Steve Howard

[maddog]

Howards had 1 fantastic game for us since he signed when he got the hat trick and thats it for me.

And i seem to remember he slipped over as he scored one of his goals then.

Why the fook can't he kick the ball cleanly, he's supposed to be a professional footballer.

And why does he slip over onto his back everytime he tries to shoot. It's embarassing.

He ranks as one of the worst footballers i have ever seen play in a LCFC shirt.

[Mikey]

Howards had 1 fantastic game for us since he signed when he got the hat trick and thats it for me.

And i seem to remember he slipped over as he scored one of his goals then.

Why the fook can't he kick the ball cleanly, he's supposed to be a professional footballer.

And why does he slip over onto his back everytime he tries to shoot. It's embarassing.

He ranks as one of the worst footballers i have ever seen play in a LCFC shirt.

You obviously haven't seen a lot of players in a Leicester shirt then.

[maddog]

You obviously haven't seen a lot of players in a Leicester shirt then.

Any player who can't even strike a ball cleanly, or shoot without slipping over, is just awful.

For an experienced player like Howard, a striker who should be able to kick a football cleanly, it's just shocking.

[Guest]

But only on very rare occasions, does a Howard header actually go to one of our players, who is then able to control the ball and keep it.

It's just totally pointless playing him, he never even gets it on target, hasn't scored all season, and encourages shit football.

The fact that he mis-times and mis attacks good crosses every game and heads it lamely into the air or off target is laughable.

Any player who slips onto his back everytime he strikes a shot because he's such a donkey he can't hit it cleanly standing up shouldn't be anywhere near the first 11.

People used to mock De Vries, but he was just as good if not better than Howard.

Biggest load of bollocks I've read on this forum in ages

You've always hated Howard and frankly it's now

[maddog]

Biggest load of bollocks I've read on this forum in ages

You've always hated Howard and frankly it's now

Nope it's just the truth.

Theres no reason to rate Howard above De Vries whatsoever.

I would love to have tapes of De Vries's performances and Howards, and watch them over.

People are so blinkered that Howard is a good player, he can't even kick a football without falling over.

[Thracian]

Nope it's just the truth.

Theres no reason to rate Howard above De Vries whatsoever.

I would love to have tapes of De Vries's performances and Howards, and watch them over.

People are so blinkered that Howard is a good player, he can't even kick a football without falling over.

Howard has been important to our chosen system of play for a long time - and to the fortunes of Matty Fryatt but, while he's always looked laboured, the gaps between the highlights in his game are growing longer and our style of play is looking increasingly laboured and predictable.

I just hope he doesn't start to be viewed as another Horsfield - a guy who eventually lost his spring and his impact.

Whoever suggested Howard be used as a last half-hour option might have it right as the man starts to enter the twilight of his career.

Because I cannot see him improving and have said on a few occasions that coaches would find him relatively easy to codntain by pushing him as far away from goal as possible and having one man jumping with him to limit his options and the next standing off him to deal with any flicks.

There are other ways too that you can make life harder for an ageing footballer and, of course, the further he's taken from goal the less likely he'll score which is what is and has been happening for a period now.

Trouble is any way forward with Howard doesn't solve the problem of who should get the nod up front to make us more menacing and less ponderous.

Frankly I'm not convinced by any of them but I would like to see DJ given his first proper chance to establish himself since he arrived here.

Because he at least has showed he can score regularly in the Championship and I'm not at all convinced by anyone else.

We're supposed to be aiming for the Premiership and those teams almost all try to pass the ball quickly and to attack at pace, with numbers and from various parts of the team.

It's what I've always believed in but is becoming a requirement now given the level we're trying to compete at.

[MPH]

Howards had 1 fantastic game for us since he signed when he got the hat trick and thats it for me.

And i seem to remember he slipped over as he scored one of his goals then.

Why the fook can't he kick the ball cleanly, he's supposed to be a professional footballer.

And why does he slip over onto his back everytime he tries to shoot. It's embarassing.

He ranks as one of the worst footballers i have ever seen play in a LCFC shirt.

wow.

How to embarrass yourself in one simple post.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Howard is past it for this League now.

He hasn't scored a single goal, and has missed a lot of headers.

But i think Kermo was just given a rest today, and picked Howard because he hasn't started the last few games to keep him happy.

Kermo will be back starting Tuesday. And he should be because he's just as good as Howard if not better at winning headers and flick ons, and is miles and miles better footballer technically, and can actually strike a ball cleanly without falling over as he does it.

Infact Howard is so bad, that people see him having a great game as 'working his socks off' and winning a couple of headers. He's doesn't seem to be judged on footballing quality or goals. And looked very slow and lazy today, because he is slow and lazy.

He's so bad, he doesn't really have to do much for people to say he had a great game.

Unfortunately I agree. I think he is past it at this level now and should only really be a squad player who comes on and makes a difference like at Cov. He doesnt score and doesnt really look that threatening. He wins headers, yes, but doesnt score them. People say he is effective and so on, but a real target man would have scored 5 or 6 at least with the chances he has had and headers which have been wasted.

Looking back at Iwan Roberts, what a player he was. He won all headers and scored shed loads to, compare him to Howard and he makes Super Steve look fooking crap.

And I'm sure we have never had a big man who gives so many fouls away as Howard.

Start to play Kermo more and have Steve on the bench for impact when he is fresh and against tired defenders.

[Tilley]

Utter crap so far this season, should be used as a sub.

[Fatbloke]

The problem is`nt with Howard, Fryatt, or any of our strikers, it`s the midfield that`s the problem, he`s playing with 3 defensive men there, we don`t have a creative midfielder that can play that killer ball through or bomb on and get ahead of the foewards, yesterday cried out for decent wide players, instead of withdrawing Dyer he should have taken one of the 3 off and added Adams, I fear that our lack of creativity in midfield could cost us success this season.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

The problem is`nt with Howard, Fryatt, or any of our strikers, it`s the midfield that`s the problem, he`s playing with 3 defensive men there, we don`t have a creative midfielder that can play that killer ball through or bomb on and get ahead of the foewards, yesterday cried out for decent wide players, instead of withdrawing Dyer he should have taken one of the 3 off and added Adams, I fear that our lack of creativity in midfield could cost us success this season.

Wellens has been the creative player who plays the killer pass. But he hasnt done it lately which is a reason Fryatt hasnt done anything the last 2/3 games.

[morris1234]

But only on very rare occasions, does a Howard header actually go to one of our players, who is then able to control the ball and keep it.

It's just totally pointless playing him, he never even gets it on target, hasn't scored all season, and encourages shit football.

The fact that he mis-times and mis attacks good crosses every game and heads it lamely into the air or off target is laughable.

Any player who slips onto his back everytime he strikes a shot because he's such a donkey he can't hit it cleanly standing up shouldn't be anywhere near the first 11.

People used to mock De Vries, but he was just as good if not better than Howard.

Howards had 1 fantastic game for us since he signed when he got the hat trick and thats it for me.

And i seem to remember he slipped over as he scored one of his goals then.

Why the fook can't he kick the ball cleanly, he's supposed to be a professional footballer.

And why does he slip over onto his back everytime he tries to shoot. It's embarassing.

He ranks as one of the worst footballers i have ever seen play in a LCFC shirt.

Any player who can't even strike a ball cleanly, or shoot without slipping over, is just awful.

For an experienced player like Howard, a striker who should be able to kick a football cleanly, it's just shocking.

Nope it's just the truth.

Theres no reason to rate Howard above De Vries whatsoever.

I would love to have tapes of De Vries's performances and Howards, and watch them over.

People are so blinkered that Howard is a good player, he can't even kick a football without falling over.

something is telling me maddog thinks howard falls over a lot when he shoots. I wonder what gave me that idea!

[Thracian]

The problem is`nt with Howard, Fryatt, or any of our strikers, it`s the midfield that`s the problem, he`s playing with 3 defensive men there, we don`t have a creative midfielder that can play that killer ball through or bomb on and get ahead of the foewards, yesterday cried out for decent wide players, instead of withdrawing Dyer he should have taken one of the 3 off and added Adams, I fear that our lack of creativity in midfield could cost us success this season.

All our central midfielders, but King and Wellens in particular, can play through balls between defenders but Howard doesn't make the runs and isn't quick enough to get the passes anyway and Fryatt is too tightly marked.

So you're absolutely right that we need width and could no more understand the subbing of Dyer than you. Derby must have been delighted.

King used to be excellent at ghosting late into the penalty box but has a more subdued role now although there were signs yesterday that the shackles were at long last being loosened.

Trouble is if King does attack more it again points to using Oakley at right back and using him to supplement the right side of central midfield when necessary.

I really don't see a great problem with that in many games because a back line of four is often one player more than we need in any case, particularly at home. But I'd rather have found out against Derby - when Pearson had the ideal opporunity to do that and use two wingers, than Palace on Tuesday.

[marbelladave]

The problem is`nt with Howard, Fryatt, or any of our strikers, it`s the midfield that`s the problem, he`s playing with 3 defensive men there, we don`t have a creative midfielder that can play that killer ball through or bomb on and get ahead of the foewards, yesterday cried out for decent wide players, instead of withdrawing Dyer he should have taken one of the 3 off and added Adams, I fear that our lack of creativity in midfield could cost us success this season.

Wrong way round.....

The killer pass can not be played because neither Howard nor Fryatt show for the short ball and neither have the pace to react to balls played in the channels or over the top. Without options our midfield are stymied.

Just where should this killer ball be played?

[Thracian]

Wrong way round.....

The killer pass can not be played because neither Howard nor Fryatt show for the short ball and neither have the pace to react to balls played in the channels or over the top. Without options our midfield are stymied.

Just where should this killer ball be played?

Spot on. We didn't ever have enough movement and it became worse as Fryatt gradually ran out of steam.

[clazkel]

That's because the Cov defence had 2 other strkers, DJ & Howard to mark.

I know i realise that but he still has to jump to win the headers and beat the defender he has on him. But yesterday he won most of the headers first half and it was just him and Fryatt up front. I think he gets alot of undeserved stick.

Its Pearsons tactics that need looking at. If you play Howard you need wingers who can put decent balls in the box and yesterday we only had Morrison on the right, who had one eye on defending. Why Nicky Adams doesn't get a proper chance i don't know. And the changes second half unbalanced the team.

If your going to play a stirker behind the front 2 then why not keep fryatt on, with waghorn and Howard or Kermo behind them so theres 2 players to knock the ball onto. I thought yesterday Adams shoud've come on on the right Oakley back in central midfield and king or wellens off. We need to make the most of Howard by crossing decent balls in the box.

Pearson obviously knows what he is doing but sometimes the changes he makes don't make sense to me and we then look unbalanced

[Flynny]

I can't believe I've just read people saying our midfield isn't creative after yesterday. That midfield was as creative as I've seen, they just had no-one to pass to. Tactical error - forgiveable so long as it happens in isolation.

[andy_croydz]

I haven't been to enough games this season to judge Howard but from the games I have seen of him in the past 2-3 seasons I don't mind him but he's not a goalscorer and we really need another goalscorer with Fryatt. If I was the manager i'd probably play 3 up front of Fryatt, Kermit and Campbell. Maybe Waghorn in for Kermit or Campbell depending on their form.

[Lillehamring]

at this level, it simply isn't enough just to win a few flick ons, if you are a striker and 6 foot plus, this should be taken as read - hume used to win loads in the air, so even the height thing shouldn't be a factor.

the real problem, it seems, with howard is that we simply can't afford to have a player contribute as little as he offers, which has come down to little more than 30 minutes of huff and puff, and the occasional more or less accurate flick on... there are plenty of players who can win a few flick ons, in the CCC it is absolutely essential for players to offer more than just one element...

the pro-howard supporters are still living on this myth that we were crap for a few games last season, solely because he didn't play, which is nonsense for many reasons.

perhaps, being an armchair fan you pick up on little things that seeing the whole picture at games tend to get lost, and for me the lasting impression of this season, so far, has been the yodelling, anti-climactic cry of: HOWARD!!!.....Wide...

for the record: shooting CCC

Fryatt - on 18 off 12

Howard - on 11 off 17 - the only player worse than this is Hobbs...

however, the same rule of multi-skilled footballers is exposed here, and that is that we should also be expecting more goals from our midfielders and defenders, and even then oakley has had 10 shots on target...

and i'm led to believe that we could address all these problems by giving yann a run in the team, as he at least has a good track record at free kicks unlike oakley....

[Daggers]

I thought I just said that, with added reasons! :D

I am the model of brevity

[maddog]

something is telling me maddog thinks howard falls over a lot when he shoots. I wonder what gave me that idea!

He can't you know.

I would love to see Howard out of the squad altogether Tuesday and someone like N'Guessan who has scored goals this season, or Gradel, or Asrit have a spot on the bench.

Considering you're allowed 7 subs theres still some players completely missing out.

[milan_foxes]

Get Him Out The Team.

[caz123]

Biggest load of bollocks I've read on this forum in ages

You've always hated Howard and frankly it's now

I agree dont no why howard gets so much shit,he doesnt deserve it

[fleckneymike]

The Howard debate is surely a no brainer. A non goal scoring centre forward is not a viable option. There is a myth which surrounds Howard that he simply lacks service. This is patently not an excuse either way you look at it.

A) No service: If we cannot provide a ball for him then don't play him. If the only thing preventing him scoring is our inability to swing cross after cross at him so he can majestically leap like a salmon and place the ball in the net then the solution is simple. Drop him. We cannot augment the squad until Jan so why persevere with him when we allegedly lack the players to supply him.

B) Howard not good enough: How many goals have been scored with his head? Oldham away and Leeds at home aside I'm struggling to think of any others. Fryatt has scored more with his head by my reckoning (3) than Howard. Howards timing is woeful, I've lost count of the amount of times he's got underneath the ball and looped it over the bar. On the rare occasion it doesn't balloon over the bar it misses the target altogether.

Howard wins a reasonable % of flick ons (which have varying degrees of accuracy) but as an earlier poster has said so did Hume. Howard does most of his 'good' work 10 yards from the half way line, in an area which causes the defence absolutely no problems what so ever and means any attack which might stem from a lay off must take place with one striker moving into the box as Howard lumbers forward.

His lack of mobility is stifling our creativity. Any balls into the channels can only be chased by Fryatt who isn't particularly fleet footed, this means that the opposition can quite easily push up the pitch and condense the play. This makes it difficult for our midfield to find space and even harder for them to play any kind of telling through ball. As an earlier poster highlighted any half decent team (of which there are considerably more at this level than league one) simply drop a midfielder back when goal kicks are taken to prevent Howard winning a flick on.

[maddog]

I would rather we play a beach ball upfront than Howard.