Midfield must change, we have options available

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There is a decent possibility that Celtic’s apparent malaise over the six games since the win at Fir Park has something to do with opposition teams closing space our midfielders used to so much effect against Newco at the start of February.

That game was such a platform for our midfield to demonstrate their ability to find and exploit space.  Sure, form slips, but opponents watch and learn.  Consequentially, Celtic must continue to change the script.

Through this period, Callum McGregor has continued to dominate his area as teams fall deeper, but the two more advanced midfielders, paired from Matt O’Riley, Tom Rogic and Reo Hatate, have been denied the acres available to them against Newco and Motherwell.

We cycled through Rogic-Hatate, O’Riley-Hatate and O’Riley-Rogic combinations during this period, to little effect.  The latter combo looked the least effective, but that was against Bodo/Glimt, by far the better opponents.

Meanwhile, Yosuke Ideguchi waits in the dugout.  We don’t know enough about Yosuke to make a proper judgement.  He made his debut as a late substitute against Hibs in January before being injured at Alloa on his next outing.  His only subsequent game time was again as a late sub against Raith.

When played, Yosuke has filled the deep-lying role.  Nir Bitton can play here too.  I cannot offer any great recommendation for either player, but I would like to see Callum McGregor higher up the field against St Mirren tomorrow, with Yosuke or Nir behind him.

For all the disappointments in Norway last week, Celtic improved when Callum came on to play in front of Bitton.  When he steps into the final third, he brings a presence no one else in the squad has.  I’m not going to tell you this should be a regular gig for him, but we need to change this area of the park for tomorrow and Sunday.  We have options, let’s use them.

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356 Comments

  1. prestonpans bhoys on

    From the Sun, I’ll not offer a link

     

     

    CELTIC and Rangers have struck a big money deal to go head-to-head in a historic Old Firm clash in Australia.

  2. Paul The Spark on

    Celtic have gained a higher profile in Australia due to Ange. This will probably bring in some financial benefits. I certainly don’t think we should be allowing the Huns to benefit from this and we definitely should not play a game against them. We should only ever play them when we have to.

  3. I only have the one login name (since i gave up osting as KevJ).

     

     

    So often i have to log back in again when i refresh a page or go back to read something.

     

     

    I dont know how the multies keep with it.

  4. SAINT STIVS on 1ST MARCH 2022 8:16 PM

     

     

    I dont know how the multies keep with it

     

    ———‐———

     

    Those Russian troll factories infiltrating CQN

  5. The owner at Middlesbrough Steve Gibson a fan who has supported his team for years tried his best for them to get into the EPL listens to the fans ,if only Celtic had someone like him at our club,So Lord Haughey ie Willie the only true fan I know of in the Board buy Desmond’s share and listen to the ordinary Celtic Fans .

  6. sceptical citizen on

    Instead of scrambling the gither to pay Desmond for his shares

     

    why not hold onto season ticket money for 6 weeks after renewal

     

    deadline – share price falls to zero – then make him leave

     

    or physically drag him out of Celtic fc no honourable exit

     

    for a, 5WA, Res 12, Same Club Lie, £49 oldfirm ticket trickster.

     

    DD – OOT with a sore pair of stones as a thanks now fk off.

     

     

    its just so simple…..

  7. Tim Malone Will Tell on

    SAINT STIVS on 1ST MARCH 2022 8:16 PM

     

    I only have the one login name (since i gave up osting as KevJ).

     

     

    So often i have to log back in again when i refresh a page or go back to read something.

     

     

    —————————————————————————————————————————

     

     

    Never underestimate the power of the JimBot…

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I dont know how the multies keep with it.

  8. Tim Malone Will Tell on

    SAINT STIVS on 1ST MARCH 2022 8:16 PM

     

    I only have the one login name (since i gave up osting as KevJ).

     

     

    So often i have to log back in again when i refresh a page or go back to read something.

     

     

    I dont know how the multies keep with it.

     

     

    ———————————————————————————————————————-

     

     

    Never underestimate the power of the JimBot

     

     

    (Excuse the fek up in the previous post)

  9. Guys,

     

     

    Quick comment, and I’ll keep it as brief as possible.

     

     

    Yeah, there was a time when my view on this was the club should let the legal process run on the CBC matter, and that’s still my view. But my underlying feelings on the matter have never wavered; the people who ran Celtic at that time knew full well what was going on. They could have used their influnece over the Boys Club, which you accept the link or not that influence was real, to change things and protect people and they never did.

     

     

    Most people think their biggest sin was taking our club to the brink. Not even close. Not even in the top 5.

     

     

    I have always wanted to see them prosecuted but know I never will.

     

     

    Here’s the problem supposing that this is the insurers who are blocking a settlement; the first thing our insurance company would do was fight a legal battle against US over the issue of whether or not they had ultimate liability … because most companies won’t insure you against legal liability where a crime has been committed, which is the case here.

     

     

    So don’t assume that the insurers are even involved in the deep negotiations on this one. If I were in their shoes I’d be fighting tooth and nail, and not with the accusers.

  10. JAMES FORREST on 1ST MARCH 2022 8:42 PM

     

     

     

    ‘most companies won’t insure you against legal liability where a crime has been committed’

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

    Incorrect.

     

     

    Eg breach of H&S regulations =crime. Insurers won’t pay fine, but will deal with claim for civil liability by injured employee.

  11. Still no sign of Riley Mc Gree playing for Boro.Unless he is on the bench.Has not played yet.

     

    Think we got the right Riley.

  12. Tom McLaughlin on

    My friend in Australia contacted me today about his delight that Celtic are coming to Sydney in November.

     

     

    When I questioned him further, he said it’s a 4-team tournament, but Celtic is the only club mentioned by the organisers.

     

     

    Once again Celtic cyberspace is full of anti-board nonsense on the back of one journalist’s tweet.

     

     

    Did we learn nothing after the Rangers CEO’s lies about away fans being allowed into Celtic Park?

  13. ERNIE LYNCH;

     

     

    We’ll find out in due course. But I suspect they will be fighting us on it before anything else.

     

     

    SFTB:

     

     

    Hope you are well fella! Keep on keeping on!

  14. Why so much worry over the CBC issue.Worry about it when the time comes.There will be plenty of comment on it from the scum.We don’t need to throw logs on.

     

    Que Sera.

  15. JAMES FORREST on 1ST MARCH 2022 8:51 PM

     

     

    No offence, but I don’t think you have a clue what you’re talking about.

  16. New fad this.Nutters on football blog,posting Tweets from some other nutters on nightly basis.

     

    Flat Earth CSC.

  17. sceptical citizen on

    The Sun

     

     

     

    NewsScottish News

     

    LEGAL ACTION Celtic break silence after judge rules Boys Club victims CAN sue them over sexual abuse

     

    James MulhollandGraham Mann

     

    20:21, 1 Mar 2022Updated: 20:24, 1 Mar 2022

     

    CELTIC have issued a statement after a judge gave the go ahead for Celtic Boys Club sex abuse victims to sue Parkhead bosses for millions.

     

    Lord Arthurson’s decision paves the way for 22 ex-youth players to launch a US-style class action.

     

    •••••••••••••••••••••

     

    The S*N 👆 didn’t want to put the article on blog.

  18. TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 1ST MARCH 2022 8:51 PM

     

     

     

    My friend in Australia contacted me today

     

     

    was it Gold Coast Jim ?

     

     

    -))

  19. Tom McLaughlin on

    Why do some Celtic supporters follow the career of players who exercised their right not to sign for Celtic, and gloat when he is not an instant success at his chosen club?

     

     

    It’s a bit like stalking a woman who rejected your advances and went out with someone else.

     

     

    Not healthy.

  20. quadrophenian on

    If 2x Aussie clubs are gunna be involved, you’d have to think it’d be Sydney FC and Melb Victory – both of who will bring decent fan supports to any games played.

     

    Attended game the last time we came out; pishing wet night and drab win at AAMI park as I remember.

     

     

    Sydney in Nov likely to be beaut weather and will draw bumper crowds.

     

     

    So we’re stuck with this Greek guy til then I guess ;)

  21. TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 1ST MARCH 2022 9:09 PM

     

     

    I’m still miffed that we didn’t sign Ivan de la Pena in 2003

  22. The thing about the CBC is that so many on here seem to know so much about it.So many Chinese Whispers,Taxi Drivers,a guy that heard from another guy,a guy that knew a guy that was involved.

     

    Almost 50 years ago,very difficult to prove anything.So many dead adds to the problem.

     

    The case will go ahead,but will be no easy case to prove.Hearsay,rumours,3rd party stories dont count.N

     

    The FAFF about wearing same strips,etc.All padding.Rock solid evidence to prove a link,will be needed.

     

    Let’s wait and see.We have a League to win.

  23. Not gloating about anything.Just passing on info.I actually watched the game to see him play.

     

    A wee bit too quick off the mark there with the snidey,sarcastic remarks.

  24. tom mclaughlin

     

     

    Tom, you spent a lot of time in Australia, how would you have felt had you had the opportunity to see Celtic play Rangers in your time there?

  25. Tom McLaughlin on

    I was kicking a ball about with Joe Jordan the night before he left Cleland as a teenager to move to Leeds. I couldn’t believe Celtic didn’t sign him.

  26. Tom McLaughlin on

    CELTIC MAC

     

     

    Hard to say. It was a different time and there wasn’t the same level of hatred as there is today, maybe because it was before the liquidation and there wasn’t such a big issue about us not being part of the Old Firm, as it was then.

     

     

    I would certainly have gone to the game – to see my beloved Celtic. I wouldn’t have missed it because of that mob.