http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=125334&cc=5901 " only goalkeeper Roy Carroll is a new doubt having picked up a knock in training which is set to earn Fabien Barthez - linked this week with a move to Paris St Germain - a place on the bench." this makes Barthez the backup keeper to Howard I watched Howards last game against Leicester City last night, and i was impressed with his footwork and heading ability as well. In the first half he dribbled around a Leicester player very well, his distribution is very precise with either left or right foot. In the second half he came out of his box and headed the ball away from an on rushing Leicester player, his defenders pass the ball back to him a lot, they must have great confidence in him. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one and a smile on my face, he is making us proud.
10/1 Howard (CL., [R.]) -- Man Utd @ VfL Wolfsburg Tim Howard's second spell in Champions League duty for Manchester United, as the Red Devils travel to Germany to face VfL Wolfsburg. No TV coverage of the match here on my side of the world on ESPN International, either live or tape-delay, and as far as I know, the only TV of the match is to commercial establishments in the USA via Setanta PPV. So without the PPV, and as far as I know, the only other live coverage would be on Man Utd's website, same as per Premiership games. The audio webcast is free, following the painless registration at www.manutd.com. In any event, MatchDay 2 coverage starts at 11:45 a.m. PT, 2:45 p.m. ET, etc. Round-up on pregame news articles: [*]Preview, on the uefa.com site: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=1712/Match=1056822/index.html [*]Preview, via Soccernet: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=125334&cc=3436 [*]Team news, from skysports.com: http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,7-1105418,00.html [*]Match preview from manutd.com: http://www.manutd.com/footballnow/default.sps [*]Sir Alex Ferguson's brief pre-game thoughts (registration required): http://www.manutd.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=44091&itype=466&icategoryid=122 And an array of related articles from sportinglife.com... [*]"In Ruud Health", where RVN is confident in adding to his goal-scoring tally: http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...CER_Man_Utd_Van_Nistelrooy.html&TEAMHD=soccer [*]"Scholes Goals Vital": http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...Man_Utd_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=championsleague [*]"Barthez Makes Trip": http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...30/SOCCER_Man_Utd.html&TEAMHD=championsleague [*]"O'Shea Targets Glory": http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...Man_Utd_Champions.html&TEAMHD=championsleague Add more articles as you all see fit. Aside from Howard's participation, the main talking points in common seem to be Fabien Barthez's inclusion in the travelling squad (although he still cannot unseat Tim Howard for the starting 'keeper's spot) and that SAF has been given a contract extension to 2007. Will try and be awake for this one (can't guarantee it, since it's a 4:45 a.m. kickoff Melbourne time for me), but the PbP duties are up for grabs.
Re: wolfsburg? Yeah, I just realised that. D'oh!! My apologies to Stuttgart supporters-- it's late here for me. Buff or DK, can we change that in the thread title, please? Other than that, I think I hit on all the talking points.
This might be an interesting goalie duel... Stuttgart's keeper is Timo Hildebrand, 24, and considered to be the best German between the pipes at the moment. In Bundesliga he did not allow a single goal in the seven games of this season and he's just 69 minutes away from breaking Oliver Kahn's all time record of 803 minutes without goal against. Stuttgart is top ranked in Germany with 17 pts and 9:0 goals after 7 games. Coach Magath changes the lineup pretty often, so there are hardly any 100% seeded players. Howard's main opponents will be German NT striker Kevin Kuranyi, who is either paired with Sanneh's former team mate Cacau, with Imre Szabics or Ioannis Amanatidis - none of Stuttgart's strikers is older than 22. The biggest danger from the midfield is Aliaksander Hleb from Belarus, a 22 year old super-talent with outstanding technical skills. Free kick and heading danger will rather be caused by central defender Marcelo Bordon, who has a very powerful and precise shot. Overall, the team is very young, less than 26 in the average. Some veterans (mids Horst Heldt, 33, and Zvonimir Soldo, 35) carry the team of youngsters. Needless to say that Man Utd is the big favourite, especially given that Stuttgart is very unexperienced on international level.
i may be wrong but i dont think stuttgart are the most attacking team but the coach said they would attack in this game. All of the goals which have gone past howard have been headers and german teams are good in set pieces. This may be a little off topic but how is the coverage about howard in the us? and given how he is doing and getting to play in the best competition cl where do you rank him now? is he the third keeper for the us team?
As far as TH's media coverage in the US, other than in "soccer circles" (BigSoccer, thsoe who watch FSW, etc.), you don't hear much about him. As far as the USNational team goes, there is nothing "official" to indicate that Friedel and Keller aren't still ahead of Tim. The US starts World Cup qualifying in early 2004, so we may get an indication then. However, most of the early qualifiers are against true "minnows" so even if TH gets the start in some of those games, I would not read too much into it.
ok thanks. i was thinking of just starting a thread and asking this question but ill ask it here. How suprised have you been by howard at utd? I remember some here wer saying that they expected him to play the smaller cups and some league games and maybe get the no1 in the middle of the season. All the goals he has conceded have been set pieces (including henry´s free kick) and im sure they will work extra hard to try to fix that as a team. Howard hasnt really had to save that many shots, utd have prob had close to 10 players playing in the back 4 this season so there hasnt been great consistency, i think credit must go to howard. I think he gives the defenders and team alot of confidence. In a few years i think howards name will come up as one of fergies best buy considering what he paid
Laddi, I think you will find all sorts of responses to your question regarding surprise (or not) about Howard's performance in the Premier League. I, for one, am not at all surprised that he has done well. He played for the NY Metrostars and I was able to seem him in person and on the tube pretty often. He has barely been tested in the Premier League, at least compared to some of what he endured during the Metrostars dark hours of last year. His is simply good and he proved it in MLS. Like all keepers, he does occasionally make a mistake. Let's hope he keeps them to the minimum number and that they occur when they can do minimal damage.
I've seen the Stuttgart team this year and Hleb and Kurayani are outstanding technical players. I agree with olagfb's comments above.
No one thought Howard would be the starting goalkeeper and hold that spot, i still have to pinch myself sometimes that this is real. Not that Howard is not good but this is just unreal for an american soccer player. This is huge, but unfortunetely most americans and the media here have no clue how huge this is . Imagine what the japanese would do if if it was their player. ][/QUOTE] Originally posted by laddi dub77 What time does the game start east coast time. ][/QUOTE] game starts 2:45 pm est
Howard starts, Silvestre in the back, Phil Nev up to midfield, Fortune out, Ronaldo over Fletcher at right mid.
Man. United 14 Howard 2 Gary Neville 3 Phil Neville 5 Ferdinand 7 Ronaldo 10 Van Nistelrooij 11 Giggs 16 Keane 18 Scholes 22 O'Shea 27 Silvestre Bench 13 Carroll 8 Butt 12 Bellion 19 Djemba-Djemba 21 Forlán 24 Fletcher 25 Fortune interesting to note Barthez is not there Stuttgart 1 Hildebrand 2 Hinkel 5 Bordon 6 Fernando Meira 8 Vranješ 15 Gleb 16 Heldt 19 Szabics 20 Soldo 21 Lahm 22 Kuranyi Bench 23 Heinen 7 Meissner 11 Amanatidis 12 Gerber 13 Tiffert 14 Centurión 18 Cacau
16 ' so far Man U dominating, this is the biggest game for Howard commentators say, but he has done a super job so far Stuttgard took a shot ball over the bar
I've been having the same problem... misery loves company, I'm guessing. Going to have to rely on text updates soon, from either sportinglife.com or the BBC, I'm guessing...
17' Howard had to come off his line quickly to prevent a brake thru, 18" man U free kick Giggs taken down 5 yards from penalty area , i belive Ronaldo takes it over the bar
Stuttgart is sitting back alowing man U to attack, have 10 men behind the ball looking for counterattacks Stuttgart almost score on a counter