Tim Howard and Landon Donovan question whether Timo Werner’s finishing woes will improve in MLS after his move to San Jose
San Jose Earthquakes’ marquee signing Timo Werner was expected to generate buzz across Major League Soccer. Instead, his arrival has sparked a blunt assessment from USMNT legend Tim Howard.
Werner joins the Earthquakes as a Designated Player with a proven résumé in Europe, having scored 154 goals in 451 matches across the Premier League and Bundesliga, along with 24 goals in 57 appearances for Germany. On paper, it is a statement signing for a San Jose side aiming to return to the MLS playoffs.
But Howard made it clear he remains unconvinced by the German forward’s track record in England.
“I’m going to say something really disrespectful,” Howard began on his Unfiltered Soccer podcast with Landon Donovan.
“And I don’t know how else to say it, but Timo Werner couldn’t hit a cow’s ass with a banjo.”
Howard referenced Werner’s well-documented finishing struggles during his time in the Premier League, particularly in one-on-one situations.
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“I watched him literally go through one-on-one with the goalkeeper and the ball ends up like… it’s hard to watch. You ever get to see a baseball player get the yips? And it’s hard to watch.”
The former Everton and Manchester United goalkeeper suggested Werner’s confidence appeared visibly affected at times.
“It almost to the point became comical and I’m like, that’s not okay. When it becomes comical, you’re like this is sort of infringing on like someone’s personal life kind of thing, even though I just said a very disrespectful statement.”
Will MLS offer a reset?
Howard then posed the key question facing MLS observers.
“So does that get better in the MLS? I don’t know.”
Fellow USMNT icon Landon Donovan was even more direct: “I’m betting no if I had to bet.”
Werner arrives in San Jose with pedigree and pace, attributes that could make him a dangerous weapon in MLS if rediscovered. The Earthquakes are banking on his experience at the highest level to spearhead their playoff push, but the German clearly still has plenty of doubters to prove wrong.
