It's Time For Harsh Truths

Losing to Sunderland is bad enough at any time; but the manner of this defeat, the insipid performance and lack of pride and fight, made it a bad sad day for Toon fans.

What is even worse, and a fact is... were we really surprised?

I made the point in my match preview - In truth, no performance or result now surprises us.

Right across the club... from management, to the squad and fans, there is now a lack of belief in our ability to produce the consistent performances and results that are needed.

Beating Man City with all guns blazing and then firing a peashooter against Burnley and nearly conceding not just one but nearly two stoppage time goals. That sums it up.

So... what is the problem?

Management, transfers, team selection and tactics

When problems consistently occur in any business - football included - it is either one big failing or a combination of failings that need to be identified and sorted.

Transfers

We went for Ekitike and Mbuemo and got Woltemade and Elanga.

No comparison.

Big Nick has got goals, but he offers nowhere near the pace, skill and natural goal poacher instinct that Ekitike is blessed with. Elanga? Not in Mbuemo's league.

Ramsey? No other top club was interested and unless he makes massive progress he will be nothing more than an expensive squad player.

Wissa? He still has everything to prove and whilst his injury was unfortunate no way can that be used as an excuse for our problems this season.

In short; Thiaw apart, our summer transfer business is now looking like a 3/10

We signed our 4th choice ST, our 2nd choice at best RW, a midfield player that Aston Villa haven't missed at all, and a goalkeeper on loan that got the elbow at Arsenal.

Failing to sign transformational players like Ekitike and Mbuemo who would have taken the first eleven to another level has been a devastating blow.

Team Selection

The CL has made rotation the buzz word this season but what it has also shown is that no matter what team Eddie puts out the same inconsistent, lacklustre performances and last minute goals keep occurring,

The only area of the team where team selection appears to be up for real consideration by Eddie is on the wings. Pick and mix from Gordon, Barnes, Murphy and Elanga.

Taking pick and mix as the cue only Barnes with his goals has hit the sweet spot.

The real issue is that across the team - with Tino, Hall and Thiaw being the exceptions - players are not turning in consistent 8/10 performances. 6/10 is the average at best.

If those under-par performances continue team selection won't solve the problem.

Tactics

What are they? That's an honest and genuine question.

The days of the high press are long gone but what hasn't changed is the 433 formation.

We still play with two out and out wingers but that often left Isak without support and exactly the same is happening to Woltemade.

However, Isak had the pace, skill and explosive shot to make his own chances and goals but, increasingly, we are seeing that isolating Woltemade takes him out of the game.

What I have yet to see from Woltemade is the Beardsley type player beating runs that were a big feature of his game in Germany. And, a big factor in his £69M fee,

Take those runs out and we are left with player who is good at dropping deep and laying off passes and who is a threat in the air. A harsh judgement perhaps, but IMO true.

What doesn't help Woltemade is a consistent failure to get early crosses in. He is lucky if he gets one or two a game and I am baffled at why that failure is continuing.

With Wissa now fit Eddie will soon have a decision to make.

Does he rotate Woltemade and Wissa or does he change tactics away from 433 to 352 or another formation to accommodate both?

That could be defining for the team, and Eddie.

Management

'The Buck Stops Here' was a sign that sat on US President Harry Truman's desk.

Whether or not it's on Eddie Howe's desk is irrelevant - the responsibility for where we are at, and where we go from here, is down to him and his management team.

The harsh truth is we are now 11pts and 9 places behind Unai Emery and Aston Villa.

Emery was first choice to replace Bruce and, like Eddie, took over an also ran team of underachievers.

Both managers have made huge strides taking their clubs into the CL and in Eddie's case winning a trophy.

I mention Emery and Aston Villa because PIF won't be judging Eddie against the likes of Man City and Arsenal, that is too harsh and unrealistic at this stage of our development.

But, it isn't harsh and unrealistic to compare and judge Eddie against Emery.

In some ways getting into a top 6 spot is the easy part, especially for a good manager backed in the transfer market. And Eddie has had more backing than Emery.

The hard part is that next step up into genuine top 4 and consistent CL qualification.

You only have to look at the turnover of managers at Man U, Chelsea and Spurs to see how hard that is - even for the likes of Conte, Mourinho and Van Gaal.

Make no mistake, PIF will be watching how the rest of this season plays out.

Eddie Howe has to show that he has the qualities to take us to that next level.

He is a great guy and will go down as a legend for bringing a trophy to SJP.

But he has to turn this season around.

If not...

Don't be surprised if PIF make Emery an offer he can't refuse.

That's my answer to those who ask who would replace Eddie.

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