Harper is very solid for me as a holding player, I watch all the games twice over with the help of Tigers Player and think he is very unfairly picked on by some fans just for doing his job. It's no coincidence that the teams fortunes have picked up tremendously since he was introduced to the team after being injured for the first few months of the season. The lad has a fantastic attitude to the game and even seems to have a decent long-range shot on him which is a plus for a defensive midfielder. He contributes to quite a few attacks too which is impressive given that it's not his role in the team. If we didn't play a decent central defensive midfielder like Harper we would be nowhere near the play-offs and staring relegation in the face. I think if everybody gets right behind all the players from now to the end of the season then we will make the play-offs as it goes, but too much negativity directed towards one player for no good reason doesn't help at all. UTT, we can do it!
I disagree greatly. He is a mess of an individual who runs round fouling people, then when on the ball he will either run round and round with the ball or pass backwards. Yes you need a defensive anchor man in midfield, but you also need one has a bit of skill about him and can pick a decent pass and be creative also. I think C Evans is a much better midfield as yes he does his fair share in the battling but when on the ball he is much more creative and finds a pass. Harper is not good enough for this side. I for one think he was brought in to do a job this season which yes i cant argue with he is and has done but next year he will just be a bench warmer. Who will be brought on to keep our lead in tact for the last 20 minutes.
This thread is going to get slated i'm afraid Hull 4 London 0, I personally agree with you and like having him in the team, I think he does a solid job and has definitely contributed to our reversal in fortunes in the league, something that co-incidence or not started a few games after he came back from injury.
Can i just add i think he is doing a job this year but that is were his central roll in the team should end. Not good enough but best we could find to fill the defensive midfield roll this season
He's the enforcer in the team and he has his role, just like Cattermole at Sunderland and countless other examples. Our team, is far too soft and I fear without Harper we'd just get twatted right off the park. I'm not a fan of his tackling at all, I'm all for beautiful football over hacking which is what Harper is. However unfortunately in England, and particularly this god awful scrappy league, everybody needs a hacker.
I think Harper will continue in the midfield for the rest of the season at least, although he frustrates me at times with his inconsistent performances. Evans is still learning the game and needs some experience next to him, which Harper provides along with his work rate. Koren can at times leave the midfield exposed when he's played central, while Cairney and Belaid obviously don't deserve a start in Pearson's eyes. That doesn't leave us with too many other options, unless Garcia can fit in somewhere. Hopefully this is an area which will be looked at over the summer, either a new player brought in or the future of Oli sorted out.
He loses the ball far too often for my liking, usually due to poor passing, he's definitely the weakest player in the starting XI. Evans is looking better every game and there's an obvious gulf in class between the pair of them. Also, the scruffy bastard should get a kit that fits him.
I don't expect everybody to agree but for me he is doing pretty well. I don't think he gives the ball away that much though i think the first few games when he was coming back he was very rusty and this gave people a bad first impression. I've always noticed City fans need to have somebody to have a go at, and for me he doesn't deserve it, in fact none of the lads at the moment do.
I agree with bits of your article and I do think he is too much of a scapegoat at times but I think it's way over the top to suggest that we may be relegated without him.
Our good run started when he came into the team, before that we were in the relegation zone. Who knows on that one but I think its a valid point.
Disagree we were in the relagation zone before we had the flare of Stewart, goals of Fryatt and solid defence we have now. Very much disagree that Harper is the single reason we are not there. Hugely.
He definitely isn't the single reason but he's played a big part. If he was as bad as some would suggest there is no way we would have put together such a good run since he came in the team.
Actually, there's little difference between our results with and without him, in the games he's played W8 D7 L4, in the games he didn't play W5 D6 L5. That's 0.89 points per game when he's played and 1.31 points per game when he hasn't.
when harper comes to retire, he'l have an excellent career as a weatherman, the lad uses his hands to direct players more than he uses his feet to direct the ball!
I like harper, he's seemed a bit off since hurting his foot again, but he's usually consistent. He's not a long term option but for now we have no better and at least he gets in the oppositions face a bit and tries to stop them playing. He's not a real enforcer but a defence minded workhorse and I think that's the next best thing.
people seem to see things differently regarding harper.. i seemed to remember him being good at reading, so i was pleased when he signed..but i think i must have rememebred somebody else by accident.. i think its unfair to say people dont understand the role he plays etc...i appreciate teams need there ugly players or water carriers..ive spent years defending ashbee after all.. he just isnt any good at that role imo..i dont see him winning tackles , or enforcing,..he spends far too much time pointing, which is ok when you are getting stuck in yourself, but when your not, its frustrating... and i also dont see him keeping the ball regularly, in fact a lot of the time, he gets in the way and slows down attacks for me.. his shot at derby and goal v reading, show when he has time on the ball, he can be ok, but when we are breaking, i always hope he is missed out.. as mentioned above, we have plenty of good results without him as well as with him.. i just dont rate him personally, but would be happy if he had a blinder tonight..
......but it is a TEAM game, fellas. Maybe Harper ain't perfect, but without his contribution, would we be where we are? I agree: many fans look for - and need - a whipping boy. Leave it and get behind the lads. UTT TFFT
You are most definitely a WUM. Harper is ****, he adds absolutely nothing to the team other than copious amounts of ****ness. He can't pass to save his life and only tackles when a player runs into him, I'm sure he'd be good enough for a League 1 or 2 side but at this level he just ain't good enough and is holding the team back. In fact, the only thing he's even slightly useful for is explaining to somebody what would happen if a penguin was able to sign for a Championship side.
****ing hell mate you don't want much do you ? Name me one defensive,creative,skillfull midfielder who anchors the midfield and can spray it around as well .I personally think it's a contradiction in terms when you ask for a defensive yet creative midfielder. As it happens we have a set of individuals who are given set jobs to do.When they do that as a collective they become a team, a team that is proving hard to beat. Harper has a set job to do and for me does it fairly well.Yes there are beter players out there and I would like to see Danns join in the summer but Harper does add to the team. I also know that his contribution to the cause is well acknowledged by his team mates and management alike so he must be doing something right.
