Eddie Howe

[The College Dropout]

It says something that after 1 defeat people are talking about Howe’s job.   

[Andy84]

I’m sure everyone was absolutely buzzing when Mitchell got appointed 

[Kid Icarus]

1 hour ago, duo said:

tbf we've been playing awful all season

While I sooort of agree, all season is still only 5 games. I wouldn't bank on any 5 games at any point, good or bad, to define a season. 

[The College Dropout]

2 minutes ago, Unlucky Luque said:

When it doesn't come together, his gameplans seem overly cute and over-strategized. Super detailed tactics drilled into the players, and then oftentimes it just doesn't work out. There's probably a ton of work put into it, so no wonder he hates a plan B.

 

He seems to look for every bit of advantage he can gain on every single facet, be it dark arts on the pitch, or 4D chess press conferences, but in the end, our attacks are disjointed and lackluster, defence isn't as organised, the fluid midfield experiment hasn't worked in over a year, and set-pieces have been unorthodox, seemingly for the sake of it, and ultimately: shite.

 

In some cases it seems we could just hoy our best players out there with no instructions, and they would get the job done on talent alone.

I don't know what the solutions is, but watching us looking like we are in pre-season is painful at the moment.

I’d disagree with this premise. We don’t look well coached at all. Players don’t look like they know what they are meant to do.  
 

Again I’ll use Spurs. They look well coached in open play.  There’s a clear identity.  The players look like they know what the coach has asked them to do.  But it’s fairly straight forward for opposition managers to attack the weaknesses in their approach.  I don’t think Ange makes enough adjustments.  
 

We dont have a coherent identity.  Players don’t look like they know what to do.  Where to be.  

[Vinny Green Balls]

6 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

It says something that after 1 defeat people are talking about Howe’s job.   

It’s just as telling about  some of the fan base though. 

[Jackie Broon]

6 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

While I sooort of agree, all season is still only 5 games. I wouldn't bank on any 5 games at any point, good or bad, to define a season. 

 

It goes back a lot longer than that, we've been disjointed for the past year. There has been some big papering over the cracks, but there have been obvious issues since the beginning of last season that have just become more and more apparent.

 

 

Edited September 21 by Jackie Broon

[Kid Icarus]

4 minutes ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

It goes back a lot longer than that, we've been disjointed for the past year. There has been some big papering over the cracks, but there have been obvious issues since the beginning of last season that have just become more and more apparent.

 

 

 

I get where you're coming from but don't agree. All of last season with a relatively fit squad we were excellent. Our away form wasn't good but we were never consistently poor and our home form was very good.

 

 

Edited September 21 by Kid Icarus

[Vinny Green Balls]

1 minute ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

It goes back a lot longer than that, we've been disjointed for the past year. There has been some big papering over the cracks, but there have been obvious issues since the beginning of last season that have just become more and more apparent.

 

 

 

We were not so disjointed for the last 10 games of last season. We were disjointed for 4 of the first 5, absolutely abysmal for about another 10 games after that long unbeaten run, somewhat disjointed for another few games, and then finished relatively strong performance and results wise.

[Sibierski]

21 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

It says something that after 1 defeat people are talking about Howe’s job.   

People been talking about Howes job for a while. 
 

Something clearly off, nothing improving in performances, same issues. We all want him to come out of this patch stronger, but the signs are not there presently.

 

Playing a big side like Man City at home next in league may be what we need.

[dcmk]

I'm pretty sure some of you lot would hound even Pep out.

[STM]

26 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

It says something that after 1 defeat people are talking about Howe’s job.   

 

[Matt1892]

11 minutes ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

It goes back a lot longer than that, we've been disjointed for the past year. There has been some big papering over the cracks, but there have been obvious issues since the beginning of last season that have just become more and more apparent.

 

 

 

 

If you go back to the tactics used during the 22/23 season we were outstanding, we played teams off the park and our press made us look like a well drilled unit.

 

That was missing last season and it was put down to injuries, as we couldn’t play with that level of tempo without squad depth and Champions League. However, even with players back that style never returned and I genuinely do not see what tactics we are trying to play.

 

The question now is Howe capable of turning it around? I don’t know what has happened to him from a tactical point of view but it seems to have gone out of the window.

 

If we don’t get European football then he will be sacked, which I don’t think Mitchell will be too disappointed with. If the FA do want him for the England job, then I think the club will encourage him to take it.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Some big midfield calls for this upcoming run where you expect we'll be under some big(ger) pressure against good sides.

 

I think we have to ride it out with Bruno and get the right balance around him. Joelinton and Willock aren't disciplined enough together as the 2 either side imo but they both can offer so much running power in games where you'd think countering will be our best bet for goals.

 

I think I'm leaning towards Willock-Bruno-Tonali is the best blend but you just know Joelinton can pull it out of the bag in these sorts of matches.

[dcmk]

The performance reminded me of Villa away when we lost 3-0. Where we had no midfield, Bruno was getting exposed time and time again.

 

After that match we bounced back, adjusted our tactics and were much better having learnt some lessons.

 

Firmly believe we would be better as a result of this hiccup.  Howe wouldn't be happy with what he's witnessed today.

[Vinny Green Balls]

All I can say is that a few on here appear to have suffered from severe recency bias for awhile. Treating all of last season as a monolith is wildly inaccurate. We had very low lows, suffered in away form until the last part of the season, but scored boatloads in others. 

 

Treating 10 abysmal games, and maybe 8 fairly disjointed ones as the whole of the season is just not a good indicator of last season at all, especially considering that we had a stretch where we just couldn’t lose, and then finished pretty well over the final quarter of the season. 
 

[madras]

1 minute ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

All I can say is that a few on here appear to have suffered from severe recency bias for awhile. Treating all of last season as a monolith is wildly inaccurate. We had very low lows, suffered in away form until the last part of the season, but scored boatloads in others. 

 

Treating 10 abysmal games, and maybe 8 fairly disjointed ones as the whole of the season is just not a good indicator of last season at all, especially considering that we had a stretch where we just couldn’t lose, and then finished pretty well over the final quarter of the season. 
 

How long can you suffer from recency bias for? 

 

[Vinny Green Balls]

Just now, madras said:

How long can you suffer from recency bias for? 

 

Every 8 seconds according to the myth about goldfish.

[Rod]

11 minutes ago, Matt1892 said:

 

If you go back to the tactics used during the 22/23 season we were outstanding, we played teams off the park and our press made us look like a well drilled unit.

 

That was missing last season and it was put down to injuries, as we couldn’t play with that level of tempo without squad depth and Champions League. However, even with players back that style never returned and I genuinely do not see what tactics we are trying to play.

 

The question now is Howe capable of turning it around? I don’t know what has happened to him from a tactical point of view but it seems to have gone out of the window.

 

If we don’t get European football then he will be sacked, which I don’t think Mitchell will be too disappointed with. If the FA do want him for the England job, then I think the club will encourage him to take it.

I honestly don't think it's down to tactics or Eddie's coaching.  The engine room in any football team is the midfield.  We have been abysmal in midfield.  We have international players in that role that so far this season have been awful.  Bruno and Joelinton have been the main culprits even though some on here would like to blame Longstaff.  Just my opinion but the two Brazilians need to get their act together instead of posing in the same hair style studio.

[madras]

1 minute ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

Every 8 seconds according to the myth about goldfish.

I thought you'd have gone for "a while, obvs"

 

 

Edited September 21 by madras

[Lush Vlad]

28 minutes ago, Sibierski said:

People been talking about Howes job for a while. 
 

Something clearly off, nothing improving in performances, same issues. We all want him to come out of this patch stronger, but the signs are not there presently.

 

Playing a big side like Man City at home next in league may be what we need.

Plenty on here and social media don’t want him to come out of this ‘patch’. 
 

They revel in the fact that he’s struggling. You can feel it oozing out of posts/tweets. Not even subtle anymore. 

 

 

Edited September 21 by Lush Vlad

[Kanj]

Win Tuesday, and play our very best 11 v City at home. 

 

The missing piece of Botman is so fucking massive I can’t overstate it, his interceptions high up the pitch at midfield allowed us to pin teams in over sustained periods. 

[madras]

Just now, Kanji said:

Win Tuesday, and play our very best 11 v City at home. 

 

The missing piece of Botman is so fucking massive I can’t overstate it, his interceptions high up the pitch at midfield allowed us to pin teams in over sustained periods. 

I tried to point that out this afternoon but you've done it better. It's not even pace, it's his reading and strength.

[Izakaya]

I can smell an end-of-season mutual consent exit if I'm honest. 

[Thumbheed]

8 minutes ago, Kanji said:

Win Tuesday, and play our very best 11 v City at home. 

 

The missing piece of Botman is so fucking massive I can’t overstate it, his interceptions high up the pitch at midfield allowed us to pin teams in over sustained periods. 

Distribution too

[Abacus]

Season one -  Miracle worker. To take us from disorganised relegation fodder rabble to comfortable safety was quite incredible 

 

Season two - Miracle worker. Some astute signings, yes, but to gatecrash the top 4 and send shivers down the spine of the PL elite whilst playing in a coherent, consistent way with a squad still mainly inherited and improved beyond recognition was not something your average manager does.

 

Season three - very, very good. Coming off a transfer window where the main signings either weren't ready, were banned or injured, with a series of ridiculous cup draws and a crowded fixture list with some of the hardest European games, some bad luck with injuries, to take that squad to a position which would normally have gotten us Europe again was amazing.

 

Season four - jury out so far. Very good points tally, but performances not yet there, albeit with a squad still largely from season ONE, unbalanced, unstrengthened, and seeming off field issues, players looking either not ready or not motivated or clear in their roles or system, with odd selections at times. So far, it's not quite clicking but how much of this is down to Howe is very unclear.

 

There's plenty of time to get this right despite the start we've had performance wise, but based on what's gone before, I think anyone calling for Howe's head is daft. I haven't seen much of that on here tbf.