What's happened to Bikey ?

[rg6royal]

I think it's just he fact that Coppell is stubborn when it comes to making the changes the SUPPORTERS all agree should be made. If the team are doing well and winning then he won't change it. However what I find odd is why Cisse was brought in after we won on tues? However I'm glad this change was made as I believe him and marek are our bet midfield pairing! So I'm shocked at how during those 2 home defeats Doobs wasn't replaced by Bikey. Simply if Bikey plays and Marek then we will and should win this league- they are a step ahead in class of the rest of the team bar Doyle and if they aren't playing regularly I can see them wanting to jump ship pretty fastish. Which is what worries me...if we don't get promoted (and i believe on our day we are the best team in this division) we are gonna lose the majority of this team and could end up spending years in midtable or worse- i.e. look at Soton

I believe Bryn is injured.

[Ian Royal]

I'm not shocked by Bikey not being brought in to replace Doobs. He's been very very good recently. Pearce slightly less so, but he should be improving with every game.

I think our best pairing should be Duberry and Bikey, strength, pace, experience. It's all in there. I can see Duberry maybe having a good influence on Bikey's concentration as well. Have they played together before, this season?

Bikey and Doobs next match with Pearce having gone off injured? I'd be pretty darn happy with that. Shame for young Alex though.

[Platypuss]

Cast your minds back to May 11 2008 - simply put, when it comes to big games, Coppell doesn't really trust Bikey.

[rg6royal]

He'll play midweek against Charlton as Pearce is out due to needing 6 stitches.

[brendywendy]

think its proven now that he wasnt on the benches becuase coppell prefers cisses and brynns versatility there.

as soon as cisse was playing and brynn injured bikey appears on the bench, and now looks to be in line for a start on tuesday
where he will be hungry and focussed on retaining the shirt for th erest of the season

if this happens, with long starting to fulfil some potential, kebe playing ok again, matejovski in the team, and glen on the bench im almost wetting myself in anticipation for tuesday night

[Ian Royal]

think its proven now that he wasnt on the benches becuase coppell prefers cisses and brynns versatility there.

as soon as cisse was playing and brynn injured bikey appears on the bench, and now looks to be in line for a start on tuesday
where he will be hungry and focussed on retaining the shirt for th erest of the season

if this happens, with long starting to fulfil some potential, kebe playing ok again, matejovski in the team, and glen on the bench im almost wetting myself in anticipation for tuesday night

As anyone with half a brain not obssessed with Coppell conspiracy theories could have seen.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I think their 2nd goal showed the weakness our current pairing. Both lack a bit of pace and maybe both sit a bit deep. Bikey would have come out and changed Mackie.

Seems to drag our midfield back at times as well. It's 50/50 for me on Bikey, bringing him back would improve us in some areas and weaken in others. I think trust is more important to Coppell than potential.

[Royalee]

I'm not shocked by Bikey not being brought in to replace Doobs. He's been very very good recently. Pearce slightly less so, but he should be improving with every game.

I think our best pairing should be Duberry and Bikey, strength, pace, experience. It's all in there. I can see Duberry maybe having a good influence on Bikey's concentration as well. Have they played together before, this season?

Bikey and Doobs next match with Pearce having gone off injured? I'd be pretty darn happy with that. Shame for young Alex though.

Have you actually been to games to see this for yourself? Duberry's been at fault for goals recently, not Pearce.

[Snowball]

I think their 2nd goal showed the weakness our current pairing. Both lack a bit of pace and maybe both sit a bit deep. Bikey would have come out and changed Mackie.

Seems to drag our midfield back at times as well. It's 50/50 for me on Bikey, bringing him back would improve us in some areas and weaken in others. I think trust is more important to Coppell than potential.

I think Pearce-Doobs are solid, but yes slow, and I think this causes the FBs to be more hesitant about going forward

It also probably cause Harps-Cisse to sit deeper, so the goals against looks OK but we stop creating

But we've let in 2-1-1-2 in the last four games and that, by our standards is very poor

26 conceded in first 28 games = less than 1 per game
06 conceded in last 04 games = 1.5 per game


I think Bikey gives us steel and aggression, and he's a little less likely to just put it in the stand

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I think their 2nd goal showed the weakness our current pairing. Both lack a bit of pace and maybe both sit a bit deep. Bikey would have come out and changed Mackie.

Seems to drag our midfield back at times as well. It's 50/50 for me on Bikey, bringing him back would improve us in some areas and weaken in others. I think trust is more important to Coppell than potential.

I think Pearce-Doobs are solid, but yes slow, and I think this causes the FBs to be more hesitant about going forward

It also probably cause Harps-Cisse to sit deeper, so the goals against looks OK but we stop creating

But we've let in 2-1-1-2 in the last four games and that, by our standards is very poor

26 conceded in first 28 games = less than 1 per game
06 conceded in last 04 games = 1.5 per game


I think Bikey gives us steel and aggression, and he's a little less likely to just put it in the stand

I agree but don't think Coppell thinks like that. He seems to think Bikey is more likely to make a mistake through lack of concentration and that is the most important factor.

Tough one.

[Snowball]

I agree but don't think Coppell thinks like that. He seems to think Bikey is more likely to make a mistake through lack of concentration and that is the most important factor.

Tough one.

But there are players like that, who will make a clanger now and again, but they give something overall which more than makes up for it.

Beeks gives us more speed and maybe releases Rosy and Stretch, we will occasionally pass out of defence and thus have an attack instead of giving the opposition the ball, Beeks is VG at set pieces, has a fearsome shot.

I think on balance he should play alongside one of the "simple stoppers"

[SteveRoyal]

I agree but don't think Coppell thinks like that. He seems to think Bikey is more likely to make a mistake through lack of concentration and that is the most important factor.

Tough one.

A lot like Titus Bramble.
Only less so.

[Snowball]

We do tend to remember the horrible mistakes, and maybe give them too much weight.

[PEARCEY]

We do tend to remember the horrible mistakes, and maybe give them too much weight.

Indeed and how many Bikey mistakes have led to goals conceded?

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

I think their 2nd goal showed the weakness our current pairing. Both lack a bit of pace and maybe both sit a bit deep. Bikey would have come out and changed Mackie.

Seems to drag our midfield back at times as well. It's 50/50 for me on Bikey, bringing him back would improve us in some areas and weaken in others. I think trust is more important to Coppell than potential.

Plymouths first goal showed Doobs walking completely away from Gallagher - leaving him totally free of back post to tuck it away

[Ian Royal]

I'm not shocked by Bikey not being brought in to replace Doobs. He's been very very good recently. Pearce slightly less so, but he should be improving with every game.

I think our best pairing should be Duberry and Bikey, strength, pace, experience. It's all in there. I can see Duberry maybe having a good influence on Bikey's concentration as well. Have they played together before, this season?

Bikey and Doobs next match with Pearce having gone off injured? I'd be pretty darn happy with that. Shame for young Alex though.

Have you actually been to games to see this for yourself? Duberry's been at fault for goals recently, not Pearce.

Yes, I have. You are right Duberry has been at fault for some goals recently, but I don't think him and Pearce, or Pearce and Bikey are as good a partnership as Bikey and Duberry could be.

[Top Flight]

I agree with Ian Royal. Not just as a defensive partnership. But as a partnership that can get the team on the offensive as well. Better for the whole team dynamic.

[John Peel]

Am I the only person who remembers how complacent and arrogant Bikey was becoming? Yes, he's possibly technically the most gifted centre back (and an equally solid CM), but at times his mind wasn't where it should've been for the team.

The only problem with Pearce is that he isn't as strong Bikey, nor is Doobs (relatively speaking of course!). Bikey may not have been beaten for either first goals against City or Plymouth.

I actually think his best position is CM alongside Marek. It worked last season and Coppell knows it.

[Ian Royal]

Am I the only person who remembers how complacent and arrogant Bikey was becoming? Yes, he's possibly technically the most gifted centre back (and an equally solid CM), but at times his mind wasn't where it should've been for the team.

The only problem with Pearce is that he isn't as strong Bikey, nor is Doobs (relatively speaking of course!). Bikey may not have been beaten for either first goals against City or Plymouth.

I actually think his best position is CM alongside Marek. It worked last season and Coppell knows it.

Did it? Every time I've seen him play he's looked like a player with quite good control for a defender. Not a midfielder.

[Cookie]

Am I the only person who remembers how complacent and arrogant Bikey was becoming? Yes, he's possibly technically the most gifted centre back (and an equally solid CM), but at times his mind wasn't where it should've been for the team.

The only problem with Pearce is that he isn't as strong Bikey, nor is Doobs (relatively speaking of course!). Bikey may not have been beaten for either first goals against City or Plymouth.

I actually think his best position is CM alongside Marek. It worked last season and Coppell knows it.

Did it? Every time I've seen him play he's looked like a player with quite good control for a defender. Not a midfielder.

Coppell was asked almost exactly that at a fan's forum a while ago. His reply was simply "His country play him as a centre back" (Said with a slight shrug of the shoulders)