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SeattleCanary

Does Howson have a place here?

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Purely interested to see what peoples opinions are on him. I haven''t looked to see if there was a previous thread so apologise if there was. We seem to crave a No.10 to emerge from the players we do have and although Hooly has been great for us at times in the past, I thought Howson was touted as his future replacement when he was signed?
I haven''t looked to see if Howson has been given a decent run of playing time in CAM, but it makes me wonder if he isn''t any good in that role, where is he good? He seems to be less effective when sat deeper in the midfield, and often goes missing in games. Against Man City and WBA he got forward really well, and I like many was so excited to see him carry on in that form this season.
So just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of him playing a string of games in that position? As I don''t remember seeing him there much so far in our first 5 games. I just wonder what the thinking is with him, as if he isn''t going to be used there, I wonder what we are keeping him for as he clearly doesn''t offer enough at the moment to suggest being in the first 11 every game.
It''s not as if he is 19 like Redmond and needs nurturing!

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He hasn''t played CAM from memory and that''s his favoured position, he''s being deployed as a DCM. I''d like to see him given a run in the CAM he''s undoubtably a good player just needs a run IMHO.

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He is too lightweight to play CM but actually is an attacking midfielder, he played really well during the player revolt against WBA but since then the straight jacket has come on again and he is poor.

The effect of our manager on soooo many players, take away the natural flair and reduce them to very average , at best , players!

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Yeah, I just don''t understand why we have a player who seemed to thrive in his supposed true position, moved out of position, predictably had a bad set of games and is mostly benched and deployed as a sub out of position. It''s actually madness and drives me insane. It''s funny because I thought for a while, and still do, that he could potentially be one of those players that once given a run of games in his proper position could be immense and we''d struggle to hold onto.
Instead we bench him and miss use him. So pointless. We are losing with some dour whimpering performances game after game right now. Surely it''s time to try something new and give him a fair crack?

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I like Howson. I think he''s a good all-round midfielder and the only thing he''s lacking is consistency. If he could eliminate errors he''d be a hell of a player.

For me his best position is when he''s playing as part of a central midfield "hinge" where whoever he''s playing with sits while he has the licence to bomb on and join the attack. He''s not a number 10 though, despite his preference for the role.

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So far we have.....[quote user="SeattleCanary"]goes missing in games....he clearly doesn''t offer enough[/quote][quote user="Wolf"]He is too lightweight...and he is poor.[/quote][quote user="SeattleCanary"]had a bad set of games[/quote][quote user="Jimmy Smith"]He''s a poor man''s Jack Wilshire, there to run around a lot[/quote][quote user="Canary02 IV"]the only thing he''s lacking is consistency.[/quote]Apart from that, he''s not too bad. [:S]

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[quote user="Olly"]Am I the only one who thought the Howson/Fer midfield worked quite well against Villa?[/quote]Nope, they dominated Delph and El Hammadi (Sp)Howson should be the focal point of our side at the tip of the triangle.

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[quote user="lappinitup"]So far we have.....[quote user="SeattleCanary"]goes missing in games....he clearly doesn''t offer enough[/quote][quote user="Wolf"]He is too lightweight...and he is poor.[/quote][quote user="SeattleCanary"]had a bad set of games[/quote][quote user="Jimmy Smith"]He''s a poor man''s Jack Wilshire, there to run around a lot[/quote][quote user="Canary02 IV"]the only thing he''s lacking is consistency.[/quote]Apart from that, he''s not too bad. [:S][/quote]
Thats a bit cheeky that! Taking the negatives I addressed about how he plays when out of position! haha

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I think the performance of Fer and Howson was the bright spot of Saturday. Combined really well and complimented each other. Intelligent, technically adept players.

I dream of a midfield diamond with Fox and Wes. Would probably be completely impractical but think about the possession stats!

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[quote user="Olly"]Am I the only one who thought the Howson/Fer midfield worked quite well against Villa?[/quote]

I''ve said something similar on other threads. That was the best part of our performance on Saturday.

 

Howson is just a good player anyway. All the stuff you see about him being lightweight is basically nonsense. I heard people around me whinge the odd time he was knocked off the ball, yet when Fer was knocked off the ball they didn''t say anything.

 

He regularly plays well but unless he''s scoring stunning goals I think some people find it hard to appreciate his less eye-catching work.

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I''m not in the CH out camp yet, but consistently playing good players out of position is bewildering. When Howson was given license to attack for the last two games last season the resulting performance was there for all to see. But again this season he is consistently played elsewhere. And the pre occupation with inverted wingers is amazing. In the last two games I cannot remember Snoddy and Redmond switching wings at any point in either game. Are they under strict instructions to keep to their starting positions at all times? Redmond plays on the right for England and often is the best player in the team. It is the same as playing RvW at left back in my opinion. You must utilise the assets (players) to get the best out of them. To do otherwise is to ask for failure.

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He needs a run of games to work up to his best, but on Saturday had his first start, I think. We know what he can produce from the end of last season, but he has not really had an extended role in his best position - advanced midfield.

 

It could be that next Summer we shall sign someone to play alongside Fer, and Howson''s future could come into question. At the moment with due respects to other players such as  Johnson, Tettey, Wes and Fox, Howson has the best all-round game in the central midfield, both attacking and defending.

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As I have said elsewhere I am not particularly a fan of Howson but I thought that was one of his better performances for us on Saturday.

Personally I am amazed so many people think his strongest position is behind the striker. To me he always looks indecisive in the final third and lacks some guile and that ability to play the game in his imagination to play that role well. He doesn''t look comfortable making the quick decisions necessary there.

To me Saturday re affirmed my thought that he is potentially best as more of a playmaking central midfielder type in the style of a Scholes/Ramsey etc. slight midfielders who are most effective with the game in front of them, managing it with their passing, popping up with the odd goal or long range strike and can put in a tackle despite not being a ball winner. However I still think he has got a long way to go to become that type of midfielder, and for some games for a team like Norwich that sort of player can become a bit of a passenger.

I think I would rather see Tettey and Fer play at the moment. The thing is that a Scholes and Ramsey type play best alongside a Flamini, Keane or Carrick who sit as the more defensive of the two. To me if Howson plays then it''s Fer who has to sit deeper. At the minute I still think Fer gives us more than Howson as the attacking one of two in centre mid so i would play Tettey alongside him to give him that freedom. However Saturday gave me hope Howson could be an option there if he keeps on improving and particularly against certain opposition or certain circumstances.

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[quote user="peateabee"]As I have said elsewhere I am not particularly a fan of Howson but I thought that was one of his better performances for us on Saturday. Personally I am amazed so many people think his strongest position is behind the striker. To me he always looks indecisive in the final third and lacks some guile and that ability to play the game in his imagination to play that role well. He doesn''t look comfortable making the quick decisions necessary there. To me Saturday re affirmed my thought that he is potentially best as more of a playmaking central midfielder type in the style of a Scholes/Ramsey etc. slight midfielders who are most effective with the game in front of them, managing it with their passing, popping up with the odd goal or long range strike and can put in a tackle despite not being a ball winner. However I still think he has got a long way to go to become that type of midfielder, and for some games for a team like Norwich that sort of player can become a bit of a passenger. I think I would rather see Tettey and Fer play at the moment. The thing is that a Scholes and Ramsey type play best alongside a Flamini, Keane or Carrick who sit as the more defensive of the two. To me if Howson plays then it''s Fer who has to sit deeper. At the minute I still think Fer gives us more than Howson as the attacking one of two in centre mid so i would play Tettey alongside him to give him that freedom. However Saturday gave me hope Howson could be an option there if he keeps on improving and particularly against certain opposition or certain circumstances.[/quote]

This

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My personal opinion is that Howson should not be considered at centre mid again. Ever. Unless we''re really short. It clearly isnt his position. However he has excelled at CAM. This was the Leeds fans'' opinion of him when he signed too. I think Hoolahan in centre mid and Howson CAM would be more effective than the other way round, if you are going to play them both. Though not for a moment am I suggesting Hoolahan should be first choice centre mid, Im saying I think he you would get the same level of defensive ineptitude as when playing Howson there, but still get Hoolahans creativity, with the added bonus of the Howson we saw in the final games of last season. I know Hoolahan doesnt defend well (despite his efforts), but I''ve not seen anything from Howson that suggests he does any better in that position in that respect

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I wanted to bump this thread purely because as great as the team have been today, Howson has performed excellently for me especially when getting forward. Nice to see him getting forward and getting his goal, on todays evidence so far he definitely has a place in the starting 11 each week. So nice to see positive stuff from Norwich!

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Should never be in doubt.

If you don''t rate Howson then I don''t rate you.

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I think we should look starter for this position behind the striker, but that doesnt mean Howson nor Hoolahan wouldnt have place in here.

Howson is great tactical player. He is versatile enough to be a great rotation player and he still can develope most of his game.

My problem with him is that he isn''t advanced playmaker and he isnt defensive midfielder either so he is really hard to place in the squad to get his strenghts working with rest of midfielders.

He needs that certain bit of freedom, but same time we need a player who is responsible of making us tick and players that will keep our centre backs protected.

One option ofc instead of getting advanced midfielder by transfer would be getting deep lying playmaker and play with 4-3-3 like we quite much played today with Fer making most of our plays with Snoddy.trough right.

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Today''s game at the Britannia should answer your question - Howson was immense, not just in scoring the winning goal, but also the number of times he brought in colleagues with astute passing. I''m not sure he will be MoM, but couple this with the two games at the end of last season and most will have to concede that at his best he is worth a place, offering what Wes or Elmander don''t.

 

I hope that he gets a run of games and continues to make an impact.

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If we use utilise Howson properly, and have him bursting forward from midfield, rather than when he was often employed at times last season as a midfielder who barely leaves the centre circle, then we have a real player. He was fantastic today, just as he was towards the end of last season.

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Howson had a good game today in his favourite position! But tettey and Fer looked good too nice to see tettey in the makelele role.

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CD Mullins wrote: Howson should be the focal point of our side at the tip of the triangle.

It worked today didn''t it!? I was really impressed with the whole team bar RvW (purely as his touch let him down and didn''t get a chance on goal).

There were a few moments when watching on the TV, Russ would pass inside and it looked like he just gave the ball away, just for Howson to run into the space and move the ball on. This is something we haven''t seen for ages, players seeing the spaces, spotting each others runs and passing into them, especially coming short for the ball and playing 1-2s. Now we need to learn to do this and then add the final step of bringing RvW or Hooper into play with that final ball.

Really encouraging today, so glad to see us set up perfectly for the opposition with tactics and line-up spot on. I''d play the same team at Chelsea, but give Hooper the run out he deserves. I''d really like to see Redmond on the right for Snoddy, but he was much better today and really tested Begovic with that effort. Just want to see him happy to whip it in with his right every now and then.

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