What's happened to Bikey ?

[BigSCOT]

Its the pink Boots


http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/Gallery ... 37,00.html

[Woodcote Royal]

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

Nothing is more important than playing our strongest side and gaining promotion. There's nothing wrong with Doobs and Pearce as individuals but Bikey is our best defender by a distance

Reading the views of some who try to justify this omission, anyone would think we've just been riding a wave of Championship winning form rather than our worst goal drought of the season which culminated in two straight defeats.

If Coppell's "Don't change a winning a team" mantra warranted the slightest respect, Bikey would have got back the place he lost, thanks to a dodgy red card, after the loss of two consecutive home games with neither Pearce or Doobs less than blameless for the goals conceded.

[largetrousers]

We really miss Bikey in our set pieces. We still must get the same amount of corners and free kicks, yes the delivery could be better, but we still rarely get on the end of anything or cause disruption in the box in these situations - bikey gives us this. I think Doobs and Pearce have both done ok, some soft goals where you have to question the man marking, personally i'd bring Bikey back in for Pearce to give us that extra option in set pieces. Bikey can be a bit too laid back when he has time on the ball, however at least he tries to distribute the ball or play that long diagonal ball. As solid in the tackle or the air they may be, neither Doobs or Pearce effectively distribute from the back, normally a whack up top somewhere and it doesnt bring our central midfield into it.

Coppell wont change things though, it does make me think that he isnt playing Bikey for other reasons than his footballing abilities.

[rg6royal]

Loving the pink boots...Would expect to see him in the squad tomorrow.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

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.

Does Duberry show incredible whitt and brain-power when he needlessly goes through the back of a man just outside our eighteen yard box (see Coventry at home and Daniel Fox's free-kick for an occassion which costed us a goal, or many other occassions when we've been lucky the opposition haven't been quite so accurate from direct set-pieces)?!

Does Pearce show unbelievable intelect when he opts to head a ball at waist-height rather than allowing it to drop a few feet and play with his feet? What about his clever backing off for forty yards against 'Forest on Saturday, which allowed McGugan to dribble the ball unchallenged into our box and have a free shot at goal?!

As you can see, I can be a sarcastic bastard at times. But the point is that I think you're eggagerating Bikey's lack of intelligence a bit here. I agree, he does play with a slight element of risk because he's often not happy to just blast the ball out of play much like our current two. Bikey's a footballer and tries to get us playing from the back, often carrying the ball past the half-way line before playing it into feet. This doesn't mean he can't defend though. He uses his body very intelligently, leaning in and giving a commanding presence.

I think he's a little in-experienced still, but that can only be corrected by playing competitive football. To be fair, Pearce seems above his years, he has a good head on his shoulders, but I still think Bikey offers more to the team at the moment.

[CMRoyal]

We really miss Bikey in our set pieces. We still must get the same amount of corners and free kicks, yes the delivery could be better, but we still rarely get on the end of anything or cause disruption in the box in these situations - bikey gives us this. I think Doobs and Pearce have both done ok, some soft goals where you have to question the man marking, personally i'd bring Bikey back in for Pearce to give us that extra option in set pieces. Bikey can be a bit too laid back when he has time on the ball, however at least he tries to distribute the ball or play that long diagonal ball. As solid in the tackle or the air they may be, neither Doobs or Pearce effectively distribute from the back, normally a whack up top somewhere and it doesnt bring our central midfield into it.

Coppell wont change things though, it does make me think that he isnt playing Bikey for other reasons than his footballing abilities.

I think it's just the 'owner of the shirt' principle, isn't it? Pearce will have had his card marked over the Forest goal I'm sure, but if we go on an unbeaten run now, it'll be forgotten.

What's our actual-factual on-paper best XI*, do you lot reckon? I guess Bikey would be in that, alongside Ingi. It says something about our strength in depth that we have two such solid back-ups.


* My stab at it:-

USA
Rosey
Bikey
Ingi
Armo
Kebe
Cisse
Marek
S Hunt
N Hunt
Doyle

[largetrousers]

What's our actual-factual on-paper best XI*, do you lot reckon? I guess Bikey would be in that, alongside Ingi. It says something about our strength in depth that we have two such solid back-ups.


* My stab at it:-

USA
Rosey
Bikey
Ingi
Armo
Kebe
Cisse
Marek
S Hunt
N Hunt
Doyle

I'd pretty much agree with that, only one i'd be unsure of is Marek. Yes, he can play a pass, but he really hasn't lived up to all the hype, gets caught flat footed/in pocession quite a bit, he's no where near the finished article yet. But looking at the alternatives, who would we put in there? Harper on his day, but of late he does more pointing than running. Gunnar has some great games but has no pace and cannot last the duration. Karacan looked promising, I was a bit surprised he was dropped when on top of his game and hasnt managed to get back in regularly since. IF we go up, I really hope Coppell looks to strengthen our central midfield as a matter of urgency.

[Royal With Cheese]

I think we've missed Bikey's arial presence from set pieces more than we've missed him defensively.

Agreed.

[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

Nothing is more important than playing our strongest side and gaining promotion. There's nothing wrong with Doobs and Pearce as individuals but Bikey is our best defender by a distance

Reading the views of some who try to justify this omission, anyone would think we've just been riding a wave of Championship winning form rather than our worst goal drought of the season which culminated in two straight defeats.

If Coppell's "Don't change a winning a team" mantra warranted the slightest respect, Bikey would have got back the place he lost, thanks to a dodgy red card, after the loss of two consecutive home games with neither Pearce or Doobs less than blameless for the goals conceded.

but teh problem was widely touted as an offensive, not defensive one

[Crowthorne Royal]

I'm really pleased that so many of my fellow Royals feel as I do about Bikey. It is a mystery as to why he isn't in the side.

I'm interested to see so many comments about Pearce & Doobs 'have the shirts'....When Ingi got injured Coppell had a choice, he chose Pearce & Doobs over Bikey which I find odd. It may well be to do with attitude as some people have suggested.

I also think Bikey could play midfield and he's then also in the team to be dangerous at set pieces, remember his goals against B'ham (2) and Chelsea ?

He is an entertaining player to watch and when he marks good strikers out of the game he is a joy to behold. Personally I would either :

Play him at the back with Pearce where Young Pearce can learn (he's coming on very well at present) (I also don't rate Doobs particularly)

OR

I would play him in Midfield instead of Gunnar....although with him and Marek losing the ball we could be in a spot of bother

As so many have said he is class, and class is the difference between being Top 2 or losing in the play offs.

In my opinion we would not have gone 6 games without scoring with Bikey in the side.

[Riseley]

If there is a better defender than Bikey outside the top tier than you can call me Susan and smoother me in marmalade.

[PEARCEY]

Doobs > Bikey, simple.

Not really

Bikey > Doobs

+1

[AlexY25]

Loving the pink boots...Would expect to see him in the squad tomorrow.

+1

[Rex]

Coppells never sees Bikey training. Football not as it used to be shocker.

[Southbank Old Boy]

When Ingi got injured Coppell had a choice, he chose Pearce & Doobs over Bikey which I find odd. It may well be to do with attitude as some people have suggested.

Probably had more to do with Bikey not being fit

Bikey has so much potential to be an outstanding defender BUT he also has the potential to be the most costly of the 3 centre backs available at the moment and thats probably why Coppell isnt playing him

There may well be some issue behind the scenes too as its more than a bit odd that he cant even get in the match day squad

[Ian Royal]

Sorry could one of those singing Bikey's virtues and rubbishing Duberry and or Pearce please explain why we should bring him in at the expense of players who currently have a good defensive record going, when the difference between him in the team and out of it is negligible in terms of results and goals conceeded?

I don't care if he's your darling or you think he's great. You don't swap about the defence if it's working. Defence is about teamwork and understanding and mentality as much as ability if not way more and you don't want to disrupt that by bringing in a player who's suffered from a niggling injury recently and hasn't played a proper match in quite a while. Certainly not if you don't have to.

I fully expect, "but Duberry can't pass" as the attempt at an intelligent response. FAIL

Bikey is just as guilty of playing hoofball with 50 yard crossfield passes to an opposition fullback as anyone else.

[Ian Royal]

When Ingi got injured Coppell had a choice, he chose Pearce & Doobs over Bikey which I find odd. It may well be to do with attitude as some people have suggested.

Probably had more to do with Bikey not being fit

Bikey has so much potential to be an outstanding defender BUT he also has the potential to be the most costly of the 3 centre backs available at the moment and thats probably why Coppell isnt playing him

There may well be some issue behind the scenes too as its more than a bit odd that he cant even get in the match day squad

Not at all. More versatile and attacking players are a higher priority than him as subs. If one of Cisse and Gunnar were playing and the other were unavailable he'd be on the bench. Simple as that.

[brendywendy]

thats the key


and its been said before on this very thread

its purely that bryn and cisse an cover multiple positions, and so are preferred to CM bikey

regardless of what alot of people say, bikeys looked poor when played in the middle

[Ian Royal]

bikey now on bench happy?

[Jeffers217]

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