I'm not really sure why Howard has received so much anger from some supporters. They treat him far worse than anyone who's ever played for Liverpool. He's had many good years at Everton, followed by a really poor season last year. He's been both good and bad at times this season.
Could we use an upgrade at the position? Absolutely. Is Robles the answer? It doesn't really seem so. Howard is our #1 at this time. It doesn't make sense for supporters to yell obscenities at him in the middle of a close match where Howard is actually performing well. I don't know how they think that's helping. Players have bad years all the time but the anger Howard gets just seems way out of proportion. It feels like Howard's biggest crime is that he isn't prostrating himself and begging for supporter's forgiveness. The problem is, confidence and arrogance in one's own abilities is a common trait of many top athletes. It's probably a good thing that the nasty things supporters are saying to Howard are rolling off his back. Many people would crumble under these types of vicious attacks.
Personally, I've been disappointed with many of Howard's performances during the past year but I try to look at each match from an impartial viewpoint. That certainly doesn't mean I'm defending him. I would love to get a great young keeper in here by summer but Howard is our #1 right now and I continue to hope he has his best season ever.
