What's happened to Bikey ?

[Tony Le Mesmer]

There has to be something up here. He is clearly our best CB, you certainly could not possibly come to the conclusion that he is a worse player, or adds less to the team, than Pearce.

As much as Pearce and Duberry have been doing all the basic defending Ok, the distrubution from the back from those 2 is bordering on non league, total shit, and for me is a big part in our current poor form.

[Scarface]

Assuming he's not injured anymore I would imagine there's more to this than we'll find out.

I think we've missed Bikey's arial presence from set pieces more than we've missed him defensively. For this reason alone I'd have him on the bench instead of one of the central midfielders, probably Harper.

[Woodcote Royal]

This may seem extreme but not if, like me, you see Bikey's absence last season as a major factor in our relegation.

Some of our best results in the last 2 seasons have come with Bikey in the side making big contributions yet STILL Coppell refuses to play him.

Andy Johnson can be added to the list of Premiership strikers Andre has had in his pocket and if it's a choice of keeping him or, the man whose refusal to play him has cost us so dear, the choice, for me anyway, grows easier by the day.

Would you not say that our defence without him hasn't done too bad?.... it is the best in the division for god sake.

It hasn't been so great of late and neither have the results.

As I've said already, it's not just about defence. With no pace at the back we can't push forward in the same way as we could with Bikey or a pre-injury Sonko to catch any nippy strikers.....................how many times were we nearly exposed on the break at Hillsborough?

How many times did Sonks bail out Murty when caught too far up field and what chance of Doobs or Pearce doing the same for Armstrong?

Sorry but, we need to move on, IMHO.

[brendywendy]

and we will

but dropping the current two at teh moment seems odd since theyve done very well
once one gets injured, or drops out for other reasons, he'll be in

you cant go telling players throughout that if they have the shirt and do their jobs well then they keep their shirts, then suddenly drop them for little or nothing

bikey will get his chance, but at the moment its more important (to me anyway) that we see if pearce is up to the job next year, buy playing him alongside the most experienced central defensive partner-doobs, since we already know bikeys is good enough

[TBM]

If you're a striker the last person you would want to come up against is Bikey....he's quick, he's fecking strong, he can pass, he can dribble and has skill. Why he's not in our team i dont know....i would like to see him and Doobs at the back, no offence to Pearce but those two would be hard as nails to get past!

[statto]

I agree.

Bikey at the start of the season was outstanding, I can remember one shit game but the rest he was brilliant.

I get infuriated by Duberry's and Pearce's aimless hoofing.

I've been saying for ages the team should be built around Bikey and Matejovsky, yet plodders like Duberry and Harper have been favoured.

[Ian Royal]

It's been said on here already but it's really simple and no conspiracy theories are needed.

Bikey is very talented, but is prone to mistakes and is not so much better than our other defenders that he is an automatic choice to bring in ahead of them.

Our defence record since he was sent off and subsequently injured has largely been very good. Duberry has been excellent and Pearce has been quality as well, if a little less solidly reliable IMO.

We already know that Coppell believes if you have the shirt and aren't playing terribly it's yours to lose.

As for the bench, both Cisse and Gunnarsson can play defence if required and are much more accomplished midfielders. Recently we've been much more in need of creativity or midfield bolstering from the bench so it makes sense to have a midfielder who can cover defence and has a good record of scoring from midfield. Rather than a defender who has had a couple of quite variable midfield performances as an enforcer.

It's harsh on Bikey, but bringing him into the line up would send the wrong message to our other defenders, him and the rest of the squad.

[SteveRoyal]

It's been said on here already but it's really simple and no conspiracy theories are needed.

Bikey is very talented, but is prone to mistakes and is not so much better than our other defenders that he is an automatic choice to bring in ahead of them.

Our defence record since he was sent off and subsequently injured has largely been very good. Duberry has been excellent and Pearce has been quality as well, if a little less solidly reliable IMO.

We already know that Coppell believes if you have the shirt and aren't playing terribly it's yours to lose.

As for the bench, both Cisse and Gunnarsson can play defence if required and are much more accomplished midfielders. Recently we've been much more in need of creativity or midfield bolstering from the bench so it makes sense to have a midfielder who can cover defence and has a good record of scoring from midfield. Rather than a defender who has had a couple of quite variable midfield performances as an enforcer.

It's harsh on Bikey, but bringing him into the line up would send the wrong message to our other defenders, him and the rest of the squad.

Agreed.

[loyalroyal4life]

i reckon he'll platy before the seasons out

and as our only premiere league class defender (IMO) id be frickin annoyed if we did let him go in the summer

+1

[londinium]

STAT ATTACK STAT ATTACK

*Snowball mode on'

Games played with Bikey in team before Bikey sent off/injured (Thats Shef Wed at home onwards)

Played won lost drawn for against
...14....8...3....3.....33...12


Bikey sent off Cardiff - so didnt include that one


Games after cardiff without Bikey in team

Played won lost drawn for against
..16....8....4....4....19....12


In conclusion - not much difference really - we did score more goals with him in the team but scoring 14 in 3 games helps that stat coupe with the fact we had free scoring strikers then and the fact we couldn't hit a barn door with a banjoy at the moment compounds it.
Goals per game conceded with Bikey in is slightly higher but negligable.

We did indeed have 5 straight wins straight after Bikey was sent off at Cardiff conceeding just twice so his inclusion in the team is really neither here nor there.

[Terminal Boardom]

I have asked this question before but I cannot understand why Mr Beeks is not playing ?

Can anyone explain ?

Coppell doesn't trust him.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

I have asked this question before but I cannot understand why Mr Beeks is not playing ?

Can anyone explain ?

Coppell doesn't trust him.

Which is why I still doubt Coppell on certain levels.

Bikey is better than Duberry, and he's better than Pearce. He is quicker, stronger, and a much better footballer.

I didn't trust Sonko but he got enough games for the club.

[winchester_royal]

I have asked this question before but I cannot understand why Mr Beeks is not playing ?

Can anyone explain ?

Coppell doesn't trust him.

Which is why I still doubt Coppell on certain levels.

Bikey is better than Duberry, and he's better than Pearce. He is quicker, stronger, and a much better footballer.

I didn't trust Sonko but he got enough games for the club.

What many on here don't seem to understand that defending is more about your mental attributes than physical. I've always thought that Bikey is temperamental and tbh a bit thick (ACoN showed that), whilst both Doobs and Pearce may not be as quick or strong, they are still more reliable.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Doobs > Bikey, simple.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

What many on here don't seem to understand that defending is more about your mental attributes than physical. I've always thought that Bikey is temperamental and tbh a bit thick (ACoN showed that), whilst both Doobs and Pearce may not be as quick or strong, they are still more reliable.

More reliable at giving the ball straight back to the opposition/in the stands/just about anywhere other than a Reading player.

People keep banging on about Pearce, but he is nothing special at all. He is way way overated based purely on the fact that he is an academy product. Tempermental Bikey may be, but the best players quite often are. you cant seriously suggest he offers less to the team than Pearce.

[Hoop Blah]

Tempermental Bikey may be, but the best players quite often are.

The best attackers maybe, but very rarely the best defenders.

[loyalroyal4life]

Doobs > Bikey, simple.

Not really

Bikey > Doobs

[Huntley & Palmer]

Doobs > Bikey, simple.

Not really

Bikey > Doobs

I believe all the stats and Steve Coppell would say otherwise

[Whistle]

Why did Pearce rather than Bikey get a go when Ivar was injured?

I don't think Doobs and Bikey are too similar as CB's.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Why did Pearce rather than Bikey get a go when Ivar was injured?

I don't think Doobs and Bikey are too similar as CB's.

Bikey was still recovering from injury i think.