Zurab told to find new club

[Focher]

I see Khiz as a bit better than Pearce and about the same as Ivar.

[ankeny]

I just don't think we really want him.

Spot on there Ian

Ian Royal's opinions are appreciated as much in these parts as Alex Pearce's footballing ability.

Ha Ha

[leon]

Ian, you really need to get to more games. The CB partnership of Mills and Zurab was one of the main reasons we escaped relegation last season. Zurab really is that much better than Ivar. Do you remember when we had Micky Nutton play alongside Michael Barnes in the 1980s? Barnes, all of a sudden looked world class. It was Nutton who brought him on. THe same with Zurab and Mills.

Really? Well I bow to your superior knowledge despite Mills and Khiz only started three league wins for us (with one draw and three losses). Whereas of course, Mills and Ingimarsson went unbeaten with five wins and one draw.

So that's 25% of our league wins under McDermott and 75% of our league losses for this partnership that was one of the main reasons we survived.

But then of course you'd know that, because you went to more games than me.

(if thats true)

however he's a bit better than Pearce??? Jesus, he's in a different universe. The most complete footballing centre back I've seen at Reading since Wdowczyk. Really very good player. Twice the player Mills is as well.

[Focher]

however he's a bit better than Pearce??? Jesus, he's in a different universe. The most complete footballing centre back I've seen at Reading since Wdowczyk. Really very good player. Twice the player Mills is as well.

^^^ yep

[Row Z Royal]

I see Khiz as a bit better than Pearce and about the same as Ivar.

I appreciate that not everyone can watch every game, but it's stuff like this that shows Ian for what he is - a fool.

[Hoop Blah]

Those stats paint a bit of misleading picture there Ian, as is often the case.

Having Khizanishvili alongside either of the other centre backs made a hell of a difference, and his impact shouldn't be measured just on the points one. Once he'd been involved (alongwith the steadying influence of Griffin) we looked a massively more competent back four, irrespective of who was actually playing.

I'm not sure I'd see Khizanishvili as the be all and end all, but he was such an assured and canny defender that his impact was massive. We'd still lack a bit of pace if he was in there in place of Pearce, but I think he'd cope ok.

My money is on loan signing coming in relatively soon, or perhaps a deal with Blackburn towards the end of the month for Khizanishvili where they still pay some of his wages for the remainder of his contract.

[West Stand Man]

Here's a scenario for you to consider.

We have bid for him and have either not agreed a deal that suits his agent or cannot agree a settlement with Blackburn. The Reading board are sticking to their valuation of him and holding out to see if anyone else comes in to 'steal' him before the window closes on the assumption that the closer we get to that closure the more likely they are to get the player at their valuation.

You might well argue that the price will go up as we are seen to be more desperate, but it is pretty clear that Blackburn need to lose his costs from their balance sheet at least as much as we need a new CB. I think we hold the best cards so far (but could be gazumped if anyone else is playing a similar game).

That all assumes, of course, that we are actually still interested in him and don't have a better option opening up as we speak.

[Hoop Blah]

I think it's pretty obvious that we haven't been able to make an offer that is good enough for Blackburn or good enough for the players wages and we're not budging on our offer (to either party).

If nobody else comes in before the close of the window then perhaps they'll come back to us and try some further negotiation. Realistically that will have to be on Blackburns part as Khizanishvili is contracted for another year and so doesn't need to accept a drop in wages (although a 3 year deal now would probably be quite attractive compared to looking for one in 12 months time as a player another year older).

It all comes down to how much Blackburn want to clear his wages off their wage bill I guess, or how much we're struggling without a centre half.

[Turns8]

Blackburn are willing to pay off the remainder of his contract to get him off the wage bill as Big Sam has stated that Khiz n't going to be part of his 25man squad...it's now just a case of it being down to Khiz and his agent...

Obviously, he is on a massive wedge at Blackburn and isn't going to get that anywhere else, in the current economic climate...so it's really a case of whether he actually wants to play football or sit on the sidelines playing reserve team football at Blackburn until January, if not all season...Also the fact that he is Georgian won't help his case as this new 25 man squad ruling will put alot of teams off certainly in the Premier where he isn't considered an immediate first choice, however he would be more than capable in the Championship..

After watching Saturday...I'd say we have nothing to lose trying to get him...no point breaking the bank to secure him, however we could at least put an 'attractive' offer on the table and see what he says...

[Hoop Blah]

I guess it really depends what they mean by 'paying off the rest of his contract' then.

If you take it leterally, and it means they pay him his total basic pay for the year, then it's just down to him looking to get the most he can elsewhere. Not sure how that helps Blackburn out financially though, apart from it coming out upfront and not opex through the rest of the year.

Problem that we have is that he will probably be offered more by someone else, but it will surely drag out until the end of the window either way.

[Ian Royal]

Those stats paint a bit of misleading picture there Ian, as is often the case.

Having Khizanishvili alongside either of the other centre backs made a hell of a difference, and his impact shouldn't be measured just on the points one. Once he'd been involved (alongwith the steadying influence of Griffin) we looked a massively more competent back four, irrespective of who was actually playing.

I'm not sure I'd see Khizanishvili as the be all and end all, but he was such an assured and canny defender that his impact was massive. We'd still lack a bit of pace if he was in there in place of Pearce, but I think he'd cope ok.

My money is on loan signing coming in relatively soon, or perhaps a deal with Blackburn towards the end of the month for Khizanishvili where they still pay some of his wages for the remainder of his contract.

I agree he had a big impact, just pointing out that those who go to more games than me still talk absolute bollocks based on flawed memory. TB's post would rather suggest that Mills and Khiz formed a great parntership that was instrumental in many of our wins. Which simply isn't born out by the facts.

You could make a better case that Ivar's return to fitness made a bigger impact, and from the fact that we haven't seemingly made a particularly serious effort to sign Khiz suggests to me that McDermott doesn't see him as the crucial element and miles better than Pearce. Or he'd have made a pretty convincing pitch to SJM and got him.

But that's just my interpretation of the available information. You are of course entitled to differ and I respect that. Don't expect me to just timidly apologise and change my mind just because a few keyboard warriors (not a description of your good self) want to have a pop at me.

[Geekins]

Khiz was cool on the ball and never seemed to panic when someone like Pearce or Mills would. Madejski, sign him up before Saturday!

[Snowball]

Offer him our current best deal with a whacking bonus for promotion to the Prem?

As for his (relative) class, he's light years better than the current Pearce, different,
but better than Mills, clearly better than the current (aging) Ingi.

The squad would be a LOT better with a fit Kish playing

I would see Kish-Mills as the first pairing, Ingi as cover, Pearce as 4th CB

[Ian Royal]

The important thing is what McDermott sees and what we can afford. People need to face reality and accept we aren't signing him or another defender unless we get a big wedge in for someone else, even then probably not as we'd have to replace them.

[Royal With Cheese]

I see Khiz as a bit better than Pearce and about the same as Ivar.

Wowser.

[Pseud O'Nym]

Just had a text from someone who lives near the Madstad claiming that Khizanishvili was there this afternoon. I don't think it was a windup.

[Ferris]

Bl8s was m8.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Just had a text from someone who lives near the Madstad claiming that Khizanishvili was there this afternoon. I don't think it was a windup.

[Focher]

Just had a text from someone who lives near the Madstad claiming that Khizanishvili was there this afternoon. I don't think it was a windup.

i have heard a similar story

[andrew1957]

Perhaps Brian and Sir John are avid readers of hobnob and realise how much we all want to sign him.

We can but hope. The longer no one else comes in for Khiz the more chance we have.