James Harper...

[Arch]

can't believe people are moaning at harper.... typical reading fans....

Can't you count?

[Royalee]

Lita last week.. Harper this week.. who's next week?

Hopefully Royalee will let us know before the Arsenal game so I know who to boo.

Booing? Not me mate, although I feel free to voice my opinions on here.

[Mrs Butler]

Lita last week.. Harper this week.. who's next week?

Harper isn't the worst player in the team by a long way..that in itself is concerning.

i find it rediculous.. that people can slate a player for having a bad game.


Harper has been outstanding this season personally. doesnt deserve criticism

[Alan Partridge]

Lita last week.. Harper this week.. who's next week?

Harper isn't the worst player in the team by a long way..that in itself is concerning.

i find it rediculous.. that people can slate a player for having a bad game.


Harper has been outstanding this season personally. doesnt deserve criticism

Outstanding no. But not even close to being our worst performer.

The problem with our midfield as a whole there isn't a single person there that's gonna win you a game. Not going to look at Harper for instance and think he's going to get this game by the scruff of the neck, drive us on and create something to win a game. As I mentioned before that's not just Harper's fault but the entire midfield. It's powder puff, it lacks energy, it lacks width and it lacks quality. It's a considerably worse midfield than the 2005 model of Little..Harper...Sidwell...Convey. IMO with the money at our disposal that is criminal.

[AndyRFC]

its not like we've got anyone else to play cent mid


HARPER> Gunnarson

[willz_royal]

its not like we've got anyone else to play cent mid


HARPER> Gunnarson

agreed!

[The whole year inn]

So its Fae and Karacan in midfield for Arsenal then?

You know what, I think we should just not bother with the Arsenal game full stop. Let the Gooners turn up at the Madejski to find the place locked up, no-one there and a note pinned to the door simply saying 'murked'.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Not another scapegoat thread. Everyone was crap for most of the game yesterday so why pick out Harper, Gunnarsson, Duberry, Hahnemann, Shorey, Hunt, Murty or Lita over anyone else?

As the squad say its a team game and they all should take the wrap for it.

Going to watch an away game and seeing your team only bother turning up for 25 minutes is rather depressing, especially at these prices.

Roll on Arsenal when we'll give a jolly good account of ourselves, lose but everyone will like the players again.

[RoyalBlue]

It may be mentioned on another thread somewhere but I'd like to praise Harper for his sportsmanship. When Omozusi caught him with that pretty bad challenge right at the end, rather than hit the ground and writhe around in continental/Cheatski style, Harper got back onto his feet as quickly as possible and clearly could be seen imploring Clattenburg not to dish out a card.

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

I dunno why people are saying that Fae is shite, hes a much better player than Gunnarson and at least gives us a bit of creativity

[readingbedding]

Lita last week.. Harper this week.. who's next week?

Harper isn't the worst player in the team by a long way..that in itself is concerning.

i find it rediculous.. that people can slate a player for having a bad game.


Harper has been outstanding this season personally. doesnt deserve criticism

Spot on, Harper is a good player.

[pooandwee]

Get off his back. Few players play with the desire and comitment of Harper. He's had no settled partnership in the midfied this season so must be difficult for him.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Harper's a good player, but he's not a creative player. What he is good at is instigating attacks by giving the ball the players who create the openings and therefore getting the ball rolling, so to speak. The problem is that if there aren't any other creative players in the midfield (and with Hunt off form and convey on the bench, plus the other injuries, that's the case) then his contribution doesn't add much.

If we had two dangerous wide players then we'd give the other teams a bit more to worry about, and they wouldn't be able to push so many players forward, and also Harper's abilities would be more useful.

[readingbedding]

Harper's a good player, but he's not a creative player. What he is good at is instigating attacks by giving the ball the players who create the openings and therefore getting the ball rolling, so to speak. The problem is that if there aren't any other creative players in the midfield (and with Hunt off form and convey on the bench, plus the other injuries, that's the case) then his contribution doesn't add much.

If we had two dangerous wide players then we'd give the other teams a bit more to worry about, and they wouldn't be able to push so many players forward, and also Harper's abilities would be more useful.

As it stands, Harper will never be dropped.
If he was the Midfield would have zero mobility, not a little, zero.
He does a lot of work, he's a good midfielder.

He's not above criticism, but I haven't read or heard a reasonable one about his overall performances over the last 6 yrs.

[floyd__streete]

As it stands, Harper will never be dropped.

And there - perhaps unwittingly - you have summed up much of RFC's current problems in one sentence.

[readingbedding]

As it stands, Harper will never be dropped.

And there - perhaps unwittingly - you have summed up much of RFC's current problems in one sentence.

Is it Harper's fault that he gets picked?
If there's no one better, play him...

He has played with us for 6 yrs and I have heard and read the same old crap about him in the 3rd, 2nd and 1st level of League football.

I'm quite pragmatic about our current problems, we're all aware of it, no balance, should have bought better and more...etc etc etc...

I've seen much poorer seasons and I trust the manager who's admitted a mistake to act on it.

[79Royal]

Our midfield without Harper would be totally static. He may not be able to tackle, but he reads the game well enough to break up play and slow the opposition down. The problem is that time and again this season, his midfield partner has just stood by and watched the play go on around them, leaving Harper to deal with it.

I thought Cisse did pretty well against Chelsea at home and given time, a partnership with Harper could develop nicely. I also think Fae has a lot of ability, but he needs to get used to Premiership football first.

Hopefully, Coppell will see sense and drop Gunnarsson in favour of Cisse once he's fit and give him time to form a partnership with Harps.

[Irvinchangeyaname]

As it stands, Harper will never be dropped.

And there - perhaps unwittingly - you have summed up much of RFC's current problems in one sentence.

Is it Harper's fault that he gets picked?
If there's no one better, play him...

He has played with us for 6 yrs and I have heard and read the same old crap about him in the 3rd, 2nd and 1st level of League football.

I'm quite pragmatic about our current problems, we're all aware of it, no balance, should have bought better and more...etc etc etc...

I've seen much poorer seasons and I trust the manager who's admitted a mistake to act on it.

I've read a few posts where people have said Top Post, Post of the Day etc.......but for me.......Post of the Day!

[rob the royal]

harper must be good. someone (i've no clue who) set up a facebook group

[West Stand Man]

When you learn to tackle, head the ball, follow things up, pass the ball to one of our players, dribble, move forward and hold players off, you may be worthwhile having in a Premiership midfield. Unfortunately, you do not appear capable of any of these things, which is why third rate teams like Fulham dominate our midfield and you need to piss off back to the Football League where you belong.

When you learn a bit about football you'll have half a chance of having a valuable opinion.