Howard's away - good or bad?

[Thracian]

For the S****horpe game I'm talking about.

And despite his hard work and clever touches I can't say I'm that overly disappointed.

Bottom line is that, despite all the disallowed goals and all the close things, Howard has scored just twice in 16 League matches so far, plus two in the cups.

That is an awful league record for a centre-forward and he apparently missed a sitter today.

One of the big reasons we've been at or near the top of the table this season is that we've had a prolific striker in Frytatt (15 goals so far) and worthy contributions from Dyer (7), King (4) and Oakley (3) coming out of areas we didn't score from previously.

The major achilles heel has been the lack of goals from Howard, goals which would have undoubtedly left us several points clear of the chasing pack by now.

Some say we'll badly miss his ball-holding qualities and contributory touch-ons but the S****horpe match may show something different, that we finally attack with more pace and more bite.

I certainly can't believe that DJ or Dickov would have had no more than two goals from 16 games had they been fully fit and turning out in their best-suited positiions. And any other striker would probably have lost his place by now with that sort of record - at least apart

from Fryatt.

But Howard has played his part in some of our goals and has had some disallowed, both factors that will have been considered by the manager assuming he's ever given consideration to dropping Howard.

Now comes the time when we'll see how we play without him and I'll be greatly interested to see what happens.

Not that the S****horpe game will pose the real problem of course.

That will arise if we win against the league leaders.

Would Pearson then leave Howard out the week after?

[Tilley]

Enter,

DEEEEEJJJJAAAAAAAYYY

[Asha]

Tilley, he'll only play Hayles anyway.

[RowlattsFox]

Bound to be Dickov isn't it, big chance for him.

[Tilley]

Tilley, he'll only play Hayles anyway.

<_<

Your probably right.

I'm still hanging on to the hope that DJ will get a start.......

[Nugent]

Good, in some aspects.

At least the long ball will be out the window.

[JoeyB]

Bad news, although probably people will slate me but lately Howard has been one of our better performers, just his confidence is non existent because of the goals he is not scoring and having disallowed.

ITs bad because it means DJ will get a look in

[Matt]

As much as I dislike Dickov (And i'm sure everyone knows my opinion's of him - I'm not going to bring it all up again) i'm going to have to swallow my pride and say i'd rather Dickov start than DJ.

BUT I'm thinking maybe Hayles should start, then again I think Dickov might struggle with a whole game (Because of his age) so half and half, Dickov (1st half)/Hayles (2nd half).

I really did think DJ was a good signing, but I just have no faith at all anymore, I though perhaps he'd be an impact player to bring on late on in games to run and defence's and get a goal but from the odd time I have seen him come on late he's done nothing. (Fair enough he hasn't had that many opportunity to prove it, but still when he has been given the odd time to prove it, he hasn't took it)

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

For the S****horpe game I'm talking about.

And despite his hard work and clever touches I can't say I'm that overly disappointed.

Bottom line is that, despite all the disallowed goals and all the close things, Howard has scored just twice in 16 matches so far.

That is an awful record for a centre-forward and he apparently missed a sitter today.

One of the big reasons we've been at or near the top of the table this season is that we've had a prolific striker in Frytatt (15 goals so far) and worthy contributions from Dyer (7), King (4) and Oakley (3) coming out of areas we didn't score from previously.

He was class on tuesday and also he has four goals this season, 2 in the cup and you included kings so i think you can include his as well.

[Sods]

We will miss him, had a good second half today. Apart from not scoring that header

[Flynny]

With the disclaimer that I've not seen a game in ages:

When Howard plays really well, he's an asset, but he makes the team play a certain style of football that isn't as good as we could be doing, and he never makes it into the 18 yard box to join the attacks he sets up. Even if he was winning everything in the air and powering headers at goal, I'd rather play another kind of striker and keep it on the floor, more like the football we played when that happened in the 2nd half against Orient, winning us the game.

And Howard doesn't win everything in the air and isn't actually that good a header of the ball, so that's all moot. He's a hard worker and I appriciate that, but for me he'd be a weapon off the bench when things weren't going our way when possible. I'd like to see Fryatt holding up the ball, which he's very capable of doing, and our wingers and Deej making runs off him instead. Fryatt isn't the fastest but he'll get back to the attack faster than Howard by far.

Maybe we'll be so shit with Dickov or DJ that we decide that Howard is the better choice after all, but this enforced absence gives us a reason to experiment at least.

[DB11]

Bad because we will miss him.

Good because it will teach the guys who boo him and want him out of the team that we need him.

[Daggers]

It'd be nice to think that we could actually be inventive and go for an attacking formation that wasn't 442, something where we have the midfield rampaging forward to support Fryatt - but it won't happen with Pearson.

The prospect of the potential partners to MF just leaves me cold, hasbeens or neverwills.

If we grab a point next week I'll be delighted.

[Father Ted]

Bad. We struggle without him, especially Fryatt (15 GOALS THIS SEASON!!!).

[Bert]

For the S****horpe game I'm talking about.

And despite his hard work and clever touches I can't say I'm that overly disappointed.

Bottom line is that, despite all the disallowed goals and all the close things, Howard has scored just twice in 16 matches so far.

That is an awful record for a centre-forward and he apparently missed a sitter today.

One of the big reasons we've been at or near the top of the table this season is that we've had a prolific striker in Frytatt (15 goals so far) and worthy contributions from Dyer (7), King (4) and Oakley (3) coming out of areas we didn't score from previously.

The major achilles heel has been the lack of goals from Howard, goals which would have undoubtedly left us several points clear of the chasing pack by now.

Some say we'll badly miss his ball-holding qualities and contributory touch-ons but the S****horpe match may show something different, that we finally attack with more pace and more bite.

I certainly can't believe that DJ or Dickov would have had no more than two goals from 16 games had they been fully fit and turning out in their best-suited positiions. And any other striker would probably have lost his place by now with that sort of record - at least apart

from Fryatt.

But Howard has played his part in some of our goals and has had some disallowed, both factors that will have been considered by the manager assuming he's ever given consideration to dropping Pearson.

Now comes the time when we'll see how we play without him and I'll be greatly interested to see what happens.

Not that the S****horpe game will pose the real problem of course.

That will arise if we win against the league leaders.

Would Pearson then leave Howard out the week after?

For a start Howard's scored four, If this was King we was talking about you'd include the disallowed goals.

Hopefully DJ will get his chance, 3 minutes here and there isn't going to him any good at all.

[Anish]

It's bad because all our other strikers are lacking match fitness and match sharpness (thanks to Pearson's policy of only giving subs 5 minutes at most).

I hope that if either Dickov or DJ start next week we stop playing long balls, because whilst it might work with Howard in the team it most certainly won't without him. This week Pearson should make DJ/Dickov train closely with Fryatt to build up some sort of understanding otherwise we could be in trouble at Scun thorpe.

[Corky]

I would feel better if the strikers had had more time on the pitch. We'll have to wait and see, I hope Campbell starts.

[Thracian]

For a start Howard's scored four, If this was King we was talking about you'd include the disallowed goals.

Hopefully DJ will get his chance, 3 minutes here and there isn't going to him any good at all.

There is nothing pre-conceived in doing Howard out of two goals - I simply misread the programme - and I'm not in the least bit anti-Howard anyway.

I'm just disappointed with his goals tally and interested in seeing how we play without him and using a different approach.

I've put this thread up to read some views. If I was certain of the answers I wouldn't have asked. But I'm not.

At times I'm impressed with Howard's contributions and have said so on many occasions. Other times he is so frustrating.

But bottom line is that both our main strikers, whoever they are, need to score their share of goals.

If Howard starts doing that, as Fryatt is now doing, I'll be delighted. If not then I'd like to see a bit more of what others can do.

[SamL]

Howard's suspended for our game against S****horpe so either DJ or Dickov may get a start.

[Koke]

We may actually try something new and play 4-5-1 with Adams and Dyer on the wings, and midfield trio consisting of King-Berner-Oakley, with Berner being the DM and allows Oakley and especially King more freedom.

It's an option.

[clazkel]

Finally Fryatt will play up front with a creative player, they will need to play ball to feet, at last. Whenever he plays Fryatt he always puts him up front with Howard, and i don't think Fryatt can show his true potential when up front with Howard as he's waiting for Howards knock on as its slow at times, which isn't playing to Fryatts strengths. I can't wait for next sat, and i would like to see Hayles or Chambers up front with Fryatt, but Dickov or DJ will be ok aswell.

I have noticed the amount Howard puts in lately, many of the headers at the back from corners and free kicks were headed out by Howard, not Tunchev or Morrison, he does alot of the hard work, but i don't think it pays off often enough, i would like to see ball to feet being played through midfield.

[davieG]

Howard's suspended for our game against S****horpe so either DJ or Dickov may get a start.

Err I think that's what the whole thread is about!

[maddog]

Howards started every single game of the season, which is probably a good thing because we are 2nd, although he is a fat slow bastard sometimes.

But it can only boost the confidence of the team if someone like Dickov or Dj gets a chance and scores goals.

It is a very good thing in my view, its going to be interesting who Pearson picks and how we go into the game.

The most important game of the season so far.

Its going to be very interesting indeed.

[iancognito]

In all honesty, I'd start with Fryatt and DJ.

Campbell is in a similar position now to Fryatt at the start of the season, he needs a run of games. He needs to get the injury out of his system and get a few shots in. Besides, I'd rather see DJ running at the defence and making something happen than Howard try to do his battering ram act and complain about his bad luck. Also, DJs movement will create more space for the likes of Fryatt and the midfield. Howard doesn't get into the channels or pull defenders out of position in that way and it all looks a bit predictable when he's in there.

[lildave3]

I'm tempted to say that Fryatt has such a large amount of goals because of Steve Howard.

In fact, i'll take a bet that he won't score next week without Steve alongside him