Steps to repair the defence

494

Very pleased we appear to be on the verge of signing a central defender, especially one who at 24 (Erik Sviatchenko), should be very much in his prime. The previous two seasons each brought excellent defensive performance records but things fell apart from the very start of this season – way before Virgil van Dijk left.

The reasons for the are varied. Jason Denayer left to be replaced by Dedryck Boyata. Dedryck is more settled now but he was well short of Jason’s standards early on. Still is. We have also regressed in the full back positions. Emilio Izaguirre’s decline has been gradual but clear. 18-year-old Kieran Tierney makes fewer mistakes and (I think) poses a greater physical challenge.

Then we have Mikael Lustig. Mikael has always been a favourite of mine; as recently as September I regarded him as our best defender, but I think he’s been well off his best for most of the season. He has been regularly caught in the wrong position and his distribution is often a possession-losing lump upfield.

Craig Gordon would be first to admit his form is nowhere near where it was last season, when he almost single-handedly was responsible for us reaching the Europa League knockout stage. The questions for Craig are what’s going wrong and can it be fixed?

Think back to the latter days of Artur Boruc’s time at Celtic. Artur has gone from having Bayern Munich scouts at Celtic Park to watch him to a guy we sold without fuss as a backup for Fiorentina for £1.2m. Whatever it was he had, had gone. I thought he was finished. Six years later he’s at something approaching his best at Bournemouth.

Craig Gordon has the best part of 4 years on Artur. He has time to get back on form.

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494 Comments

  1. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Welcome to celtic big Erik

     

     

    One wee tip ( if you happen to be reading this site )

     

     

    Don’t read this site – you will be slagged off within weeks

  2. Hunderbirds are Gone on

    Visiting family in Embra – Gonna watch SportScene on the iPad wi the sound down. Pity as wee Leigh is on. Laters all

  3. Throwback McCall…………..

     

     

    smoooooooth……………………………………………

     

     

    ;)

  4. How many traps will be set for LG on Sportscene?

     

    McCall embarrassing trying to do the Sky Jamie Redknapp analysis thingy

  5. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Bada

     

     

    I noticed the video pauses then mccall says ” I will just pause it there” and then presses the pause button

  6. Scandinavian celts. Good and maybe not o.

     

     

    1. Hedman.

     

    2. Laursen.

     

    3 . edvalsson

     

    4. Reiper.

     

    5. Mastorovic.

     

    6. Gravensun.

     

    7. Larsson.

     

    8. Weighorst

     

    9.

     

    10.

     

    11. Lungeburg

     

     

    Need a few more

     

    .

  7. HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 17TH JANUARY 2016 10:19 PM

     

     

    Marc Rieper – The Toe

     

     

    Leigh Griffiths – The Thumb

     

     

    List anyone?

     

    —————————————-

     

    Gary Caldwell – The Heid!

  8. Scandanavian XI

     

     

    Hedman

     

    Lustig Mjallby Reiper Laursen

     

    Graveson Weighorst Johansen Riseth

     

    Larsson Brattbakk

  9. Fs. Was racking my brains cos there were some obvious one missing

     

     

    Mjallby. Brattback and riseth

  10. Silver City 1888 on

    Celtic Trust ‏@TheCelticTrust 14m14 minutes ago

     

    A building warrant was approved for the safe standing section at Celtic Park on 7th January. Applied for on 28/3/12. Took a while but….

     

     

    Is this new? Just seems a bit odd coming out at this time on a Sunday night. On the face of it, good news.

  11. Just checking my new name.

     

     

    Time for us all to show more respect for each other.

     

    Many of us have started lurking rather than contributing due to the personal abuse and threatened violence online and offline.

     

    Not such a problem at night but daytime is worse.

     

    So let’s reassert our principles.

  12. eddieinkirkmichael on

    A few people are going to be upset, Lee Griff says his improvement is down to John Collins. Yes that JC that some want out of our club.

  13. Googybhoyshowrespect

     

     

    Do you advocate zero tolerance. No matter the poster????

     

     

    Hail, hail

  14. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    Googybhoy

     

     

    Nice to see to posting again

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  15. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    Tbj

     

     

    I was wrong in much of that business last night. I’ll not bore you with excuses.

     

     

    Please accept my apology.

  16. GARY67 on 17TH JANUARY 2016 11:08 PM

     

    Mohammed Elyanoussi of Molde our latest target according to back page of the sun tomorrow

     

     

    Looks like either him or Falk from Odense,both right sided attackers,taxi for Forrest

  17. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    BCW

     

     

    My friend, I hope you are well?

     

     

    TBJ allow mental, is a really good lhad like yourself ( Aye mental!)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  18. Hunderbirds are Gone on

    Funny how well we played right from the start of the highlights.

     

     

    When you know it ended 4-1 :)))

  19. BCW

     

     

    Good man. I know you both and I’d imagine that you’d happily shake on it in person.