Two Ian Harte assists today....

[Simon's Church]

Well, actually 1 goal and 1 assist.

Brought back to the top to wind up those muppets (especially the ones that don't go to games) who said he should be long gone.

I was there, and he played as well as anyone.

Are you giving both him and Pearce an assist each for Hunt's goal then?

[howser]

He showed again yesterday,like in the recent games since he came back into the side, the value of his vast experience, with his experience at the top level, I wonder if he is one that come the time to hang up his playing boots will he be kept on as a part of the coaching team, his knowledge and experience could be a top addition with the younger players, not just his footballing brain but how to conduct yourself on the pitch. ??

[Ian Royal]

Well, actually 1 goal and 1 assist.

Brought back to the top to wind up those muppets (especially the ones that don't go to games) who said he should be long gone.

I was there, and he played as well as anyone.

Are you giving both him and Pearce an assist each for Hunt's goal then?

Technically he can... up to two assists per goal. Although a second is unusual.

Harte's hit a rich vein of form and is playing well. Excellent player to have in the squad and worth another year as back up IMO. Still prefer him as back up only, but he's in possession right now and based on the last few games rightly so.

[Simon's Church]

Well, actually 1 goal and 1 assist.

Brought back to the top to wind up those muppets (especially the ones that don't go to games) who said he should be long gone.

I was there, and he played as well as anyone.

Are you giving both him and Pearce an assist each for Hunt's goal then?

Technically he can... up to two assists per goal. Although a second is unusual.

Harte's hit a rich vein of form and is playing well. Excellent player to have in the squad and worth another year as back up IMO. Still prefer him as back up only, but he's in possession right now and based on the last few games rightly so.

Yep no problem with that. I've personally awarded McAnuff an assist for getting fouled in the area, it makes no difference to me whether the ref gives a penalty or not.

[Ian Royal]

[CayeneMatt]

Yeah, you're probably right. He didn't really make the first goal at all.

No doubt Mills could've placed the ball slightly more accurately on Pearce's head. Then of course it would've been a rock solid assist. Cos he's quick.

[Simon's Church]

I don't know who you're rolling your eyes at but I like Harte, still Pearce's assist though

[RoyalBlue]

He showed again yesterday,like in the recent games since he came back into the side, the value of his vast experience, with his experience at the top level, I wonder if he is one that come the time to hang up his playing boots will he be kept on as a part of the coaching team, his knowledge and experience could be a top addition with the younger players, not just his footballing brain but how to conduct yourself on the pitch. ??

Am I going to get a whoosh if I come back on that last suggestion?

He is a thoroughly objectionable character in the latter respect, going to ground at the slightest excuse, making a meal of challenges and 'injuries' and always trying to talk opponents into trouble.

Agree with the earlier sentiments though and he did appear to have a very good game on Saturday. One moment typified his experience/reading of the game when he realised a Boro cross-field pass had been slightly overhit and rather than trying to cut it out, went to challenge and then ducked at the last moment to allow it to fly out for a throw.

[FiNeRaIn]

He showed again yesterday,like in the recent games since he came back into the side, the value of his vast experience, with his experience at the top level, I wonder if he is one that come the time to hang up his playing boots will he be kept on as a part of the coaching team, his knowledge and experience could be a top addition with the younger players, not just his footballing brain but how to conduct yourself on the pitch. ??

Am I going to get a whoosh if I come back on that last suggestion?

He is a thoroughly objectionable character in the latter respect, going to ground at the slightest excuse, making a meal of challenges and 'injuries' and always trying to talk opponents into trouble.

You seem to be viewing these as negative points? They are the required attributes of a top modern day footballer, I don't know where you've been for the last decade but morals walked off long before that time.

I'd like to see Harte stay on, lots of experience and seems to be well liked.

[RoyalBlue]

He showed again yesterday,like in the recent games since he came back into the side, the value of his vast experience, with his experience at the top level, I wonder if he is one that come the time to hang up his playing boots will he be kept on as a part of the coaching team, his knowledge and experience could be a top addition with the younger players, not just his footballing brain but how to conduct yourself on the pitch. ??

Am I going to get a whoosh if I come back on that last suggestion?

He is a thoroughly objectionable character in the latter respect, going to ground at the slightest excuse, making a meal of challenges and 'injuries' and always trying to talk opponents into trouble.

You seem to be viewing these as negative points? They are the required attributes of a top modern day footballer, I don't know where you've been for the last decade but morals walked off long before that time.

.

Yes, extremely negative points. And fortunately, despite what you claim, Harte and others like him are still very much in the minority.

[FiNeRaIn]

lol no they aren't.

[CayeneMatt]

I don't know who you're rolling your eyes at but I like Harte, still Pearce's assist though

Predominantly aimed at Ian Royal who, from his armchair, blamed Harte for just about everything that went wrong with the team at the beginning of the season.

And as we've seen recently, although Harte is certainly not the future, he isn't the past either.

[melonhead]

tbf - he waas awful earlier in the season, looked even slower, defensively caused us a lot of problems, and even his set pieces werent great


he has upped his game, and is totally deserving of his place now.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Just took time for the team to settle after losing last season's key players. Don't particularly think Harte was any more culpable than any of the others playing alongside him at the start of the season.

[melonhead]

it was still his weaknesses that were being exposed.

and that didnt make his corners and free kicks rubbish at the start.





look i like him- im just saying that him being great now, does not mean he should have been playing all season

[Ian Royal]

I don't know who you're rolling your eyes at but I like Harte, still Pearce's assist though

Predominantly aimed at Ian Royal who, from his armchair, blamed Harte for just about everything that went wrong with the team at the beginning of the season.

And as we've seen recently, although Harte is certainly not the future, he isn't the past either.

That's retarded seeing as I was agreeing with you that there's no reason he couldn't have an assist.

And he was awful at the start of the season. I saw him being awful. He's now playing much better... I've seen him playing much better. Probably at least partly because our defence is no longer a combination of out of form older slower players, Pearce and a clown. Leigertwood and Karacan finding form has probably helped as well.

[CayeneMatt]

Just took time for the team to settle after losing last season's key players. Don't particularly think Harte was any more culpable than any of the others playing alongside him at the start of the season.

This is my point. He wasn't any more culpable than Khumalo (just plain shite), Karacan (who couldn't pass forward), Ledge (who couldn't be arsed) and Pearce (who didn't know which way to turn) - yet some on this board laid the blame squarely at Harte.

And even worse, they were blinded by Mills speed, but wouldn't acknowledge the fact that Mills can't pass to save his life - at the moment. At least BM recognised that.

I've always been balanced and acknowledged Harte's shortcomings, but my point has always been his pro's outweigh his con's. Maybe next season they won't.

[Snowball]

Just took time for the team to settle after losing last season's key players. Don't particularly think Harte was any more culpable than any of the others playing alongside him at the start of the season.

This is my point. He wasn't any more culpable than Khumalo (just plain shite), Karacan (who couldn't pass forward), Ledge (who couldn't be arsed) and Pearce (who didn't know which way to turn) - yet some on this board laid the blame squarely at Harte.

And even worse, they were blinded by Mills speed, but wouldn't acknowledge the fact that Mills can't pass to save his life - at the moment. At least BM recognised that.

I've always been balanced and acknowledged Harte's shortcomings, but my point has always been his pro's outweigh his con's. Maybe next season they won't.

I think the two HUGE changes were:

Elwood started the season BADLY. He needed a rocket is my guess, and as he improved, so did the team. He is CRUCIAL.

(There was also I think, some issue with Karacan, leading to him being dropped)

We had a double injury to Griffin, an injury to Harte and played Harte, Griffin, Mills, Cummings, Bryn at FB in six games) Nightmare!!!

However much raw ability he may have Khumalo was just "wrong" and Harte thus didn't get the cover he normally gets.
Once Gorkss arrived we started to settle and have got better and better as the season has progressed

[SLAMMED]

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... _his_boots

Ian Harte is just too big for his boots - luckily for Reading, it's in a good way.

Harte crushes his feet into his tiny boots and puts his feet through the pain barrier every 90 minutes to keep curling his trademark free-kicks into the top corner.

The Reading left-back netted a 25-yard effort at Middlesbrough with his size 6.5 boots, two sizes smaller then he needs, to help secure a 2-0 away win after Noel Hunt’s first-half opener.

Ouch

[rfc2001]

I like harte. he obviously doesn't have the pace, but he still has a EPL touch, composure, pass and set plays!

CDM would actually be dream position for him. Bit like Paul Scholes!!