Andre Bikey

[Platypuss]

These skills come with (years of) experience of playing at centre back - I don't think he or we have the time to let him develop them to the level required.

If young players can't be given time to develop, what do we need the youth academy for? Or young unproven players in general?

Did I say years of experience playing at a high level?

Er no.

[biscuitsrus]

I just don't think Bikey is a centre back, he's a central midfielder?

Coppell must have a problem with Sodje not to have played him last night.

Definitely keep Bikey, but a CB?

Long way to go...

Naa, Personally I think Long should play upfront not strong enough for CB.

[Victor Meldrew]

Platypuss, I guess you would have said the same thing about Sonko if we had been in The Premiership when he arrived.

If we can't give youngsters, who show the ability that Bikey has so far, the chance to develop then we might as well just sign a whole bunch of Duberrys and have done with it.

Do you really expect Halford to look as good as Murty after 400 minutes of Premiership football?

I don't think you understood my point.

Sonko has played centre-back all his career.

Bikey has been a jack-of-all-trades - he has to learn how to be a dedicated centre-back before he can become a better one.

Spot on Platypuss.
I said on another post that I thought he had a poor game at Birmingham against Championship strikers and would be interested how he would fare against Heskey.
I think he failed the test and applaud the club for attempting to resolve the issue by going into the transfer market.
We can't afford to wait and see if he can learn to concentrate-in doing so we could throw away much of the good work of the first half of the season.

[biscuitsrus]

Following on from other threads that I have posted on the subject of Bikey I want to add my support for him.

Must be difficult in a new country and learning a new style of play. Yep sure he needs to work on his ball skills but IMO his strength is key, attackers find it difficult to get around him in a foot race. Some argue that attackers do not have to run past him bcause of his poor positioning but I think thats part of the learning curve.

For me a very promising young player and hope we actually sign him.

[Cookie]

Bikey had a good game against Liverpool because he was sat in the middle of the park breaking everything up and pinging a few balls around.

Last night he was diabolical and looked much worse than those early Sonko days.

Murty was laying into him after about 5 minutes, Ivar, Shorey and Murty were constantly telling him what to do, he let Heskey dictate the flow of the game in the first half FFS, was nowhere near his man at anytime, and just looked a complete liability out there.

I'm sure with time he will improve, but I'd much prefer to see him in the middle of the park than at Centre Half at this stage.

he's a better understudy for sid than he is for sonko

[East Stand Royal 500]

FYI: I've decided to call him 'Hyacinth Bikey' from now on

That's a bit hard on the guy. He hasn't had enough Appearances to Keep Up yet.

[The whole year inn]

FYI: I've decided to call him 'Hyacinth Bikey' from now on

That's a bit hard on the guy. He hasn't had enough Appearances to Keep Up yet.

I disagree, he is too Onslo

[Thomas L'Heureux]

Platypuss, I guess you would have said the same thing about Sonko if we had been in The Premiership when he arrived.

If we can't give youngsters, who show the ability that Bikey has so far, the chance to develop then we might as well just sign a whole bunch of Duberrys and have done with it.

Do you really expect Halford to look as good as Murty after 400 minutes of Premiership football?

I don't think you understood my point.

Sonko has played centre-back all his career.

Bikey has been a jack-of-all-trades - he has to learn how to be a dedicated centre-back before he can become a better one.

Spot on Platypuss.
I said on another post that I thought he had a poor game at Birmingham against Championship strikers and would be interested how he would fare against Heskey.
I think he failed the test and applaud the club for attempting to resolve the issue by going into the transfer market.
We can't afford to wait and see if he can learn to concentrate-in doing so we could throw away much of the good work of the first half of the season.

That's a brilliant point, because Ingimarsson excelled himself up against Heskey didn't he...

I think we should definitely hold on to Bikey. He's powerful, quick, and strong in the tackle. He has all the physical attributes to become a top defensive midfielder, and those criticising his ball skills are being harsh in my opinion because there has been some moments of brilliance from him.

He's been thrown in at the deep end, but with Coppell's track record at bringing the best out of a player, I think Bikey could become a regular fixture in a few years time.

[I was there at Elm Park]

I know this a thread on Bikey but does anyone know why Sodje wasn't on the bench. When I heard that Bikey was starting and Pearce was on the bench I presumed that he was injured but Coppell didn't mention it in the post-match interviews and neither has the club website. Thought it might be because he was on his way today but the last time I checked we've still got him. Strange!

[Forest Gump]

I think that he has the potential to become a good player especially if he adds composure to his physique. I think it is too early to right him off but with the arrival of Mmessers Bennett and Duberry's I would assume that at least one of the fringe defenders will be with a different club next season.

[Pridders]

Well said. I for one thought he did well last night. He looks for more composed now than Sonks did when he first got in our team.

you obviously were not at the game then!

[PurpleTurtle]

It appears Bikey has come in for some pretty harsh criticism in other threads. Some people seem to forget that the guy is only 21 and is still very much learning his trade.

That's one thing that annoys me about fans and pundits alike - "its OK, he's still learning". Like you'd apply the same maxim to say, a brain surgeon, or an airline pilot? "Sorry he killed all your loved ones, he's just learning the ropes! He'll be better when he's got 10 frontal lobotomies under his belt"

He's a premiership footballer FFS! I don't want to get on his case too much, because I thought his positional play was pretty good last night (Heskey goal apart) but its what happened when he got the ball taht worried me the most, he lashing at it completely out of control, at least 5 times I counted, which there is no excuse for at this level, or indeed any professional level - it was a skill level below what you see down Christchurch Meadow every Sunday.

Wally - get him in for clearance practice, pronto.

Where do you expect him to learn? With a brain surgeon you can learn in a classroom, and then by assisting the experienced and qualified doctor in real time operations. You can't learn football in a classroom, and you certainly can't be guided through with an experienced Premiership footballer by your side in a Premiership match. That is where the fundamental flaw in your argument sits. If players didn't learn in matches then there'd end up being no decent players. Players have to learn at the deep end. There's nothing like first team football to learn it. Unfortunately, whilst not ideal, that is the way it is.

I agree, you expect a player's game to improve, the higher the level he plays.

What I do not agree with is a player at this level being unable to clear a simple ball from the box, whilst not under pressure. Repeatedly.

Watch the game again - nearly every time he got the ball he attempted - and failed - to lump it long, totally sliced it. Its not the Aidy Williams-esque attitude of putting it in the stands I object to, its the inability to do it. So, I revert to my previous point, as a professional footballer, unable to clear the ball, he showed himself up last night.

[Royalee]

He'll come good and had an exceptional game at Birmingham,

He was at fault for Taylor's goal. What the hell was he thinking in trying to flick the ball over his head on the edge of the box when all he should be thinking at that time was to welly the bleedin' thing!

He may well come good, and I hope he does, but he makes me feel very uneasy when he plays.
Much like Sonko did when he arrived. But if Bikey turns into anything like the defender Sonko is then I'm sure we'll all be delighted.

De La Cruz was just as much at fault.

[Cookie]

4thegameâ„¢

Reading dominated the second half but always looked vulnerable to Wigan's bold attacking instincts with stand-in centre back Andre Bikey a tower of uncertainty at the heart of the Reading defence.

[Millsy]

Um....



Had an ok game today didn't he?

[Royal Rother]

He was excellent. At times he was almost (but not quite) tentative, as if he was really thinking about his role and his position, but almost everything he did came off today. Great to see Murty giving him a big hug after a great last ditch challenge that saved a certain goal. (Well, if it hadn't been offside as well...) And good to see Bikey having the confidence to give Harper a bollocking for giving the ball away that gave City that chance in the first place.

[Maguire]

Yeah I thought he was nicely anonymous today. Obviously concentrating really hard on his game today and he did well.

[Royal Tezza]

Thought he did ok today actually fair play to him

[E. Andrew]

He was excellent. At times he was almost (but not quite) tentative, as if he was really thinking about his role and his position, but almost everything he did came off today. Great to see Murty giving him a big hug after a great last ditch challenge that saved a certain goal. (Well, if it hadn't been offside as well...) And good to see Bikey having the confidence to give Harper a bollocking for giving the ball away that gave City that chance in the first place.

i think at times tentative tended toward lost, but he didn't give up any goals. i have faith in his progress and potential; i think he'd be better off in a "center mid free-roam defender" position, however.

[Arch]

Some of City's best chances came more from general lack of communication among the back four rather than individual errors. You'd expect that to be better with Sonko in there, and hopefully it'll get better with a settled back line for the last twelve games. A quick decision needs to be made on Bikey or Duberry the rest of the way.