If you missed Tim Howard’s broadcast debut for the Chelsea-Manchester City match, you also missed a commentating rarity: Somebody speaking like a normal person. While there’s an art to the style somebody like Arlo White brings to the booth, there’s also a place for somebody who’s treating his role as part of a broader conversation - not presenting that game, but commenting on it.
During City’s visit to Stamford Bridge, Howard talked to the us the same way he’d speak when he’s off-air. There was almost no difference between the Tim Howard you’d hear talking at practice and the one under the headphones at Stamford Bridge. It was refreshing.
This Sunday, Howard takes his second turn in the broadcast booth with NBCSN, joining White to comment on the weekend’s biggest match. One day after Howard’s Everton face Stoke City, the U.S. international will be at White Hart Lane for Manchester United’s visit to Tottenham Hotspur, giving Howard a chance to offer his insight on two more of the league’s top goalkeepers.
As you may recall, Howard was on hand for one of the season’s most notorious goalkeeping moments: Joe Hart misjudging a John Terry long ball and leaving for the edge of his area, giving Fernando Torres an open goal for the winner near full time. To Howard’s credit, he was neither overly harsh for forgiving of Hart. He noted the then-City number one may have been expecting a different reaction from defender Matija Nastasic, but the goal was ultimately on Hart.
On Sunday, Howard will bring that analysis to bear on Hugo Lloris and David de Gea, arguably the two best keepers in the Premier League. Manchester United’s de Gea was honored in last year’s team of the season, while Lloris’s ability to read the game behind Spurs’ high defensive line has brought the term “sweeper keeper” en vogue.
Their battle, and Howard’s contribution to it, kicks off at 7:00 a.m. Eastern, Sunday, on NBCSN, with the match also available through NBC Sports Live Extra.