Mark Howard is a pathetic goalkeeper

[ghandi]

I did say we had to sign a goalkeeper and I was laughed out of town

Please come back into the City Centre

 

[alcoblade]

ahha..............today's scapegoat then?

Was wondering who it would be.

Sometimes the result is more important.

If the opening post was "Our Midfield was dominated for large periods of the game" you could have had a like.

To pick out Howard is a joke when once again, our midfield was totally and utterly out played, out moved and out passed that was the REAL problem.

But well done to United - we stuck in there and got the job done.

We move on...........

UTB

I thought it was just me. Have a like.

UTB

 

[metalblade]

I couldn't tell from the kop if he was at fault for the goal but I do agree he is a poor keeper. He took about three attempts to hold onto one shot of theirs, he threw the ball out when it wasn't on a few times putting defenders under pressure yet when Done was one on one downfield chose to hang onto the ball when a long kick would have given Done a 50/50 of being in on goal, a rather poor day at the office for Howard once more.

 

[FatLadFromSheffield]

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

 

[MBoreman]

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?

Get a lot of these contradictions with our fans. People boo retaining the ball by passing backwards/sideways then moan when someone attempts a forward pass that gets cut out.

 

[Ricky]

he hasnt done it since
but all keepers make errors, often resulting in a goal
Howards ok he has his poor decisions but all keepers make them
just heard some idiot o RS saying hed wish McEvely would break his leg ,
ok say hes not your cup of tea but thats utterly moronic

Howard makes mistakes every game and they're always the same mistakes.

What's up Radio Blade, am I being too honest and hurtful towards poor little Howard? Maybe if you disagree with what I've put you could explain why? Do you think he's anywhere close to good enough?

 

[Dkc]

Paddy Kenny's a free agent at the moment

 

[Wandsworth Blade]

I thought the reason for the 2nd goal was we never got out from the free kick when it went up to half way. We invited pressure and didn't close down.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

watch this and calm down

Spoiler: NSFW!

Jesus, they'se fucking minging.

 

[Swanseablade]

what a proper goalkeeper looks like

Like this?

 

[Ricky]

I thought the reason for the 2nd goal was we never got out from the free kick when it went up to half way. We invited pressure and didn't close down.

That's right, when they played it back in there was no pressure on their man on the ball, it was sloppy to say the least. But the mistake from Howard outweighed that comfortably, you can't expect defensive mistakes like that to always lead to goals - certainly not at this level. Keepers will always have to work, but whenever ours has to, it's basically a goal against.

 

[Bladesway]

He should have cost us the game today and he's very lucky a goal from a corner rescued him, and so are the team because it was quite a poor performance all round. He had all the time in the world to come and get that ball for the second goal but as usual, he was probably too afraid of getting hurt.

He is nowhere near good enough to be Sheffield United's number 1, whether we're in League One or not. He'll only ever cost us points and needs replacing as soon as possible.

 

[Wandsworth Blade]

That's right, when they played it back in there was no pressure on their man on the ball, it was sloppy to say the least. But the mistake from Howard outweighed that comfortably, you can't expect defensive mistakes like that to always lead to goals - certainly not at this level. Keepers will always have to work, but whenever ours has to, it's basically a goal against.

I think my head was already in my hands or tearing up my 2-1 betting slip. It does (almost) count as another goal from a free kick that we seem to give away needlessly on the edge of the area.

 

[Harry's Game]

We appear not to have the money to reinforce the midfield and defence so we certainly don't have the money to sign a better keeper.

Howard made a bad mistake for the goal but Long is worse than!Howard so I don't see what we can really do about it. We could have worse, remember Simmo?

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

For me it was another example of why Howard is not good enough. Was way too slow to react - should have come off his line much quicker.

100 games of him in net as well, no wonder we are still in L1.

 

[TJB.]

Like this?

View attachment 13905

Is that Andy Burnham? Had no idea he was a Blade before he became an MP.

 

[Bladepicker]

We have needed a new 'keeper since Paddy went. It is such a key position and while we can get by with Howard, it is a position that I would like to see a quality signing in come January.

Goalkeeping can win you matches and cost you matches, ours seem to do much more of the latter.

To look at it another way, had we had Kelly, Tracey, Rees, Kenny at their best in goal for the last four seasons I suspect we would have achieved automatic promotion in at least 2.

 

[Ricky]

Last January was the time to do it. Just 500k of that £2.5m we spent could've sorted us out perfectly in that position.

 

[sitwell]

Was Bladesmad full of trolls or have we just got a select few ?
Silent you were right.

 

[s35blade]

100 starts today with 40 clean sheets, not bad stats without context. He's the best Keeper we've had since Kenny but that really isn't saying much. Personally think he's okay but wouldn't go any further than okay.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

Yes Howard got an award today for 100 games in goal with 40 clean sheets.....

Fancy

 

[Tyler Durden]

Utterly short-sighted to blame Howard for anything today when we have such a tosswank defence and a midfield which constantly plays the ball backwards into danger.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

He should have cost us the game today and he's very lucky a goal from a corner rescued him, and so are the team because it was quite a poor performance all round. He had all the time in the world to come and get that ball for the second goal but as usual, he was probably too afraid of getting hurt.

He is nowhere near good enough to be Sheffield United's number 1, whether we're in League One or not. He'll only ever cost us points and needs replacing as soon as possible.

It wasn't his greatest hour [or 90 mins] I will give you that but I can remember the praise heaped on him on here [and from the many] when he rescued us from Long.

He dropped a bollock today I agree, and yes he's dropped a few bollocks of late. That said, for me he's still the best we've got by some distance and as all footballing careers are full of 'ups and downs', personally I'd stick with him a while longer - for me there's a good keeper still in there.

Poor performance I'm not sure. I thought our midfield were out played and out gunned for the most part, but I thought the rest of the team did about enough, albeit pretty ugly at times. Hard to be overly critical because at the end of the day, we got all three points which is key. Could we have played a lot better, absolutely [particularly the midfield] and if we are going to do anything this year, there has to be improvements.

Thought Basham was excellent at CH in the first half. For me he's still the best CH in the club. Also a special thumbs up to Matty Done who worked his nuts off today.

 

[LSF]

I'd say Mark Howard is a reasonably competent keeper and a good solid professional.
He makes the odd error, all keepers do. Watch match of the day any Saturday and see the keepers making errors at that level, it happens.
Some of the fuckers posting on here these days are surely no older than 10!

 

[Silent Blade]

Was Bladesmad full of trolls or have we just got a select few ?
Silent you were right.

Have used the ignore button for the first time earlier this week. Have used it on two annoyingly narrow minded posters and believe me, it is useful!

 

[sitwell]

It wasn't his greatest hour [or 90 mins] I will give you that but I can remember the praise heaped on him on here [and from the many] when he rescued us from Long.

He dropped a bollock today I agree, and yes he's dropped a few bollocks of late. That said, for me he's still the best we've got by some distance and as all footballing careers are full of 'ups and downs', personally I'd stick with him a while longer - for me there's a good keeper still in there.

Poor performance I'm not sure. I thought our midfield were out played and out gunned for the most part, but I thought the rest of the team did about enough, albeit pretty ugly at times. Hard to be overly critical because at the end of the day, we got all three points which is key. Could we have played a lot better, absolutely [particularly the midfield] and if we are going to do anything this year, there has to be improvements.

Thought Basham was excellent at CH in the first half. For me he's still the best CH in the club. Also a special thumbs up to Matty Done who worked his nuts off today.

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.

 

[Slug]

The fact that our midfield gets completely outrun every game is more of an immediate concern and is the area that needs addressing first but i do agree that Howard is another one we should be looking to replace when we get the opportunity. He is adequate at best and i would say he as many more negatives most games than he does positives. I honestly think a lot of our fans have forgot what a decent keeper looks like. Yes he is better than Long but that doesn't mean we should be satisfied with him as our number 1

 

[JohnDenver]

To look at it another way, had we had Kelly, Tracey, Rees, Kenny at their best in goal for the last four seasons I suspect we would have achieved automatic promotion in at least 2.

And we'd never have dropped into this division if one of them had played in net for the relegation season.

Simmo is the worst I've seen (discounting those who only played a few games for us). Whereas Howard, at his best, is decent. But he's not been at his best since his back injury.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

He should have cost us the game today and he's very lucky a goal from a corner rescued him, and so are the team because it was quite a poor performance all round. He had all the time in the world to come and get that ball for the second goal but as usual, he was probably too afraid of getting hurt.

He is nowhere near good enough to be Sheffield United's number 1, whether we're in League One or not. He'll only ever cost us points and needs replacing as soon as possible.

We do need better Ricky, but we are going to have to go with him, at least for this season. We have more problems in other areas, and no way can I see us signing another keeper this season. A serious loss of form will see him replaced by GL.

 

[Bladepicker]

And we'd never have dropped into this division if one of them had played in net for the relegation season.

Simmo is the worst I've seen (discounting those who only played a few games for us). Whereas Howard, at his best, is decent. But he's not been at his best since his back injury.

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.