Andre Bikey

[Coppelled Streets]

Personally, i think he isnt good enough but would like nothing more than to be proved wrong.
People say he could be another Sonko but I think his positioning is poor, he lacks pace and is poor on the ball.

He hasn't had a bad first season in the Premiership! He's also developed a heck of a lot since he came here.
This is good news!!

[Thomas L'Heureux]

I think this is a fabulous signing by the club and could be the best of the summer!

Bikey is an immense player! He is strong, fast, solid, powerful, skillfull, can play some brilliant passes.

Ok he makes the odd mistake but for me his higlight was when he outmuscled John Carew and managed to keep him at bay all afternoon.

I think Bikey is arguably the best centre back at the club. And if he is not already then he will certainly go on to become the best centre back.

He has stepped in fantastically well to fill Sonko's boots in his absence. It means we currently have 3 Premier class Centre backs. With Doobs looking past it and Bennet as yet unproven.

I think I'm in love...

[Tony Le Mesmer]

I think Bikey is arguably the best centre back at the club.

If the best centre back at the club needs our captain to tell him which part of the boot to use to make a clearance we have a serious problem.

As has been pointed out, we have signed him for his potential. His performances so far have conatined a lot of individual errors, but SC obviously thinks he has the making of a good player.

The comparisons with Sonko are rediculous. His strengths/weaknesses are almost the total opposite of Sonko when we first signed him.

[Top Flight]

No they're not..........

There are similarities in their play!

[Thomas L'Heureux]

The comparison is that they're both raw talents, but who have all the physical attributes to suceed.

In terms of footballing ability at this stage, Bikey is streets ahead of Sonko.

[Hoop Blah]

Apart from being black and reasonably tall I can't see much similarites between either their physical attributes or the way they play. Sonko was a 'natural' defender who couldn't play, Bikey is a player who can't defend naturally. Sonko was always exceptional in the air and quick on the ground. I don't think Bikey is either of those things.

The only common ground is their age and potential to improve.

I'm not a big fan of Bikey's yet, I think he's made too many mistakes, and I'm a little surprised we've signed him up so quickly, but he's done ok so far and Coppell obvioulsy feels he can get better so I guess thats good enough for me.

[Behindu]

and I'm a little surprised we've signed him up so quickly, .

Indeed, Coppell has rushed into this after only EIGHT MONTHS of watching Bikey play and train !!

If it happens then I think it is good news, although why the EP were slow to pick up on a story that was on here on Tuesday I'm not sure !

[Hoop Blah]

and I'm a little surprised we've signed him up so quickly, .

Indeed, Coppell has rushed into this after only EIGHT MONTHS of watching Bikey play and train !!

If it happens then I think it is good news, although why the EP were slow to pick up on a story that was on here on Tuesday I'm not sure !

Quickly as in such a long time before other transfer targets move around and opportuniteis present themselves.

Not a lot happens in the early summer, let alone now, and I'd have thought we might've waited to see who else we could've got before making this one permenant.

It does add weight to the suggestion that Sonko won't be fit for the start of the season.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

and I'm a little surprised we've signed him up so quickly, .

Indeed, Coppell has rushed into this after only EIGHT MONTHS of watching Bikey play and train !!

If it happens then I think it is good news, although why the EP were slow to pick up on a story that was on here on Tuesday I'm not sure !

Quickly as in such a long time before other transfer targets move around and opportuniteis present themselves.

Not a lot happens in the early summer, let alone now, and I'd have thought we might've waited to see who else we could've got before making this one permenant.

It does add weight to the suggestion that Sonko won't be fit for the start of the season.

Have you ever considered that Coppell wanted to sign Bikey on a permenant basis all along?

In taking him on-loan for the season and having the opportunity to see him perform first hand, Coppell's now agreed to make him a signing for the club.

I don't think it's a case of getting a good deal or seeing who else is available. It seems there has always been a view to sign Bikey up for the long-run and to suggest everything's been rushed is a little naive.

[Royalee]

Apart from being black and reasonably tall I can't see much similarites between either their physical attributes or the way they play. Sonko was a 'natural' defender who couldn't play, Bikey is a player who can't defend naturally. Sonko was always exceptional in the air and quick on the ground. I don't think Bikey is either of those things.

The only common ground is their age and potential to improve.

I'm not a big fan of Bikey's yet, I think he's made too many mistakes, and I'm a little surprised we've signed him up so quickly, but he's done ok so far and Coppell obvioulsy feels he can get better so I guess thats good enough for me.

His well-timed challenges on Rooney weren't 'defending naturally' then? Bikey can defend superbly, he just has concentration lapses where he gets caught out of position occasionally. With the aid of Wally Downes' coaching, these mistakes are getting fewer and fewer and he improves with every game.

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

Might have to move me seat now... 3 more years of the row in front of me winging about Bikey.....

HA! Not me, I'm right at the back of the East!!

So am i

[Hoop Blah]

I don't think it's a case of getting a good deal or seeing who else is available. It seems there has always been a view to sign Bikey up for the long-run and to suggest everything's been rushed is a little naive.

I didn't say it was rushed. I said I was surprised we've done it now when usually we have a tendency to keep our powder dry and see what happens in the rest of the market.

I have no doubt that Coppell wants Bikey in the squad. He's not one for getting players in just for the sake of it and I've got no doubts that the loan deal was seen by all as a way for Bikey to prove his pro's outweighed his cons and that he was worthy of a place in Coppells squad.

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

On balance i believe that Bikey has done enough to earn a contract with Reading. His early problems with sending offs and inexperience with Premiership football were counting against him but his raw talent is definately there to see and his performances have become consistently better- Man City away a case in point where he was immense. Its now up to Bikey to continue the trend and i think Coppell could mould him into a player to closely challenge our CB pairing of Sonko/Ingi. Dont forget that along with the raw talent, Bikey at a fairly young age has already had experience of playing in Europe and in a harsh environment.

I think Duberry has come in for some unfair criticism, he has on the whole done a job when called on and has been up against some tough sides. In all honesty Duberry and probably Bennett (though i have seen nothing of him so cant really comment!) will continue as our squad players and added as required. I think that Sodje,Brown and Mate will leave in the summer so we may still add another CB (eg Leon Barnett) so as to have 6 solid CB's with some potential within that. Alex Pearce could also figure next season, but another loan stint wouldnt do him any harm.

[brendywendy]

Apart from being black and reasonably tall I can't see much similarites between either their physical attributes or the way they play. Sonko was a 'natural' defender who couldn't play, Bikey is a player who can't defend naturally. Sonko was always exceptional in the air and quick on the ground. I don't think Bikey is either of those things.

The only common ground is their age and potential to improve.

I'm not a big fan of Bikey's yet, I think he's made too many mistakes, and I'm a little surprised we've signed him up so quickly, but he's done ok so far and Coppell obvioulsy feels he can get better so I guess thats good enough for me.

sonks was called 50p head by many royals during his early time with us
he was good at getting up there, but it was totally random where it went, and thats not really what i call good in the air

and sonko has made many mistakes both recently and during his developement period, some have been punished with penaltys
some he has got away with(noteably one horrific sliding challenge in our own box when other defenders were close by which luckily, and completely, missed both ball and attacker)its just that we conveniently forget them while we raise sonks to the level of superhuman.

for 1.2 million the man is a bargain
the positioning will come with experience

[Hoop Blah]

His well-timed challenges on Rooney weren't 'defending naturally' then? Bikey can defend superbly, he just has concentration lapses where he gets caught out of position occasionally. With the aid of Wally Downes' coaching, these mistakes are getting fewer and fewer and he improves with every game.

They were good tackles when he was left in a last ditch one on one situation.

By natural defender I mean one that has awareness, concentration, the ability to read the game and sniff out a danger long before it actually arises. Making last ditch tackles is like reflex saves for a keeper, their the easy bit, the difficult bit is the mental side and making those saving tackles less and less common.

The United game, and that example was an exceptional passage of play because of the situation in the game, we were throwing everthing forward to get back into the game....Bikey may have came out of it looking very good but a natural defender wouldn't have contributed to us being 3-0 down inside 6 minutes!

[brendywendy]

a natural defender like ivar perhaps?

wasnt he playing in that game too?

[Hoop Blah]

sonks was called 50p head by many royals during his early time with us
he was good at getting up there, but it was totally random where it went, and thats not really what i call good in the air

and sonko has made many mistakes both recently and during his developement period, some have been punished with penaltys
some he has got away with(noteably one horrific sliding challenge in our own box when other defenders were close by which luckily, and completely, missed both ball and attacker)its just that we conveniently forget them while we raise sonks to the level of superhuman.

for 1.2 million the man is a bargain
the positioning will come with experience

I've not said Sonko was perfect, and he and Ivar have both made costly errors this season, but his game was always about being a defender first and foremost.

Some might've called him 50p head but he very rarely failed to win an arial battle and that was very important to us.

Sonko has improved over time. He's by no means the finished article either, and like Bikey will need to continue to improve to help RFC stay in this league.

[Stranded]

I don't think it's a case of getting a good deal or seeing who else is available. It seems there has always been a view to sign Bikey up for the long-run and to suggest everything's been rushed is a little naive.

I didn't say it was rushed. I said I was surprised we've done it now when usually we have a tendency to keep our powder dry and see what happens in the rest of the market.

I have no doubt that Coppell wants Bikey in the squad. He's not one for getting players in just for the sake of it and I've got no doubts that the loan deal was seen by all as a way for Bikey to prove his pro's outweighed his cons and that he was worthy of a place in Coppells squad.

Fact remains that we were going to sign him permanently last summer but the incident in Sweden made Coppell decide on the loan option first so he could see him on a day to day basis.

It's a very different transfer to the type we usually make.

[Behindu]

When does the loan deal for Bikey expire ?
Presumably in about 3 weeks....

If we had waited until much later our option on him would have expired and I suspect there would have been plenty of other interest, plus Moscow would have been upping the fee.

It's a totally different situation to an 'open market' deal, effectively we have extended his contract much like we did to Doyle, Kitson and Sidwell.

[Woodcote Royal]

Very good news in my book, too, and a real bargain in Premiership terms.

I can't believe those who say he lacks pace!

Gunnarsson, Ingimarsson, Duberry, Shorey.......................show me some pace in that back line

In my view, our defence needs at least one of Sonks or Bikey as it's their pace that usually allows them to make up for errors, and that includes those that are not of their own making.

Murty couldn't have stormed forward so much this season without Sonko around to chase back when required.

And, likes Sonks before him , I believe Bikey will be a star, but probably in midfield.....................