Everton FC News: We need to rediscover our defensive mean streak, Tim Howard

Nov 5 2009 by Philip Kirkbride, Liverpool Daily Post

Everton FC News: PLAYING in Europe’s best stadiums is every footballers dream but now Tim Howard has had a taste, he can’t wait to come home.

Everton’s 5-0 drubbing in the Estadio da Luz two weeks ago at the hands of a rampant Benfica side hurt the goalkeeper and he admits playing in the shadow of the near 66,000 capacity ground, was the only grain of positivity he could pluck from the evening.

But, having seen what the Portuguese have to offer, Howard can’t wait to unleash the roar of 40,000 Evertonians on their Europa League rivals.

Tonight sees the fourth round of matches in David Moyes’s side’s Group I campaign and with Benfica the visitors, Howard says there is a score to settle.

The keeper said: “I was thinking that the other day. It was a fantastic spectacle and an amazing arena, nice to have had a chance to play there and see the way they go about things.

“But as you know when everyone is on their feet at Goodison and they are really pushing us on, you feel that momentum.

“I have been on the other side of it and it is very tough because you feel like the wind has changed direction. You’re walking uphill and on the best days here it is amazing; tonight, hopefully Benfica can feel a little bit of what they gave to us.

“Europe is never a burden it is exactly the opposite.

“We don’t have long weeks of training because of European football and feel like we just keep going and going and that’s a good thing.

“We are coming from one game, bang into the next it is important for us to advance and crack onto the next phase because we know some big teams are going to drop out of the Champions League. We know what the fans are like here – they are the backbone of this club and that is always a big plus when we can give back what they give us.

“At the moment, we need to get back into the top half of the table, never mind fifth and it’s baby steps at this point in the season so that is the goal and the aim come May 9.

“But we are trying to get our form together and I think last year one of the things which catapulted us into that position was in the thick of the season we went on some long runs where we didn’t get beaten. Hopefully we can crack on and get up the table.

“Getting into Europe is never guaranteed. In the last couple of seasons we have finished sixth, fifth and sixth and they were long hard slogs, and obviously there are some big teams in this league and teams who are spending boat-loads of money.

“When all said and done, when we have everyone fit and healthy we have a really talented team and I believe that.”

As Argentine forward Javier Saviola tapped in Angel Di Maria’s left wing cross in the 83rd minute at the Estadio da Luz 14 days ago, Howard suffered a huge dent in his pride.

Everton’s stopper is no different to any man serving as the last line of defence, but for a keeper who kept clean sheets seemingly for fun last season, the 5-0 drubbing in Lisbon was particularly tough to swallow.

Ahead of the Portuguese giants visiting Goodison Park tonight, Howard has issued a message of intent, determined Everton will show their mean streak once more.

And, victory over Benfica, would send David Moyes’s men to the summit of their group and a long way towards qualification for the knock-out stages.

He said: “Without giving too much headline fodder, they gave us a real pasting in Lisbon and that hurt. Any professional would say that; it is like getting hit on the chin, you lose a bit of your pride. But there is no revenge, we are just trying to advance out of this group and it is a big deal for us to get a result tonight – it wasn’t nice walking off the field there.

“It felt like it wasn’t us, more than revenge, we want to give a good showing of ourselves to them, but we are at home and that means a lot to us and our fans so hopefully we are going to put on a good performance.

That is our focus, not revenge; it is not just about Benfica; it is trying to get out of this group and winning would go along way to doing that.”

Claiming 17 clean sheets in the Premier League last season, to surpass Neville Southall’s best of 15, Howard’s achievements in goal have etched him into club folklore.

Thus, the Goodison Park team’s recent generosity in defence is something not lost on their No 1, but as key personnel return and the side becomes settled, Howard is confident Everton can be watertight once more – starting this evening in front of a packed home support.

Howard added: “That would be another big plus, that would be ideal. It sucks to concede goals, but for me it is about putting in consistently high level performances where you are stopping opposition from creating chances, dictating the tempo and keeping a high line, not letting teams in your box easily.

“When you are doing all that, you feel like you are on a high and it is tough to be beaten, but it is difficult as a defence.

“You can see it on peoples’ faces when goals are going in; it is not nice but to our credit, no-one is pointing the finger at each other; we are just trying to find out why we have been conceding at certain times in games and trying to get better.

“Sure there a lot of reasons and excuses (why conceding goals), it is tough to say but my personal feeling is that when you bring so many new players in the summer it is really tough to integrate them. I know myself, I have been away for two weeks at a time every month with internationals and when you get a squad full of players like that it is hard to bond and gel as a group.

But we are getting there and we know the foundation at Everton is that toughness and that fighting spirit, and though we want to play good football, there has got to be that meanness. It is no secret that is the foundation of this club and this team, and we are slowly starting to get there and I feel like we are getting that back.

“In my time here this has been the first time where we have not been completely settled, for various reasons, injuries, suspensions, players cup-tied and when we are playing on different fronts, it is hard.

“The manager has had a difficult task because of those reasons, he has had to chop and change and you have to go Wednesday, Sunday, Thursday with different line-ups.

“It has been hard. When we were at our best we had a fantastic understanding; we knew each others’ body language, and got the performances right.

“I am hoping we will get back to that with players coming back and start to settle into a routine – but we certainly have to put that into practice.”