Can someone explain the Tim Howard situation?

[Motterman]

Howard was on the bench yesterday, yes?

Good sign.

[manc_sean]

I've never been particularly sure about Howard, he seems to drop too many clangers for my liking - I still blame him for us getting knocked out of the Champions League last season.

That guy may have a point about marketing - the biggest markets every big club are trying to crack are USA and Asia. We signed Dong Fangzhuo from a Chinese club then Tim Howard from Metrostars. Coincidence?

[Motterman]

I've never been particularly sure about Howard, he seems to drop too many clangers for my liking - I still blame him for us getting knocked out of the Champions League last season.

That guy may have a point about marketing - the biggest markets every big club are trying to crack are USA and Asia. We signed Dong Fangzhuo from a Chinese club then Tim Howard from Metrostars. Coincidence?
I wouldn't argue that we didn't look at either player simply because of what country they are from... or even to pick up these players with potential on the cheap. But can you seriously see Ferguson giving the No. 1 shirt to a player simply because they are from America? That's truly mad, IMO.

I'm the first one to criticize Howard when he makes big mistakes, but he's young, so I hope he gets another chance eventually. If Silvestre all of the sudden becomes a class defender again with Rio beside him, what about Howard's chance?

[manc_sean]

I wouldn't argue that we didn't look at either player simply because of what country they are from... or even to pick up these players with potential on the cheap. But can you seriously see Ferguson giving the No. 1 shirt to a player simply because they are from America? That's truly mad, IMO.

I'm the first one to criticize Howard when he makes big mistakes, but he's young, so I hope he gets another chance eventually. If Silvestre all of the sudden becomes a class defender again with Rio beside him, what about Howard's chance?

I'm all for giving Howard another chance, although I don't see how you can drop Carroll - maybe give him a game against Crewe in the worthless cup.

Howard is a good goalie but I still think the fact that he is American played a part in us signing him. Frey's a better keeper and wouldn't have cost too much seeing as Parma nearly went out of business.

[Motterman]

I'm all for giving Howard another chance, although I don't see how you can drop Carroll - maybe give him a game against Crewe in the worthless cup.
Yeah, it's Carroll's job to lose at the moment, no doubt. I can't see Fergie handing the job back over to Howard like he seemed to last season after the FA Cup semi-final when again it was Carroll who came up with a big result. I'm not arguing that him being American didn't have a role in us signing him, but for us to actually play him as much as we did, simply because he's American? Can't see it.

[prk166]

I'm all for giving Howard another chance, although I don't see how you can drop Carroll - maybe give him a game against Crewe in the worthless cup.

The Worthless Cup? How can that be when someone like Boro get their first piece of silverware thanks to it? :D

[United_4_ever]

Well, to be fair, Carroll's faced a grand total of about 5 interesting shots on goal since he came in a month ago. Carroll's first game happened to coincide with the return of Rio, and by extension the settling down of the previously spastic defensive line. You could put the #1 shirt on a bushel of apples and it would only give up one goal a game for ManU. right now.

You talk rubbish
Carroll's first game wasn't when Rio returned and he is our most consistent keeper at the moment and has been for the last 3 years maybee.
How many yanks support manchester united they should all support there own teams!
We have to many foreign fans taking up seats inside Old Trafford as it is!
The seats should prioritised for the real fans the fans that are Manc's not the yanks or others or any other nationallity!
I can only manage about 8 home games a season including prem,champ le..,fa cup and league cup.
I try every weekend to get tickets as well.

What does every 1 think should tickets be prioritised for mancunians?

[Motterman]

You talk rubbish
Carroll's first game wasn't when Rio returned...
It was this year.

As for priority seating for Mancs. I have no problem with the lion's share being made available to locals, but you don't damage your relations with fans and supporters worldwide by calling them names and not letting them catch the odd game...

[Acronym]

Just make OT 100,000 like it should be. Then everyone can watch and people that shout and sing can have their place!

[MightyMouse]

Just make OT 100,000 like it should be. Then everyone can watch and people that shout and sing can have their place!

YEAH!!!

[Motterman]

Fergie:

"He did brilliantly. Hopefully he has got his confidence back. It's the goalkeeper's second season at the club and he made a couple of mistakes in the early part of the season and the best thing was to take him out like we did last year. He came back better last year and he will come back better this year too."
Hardly, "we plan to sell him in January".

[marley79]

Im a howard fan and even if he is f#ckin up he definatley has more potential than caroll and he beat barthez out of the spot last year, even if it was for marketing. for man u finding the keeper that will replace the likes of the great dane best of luck not many keepers in england much less the world could come close to his skill.
if you wankers can get off your high horse and stop stereotyping americans that play in the epl mabey the kid could have a little more confidence. if he makes a slight mistake (which everyone does) its all howards fault because he is american. show alittle respect for the fact that an american had a great campaign last year with one the top english teams, and i don't mean teams like fulham, the hot spurs and the rovers.
the guy's a beast and i think if saf gives him alittle time and effort he could be a domiant keeper with man u.
this is only an opinion whether you agree or disagree
peace and chicken grease

[marley79]

You talk rubbish
Carroll's first game wasn't when Rio returned and he is our most consistent keeper at the moment and has been for the last 3 years maybee.
How many yanks support manchester united they should all support there own teams!
We have to many foreign fans taking up seats inside Old Trafford as it is!
The seats should prioritised for the real fans the fans that are Manc's not the yanks or others or any other nationallity!
I can only manage about 8 home games a season including prem,champ le..,fa cup and league cup.
I try every weekend to get tickets as well.

What does every 1 think should tickets be prioritised for mancunians?
its a free world bro and you getting to see manu play 8 times a year is alot better that alot of people who have never seen them, yanks or english. and im a big supporter of my home team but that doesn't stop me from being a loyal supporter of manu. its all for the love of the sport.
get over yourself and be thankful for what you got!!!

[philengland]

after the corners get extended OT will b over 70000 then thats it. they cant add the south stand cos of the railway track. as for yanks at Utd games. 2 b honest as long as they sing and not their for "a day out" i cudnt care less. Utd fans shud stand shoulder to shoulder.

u a match member United_4_Eva?

[johno]

Too many Howard apologists... when u suck u deserve to be benched... plain and simple, Howard sucked. Not only that, Carroll has been blame free up until now. Not only no mistakes but also some damn good saves too.

[prk166]

What does every 1 think should tickets be prioritised for mancunians?

I Didn't know there was a problem with how tickets are sold now.

[Acronym]

Yea no problem: he aint playing *chews gum*

[Motterman]

Fergie says: (well, basically what I've been saying all along)

"I can assure you that I am not looking for a goalkeeper."

"We were linked with about five goalkeepers last weekend and not one is correct. I was even linked with a player who until the other day didn't even know he was a goalkeeper. I thought he was a defender."
And on Tim and Roy:

"At this moment in time Roy is first choice because he has performed well. He has never let us down and Tim, who I think is a terrific keeper had a bit of a bad spell. What do you do when goalkeepers have bad spells, and they are young and inexperienced? You take them out, and that is what we did with Tim."
Still thinks Tim is "terrific", just "young and inexperienced". Of course, people will moan and complain that you don't get experience sitting on the bench, but I think Sir Alex wants to give him another shot, and there's no use hurrying him back right away...

[bigtoga]

Half-decent article on Tim - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/lang_whitaker/11/08/the.links/index.html

[Coach_McGuirk]

Howard goes the martyr route:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/3998413.stm

(EDIT: I now realize this is a condensed vesion of the SI piece with a new headline.)