Eddie Howe

[Guest reefatoon]

10 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Fantastic performance down to 10. It's an annoying result but the fact I've been able to genuinely enjoy a game we were 2 goals and a man down after 20 minutes or so is a testament to how much I want to suck this man's cock.

Down to shit finishing again or we could have even come away with something too.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by reefatoon

[mighty__mag]

10 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Fantastic performance down to 10. It's an annoying result but the fact I've been able to genuinely enjoy a game we were 2 goals and a man down after 20 minutes or so is a testament to how much I want to suck this man's cock.

 

A little too far, but much better than morons blaming Howe for the result. 

[Hanshithispantz]

7 minutes ago, 80 said:

I consider myself a loyalist, but I think that's stretching the defence a little bit.

 

There's good and bad to take from it, and plenty to debate, but I think you can argue we were tactically naive today, and a few chickens came home to roost re: our ultra consistent approach to games.

They done us with 2 great balls in between our defenders, you could argue we gave too much space in behind but both goals could have been prevented if Trippier steps up (from memory anyway?)

 

We we’re clearly the better side and I think the fact we continued to cause them problems when a man down vindicates the opening. Liverpool are woeful defensively atm. Just caught them on a clinical day.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Hanshithispantz

[The Prophet]

I love him, but personally thought he got it wrong today. We looked way to exposed to the ball over the top. It was similar to the first 15 minutes at Spurs, just this time we were punished.

 

Lesson learned, we move on.

 

Loved his chat with Joe too, you know exactly what he's saying.

[midds]

We were always going to hit a rough patch of form and results at some point in time and it's now come. We were unbelievably good in the first 16 or 17 fixtures and we've now hit the blip we should all have been expecting, it was going to happen. That Bruno red felt big at the time but it now feels like a turning-point in the season, with a dip in form, impotent in attack and costly at the back without him on the park to marshal people. Tonight was a big blow undoubtedly but the big picture is still very rosy. 

 

Next we have out first trip to Wembley for 24 years to look forward too and it's a chance to put a cup in the cabinet. We're underdogs obviously but it's a game of football and we've got a puncher's chance. We're also still (despite the poor form and results) in 4th and have no European football to worry about for the rest of the season. Just compare this present situation to 12 months ago - we were all shitting breezeblocks at going down. Now we have a decent chance of CL football and a Cup with top 7 looking very very likely. We're still playing catch-up on the top 6 and it probably won't happen in a year or 2 but I'm loving being optimistic and loving the challenge of competing at the top rather than dreading being in the bottom 3. My glass is still way more than half full despite the recent blows. This is what following a team is all about, up's and downs and enjoying the ride   

[Hanshithispantz]

Shades of Tommen Baratheon been made king of Westeros.

[80]

10 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

They done us with 2 great balls in between our defenders, you could argue we gave too much space in behind but both goals could have been prevented if Trippier steps up (from memory anyway?)

 

We we’re clearly the better side and I think the fact we continued to cause them problems when a man down vindicates the opening. Liverpool are woeful defensively atm. Just caught them on a clinical day.

 

 

 

They played us like an experienced European team in my view. Not a great one, but a wily one. We set up like Ricky Hatton when we should have been Floyd Mayweather.

 

I don't think we can say we're clearly the better team when we're struggling so much to put goals away right now. There's loads we're doing right, but tonight they came here needing a win more than us. A draw was not acceptable for Liverpool. For a one off, special occasion, we could have let them come onto us a bit more and hit them on the break with all 10 outfielders, greater stamina and the tie still 0-0. That would've really exploited their weak defence.

 

Instead, we set out to smother them in relatively impotent blows high up the pitch, and they picked us off on the counter and should have had the game wrapped up before the night had really begun. The fact they didn't a) spoke well of us and b) spoke badly of them.

[The College Dropout]

I hope Eddie learns from this. 
 

Similar thing could have happened against Arsenal.  They played through our press and had opportunities to get some goals. 
 

Had we been at our best prior I would get it.  But after recent performances from us and Liverpool. That didn’t make sense. 

[The College Dropout]

Rafa made a good point. No pressure on the ball = drop off. But we don’t seem to do that.  As much as Trippier was poor,  is that type of thing inevitable without pressure on the ball?

[Tsunami]

We got done by 3 straight balls inside 25 mins. Two goals and a sending, big week on the training ground. Rashford will be licking his lips. Very poor defending today.

[Gallowgate Toon]

He went for it but it didn't pay off. In hindsight, we should've looked to control the game more after the first went in as they love open periods of play- hopefully, it's something he learns from.

[Ronaldo]

Our terrible form in front of goal aside I’d only question him on not playing Gordon from the start. Absolutely baffling.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Ronaldo

[80]

3 minutes ago, Ronaldo said:

Our terrible form in front of goal

aside I’d only question him on not playing Gordon from the start. Absolutely baffling.

Certainly mysterious. But not one of the things I'd criticise massively without hearing the justification at least. That's what I mean when I say there's plenty to debate.

[Krabbe2]

Seems like Eddie won't budge from the formation. Had perhaps hoped to see some changes considering the lack of Willock and Bruno. Wilson and Isak in a duo at the top to give a little more firepower. 

[Likelylad]

Steadfast in his approach but wouldn’t have minded seeing Gordon start tbh 

[HaydnNUFC]

Aye. I'd have sacked him and brought Benitez in in January last season.

[Kid Icarus]

1 hour ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Fantastic performance down to 10. It's an annoying result but the fact I've been able to genuinely enjoy a game we were 2 goals and a man down after 20 minutes or so is a testament to how much I want to suck this man's cock.

Aye, I was confident that if we got one before 85 minutes we'd get a draw even with 10 men. My main annoyance was with Wilson with his shit attempt at a finish meaning that it wasn't going to happen.

[HaydnNUFC]

Went bold with the 4-3-2 with ten men, but with the pace of ASM and Isak obviously had opportunities even with 10. Not long ago when we would shame ourselves in a scenario like that. 

 

Definitely didn't this time and its testament to this man's tactical nous and respect amongst the players.

[80]

Just now, Krabbe2 said:

Seems like Eddie won't budge from the formation. Had perhaps hoped to see some changes considering the lack of Willock and Bruno. Wilson and Isak in a duo at the top to give a little more firepower. 

I'd like to see that combo too.

 

In the pre match press conference, Howe specifically talked about not being married to this formation, in fairness to him. But I think he's conservative and up to now has taken the view that it's brought us so many successes that it shouldn't be thrown away hastily.

 

But we're in an interesting spot now as I think you could say we've hit that reboot point, but remodeling in our next match involves experimenting in our biggest single game for perhaps 20 years.

 

That would be a big call from a big manager. I'm not gonna pretend I know exactly what he should do in the next week, though personally I'd have started mild experimentation and rotation a few games ago.

[Menace]

Bar the first 20 minutes I didn't think we were that bad tbh, players heads are obviously elsewhere but I'm not worried 

[TRon]

57 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

He went for it but it didn't pay off. In hindsight, we should've looked to control the game more after the first went in as they love open periods of play- hopefully, it's something he learns from.

 

In a game we didn't want to lose, he probably should have been a bit more conservative tbh, and that was borne out in the second half when we played really effectively on the counter with only 10 men. But what the fuck, he hasn't got much wrong, he can point to the table as testament to that.

[Lotus]

I’m struggling to understand the reality of our tactics atm. 
 

We can all see that even the likes of Bournemouth can play around or over our high press. When they do it’s one ball that takes out most of our midfield. We’re then playing a high line with no real pace at the back and we’re not even getting consistent pressure on the ball. So our very one paced defence is exposed a bit too often. Against better players that’s gonna hurt. 
 

It will probably be worse against Manu unless we make some clear adjustments.
 

We might well be working it differently in training but that’s the reality of what’s happening and has been for a few weeks. 

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

[The College Dropout]

He’s a bit hamstrung by the lack of options. 
 

Im certain he would start Shelvey if he was here for example. 

[Guest reefatoon]

3 hours ago, Ronaldo said:

Our terrible form in front of goal aside I’d only question him on not playing Gordon from the start. Absolutely baffling.

 

 

 

All I can think of regarding Gordon not starting is that he won’t be available for the Final, so he is trying to play players that will be available for him. Trying to keep it settled. As soon as the final is over Gordon will be starting.