Eddie Howe

[Optimistic Nut]

Wonder if the same journalists and media outlets who were banging the "same number of defeats as upto March last season" drum will now start proclaiming how we've now won more games than this stage last season then. 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Optimistic Nut

[The College Dropout]

How well coaches do people think we’ve looked this season?

[The Butcher]

Needed that

[Likelylad]

Love the fact he mentioned that he was off to watch/review the Milan derby tonight.

Bloke lives and breathes it. Have an early night man Eddie. 

[Kid Icarus]

You can tell he wasn't happy with the performance 

[Heron]

2 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Wonder if the same journalists and media outlets who were banging the "same number of defeats as upto March last season" drum will now start proclaiming how we've now won more games than this stage last season then. 

 

 

 

Very valid. Points win prizes.

[Gallowgate Toon]

I think he'll only make one change for Tuesday... Tonali for Anderson.

[Wilson]

4 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Wonder if the same journalists and media outlets who were banging the "same number of defeats as upto March last season" drum will now start proclaiming how we've now won more games than this stage last season then. 

 

 

 

 

Don't be daft. You silly sausage. 

[mikejaxer]

1 hour ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

I think he'll only make one change for Tuesday... Tonali for Anderson.

I'd make the same but it depends on if Tonali is 100% fit.

[GideonShandy]

Isak for Barnes

[Stottie]

After the five hardest opening fixtures anyone can remember, we are fourth in the league in xG against. Pope's not been on top form, so actual goals against is higher. Two unlikely finishes from Nunez, who's missing easier chances against everyone else, didn't help either. Our defending against Brighton was more uncharacteristic error-strewn than systematically poor. We lost the midfield battle, but everyone does against Brighton. 

 

We've struggled a bit to create, but c'mon, Man City and Brighton away. Our group games in the CL Group of Death may prove easier. I expect more goal involvements from Barnes and Gordon as we learn to use their talents.

[Optimistic Nut]

50 minutes ago, Stottie said:

After the five hardest opening fixtures anyone can remember, we are fourth in the league in xG against. Pope's not been on top form, so actual goals against is higher. Two unlikely finishes from Nunez, who's missing easier chances against everyone else, didn't help either. Our defending against Brighton was more uncharacteristic error-strewn than systematically poor. We lost the midfield battle, but everyone does against Brighton. 

 

We've struggled a bit to create, but c'mon, Man City and Brighton away. Our group games in the CL Group of Death may prove easier. I expect more goal involvements from Barnes and Gordon as we learn to use their talents.

 

The teams who have beaten us are 1st, 3rd and 4th and have a record of P12, W10, D1, L1 against clubs who aren't us.

[Cronky]

Might be my imagination, but I did sense that Eddie is quite angry at the way the media are trying to create a crisis out of the three defeats. Two away from home, and all against teams in the top four...hmm. Over the years, he's earned a bit more respect than that.

 

Let's face it, most non-Geordies would prefer for our story to continue - ie hopes being constantly dashed, the roller coster of near success followed by failure. Schadenfreude.

[Ronson333]

I remember when beat wolves at home last season, a Bournemouth fan came on and said this was standard Howe and watch us go on a run, I think we then won the next seven or something. Yesterday felt very similar to that Wolves game.

[Optimistic Nut]

7 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

The teams who have beaten us are 1st, 3rd and 4th and have a record of P12, W10, D1, L1 against clubs who aren't us.

 

Just extending this to the other two teams we've played. One 7th, one 10th.

 

The 5 teams combined have P20, W14, D4, L2 away from playing us. Brentford had the potential to be an icky draw and we did great to get through a nervy first 20-25 mins and win that. Would be surprised if we've ever had a tougher start to the season in our history and we're through it. 

 

We definitely didn't cover ourselves in glory last half hour v Liverpool and at Brighton but overall we're probably where we'd expect to be after those 5 fixtures give or take a point. 

[54]

38 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Just extending this to the other two teams we've played. One 7th, one 10th.

 

The 5 teams combined have P20, W14, D4, L2 away from playing us. Brentford had the potential to be an icky draw and we did great to get through a nervy first 20-25 mins and win that. Would be surprised if we've ever had a tougher start to the season in our history and we're through it. 

 

We definitely didn't cover ourselves in glory last half hour v Liverpool and at Brighton but overall we're probably where we'd expect to be after those 5 fixtures give or take a point. 

I said before the season started that I'd be happy with 6 points or above from the first five fixtures and we got that. We now move on to an easier run of games in which we can hopefully climb the table.

[Tisd09]

Thing is if we held on as we should have v Liverpool 9 points from the first 5 was probably around about par.

 

Felt if we upped things v Man City they had a few gears to move through, obviously the Brighton performance was garbage but no embarrassment to come away from there with nothing this season.

 

Overall we knew it was a tough start, a good performance midweek and another league win next weekend and things will look far better and we know there is room for improvement.

[M1tche]

My only slight criticism with him is the subs atm, Liverpool ones were bad, and yesterday felt like it needed a midfield change to get the game back under control, but we won and thats the main thing. 

[54]

2 minutes ago, M1tche said:

My only slight criticism with him is the subs atm, Liverpool ones were bad, and yesterday felt like it needed a midfield change to get the game back under control, but we won and thats the main thing. 

I thought we controlled the midfield throughout the second half yesterday to be honest. 

[M1tche]

4 minutes ago, 54 said:

I thought we controlled the midfield throughout the second half yesterday to be honest. 

Maybe I was just over nervous, felt like we needed a bit more of foothold from about 70 onwards. 

[Fezzle]

12 hours ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

I think he'll only make one change for Tuesday... Tonali for Anderson.

No chance isak and almiron don't come in too. His lack of subs was telling yesterday 

[Gallowgate Toon]

7 minutes ago, Fezzle said:

No chance isak and almiron don't come in too. His lack of subs was telling yesterday 

Howe loves to keep a winning team together though, it's part of what helps to create that competitive mentality in the squad. With it being so early in the season, I don't think he'll be as worried about rotation as he will in a couple of months.

[Bimpy474]

We're in a dip of a lack creativity, i've no doubt he'll find a way out of that, but i sure wish we should have gone for Maddison or Paqueta, we certainly need someone of their ilk.

[Fezzle]

2 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Howe loves to keep a winning team together though, it's part of what helps to create that competitive mentality in the squad. With it being so early in the season, I don't think he'll be as worried about rotation as he will in a couple of months.

Maybe but those two were taken out with Milan in mind, tonali wasn't worth risking ahead of it too. 

[Fezzle]

3 minutes ago, Bimpy474 said:

We're in a dip of a lack creativity, i've no doubt he'll find a way out of that, but i sure wish we should have gone for Maddison or Paqueta, we certainly need someone of their ilk.

How he fits joe/willock/longstaff into a functional midfield will answer that, gets the right balance and there's enough there without doubt.