Why Everton Must Seek Tim Howard’s Replacement ASAP
Richard Buxton |
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Familiarity, we are told, breeds contempt. The two have certainly gone hand-in-hand throughout Roberto Martinez’s Everton tenure. Yet scorn is the least of his worries where the by-product of his persistence with Tim Howard is concerned.
The Spaniard has often extolled the merits of the much-maligned—Arouna Kone and Antolin Alcaraz are just two that instantly spring to mind—but they pale in significance to his continued defence of Howard. Poor positional sense, being beaten at his near post and, inexplicably, performing star-jumps in a futile attempt to thwart advancing strikers, Martinez’s unstinting loyalty to Howard seemingly knows no bounds.
His goalkeeping performances often pay homage to his American heritage by following a Hollywood theme. Unfortunately for Evertonians, the only roles from Tinseltown he is able to reprise belong to either Superman and Eyes Wide Shut. Joel Robles must wonder what he has to do to stake a claim for the Blues’ No.1 spot.
Even a well-rounded display in their Capital One Cup victory over Norwich City on Tuesday night failed to win over Martinez. Decisive saves in both normal time and a nail-biting penalty shoot out could not sway his compatriot to consider displacing Howard. Within an hour of the one-time Atletico Madrid goalkeeper’s heroics, Martinez was reaffirming the 36-year-old’s status as Everton’s undisputed first-choice stopper ahead of Sunday’s visit of Sunderland.
Too often it seems that Howard’s reputation has belied his age and diminishing abilities. Repelling 16 Belgian attempts in last year’s World Cup certainly accentuated it, leading to a dubious Secretary of Defense moniker. Within barely a month, that vaunting looked incredibly flawed. His positioning for all six of Chelsea’s goals at a time when they were rampant Premier League champions-elect typified the folly of Stateside’s euphoria.
Martinez’s reluctance to source a new goalkeeper last January has, similarly, proven costly. The exception, rather than the rule, saw Howard restored to prominence earlier this season when a shut-out at Tottenham Hotspur in August suggested that his horror show against Manchester City a week prior had been a blip rather than a goalkeeping relapse.
Where Petr Cech will potentially safeguard an additional 10 points for Arsenal across the season, Howard is likely to cost Everton as many. That gulf in class was evident in the contrasting performances between the opposite numbers at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.
Martinez refused to accept any individual apportion of blame to Howard for the concession of two goals in as many minutes, instead pointing the finger at Everton’s defence as a collective. But with Howard evoking memories of David James, the flapping former Liverpool goalkeeper that was once a source of glee for the Gwladys Street, it is little wonder that it is a back line sapped of any confidence by its beleaguered goalkeeper.
Now just over two years into his Goodison Park reign, the former Wigan manager knows he can no longer clutch to the safety blanket of goodwill. That ship sailed during Everton’s dalliance with relegation. Hopes of a potential renaissance from Howard do not augur well. If Robles is not considered a viable alternative, another must be sourced in January. To do otherwise would only risk a renewed rancour.
