BTW lads I've just found a comment in howes post match presser when he says he changed things slightly because of injuries.... that's a tweak.
The problem with football is the fact it's such a microcosm. Spurs turn you over 4-1, Everton 3-0 and B'mth 2-0 it just feels awful. Milan 1-2 was sickening. Someone's got to take the blame and realistically the buck stops - fairly or not - with the manager. The point of this whole post is about whether Howe's style of play and subsequent team selections have contributed to our injury problems and it's really, really hard to understand why anybody thinks its not. When we didn't have the incredibly high intensity of CL football it was considerably easier. It\s six midweeks we didn't have to have last year. Then you take the LC draw and we've been screwed at every turn on that one, meaning we have to play hard to win. Howe probably needed to tweak the way we play in matches this year and should have put faith in some subs a lot earlier than he did. Tonali is the one thing that's nothing to do with him and has been a disaster, as he's a 40 match a year player suddenly gone. When we're fit and on our game we can beat anyone. Howe rightly has to take almost all of the credit for that, creating and identity and the success he's brought. When levels drop - which they have to with that style - or squad is shifted we can be caught out quite badly. We needed to tweak, which Howe has since admitted - but only about 3 minutes ago!! The problem with the Summer recruitment was not ensuring we had cover in each squad place. RCB, RW, LB just weren't addressed. If we bring in 3 first-XI capable players in January then I think those who said this was the failure will be vindicated, and we then have a very good chance of pushing for CL again.
No I'm not saying he's responsible, I said "I heard" he was responsible. Something to do with playing style, lack of rotation and player management.
I'm saying the manager is responsible for the management and condition of the squad overall. It's not rocket science and yes he has a team beneath him, but he's the manager.
He's not injuring the players , but he is responsible for the management of his squad. Essentially when you get things right you're doing well and when you don't you're not doing well at something. I can't just roll into work and say the condition of my cases are atrocious because I've been a little unlucky.
