Alex Pearce

**Bottle of Tonic** · 07/09/2012, 1:56 PM

Is there a thread on this guy?

Merge if so.

Declaring interest.

Is he any use?

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sp...fender-pearce/

**Serb** · 07/09/2012, 2:33 PM

There is a thread about Alex Pearce alright. To answer your second question — Ross probably posted the most informed reply at the time and said:

Originally Posted by Ross

I'm a season ticket holder at Reading so I've seen Pearce develop over the last few years. He's a solid enough defender at championship level - reads the game very well and is strong in the air but I don't trust him with the ball at his feet. He's prone to some terrible hoof ball but as far as defending goes he's a standard no-nonsense centre-half, always chipping in with crucial blocks, tackles and defensive headers. He's a threat from set-pieces as well.

He was absolutely fantastic last season until he got injured, our best defender by a long way and miles better than Mills who managed to get himself a £5million move to Leicester. Unfortunately he hasn't found that form this yet this season but he's certainly getting back to his best.

He could well make the step up to international football but his lack of pace is likely to be an obstacle, he's painfully slow! However, he's still ten times the player Paul McShane is (I know it doesn't take much!). I'd rate him as of similar ability to O'Dea so he could well do a job for us. Obviously not in the same league as Dunne or O'Shea, or even St Ledger, but he would be good defensive cover. We're actually in a pretty good position considering it wasn't that long ago that we had absolutely no options at centre-half other than Dunne and O'Shea.

**Sullivinho** · 07/09/2012, 2:50 PM

Well the fact the FAI have been in contact with him is news. Prior to that it's been a series of 'come and get me' pleas from Pearce. I think I read elsewhere that he turned down an approach from Craig Levein and the Scots but I don't know how accurate that is.

**tetsujin1979** · 08/09/2012, 7:28 PM

Called into the squad for the Oman game according to Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh: https://twitter.com/Ciaran_O/status/244500913224548352

Alex Pearce ( @ReadingFC ) and Robbie Brady #MUFC called into Ireland squad.

**IsMiseSean** · 08/09/2012, 7:32 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Called into the squad for the Oman game according to Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh: https://twitter.com/Ciaran_O/status/244500913224548352

I just had a look at who was left in the squad. Very short at CB, I was thinking we'd call up someone, thought maybe Duffy!

**Charlie Darwin** · 08/09/2012, 8:38 PM

Great news, I like the look of this guy, even if he has about 100 nationalities.

**the doc** · 08/09/2012, 9:03 PM

This guys just another Alex Bruce type of player! Same with Calamity Clark at the Villa.

**Sullivinho** · 08/09/2012, 9:39 PM

The competition will do you good Sean.

**boovidge** · 08/09/2012, 11:53 PM

"Because I played for Scotland Under 21s in a friendly people think I'm Scottish."

How unreasonable of them!

**Murfinator** · 09/09/2012, 2:40 AM

A very good player and great to see him called up. Given that Dunne will be returning on top of everyone else already there it would appear Clark is nowhere near the squad and probably won't feature in this campaign.

**the doc** · 09/09/2012, 10:26 PM

Good luck to Pearce, gives us another back up option at CB.

**TrapAPony** · 10/09/2012, 1:12 AM

**Murfinator** · 10/09/2012, 1:23 AM

Originally Posted by TrapAPony

Miskicking the ball by a wide margin there, worrying signs.

**tricky_colour** · 10/09/2012, 4:32 AM

He was Reading's player of the season last season, I did not know that, in a promotion winning side.
That statistic alone kind of screams "a nailed on starter for us"!!
He also scored 7 goals, do we really have better than that?

**TrapAPony** · 10/09/2012, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

He was Reading's player of the season last season, I did not know that, in a promotion winning side.
That statistic alone kind of screams "a nailed on starter for us"!!
He also scored 7 goals, do we really have better than that?

Yes, Paul McShane and Darren O'Dea

**the bear** · 10/09/2012, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by the doc

As an Ireland fan I'm glad that Pearce has been called up into the squad. On a personal level #gutted#****in joke#embarrasing

This is what i read from your above posts DOC

**Irish_Praha** · 10/09/2012, 9:34 PM

How refreshing, a young premership player with a least one (if not both) of his arms untattooed; this is the kind of sensible guy we need at CB.
The perfect future partner for The Sledge.

**tricky_colour** · 10/09/2012, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

Miskicking the ball by a wide margin there, worrying signs.

Nope he is bending it with the outside of his foot Brazilian style (Brazilian as in the style of football not pubic hair removal

)

**tricky_colour** · 10/09/2012, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

How refreshing, a young premership player with a least one (if not both) of his arms untattooed; this is the kind of sensible guy we need at CB.
The perfect future partner for The Sledge.

Well he is only a youngster, plenty of time for tats yet and the must be a fair bit of pressure on players to have them.

I take it Sledge has no tats?
I don't think Ward has any.
Glen Whelan has,
Keith Andrews hasn't

I will start a thread