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Opinion

Steven Gerrard and Eddie Howe – Very different treatment by the media

1 year ago
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Steven Gerrard and Eddie Howe got their jobs within 72 hours of each other.

Aston Villa and Newcastle United appointing new team bosses in November 2021.

Fair to say that the positions they inherited were very different.

Newcastle United second bottom of the table with only five points and relegation favourites, a team / squad suffering from chronic lack of investment, as Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce had handed out numerous new contracts to existing players who should have been moved out and replaced by Premier League level signings.

In contrast, Villa had spent some £300m on signings in their most recent five transfer windows and whilst they were only on ten points and fifteenth in the table, nobody had them down as been at risk of relegation.

There was much hilarity in the media and elsewhere that Steven Gerrard had chosen Aston Villa ahead of Newcastle United. This despite Gerrard never having been under consideration for the job at St James’ Park, with Unai Emery and Eddie Howe the two names identified by the new Newcastle owners.

When then Steven Gerrard kicked off with four wins in his first six Premier League matches, the media were all congratulating themselves on having so obviously been proved correct on the former Liverpool player’s credentials. Indeed, seemingly only when, not if, he would be taking over from Klopp at Anfield.

As for Eddie Howe, only one win in his first nine Premier League games at NUFC, was equally the ultimate proof, if any were needed, that Newcastle United’s supposedly naive owners had clearly got their choice so wrong, when taking on ‘The fella that got Bournemouth relegated…’

This is where though for much of the media, many journalists, the intense reporting on Eddie Howe and Steven Gerrard came to an abrupt end.

These are the respective Premier League records of the two managers in 2022:

Eddie Howe

Played 28 Won 15 Drawn 7 Lost 6 Goals For 42 Goals Against 29

A total of 52 points at an average of 1.86 points per game.

Steven Gerrard

Played 29 Won 8 Drawn 8 Lost 13 Goals For 33 Goals Against 37

A total of 32 points at an average of 1.10 points per game.

This calendar year, Steven Gerrard has lost more than twice as many Premier League games as Eddie Howe, whilst the Newcastle boss is only one short of having exactly twice as many victories.

This is how the Premier League table currently looks on Tuesday (11 October 2022):

If Newcastle United win against Man Utd this weekend and Villa lose to Chelsea, Eddie Howe would find himself fifth in the Premier League (top four if Villa didn’t lose to Chelsea!) whilst Steven Gerrard could end up in the relegation zone.

The praise for just how astonishing a job Eddie Howe has done, has been begrudging to say the least.

Whilst with Steven Gerrard, he is clearly one of those where the media find it very difficult to go against him, a bit like a younger Steve Bruce…

I saw some mentions in recent days about supposed unhappiness from Villa fans about Steven Gerrard and the media failing to properly cover this dissent.

Having looked into it, I think the widespread unhappiness of the Aston Villa fanbase with Steven Gerrard is pretty overwhelming, these kind of comments typical…

‘How is Steven Gerrard still here?’

‘The ego of Steve Bruce with the managerial ability of Steve Bruce.’

‘Bruce is a superior manager. He is also cr.p but at least you know what a Steve Bruce is and his style of play.’

‘Officially done with him now, I saw nothing last night in a game where we should be taking 3 points to suggest he has any sort of tactical ability to move this team on. His comments post match are laughable.

Atmosphere at VP will be even more toxic if he is around much longer.’

‘He’s broken us hasn’t he? All the good work done before by Smith is gone.

However, are we beyond repair? I would like to think not.

I live in hope that a decision to remove Gerrard is made sooner rather than later.’

‘It might technically be too early to say it but I’ve seen nothing under Gerrards Villa to suggest we are not going to be in a relegation battle.’

The fact that so many of them are making comparisons with Steve Bruce is most definitely NOT a good sign.

It makes you wonder at exactly what point the media will acknowledge that Steven Gerrard isn’t what they claimed him to be and is actually proving to be a disaster at Villa Park?

Much is made of the £200m+ spent at Newcastle United since the takeover but the vast majority of that (around £140m) was spent on two 22 year olds and a 24 year old to be key players for many years to come.

At Villa Park in these past 15 months or so, with most of the signings having been made by Steven Gerrard, much of the money spent on players at the wrong end of their careers and who will be on huge wages, such as Coutinho, Carlos, Digne, Young, Olsen and Ings, who will all be in their 30s by the time next season comes around.

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