Eddie Howe

[The College Dropout]

3 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Another way of looking it is that we're having our sticky patch and we're still looking more like winning games than losing. Leeds, Palace, West Ham...we had the better and clearer chances in all 3. 

IMHO we are reverting to mean. The issues in our side are systemic. We lack ability on the ball. We lack quality in attack.  All of our attack comes from the right hand side.  We have little quality in depth. 
 

 

These are things anyone following our side could’ve predicted.  
 

Im not trying to look at it negatively. I’m not trying to look at it positively. It’s my analysis of our squad and team

[Kid Icarus]

Hard to criticise Howe for us looking knackered like.

[Rich]

What would people do moving forward? I'm not expecting anything drastic before the cup final, but if we don't beat Liverpool and we lose the final, how would people attempt to salvage things with the squad we've got?

 

Pope; Trippier, Schär, Botman, Targett; Bruno, Joelinton; Almirón, Isak, Gordon; Wilson in a 4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1 / 4-4-2 sort of thing, for me, assuming everyone was fit.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

 

Still doesn't get us anywhere. We've been found out and need something different ASAP.

 

Not signing a Shelvey replacement in Jan is just weird, and I wasn't his biggest fan at all.

 

He hadn't even been a bit part player this season. 

[et tu brute]

Doesn't look a happy bunny there, obviously he won't criticise, but his mannerism didn't look too impressed. 

[The College Dropout]

Need a rest.  
 

Need to try and attack more through the left.  
 

Having Bruno back and fresh will be huge. 
 

Due to our thin squad - injuries will play a big role. 

[The College Dropout]

2 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

He hadn't even been a bit part player this season. 

And that was extremely fortunate.  Again everyone knew, we were unlikely to be so fortunate for the whole season which is why we needed that additional body.  

[54]

Ah yes, not replacing a player who had played a grand sum of 0 minutes this season was a "horrendous" decision.

 

I'm not saying we don't need a CM, as we do, but Shelvey has had no impact on us this season, so losing him was no massive deal.

 

The club also clear have a policy of signing their first choice signing, and waiting for that player to become available, and not just filling the gab with someone who may be of lesser quality. We did it with Botman, did it with Gordon, and to a lesser extend did it with Isak.

 

It's a policy that has very much worked thus far and served us well.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

And that was extremely fortunate.  Again everyone knew, we were unlikely to be so fortunate for the whole season which is why we needed that additional body.  

 

We're 3 windows into a post-Ashley ownership. An ownership that gave us a a bit of a shitstorm of a squad when they took over. We were never going to have a perfectly balanced squad 15 months in, we're also not going to sign players for the sake of it. 

 

We could have done what we did the first window in desperation and signed the midfield equivalent of Chris Wood...then what? We look like we tried to loan someone to plug the gap but no-one would loan to us. That doesn't mean we should clear one of two in the meantime to balance the books a bit particularly with FFP even more under scrutiny.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Optimistic Nut

[Theregulars]

What’s really dull about the entitlement brigade is that they won’t acknowledge what they just saw: that was a very poor performance. Leeds draw we battered them, arsenal draw was very creditable, Palace draw we battered them without creating, West Ham we edged it. All of those draws are fine and I take no issue with them.

 

But today we looked like we’d met each other for the first time and couldn’t do the basics. That was just a bad show, stop pretending otherwise.

[SUPERTOON]

Shelvey obviously hadn’t barely played for us this season, but he certainly would have over the next few weeks given the current state of the squad. 

[Guest]

Just now, Theregulars said:

What’s really dull about the entitlement brigade is that they won’t acknowledge what they just saw: that was a very poor performance. Leeds draw we battered them, arsenal draw was very creditable, Palace draw we battered them without creating, West Ham we edged it. All of those draws are fine and I take no issue with them.

 

But today we looked like we’d met each other for the first time and couldn’t do the basics. That was just a bad show, stop pretending otherwise.

 

The way people are going on, this isn't a one-off though.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

Shelvey obviously hadn’t barely played for us this season, but he certainly would have over the next few weeks given the current state of the squad. 

 

The future of NUFC has a far bigger picture than Jonjo Shelvey getting a few minutes here and there this season.

[Theregulars]

Just now, Optimistic Nut said:

 

The way people are going on, this isn't a one-off though.

Think people are concerned and it’s fair enough. We’re not playing well, and today was a very poor performance. 

[Theregulars]

Just now, Optimistic Nut said:

 

The future of NUFC has a far bigger picture than Jonjo Shelvey getting a few minutes here and there this season.

Fine - sell in summer. Need a squad and he’s more than capable as a squad player.

[The College Dropout]

The decision to not sign a midfielder and sell Shelvey was not a footballing one. 
 

Business, long term strategy etc.  it may work out in future. 
 

In 22/23 it has and will cost us points.  
 

EH was not happy about it either. Because it weakens the squad he has to manage.  
 

Yes board have done well so far. As have the team.  Ok they are nice Tories.  Does that make you feel better?

[SUPERTOON]

2 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

The future of NUFC has a far bigger picture than Jonjo Shelvey getting a few minutes here and there this season.

Of course it does but we got peanuts for Shelvey so what was the issue in keeping him till the summer ? Howe wanted a midfielder before Shelvey left, the decision to sell him and not replace is a poor one imo.

 

I could understand if we got massive money for him but we got a minimal fee by all accounts.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by SUPERTOON

[LV]

Also, Shelvey pleaded to go 

[The College Dropout]

3 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Shelvey obviously hadn’t barely played for us this season, but he certainly would have over the next few weeks given the current state of the squad. 

WHO WOULDVE GUESSED IT? ALL OF OUR OTHER CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS HAVE PLAYED DAMN NEAR EVERY MINUTE. WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THEY WOULD GET TIRED. INJURED. OR SUSPENDED AND WE MIGHT NEED TO USE OTHER PLAYERS.  

[wiseman]

Most seemed to be happy with a top 10 finish to the season, we're still on track to achieve more then that. Even if our form has dropped, season is 38 games long and we were always going to have dips, the intensity we started with could never be maintained with the  squad depth we have. Were still 17 games undefeated.

 

Adding to our squad in January would've been nice, but getting enough in to continue a top 4 push would've taken massive cash at a time that there's not great value for money. Just need to keep getting patient and enjoy the ride 

 

Plus we're in a cup final!

[Scoot]

The replies to the Eddie Howe video just uploaded to twitter...

 

 

[SteV]

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

The decision to not sign a midfielder and sell Shelvey was not a footballing one. 
 

Business, long term strategy etc.  it may work out in future. 
 

In 22/23 it has and will cost us points.  
 

EH was not happy about it either. Because it weakens the squad he has to manage.  
 

Yes board have done well so far. As have the team.  Ok they are nice Tories.  Does that make you feel better?

Shelvey played half an hour for Forest today. His first minutes since we sold him. So unless you think him coming on for us for half an hour today would have won us the match, selling him has cost us zero points so far.

[Guest]

If the forum is like this after a wobbly patch when we're still favourites for top 4 and unbeaten, then I don't think I can take it when we have a genuinely bad run like. Fuck this shite. 

[Shadow Puppets]

I think our recent downturn will almost certainly have to do with the upcoming cup final too. Whether it’s conscious or unconscious, the players haven’t been flying around the pitch at full intensity, and there’s definitely been a hint of pulling out of challenges.

 

Can’t really blame them to be honest.

[TRon]

Was great to see him getting such a fabulous ovation from the Bournemouth fans at the end of the game. Especially after the way he left considering all he had done for them.