Hmmmmmm....it's sad to see what this job does to managers. I feel sad for the bloke... he's not got the players to do the job never mind 1st.. Howe like most of us and the signings thought they were getting on a rocket ship, but it's just turned out like any other regular Premier league assignment. Then Now
Sympathy for Howe yes. Total absolution for where we are...... not a chance. I think Howe has peaked personally, I see a coach who is struggling for ideas and how to manage the lop sided nature of his squad. His subs are predictable to the minute, we can't break down deep lying teams, our corners and free kicks are a running joke and we have lost all identity. We neither **** house nor aggressive press now, we are terrible with ball retention (which is what I think Howe is trying to transform us too). We have issues in all areas, some worse than other but the most damning fact is - we still have Murphy, Miggy etc as key members of the squad after 3 years. We have bought some Ferrari parts but the body is of a morris minor that can only turn left.
It's even a stretch to have sympathy, he's had a good run and got a hell of a lot of support. This is a guy who actively aimed to keep Trippier, Almiron and Wilson to the point where all three are a total drain on resources, worthless and going to leave for free. All this bollocks about not selling Almiron unless there's a decent fee in Jan - ffs, he was barely worth £8m last year, then proceeded to never play!! His transfer plan was add depth via subs rather than strengthen the first team - it's a weak approach and means we keep people like Murphy, Burn, Pope, Schar, etc., way past their sell by date. None of them were that good to begin with! Think he's too small minded, wants too much control, has too much say, and is very limited tactically. For around half of the matches this season, particularly early on, the players just looked miserable. There was no press, no identity, just the same formation trotted out with the same subs. Large parts of last season were spent huffing and puffing in a 4-3-3, not able to pick teams apart, losing to Bournemouth, Everton, Forest and others. Again, did ok when we could counter attack, but we were doing that crap under Rafa and Ashley!! I'm not wetting the bed or getting angry anymore, as that's boring and wearing for me and dear reader! I just think his race is properly run, he probably should've gone with Staveley and now I think we're just on a ticking clock until he's replaced. He even looks like a man coming to the end of his tenure.
Howe incidentally was happy with how we played for an hour, in which we were 2-0 down. He didn’t like the final half an hour. So that’ll be after he made his subs and threw the team into a random 442. He’s starting to sound and look really lost.
He sounds defeated .. like a man just fulfilling his obligations. Howe thought he was getting the next man city job, but like we were told this isn't going to be that at all. This assignment is no different any other job outside a big 6 job. He doesn't have the money or the players to achieve anything significant here.
Pretty much stadium plans, costs and projected revenues. style of play and how great things are between Mitchell and Howe discussed too
I'd love to know how a stadium can double the clubs revenue mind. 300 million a year ? Fanciful surely unless he was purely talking about match day revenue
Think it’s turning it into a 365 day a year venue, concerts, conferences, rugby, nfl, shops and food places accessible on outside of ground rather than inside etc
Can't happen fast enough because until then this clubs completely nailed to the canvass by PSR and there to be feasted on by big clubs. They're going to have to sell Isak or Guimaraes and it's not as easy as people think replacing players.... God knows who they'll go with but I read lewin to replace Isak the other day. It doesn't look like we'll be able to offer Europe and now players have cottoned onto the fact Newcastle can't compete and won't be the next Chelsea or city.
Bit of a crossroads coming up. If they stick with Howe, which I think is likely, then I can see Tonali being sold back to Italy, and then probably Isak binned off as well. Howe will want to keep his trusted players. Isak to Arsenal or Man U seems likely, both want a decent striker, which should be useful in terms of PSR, and I don't think Howe's ever getting the best out of either due to style of play. It might be that we go down a different path of youth development for the time being. We did go get a lot of young talent, like Sanusi, Harrison, that Georgian kid, etc. Maybe even Osula is in that number. If that's the case, then expectations need to be significantly reset and Howe probably then might as well stay, as no manager in the world is going to turn kids into trophy winners. I can very much see us trying to emulate what Mitchell has done before with Monaco and Leipzig, and has even gone on record to say he'd want 2-3 kids into the first XI every season. This season I think it's been about integrating Hall and Livramento. Next will be Miley and Osula, with Harrison, Murphy and Sanusi behind them, so we seem to be doing the right things. I can imagine Wilson and Isak will go with David brought in alongside Osula, and Joelinton as an option up top. Tonali leaving will let Miley come in, then money will be spent on RCB because our options there are limited. We will probably sell Almiron and get a right sided forward, then presumably part of the youth recruitment will see us go for either Trafford if Burnley don't come up, or a relegated keeper. It all makes sense, it's probably just about accepting where we are and what we're going to look like, but the latter will take patience many (including me) don't have!!
The notion of Howe giving youth a chance over the underbelly he sees as the very foundations of the club seems highly unlikely to me. I can guarantee that in 2 years time Longstaff Murphy and Pope will still being used regularly. They'll sell of the likes of Willock and Joelinton instead to facilitate the signings of lewin and Billing or something along those lines I think. I genuinely hope I'm wrong and they bring in some quality and trim off the Ashley underbelly but I honestly don't think that's going to happen soon.
Personally, think this opinion is somewhat wrong, though not entirely. Sadly I do agree that Pope and Longstaff will play more games than not, but only next year, not the year after. I stand by the opinion that Isak and Tonali will be sold before players like Willock, and would argue that scenario is worse than yours! However, I don't think Howe is in control enough to waste the money any longer. I think we'll still add three senior pros in 2025. I'd suggest for PSR reasons, next season the squad will be something like: GK - Pope / Trafford / Gillespie RB - Livramento / Krafth RCB - Tomori / Schar LCB - Botman / Murphy LB - Hall / Kelly CDM - Bruno / Miley RCM - Longstaff / Harrison LCM - Joelinton / Willock RW - Bakayoko / Murphy LW - Gordon / Barnes CF - David / Osula Sold - Tonali, Isak, Wilson, Trippier, Almiron. Is that much better? No, probably a bit worse, but the finances will be ok. A lot will be on the likes of Harrison, Sanusi, Salia, Murphy, Shahar to step up. Then it's about getting Pope and J.Murphy out.
Only time will tell..I think I'm going to just be positive because I'm just coming across like an arsehole and it gains nothing.
Just accept a result, make a very short and succinct comment, then move on. That's what I've been told we all should do. I'm now worried this post is too long.
