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I've posted this elsewhere so you may pull it but on the other hand maybe these stats are worthy of specific discussion. Theres lies, damned lies and then statstics but these were last season's facts. I double checked my maths but apologies in advance if anyone adds differently as I scrawled it down on a piece of paper.

Point is maybe we could survive without Shay Given after all.

 

Last season's records league records.

 

HARPER  Played 19  Points gained  26  Goals for 26 Goals against 23. Average goals conceded per game 1.21 - record extrapolated over full season  - 52 points -  i.e 10th in league.

 

GIVEN    Played 19  Points gained  17  Goals for 19 Goals against 42. Average goals conceded per game  2.21 - record extrapolated over full season -  34 points - i.e 19th in league (relegation)

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Guest michaelfoster

Given would be a 1st team player for a top 4 team

 

Harper would be a 1st team player for a club between 8th-16th

 

No brainer Given is the far better keeper & Harper is a good backup player for us

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Given is also constantly linked away, while I can't remember the last time I heard many other clubs interested in Harper.  Both other football clubs and the media hold Given in much higher regard, as well as most Newcastle supporters.

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Guest Stephen927

If Given were to go we won't see any goalkeeper of his quality at this club for a long long time, sad to say.

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If Given were to go we won't see any goalkeeper of his quality at this club for a long long time, sad to say.

 

you never know, guess some ppl said the same thing when Srnicek left. But if he leave or not, we need players that want to play for the club.

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They each have their positives/weaknesses - to me it's six one half dozen or another.  Given isn't good at commanding the box/communication but Harper is.  Harper isn't as good at pure shot stopping as Given is.  It's really checks and balances.  Harper doesn't get the recognition he deserves because he hasn't been in the spotlight like Given has his whole career.  What's to say that if Harper hadn't left years ago that he'd be courted by "top four" sides now too?

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It was s*** the first time you posted it and even more s*** the second time.

 

Nothing more than a few stats for readers to judge as they wish, and the same as before, unlike your meandering rambling schizo views.

Are you still supporting Newcastle today ?

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Guest Howaythetoon

It was s*** the first time you posted it and even more s*** the second time.

 

Nothing more than a few stats for readers to judge as they wish, and the same as before, unlike your meandering rambling schizo views.

Are you still supporting Newcastle today ?

 

Nah, I follow Blyth now - more chance of winning a trophy.

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Harper seems to take a couple of games to become comfortable again every time he has a run in the team. Given is easily superior, but once Harper is in the groove the gap isn't that significant.

 

Which is why I think it won't be that hard to cope if Given does leave.

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Your stats mean shit.

 

Schmeichel and Seaman are the only 2 consistently better keepers than Given in the history of the Premiership.

 

If Harper was anything more than an average goalie he wouldn't have been happy to warm the bench his entire fucking career.

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If Harper was anything more than an average goalie he wouldn't have been happy to warm the bench his entire fucking career.

 

That's such an old bullshit excuse to use when trying to compare Given and Harper.  Not everyone is fame hungry.  He gets to play soccer every day for a living for a team he loves (albeit not always on the SJP pitch), isn't that enough?  Probably not for someone of your make-up.

 

Given gets a get out of jail free card because of his "loyalty" but how easily we forget every time that he comes back from injury how quickly he is in the papers bitching about not being first choice - I've never heard Harper doing the same.  Who has the real loyalty?

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If Harper was anything more than an average goalie he wouldn't have been happy to warm the bench his entire fucking career.

 

That's such an old bullshit excuse to use when trying to compare Given and Harper.  Not everyone is fame hungry.  He gets to play soccer every day for a living for a team he loves (albeit not always on the SJP pitch), isn't that enough?  Probably not for someone of your make-up.

 

Given gets a get out of jail free card because of his "loyalty" but how easily we forget every time that he comes back from injury how quickly he is in the papers bitching about not being first choice - I've never heard Harper doing the same.  Who has the real loyalty?

 

Yeah, you're right.  It's Harper's love for the club that's blocked his big money move to Barcelona.

 

 

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Another difference is that Harper was the keeper when we went on that good run at the end of the season when Viduka, Martins & Owen were on fire as a trio...we could have had Mike Hooper in goal during that period and we'd still have won matches.

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Can I just say once again as some people seem to be getting a bit excited, that these stats are in no way intended to detract from Given's excellent record as our keeper.  I've already said that I think he is a very good keeper - no arguments.

What I kind of wanted to illustrate is that if Given chooses to leave as his agent/lawyer implies he wants to and someone is going to pay wacky money for him, then we do have another pretty good goalkeeper on our books and it may not actually be the end of the world.

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