Season › 2012-13 › News

Howard plays down need for competion

Michael Kenrick , 3 December, 7comments  |  Jump to most recent
After producing a more assured display in the Everton goal that notably included coming for and catching a deep cross — seen as his biggest limitation — Tim Howard says he puts in the hard work and is producing the big saves needed in the big games.

“I think it (competition) is important I really do. But I have never really allowed myself to get too caught up in the competition element of it.

“I think every team needs competition for every place if they can afford it, maybe even three players. I'm 33. I've been around, played a lot of seasons, had to push people and I've been pushed.

“But I'm a firm believer that I work as hard as anyone. I don't miss days in training, I don't stay in the physio room too long if ever, I push myself and drive myself hard. That's what's important. If you want to be the best, you can't rely on other people to drive you.

“We all get our head down in the training ground and work hard but in the big games you need your keeper to make a few big saves. It's so hard to contain the best sides, you've got 11 quality players but I was able to make a few saves.

“We need to go to another level in January. We have to try and challenge ourselves, and if we want to be where we think we should be we have to get better. We've had a good start, and we've played well consistently.

“I think we're right there in the thick of it with the top teams. We went toe to toe with the Champions and gave as good as we got. The second half was tough for us, but our defensive shape and commitment was really good.

“The draw midweek and the point against City were good — it was the one against Norwich which really messed us up a bit.

“It wasn't lost on us that not only were we in the game, we had moments when they (City) couldn't keep up.”

Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo

Reader Comments (7)

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John Dubay
1 Posted 03/12/2012 at 15:06:34
Doesn't get away from the fact that he has been directly responsible for 7 of the goals that we have conceded. His ability is not really the issue, it's his decision-making that's cost us points.
Brian Murray
2 Posted 03/12/2012 at 16:14:08
Howard — you need competion, end of story.
Mark Tanton
3 Posted 03/12/2012 at 17:35:29
I think Howard may be more than a little biased.
Paul Ferry
4 Posted 03/12/2012 at 18:18:17
Howard is the last person who should be commenting on this and his input shows a lack of class. He more than anyone needs stiff competition to send a rocket up his wavering ass. I can't think of another position where the distance between #1 and #2 is so great in terms of the quality of the #2.

Don't get so comfy sonny, Moyes has gone public about the need now for competition for your place (another reason for you keeping yer trap shut; it's called discretion). We desperately need a new goalie in the next window (sponds permitting) and someone who could step into Howard's shoes straight away and not just be viewed as decent back-up. Oh, in a dream: Forster? Butland? Al-Habsi?

I would argue that an incoming keeper is more important than centre-mid and on a par with a striker 'who knows where the goal is' (isn't that one of the dumbest and most annoying comments from our commentators and experts: 'that boy knows where the goal is'?). Howard is far too erratic and far too given to making silly judgment calls that leave him flapping and flailing at crosses or running out of the box. Yes, I know, he can pull off something special now and then, but the hit rate is dangerously lopsided.

On sunny days when optimistic breezes through me I imagine an Everton starting 11 without Howard in goal and someone of the quality of the three I mentioned before standing between the sticks.

Anto Byrne
5 Posted 03/12/2012 at 18:54:12
Bring back George Wood or Dai Davies. Even these guys were better than Tim. Well, not much better... Maybe Howard will turn it around and keep a few clean sheets.
John Gee
6 Posted 04/12/2012 at 13:30:09
John Dubay (#450), did he throw the ball in to his own net 7 times? Or was it that he tried to deal with a shot or ball into the box and didn't quite make it? These Howard out-of-form and defensive-weakness arguements exist only because Moyes has reconstructed a team with a more attacking slant and he's playing to the team's strength.

Also, very few keepers now catch a cross. The ball is too light to trust the flight. I heard one keeper on TV say it was like playing with a beach ball. If you think back over the last 10-15 years, as the ball has got lighter fewer and fewer keepers have tried to catch it. But don't let the facts get in the way of another thread trying to dig at another one of our players.

Paul Ferry (#480) AL-HABSI??? I would love to see the posts on here if Howard had punched the ball in to his own net like Al-Habsi did against Reading.

Paul Ferry
7 Posted 05/12/2012 at 00:43:03
Don't be so silly, John, Al-Habsi is a far better keeper than Howard and, lo and behold, you ridicule him for one utter one-off and conveniently push to one side all the flapping and flailing by Howard hat HAS cost us points.

Oh, by the way, your points: very few keepers now catch a cross and and the quite frankly bizarre did he throw the ball in the net – are better than good signposts of the quality of your post: dumb and against the tide. Good night.

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