The countdown to Ian Harte scoring 10+ league goals

[RoyalBlue]

Taking out the mistake - to me Harte had his best game in a Reading shirt. He didn't get beaten for pace once, his positioning was spot on, his distribution with both feet were spot on, he put a few good balls in the box, even his corners were acceptable and a great penalty.

Ironic game football!

Agreed. It was a terrible mistake, but ironically i dont think anyone else would have been capable of killing the ball dead like that in your own 6 yard box.

No way he will be dropped, the alternatives just arn't up to it. Armstrong 2 years ago maybe, but been out too long and doesnt look the same player. Skinned alive v Brizzle. And Cummings is just a car crash waiting to happen.

I presume you either mean Williams or you haven't seen Cummings play recently.

As for killing the ball dead like that in your own 6 yard box, I would hope most if not all Championship players can do that! If not they really are taking their wages under false pretences. Question why he decided to do it though!

....as aforementioned

a mistake

it happens

a lifetime of England managers has proven this

A mistake maybe, but coming from a highly paid defender, an effing stupid and inexcusable mistake. As aforementioned nothing like the 'mistake' a keeper makes if he fumbles a cross or misjudges a shot. To be at the same level of stupidity the keeper would have to pick the ball up well outside his area or place it down at the feet of an opponent!

[Z175]

Taking out the mistake - to me Harte had his best game in a Reading shirt. He didn't get beaten for pace once, his positioning was spot on, his distribution with both feet were spot on, he put a few good balls in the box, even his corners were acceptable and a great penalty.

Ironic game football!

Agreed. It was a terrible mistake, but ironically i dont think anyone else would have been capable of killing the ball dead like that in your own 6 yard box.

No way he will be dropped, the alternatives just arn't up to it. Armstrong 2 years ago maybe, but been out too long and doesnt look the same player. Skinned alive v Brizzle. And Cummings is just a car crash waiting to happen.

I presume you either mean Williams or you haven't seen Cummings play recently.

As for killing the ball dead like that in your own 6 yard box, I would hope most if not all Championship players can do that! If not they really are taking their wages under false pretences. Question why he decided to do it though!

Actually i think Armstrong, who hadn't played left back for over two years, only got skinned in the first 30 mins. For me he improved and started getting back into it. Seemed a bit silly not to give him another go after that.

Cummings could potentially fill in at left back too - his pace would greatly help our other 3 players. I do agree with Brian that he should be used sparingly to help build him up - seems to be working so far. hes also our cover at RB so maybe we want to keep ihm ready. Possibly a good idea to bring him in when up against pace though.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Cummings over Harte or Armstrong? Do me a favour. Seen him pay every 1st team game and i swear he has no idea what he is doing. Much improved v WBA, but his genral positional play is all over the place. No way would i have him at LB.

[Big Foot]

7 and 8 for Harte today...

[AthleticoSpizz]

....and a bloody good assist

[roadrunner]

I know he gets knocked for his pace, but he always has. His crosses and set-pieces are what he's based his career on and in my opinion he's been possibly the buy of the season. Great bit of business by McDermott. Williams wasn't cutting it and we brought experience in straight away. We weren't scoring many goals and he also offers goals, and he hasn't let us down in either respect.

[Snowball]

I know he gets knocked for his pace, but he always has. His crosses and set-pieces are what he's based his career on and in my opinion he's been possibly the buy of the season. Great bit of business by McDermott. Williams wasn't cutting it and we brought experience in straight away. We weren't scoring many goals and he also offers goals, and he hasn't let us down in either respect.

Yes, you don't get the games at top level he's had, the goals he's had
unless you really have class

[Victor Meldrew]

But Snowball in recent weeks you have been suggesting that he isn't up to it.
One swallow doesn't make a Summer.

[AthleticoSpizz]

But Snowball in recent weeks you have been suggesting that he isn't up to it.
One swallow doesn't make a Summer.

but 2 goals and an assist makes a 5-2 win against Boro'

MoM today?

[marcusopp]

He's a class act, no doubt about it.
I'd totally forgotten about him until McD signed him!
He offers more than any of our left backs i've ever seen (including Shorey). He's slow, so are the rest of our defence, just don't play Griffin and Harte together when we're up against a quick team, simple, as the boss does.
Eight goals from a left back is probably more than any of our previous full backs have ever done...

[Snowball]

But Snowball in recent weeks you have been suggesting that he isn't up to it.
One swallow doesn't make a Summer.

And I have repeatedly said don't judge a player over 1-2-3-4 games but over a season.


Someone posted 3-4-5 weeks ago suggesting that maybe Harte was "coasting"
a bit. He got dropped (read rollocked) and has now put in two top-quality shifts.

We are still the 6th/7th best defence and he is the top-scoring defender in this league. Top Stats.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Someone posted 3-4-5 weeks ago suggesting that maybe Harte was "coasting"
a bit. He got dropped (read rollocked) and has now put in two top-quality shifts.

I agree with this

[roadrunner]

But Snowball in recent weeks you have been suggesting that he isn't up to it.
One swallow doesn't make a Summer.

I dunno, it'd make mine!

[Snowball]

Someone posted 3-4-5 weeks ago suggesting that maybe Harte was "coasting"
a bit. He got dropped (read rollocked) and has now put in two top-quality shifts.

I agree with this

Yup, listen between the lines when McDermot speaks to camera.

Another fine example of his man-management skills

Now we just need Hartey to stay bollocked and up for it for the next 18 games

[Ian Royal]

His pace still causes us problems, because he is spectacularly slow and we don't have much anywhere else accross the back. This means that the defence gets pulled out of position regularly covering for him when someone beats him. Because he can't even keep up well enough to try and put them off let alone hold them up or tackle them.

His set piece delivery in recent games ('Boro excepted) has also not been up to his best by a long way. We all know (Ideal excepted) he's a class player who can really deliver... but he also gives us a pretty big weakness when he isn't on the top of his game and there's a decent winger with any amount of pace up against him.

2 goals and an assist does not cancel out all the poor things he's done this season. It does mean he's not worth writing off as useless no matter what though. 8 goals is a brilliant return, even if, well especially because most are freekicks... seeing as we don't have another fk goalscorer really.

[Snowball]

Assist yesterday, the corner for Mills at Everton, a fabulous secondary assist at Watford, many other assists from his FCs, some exquisite passes to the wings, especially Kebe, one absolute PEACH yesterday

and his goals have been priceless

The Mills challenge yesterday was not Harte's fault
nor was the poor clearance by Gunnar or the spilled
ball by McCarthy (though the ball appeared to swerve)


Not sure if Harte should have had Lita, first to pounce, but nobody was near him

[Wimb]

His pace still causes us problems, because he is spectacularly slow and we don't have much anywhere else accross the back. This means that the defence gets pulled out of position regularly covering for him when someone beats him. Because he can't even keep up well enough to try and put them off let alone hold them up or tackle them.

His set piece delivery in recent games ('Boro excepted) has also not been up to his best by a long way. We all know (Ideal excepted) he's a class player who can really deliver... but he also gives us a pretty big weakness when he isn't on the top of his game and there's a decent winger with any amount of pace up against him.

2 goals and an assist does not cancel out all the poor things he's done this season. It does mean he's not worth writing off as useless no matter what though. 8 goals is a brilliant return, even if, well especially because most are freekicks... seeing as we don't have another fk goalscorer really.

^^^ 'greed Ian

[RoyalJames101]

many other assists from his FCs

[SLAMMED]

Free Cicks

[Ian Royal]

Also not actually true seeing as up until recently Harte didn't actually have any (Edit: League) assists.