I remember an old debate about what was more important: players or tactics? Current consensus is that tactics rule, but that’s because we live in an era of tactical innovation. In the decades when tactics never deviated from 4-4-2, success in the game was about players.
There’s another element: partnerships. Good players can be tactically right for a side, but still underachieve because their team-mates don’t move that fraction of a second before a defender reacts to the danger (or an opposing striker steals a yard).
You may be able to identify our strongest starting 11, but with so many changes to the line-up this season, you will struggle to name partnerships that have impressed you. Until Saturday. As Nicolas Kuhn cut inside and looked into the St Johnstone box, Kyogo did a 360° spin, creating space at the moment required to meet the subsequent cross, which our Japanese hero converted.
The opening moments of the second half saw a mirror image of this, resulting in the second goal. Kyogo’s first touch took him wider, but Kuhn understood what would happen next, and made a run into the box. The goal, against a packed defence, looked easy.
Over the years, you and I have seen what happens when players successfully feed off each other. In possession, they look out for the other, the target player takes a cue to move when his partner is on the ball. Confidence builds and soon everything works better. With so many injuries and new faces to integrate, a lack of effective partnerships has been one of our major drags this season.
We learned on Saturday that Nicolas arrived at Celtic in January around 7kg (over a stone in old money) underweight; around 10% of his bodyweight. He would have been weak, but there was no hiding. Now fully fit, his trajectory is impressive. Add him to the lengthy list of ‘written off too soon’ targets, season 2023-24.
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Back to Basics –
I know the transfer market seems to have slowed down but figured there must be some decent money getting spent in the Championship.
I just checked the below website – I don’t know how accurate it is – and it looks like West Brom didn’t spend any money bringing in 10 players over the summer and winter windows. Changed days.
WBAQN must have been in meltdown.
Good morning all from McKinnons Bar. It’s raining outside but I have joy in my heart. I’m a Tim. 💚
MH – Cheers.
Clearly Mikey has thrived in a new environment.
Credit to him. I wish him well.
Your point about WBA is a good one.
Wasn’t aware of their finances – so they’re not likely to be in the mix to sign MJ.
But they are helping to raise his profile.
Couple of good markets for the Mikeys of this world
(that decent level player but with the jury out on whether they could hold down a place in the EPL)
1. Starter in a team just relegated from EPL.
Parachute payments in play …
… but costs need cutting …
… But still need to be competitive for promotion push back into the big time.
So they sell their best players (which might be just one or two) at £15m – £30m.
And buy decent players at £8m – 12m on lower wages
(cue Mikey)
2. EPL punt as a squad player.
Despite FFP, EPL are STILL buying guys for £10m who’ve torn it up in the Championship or a smaller European country but have never played a minute in the EPL.
Viewed through a certain lens there is a logic to it.
Sign a guy for £10m fee, £20m total cost over four years who will ….
– Push the first team guy, stop him getting complacent
– do a job in a few league games plus cup ties
– contribute just 2/3 assists and 1/2 goals per season which to yield the extra 3-5 points that keep us in the big league (with it’s £200m per annum guarantee).
Is McKinnons. Bar under the railway bridge on London Road
Is McKinnons. Bar under the railway bridge on London Road
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1 street up (Gallowgate) from London Road, but still under the same bridge on that road
Saint Joseph day.
SAINT STIVS on 19TH MARCH 2024 11:48 AM
Saint Joseph day.
___________________________________________
It is indeed, when’s St. Stivs day?
new article posted.
Brendan Rodgers is a Mikey Johnston fan – he does not want to see Mikey Johnston sold. He gave him a chance to thrive “on loan” away from the fans who had largely written him off.
James Forrest had to go through the same thing every year of his Celtic career. Now, I don’t know if Mikey has the same resilience as James showed but he’ll need it because I hear every week what the fans think about both players. They are actively disliked and not rated as Celtic class by a large proportion of match day attenders. I travel by train and I hear the comments both before and after matches.
When either has appeared the view is “How far have we sunk when we are looking for Mikey/Jamesie to save things?”. Even if they perform well- they get faint praise only- “How bad must Kuhn/Yang/Maeda/Palma be if they get a game ahead of them?”
I want to see Mikey get one last chance. He will only fetch a large fee if he thrives for longer than a few weeks. He has had a great start but he is under contract for a long time. We do not need to sell.
Voila