Eddie Howe

[Vinny Green Balls]

3 minutes ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

When does the transitional period end for selling one player? Can Howe not adapt his tactics during this transitional period to suit the players he does have?

not after a month or two  like you seem to think it should. This is like some calling for subs in the 28th minute.

 

People expect instant gratification, and I suppose sports fans are notorious. But it rarely works out that way.

 

 

Edited January 25 by Vinny Green Balls

[nufc123]

We have not lost at home for months so cant be too mad, but just as the Wolves game, its the pattern, or the lack of it, especially attacking.

[Milburn]

5 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

I think other than Thiaw, i would quite happily take our money back for every other signing last summer. 

Wissa and Elanga look like criminal business.

 

Lack of an organization made things hard during summer of 2025, but the  manager should never again be in charge of signings. Not Howe, not anyone. The Dof and his people have to run that part. 

[Sir Joel Inton]

Just now, Vinny Green Balls said:

not after a month or two  like you seem to think it shoud. This is like some calling of subs in the 28th minute.

 

People expect instant gratification, and I suppose sports fans are notorious. But it rarely works out that way.

 

So when does it end? We’re 6 months in already, not quite the “month or two” you describe?

Surely if this is such an obvious point everyone else is missing, you must know its duration?

[Chicken Dancer]

Unbelievably, people still struggle to understand that loving Howe and thinking we’ve regressed are two separate things. 
 

You can still love the bloke and call it out for what it is. It’s not bedwetting to suggest we’ve been crap and the summer signings have been largely poor. 

[Shearergol]

Just now, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

 Fuck me. Wingers don’t provide chances for strikers in 2026.

They should, but moving Barnes to the left will benefit him rather than the strikers. Neither of them looking competent is the bigger issue. Perhaps they were both poor purchases but given how far down the list they both were it’s hardly Howe’s fault. Although he hasn’t pressed his magic “make the players play well button” you think he should have, so maybe it is.

[Shearergol]

Just now, Chicken Dancer said:

Unbelievably, people still struggle to understand that loving Howe and thinking we’ve regressed are two separate things. 
 

You can still love the bloke and call it out for what it is. It’s not bedwetting to suggest we’ve been crap and the summer signings have been largely poor. 

I think everyone understands that? Even Howe’s biggest fans recognise we’re not playing very well? 
 

 

[toontownman]

Its tough to know what PIF will do this summer. If we don't advance past the next round of at least on of the cups and miss out on Europe that is a massive risk for Eddie's future.

 

On one hand they have shown as owners they can be ruthless with cutting Becky Langley (albeit not long before time). Then on the other they seem very happy to take a VERY slow long build rather than go for broke. 

 

I think there really has to be a notable step up manager out there and available that wants to come to even consider the switch. Players haven't downed tools and Eddie has proven he can turn things around. It is so frustrating to watch for vast periods of the last year or so. We are so consistently inconsistent.

 

It has really been more than a year of losing that dynamite attacking and pressing juggernaut we had previously. Not on Eddie. Teams were going to find us out and adapt and injuries wise we also had to adapt (are we actually seeing less injuries after dropping the press btw?).

 

What is on Eddie is a failure to adapt. Much to his ire when accused, the suggestion of no plan b or c. More so a reticence to switch to one, over playing players and not rotating or putting faith into the squad. That can be justified but not when a good 60% are his own signings now that arent performing.

 

Ross Wilson and his team have loads to do to help. We haven't even seen any youth signings for a good while now. Surely we can at least be doing that?

 

For what he has done for us it is harsh to say but I believe he has the next 4 and a bit months to give himself another go. If it goes badly then it is the perfect time for a new manager (if a clear upgrade is available) with almost certain overhauling of the squad happening this summer with contracts and likely bids for Tino, Gordon, Tonali and others.

 

Best of luck Eddie. We all want you to succeed.

[Vinny Green Balls]

1 minute ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

So when does it end? We’re 6 months in already, not quite the “month or two” you describe?

Surely if this is such an obvious point everyone else is missing, you must know its duration?

I obviously don't. But we are clearly not the same as we were last season, and are limping along for the most part. And I know transitions can take a bit of time. I also know that people are being conditioned more and more to expect instant results on everything in their lives.

[Vinny Green Balls]

1 minute ago, Shearergol said:

I think everyone understands that? Even Howe’s biggest fans recognise we’re not playing very well? 
 

 

I would hope so

[Sir Joel Inton]

2 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

Although he hasn’t pressed his magic “make the players play well button” you think he should have, so maybe it is.

 

Maybe if so many players are underperforming, it’s the manager, coaching and tactical set up that is the problem?

[Nepharite]

9 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Can I ask why? Up until today we were on a good run of form (3 defeats in 15) and were doing far better than at the time the poll was created.

I don’t like the football we are playing is the simplest way to put it. Of course there are factors and nuances to that but it’s what it boils down to. Ultimately the manager dictates the brand and I’ve grown bored of Eddies brand. We don’t have Isak any more so why play a formation/tactics that suited that paradigm? In my opinion Eddie has an opportunity to evolve, grow , change…. Nothing. 

[Kid Icarus]

6 minutes ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

What transition are we going through on the pitch right now?

I'll just pick one because I think it's the one that having the biggest impact.

 

Swapping our two strikers out for two new ones, the more experienced of which lacked pre-season then was injured for a few months, the other who is new to the league and dictates that we have to change the way we're used to playing, and all of that is in such a packed schedule that matches are training sessions to try and get everyone on the same page, in themselves.

[Sir Joel Inton]

Just now, Vinny Green Balls said:

I obviously don't. But we are clearly not the same as we were last season, and are limping along for the most part. And I know transitions can take a bit of time. I also know that people are being conditioned more and more to expect instant results on everything in their lives.

 

So we’re purely in a transitional period because we’re not playing well?

 

[dcmk]

12 minutes ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

We were in a transitional period in August. We’ve had this squad since then and Howe fails to get anywhere near enough out of them.

 

I assume you thought Isak’s poor form was due to his transitional period/no pre-season too?

 

 

 

 

This is one of the weirdest posts ever read on here.

 

What do you think is a transitional period?  Be brought Elanga as he thought he would play well with Isak who fucked off.  

 

We were turned down every other too striker in the world and bought in big Nick who is a completely different type of player. Wissa is still integrating and he himself says he's not 100%. 

 

Don't know how many times this kind of stuff needs to be said.

[J7]

14 minutes ago, Geogaddi said:

This thread always explodes after a bad result and has hardly any posts after a win, thank fuck this board dosnt represent the majority of match going fans .

What do you want people to say on this thread after a run of the mill home win against Palace, for example? “Well done Eddie, the 433 (really 451) slow build up play worked this week against a team with lesser resources than us”

 

People are always going to have more to say when it’s bad, or exceptionally good. 

[Wallsendmag]

Just now, Nepharite said:

I don’t like the football we are playing is the simplest way to put it. Of course there are factors and nuances to that but it’s what it boils down to. Ultimately the manager dictates the brand and I’ve grown bored of Eddies brand. We don’t have Isak any more so why play a formation/tactics that suited that paradigm? In my opinion Eddie has an opportunity to evolve, grow , change…. Nothing. 

 

Again though we've been playing pretty much the same way since August but since the poll was created our results have improved. 

 

Seems strange that you were happy to keep him when we weren't playing well and not getting results and now want rid of him when we are playing pretty much the same way but with an improvement in results, but fair enough.

[SUPERTOON]

3 minutes ago, toontownman said:

Its tough to know what PIF will do this summer. If we don't advance past the next round of at least on of the cups and miss out on Europe that is a massive risk for Eddie's future.

 

On one hand they have shown as owners they can be ruthless with cutting Becky Langley (albeit not long before time). Then on the other they seem very happy to take a VERY slow long build rather than go for broke. 

 

I think there really has to be a notable step up manager out there and available that wants to come to even consider the switch. Players haven't downed tools and Eddie has proven he can turn things around. It is so frustrating to watch for vast periods of the last year or so. We are so consistently inconsistent.

 

It has really been more than a year of losing that dynamite attacking and pressing juggernaut we had previously. Not on Eddie. Teams were going to find us out and adapt and injuries wise we also had to adapt (are we actually seeing less injuries after dropping the press btw?).

 

What is on Eddie is a failure to adapt. Much to his ire when accused, the suggestion of no plan b or c. More so a reticence to switch to one, over playing players and not rotating or putting faith into the squad. That can be justified but not when a good 60% are his own signings now that arent performing.

 

Ross Wilson and his team have loads to do to help. We haven't even seen any youth signings for a good while now. Surely we can at least be doing that?

 

For what he has done for us it is harsh to say but I believe he has the next 4 and a bit months to give himself another go. If it goes badly then it is the perfect time for a new manager (if a clear upgrade is available) with almost certain overhauling of the squad happening this summer with contracts and likely bids for Tino, Gordon, Tonali and others.

 

Best of luck Eddie. We all want you to succeed.

Probably do nothing, its what they excel in. 

[Vinny Green Balls]

Just now, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

So we’re purely in a transitional period because we’re not playing well?

 

What the hell are you on? I never said anything of the sort. We were shit for two months last season, and no one ever claimed that we were transitioning, except maybe trying to figure out the best place for Tonali. But it is clear that we are struggling after a very disruptive summer where we struck out on some of our top targets, which probably has a lot to do with it..

 

Fucking bad faith arguers, man.

 

 

[Sir Joel Inton]

3 minutes ago, dcmk said:

This is one of the weirdest posts ever read on here.

 

What do you think is a transitional period?  Be brought Elanga as he thought he would play well with Isak who fucked off.  

 

We were turned down every other too striker in the world and bought in big Nick who is a completely different type of player. Wissa is still integrating and he himself says he's not 100%. 

 

Don't know how many times this kind of stuff needs to be said.

 

If we purchased Elanga to play with a striker who told us months before he wanted to leave, then you’re giving Howe an even smaller defence than you think you are.

 

 

Edited January 25 by Sir Joel Inton

[Kid Icarus]

11 minutes ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

Sorry lads, my mistake, Howe has to play Gordon every week and Barnes out of position because we’re transitioning.

I'm not a fan of the setup and Gordon’s league contribution overall, but even I wouldn't change it at the exact point we've started reaping the rewards.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

4 minutes ago, Milburn said:

Wissa and Elanga look like criminal business.

 

Lack of an organization made things hard during summer of 2025, but the  manager should never again be in charge of signings. Not Howe, not anyone. The Dof and his people have to run that part. 

 

Here's our big problem, Howe is the type of manager who values systems over individual input (he's a Pep lite) and therefore signs players who are system players.

 

A DoF will want to implement a general ethos of playing that allows a manger to be plug and play. 

 

This may (probably will) clash with Howe's systemic approach if he can't control who comes in.

 

A good number of managers are going to have to get used to being part of a team managing players, systems and tactics. I can see the Chelsea model being the one followed by most of the PL in 3 years time.

[Sir Joel Inton]

2 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

What the hell are you on? I never said anything of the sort. We were shit for two months last season, and no one ever claimed that we were transitioning, except maybe trying to figure out the best place for Tonali. But it is clear that we are struggling after a very disruptive summer where we struck out on some of our top targets, which probably has a lot to do with it..

 

Fucking bad faith arguers, man.

 

 

 

May I ask you to explain to me, if I’m “on something”, in plain English, why Howe is prevented from adapting his tactics to suit our personnel during this ‘transitional period’?

 

Feel like this is the same as when companies tell you they are “on a journey” but they’re actually just badly run and managed  Same textbook speak.

 

 

Edited January 25 by Sir Joel Inton

[Nepharite]

2 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Again though we've been playing pretty much the same way since August but since the poll was created our results have improved. 

 

Seems strange that you were happy to keep him when we weren't playing well and not getting results and now want rid of him when we are playing pretty much the same way but with an improvement in results, but fair enough.

It’s the eye test. I’m not sure anyone can hand on heart say they are enjoying the football, results aside. Petty of me, maybe. I did enjoy Villa’s first half performance. The one touch build up play, threatening through the middle as well as the flanks. I just wish I was seeing more of that from my team. 

[J7]

4 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

What the hell are you on? I never said anything of the sort. We were shit for two months last season, and no one ever claimed that we were transitioning, except maybe trying to figure out the best place for Tonali. But it is clear that we are struggling after a very disruptive summer where we struck out on some of our top targets, which probably has a lot to do with it..

 

Fucking bad faith arguers, man.

 

 

I’m struggling to see what transition we’re trying to make. We just plough on with the same shit every game. It’s almost like pretending we still have Isak when we don’t. The subs are like for like and the only time they work is when giving us more energy, not because we’ve changed the way we’re playing. We have more quality that most teams, especially on the bench, which is why we can still win games. I see no sign of any transitioning period.