Review 04/05: Tim Howard
9/6/05 8:18 AM
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Review 04/05: Tim Howard
After a dream debut season, Tim Howard endured a tough second term
with the Reds. However, despite Edwin van der Sar's arrival, Tim still
has a future with the club...
TIM HOWARD: 2004/05 FACTFILE
Total appearances: 27
Premiership: 12
Champions League: 5
FA Cup: 4
League Cup: 5
Community Shield: 1
Tim Howard has watched his fortunes fluctuate in two years at Old
Trafford and, in 2004/05, the American goalkeeper endured the unenviable
'difficult second season'.
It is an affliction suffered by many players whose debut campaign
far outstrips expectation. Plucked from obscurity in America's
Major League Soccer, Howard appeared to be the long-sought successor
to Peter Schmeichel.
After an impressive debut season, Howard was handed the No.1 shirt
at the start of season 2004/05. A year on, he finds himself nudged
down the pecking order with the arrival of Edwin van der Sar.
His second season in English football failed to expand on what his
first had promised.
The 26-year-old made 44 starts for the Reds in his debut season but,
after mistakes against Porto (March 03) and Lyon (Sept 04), his
chances became limited in 04/05, where he started just 12 league
matches.
There is the danger, though, that goalkeepers too readily become
the scapegoat. Howard took flak for Hernan Crespo’s arced header
as United lost to Milan at San Siro in March. However, the inescapable
reason for losing that night – as it had been two weeks previously
in Manchester – was Milan’s dominance in midfield and United’s
inability to find the net.
"It was one of those headers that could leave you in no man's land,"
says Alex Stepney, a European Cup winner with United in 1968.
"It was a hell of a cross and a looping header that you could do very
little about.
"But, I suppose you can look at Porto the previous season," he added,
referring to United's European exit in 2003. Tim Howard spilled a
last-minute free-kick that allowed Porto's Costinha to snatch aggregate
victory for the eventual winners of the tournament.
"Tim had come to this country and this fantastic club, everything was
going so well for him. He was rated one of the best goalkeepers in the
Premiership and then the wheels fell off for him.
"You can let a goal in and it won't matter to the result, but you need
to be able to stand up to the test at the top level, which, for this club,
is the Champions League."
Peter Schmeichel, who Sir Alex Ferguson has found it so difficult to
replace, offers an insight into the uncompromising standards required
at United.
He said: "If you make a mistake it can follow you for a long time.
We've seen that happen with other United goalkeepers."
But mistakes are not completely unforgiven. Tim Howard has displayed
enough promise to be offered a new contract, one that keeps him at
Old Trafford for another four years.
Comparing any goalkeeper to the unparalleled standards set by Peter
Schmeichel is a futile exercise, according to Alex Stepney. He
believes the New Jersey-born keeper can use his experience so far
in English football to once again become Ferguson’s first choice.
"You're not going to find another Peter Schmeichel for 20 years,”
he said. "At least, you'd be very, very lucky if you did.
"What Tim Howard has to do now is knuckle down and be consistent
in every game he plays. And he needs to be consistent in the big games."
"He's just signed another contract, which must be great for him. It's
great for him to know the club want him."
"The most important thing is that, with the year he has had, he can
learn from it and come back stronger."
Report by Ben Hibbs.
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