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Forget strikers for just one minute… keeping Howson has been City’s bit piece of business this summer

25th August 2016 By Will Jennings 12 Comments

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Earlier this summer, the local pub I’m currently working a forty hour week at to fund my university experience announced it would be sponsoring – much to my delight – a Norwich City player. It seemed a shrewd and somewhat overdue move, especially given the owner’s love of football and City as a club, enhancing the pub’s regional recognition as well as exciting me and the fellow Norwich fans I work with.

That player was Jonathan Howson.

Now, if Howson was a car, it would be easy to render him comparable to a model such as a Ford Mondeo: relatively basic, reliable and pretty dependable in most circumstances, without possessing a considerable amount of aesthetic value or flashiness.

But that judgement is unfair.

Howson has been our most consistent performer throughout the late Lambert/Hughton/Adams/Neil epoch, continually demonstrating dynamism, ball retention and often versatility in our frequently fluctuating midfield. He adds a degree of class to Norwich, possessing terrific feet and skill on the ball as well as an excellent eye for a pass, keeping the ball on the floor and often distributing the ball to wide areas and facilitating counter attacks.

I’d compare Howson more to an Audi A6: just as – if not more – reliable than the Mondeo, but with an additional touch of class and finesse.

I’m surprised we’ve held on to Howson for as long as we have. Despite suffering two relegations in the space of three seasons, the 28 year-old has been a rare shining light for Norwich, hardly having a notably bad game and performing admirably in all positions he has been – often contentiously – employed in.

Even when Alex Neil did his best Sven Goran-Erikson impression and shoehorned Howson out on the right throughout the middle stages of last year’s dismal season – as the Swede ludicrously did to Paul Scholes on the left at Euro 2004 – Howson still performed well, tracking back and assisting the frequently hapless Steven Whitaker as well as making some useful and enterprising runs forward.

Howson is not under-rated by Norwich fans: we all appreciate his worth and his profound impact he makes on the team. His consistency in a yellow shirt has been remarkable, rarely demonstrating any form of profligacy in possession and surging forward to score goals too.

What does surprise me, however, if the way in which City fans have taken his commitment to the club, and his presence in City colours, for granted.

If I managed a middle-ground, consolidated Premier League club – a West Brom, Watford, Stoke etc – surely a bid for the superb Howson would cross my mind. The midfielder must be worth at least five million – pushing ten owing to his sustained excellence for Norwich – and would undoubtedly perform reliably in a decent top-flight midfield.

Howson’s attitude is also top-class. After scoring – such as against Bristol City last week, or at Portman Road in that play-off semi-final last year, or after that stunner at Millwall in 2015 – he palpably demonstrated his passion, an explicit manifestation of his commitment to the club and his desire to win.

Howson’s treatment of the fans is also terrific. Sitting in the Jarrold for home matches when I’m back from Durham as well as at any away fixture I’ve been to since 2012, Howson has always been one of the first players over to the City faithful, sincerely acknowledging our relentlessly vocal support.

He is an excellent role model for both fans and young players at the club.

Howson now has a pivotal role to play in the dressing room, with young talents such as James Maddison, Ben Godfrey and Sergi Canos emerging rapidly. With his considerable experience as a City player across two leagues and multiple promotions and relegations, Howson is able to impart his accumulated wisdom to blossoming midfielders, helping their development both on and off the pitch.

Making him captain this season has been one of Alex Neil’s most impressive moves since taking over at the club.

Howson is so important for Norwich. He remains fundamentally critical to our promotion hopes, providing leadership, experience and technical ability to our side. His role in terms of the younger players will be crucial, facilitating their growth and helping them become as reliable a performer as Howson is himself.

Howson provides stability. Alex Neil has clearly shown his intent to build his Championship team around Howson, appointing him captain and employing him in a midfield partnership with Alex Tettey up until the derby on Sunday.

Whilst the inclusion of Youssouf Mulumbu at the base of the midfield in Suffolk was bizarre for some, Howson – despite showing unusual signs of profligacy in possession – still performed well in his more advanced role.

Nonetheless, he remains most effective in a deeper and more central position, sitting with Tettey and allowing the likes of Hoolahan, Naismith, Canos and either Murphy twin to attack and play with freedom and creativity. Howson can then distribute the ball and dictate play, surging forward – as he did at the New Den in our 2015 4-1 win and at the Etihad with that memorable solo strike – occasionally and creating chances.

Playing alongside the holding Tettey enables Howson the freedom to attack owing to the Norwegian’s more defensive tendencies and his shield-like presence in front of Timm Klose and Ryan Bennett.

Thank God for Jonny Howson. If he stays fit, and Alex Neil continues to employ him as the anchor in our team in which he builds around, Norwich City have a great chance of promotion.

His sustained excellence for us for over four years has been profound, providing stability, dynamism and creativity to a side that has often shown signs of fragility and vulnerability.

And Jonny: if you ever get round to visiting the pub that has sponsored you, I will happily buy you a drink.


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Filed Under: Column, Will Jennings

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Comments

  1. John Benson says

    25th August 2016 at 9:00 pm

    Well said, couldn’t agree more.
    Our best player for years.

    Reply
  2. Russell S. says

    25th August 2016 at 9:13 pm

    Fellow columnist here Will.

    Fine homage to Johnny H. – Leeds’ finest on long-term secondment in Norfolk.

    I too waxed lyrical about Johnny on this site after the ‘pigeon incident’ at West Ham last season. His consistent performances and fully deserved player of the season award (in addition to deft bird handling skills) were a rare highlight from difficult times.

    Delighted he’s been recognised now by Alex as Captain material. He comes across in public as very understated and reserved (I don’t know what he drinks but he’s certainly not a bitter man). Clearly he is a different animal behind the doors of the dressing room as Alex has put his faith in him.

    Fingers crossed he stays fit and healthy – he will be pivotal in a promotion push.

    Reply
  3. France's. Lewis says

    25th August 2016 at 9:21 pm

    Excellent summary of a fine footballer and a credit to this fine club

    Reply
  4. Leon says

    25th August 2016 at 10:00 pm

    Not sure I quite follow the Howson love-in this site has. On his day he’s a good all-round midfielder. However, he does appear to go missing for large chunks of games and isn’t the prolific goal-scorer from midfield some seem to think he is. He is either very loyal or perhaps the mid to lower Premier League teams don’t rate him very much!

    Reply
  5. Mike says

    26th August 2016 at 6:19 am

    Oh my word. 40 hours a week in a pub. Can you honestly tell me that you have time to see 90 mins of footy every week of the season?

    Jeremy Clarkson (who knows about cars) never chooses Audis, he chooses BMWs.

    You think Howson is dynamic? Compared to Bradley Johnson? Are you aware that Hoolahan and Tettey both cover more distance a game? Howson is afraid to take initiative. He will only play safely. Audis are safe. BMWs are better cars.

    We have had 2 relegations when Howson and Tettey were the core midfield two. We’ve had our worst defensive records in the last 2 Prem seasons, with Howson and Tettey protecting the defence, we’ve had our lowest scoring seasons in the Prem with Tettey and Howson generating and supporting attacks.

    We got promoted on Bradley Johnsons goals, not on Howson’s. Howson rarely scores decisive goals, nor provides decisive assists, so don’t be fooled. It’s very easy to score a third goal in a comprehensive victory, or make a final pass against a lesser team to register an assist. But rarely does he score the winner in the 95th minute like a Russell Martin or Bradley Johnson…. Because he doesn’t take initiative.

    And for that matter, please explain why you think he’s got such a range of passing. Because compared to Dorrans he’s got no passing or vision at all.

    He’s safe, he plays 40 games a season and never gets subbed. Because he’s safe. But look what happened when Bournemouth played Surman in the same role… A player that Paul Lambert played ahead of Howson.

    He’s never been sold…. Because No other team has ever bid for him. That should tell you what you don’t see when you’re not watching 90 mins each week home and away.

    Reply
  6. el dingo says

    26th August 2016 at 6:41 am

    I largely agree with the assessment of JH by Will Jennings. I’ve not met him but a couple of friends have and they say he’s an absolute gent, btw.

    The only things that let him down imo are firstly that he is not the quickest tracking back and secondly that he does sometimes fade out of games for spells.

    However I agree with WJ that we’ve been lucky to hold on to him all this time. And whenever I’ve heard and-or seen him interviewed, he comes across like he really cares for the Club.

    Reply
  7. Douglas Millar says

    26th August 2016 at 7:33 am

    Jonny Howson is a fantastic all round player. He has such quick feet and such a deft touch, that he is equally good at making and scoring goals. He is an asset we cannot afford to lose!

    Reply
  8. Gary Field says

    26th August 2016 at 8:28 am

    @5 Mike – the reason why City were relegated in 2014 & 2016 wasn’t down to one single player, Howson, or anyone else for that matter, it was because, collectively, the squad wasn’t good enough over 38 games.

    Reply
  9. Dave H says

    26th August 2016 at 8:30 am

    Mike (5) – Similar to the other day, there’s a few things I could pick up on, but I’ll focus on these two.

    – The team last year were rightly criticised for defensive errors and inability to finish chances. We conceded a lot of goals due to poor individual mistakes made by a variety of players – Howson & Tettey can’t be blamed for that. It was generally accepted that creating chances wasn’t the biggest issue we faced (indicating a productive midfield) it was in fact finishing which let us down – again, very harsh to blame those two for that.
    – With regard to Howson’s 3 goals last season, this included one winner, one opening goal in a 2-0 and an equaliser in a defeat, all important goals. From memory he got an assist for Olsson’s winner in the Newcastle game. He also got the decisive goal last week. I think he makes a number of significant contributions in terms of goals despite being deployed in a variety of ways.

    Reply
  10. Derek P says

    26th August 2016 at 11:27 am

    Looks like this is going to be a familiar pattern this season. Good reasoned articles followed by a misguided diatribe from Mike!(5)
    Howson is clearly one of our most valuable players. Of all the Leeds players we bought, he was the one they were most upset about as they could see his qualities.
    He’s first on the teamsheet for me.

    Reply
  11. Steve G says

    26th August 2016 at 4:57 pm

    You can’t dismiss the points Mike makes as a diatribe just because you don’t agree with them – some of them are valid. Howson is a defensive midfielder – when he played number 10 we were pretty hopeless going forward, as he genuinely doesn’t have either the workrate or vision of Hoolahan.

    But as a solid, defensive midfielder he has hit a consistent vein of form and he is a big part of the team – definitely captain material and the first name on the sheet.

    Where I do fundamentally disagree with Mike (and apparently Jeremy Clarkson) is on his car comparison – Audi’s are much better cars than BMWs, who last redesigned their interiors in about 1995. Personally though, I’d go Jaguar XF as the better comparison for Howson – and it’s a much better car too, than an A6 or a 5 series.

    Reply
  12. Mike says

    28th August 2016 at 5:33 am

    Let’s hear more excuses please.

    Reply

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