Eddie Howe

[STM]

I'd have taken Isak off for Hall and moved Gordon up front.

 

But in reality, fuck knows if it would have made a difference.

 

I absolutely adore this manager.

[Wilson]

6 minutes ago, STM said:

I'd have taken Isak off for Hall and moved Gordon up front.

 

But in reality, fuck knows if it would have made a difference.

 

I absolutely adore this manager.

 

I said exactly the same during the game as Isak was a wasted man but at the same time, I'd have been scared to mess with the system that was working

[pubteam]

Eddie simply had no options last night, you can't bring a kid in who has barely trained with the first team, the subs were clearly just to cover injuries. Eddie has also said in the past past he doesn't like making replacements when defending a 1 goal lead as it can upset the balance.

[TBG]

Shares the same birthday as my dog. 

[Guest reefatoon]

1 hour ago, Scoot said:

If we hadn't have been shafted by the officials, no-one would be talking about whether Howe should or shouldn't have fetched on any subs.

Aye, get bored to fuck reading all the Ron Managers expert opinions on what Howe should and shouldn’t do when we don’t win. 

[The College Dropout]

5 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Not sure I'd have made a sub tbf. We rode our luck at times but we were at a stage where the players were drilled into doing one thing for about the last 20-30 minutes, fully focused. It's sometimes hard to get thrown into that and be expected to pick up on that straight away, more likely to switch off, or close down at the wrong time, etc. Thought we were fine.

 

 

 

I don't agree. We kept conceding good chances. It's not like we consistently kept them at arms length. It took some effort but they were able to play through us as they intended. We did well to make the chances a little harder than they could have been but Barcola lad could have had a hat-trick by himself.

 

It wasn't really working. But PSG didn't look like they could capitalise on it anyway.

 

Take the result/goals out of it. We were fantastic in the first half and caused them trouble. They started well but didn't offer a lot after that. We had good spells in possession and looked a threat. The last 35 minutes of the second half, we were knackered. Couldn't string 3 passes together, kept inviting pressure and conceding shots on goal. Absolutely hanging-on.

 

The same thing happened at Wolves. except they scored much earlier and then lost the initiative. Yesterday was much more understandable than Wolves though. Wolves he had Livramento the extraordinaire sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. Yesterday he only had Hall and Hall hasn't looked convincing.

 

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by The College Dropout

[The College Dropout]

6 minutes ago, pubteam said:

Eddie simply had no options last night, you can't bring a kid in who has barely trained with the first team, the subs were clearly just to cover injuries. Eddie has also said in the past past he doesn't like making replacements when defending a 1 goal lead as it can upset the balance.

Where has he said this?

[PauloGeordio]

Just now, The College Dropout said:

Where has he said this?

He said something of that note last night re subs! 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Hall might not have even been fit to play, he was probably just there because we don’t have anyone fit who’s registered for the squad. 

[pubteam]

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Where has he said this?

He said it after the west ham game in the post match interview.

[The College Dropout]

Fairs. You do have to question what he means by balance when the balance of play is firmly in the opposition's favour.

 

Like I said. If he's got the best team out there - he will stick even if the opposition is in the ascendancy for a considerable amount of time.

 

As we get more players back fit, we'll have more players he genuinely trusts. Miley, Burn, Murphy - these are all genuine options off the bench now.

[PauloGeordio]

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Fairs. You do have to question what he means by balance when the balance of play is firmly in the opposition's favour.

 

Like I said. If he's got the best team out there - he will stick even if the opposition is in the ascendancy for a considerable amount of time.

 

As we get more players back fit, we'll have more players he genuinely trusts. Miley, Burn, Murphy - these are all genuine options off the bench now.

Barnes! ?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

PSG brought on that kid on the left and he had a mare, missed loads of chances and did almost everything wrong. Subs aren’t always an easy answer. 

[Zero]

I ain’t surprised that he didn’t make any subs. He has done it before. 

[Checko]

My only disappointment yesterday about tactics/subs etc. was our complete unwillingness to try and keep the ball for a bit 2nd half. Every goal kick we just booted it straight back to them and went back into the defending drill.

 

Of course there's the argument that it gave us the best chance of winning as there was no risk of us giving the ball away in a dangerous area (on account of us refusing to have the ball), but frankly I thought they created quite a few good chances and should have scored a couple.

 

First half I thought we kept the ball well under pressure and looked good, but a consistent theme when we're struggling (eg vs Milan, Arsenal, Wolves, Bournmouth) is that when we're under the cosh & can't do the super press, we don't seem to be able or willing to just keep the ball when we get it, slow things down, get a little bit of control in the game and wrestle back momentum. If you're tired sometimes you can conserve energy by making the opponents chase you, rather than vice versa. It's probably a lot more fatiguing mentally to be defending constantly as well, always having to be switched on at any moment. Plus the opponents aren't making any chances if you have the ball.

 

That's the one consistent thing about our play that I'd like to see improved. Other than that can't fault the application, and the general organisation. Perhaps we just need a little bit more big boy mentality at times.

[The Prophet]

Just now, Checko said:

My only disappointment yesterday about tactics/subs etc. was our complete unwillingness to try and keep the ball for a bit 2nd half. Every goal kick we just booted it straight back to them and went back into the defending drill.

 

Of course there's the argument that it gave us the best chance of winning as there was no risk of us giving the ball away in a dangerous area (on account of us refusing to have the ball), but frankly I thought they created quite a few good chances and should have scored a couple.

 

First half I thought we kept the ball well under pressure and looked good, but a consistent theme when we're struggling (eg vs Milan, Arsenal, Wolves, Bournmouth) is that when we're under the cosh & can't do the super press, we don't seem to be able or willing to just keep the ball when we get it, slow things down, get a little bit of control in the game and wrestle back momentum. If you're tired sometimes you can conserve energy by making the opponents chase you, rather than vice versa. It's probably a lot more fatiguing mentally to be defending constantly as well, always having to be switched on at any moment. Plus the opponents aren't making any chances if you have the ball.

 

That's the one consistent thing about our play that I'd like to see improved. Other than that can't fault the application, and the general organisation. Perhaps we just need a little bit more big boy mentality at times.

 

It was probably mental fatigue than a conscious decision not to keep the ball.

[Checko]

Just now, The Prophet said:

 

It was probably mental fatigue than a conscious decision not to keep the ball.

I dunno, when you get the ball in open play maybe. When you've got a chance to set up from a goal kick and do it every time, seems a pretty conscious strategy.

[Lush Vlad]

1 minute ago, Checko said:

My only disappointment yesterday about tactics/subs etc. was our complete unwillingness to try and keep the ball for a bit 2nd half. Every goal kick we just booted it straight back to them and went back into the defending drill.

 

Not much chance of doing that when you're down to the bare bones, squad wise.  They were cranking up the pressure, making attacking subs, changing formation.  We didn't have that option, save for maybe Hall, Dummett at a push.  Plenty were dead on their feet, and understandably so.  When we then had a chance to retain possession, mental and physical tiredness crept in.  Sloppy touches, passes, wrong decisions etc. 

 

In fact, all of those games you mention, save for Milan where I think there were mitigating circumstances.  We have had fuck all options off the bench and the XI on the pitch at the time have looked knackered.  

 

I also think sometimes credit has to go to the opposition.  I doubt it is a fully conscious decision by Eddie and the players to drop off that markedly.  The other team's tactics can force that upon us, as well. 

 

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

PSG brought on that kid on the left and he had a mare, missed loads of chances and did almost everything wrong. Subs aren’t always an easy answer. 

He was very dangerous and more of a threat than Dembele and Muanie.... he just didn't have his shooting boots on.

 

Again we are looking at things in terms of outcomes rather than the thought process. Dembele and Muanie had quiet games and deserved to be subbed. Our players tired so fresh legs coming on would create more routes to goal. This was successful for Enrique, it just didn't convert to goals due to poor finishing and excelling GKing.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Well however you want to assess it, finishing is part of football. He had a bad game IMO. 

[BShearer]

He needs injured players back asap as again now we have 11 players who has to be ran into the ground with no chance for proper rotation. same starter this weekend again vs MU and then again vs Everton.

 

Brutal schedule again after the break, Chelsea, PSG, MU, Everton, Milan, Spurs. midweek game the Everton, so no time to relax at all.

 

 

[LionOfGosforth]

Woke up this morning expecting to feel that sickening feeling from last night yet all I feel is pride for this team. Unconditional love for this man for the class and professionalism he displays weekly, the stunning resource management of a depleted squad and the amazing journey he is taking us on. 

[PauloGeordio]

7 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

Woke up this morning expecting to feel that sickening feeling from last night yet all I feel is pride for this team. Unconditional love for this man for the class and professionalism he displays weekly, the stunning resource management of a depleted squad and the amazing journey he is taking us on. 

Onwards and upwards! 

[80]

Yeah I don't feel bad today. Last night was one of the greatest performances in the club's history, all things taken into account. The fact we had victory stolen illegitimately doesn't take anything away from it. A proper Viking saga of a match. They were heroes last night.

[huss9]

took longer to get over the liverpool defeat