Harley's Free Kick

[BensGrandad]

. Did their goalie think it impossible too?

He shouldn't have done as he was at Exeter with Harley so knows his ability

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

Even the official site said 25 yards - never! It was nigh on 30... Not very often you see a free kick go in from that far out - seemed to gather pace too - pure class...

I have just measured it and here are my calculations:

It is 11cms from the ball to the goal line on my screen
Harley, about 6ft tall, is 1.1cm on my screen
So I make the ball 18yrds away from the goal and the 18yrd box is only 10.8yrs.

 

[hillbilly]

If Beckham had scored it we would be forever seeing it on football shows as an example to young footballers at schools.

I said at the time to my mate when he scored, he thinks he's Beckham! Great asset.

 

[Byrne & Small]

I said to the guy next to me just as he shaped up that he's not scoring from there. Cue pandemonium and much grabbing of stranger. If it was you in the WSU row L (Not the usual guy seemingly) then I apologise, though also claim the goal.

I said to my mum next to me just b4 the free kick, that Ryan Harley was bought for exactly this kind of thing. And i noticed Dicker trying to pinch the kick but Gus shouted for Dicker to Move away and let Harley take it, and thank god he did!!

 

[Questions]

I said at the time to my mate when he scored, he thinks he's Beckham! Great asset.

I hope he thinks that he is Messi next match.

 

[Notters]

I've already watched it 20-odd times on iplayer. Anyone else?

 

[Surf's Up]

I said to my mum next to me just b4 the free kick, that Ryan Harley was bought for exactly this kind of thing. And i noticed Dicker trying to pinch the kick but Gus shouted for Dicker to Move away and let Harley take it, and thank god he did!!

Dicker did want to take it and had a little hissy fit when Gus told him not to - but thank christ he didn't - wot a stonker!!!

 

[Joey Deacon's Disco Suit]

This may sound like crowing but it is not intended, as Ben said he would float it to the far post for Greer or Dunk but I said he would have a shot as he had the ability and that was one of the reasons why he was bought.

It might come as a bit of a surprise but most of us have no idea who Ben is.

 

[Icy Gull]

It might come as a bit of a surprise but most of us have no idea who Ben is.

I'm just having a wild stab here but I'm guessing the poster is Ben's grandfather which is close to being self explanatory?

 

[BensGrandad]

It might come as a bit of a surprise but most of us have no idea who Ben is.

Not the brightest match in the box! Whats my user name?

 

[Joey Deacon's Disco Suit]

Not the brightest match in the box! Whats my user name?

Coming from you, I take that as a grave insult.


Of course it's your grandson but the way you carry on talking about him as if that's supposed to make a bleeding difference...and I was alluding to the fact that you calling him Ben as if we're all supposed to personally know him.

Oh Christ..I'm arguing with the most infuriating poster on NSC. I have no idea why but your inane drivel and constant references to 'Ben' really winds me up. Consider yourself put on 'ignore'.

*...and breathe...*

 

[BensGrandad]

Perhaps I should have said my grandson sitting next to me!!

 

[Taybha]

meanwhile 28 yards and 2ft away

 

[jabba the gut ecfc]

Hes pure quality! as much as i like benno i think harleys better at dead ball situations

Quality is the word. In fact I could weep when I think of what we've lost. Certainly one of the most talented players I've seen at City.

However you need to treat him well - I think he's one of those players who needs to be loved. You have to avoid getting on his back when things aren't going too well for him and he drifts out of the game a bit instead of chasing lost causes. He isn't going to be in the heart of the midfield battle.

Having said that I think Tis did get him to try and close off the space available to an opponent, instead of responding to the moaning "get-stuck-in!" tendency at SJP and go flying into a succesion of Paul Scholes-esque tackles. However this aspect of play isn't as obvious to those who think players should run around at 100 miles an hour gthe whole time (I think "passion" is the cliche in vogue at the moment) even if it actually doesn't achieve anything very much.

Having said that Ido think he can tackle better than many of us gave him credit for. Unfortunately he tends to suffer from the perception that gifted ball-players are necessarily lazy and useless in the more prosaic side of the game, which means some supporters put them under more scrutiny in this regard and jump on their backs at the first sign of such traits).

If things go as I think they will, he will be that coveted player who will give you that rare X-factor that can unlock teams - something every side is desperate for. He's the sort of player who once settled will play better at a higher level and improve from playing with better players. I fully expect to be watching him on Match Of The Day in the fullness of time.

And by the way - that free-kick is hardly the first time he's done that sort of thing.

... Did their goalie think it impossible too?

Well considering Jonesy played with Ryan for us for four years and saw him do that sort of thing more than once, he certainly shouldn't have.

The bad side of Jonesy's game is the Horlicks he often makes of kicks - the good side is his shot stopping, particularly from dead-ball situations (the very first touch he made in a City shirt was to save a penalty as a sub). That's an indication of what a cracking strike that really was.

Can we have our Harley back please?

 

[grawhite]

Was a wonderful free kick, but on interview Harley did state he hit it with more power as the keeper knew where it was heading. I also noticed as soon as he struck it, he was making a beeline to the corner flag, even before the ball nestled in the top corner.