ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Tim Howard

I wrote on here after the Chelsea 1st leg that Howard is costing us goals and I had a lot of people disagree with me. There's something about his concentration and decision making that keeps costing us goals.

Yesterday, he should have come for the cross against Wigan but didn't - we concede. Same against Chelsea in 1st leg. He cost us the game against Arsenal for their 3rd goal when Yobo left the ball for him (if Howard didn't want it, why was he so far out of his area?). It meant we couldn't come back into the match.He also cost us in Europe with his terrible roll out to Lescott.

I like he guy, he made a great save against Wigan yesterday and I recognise that he has his good points but Ijust don't think he's good enough

Great win though and great to be above Liverpool!
Karneet Chowdhury, London Posted 21/01/2008 at 10:56:21

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Jon Berry
1 Posted 21/01/2008 at 12:29:21

Or... If Howard hadn’t made a great save pushing Bent’s header onto the bar it would have been 2-2.

Scraping the barrel a bit to have a go at him. I think he’s a great keeper myself.

John Lloyd
2 Posted 21/01/2008 at 12:28:44

The safest, most reliable & generally best goalie since big Nev.

Totally disagree with your post, of course he is not the finished article & there is always room for improvment but I honestly believe we have one of the top 4/5 goalies in prem & he willget better & better as most goalkeepers dont peak till 30ish.

Like DM said himself a couple of weeks ago, he’s made us forget Nigel Martyn, who was also fantastic for us & if you have been watching our games you will see that he has made some cracking saves this year. Some match winning ones too, cant ask for more than that from your keeper.

Again, I TOTALLY disagree Ken.

Dominic Duerden
3 Posted 21/01/2008 at 12:37:04

I think Tim Howard is a brilliant goalkeeper , the best we have had since Nev.

Completely disagree with you on this one Karneet.

Gaz Davies
4 Posted 21/01/2008 at 12:36:12

I actually think the error against Wigan was that he hesitated before he come for the cross, but he definitely did come for it.

The save from Bent?s header more than made up for it though.

Although he has made the odd error, his quality is underlined by the confidence the defence seem to have in him, something which they never showed with Richard Wright.

I reckon he?s a good keeper who will continue to improve.

James Elworthy
5 Posted 21/01/2008 at 12:44:27

A great shot stopper but dodgy on crosses, best since big Nev was Nigel Martyn, Howard is a good keeper but areas of his game need improvement mainly crosses and distribution.
Dont forget Man Utd got rid of him due to the same type of errors he still makes, Chris Woods needs to work on this aspect of his game.
However I would rather have Howard with a broken leg playing than the German bloke.

Jon Davies
6 Posted 21/01/2008 at 12:50:59

Completely disagree.....

Arsenal goal due to one of Yobo?s now fortunately much less frequent ?moments?

Chelsea goal Lescott was outjumped by a midget

Good keeper, been great for us

Dutch Schaffaer
7 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:20:31

Howard is never going to be considered world class but he is a decent keeper and certainly good enough for our needs.

Probably rate him below the likes of Cech, James and Reina but certainly better then Robinson, Given and Friedel.

He’ll do for now. World class keepers are difficult to find.

Max Meindl
8 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:24:39

I think Tim Howard is one of the best shot stoppers in the game. He isnt the best under a high ball but goalkeeping terms he is still young. I think he is and will continue be a great keeper for Everton.

Andy Callaghan
9 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:30:02

Tim Howard is a solid, dependable goalkeeper. Of course he makes the odd mistake, albeit a little more frequent recently, but he is undoubtedly on a par with Martyn in the best keeper we’ve had since Nev.

Also, Reina is horribly overrated. Even more overrated than Given in fact.

Darren Gough
10 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:30:46

I find it odd that people are having a go at him. Every keeper makes mistakes. Schmeichel, over his career, made some awful errors which often get forgotten for the genius that he undoubtedly was at times.

Interesting to see Cech this season. I?ve always been a bit confused over this "world's greatest" tag he got given in a season when, frankly, I could have kept goal for Chelsea behind that team. This season he has made error after error (especially kicking) and I?ve lost count of the times Andy "baised" Gray says "mark that in your diary ? a mistake from Cech". Well I have Andy, and he?s made a few!

Tony Williams
11 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:34:37

I love Howard but he is just like Fowler, in that he finds it had to leave his line (allegedly)

It may have something to do with the goas he conceeded last term from distance but he seems to have a problem in coming off his line. I noticed it again yesterday.

He is a great keeper and the best we could hope for after the "Sky 4" have taken their pick of the other great goalies.

Fantastic shot stopper and has the edge of the "Everton Nigel Martyn" in that due to his age he can get down low so much more quickly.

Great goal but with some flaws, hence why ManUre sold him.

Viv Sharma
12 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:35:22

Dear Tim, if you?re reading this, I just want you to know that there are some people intent on finding fault, but believe me when I say that I and every Evertonian I know has great faith in you and, as mentioned above have never felt safer since Southall!

(Karneet;. not having a go by the way, obviously this is the place to air your opinions and I humbly respect that. I just STRONGLY believe you are vastly in the minority!)

Jimmy Digney
13 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:39:18

I have got to agree with you, Karnet, the defence is very strong, and helps keep Tim's goalkeeping at a minimum, but when he has been called upon, especially lately, I believe he has been found wanting, especially the games you mention. But, as he would say in his Tourettes moment, "Fuck it, what were you fucking doin', Joleon?"

Dave Rasalan
14 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:40:59

Speaking from experience....

It?s very, very difficult to manage doses for Tourettes.

I?m amazed he?s still in the league. Credit due.

Lee Mather
15 Posted 21/01/2008 at 13:40:46

Pro?s outweigh the cons if you ask me, not many keepers would have got to the last minute effort of Man City let alone hold on to it. I think he?s top class, rather him than Richard Wright!

"Even more overrated than Given in fact"

I have to defend Shay on this one. Given played behind Titus Bramble for about 4 years and they didn?t relegated, ergo he?s not overrated, just on a bit of bad form

Andy Ellams
16 Posted 21/01/2008 at 14:17:01

I am genuinely starting to wonder whether Howard & Lescott have some sort of dislike for each other. The communication between them is dire at times and they throw some killer looks across too.

Chris Masey
17 Posted 21/01/2008 at 14:28:31

And you would bring in who to replace him? Sander Westerveld?

Stop nit picking, everyone on this site nit picks.

David Gallant
18 Posted 21/01/2008 at 14:22:07

Andy Ellams, I know I am practically a million miles away, but I seem to recall the trio Howard, Yobo and Lescott seeming to get on decidedly well, slapping of bums, backs and the likes after good work done. That’s what I always noticed on telly anyway.

As for blaming Tim Howard and scrutinizing his performances, I believe he is one of the top keepers in the Prem already, and has time on his side in order to improve yet more. Currently the premierships GK hierarchy is anything but cast in stone IMHO. I don’t think there is any great difference in terms of ability amongst the keepers at the top (ish) clubs. Friedel, Jaaskelaainen, Given, Howard, Van Der Sar, Cech are prolly all more or less on par (the defence they play behind having more to do with their clean-sheets, etc) as I deem, with form and fitness as much responsible for fluctuation as any inherent ability.

I think we have a great, great ’keeper in Howard and agree with the sentiment that the defence seems to trust him. Would we have tossed away that 2-0 lead against Manure last year if Howard was in goal? I think not.

End of :)

Brian Noble
19 Posted 21/01/2008 at 15:38:37

Decent enough keeper but not out of the top draw compared with Westie,Big Nev and Martyn.It’s easy to see why Fergie got shut but hell,think of Wright,Gerrard,Lawson,Davies et al.....not to mention the worst of the lot,,,, Turner and ,Wessells!

Gary Sedgwick
20 Posted 22/01/2008 at 01:44:12

Jimmy and Dave brought up the affliction Tim suffers, Tourette Syndrome (TS). Dave hits the nail on the head. The fact he is where he is is worthy.

Many with TS experience additional neurobehavioral problems including inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms such as intrusive thoughts/worries and repetitive behaviors.

While offering an explanation for his, lately, jittery performances I do not condone it as an excuse. It may though point out that while earlier in the season he was almost 100% perfect IMHO perhaps it is this which is causing his current undecidedness.

Jimmy Digney
21 Posted 22/01/2008 at 12:58:25

Listen, lads, I never mentioned Tims aflication to cause any harm, it was simply to bring a bit of humor to the reason we lost the mentioned games, He can say fuck to who, and when, as much as he wants if we keep winning. He has been good, but we can only hope he stays consistant (time will tell.)

Gary Sedgwick
22 Posted 23/01/2008 at 03:40:50

Jimmy,

I saw the humour in your initial post. I laughed because of it. There is a satellite radio show in the US that positively abuses someone with TS. Know what? He goes along with it and I LOL each time he is on the airwaves.

I, for one, did not see any harm in your post. Others unenligntened by what TS is obviously do not.

He is by far the best ?keeper we have had since Nige. I hope he becomes the best since Nev.

He deserves it..... and so do we.

Michael Jovanovski
23 Posted 23/01/2008 at 05:52:02

I actually agree with Andy Ellams. In the last game with Wigan, after the ’error’ there was at least 2 occasions when Lescott was tracking backand it would’ve been safer/easier to pass back to Howard but instead opted to launch it out of play. Seemed pretty suss to me at the time