Arsenal: Clearly Eddie Howe Is Perfect For The Gunners
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal played out an insanely exciting match against Bournemouth and in the process, we may have learned that Eddie Howe could be perfect.
Arsenal came into the Bournemouth match as they come into every match at this point – needing three points lest they fall even further behind the Blues of Chelsea. With a squad that boasted plenty of talent and gobs of promise, there was reason to be optimistic.
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But it derailed quickly and before we knew it, we were 3-0 down a hour into the match. It was clear that the Cherries had come with a game plan and that Eddie Howe knew exactly how to pick the Gunner’s apart.
He put the pressure on, kept the throttle on and didn’t let up. No matter how much the Gunners wanted to slow the game down, they couldn’t do it.
But then it changed and suddenly, through individual brilliance and sheer determination, the Gunners fought back and made it 3-3. Destroying a much more passive Bournemouth, Arsenal leveled the playing field and by the end of the match, both sides looked beyond gassed.
There has been a lot of talk about who will replace Arsene Wenger. Le Prof will not be here forever and he figures to only have a few years left as he wraps up a historic career in North London.
Among those proposed to be Wenger’s replacement was the man we faced today, the manager of the Cherries, Eddie Howe.
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Many say that he is too young and inexperienced to take over a storied club like Arsenal, but what we saw against our own club yesterday gives us a good indication of what we could expect if he came to North London.
First of all – he came prepared. There is something to be said about that. We often criticize Wenger for not coming prepared to a match, but Howe could bear no such criticism. Not only that, but he clearly knew the way of the Gunners because he absolutely picked it apart.
He also severely overestimated his own club’s abilities and blew a late lead. All of these things are indicative of the Gunner’s current status.
The latter half of that was sarcasm, just to clarify, but given the right experience and the right timing, I don’t see why Howe couldn’t succeed Wenger. Not this summer, but further down the line.
Preparation is a huge thing and this man came prepared. Almost so much that it cost him in the end when he tried to sit on it.
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It’s something to keep an eye on, if nothing else.