Steve Howard

[Lillehamring]

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

it's not a question of giving him shit, it's a question of wanting to give other players the chance he seems to divinely have... he's not a bad player but most people feel that he doesn't have 90 minutes in him at this level, and the stats speak for themselves - he misses the target more times than he hits it, almost double in fact.

he doesn't deserve 'shit', but equally he shouldn't be supported and praised when he has become the weakest link in the team.

NP was right to drop him, but for some reason he has been given a second chance and there are more people than not who feel he should not be given a third, when we have other options that provide more than he is doing so far - even gallagher (officially) has as many assists as howard, and waghorn has nearly as many, plus 2 goals, and hasn't even started a game!

come on, howard is an ok player at best, lets get over it and move on - any of the other strikers deserve a chance, now...

[Lillehamring]

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

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

[MPH]

who's that carlisle striker? 6 ft 4... medine or somthing, i think. Might be a good long term replacement... might be worth a gamble... only a young lad... 19 or somthing...

[Lillehamring]

who's that carlisle striker? 6 ft 4... medine or somthing, i think. Might be a good long term replacement... might be worth a gamble... only a young lad... 19 or somthing...

i don't think the problem is not having a replacement, i think it's not having the gumption to replace him.....

[Babylon]

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.

I can understand where people are coming from, we played the ball around nicely but did the midfield ever really break the line? Derby had two banks of 4 at the back formost of the match so the strikers had little room, in those situations it falls on the Midfield to get behind players a bit more and we couldn't barring one or two runs by Dyer.

[Leicester Rule!]

I don't think Howard is the problem. He wins the headers, its the other players that don't read him .... Fryatt is no where near fast enough.

We are no where near good enough to pass the ball around (except Wellens) and open chances, leaving the long ball tactics.

[lou]

i don't think the problem is not having a replacement, i think it's not having the gumption to replace him.....

Yep.... 4 strikers on the bench on Saturday, we dont have a lack of them

[Dr The Singh]

I can understand where people are coming from, we played the ball around nicely but did the midfield ever really break the line? Derby had two banks of 4 at the back formost of the match so the strikers had little room, in those situations it falls on the Midfield to get behind players a bit more and we couldn't barring one or two runs by Dyer.

Agreed, most of the attractive intricate play was infront of the derby defence, non of the centre mids ever ran past the forward line...............

[davieG]

Agreed, most of the attractive intricate play was infront of the derby defence, non of the centre mids ever ran past the forward line...............

Have they ever really done so under Pearson?

[Babylon]

Have they ever really done so under Pearson?

Last season I saw us rip a few teams apart, the amount of goals scored from midfield was huge. Obviously the step up and the extra quality we are playing means it's harder.

I know what you're saying though, If we had committed more forward then we may well have done.

[Simo86]

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.

I wouldn't drop him all together, he made a big difference against Cov when he came on. But i wouldn't start him cos his better games have been as a substitute. I'd give Kermit a run in the side.

[Ricey]

I don't think Howard is the problem. He wins the headers, its the other players that don't read him .... Fryatt is no where near fast enough.

We are no where near good enough to pass the ball around (except Wellens) and open chances, leaving the long ball tactics.

Howard doesn't win as many headers as he should though, he takes him so long to jump that by the time he has the defender has beaten him to it.

I think he is a decent target-man at League One level, but not in the Championship. If we want to maintain the same style of play we had last year, I reckon a new target man in January is in order.

[suffolk fox]

It is obvious to me that most teams at this level have sussed out how we play. Predominantly the long ball to Howard. Most if not all of the teams we have played this season to stop us playing this way have put two men on Howard. They drop a midfield player just in front of Howard and this negates him altogether. (As well as having a defender mark him). Derby did this 2nd half hence the reason they played better second half and we ran out of ideas.

I don't see why Howard gets all the stick? Fryatt is guilty of missing chances? Apart, from Fryatts shot straight at Bywater on Saturday and for all our possession we didn't have another shot on target all game?

That, in 90 mins of football is diabolical!

Yes, as has been suggested, lets try DJ, or Kermo or the Swedish bloke Ast something..................Pleeeeeeeese people

think about it...........................Kermo not tested at this level, Dj constantly offside, Astravit or whateva his name is is crap!

If anything, why not Gallagher up front, after all he ain't a winger or a midfielder?

[Dr The Singh]

Last season I saw us rip a few teams apart, the amount of goals scored from midfield was huge. Obviously the step up and the extra quality we are playing means it's harder.

I know what you're saying though, If we had committed more forward then we may well have done.

Pearson played it safe on satday, derby were there for the taking, with only 1 point on there travels BUT we never really went for the juggular and attacked in great numbers. Dyer was the only player offering any width and even then he kept drifting to the middle to provide cover when Berner pushed forward!!

I can imagine Pearsons thinking though, he probably thought we could beat derby without pushing men forward!!

[marbelladave]

Have they ever really done so under Pearson?

This is the key issue that some of us have with the management.

We are extremely conservative on the pitch, not committing our midfield forward enough and sitting back on the defensive when we do get a lead are two of the most obvious examples.

Whether it is to offset this criticism or for other reasons we often deploy attacking players in the wide midfield roles (Dyer, N'Guessan, Gallagher) but then give them such onerous defensive duties that it is hard for them to make a real contribution up front.

However if we are going to play the long ball game, then Howard needs a faster strike partner than Fryatt (Waghorn?) and players bursting into the box from midfield to win the second ball.

Since our midfield players are neither willing nor able (or allowed?) to do this then I can see no point in continuing to play the long ball, which means that there is simply no point in playing Howard!

[StanSP]

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

You're a tit.

Just one of those fickle fans - support him when he does well. Bet you were jerking over him when he scored 3 against West Brom couple seasons back. And when he scored against Leeds last season.

[lcfc81]

Although offside

Good header to find Oakley for the disallowed goal.

What ever you say Steve gives us something different and IMO he only looks bad at heading when the

opposition put two men on him.

It does beg the question that if they are putting two men on him why we haven't got a spare man either to:

a) hang around and pick up the loose ball or

b) go in for the header and make it 2 on 2?

[Samilktray]

Hes shit.

[Guest]

Hes shit.

Constructive as always

[Samilktray]

Constructive as always

No point beating round the bush here, gotta say it how it is.

[maddog]

You're a tit.

Just one of those fickle fans - support him when he does well. Bet you were jerking over him when he scored 3 against West Brom couple seasons back. And when he scored against Leeds last season.

Hows is that fickle

Obviously if he scores a hat trick i will support him, but if he fails to score and plays shit i won't.

The sad thing is you've summed up all Howard has done for us since he signed, scored a hat trick and scored against Leeds.

The guys shit and needs to go, we have loads of other options upfront now.

[StanSP]

Hows is that fickle

Obviously if he scores a hat trick i will support him, but if he fails to score and plays shit i won't.

The sad thing is you've summed up all Howard has done for us since he signed, scored a hat trick and scored against Leeds.

The guys shit and needs to go, we have loads of other options upfront now.

It's fickle cos you support him when he does well. And hate him when he does poor.

And he's done so much more than that though. Take a look at his assists.

There's no question that most of Fryatt's goals last season wouldn't have come about if Howard wasn't there.

We do have loads of options upfront, but only one - apparently Kermorgant, who will be able to replace Howard. (I haven't seen YK play, only going by what I've heard).

Campbell and Waghorn won't be able to do the job Howard does.

[CosbehFox]

The sad thing is you've summed up all Howard has done for us since he signed, scored a hat trick and scored against Leeds.

Player of last season....

[Benji]

Hows is that fickle

Obviously if he scores a hat trick i will support him, but if he fails to score and plays shit i won't.

Fickle:

1. likely to change, esp. due to caprice, irresolution, or instability; casually changeable: fickle weather.

2. not constant or loyal in affections: a fickle lover.

What you said fits the bill so much I might write to dictionary.com and suggest it as a possible number 3.

That said, I still agree with you, time for him to go.

One thing I don't quite understand is I thought I read KIA saying that Kermit was signed as he was the best finisher at the club in training? So, if it's 0-0 and we desperately need a goal, why hasn't Pearson asked him to come on and stay the fk up-front instead of playing some random all-round-the-pitch role?

[maddog]

It's fickle cos you support him when he does well. And hate him when he does poor.

And he's done so much more than that though. Take a look at his assists.

There's no question that most of Fryatt's goals last season wouldn't have come about if Howard wasn't there.

We do have loads of options upfront, but only one - apparently Kermorgant, who will be able to replace Howard. (I haven't seen YK play, only going by what I've heard).

Campbell and Waghorn won't be able to do the job Howard does.

Kermorgant is a much better footballer than Howard and won a lot of headers that actually went to our players at Cov away.

Plus his general ability and technique to kick a football is 1,000,000 times better than Howard's ball striking and falling over.

We need to get out of this psychological mode we are in where somebody like Howard must play and we must lump it up to him. The players have been in that mode far too long, and the fans are now too.