Andre Bikey

[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. He's going to make mistakes more regularly then most players. Also, any player that came in yesterday in Sonko's absence was always going to struggle simply because Wigan are so much bigger and physical than us all over the park. Bikey seemed to get better as the game wore on, very much playing like the "Sonko of old". Of course there's room for improvement, and yes he didn't have his best game last night but because of that suddenly people want him dropped?! Who would you prefer? Sodje? Halls? Alex Pearce was on the bench last night, but I'm afraid I don't feel he could have coped with the physical precence of Wigan's strikers! Bikey played bloody well against both Sheff Utd and Birmingham, but after one below par performance (and Bikey wasn't the only player who played poorly last night) people want him dropped. Fickle I tell thee!! Fickle!!

[Big Ern]

Well said. I for one thought he did well last night. He looks for more composed now than Sonks did when he first got in our team.

[MartinRdg]

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. He's going to make mistakes more regularly then most players. Also, any player that came in yesterday in Sonko's absence was always going to struggle simply because Wigan are so much bigger and physical than us all over the park. Bikey seemed to get better as the game wore on, very much playing like the "Sonko of old". Of course there's room for improvement, and yes he didn't have his best game last night but because of that suddenly people want him dropped?! Who would you prefer? Sodje? Halls? Alex Pearce was on the bench last night, but I'm afraid I don't feel he could have coped with the physical precence of Wigan's strikers! Bikey played bloody well against both Sheff Utd and Birmingham, but after one below par performance (and Bikey wasn't the only player who played poorly last night) people want him dropped. Fickle I tell thee!! Fickle!!

I must say Bikey did remind me of Sonko when Sonko first played for us.

[donface]

I've had a feeling that Bikey will become great for quite a while now. I had exactly the same feeling the first time I saw Sonko. Read into that what you will.

[AF1]

I must say Bikey did remind me of Sonko.

Racist

[mathematically_safe]

he'll get better the longer he's in the team. i'd be very surprised if we didn't take up the option to buy him.

there aren't many other premiership centre halves who are 21...

[Hoop Blah]

To be honest I don't think he's looked any good apart from the Liverpool cup game.

He doesn't do the basics very well and he is slow on the turn and cumbersome on the ball.

He's a big lad which helps him out, and he's not slow either. Yes he's young and his awareness will probably improve but I don't think he's up to playing in the Premiership at the current time.

Thats not fickle, just an honest opinion I've based on his appearances so far.

[RG30]

Well said. I for one thought he did well last night. He looks for more composed now than Sonks did when he first got in our team.

I would agree that Bikey looks a better prospect than Sonko did when he first came in.

1 of our main successes over recent years has been the solidness of the defensive 5, so anyone coming in will stuggle. It only until this season when most of us appreciated the impact Murty had on the side both as a right back and captain.

[Royal Rother]

I like Bikey and criticism of him for last night's performance can surely only be because of his repeatedly crap clearances. Apart from that I thought he played pretty well and generally looked comfortable in the penalty area.

Some people can't see past the obvious.

[Don Finch]

This is kind of the same situation as Sonko when he first joined, I remember hearing the Burnley fans actually laughing at Sonko and at how bad he was at Turf Moor. Bikey, like Sonko has got the attributes and only time will tell if he's going to improve as much as Sonks has.

Let's not bs about last night though, he was pretty shocking at times - are we supposed to lie on here and say he had a great game? He did Ok but in large periods of the game he looked well below Premiership standard. I was reminded of how much I used to sh1t myself when Sonko went near the ball during his early days with us, Bikey is a liability - but we can't drop him because he's currently the best fit CB we have.

Like Donface though, I think this boy will come good.

[Zammo]

Hopefully Bikey will come good but you have to admit his performance last night was comedy at its finest.

[Schards#2]

I like Bikey and criticism of him for last night's performance can surely only be because of his repeatedly crap clearances. Apart from that I thought he played pretty well and generally looked comfortable in the penalty area.

Some people can't see past the obvious.

How anyone can say he looked comfortable yesterday is beyond me. Quite apart from his 'repeatedly crap clearances' the ball ricoched off him alarmingly a few times, he didn't win much in the air and that he did, he didn't win cleanly, he conceded needless freekicks and was often out of position.

I'm not saying he doesn't have potential but right now he is nowhere near good enough to be a premiership centre half. As someone else said, when Sonko was losing his rough edges it was against Championship forwards, we will get punished more by Premiership forwards.

[Royal Rother]

Refresh my memory please. Apart from repeated crap clearances which I fully acknowledge could have caused real problems against a better team (but is an easily fixed problem), what did he do or fail to do last night that leads you to consider him a liability? I thought he was composed in his other defensive duties and aware of what was happening around him which was pleasing.

[Dangerous]

Bikey had a good game against Liverpool because he was sat in the middle of the park breaking everything up and pinging a few balls around.

Last night he was diabolical and looked much worse than those early Sonko days.

Murty was laying into him after about 5 minutes, Ivar, Shorey and Murty were constantly telling him what to do, he let Heskey dictate the flow of the game in the first half FFS, was nowhere near his man at anytime, and just looked a complete liability out there.

I'm sure with time he will improve, but I'd much prefer to see him in the middle of the park than at Centre Half at this stage.

[Don Finch]

He lost numerous headers and was slow to react on many occasions - balls he could have won were picked up by attackers. His clearances were so bloody awful I'm going to mention them again - that is down to a lack composure.

[Garry Mann]

Maybe you should actually go to a game RR and see the whole picture, see his positioning and marking instead of a blury internet stream. You may then be in a better position to offer a decent judgement on the player.

[Platypuss]

Bikey seemed to get better as the game wore on, very much playing like the "Sonko of old".

Heskey (Kilbane 58), McCulloch (Johansson 65).

HTH.

[Don Finch]

I was glad to see the back of Heskey, thought he was pretty good last night - or did we just make him look good I wonder.

[bigmike]

Bikey last night reminded me of Sonks 2 years ago. I like Bikey as a player and I live in hope that he will come good..

Nows the time for him to get first team experience. After all we are 3 points from saftey

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

To be honest I don't think he's looked any good apart from the Liverpool cup game.

He doesn't do the basics very well and he is slow on the turn and cumbersome on the ball.

He's a big lad which helps him out, and he's not slow either. Yes he's young and his awareness will probably improve but I don't think he's up to playing in the Premiership at the current time.

Thats not fickle, just an honest opinion I've based on his appearances so far.

'slow on the turn' and 'he's not slow either'- make your mind up!