VisionPEARCEYVision I'm with Hoop Blah. We don't look any more likely to concede (or vulnerable to the counter attack) than we did with Bikey in the side. In fact I'd argue that Federici has had considerably less to do than Hahnemann did in the games leading up to Bikey's Cardiff dismissal. I'm not necessarily saying i wouldn't have him in the side but people are talking as if we are only now starting to give up chances when in my opinion there is little difference to when he was in the team. I'm merely pointing out that with a new keeper, continuity amongst the back four is probably seen as the steadier option particularly when you consider that Bikey for all his strengths is still something of a loose cannon.
For the record in the 7 games since Bikey's suspension we've conceded 4 goals and in the 7 games prior to his suspension we also conceded 4 goals so given the Federici factor I'm not convinced its a foregone conclusion we're better defensively with him.
One thing where i think he would help though is that his distribution from the back is better than the other two which may help us in terms of keeping possession . That said, he's hardly Franz Beckenbeuer.
You argue your case very well and its difficult to challenge what you say. I do think though that lessons have to be learnt. Our centre backs were desperately exposed last season. Neither of the current incumbents would cope in the Premiership next season and I'm not sure either would in the Championship a year down the line.
Bikey is by no means perfect BUT he raises his game against the better sides. Pretty much everyone accepts he has the potential to be our best CB by some distance. If thats the case its about bloody time Wally Downes worked with him to get a more consistent level of performance out of him.
It also seems to me that it doesn't take too much for Copps to drop Bikey and as Woodcote has pointed out despite the obvious defensive frailties of last season SC was very reluctant to play Bikey.
I hope he stays because to let him go for £3 millon or whatever it is we would get for him would be plain stupid.
If it was August and we'd just been promoted then i'd agree with you but my response was really to the idea that "there is no reason not to be playing him now". I'm merely of the opinion that given the current situation with Federici i can totally understand why Coppell is going with a settled and more experienced back four. If we'd been leaking chances and goals left right and centre then I could understand it , but as things stand we're no more vulnerable now than we were with Bikey in the team.
How Bikey may or may not play against better sides in the Premiership doesn't have any bearing on whether under the current circumstances he should automatically start right here and now. We're getting ahead of ourselves in my opinion, we should of course always be looking to improve but the priority is getting out of this division first. Until we do that i think any talk of what we did in the Premier League or what we need to do in the Premier League is irrelevant.
No I meant Bikey hs performed better against the stronger sides in the Championship, ie Wolves and Burnley.
Not sure one change in central defence should upset Federici at all.
We should of course be looking to get out of this division first which is why I think our best CB should be playing and hopefully satying as well.
