Eddie Howe

[bobbydazzla]

I think he’s mentally exhausted.

 

Trying to compete on 4 fronts with a squad that’s not big enough or good enough to compete on 4 fronts and a management style that needs loads of control and time on the training ground with players, it’s twatted him.
 

The performances and his comments are indicative of how tired he is, he looks completely shot. 
 

He can’t see the wood from the trees. 
 

I also wonder how much the stint in hospital took out of him last year. He was really ill and hasn’t had a rest since then, it was a summer of long haul travel and Isak aggro and then straight into a hectic schedule. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7 by bobbydazzla

[Geordie Ahmed]

He was proactive with the change today and made it at half time, thought we looked a bit better second half without looking brilliant

 

Got back in the game and we defend like that for their winner. Trippier is a massive liability at this moment and not getting a RB in the window could end up costing him his job

 

It's tough at the moment and only going to get tougher but he still starts next season for me

 

I would love to see him get a specialist DM in, an AM too and move away from the current 3 we tend to play in midfield 

[Steve Charlton]

Get behind Wor Eddie or itll be Cartel club that picks him up

[The Prophet]

28 minutes ago, The Butcher said:

Fair.

 

Doesn't sound like he's in a healthy head space.

[TheBrownBottle]

11 minutes ago, JT24 said:

Lost the dressing room?

Perhaps, but it’s also one the reasons I like the man.  Most PL managers wouldn’t be this honest.   But his players are badly letting him down and this is the closest I’ve seen to Howe calling them out in public.  And he’s right about all of it, too. 

[duo]

4 minutes ago, bobbydazzla said:

I think he’s mentally exhausted.

100% - he didn't get a day off in the Summer.  Honestly PIF owe him a lot as he was the only one that kept the lights on.  Yet they've hung him out to dry in Jan.  Team is crying out for some new players just to freshen things up.

 

 

Edited February 7 by duo

[Pilko]

I'd love to hear from some of the lads who were being ultra-condescending and know-all to anyone who dared to point out that things were shit in October/November.

 

Can remember loads of phrases like "You'd think people would know better, you'd think they would learn, look at last time when we clicked and went on that winning run, Howe's sides always click by January, he's been hamstrung by the Wissa injury it'll get loads better when he's back".

[Holloway]

Feel for Eddie like, he's scrambling around for solutions and it ain't happening.

Too many of our starting squad aren't showing enough guile to overcome opposing players who are way below the radar, half of them can't complete a pass when under the slightest pressure, never mind create a significant opening.

Worried for him.

[Yorkie]

I expected us to lose today and we did; I was behind the manager this morning and I am tonight. I'm very much looking through the big picture lens atm so unless it's obvious the squad aren't playing for him any more or he turns up in the Epstein files, my view won't change.

 

I do understand why people might feel that a change is appealing because he is accountable to certain issues this season. Generally those are tactical, with the occasional personnel choice, though I put less emphasis on the latter.

 

However, the bottom line for me is that I truly don't believe he's the main reason why we're in the position we currently are. That is, of course, if you discount the contribution he's made to us having an unsustainable schedule. (Ie CL campaign and cup run)

 

I still have faith in him and believe that he will continue to be a success for us beyond the immediate term.

 

In order, I'd put the following things above his managerial performance to explain why we're struggling in the league:

 

1. PSR. This issue is embedded into the very fabric of the game but it's main impacts on us have been:

 

 -- Isak leaving;

 -- Being unable to sign any of our preferred targets

 -- Being cornered into not investing in January.

 

It's double-jeopardy too, because not only have each of those points weakened us, they've strengthened our competitors. I simply cannot get away with anyone who doesn't recognise this as the principal issue.

 

2. The Champions League format. Another 'state of the game' issue, but eight high-intensity games on top of a domestic cup run has had an absolutely brutal impact on the squad. That extra two really does make a difference. And, really, from our point of view... for what? A favourable tie before the inevitable Last 16 conclusion? Yay. What a ride. Take the money and run. Shit tournament.

 

3. Key injuries / continuous injuries. Wissa, Tino x2, Hall, Schär, Burn, Botman, Elanga, Krafth, Osula, Ramsey, Murphy, Pope, Miley, Joelinton, Bruno. Many all at the same time. It's been a fucking nightmare and isn't talked about enough.

 

4. Boardroom upheaval. The whole domino effect of Ashworth departure > Staveley departure > Mitchell appointment > Eales cancer diagnosis > Mitchell departure has been incredibly disruptive and had a trickle-down impact on the pitch. 

 

5. Wissa and Elanga. Two players who were, on paper, really good signings and have simply been playing at levels way, way below what they did for their former clubs. I don't hold the manager responsible for that.

 

6. Manager's performance. Apparent inability to get to grips with a four-tournament season, some tactical misgivings, persisting with certain players.

[SUPERTOON]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

 

Doesn't sound like he's in a healthy head space.

Has he even had a proper break since coming out of hospital last year ?

[Mattoon]

5 minutes ago, St1pe said:

Tactically I thought he got it really wrong today - same in some of the away games but most of the pressure has come from poor momentum from absolutely glaring chances we’ve missed and shit goals we’ve conceded. Not all of that is on Howe. 

 

This holds weight, if that Wissa chance goes in we're flying and probably either see it out or add another when Brentford are chasing the game. As it happened the misses just saw the doubt creep in and after the momentum dropped we looked shattered and I bet that wasn't all physical, mentally we are fatigued too. We've seen it all before but the players have too and probably feel the same impending doom we do.

[bobbydazzla]

1 minute ago, duo said:

100% - he didn't get a day off in the Summer.  Honestly PIF owe him a lot as he was the only one that kept the lights on.  Yet they've hung him out to dry in Jan.  Team is crying out for some new players just to freshen things up.

 

 

 

A summer with no rest when he was in hospital with pneumonia in April 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, Pilko said:

I'd love to hear from some of the lads who were being ultra-condescending and know-all to anyone who dared to point out that things were shit in October/November.

 

Can remember loads of phrases like "You'd think people would know better, you'd think they would learn, look at last time when we clicked and went on that winning run, Howe's sides always click by January, he's been hamstrung by the Wissa injury it'll get loads better when he's back".

Not sure point-scoring helps tbh.  The vast majority of those comments were (and still do) absolutely come from ‘the right place’.  I’d be far happier with my concerns being completely wrong than their optimism being proven wrong. 

[duo]

I am amazed he's not told the owners where to go.  They have not given him any support - DOF who seems to do nought and a CEO who just says what he thinks PIF wants to hear.

 

 

Edited February 7 by duo

[The Prophet]

24 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

Their 5th place season was viewed as an improvement/positive season despite missing out on CL in the last 3 games. And what about the other two?
 

Howe’s shown himself based on the evidence thus far of incapable of managing/balancing multiple games a week regularly. For where we want to go, that’s unsustainable.

 

 

 

 

This only his second bite of the cherry. The first was kiboshed by a fair bit of misfortune too.

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

There are other managers however that have lacked the credentials of their predecessor and have been a success, though. The manager that beat us today being one of a few.

 

Howe is a factor in that, that as he is in us being so dire to watch, that now showing in the home results after getting those results for 12 months away from home.

We have absolutely no idea how good Andrews or his like actually are. We have very limited evidence often in extremely favourable circumstances, that often pale in comparison to Howe's achievements.

 

The whole Glasner thing perfectly sums it up imo. An obviously very good manager, now managing in difficult circumstances and the results have suffered - suddenly no one's mentioning him. It doesn't mean it's a reflection on him and his ability, it just happens, same as it did for 80% of Villa’s season under Emery last year, same as it is for us now. 

[The Prophet]

3 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Has he even had a proper break since coming out of hospital last year ?

 

Doesn't sound like it.

[El Prontonise]

It's times like these where you see the difference between and good and great managers. I think our fans should be getting behind EH for the rest of the season.

[Nine]

7 minutes ago, Pilko said:

I'd love to hear from some of the lads who were being ultra-condescending and know-all to anyone who dared to point out that things were shit in October/November.

 

Can remember loads of phrases like "You'd think people would know better, you'd think they would learn, look at last time when we clicked and went on that winning run, Howe's sides always click by January, he's been hamstrung by the Wissa injury it'll get loads better when he's back".

I’ve been saying our form would pick up when we go out of the CL, I think it will but perhaps not as significantly as I might have expected a few months back 

[RS]

We’ve proved as a fan base  we can force great managers out of this club when they fail to perform. Pardew, McClaren, and sickeningly local lads like Carver and Bruce. Yes, Eddie is not doing great things at the club. A couple of semi finals, a shit trophy and a spot of  European football is not where  a club of this size should be.

For fucks sake we won the championship in 2017, less than 10 years ago!  We deserve better than this. 

[Sandrotastico]

Just in from the match - our approach, tactics and formation, let alone the subs all screamed "I'm running out of ideas" and my playbook is empty.

Let's just try school boy football of anyone, anywhere.

 

Some of the players really don't help him either when they are bottling 50-50's.

The front three were atrocious first halve and we must be one the easiest teams to cut through due to our lack of discipline, naivty and general lack of controling that round object.

 

Piss poor, but it could have been any home game this season - they tend to all play out the same and nothing looks to be changing - we're banging our head off the very same wall.

 

 

Edited February 7 by Sandrotastico

[TRon]

5 minutes ago, Mattoon said:

 

This holds weight, if that Wissa chance goes in we're flying and probably either see it out or add another when Brentford are chasing the game. As it happened the misses just saw the doubt creep in and after the momentum dropped we looked shattered and I bet that wasn't all physical, mentally we are fatigued too. We've seen it all before but the players have too and probably feel the same impending doom we do.

 

 

I think the players are aware of the weaknesses up front, so if we don't have confidence we are going to create chances and put them away, it makes them fearful about tearing forward. We are a weird side this season, don't seem to attack wholeheartedly or defend with any conviction. 

[Nine]

7 minutes ago, Mattoon said:

 

This holds weight, if that Wissa chance goes in we're flying and probably either see it out or add another when Brentford are chasing the game. As it happened the misses just saw the doubt creep in and after the momentum dropped we looked shattered and I bet that wasn't all physical, mentally we are fatigued too. We've seen it all before but the players have too and probably feel the same impending doom we do.

Poor finishing has absolutely fucked us recently tbf 

[KennyUtd]

5 minutes ago, duo said:

I am amazed he's not told the owners where to go.  They have not given him any support - DOF who seems to do nought and a CEO who just says what he thinks PIF wants to hear.

 

 

 

I mean I love Eddie but no support???

Howay man.

 

[Mountain]

26 minutes ago, Ben said:

 

What other manager could cope better with a small squad and 2 games a week 

 

Howe if he had spent the 200 million on 10 players.