I gave Harley

[NMH]

It's not WW - him and The Complete Badger are always conspicuously absent after a victory.

I do find the OP's attitude quite incredible though. We've just knocked one of the best teams in the country out of the cup, but rather than enjoy the moment they'd rather have a pop at one of our players.

I also totally agree with the comment someone made about Xavi. Isn't it better to keep in position sometimes rather than fly into a challenge and risk conceding a free kick (and maybe getting a card) or getting beaten?

Agree fully. Playing it safe instead of desperate, and flying in flailing for a ball and then getting either left for dead or risk a card? That would have the knives out on here, if we lost last night due to a player doing either!

Gus surely told our lads to be confident and composed, and let their team-work do the talking. 99.9% of the Albion crowd sounded like they agreed.
By all standards, watching that match from a neutral country - where they watch Premier League football all the time - I was proud of my team and saw a very worthwhile game. Excellent showing from our boys, I'm just as happy as a clam telling my Prem-club fan pals who played the best football of the weekend.

 

[tubaman]

I think Harley did OK. His style isn't the most dynamic but he is a decent player.

 

[bhaexpress]

Harley is getting better, a bit more time needed.

 

[1234andcounting]

Seems to me we have a squad of players who, as a general rule, do exactly what the manager asks them to do, Harley and Barnes in particular. I get the sense that Gus knows what he is doing. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

He seemed reluctant to do anything other than try the short pass which is not necessarily a bad thing, but the way he bottled out of that challenge down by the corner flag sums him up to me, no fight at all.

THIS. I f***ing LAUNCHED into him after that. Sadly i was in WSU so only those around me would have heard me call him a BOTTLING ****.

 

[Langley]

The benefit of the doubt.

But today he failed. He has lost my respect. He. Is. Shit.

This post has the same value as your Greer prediction, dont think he got a yellow today, did he ?

 

[itszamora]

THIS. I f***ing LAUNCHED into him after that. Sadly i was in WSU so only those around me would have heard me call him a BOTTLING ****.

It strikes me that much like Mark McGhee, your idea Brighton team would comprise of Michel Kuipers and ten Charlie Oatways.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

The benefit of the doubt.

But today he failed. He has lost my respect. He. Is. Shit.

He is shit he tackles like a 4 year old girl , and makes it blatantly obvious he wants nothing to do with the ball.

 

[Mackenzie]

It strikes me that much like Mark McGhee, your idea Brighton team would comprise of Michel Kuipers and ten Charlie Oatways.

There should have been no hesitation in his mind going for that ball. That action pretty much sums Harley up for me. I don't think you can learn courage either.

 

[Simster]

He is shit he tackles like a 4 year old girl , and makes it blatantly obvious he wants nothing to do with the ball.

His tackling is not good enough, but the second part is absolute bollocks.

Gus clearly sees what he wants from him in training, which I am guessing is discipline. The reason we looked a better team once JFC came off for Harley was because Harley was to be found exactly where he was expected. i.e dropping off the midfield line picking up the ball from the back four and giving it. He gave the ball away really badly just once (just after he came on) but after that I don't recall a misplaced pass from him.

 

[BensGrandad]

I cannot believe that people are having a pop at him as I thought that asa team we looked a lot better when he replaced JFC who looked to be chasing shadows. He will never be a ball winner in the mould of Bridcutt but he is able to play simple balls and passes that enable us to get forward and also to keep possession. To be succesful a team needs both of these type of players. Incidentally, although not a great fan, I thought Barnes was terrific today especially in his defensive duties.

 

[LamieRobertson]

His tackling is not good enough, but the second part is absolute bollocks.

Gus clearly sees what he wants from him in training, which I am guessing is discipline. The reason we looked a better team once JFC came off for Harley was because Harley was to be found exactly where he was expected. i.e dropping off the midfield line picking up the ball from the back four and giving it. He gave the ball away really badly just once (just after he came on) but after that I don't recall a misplaced pass from him.

Exactly my thoughts

 

[LamieRobertson]

I cannot believe that people are having a pop at him as I thought that asa team we looked a lot better when he replaced JFC who looked to be chasing shadows. He will never be a ball winner in the mould of Bridcutt but he is able to play simple balls and passes that enable us to get forward and also to keep possession. To be succesful a team needs both of these type of players. Incidentally, although not a great fan, I thought Barnes was terrific today especially in his defensive duties.

Yep....Barnes looks as though he might be running into a bit of form

 

[El Presidente]

THIS. I f***ing LAUNCHED into him after that. Sadly i was in WSU so only those around me would have heard me call him a BOTTLING ****.

I will vouch that he said that as sat next to Marcus!

However, if you look at our goal, it started with Harley, in OUR box, stopping a Toon move with an audacious volleyed backheel to El Abd, and converting defence into attack.

He is not good at tackling, and if you want a team of runners who work their nads off you will never like him, but there is only so far you can go with team full of Alex Revells.

What he does bring is a decent dead ball (our corners were better with him taking them yesterday), the ability to twist pass opposing players, and an eye for a ball inside a defender for the forwards to run onto.

There will be times and matches when he will be a luxury we can do without, but if we want to push on then the likes of Harley are needed to unlock defences.

The OP really wants us to be playing teams like Dagenham and Macclesfield every week, and the type of football that goes with it, some people like artisans, others artists, and Harley is more of the latter.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

THIS. I f***ing LAUNCHED into him after that. Sadly i was in WSU so only those around me would have heard me call him a BOTTLING ****.

From the East he looked too far away to make a proper challenge - it looked like he would have to launch himself to get it, and would run the risk of getting sent off. Then people would call him an idiot for letting his team-mates down.

 

[Aseros]

This post has the same value as your Greer prediction, dont think he got a yellow today, did he ?

I don't recall ever making a prediction about Greer :s

 

[Langley]

I don't recall ever making a prediction about Greer :s

Then you have a short memory. I put a tenner on it but you wernt man enough to take me up.

 

[bhawoddy]

I cannot believe that people are having a pop at him as I thought that asa team we looked a lot better when he replaced JFC who looked to be chasing shadows. He will never be a ball winner in the mould of Bridcutt but he is able to play simple balls and passes that enable us to get forward and also to keep possession. To be succesful a team needs both of these type of players. Incidentally, although not a great fan, I thought Barnes was terrific today especially in his defensive duties.

Definitely, i was aying just before that we need to get JFC off the pitch. the game was too big for him so early in his career, but the experience will help him massively im sure. Harley, did ok IMO after a bad start getting caught in possession. didnt do much wrong to get quite as much shit as he's getting but i do agree with some posters that he lacks bottle and courage. This cannot be taught of learnt on the training ground.

 

[Aseros]

Then you have a short memory. I put a tenner on it but you wernt man enough to take me up.

Indeed. Don't remember ever saying anything bad about Greer; could be wrong though!

 

[Djmiles]

THIS. I f***ing LAUNCHED into him after that. Sadly i was in WSU so only those around me would have heard me call him a BOTTLING ****.

You don't sit in WSU H Block do you? Around row P/Q?