Europa League v Zenit
- Thread starter TicV"Establishment"
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TicV"Establishment"
Alert Team
This long into Rodgers' tenure we should be far better in all areas of the pitch, in terms of organisation and performance levels, than we currently are. Regressing rapidly with very little creativity and even fewer goals and always likely to conceded at the other end.
We should have a better quality of player at this stage too. Yet another transfer window went by with no quality brought in. There's a distinct complacency running through the club.
We should have a better quality of player at this stage too. Yet another transfer window went by with no quality brought in. There's a distinct complacency running through the club.
I have to agree, Tic. Bringing in players like Compper, a once-capped German player at age 31, and an youngster like Hendry who isn't ready for a big stage was off the mark and even a big cynical. Musonda is quality, but we still offer little up the middle and tactically the team looks repetitive. Rodgers needs news tactics and we do need a house cleaning of a few players in the summer window.
We need a creative player in the middle of the park. The entire central defense needs replaced. Lustig has been a great Celt, but it's time for a new look. I love Scott Brown, love the man. But he's starting to look like Lennon in his last year in the Hoops. And I can't believe i'm saying this 12 months after last season's goals frenzy, but Dembele is borderline useless. If we have ambition, we need change.
We need a creative player in the middle of the park. The entire central defense needs replaced. Lustig has been a great Celt, but it's time for a new look. I love Scott Brown, love the man. But he's starting to look like Lennon in his last year in the Hoops. And I can't believe i'm saying this 12 months after last season's goals frenzy, but Dembele is borderline useless. If we have ambition, we need change.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Nail on head.......Brown in most games now is exactly like Lennon was. He's purely there to mop up but he can't even always do that effectively. He did it brilliantly well in the first leg against Zenit but was unable to replicate it away from home.....why?
That's the confusing thing about the away leg and a point that Chris Sutton was making in commentary.....we seem unable in general this season to put 2 very good displays together back to back, particularly in Europe! Zenit were not that much better, but we weren't good enough.
Ivanovic back in their team made a difference and Tierney didn't seem as confident taking him on as he was taking on the RB last week! Yet had he tried it a few more times, it probably would have started working!
I think we have to look at what positives we have.........
Ntcham looked the business at Celtic Park and he's still young, his first season in Europe and he should get better!
Ajer now has more experience and again, his first season in Europe so he should only get better. He still looks like a top talent. What he needs is a calm, experienced head next to him to help him through games. That could potentially be Marvin Compper but we've yet to see him and we're almost in March!
Forrest has generally been fantastic this season but we can't rely on him doing it all!
Musonda looks like he's a bit of a player and while not the same sort as Roberts, he's got the ability to link play and create things. One to watch!
Kouassi again looks like he's going to come good. He's shown glimpses of what he can bring. He was asked to be more attacking in the Zenit games whereas in reality, Rodgers has already said that he'll be Brown's replacement. However the fact he can go forward as well as defend well is a good thing!
That's about all I can think of......I thought Dembele was poor in the away leg whereas he'd been very good in the home leg. He might not have been much of a goal threat but his overall play was very good. He seems to be suffering from second season syndrome so let's hope if he's still with us next season that he's back to his old self. We can only hope that this season is showing him that he's got to continue working very hard to score and play well or the offers might not be there!
Sinclair is in a similar position. Second season syndrome, although he has started to look more like himself.
DDV has confirmed he is NOT good enough, not even to really be back-up to Craig Gordon and there are still questions over whether we could do with trying to find a better keeper than Gordon!
Lustig was poor in BOTH legs! He didn't look comfortable on the ball, gave it away a lot and just played passes that were not helpful! Easy to read, long balls that didn't even reach their man. Not his best! He was also at fault for one of the goals where he didn't react to the man running off him. He's unfortunately getting past it and I think we'll see a much bigger role for Ralston next season and even once he's back from injury this season.
That's the confusing thing about the away leg and a point that Chris Sutton was making in commentary.....we seem unable in general this season to put 2 very good displays together back to back, particularly in Europe! Zenit were not that much better, but we weren't good enough.
Ivanovic back in their team made a difference and Tierney didn't seem as confident taking him on as he was taking on the RB last week! Yet had he tried it a few more times, it probably would have started working!
I think we have to look at what positives we have.........
Ntcham looked the business at Celtic Park and he's still young, his first season in Europe and he should get better!
Ajer now has more experience and again, his first season in Europe so he should only get better. He still looks like a top talent. What he needs is a calm, experienced head next to him to help him through games. That could potentially be Marvin Compper but we've yet to see him and we're almost in March!
Forrest has generally been fantastic this season but we can't rely on him doing it all!
Musonda looks like he's a bit of a player and while not the same sort as Roberts, he's got the ability to link play and create things. One to watch!
Kouassi again looks like he's going to come good. He's shown glimpses of what he can bring. He was asked to be more attacking in the Zenit games whereas in reality, Rodgers has already said that he'll be Brown's replacement. However the fact he can go forward as well as defend well is a good thing!
That's about all I can think of......I thought Dembele was poor in the away leg whereas he'd been very good in the home leg. He might not have been much of a goal threat but his overall play was very good. He seems to be suffering from second season syndrome so let's hope if he's still with us next season that he's back to his old self. We can only hope that this season is showing him that he's got to continue working very hard to score and play well or the offers might not be there!
Sinclair is in a similar position. Second season syndrome, although he has started to look more like himself.
DDV has confirmed he is NOT good enough, not even to really be back-up to Craig Gordon and there are still questions over whether we could do with trying to find a better keeper than Gordon!
Lustig was poor in BOTH legs! He didn't look comfortable on the ball, gave it away a lot and just played passes that were not helpful! Easy to read, long balls that didn't even reach their man. Not his best! He was also at fault for one of the goals where he didn't react to the man running off him. He's unfortunately getting past it and I think we'll see a much bigger role for Ralston next season and even once he's back from injury this season.
TicV"Establishment"
Alert Team
Good points bhoys.
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