.

 

It is still possible that we lose Tuesday and Sunday regardless.

[huss9]

1 hour ago, RS said:

That result will drop us down the League significantly.  Being beaten by a third division team is a massive hit for morale

didnt affect morale last season.

[The Prophet]

Come the end of the Arenal game we had players blowing out their arses, coming off with cramp, the lot. It was horrible, physical encounter. Howe will be fully aware who does and doesn't need a rest.

 

With another midweek game next week, Howe had to make a call as to when to rest those players that need one. He chose to rest the lot in a first round cup tie against League One opposition. We know all about the drop off from the first team, but the side he put out tonight created enough chances to win the game.

 

The alternative was phased resting across today and either a cup quarter final or a winnable league game. He made he correct call for me. 

[The Prophet]

1 hour ago, RS said:

That result will drop us down the League significantly.  Being beaten by a third division team is a massive hit for morale

 

...and if we beat Leicester? 

 

Last season, we lost to Stevenage and went on an eight game unbeaten streak, winning six of those.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by The Prophet

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

 

...and if we beat Leicester? 

I’ll be delighted.  But it wouldn’t prove that today’s starting XI was the reason for the victory - correlation / causation etc etc

[Jonas]

9 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

It is unprovable that playing a stronger XI today results in failure in those two fixtures.

 

Just as playing the starting XI we did today doesn’t mean success in those fixtures.

 

It is still possible that we lose Tuesday and Sunday regardless.

Its unprovable that playing your strongest XI every game will tire players out and fuck up your season completely because no coach does it for, presumably, reasons unknown.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Jonas

[The Prophet]

Just now, TheBrownBottle said:

I’ll be delighted.  But it wouldn’t prove that today’s starting XI was the reason for the victory - correlation / causation etc etc

 

...and a loss wouldn't prove that it had knocked morale either. My point is that I doubt it will have much bearing on our season. 

[TheBrownBottle]

2 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Its unprovable that playing your strongest XI every game will tire players out and fuck up your season completely because no coach does it for, presumably, reasons unknown.

 

 

 

I’m not arguing against rotation - I’m arguing that the Sheff Wed match saw too many changes and a few poor decisions

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

...and a loss wouldn't prove that it had knocked morale either. My point is that I doubt it will have much bearing on our season. 

I agree, I don’t think it will impact morale either

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, Menace said:

I genuinely can't believe we're third with the depth this squad has. We have a very decent core 11. The rest is championship tier at best. 

 

We're very fortunate to have him and people need a reminder we still have players like Hendrick on our pay roll.

 

Imagine in a few years when even our bench is full of players drilled exactly with how he wants them to play and are levels above the dross we currently have.

Even our first team has players that are basically performing miracles compared to their on-paper ability. Howe has been outrageously good. 

[Ginola]

1 hour ago, RS said:

That result will drop us down the League significantly.  Being beaten by a third division team is a massive hit for morale

Tell me you're an idiot without telling me you're an idiot

[bhoywhonder]

He fucked this up today, playing that first eleven riddled with sub-par garbage like Lewis, Murphy and Ritchie, match-unfit Isak, Lascelles and Manquillo? then expecting the cavalry to save things with 30 min left with the damage already done? Poor.

[elbee909]

The reality of not being able to compete on all fronts.

[nemtizz]

4 hours ago, RS said:

That result will drop us down the League significantly.  Being beaten by a third division team is a massive hit for morale

 
Beg you stop posting.

[LV]

1 hour ago, bhoywhonder said:

He fucked this up today, playing that first eleven riddled with sub-par garbage like Lewis, Murphy and Ritchie, match-unfit Isak, Lascelles and Manquillo? then expecting the cavalry to save things with 30 min left with the damage already done? Poor.

How would you have played it?