Mark Howard is a pathetic goalkeeper

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sitwell said:
Apart from a couple of bad throw outs today what did he do wrong ,some people just look for a negative and don't watch the match at all.
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Just about every kick out he did which looped aimlessly out of play and gave Rochdale possession back. Part of the problem with the defence and midfield always passing back to Howard is that it doesn't retain possession for us, it just gives it straight back to the other team. Rochdale's keeper played some lovely low long balls that forced our centre backs to deal with them, Howard's clearances just drifted off for a Rochdale throw and put the pressure straight back on us.
 
Howard is not a very good goalkeeper. Of that I think it's hard to build a case against but with the exception of one or two throw outs I think any critisism of today's performance is a little harsh. On a positive front Che, Matty, Billy, Jose and Kieron Wallace had excellent games for me.
One slightly off topic point. Is it me or do I detect a slight resentment/"better than them" point of view towards those who have crossed over from bladesmad?? Just an impression that comes across in the odd post now and again.
We all want the same thing I'm sure!!
 
All in all he was and is an upgrade to the last "number 1" we had....(we all know who that is and it is still hard to repeat his name)

It says something about Howard though that this is truely the first club in his entire career at which he is holding down a regular number 1 spot (how old is he?). This is through no fault of his own though because we have repeatedly failed to recruit a good keeper to push him into his career regular number 2 spot.

As someone has already mentioned, we havent had a decent keeper since Kenny left.

I personally feel that Howard causes us more problems than he deals with to be fair.
My confidence in goalkeepers was shot to pieces by the wig wearing twat that is Simonsen and until we can get a truely decent keeper in the sticks (other than Howard.....who may be decent at lower league one, top end league two level at best) then every time the ball goes near our net I fear the worst.

Yeah today was a win. A win that we badly needed, I'm not complaining at all as its 3 points. But going forward (January?) we do need to address this weak area of our team. (Because even our 'backup' keeper isn't good enough as he hasn't fulfilled the potential at this stage he was tipped to have)

Onwards and upwards.
 
Foxy said:
Were you one of the people sat near us, who booed him for trying to throw out quickly over a midfielders head to try and set Freeman off, but then also booed when he held onto the ball instead of trying the same again in the second half?
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That throw was awful. I know, we all make mistakes (etc), but he totally misread that, even if the first opposition player hadn't got to the ball the second would have done!

I didn't boo, but I'm sure I must have been part of the collective groan.
 
He has lots of faults. As soon as that goal went in I questioned on shoutbox if it was down to him and it is difficult from the Kop but it still looked like it. There was a thread about his free kick positioning as well and a few think he is poor for those, including me.
His distribution was rubbish yesterday and is generally but surly if you question his ability you will have to look if there are better than him at this level, so go and scour other fans forums to see what they think of their keepers. Then you can come back and tell us there are one or two who are getting great reviews.
 
FatLadFromSheffield said:
The thing that frustrates me most about him is how long it takes him to release the ball upfield. It's like he thinks he has to let their defenders get back in place before he plays it long
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I agree with this. He seems very reluctant to kick the ball out of his hands for some reason.

So he either throws it and can't get the required distance or he waits until he has enough room to drop the ball on the ground and then kick it. By which time it's too late.

He needs to practice quickly kicking the ball out of his hands towards the opposition corner flag, to turn their defence and start a counter attack. It's a valuable tactic that we never seem to use but get caught out by often enough.
 
I can throw the ball the length of half the pitch. If his still having problems with his back it would explain issues with his throwing. If he is, he probably shouldn't be playing, both for the team and his health.
 
robbiez666 said:
I can throw the ball the length of half the pitch. If his still having problems with his back it would explain issues with his throwing. If he is, he probably shouldn't be playing, both for the team and his health.
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I was the keeper at my school and I preferred to throw the ball than kick it. John Hope used to throw the ball past the halfway line and I tried to "copy" him!
 
Silent Blade said:
I was the keeper at my school and I preferred to throw the ball than kick it. John Hope used to throw the ball past the halfway line and I tried to "copy" him!
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I was copying Schmeichel. It's far more accurate and quicker than kicking out of your hands.
 
boo radley said:
He has lots of faults. As soon as that goal went in I questioned on shoutbox if it was down to him and it is difficult from the Kop but it still looked like it. There was a thread about his free kick positioning as well and a few think he is poor for those, including me.
His distribution was rubbish yesterday and is generally but surly if you question his ability you will have to look if there are better than him at this level, so go and scour other fans forums to see what they think of their keepers. Then you can come back and tell us there are one or two who are getting great reviews.
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For a keeper, he doesn't half go down in stages. Also, they had a free kick in the 2nd half, not sure if it was 2-1 or 3-2 at the time. However it was in the centre of the goal, but we only had 5 in it. It was just a very small wall. Sometimes his decision making is puzzling like how he lets balls go out for free kicks when it would be easier and quicker to keep it in and get us on the move.
 

Looking at the highlights Howard was just about sat on his arse when the shot for their second goal came in which left him waving his hand at the shot, he has got to stand up and make himself big in those situations. I don't know if it is just me but have goalkeeping standards in general got worse in the last 20 years? Even England haven't had a top keeper in a long time probably not since David Seaman, every week you can see keepers getting blocks on shots where the ball can go anywhere, we were taught as kids if you couldn't get two hands to the ball and hold on to it to help it on its way and out for a corner which is much easier to defend than a loose ball in the penalty area. No wonder decent keepers are still playing after they turn 35.
 
Howard was signed in 2012 as cover for Simonson. He was 27 then and had only played 74 first team games, mostly at St. Mirren. Basically he was still a "rookie" when he joined us.

Somehow he has found himself playing in the first team regularly and my guess is that he is very nervous about it at such a "big club".

Players do not pick teams and in Howard's case he is no more than a satisfactory keeper for the bench IMO. By now ex-keeper Adkins will know that full well.
 
robbiez666 said:
I'm not a fan of Howard's goalkeeping abilities but I think it's out of order to call him pathetic. He's not the bravest but he tried.
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I don't want people who try, I want winners in the team I support. He's average at best, god help us if we win promotion to the Championship because he'll be exposed even more so.
 
I suspect that we'll have to wait until next summer to replace Howard now, at least permanently. Hopefully he'll be released too. It's a shame there are a other positions in even more urgent need of strengthening. I'd still like to think we could get a keeper on loan but it's not something I expect.
 
He is not the worst keeper ive ever seen have a run of games at bdtbl
Thats george long ,howard is only second worst
 
Woodwardfan said:
Howard was signed in 2012 as cover for Simonson. He was 27 then and had only played 74 first team games, mostly at St. Mirren. Basically he was still a "rookie" when he joined us.

Somehow he has found himself playing in the first team regularly and my guess is that he is very nervous about it at such a "big club".

Players do not pick teams and in Howard's case he is no more than a satisfactory keeper for the bench IMO. By now ex-keeper Adkins will know that full well.
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My sentiments entirely WF !

I found it unbelievable that he was 'celebrating' 100 starting appearances yesterday - It just shows how far away George Long is from being a Third Division keeper !
 
Having been brought up with such keepers as Hodgkinson, McAllister, Tracey, Rees, Kelly has probably spoilt us,even Paddy Kenny wasn't that bad, but ,we have had our fair share of dumplings between the posts including Richardson, Gerrard, Simonsen, Baxter and many more if I had the time to think!!
Perhaps a 'Top Ten' of our worst keepers in the last thirty years might be in order !!!
 
judge said:
He is not the worst keeper ive ever seen have a run of games at bdtbl
Thats george long ,howard is only second worst
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I'm guessing by that, you never saw Simonsen then, who is by and far the worst person (I'm not even referring to him as a goalkeeper as he wasn't even that!) I have seen us put between the sticks that was given a constant run of games.

Our issue at the minute is that it's a toss up between Long (who hasn't progressed as much as we anticipated and won't ever make it above league one level at the most) and Howard. We are going with the older of the two (who both have roughly the same amount of first team experience)

Rock and a hard place.
 
judge said:
He is not the worst keeper ive ever seen have a run of games at bdtbl
Thats george long ,howard is only second worst
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Somewhat unnecessary negativity that.

The fact is George Long is 8 years younger and keepers mature round about 28 years old.
 
Clarkey87 said:
I'm guessing by that, you never saw Simonsen then, who is by and far the worst person (I'm not even referring to him as a goalkeeper as he wasn't even that!) I have seen us put between the sticks that was given a constant run of games.

Our issue at the minute is that it's a toss up between Long (who hasn't progressed as much as we anticipated and won't ever make it above league one level at the most) and Howard. We are going with the older of the two (who both have roughly the same amount of first team experience)

Rock and a hard place.
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You're obviously not old enough to remember some of the dross that have stood in goal for us ! Whilst Simonson was not that good there have been far worse !
 
Bladepicker said:
I'd go along with all that and it is a great point about Howard. For that period when he came into the side under Clough he looked like the 'keeper we have needed since Paddy. It is therefore a tad harsh to lambast him as another of the many shit 'keepers we have endured, from Bunn to the god awful Simmo, as his back injury has definitely contributed to his weakness in movement and getting down to long shots.

Still holds that with his injury he is a decent back up, nothing more and we really need a new number 1 who can command his area. I know a Brizzle fan at work who said for all the money they spent last season, that spent on Frankie Fielding was the best of the lot.

Oh and I agree with Simmo being the worst, only just mind. Ian Turner still gives me shivers, he just didn't last as long.
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Woodwardfan said:
Somewhat unnecessary negativity that.

The fact is George Long is 8 years younger and keepers mature round about 28 years old.
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On current form we can't afford to wait for him. We need a commanding keeper and neither Howard nor Long fit that bill. I'd keep Howard as a back up rather than Long who seems to be lauded on the back of one decent game against a poor Rangers side. His kicking is far worse than Howard's as well.
 

Adkins does know full well that Howard is not the best Keeper, he started Long over him for the first day for goodness sake. The fact is we're not getting Casillas to drop down to this level so we're going to have to put up with what we can get and i'm afraid for League One Howard is decent enough.
 
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