Eddie Howe

[SoHelpMeGod 263]

He stays, no doubt. So many external factors beyond his control at play this season, and I still think he's doing well under some difficult circumstances which a lot of people may not see. All he needs to is work on an effective plan B in terms of our tactics. I'm sure he is doing that behind the scenes, he is obviously very good at his job and an intelligent person. Eddie, of course, isn't above criticism, he should get it, and I'm glad he does. But sacking him is not the move, and I think it'll remain out of the picture for the foreseeable. 

 

As for the Howe Out shite itself - I've personally only seen that from trolls, post-takeover Twitter plastics and supporters who, understandably I'd say, get very emotional after losses or bad runs. Despite what some cunts online would have you think, our supporters aren't shouting from the rooftops demanding that he is dismissed. Also, even though I'm feeling very upset after today's loss and shit performance, I'm not worried about him losing his job, don't think he should lose it, and I do still think we will get Conference or Europa for next year. 

[Toonpack 15595]

A contributory factor in the apparent lack of a plan b is the fact we have virtually no training sessions in which to work on anything, it's match to match with probably only light work in between. That doesn't help at all.

 

That said if the players could execute plan a, never mind b, the point would be moot. Biggest issue (for me) is that our ability to find a final ball remains notably absent.

[thebrokendoll 14245]

28 minutes ago, Toonpack said:

A contributory factor in the apparent lack of a plan b is the fact we have virtually no training sessions in which to work on anything, it's match to match with probably only light work in between. That doesn't help at all.

 

That said if the players could execute plan a, never mind b, the point would be moot. Biggest issue (for me) is that our ability to find a final ball remains notably absent.

 

not just the final ball. we gave them possession in our defensive third on countless occasions, especially first half. a half decent team would've given us a proper fucking hiding today.

[wykikitoon 28546]

We've been giving possession away a lot this season. 

[Dr Gloom 26353]

55 minutes ago, Toonpack said:

A contributory factor in the apparent lack of a plan b is the fact we have virtually no training sessions in which to work on anything, it's match to match with probably only light work in between. That doesn't help at all.

 

That said if the players could execute plan a, never mind b, the point would be moot. Biggest issue (for me) is that our ability to find a final ball remains notably absent.

agree but that can’t be an excuse forever. The big clubs find a way to do it. Emery’s doing a great job at it this season and narrowly missed out on the CL places last season despite going deep in that competition. This is Howe’s second season in the CL. He has to figure out a way to make it work quickly for his sake 

[Toonpack 15595]

23 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

agree but that can’t be an excuse forever. The big clubs find a way to do it. Emery’s doing a great job at it this season and narrowly missed out on the CL places last season despite going deep in that competition. This is Howe’s second season in the CL. He has to figure out a way to make it work quickly for his sake 

 

Don't disagreebut some our players simply need to start playing up to their reputations, most aren't.

[Holden McGroin 9905]

Howe normally has a detailed plan for the opponents and he probably can’t drill them enough during the week to manage both domestic and European campaigns at the moment. I’m sure they are all learning but we’ll need better quality (technical) players to progress in the future.

[wykikitoon 28546]

We do have a better squad depth. But it's better than the very shit one we have. Howe for 3 transfer windows was starved of upgrading the team. This transfer window was a disaster due to the exec 'team' that hasn't helped Howe one bit.

 

The majority haven't been themselves this season for large parts and that's odd for me. Is Howe worried that there could be injuries like the last time we were in the CL?

 

 

[NJS 5298]

As I alluded to in the match thread, I think we're seeing the consequences of how we saw out the first semi against Arsenal which was 100% right at the time but now seems to be our go to plan far too often. 

 

We'll see it in the semis if we beat Fulham and we'll see it at PSG and my worry is it's not even working. I'm not saying we can go full on press for 90 minutes twice a week but we need to find a more possession based way of saving energy rather than the 5-5-0 or variants of it because if it's not working it will be the results which will cost us and Eddie in the long term. 

[wykikitoon 28546]

Toonati has just mentioned about conserving energy in the match thread. We have seen that too much this season and it's just not working.

[Gemmill 63205]

1 minute ago, NJS said:

As I alluded to in the match thread, I think we're seeing the consequences of how we saw out the first semi against Arsenal which was 100% right at the time but now seems to be our go to plan far too often. 

 

We'll see it in the semis if we beat Fulham and we'll see it at PSG and my worry is it's not even working. I'm not saying we can go full on press for 90 minutes twice a week but we need to find a more possession based way of saving energy rather than the 5-5-0 or variants of it because if it's not working it will be the results which will cost us and Eddie in the long term. 

 

Howe keeps saying after the games that the retreating to the edge of our box is NOT the game plan. The problem is there's no time to actually work on what the game plan actually should be. 

 

We might have been better just going back to the all out press, but even that would need drilling on the training ground, and there isn't the time. 

 

A huge part of the problem is that we're still trying to establish our new identity (post intensity), and we're trying to do it without anytime on the training pitch. 

 

I think Wilson will understand all of this, and he'll be the one that Hopkinson will be talking to, so hopefully we don't see any daft, rash decisions. Honestly, Howe deserves at least two more seasons with some stability at exec level for me, before anyone can start thinking about a replacement. 

[Gemmill 63205]

Just now, wykikitoon said:

Toonati has just mentioned about conserving energy in the match thread. We have seen that too much this season and it's just not working.

 

I just mentioned in my other post though, even if you decided to go all out press again, it needs drilling into them again and there isn't the time. And it's a really high risk strategy so you can't do it without everyone knowing their role like the back of their hand. 

 

We're between a rock and a hard place. 

[wykikitoon 28546]

1 minute ago, Gemmill said:

 

I just mentioned in my other post though, even if you decided to go all out press again, it needs drilling into them again and there isn't the time. And it's a really high risk strategy so you can't do it without everyone knowing their role like the back of their hand. 

 

We're between a rock and a hard place. 

 

I agree but most of the lads know eddies system of press so what's changed?

 

Is it this system where we're not pressing that after three seasons of hard press it's just thrown them? 

[Kid Dynamite 9340]

10 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Toonati has just mentioned about conserving energy in the match thread. We have seen that too much this season and it's just not working.

With a fully fit squad we have 2 first team players for every position. Part of the issue is Howe has his favourites that he flogs. Schar is an able deputy for Burn Ramsey and Elanga at £100m between them should have been knocking on the starting XI. Miley should have been rotating with Joe much more often than he has

[thebrokendoll 14245]

4 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

 

I agree but most of the lads know eddies system of press so what's changed?

 

Is it this system where we're not pressing that after three seasons of hard press it's just thrown them? 

 

we're struggling a bit with the 'conserve energy' system. most of the cunts haven't cottoned on to that not meaning the 'go to sleep' system. or in yesterday's case the 'dont bother getting out of bed in the first place' system.

[Renton 27784]

I'm not sure operating a high press for a whole season with this many games is feasible even if we have 2 quality players in every position (we don't). I think the next stage is to dominate possession and break down team's defences however they play, especially in low block. We don't have the quality for that yet, it's the preserve of the truly elite teams.

[PaddockLad 22500]

1 hour ago, Renton said:

I'm not sure operating a high press for a whole season with this many games is feasible even if we have 2 quality players in every position (we don't). I think the next stage is to dominate possession and break down team's defences however they play, especially in low block. We don't have the quality for that yet, it's the preserve of the truly elite teams.

 

I've been told Villa are doing it and so did Klopp 's Liverpool so we should just sack Howe

 

 

[YorkshireExile 90]

Too many underperforming players at the moment no matter what the system is and instructions from Howe are. We need significant restructuring in the next two transfer windows. Of the current crop I'd only keep Tino, Hall, Thiaw, Bruno and Tonali (and Miley cos he's the future). The rest are all replaceable.

[Craig 12384]

I don't want him out, but the tactics have to change. Setting ourselves up for a 0-0 away to the Mackems by sitting back is not appealing. Reminds me somewhat of Allardyce's style and what's more frustrating is we know Eddie can coach a completely different style. 

I'd rather we'd have gone for it yesterday and we ended up losing 2 to 3 nil. 

[Dr Gloom 26353]

Just now, Craig said:

I don't want him out, but the tactics have to change. Setting ourselves up for a 0-0 away to the Mackems by sitting back is not appealing. Reminds me somewhat of Allardyce's style and what's more frustrating is we know Eddie can coach a completely different style. 

I'd rather we'd have gone for it yesterday and we ended up losing 2 to 3 nil. 

 

i can understand why he would set up that way in the first half - game plan was probably to contain their early press then have a go in the second half as they tired. problem was sunderland had already scored by then, fucking up the game plan entirely.

 

the second half was the time to go for it. it was the perfect time to try wissa at number 9 with woldemade a number 10 for half an hour in the second half. sunderland were offering nowt going forwards and were looking to contain. we were just devoid of ideas at that stage. maybe wissa wasn't fit enough to try that, i dunno. i suspect it's because howe doesn't fancy trying 4-2-3-1

 

howe is still the man for me but you have to be critical. he is overly loyal to certain players and his tactics are quite rigid at times. subs are almost always like-for-like - he rarely changes shape during the game. 

 

in woldemade we have a striker who looks tailor-made number 10 to help unpick a deep line. will howe ever use him in that role? 

 

 

[Craig 12384]

I'm sure that was the gameplan, but it's risky as hell and we've been undone by it countless times this season - perhaps it's his overall plan given the amount of games we've got to play but it's a false economy for me. 

I wonder how many times he's going to try it BEFORE he accepts it's not working.

[wykikitoon 28546]

58 minutes ago, Craig said:

I don't want him out, but the tactics have to change. Setting ourselves up for a 0-0 away to the Mackems by sitting back is not appealing. Reminds me somewhat of Allardyce's style and what's more frustrating is we know Eddie can coach a completely different style. 

I'd rather we'd have gone for it yesterday and we ended up losing 2 to 3 nil. 

He did the same for Leeds away too

[Craig 12384]

11 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

He did the same for Leeds away too

And Spurs at home. We can't keep inviting the opposition to come at us and be surprised when they score. 

If we were able to execute boring old 1-0 wins by sitting back an absorbing pressure then I'd accept it for the greater good, we've demonstrably provided countless times that we can't.

[YorkshireExile 90]

Quote

We can't keep inviting the opposition to come at us and be surprised when they score. 

 

After the Burnley match I said I was fine with doing just enough, but with hindsight we're losing too many points by trying to be clever and 'managing' (LOL like we did that yesterday!) the game. Just get out there and play our normal (is it normal any more?) attacking and pressing style and be damned with it. If we go a couple up in the first half then we can think about seeing it out, but until then it should be all in. I think Howe is overthinking this, just go back to plan A. 

[Holden McGroin 9905]

35 minutes ago, Craig said:

And Spurs at home. We can't keep inviting the opposition to come at us and be surprised when they score. 

If we were able to execute boring old 1-0 wins by sitting back an absorbing pressure then I'd accept it for the greater good, we've demonstrably provided countless times that we can't.

We could last season but I suspect that’s because we weren’t fatigued from playing in Europe.