Howard a doubt for Newcastle

New striker and Robles in goal; we will be like a new team.

He went on to say what almost everyone on here says, the action on the pitch is what matters, period.

What if Robles plays a blinder tomorrow night, will RM still bring back Tim for Stoke?

Time to go Tim before you sour your reputation anymore.

Martinez picks him, so he plays. Give Martinez stick if you like, but celebrating an injury to a player? Christ on a bike...

You are right of course and I hope it is a 'convenient' injury as opposed to a serious one. However, given he is costing us so many points and the manager won't drop him, any reason why he may not be in the starting line up is cause for optimism, if not celebration.

Tim being injured was the only way he was going to be dropped. The reason we are where we are in the league has a lot got to do with him being in goal. He has cost us so many points.

He has been a good servant for us, has being the key word there. He hasn't been for two years. I don't wish him a injury but I'm not too upset that he has one either.

Robles deserves his chance.

Totally agree. Tim should not be first choice keeper imo, but has it really come to this?

It's unfair on Howard that he gets picked and takes the flak from some of the inteligencia who think it's "boss" idea to slag our own keeper off from the St End. I can't see how that will make him play better....

'One would have to have a heart of stone not to laugh aloud".

If Howard is off in May, there is zero reason for him to be in the side, injury or no injury.....

Hope Robles has a blinder..

That not just a player injured, it's an Everton player injured. What happens if Robles takes a knock too? Or worse, confirms most people's initial opinion of him?

It's never, not ever, good for one of our players to be injured.

I stuck up for the lad when he was being crucified on here for some of his mistakes, by the way.

The lads an okay keeper, but keepers seldom have totally error-free performances.

I'm not saying I wouldn't pick him over Howard at the moment but get a grip people. We're shite at the back because of Martinez, not because of any one individual and swapping the keeper probably isn't going to change that.

Don't even get me started on all the "Oh dear, Tim is injured... tee hee" posts.

And Robles ain't exactly Navas, folks. Yes, we need a new keeper, and I'm VERY willing to have Joel convince me he's it. So far he hasn't. Not at all.

However let's also be clear, he has served us well and came to us when arguably we were fortunate to attract a keeper of his standing in the game given ours; probably a good match...at the time.

He's an American. Given their background and sporting preferences, he's good (or was good) at hand-ball coordination. It makes them good shot stoppers but arguably they're not best at decision making or command of the box (sterotyping - no disrespect meant US Blues).

Yes Tim has cost us this season but on occasion he has also saved us. Time for him to move on? Yes but with a bit of respect for the service given and some dignity. This reminds me of a similar shameful moment when we hounded Peter Reid out of Goodison. I take pride in being above that despite emotion.

Never ever should any fan want a player to be injured, let alone one of their own.

That's probably my conspiracist thinking but I'd be over the moon if that was the case.

(If he knocks one into his own net off his arse tomorrow, I will never come on this website again.)

But if we're talking the remainder of this season the question for me, would be. Who do you feel most confident with in goal from set pieces and crosses..Tim Howard or Joel??

There's no contest.

Then again, look what happened last season: he had a decent little run when Howard was out injured and then, as soon as Tim was fit, he's back in and guess what – we lose the game in the last minute.

If Tim's injury is anything other than diplomatic, I wish him a speedy recovery.

There, see? You can say it without wishing bad fortune upon another player.

Call yerselves Evertonians?

Tim Howard does what most of us on here would pay to do, and he's well rewarded for the same, and he's friggin awful. 'Servant', my arse... I don't see too many Bentley's parked outside the tradesman's entrance on Downton Abbey!

Stitch that, you filth-bags!

No Evertonian wants one of ours injured and, whilst I don't rate Tim now, I'd like him to leave Everton fit, proud, and respected.

We badly need a WIN.

There's also a gap opening between us and Southampton now too.

Absolutely MUST WIN tomorrow!!

Case in point is that against EPL teams in any competition, Robles has kept how many clean sheets? So, if it isn't Robles, who to some of you is one notch below Cech, who is to blame for the 4 goals conceded, then who? Now take that logic, and apply it to the same people when Howard is in goal.

We are now in February, it's no longer mid-season, it's no longer early days, we are closing in on the business end of the season.

Specsavers are doing 2-for-1 if you get down there sharpish, Andy @56.

IF we win – and God knows this year between John Terry and about 1,000 shite calls and an inability to keep our opponents under almost 2 goals per game – that's one massive IF(!) – we will be 7 points back of West Ham in 5th.

We have a host of winnable games and play the Hammers on March 5th at home. We're barely over 2 games back of 5th with 14 games yet to play. Not a bridge too far by any means.

Then again... Christ it just hurts. The hope. It kills you blah, blah, blah. And I don't mean "hurts" as it literally rips your insides out. It's just fucking comical the pain.

We can do this... repeat after me... we can do this...

What really pisses me off is that whether it's 5th or 15th I expected so, so much more.

Keeping the faith.

Howard not in goal will help this endeavor.

It's hard being a keeper though because if Howard gained us two points, by keeping clean sheets at both Man City and Spurs (two out of the top 3 by the way), he only has to fail, by not coming for a corner, like against Liverpool, and it's back to square one.

I'm staying out boozing if he plays and cost us even more points, this place will go into meltdown.

Yes, I know he's cost us, but I don't think he deserves the treatment he's getting. I would say it's very un-Evertonian, but like I keep referring to, we shamefully hounded Peter Reid out of Goodison too. As someone alluded to earlier regarding Arsenal fans, maybe we're all as fickle as each other and we aren't that special.

I just can't see us winning, those who think we can't get sucked into a relegation battle will be worried come this time next week.

Have we won 3 on the bounce this season?

Never realised that Peter Ried was hounded out of Goodison. If that's the case, I feel a tad embarrassed to be a blue.

I think a move to Colorado has been agreed in principle. But Tim's pride and the lack of a replacement in the window have put it back to the end of the season.

Not the worse news to hear.

He went down at the feet of one of their forwards for a 50/50 ball,on the left hand corner of his 6-yard box, and smothered it with his hands, arms and chest.

He later collected a ball in the box and threw it over the half way line to Lennon who was in space.

This suggests to me he has at least two personal attributes that are, in my view, required for any aspiring Premier League goalkeeper – courage and vision.

There has to be a changing of the guard eventually. Howard, Jagielka, Pienaar (one of my favourites), Osman have all been good servants of the club, but like all of us, time will eventually catch up with them.

My personal view is that Pienaar will be the hardest to replace – good enough to have played with Harvey, Kendall or Ball.

I also think no matter what happens with Tim Howard he has a good future in front of him. He is immensely popular in his home country (for good reason). I think he will play in the MLS and eventually end up as a TV commentator.

Tim Howard's distribution from the back is awful! He's also very weak on crosses. I haven't seen any games where Robles has been bullied onto his line like Howard has on the many occasions where we've conceded from a corner this season.

There's a myriad of factors, James. From what I can see, Robles looks stronger on these problem areas I've pointed out. But yes, we also need to look at defending better as a team.

Fact is, more shots on goal equals more goals, lucky goals, deflections, referee mishaps, we're inviting mishaps to happen, regardless of how toothless the team is. Blaming the GK or Stones for individual mistakes is one thing, and that requires proper coaching which we've still yet to see for 2 years. Saying they are the blame for all our problems is quite like saying we only play with 2 players.

Just as a counter point. Was Howard weak on crosses throughout his career? Or is it a symptom of the current formation and style? I vaguely remember that crosses against us being less of a problem during our good defensive years, not sure if he was stronger but we also had tighter defenses, so suddenly playing a system that attacks our own players' weakness is suicidal, and that is RM, not Howard.

Get well soon, Howard. I do think it is time for Robles to take over till the end of the season, but hopefully not because RM's first choice is injured. Howard served us well and deserve to walk away proud.

Newcastle Utd has hit the panic button offering the services of their entire medical staff to get Howard fit for tonight's game. When told about this Martinez thanked Newcastle for their phenomenal gesture but added that should Howard be unfit he would consider starting with 11 outfield players.

When questioned on his potentially dangerous tactic he replied: "If we have 100% possession then it's impossible for the opposition to score."

If only that were true Bobby... If only...

Maybe he got injured in training because an ant ran towards him and calamity Tim didn't jump out of the way in time.

If Tim does leave us in the summer, I would like to thank him for representing us and wish him well. The negative comments on here he doesn't deserve – they should be reserved for the manager.

Robles is no Southall and a few on here may have egg on their faces for lobbying so hard for his inclusion. I sometimes wonder just how many of these experts ever go to games or just go along with the cyber warriors!

Preferring one player over another is one thing but to actually rejoice in a player's injury or illness is inhuman. Shame on you!

As others have pointed out it isn't Howard's fault that the manager continued to pick him when clearly he was having a dip in form. I Would never wish injury on any Everyon player and I would imagine the vast majority on here feel the same. Anyone making comments suggesting otherwise is probably doing it tongue in cheek.

As expressed many times, I have grave reservations over the abilities of the Spaniard although I have to admit he looks less of 'an accident waiting to happen' than he has done previously. Perhaps this manager's famed defensive coaching 'skills' has extended to the goalkeeping arts! Let us hope so although, perhaps alone, I retain more confidence in Howard that in 'the young pretender.'

Hardly a ringing endorsement of either player, I grant you.

One thing's for sure, loyal servant or not, Tim is out of form and sadly it has taken an injury for Robles to be given a chance; it is now up to Robles to prove his worth.

Even the legend himself, Big Nev, got dropped and loaned out; this has not happened to Tim, he's been selected no matter what and yes that's down to the manager not Tim.

All we want is fairness and Robles given a chance, he may drop a clanger, may be worse than him, but all we have asked is to at least give Robles a chance.