Eddie Howe

[LFEE]

2 hours ago, RS said:

Out-coached on Saturday but he’s done the same to some serious managers this season. You know he’ll be reviewing it throughly and learning loads from it though, not dusting himself doon. 

Yep. That’s why I have complete faith in him.

[Rich]

I reckon he will be dusting himself down as well, to be honest, he's that thorough. He advised the players to do the same in his NUFC TV interview after the game.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Someone said they thought he went for it too early and, watching it back, I think I agree. After getting killed in behind for much of the first half, we had a better measure of the spaces for the first period of that second and then we seemed to become massively open again leaving huge gaps by committing forward (combined with rubbish tracking back). I feel like we've been decent at knowing when things aren't going our way this year and becoming more compact & upping the game management to try and reset. Not sure if we've been a bit unsettled by all of the media questions about dark arts but none of that was to be seen. It felt like we doubled down instead... maybe because of our recent form.

 

Overall, a bit of a strange showing from everyone involved which makes me hopeful that it was largely just an off day with some good tactical learnings about the squad.

[Kanji]

4 hours ago, RS said:

Out-coached on Saturday but he’s done the same to some serious managers this season. You know he’ll be reviewing it throughly and learning loads from it though, not dusting himself doon. 

he’s probably watched it back 50 times by now and already has the answers. 
 

29 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Someone said they thought he went for it too early and, watching it back, I think I agree. After getting killed in behind for much of the first half, we had a better measure of the spaces for the first period of that second and then we seemed to become massively open again leaving huge gaps by committing forward (combined with rubbish tracking back). I feel like we've been decent at knowing when things aren't going our way this year and becoming more compact & upping the game management to try and reset. Not sure if we've been a bit unsettled by all of the media questions about dark arts but none of that was to be seen. It felt like we doubled down instead... maybe because of our recent form.

 

Overall, a bit of a strange showing from everyone involved which makes me hopeful that it was largely just an off day with some good tactical learnings about the squad.

 

Ya, I don’t think he got unsettled by that dark arts stuff but what did stick out to me was we didn’t settle down and adjust to what was clearly a lost battle in midfield and we had no answer for Watkins. I do think much of it was pure off day for us and pure on day for them. As good as they are and as good as we have been. Everything worked for them and nothing worked for us. 

[Shadow Puppets]

31 minutes ago, Kanji said:

he’s probably watched it back 50 times by now and already has the answers. 
 

 

Ya, I don’t think he got unsettled by that dark arts stuff but what did stick out to me was we didn’t settle down and adjust to what was clearly a lost battle in midfield and we had no answer for Watkins. I do think much of it was pure off day for us and pure on day for them. As good as they are and as good as we have been. Everything worked for them and nothing worked for us. 

The game reminded me of NUFC vs Man Utd, but this time we were on the receiving end.  A good team that couldn't get going, getting battered by a team that was clicking in everything they did.

[80]

22 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

The game reminded me of NUFC vs Man Utd, but this time we were on the receiving end.  A good team that couldn't get going, getting battered by a team that was clicking in everything they did.

I remember one phase which summed the game up, late in the first half, where we got a free kick just in their half. All the time in the world and we played it slow and just gradually got pressed back, passing it between ourselves until 30 seconds later we were almost in our own penalty area. Never seen us so bamboozled, it was like our Boxing Day fixture against Leicester in reverse.

[TRon]

3 hours ago, Kanji said:

he’s probably watched it back 50 times by now and already has the answers. 
 

 

Ya, I don’t think he got unsettled by that dark arts stuff but what did stick out to me was we didn’t settle down and adjust to what was clearly a lost battle in midfield and we had no answer for Watkins. I do think much of it was pure off day for us and pure on day for them. As good as they are and as good as we have been. Everything worked for them and nothing worked for us. 

 

I think without doubt he'll be asking questions of himself how we didn't deal with Watkins - and Ramsay to some extent  - better. Schar looked totally unprepared, maybe he just underestimated Watkins sheer pace out of the blocks.

 

I'd like to think we won't make that mistake again.

[Solitude20]

If you watch the 2nd Aston Villa goal again, you can see how it was mainly caused by a tactical error and miscommunication between Bruno and Joelinton.

 

As we were playing 4-4-2 at that moment, both of them pushed up the field and left the defense completely exposed without anyone covering that space in front of our defense. You can see McGinn simply running through that area in front of our defense completely unchallenged. He really took his sweet time to run with the ball in front of the box and both Bruno and Joe were still rushing back from the other side of the pitch. I don't blame them though; our team isn't really used to playing with two central midfielders, since you don't have a holding midfielder as in the case when playing with 3 central midfielders. In a midfield with 2 midfielders, tactical Awareness and communication are crucial to limit the space between lines and coordinate how both of them can cover all that area without being exposed. I am sure Eddie will take to them about that moment, especially if he decides to play 4-4-2 more often in the remaining matches. 

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Meh, Saturday can happen to pretty much any team.

 

A good team with a good manager on good form had a good day where everything went to plan. The opposition have an off day and get out played, out thought and out fought.

 

It's happened to Arsenal, to Liverpool, to Man Utd, to Chelsea (when they were good), Man City and even the likes of Barcelona, Madrid and Bayern. It will happen to us again and we'll do it to others again

 

Just don't make a habit of being on the receiving end Eddie!

[Coffee_Johnny]

 

Thought I’d look at Eddie’s record over four time periods. All games since officially in charge (Norwich City); all games since January 2022 (allowing a six game settling in period); 2022 as a whole; and 2023 to date.
Third option is the most impressive. Over 55% win percentage, 1.96 points per game, and a goal difference of +40. Hoping remaining 2023 games (should be about 36 to go) show an even better return. They don’t to date, but only 13 games in. 

[Lush Vlad]

6 hours ago, Colos Short and Curlies said:

Meh, Saturday can happen to pretty much any team.

 

A good team with a good manager on good form had a good day where everything went to plan. The opposition have an off day and get out played, out thought and out fought.

 

It's happened to Arsenal, to Liverpool, to Man Utd, to Chelsea (when they were good), Man City and even the likes of Barcelona, Madrid and Bayern. It will happen to us again and we'll do it to others again

 

Just don't make a habit of being on the receiving end Eddie!

Aye. Didn’t Napoli get beat 4-0 at home against Milan recently? 
 

I know they’ve lost Osimhen to injury and wobbled a bit of late. But shit happens. Even to the best teams, like you say. 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2023 by Lush Vlad

[timeEd32]

10 hours ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Someone said they thought he went for it too early and, watching it back, I think I agree. After getting killed in behind for much of the first half, we had a better measure of the spaces for the first period of that second and then we seemed to become massively open again leaving huge gaps by committing forward (combined with rubbish tracking back). I feel like we've been decent at knowing when things aren't going our way this year and becoming more compact & upping the game management to try and reset. Not sure if we've been a bit unsettled by all of the media questions about dark arts but none of that was to be seen. It felt like we doubled down instead... maybe because of our recent form.

 

Overall, a bit of a strange showing from everyone involved which makes me hopeful that it was largely just an off day with some good tactical learnings about the squad.

 

The spell right before their second goal was probably the best we played the whole game and we created a couple chances, so not sure I can agree with that. 

[Cronky]

On 17/04/2023 at 11:37, Gallowgate Toon said:

Someone said they thought he went for it too early and, watching it back, I think I agree. After getting killed in behind for much of the first half, we had a better measure of the spaces for the first period of that second and then we seemed to become massively open again leaving huge gaps by committing forward (combined with rubbish tracking back). I feel like we've been decent at knowing when things aren't going our way this year and becoming more compact & upping the game management to try and reset. Not sure if we've been a bit unsettled by all of the media questions about dark arts but none of that was to be seen. It felt like we doubled down instead... maybe because of our recent form.

 

Overall, a bit of a strange showing from everyone involved which makes me hopeful that it was largely just an off day with some good tactical learnings about the squad.

 

We may have been lacking a certain psychological edge. When we play one of the big six, we have the status of underdogs and we're strong in the face of good opposition, and perhaps also play with a bit more caution. This felt like the first time we've played a really good side, but with the mindset that we ought to win. I don't think we were complacent, but it was Villa who were the ones who could claim underdog status, and we didn't really cope with their aggression and energy.

 

Having said all that, we had a few chances at 1-0 down, and goals can change the whole momentum of a game. Overall, we didn't deserve anything, but defeat wasn't inevitable.

[The Prophet]

A couple of the players who have recently interviewed have also mentioned that they know draws aren't good enough if they want Champions League football. I wonder if that factored into it.

 

If we'd somehow escaped Villa Park with a point after that first half, it would have been a good point. 

[TheBrownBottle]

On 18/04/2023 at 04:48, Coffee_Johnny said:

 

Thought I’d look at Eddie’s record over four time periods. All games since officially in charge (Norwich City); all games since January 2022 (allowing a six game settling in period); 2022 as a whole; and 2023 to date.
Third option is the most impressive. Over 55% win percentage, 1.96 points per game, and a goal difference of +40. Hoping remaining 2023 games (should be about 36 to go) show an even better return. They don’t to date, but only 13 games in. 

The 2023 form is that of a team finishing around 6/7th in terms of win %, PPG and GD.  That’s pretty damn good, and I would view finishing 6/7th as a first class achievement considering that a cup run was also had.  I realise we can finish higher, but 6/7th is European football.  

[gjohnson]

On 17/04/2023 at 12:41, Shadow Puppets said:

The game reminded me of NUFC vs Man Utd, but this time we were on the receiving end.  A good team that couldn't get going, getting battered by a team that was clicking in everything they did.

Exactly. Games like this will happen over a season where everything works perfectly for the opposition and we're just not with it for whatever reason, and are deservedly punished for it. Villa were on it, we weren't and got spanked for it. The rest of the season shows this was an oddity and doubt it will happen again.

[80]

2 hours ago, The Prophet said:

A couple of the players who have recently interviewed have also mentioned that they know draws aren't good enough if they want Champions League football. I wonder if that factored into it.

 

If we'd somehow escaped Villa Park with a point after that first half, it would have been a good point. 

Our psychology isn't quite right. We're still immature. Which is to be expected given how recently we've come from where we've come from. But still, it's something we need to work on.

[The College Dropout]

Draws aren’t good enough. Eddie knows that which is why he went for it vs Man U. 
 

Aye at half time against Villa we would’ve taken a draw but we never got close really. 
 

Id be distraught to finish 6th now. It means we collapsed. 

[Coffee_Johnny]

5 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The 2023 form is that of a team finishing around 6/7th in terms of win %, PPG and GD.  That’s pretty damn good, and I would view finishing 6/7th as a first class achievement considering that a cup run was also had.  I realise we can finish higher, but 6/7th is European football.  

Yep, 2013 (to date) is decent; pretty close to the average for 5th place and the 1.69 points per game (ppg) would have good enough for 6th in all bar 5 seasons of the 30 PL seasons.

The 2022 performance, of EH’s team over the full calendar year (1.96ppg), would have been good enough for 2nd 5 times, 3rd 17 times, and 4th 26 times. Hoping we can better that for 2023 as a whole. With the extent of additional investment, which is likely, and the current maturing support structures in the club, I reckon we have a good chance. 

[Kid Icarus]

There was a Howe-ism in his presser today that's lead me to believe he maybe hasn't seen what he'd like to see in training. 

 

Talking about the reaction after the Villa match he said that what he'd seen from the players was good but specified that he meant in terms of the result last week affecting them, then went on to say that we've trained well but whether that translates into the match against Spurs and the result we'll see sort of thing. 

[Shadow Puppets]

2 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

There was a Howe-ism in his presser today that's lead me to believe he maybe hasn't seen what he'd like to see in training. 

 

Talking about the reaction after the Villa match he said that what he'd seen from the players was good but specified that he meant in terms of the result last week affecting them, then went on to say that we've trained well but whether that translates into the match against Spurs and the result we'll see sort of thing. 

Read too much into things much? ?

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, Shadow Puppets said:

Read too much into things much? ?

These things tend to happen automatically once your brain notices patterns being broken

[The Prophet]

I'm pretty sure he says training has been "very good" this week at some point. It's just his usual vague, non-committal pre-match patter.  

[80]

I thought he looked tense in the conference but not necessarily in a bad way. Seems like his energy is going to get directed somewhere on Sunday... Hopefully on Tottenham's faces amiright?

[TRon]

Looked fiercely determined to win in his own understated way. Love how he never separates players from the coaching staff when it comes to taking responsibility, he just said words to the effect of "we analysed last week's game as a team and will be looking to improve on some aspects". I mean he will actually have been livid at the performance but he's never going to say that publicly.