Eddie Howe

[andycap]

It's not looking great so far mind on January howe constantly said psr psr tough window no one available. 

Then Wilson said money was there for transfers. 

That doesn't scream there on the same page does it? 

[dcmk]

8 minutes ago, andycap said:

It's not looking great so far mind on January howe constantly said psr psr tough window no one available. 

Then Wilson said money was there for transfers. 

That doesn't scream there on the same page does it? 

January being a difficult window has no bearing on money available for transfers.

[The College Dropout]

3 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

All that's fine if that's your view, but if we're talking about Mitchell and whether his actions left us in a better, worse, or neutral position, I'd say it's pretty clearly worse, regardless.

 

 

 

Clearly. 
 

inaction is an action itself. His job is not merely to sign players/deal with contracts -  it’s to provide a squad for the long term.  
 

He didn’t even manage 1 key contract renewal.  
 

He didn’t make 1 class signing.  
 

I believe the Isak contract refusal.  And I do belief that was the catalyst for the summer. If Isak was so keen on leaving the next summer he would’ve negotiated a release clause with that contract. Would’ve been much better placed than we ended up.  

[Abacus]

The Everton game was a tough one to take, every equaliser leading to what seemed an immediate response, taking the wind out of our sails straight away.

 

It was a big one for me in terms of seeing how our league season might pan out, so now I'm expecting a bit of a trudge. We really miss Bruno when he's not on the pitch for his drive and commitment, but more generally we're seeing the same issues against organised and obdurate teams.

 

Anyway, I didn't think we had the squad to play in four competitions and wondered if we might have abandoned the domestic cups to have a decent run in this bloated CL format as well as the league.

 

That doesn't seem Howe's style though, to just abandon a game or a competition. It's admirable, but leaves us at risk of coming up short in all of them. Albeit a semi final and knock out CL stages makes me saying "coming up short" might come across as a bit daft.

[Minhosa]

2 hours ago, Robster said:

It's not so much about the quality of the opposition, but the amount of energy being taken out of the players, playing so many games in such a short space of time.

In saying that though, playing so many against so many very good teams, takes more out of the players mentally as much as physically.

Howe is an intelligent bloke and clearly learned from the last CL campaign which took it's toll on the squad in terms of their league performances, so he wanted to flood the squad with depth last summer.

 

Unfortunately, we've spent £250m on a CL qualifying squad to go backwards.

 

Yes, we didn't have the depth we needed but we could, and should, have done fuck load better with our spending.

[Minhosa]

1 hour ago, The Prophet said:

 

That sounds like a regular summer to be fair.

 

I don't know enough about Ross Wilson to comment on how good his oversight is in terms of transfers. I'd say over the last three to four years, our transfer record has been pretty good, but we've had four or five different eras within that.

 

At the moment at least, it looks like we're going to miss out on Europe. While that weakens our hand with the likes of Tino and Tonali, it will mean that less incomings will be required.

 

I'd be suprised if we're not looking at a fairly routine four in, four out kind of summer.

Four in would not be enough if we want to attack the CL places again.

 

Before we even get to 'nice to haves', we've got some necessities:

 

- New GK

- New RW

- LB Cover

- RB Cover

- An actual competent forward

 

That's without the likely need to replace Tonali, Tino etc.

 

There's no way four in would be sufficient.

 

I cannot watch another season of Murphy or the Swedish Obertan on that right side.

[Minhosa]

1 hour ago, lovejoy said:

I like him, I think he’d have been very good for us. A much better instant fit than what we signed anyway.

 

i can’t remember the journalist at the time (Jacob steinberg maybe? John Percy??) said we’d agreed with Brighton and he was keen but we messed about and Chelsea came in.

 

could be wrong, of course.

Totally agree that JP would've been much better fit than those we bought.

 

For one thing, his legs work and for another he can press effectively.

 

He'd have been miles more suited to Howe-Ball than the two we brought in.

 

Mind, so would Ekitike, JSL and Sesko to be fair.

[Minhosa]

9 minutes ago, Abacus said:

The Everton game was a tough one to take, every equaliser leading to what seemed an immediate response, taking the wind out of our sails straight away.

 

It was a big one for me in terms of seeing how our league season might pan out, so now I'm expecting a bit of a trudge. We really miss Bruno when he's not on the pitch for his drive and commitment, but more generally we're seeing the same issues against organised and obdurate teams.

 

Anyway, I didn't think we had the squad to play in four competitions and wondered if we might have abandoned the domestic cups to have a decent run in this bloated CL format as well as the league.

 

That doesn't seem Howe's style though, to just abandon a game or a competition. It's admirable, but leaves us at risk of coming up short in all of them. Albeit a semi final and knock out CL stages makes me saying "coming up short" might come across as a bit daft.

The amount of our games I've watched recently where I've been left saying 'if only Bruno and Tino were fit.....'.

 

It's a good number of points difference with them two fit and on form. We'd have won the last two home league games with them playing imho.

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

The amount of our games I've watched recently where I've been left saying 'if only Bruno and Tino were fit.....'.

 

It's a good number of points difference with them two fit and on form. We'd have won the last two home league games with them playing imho.

On the flip side it was kind of predictable they would end up missing chunks of this season given the amount of games they played. It's why I mentioned it's important every player in our squad has the ability and trust to play twice a week indefinitely. The squad has a lot of deadweight and always has.  

[The College Dropout]

We just need ‘purples’. Give us 3 quality players any position and we’ll be transformed. 
 

As in Tonali level minimum.  Doesn’t matter where we need quality. 

[Minhosa]

Just now, r0cafella said:

On the flip side it was kind of predictable they would end up missing chunks of this season given the amount of games they played. It's why I mentioned it's important every player in our squad has the ability and trust to play twice a week indefinitely. The squad has a lot of deadweight and always has.  

Agreed.

 

The drop off from our strongest 11 to their replacements is fucking stark.

 

When we're having to rely on the likes of Willock, Wissa, Elanga, OAP Trippier etc it's no wonder we're struggling like fuck.

 

Nobody below our strongest 11 has any real level of reliability tbh. We might get away with using them for the odd game here or there but when they have to come in and perform consistently, forget it.

[Minhosa]

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We just need ‘purples’. Give us 3 quality players any position and we’ll be transformed. 
 

As in Tonali level minimum.  Doesn’t matter where we need quality. 

And whatever 'model' or theory they used last summer, please set fire to the cunt and go back to how we did it previously please.....

 

No more 'one season wonder' purples please lads.

[Astroblack]

God, I hate that True Geordie so much. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the comments. Think he’s a Barton fan to boot. What a sicko. 

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, r0cafella said:

On the flip side it was kind of predictable they would end up missing chunks of this season given the amount of games they played. It's why I mentioned it's important every player in our squad has the ability and trust to play twice a week indefinitely. The squad has a lot of deadweight and always has.  

That was my issue with the Ramsey transfer.  I thought we needed someone that could bench Joelinton and take meaningful minutes away from Bruno and Tonali without dropping quality massively.  We didn’t get that player.  We didn’t even really try either.  

[The Prophet]

16 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

Four in would not be enough if we want to attack the CL places again.

 

Before we even get to 'nice to haves', we've got some necessities:

 

- New GK

- New RW

- LB Cover

- RB Cover

- An actual competent forward

 

That's without the likely need to replace Tonali, Tino etc.

 

There's no way four in would be sufficient.

 

I cannot watch another season of Murphy or the Swedish Obertan on that right side.

 

If we miss out on Europe, I was thinking something like:

 

In

 

- New first team keeper

- Two players to add depth to the backline

- New first team centre mid

 

Out

 

- Ramsdale

- Trippier 

- Schar 

- Willock 

- Osula 

 

That would obviously have to be adjusted if anyone such as Tino or Tonali asks to leave, or if we get an offer that's too good to be true for say Joelinton or Wissa (I'm optimistically thinking Saudi).

 

I know others aren't, but I'm happy to give Elanga, Wissa and Nick more time. Granted, I accept there's a bit of risk in that.

 

 

 

Edited March 2 by The Prophet

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, Minhosa said:

Agreed.

 

The drop off from our strongest 11 to their replacements is fucking stark.

 

When we're having to rely on the likes of Willock, Wissa, Elanga, OAP Trippier etc it's no wonder we're struggling like fuck.

 

Nobody below our strongest 11 has any real level of reliability tbh. We might get away with using them for the odd game here or there but when they have to come in and perform consistently, forget it.

It doesn't help aye, but we've also looked poor when we had most players fit we just rotated the excuse depending on who was playing.  

 

I don't think what we do tactically is particularly effective anymore, and this plan b we seem to have which is possession isnt it either. 

 

It's proper shit because I'd love for Eddie to be the man for the long term and hope I'm wrong but I'm struggling to see what we are meant to be at the moment and have felt this way for months. 

[Minhosa]

Just now, The College Dropout said:

That was my issue with the Ramsey transfer.  I thought we needed someone that could bench Joelinton and take meaningful minutes away from Bruno and Tonali without dropping quality massively.  We didn’t get that player.  We didn’t even really try either.  

You see, he's one I like. If we can keep him fit, I think he'll be a long term asset.

 

We perhaps over paid for him but at least there's a footballer in there. It's most of the others tbh.

 

How we scouted Elanga for years and made him our priority signing last summer, bringing him in first, utterly blows my mind.

[nufc123]

7 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We just need ‘purples’. Give us 3 quality players any position and we’ll be transformed. 
 

As in Tonali level minimum.  Doesn’t matter where we need quality. 

Agree, but we need to get the RW and ST going. Zero output there will kill us no matter what we bring in.

 

 

Edited March 2 by nufc123

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

That was my issue with the Ramsey transfer.  I thought we needed someone that could bench Joelinton and take meaningful minutes away from Bruno and Tonali without dropping quality massively.  We didn’t get that player.  We didn’t even really try either.  

I don't see how we can get said purple to be honest. I mean we tried that in the summer to be fair that was plan a. If your plan a purples go elsewhere what do you pivot too exactly?

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Minhosa said:

You see, he's one I like. If we can keep him fit, I think he'll be a long term asset.

 

We perhaps over paid for him but at least there's a footballer in there. It's most of the others tbh.

 

How we scouted Elanga for years and made him our priority signing last summer, bringing him in first, utterly blows my mind.

He’s a decent player no doubt. But he wasn’t what was needed. 
 

Agreed on Elanga.  I never paid him much attention for a full 90 minutes prior. But I too I’m shocked that scouts watched him play multiple full games and thought we should sign him. Similar to Antony from Man U - you could see from game 1-3 he didn’t have the technical and mental ability to be a top 6 pl player that starts. Just not of the level. £20-30m as a squad player is fine. But never at £55m.  

[AyeDubbleYoo]

6 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

If we miss out on Europe, I was thinking something like:

 

In

 

- New first team keeper

- Two players to add depth to the backline

- New first team centre mid

 

Out

 

- Ramsdale

- Trippier 

- Schar 

- Willock 

- Osula 

 

That would obviously have to be adjusted if anyone such as Tino or Tonali asks to leave, or if we get an offer that's too good to be true for say Joelinton or Wissa (I'm optimistically thinking Saudi).

 

I know others aren't, but I'm happy to give Elanga, Wissa and Nick more time. Granted, I accept there's a bit of risk in that.

 

 

 

 

Would like more but you’re on the right lines. I still think a left-footed RW with technical ability would also add a lot of options. 

[The College Dropout]

6 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I don't see how we can get said purple to be honest. I mean we tried that in the summer to be fair that was plan a. If your plan a purples go elsewhere what do you pivot too exactly?

Quality players go to non-top 6 or European giants every season 

 

if we had bought Semenyo in the summer things would be different. 
 

Kid from Madrid was available on loan. Could’ve given us a nice little boost.  But we don’t do loans. 

 

 

Edited March 2 by The College Dropout

[Minhosa]

17 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

If we miss out on Europe, I was thinking something like:

 

In

 

- New first team keeper

- Two players to add depth to the backline

- New first team centre mid

 

Out

 

- Ramsdale

- Trippier 

- Schar 

- Willock 

- Osula 

 

That would obviously have to be adjusted if anyone such as Tino or Tonali asks to leave, or if we get an offer that's too good to be true for say Joelinton or Wissa (I'm optimistically thinking Saudi).

 

I know others aren't, but I'm happy to give Elanga, Wissa and Nick more time. Granted, I accept there's a bit of risk in that.

 

 

 

 

If you think how light we've been at the back at times this season, I wouldn't be comfortable with Schar and Trippier leaving and only bringing two in.

 

Personally, I'd give Schar another year and bring in cover for Hall and Tino AND a future centre half to integrate gently planning for Burn and Schar to be finished by the following year.

 

So, that's three incomings for me already before we even get onto the other positions.

 

I doubt I'll get my wish FWIW as I don't think Howe will want that level of change but it's absolutely the forward planning an effective sporting director SHOULD be doing.

 

As for putting up with more of Elanga, I'd rather set fire to my eye lids. He would be nowhere near consistent enough to drive us to a CL spot.

 

He simply cannot work here as he's got no football IQ. He'll absolutely have the odd good game but it'll be totally unsustainable because he's a pure athlete with very poor technique and no footballing intelligence.

 

There's more than a bit of risk in your plan. It'd be career suicide to go into next season with Wissa and Wolte as your main two forwards. He might as well book the house removal company now.

 

The only way that would work is if you sell Osula and bring in a proper, effective centre forward and use Wissa off the bench for the last ten mins every week whilst playing Wolte in the 10, which Howe has never entertained over any period of time.

 

 

Edited March 2 by Minhosa

[The College Dropout]

I think Elanga could eventually do a job. But also fine with cutting our losses if we can cut them well enough.  
 

We need a RW regardless 

[Minhosa]

9 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

It doesn't help aye, but we've also looked poor when we had most players fit we just rotated the excuse depending on who was playing.  

 

I don't think what we do tactically is particularly effective anymore, and this plan b we seem to have which is possession isnt it either. 

 

It's proper shit because I'd love for Eddie to be the man for the long term and hope I'm wrong but I'm struggling to see what we are meant to be at the moment and have felt this way for months. 

You see I loved the original Howe-Ball; high press, maximum intensity and plenty of shithousery.

 

There's no reason we cannot return to that next season as we'll only be playing once per week.

 

It's how we adapt that the following year as we'll be nailed on to finish in the European spots playing that way with a fit squad and few replacements for the clusterfucks of last summer.

 

That's where Howe has to either change the approach or massively fill out the squad with 2 x 11's capable of pressing the shit out of the opposition.

 

As it stands, we've got one capable 11 and maybe 2/3 that can slot in effectively to replace those being rested or injured. And that 2/3 is probably being generous.