Eddie Howe

[Wandy]

Just now, midds said:

Got a horrible, familiar feeling this is going to get worse before it gets better. Next 6 or 7 fixtures are horrendous, we're in really poor shape and form and playing some huge games against some good teams

 

As long as we don't lose the derby I think the vast majority will tolerate a drop off into upper mid table this season. The Mackems beat us though and the criticism will be horribly ugly.

[Holmesy]

1 minute ago, Wandy said:

 

As long as we don't lose the derby I think the vast majority will tolerate a drop off into upper mid table this season. The Mackems beat us though and the criticism will be horribly ugly.

I’m not sure about this. It’s not just the results, the performances are awful. If there was a collective feeling we’ve missed out on wins due to bad luck I think people would take it. The abject performances will never be accepted I don’t think

[Kid Icarus]

All this talk of the derby being a huge deal, yet it was honestly like the majority of our fanbase had been labotomised when Pardew had us getting dicked by them on the reg.

[Wandy]

5 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

I’m not sure about this. It’s not just the results, the performances are awful. If there was a collective feeling we’ve missed out on wins due to bad luck I think people would take it. The abject performances will never be accepted I don’t think

 

Agree, the performances have been dreadful. What I mean is that the fanbase will tolerate that this season and put it down to a learning experience for the manager. But derby defeat won't be tolerated without savage criticism.

[Wandy]

3 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

All this talk of the derby being a huge deal, yet it was honestly like the majority of our fanbase had been labotomised when Pardew had us getting dicked by them on the reg.

 

We were on their level in those games. Now there is a chasm between the two clubs. There is justified expectation to win the game.

[ryanegg]

5 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

I’m not sure about this. It’s not just the results, the performances are awful. If there was a collective feeling we’ve missed out on wins due to bad luck I think people would take it. The abject performances will never be accepted I don’t think

I’d say the injuries are bad luck. The bad performances are simply due to the lads being knackered too imo. 

[Displayname]

I think Eddie has had too much focus on the game in front of him and not the long term squad management this season. The intensive playstyle in every game was never going to work longtime with the amount of games we had so far with our current squad. 

 

Couple of freak injuries sure didnt help, but then you need to prioritize and give some youngsters opportunities in the lesser important games like the league cup and even the premier league to be frank. 

Having Gordon, Almiron, Trippier etc play 2x90mins a week have only resulted in them ending up being poor in most recent games. Im not being captain hindsight here, said we would end up like now for quite some time now.

 

But its Howe's first season with this amount of games and im sure he will learn and gain some wisdom when he gets time to reflect over the season.

 

And im also confident we will come back strong in the second half of the season now that we can focus on fewer games.

[The College Dropout]

9 minutes ago, Wandy said:

 

Agree, the performances have been dreadful. What I mean is that the fanbase will tolerate that this season and put it down to a learning experience for the manager. But derby defeat won't be tolerated without savage criticism.

 No they won’t. 

[Wandy]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

 No they won’t. 

 

They wont tolerate upper mid table? Yeah they will.

[WideopenMag]

6 minutes ago, Displayname said:

I think Eddie has had too much focus on the game in front of him and not the long term squad management this season. The intensive playstyle in every game was never going to work longtime with the amount of games we had so far with our current squad. 

 

Couple of freak injuries sure didnt help, but then you need to prioritize and give some youngsters opportunities in the lesser important games like the league cup and even the premier league to be frank. 

Having Gordon, Almiron, Trippier etc play 2x90mins a week have only resulted in them ending up being poor in most recent games. Im not being captain hindsight here, said we would end up like now for quite some time now.

 

But its Howe's first season with this amount of games and im sure he will learn and gain some wisdom when he gets time to reflect over the season.

 

And im also confident we will come back strong in the second half of the season now that we can focus on fewer games.

The league cup wasn't a lesser important game though, it was a cup quater final one of if not the biggest game of the season. It wasn't the time and place to rotate or rest at all. Earlier in the competition Howe did rotate quite successfully, the rest of the campaign including the league the opportunity has been taking away from him through injury.

[WideopenMag]

6 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

 No they won’t. 

Aye they will.

[Kid Icarus]

11 minutes ago, Wandy said:

 

We were on their level in those games. Now there is a chasm between the two clubs. There is justified expectation to win the game.

We shouldn't have been viewed as being on their level then and I know I didn't. Our squad was miles better and they were beating us comprehensively, at home, with the likes of Colback playing for them and Di Canio managing them. It was unforgivable what Pardew did.

[The Prophet]

Was that circa the Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Ba era?

[Wandy]

2 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

We shouldn't have been viewed as being on their level then and I know I didn't. Our squad was miles better and they were beating us comprehensively, at home, with the likes of Colback playing for them and Di Canio managing them. It was unforgivable what Pardew did.

 

Compared to the two squads back then the current gap is massive. They are an above average 2nd tier side and are currently in disarray over their ownership and new manager. We really should be beating them.

[Kid Icarus]

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Was that circa the Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Ba era?

Yep, 12/13 

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, Wandy said:

 

Compared to the two squads back then the current gap is massive. They are an above average 2nd tier side and are currently in disarray over their ownership and new manager. We really should be beating them.

I don't disagree I'm just making a different point about how blasé people were about Pardew's part in them battering us, at home, with a very good squad and them being very poor and managed by Di Canio. It didn't seem important to a lot of people then and it was really baffling.

[Ronaldo]

5 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

I don't disagree I'm just making a different point about how blasé people were about Pardew's part in them battering us, at home, with a very good squad and them being very poor and managed by Di Canio. It didn't seem important to a lot of people then and it was really baffling.

Completely agree with this.

[ryanegg]

11 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

I don't disagree I'm just making a different point about how blasé people were about Pardew's part in them battering us, at home, with a very good squad and them being very poor and managed by Di Canio. It didn't seem important to a lot of people then and it was really baffling.

The whole reign of Pardew people were hypnotised. I was myself an bit after that season we finished 5th. Even recently where people are saying he wasn’t that bad. This is the man who played Shola Ameobi on the right wing ahead of Ben Arfa😂
 

On another note, the failure of the previous regime to properly invest in the academy is really being highlighted by the injury crisis. Howe has only had Miley who is decent. 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by ryanegg

[OverThere]

If we lose against those inbreds and play like we did against Bournemouth and Luton I would imagine the reaction will be less than positive.

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by OverThere

[Wullie]

I had a vague recollection of Liverpool being really poor away last season. Results from the start of the season until April, wins in bold:

 

Fulham 2-2

Man United 2-1

Everton 0-0

Arsenal 3-2

Forest 1-0

Spurs 1-2

Villa 1-3

Brentford 3-1

Brighton 3-0

Wolves 3-0

Newcastle 0-2

Palace 0-0

Bournemouth 1-0

Man City 4-1

 

Sometimes these things happen. It's the manager's job to put things right but it's also the supporters' job not to wet themselves and get on the back of a proven manager at the first sign of trouble, especially when his team is filling in the gaps by winning every home game as Liverpool were and as we are.

[OverThere]

2 minutes ago, ryanegg said:

The whole reign of Pardew people were hypnotised. I was myself an bit after that season we finished 5th. 
 

On another note, the failure of the previous regime to properly invest in the academy is really being highlighted by the injury crisis. Howe has only had Miley who is decent. 

That's why I hope to hear about a new training ground and academy complex very soon. What's the progress? Ultimately, a fabulous academy is the way to bridge the FFP gap.

[TRon]

16 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

I don't disagree I'm just making a different point about how blasé people were about Pardew's part in them battering us, at home, with a very good squad and them being very poor and managed by Di Canio. It didn't seem important to a lot of people then and it was really baffling.

 

It was unforgivable, and Di Canio sliding to his knees celebrating was the nadir of the horrendous Pardew era. Who I still consider the biggest cunt to ever manage this club.

[OverThere]

2 minutes ago, Wullie said:

I had a vague recollection of Liverpool being really poor away last season. Results from the start of the season until April, wins in bold:

 

Fulham 2-2

Man United 2-1

Everton 0-0

Arsenal 3-2

Forest 1-0

Spurs 1-2

Villa 1-3

Brentford 3-1

Brighton 3-0

Wolves 3-0

Newcastle 0-2

Palace 0-0

Bournemouth 1-0

Man City 4-1

 

Sometimes these things happen. It's the manager's job to put things right but it's also the supporters' job not to wet themselves and get on the back of a proven manager at the first sign of trouble, especially when his team is filling in the gaps by winning every home game as Liverpool were and as we are.

That was the point I was trying to make earlier. The season before they played an extreme version of the pressing game and it caused a hangover the next year. I assume Klopp has tinkered with it a bit given what happened 

[Ronson333]

 

[Wandy]

21 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

I don't disagree I'm just making a different point about how blasé people were about Pardew's part in them battering us, at home, with a very good squad and them being very poor and managed by Di Canio. It didn't seem important to a lot of people then and it was really baffling.

 

Probably due to complete apathy and acceptance of mediocrity with Ashley being there.