He changed to a back 5 against Villa to see the game out. Other than that though it's anyone's guess why different approaches haven't been tried. Other than lack of time on training ground this year or the possibility he doesn't trust the majority of the players to be able to do it.
It did work, but it clearly has asked too much of the players this season. It has to be remembered that Eddie Howe had no experience whatsoever of managing the extra games in his schedule and that his previously successful style of play was never tested with those additional games until this season. Howe definitely deserves the benefit of the doubt and next season if this continues I'm afraid he's going to need replacing with a manager who can at least attract the next level of player and who can make the required changes quickly. I think you're about right mate I'm expecting some good transfer activity, but I'm worried about the links to Phillips and just over priced dross.
Everyone and their deceased grandmother could see the situation needed changing immediately at left back on Saturday... not only did Howe decide not too he also waited until the side was losing 4-2. Howe is the type of guy that gets his wife to change a light bulb. He'll give her instructions and when she's struggling he'll continue reading the newspaper.
Actually I think, if I'm pissing on my own chips correctly, he also did it (5 at the back) vs Man U to see that game out. It's that we've been able to name just two examples. What's utterly baffling is both times, it WORKED!!! Liverpool, Chelsea and Milan stand out as games we needed to shut down and didn't. Even the atrocious decision vs PSG, he stands with his fingers crossed too often hoping it'll just click or change whilst we get absolutely battered. I mentioned elsewhere about my argument with 3 midfielders - when we're literally down to Longstaff, Miley and Bruno, why can't we go five at the back? We have multiple options across there, Trippier can play there or play RWB, Burn can play LCB or Botman can, and so on. Then you can go 4 across the middle with two CM's, transitioning into 3-4-3 as we attack. It just seems like a decent option - keeps his mate Burn on the field but allows Livramento a bit of license to roam. Or Hall, if our Summer recruitment was worth a damn.
Take Luton as an example on how to get a result...they ran the clock down , broke the play up with subs and rolled around holding their heads. Several games this season Newcastle have done none of that and lost games at the death or lost leads. Howe does 'NOTHING' then fans act like he has no bench.. I'm sorry but when the better players can't run properly it doesn't matter who comes on for a few minutes.... Hall can't run or pass can he ?
Look at what happened to Sheff Utd v Villa when they moved to a 3 man defence. Didn’t work. If the defence has been drilled/trained/coached for a particular formation for 2 years and then has no time between games to fine tune an alternative system some might think it would be foolhardy to suddenly carry out a u turn in tactics. Wonder what the reaction on here would have been if he had tried and failed.
I don't think anyone has slated Howe for picking Murphy. That Murphy's so **** and has been for years is a different question - as in, did Howe believe he was actually good enough? On what basis? One game vs Spurs? Or was he trying to upgrade and got nowhere because FFP is an issue, or our scouts are crap? Murphy was starting games over Almiron at one point, and whilst the latter isn't great, the drop to Murphy is a chasm. Longstaff, everybody is aware there's no choice because somebody at Newcastle - certainly not Howe - didn't look into the replacement (Tonali) deep enough. Lascelles has only played when Schar's not been available - again, the question is, who at Newcaslte thought going into a UCL season with Schar or Lascelles as your RCB options was a good idea? Then we come full circle to the FFP problem, and round and round we go. Ultimately it is what it is. My issue with Howe is four things: - Loyalty to crap like Burn. - A woeful Summer transfer window. - Inability to change dependent on opposition/personnel. - Inability to manage a game effectively.
As has just been pointed out, we (Newcaslte, not Villa/Sheff U so why was what a valid point?) have gone 3 at the back to help stem attacks, shore it up and see out victory precisely twice. It worked precisely twice. So we'll never know what would have happened vs PSG, Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham, Milan, etc, as we didn't do it. What we did instead was nothing different. And lost the lead in every match. The fact we have proof it can work, evidence inactivity doesn't work yet still we carry on like the ****show vs Luton is unfathomable.
So every game we win and don’t change tactics must mean that inactivity works. No. Same with your logic. Just because you change doesn’t mean the results would have been any different. You can only speculate and guess. The defeats could have been even worse. We don’t know. Plus I wouldn’t include the PSG game as we robbed by a very iffy decision. I’m not trying to say EH has got it right every time. I agree he has made mistakes and yes he has to learn. But all managers make mistakes including the Klopp’s and Pep’s of this world. You should read what the Villa fans were saying about Emery after they lost to us. Here’s a clue, no Plan B, failing to manage the game and having favourites were common themes. Sound familiar? Due to FFP. Due to injuries. Due to additional high pressure games. Due to lack of recovery time between games. Yes, due to our style of play which was so successful last year. This season was always going to be one step back from last year. What we do the rest of this season combined with how successful our Summer transfer window is and how we start next season will dictate how long EH will last. But, for me, what he did in his first and second seasons gives him some leeway this season.
I’ve little to say that’s not been said already… but this is my limited input. Baffled, truly baffled that after witnessing Burn being publicly humiliated in the first half that he didn’t put Tino on at half time. The first time I saw that lad whip by him I knew what was going to happen. It was such an obvious switch. We lost that game due to weak decision making. Hell, we could have won it at the death, but the damage was done. Can’t ship 4 at home to ****ing Luton. Consider my mattress dry… for now.
When is the time right though. They have spent 400m and we couldn’t beat Luton Town at home and conceded 4 goals. This isn’t really acceptable. But it is if Howe learns. Will he?
When they money is ready for the next phase... use howe for a year or 2 and then throw him away like used bog roll. It's the way of the world.. I mean is Eddie Howe going to lead a side to glory? Can you see him at any big club ?
