by PurpleTurtle »
01 Feb 2007 00:20
handbags_harris PurpleTurtle handbags_harris 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.