Eddie Howe

[Heron]

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

Fingers crossed, I think a DM, who’s good on the ball could be transformative for us. We have been linked to a few as well. 

That, a striker and a keeper for me. The DM is probably the most important though, as I personally hold hope for our strikers still.

[Ikon]

Wide areas is lacking massively too imo. Another big reason why I think we're poor in possession. Out wide we lack technically to put it politely. 

[Chicken Dancer]

Just now, Ikon said:

Wide areas is lacking massively too imo. Another big reason why I think we're poor in possession. Out wide we lack technically to put it politely. 

Absolutely shit. Every one of them.

 

Playing Joelinton there is even worse. 

[SUPERTOON]

2 minutes ago, Ikon said:

Wide areas is lacking massively too imo. Another big reason why I think we're poor in possession. Out wide we lack technically to put it politely. 

I’m not his biggest fan, but it also looks like we are close to losing our best one in Gordon. Big opportunity to go out and replace with someone with a higher technical ceiling. 

[Heron]

Just now, Ikon said:

Wide areas is lacking massively too imo. Another big reason why I think we're poor in possession. Out wide we lack technically to put it politely. 

Around 2 months ago we were the significantly highest team in the league for getting balls in the box. Not sure if that's still the case.

 

Our lack of a proper, goal-getting striker makes our wingers look worse. However, we are perhaps one step to the better selling our most valuable, untechnical winger.

[Heron]

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

I’m not his biggest fan, but it also looks like we are close to losing our best one in Gordon. Big opportunity to go out and replace with someone with a higher technical ceiling. 

Gordon is alongside Elanga in being our technically worst winger. Despite being as effective as (if not better than) Barnes and Murphy.

[SUPERTOON]

1 minute ago, Heron said:

Gordon is alongside Elanga in being our technically worst winger. Despite being as effective as (if not better than) Barnes and Murphy.

I’d say he’s technically the best, although it’s not a high bar, and not a strength of any of them.

[Ikon]

1 minute ago, Heron said:

Around 2 months ago we were the significantly highest team in the league for getting balls in the box. Not sure if that's still the case.

 

Our lack of a proper, goal-getting striker makes our wingers look worse. However, we are perhaps one step to the better selling our most valuable, untechnical winger.

 

I've seen enough with my own eyes tbh  Our wide players lack massively technically, in general play and ball retention and creativity and all that.

Now it's looking like Gordon is leaving too, and he's probably our best in general play. Plenty of balls in the box doesn't surprise me considering our attacking play is quite predictable and us attacking mainly from the wide areas.

[The Prophet]

Our box defending is so poor and has been all season.

 

We have two really poor keepers who the defence clearly have no confidence in. Pope has made so many individual errors, while Ramsdale simply doesn't seem to save much.

 

It hasn't just been the keepers either. Trippier, Thiaw and Botman have all had absolute brain farts at times this season.

 

We're easy to exploit on the left, particularly when Burn and Hall play. Hall isn't slow, but his acceleration isn't the best, while Burn doesn't defend the near post well. See Spurs and Everton for examples of the opponent getting the cross off and winning the near post dual.

 

A lack of confidence and leadership are rife. For a defence that was so formidable and mean, we're incredibly brittle and no one wants to take responsibility. I'm not just talking about the back line here, but the team as a whole. Bruno can't do it all on his own, he's been let down badly by other senior players such as Pope, Burn, Botman and Tonali. The late concession has almost become a self fulfilling prophecy.

 

I've probably missed something, but the point is it isn't just one thing, it's a combination of personnel, injuries, coaching and confidence. Howe has got a job on his hands fixing it, but first of all we need to get the recruitment right, particularly between the sticks.

[Ikon]

Barnes is good technically when it comes to striking a ball. Whether that's a cross or a finish. Not so good otherwise. Murphy is sloppy as well. Elanga too...

[Heron]

5 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

I’d say he’s technically the best, although it’s not a high bar, and not a strength of any of them.

Gordon has consistently wasted goal scoring opportunities (despite scoring more) and has put in worse crosses and hit worse shots all season. His ability is his acceleration. He's effective but not technical or indeed skilful. He beats most men over the first 10 yards and even then doesn't make the most of what he has gained.

 

Give the ball to Murphy on his right or left and he can cross. Give him a shooting opportunity and he'll generally hit the target. Barnes is similar/same. That is their ability.

 

Gordon is equal to these play in effectiveness but not technical ability, for me.

 

None of the above had had particularly good seasons though, irrespective - Gordon to be fair has the best stats and is therefore worth the most. So selling him to become a more technical side makes sense.

[Heron]

8 minutes ago, Ikon said:

 

I've seen enough with my own eyes tbh  Our wide players lack massively technically, in general play and ball retention and creativity and all that.

Now it's looking like Gordon is leaving too, and he's probably our best in general play. Plenty of balls in the box doesn't surprise me considering our attacking play is quite predictable and us attacking mainly from the wide areas.

Gordon is our best at getting balls in the box? Nope. I'll happily be proven wrong like.

 

He's our best at ball retention. Nope.

 

It is a wingers job to get balls in the box and to score goals. So the latter part of your statement about being predictable is a weird way of framing bad wing play to me.

[J7]

I mean ignoring the number of players out of position, but it was clear Bruno was blowing out his arse and Hall was basically injured long before the equaliser. The in game management has been so poor.

 

OK, we were probably in control for most of the game, but it’s still hard to understand why Forest finished the far stronger a couple of days after a Europa League semi. I doubt they did much preparation for this game and probably had Friday off; we had 8 days. Too many people clutching at straws. 

[Ikon]

8 minutes ago, Heron said:

Gordon is our best at getting balls in the box? Nope. I'll happily be proven wrong like.

 

He's our best at ball retention. Nope.

 

It is a wingers job to get balls in the box and to score goals. So the latter part of your statement about being predictable is a weird way of framing bad wing play to me.

 

I didn't say that he's the best at getting balls into the box. End product aside he's our best in general play, and I mean on the ball, not delivery/finishing.

No it isn't weird! I didn't say that  As a team I think we are quite predictable as we mostly attack from wide and it's pretty well known by now. Thought it was pretty obvious what was meant. Because we DO attack from the wide areas mainly, so no surprise we get many balls into the box.

 

 

Edited May 10 by Ikon

[Heron]

11 minutes ago, Ikon said:

 

I didn't say that he's the best at getting balls into the box. End product aside he's our best in general play, and I mean on the ball, not delivery/finishing.

No it isn't weird! I didn't say that  As a team I think we are quite predictable as we mostly attack from wide and it's pretty well known by now. Thought it was pretty obvious what was meant. Because we DO attack from the wide areas mainly, so no surprise we get many balls into the box.

 

 

 

Apologies, in the context in which you'd written I'd assumed predictable was used negatively. Perhaps, I was wrong.

 

When we're talking technical players, we're generally talking passing, shooting, crossing, dribbling and tackling for outfield players. Of those 5 Gordon is best of our wingers for probably one - dribbling. Barnes is best for shooting and Murphy best for crossing.

 

Passing - as in short passes, etc. They're all very much similar same, for me.

 

 

Edited May 10 by Heron

[Wallsendmag]

15 minutes ago, J7 said:

I mean ignoring the number of players out of position, but it was clear Bruno was blowing out his arse and Hall was basically injured long before the equaliser. The in game management has been so poor.

 

OK, we were probably in control for most of the game, but it’s still hard to understand why Forest finished the far stronger a couple of days after a Europa League semi. I doubt they did much preparation for this game and probably had Friday off; we had 8 days. Too many people clutching at straws. 

 

They'd played twice since we last played.

[Thumbheed]

Just dont think we're that good and keeping the pressure on. 

 

Our intensity has significantly dropped from when he first came in and we lose a lot more duals than we did in the past, particularly our defenders. 

 

As for our forwards, they just aren't able to absorb a press as well as the players of better teams do and our overall movement is very static, 1 dimensional and pedestrian at times.  

 

Alot to fix here. 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 10 by Thumbheed

[Bimpy474]

I'm obviously a Eddie in, and I'm certain he'll go away review this season and adapt, and we'll see the benefits of it next season.

 

However, that is a flaw in him, he fails to adapt during the season, i suppose that's a man true to what he's trying to do, but is does show a lack of adaptability in the moments.

I think we a have great manager who will learn, but can only learn at the end of a season, he doesn't think that's should happen during it, because he prepared the way he sees it and expects the players to implement his tactics correctly. 

 

I hope I'm right, if not i don't think it'll be long into next season before he'll be sacked, very quickly imo if we start poorly. I do have a nagging doubt, and it's the defending. Get a very good GK and another CB, that should be OK, as i think both our GK's don't fill their defenders full of confidence. I'm not that worried about the goals, and the lack of creativity. I can see that getting addressed with some smart buys, and the tactical change i expect him to make.

 

If, buts and maybes, it wouldn't be us if it wasn't.

 

 

Edited May 10 by Bimpy474

[ScottishMagpie]

1 hour ago, Heron said:

Our issues are psychological not physical and we need to replace the characters we've lost and remove the bad apples.

 

Howe also needs to get some rest.

 

This PL season hasn't been good enough. They all know that. They will all fix that.

This, to me, is so so important... and if being completely honest it's probably one of the main reasons why I'm more in thinking we needed to make a change.   Since the first day that he arrived Eddie has given so much of himself and his time to the project culminating in the cup win which will live with me forever.  I just think he looks/sound completely done in now and whilst I'm not privy to the Howe family calendar on the home fridge door, I can't see how a week in the sun is going to recharge him enough to tackle what lies ahead.  I will never doubt his application but really feel we need him with that fire in his eyes which I've not seen for awhile. 

[duo]

3 hours ago, Keggy_Keagal said:

I hope he can turn it around , but it just seems like Brenda Rogers at the end of his Liverpool days.

These were the games for him to show he's able to turn it round but we are limping towards the season end.  We look devoid of ideas. When you listen to his press conference he says the same things, again and again.

 

 

Edited May 10 by duo

[Mountain]

2 hours ago, UncleBingo said:

I thought that might have gone over your head.

 

Much like the concept of support.

 

 

Bragging that you used to travel long distances in a van to games 40 years ago is rather sad.

 

All the best fella.

[Begbie]

Im wondering the "Eddie in" group. If we just reach the champions league spot next season, then the season after we have a season like this one. Are you still Eddie in then? 

 

For me this season looks like the players have lost fait in the project, and Howe and his team doesnt seem to inspire them anymore. We dont look like a side thats set up good, we dont have good fighting spirit etc. Our identity has been lost for most of the season. 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, Heron said:

Apologies, in the context in which you'd written I'd assumed predictable was used negatively. Perhaps, I was wrong.

 

When we're talking technical players, we're generally talking passing, shooting, crossing, dribbling and tackling for outfield players. Of those 5 Gordon is best of our wingers for probably one - dribbling. Barnes is best for shooting and Murphy best for crossing.

 

Passing - as in short passes, etc. They're all very much similar same, for me.

 

 

 

Technical players to me are about ball control and vision tbh - all our wingers are ‘head-down’ footballers.  They have neither the control nor the vision to be good technical footballers.  
 

Tackling is more often than not the consequence of poor positioning.  Shooting is a mechanical function. 

[Mole]

1 hour ago, Thumbheed said:

Just dont think we're that good and keeping the pressure on. 

 

Our intensity has significantly dropped from when he first came in and we lose a lot more duals than we did in the past, particularly our defenders. 

 

As for our forwards, they just aren't able to absorb a press as well as the players of better teams do and our overall movement is very static, 1 dimensional and pedestrian at times.  

 

Alot to fix here. 

 

 

 

 

 

That's because of the aforementioned technical issues throughout the team, I dunno how anyone expects to maintain pressure if there are so many players are liable to cough it up at a moments notice. I understand Howe's preferences and that's fine but it would be a million times more effective if they could keep it a bit longer than they do.

 

If I am being honest in the starting XI Hall and Bruno are the only ones I trust in this department.

[TheBrownBottle]

4 hours ago, UncleBingo said:

Aw man, you should have said that the entertainment wasn't up to your standards, that changes everything. I mean I remember going up and down the A1 in the back of a Luton van in the 80's/90's and thinking 'we'd bloody better see some decent football today' ⚽️ 

As someone who did exactly this more times than I can count (with my dad and my uncle as a kid in the late 80s / early 90s, then with mates through the 90s),  the football this season has been shite - expectations are geared around investment in the team.  We’ve spent the money and this is the net result.  It’s not good enough.