He has his critics, but just on the park and Raskin puts McGregor on his arse. It's a pity no other player had the bottle to do this, instead allowing him to stroll around as if he owned the place.Our midfield has no bite, Sterling needs played in the middle of the park, or Raskin needs a chance.
He had to keep leaving him to close down ccv or scales, then they had a spare man. They did this repeatedly. Then we were a man down we didn't have the brains to reorganize, and or we weren't prepared to give up the ball in areas of no dangerWhy-what was manager thinking?
Lawrence is the weakest in the whole squad and lazy imo!
Huge mistake! Sterling should have been the marker in midfield and all over McGregor!
Do this and negate him and we may have a chance to win the cup!
He did but both CCV and Scales will always look to McGregor as an out in the first instance, close that option and light a fire under Dessers to shut them down and they won't be as comfortable or hurtful stepping forward with the ball. Lundstram and Diomande had this happening in front of them the whole time and failed to address it and often weren't on Hatate or O'Riley tightly either.He had to keep leaving him to close down ccv or scales, then they had a spare man. They did this repeatedly. Then we were a man down we didn't have the brains to reorganize, and or we weren't prepared to give up the ball in areas of no danger
Needed a Ryan jack type player
Exactly.Didn't understand the manager's thinking on this at all. We had a defensively able and athletically capable player in Sterling asked to play on the right, whilst we play Lawrence who has failed in both capacities in previous games against the same opposition placed there. Surely the swap was obvious. What is this determination to play Sterling on the right? Is it to protect Tav? Negating McGregor would've contributed more than that whilst providing more effective width in an attacking sense with any of Lawrence, Cantwell, McCausland or even Wright on the right wing. McGregor is to mobile and quick for Lawrence ( and probably Cantwell) in there, we need him nullified and Sterling is more than capable.
At New Year Sterling played as a DM alongside Lundstram I'm sure. Made absolutely no difference. In fact looking at the thread below, most media had McGregor as their MotM and Sterling as pretty average. I recall him being one of our better players but, for sure, he didn't stop McGregor running the show for them.There’s a danger Sterling is being hyped up into saviour-like status on here, but if there was one role he would surely have excelled at - because he’s done exactly that previously - it was as a midfielder nullifying McGregor.
As others have said though, it appears Clement doesn’t entirely trust Tav defensively and Sterling offers him the best protection on that side.
Personally I would have preferred a three man midfield including Sterling in order to win control of that area of the park and cut off supply to Maeda on the right, but Clement is the one getting paid the big bucks to make those decisions, not me.
I have little confidence he’ll change anything for the cup final.
Exactly this , Raskin stands up to the boggle eyed convicted drunk driver and takes no shit off him , should be given an extended run in the team.He has his critics, but just on the park and Raskin puts McGregor on his arse. It's a pity no other player had the bottle to do this, instead allowing him to stroll around as if he owned the place.
It's ironic that Lundstram's charge was the only time we saw him attempting to close down their players, O'Riley had way too much freedom yesterday, Diomande gave away stupid fouls against Hatate, and neither could encourage Lawrence or Dessers to close down opponents operating in their sphere. If either Lunny or Dio step forward to close down are Souttar and Davies so incapable of marking Kyogo that they cannot step onto whichever midfielder is left unattended ? We just seem to let them dictate play and pull our players around the pitch without ever getting close enough to close them off or play around us.Exactly.
It's mystifying why Sterling wasn't used for that role, in midfield.
Indeed, you could even suggest that if Sterling had been doing that, adding bite and solidity to the middle, Lundstram wouldn't have went tonto with his mad lunge.
Too much ?
Maybe, but having a solid three in the middle (no matter how slow JL is) just might have made things turn out different.
We may also have seen a bit more from Diomande, who was another who looked quite lost.
Sterling is a physical specimen.There’s a danger Sterling is being hyped up into saviour-like status on here, but if there was one role he would surely have excelled at - because he’s done exactly that previously - it was as a midfielder nullifying McGregor.
As others have said though, it appears Clement doesn’t entirely trust Tav defensively and Sterling offers him the best protection on that side.
Personally I would have preferred a three man midfield including Sterling in order to win control of that area of the park and cut off supply to Maeda on the right, but Clement is the one getting paid the big bucks to make those decisions, not me.
I have little confidence he’ll change anything for the cup final.
Except when he doesn't. See post #20.Sterling is a physical specimen.
He dominates mcgregor in a head to head every day of the week and he has an element of badness in him which helps.
Mcgregor is a bam - a wee nyaff - sleekit wee lady's front bottom who lives in the shadows - the only time he can act wide is on the pitch but he's a mentally weak we shitbag who knocks his bird about.
Sterling rags him about like a dog toy - given the opportunity
I think the New Year’s game was one of the first where Sterling featured more centrally. No, he didn’t really stop McGregor that day but I felt he really began to shine in that role thereafter.At New Year Sterling played as a DM alongside Lundstram I'm sure. Made absolutely no difference. In fact looking at the thread below, most media had McGregor as their MotM and Sterling as pretty average. I recall him being one of our better players but, for sure, he didn't stop McGregor running the show for them.
Sterling is a defender. If we want to see the best of him we need to play him as a defender. DM/CM position is alien to him, despite the thoughts of most on here. Play him in defence and recruit 'proper' midfield players to address our issues in midfield. Otherwise, we risk either not seeing the best of Sterling or losing him altogether.
This is from the New Year game:
Player Ratings and Stats from the papers - Celtic v Rangers
HERALD MAIL ON SUNDAY SUNDAY MAIL SCOTTISH SUN ON SUNDAYwww.followfollow.com
I don't read the Herald and prefer to use my eyes.Except when he doesn't. See post #20.
According to Transfermarkt it was his third game (in a row) for us in that role. He's only played there twice since - Aberdeen at Home in the League and Aberdeen in the League Cup Final. He was, arguably, our best player in the latter.I think the New Year’s game was one of the first where Sterling featured more centrally. No, he didn’t really stop McGregor that day but I felt he really began to shine in that role thereafter.
What I liked about him there was his athleticism and strength. He was winning a lot of tackles, intercepting passes, breaking up play and moving us forward. I think it also gave Lundstram space to concentrate on dictating play.
I don’t feel the balance has been anything like as effective with Diomande alongside Lundstram and it has to be acknowledged that our problems began around about the same time.
With Lundstram now out for Tuesday there’s an opportunity for Clement to see how a midfield duo of Sterling and Diomande works.
It might not, but I would expect a manager who has been at pains to stress he’s obsessive about winning to be looking at every possible option in pursuit of that.
Frustratingly I suspect Raskin will play in that role however.
The Herald? I guess you didn't open the link then, given it had a whole range of options for you to scroll through. All largely along the same lines.I don't read the Herald and prefer to use my eyes.
If he's played in the correct way in midfield with the correct instructions is key
Wouldn't waste my time opening it bud - dont have time for any negativityThe Herald? I guess you didn't open the link then, given it had a whole range of options for you to scroll through. All largely along the same lines.
Specsavers open at 9am tomorrow.
Mcgregor is vastly over rated.
Teams give him freedom of the park.
It's absurd. Yet an opposition manager can't see it?
Last paragraph is spot on, and it's a feeling I don't think I'll be able to shake. Especially if he does it again in the cup final.He’s a good player. But we give him too much time, respect and leave ourselves hamstrung with our options and selection of a midfield.
The amount of people that called it all last week yet sat and watched the manager fail to address the midfield.
A priceless commodity.Wouldn't waste my time opening it bud - dont have time for any negativity
We were more competitive at new year anyway.
Specsavers may help with eyesight but you'll struggle to find a shop to cure your ability for being an annoying twat.
Last paragraph is spot on, and it's a feeling I don't think I'll be able to shake. Especially if he does it again in the cup final.
Last paragraph is spot on, and it's a feeling I don't think I'll be able to shake. Especially if he does it again in the cup final.
OK mate my bad.A priceless commodity.
I wasn't being negative bud, I simply don't agree Sterling is this 'messiah' in midfield that so many seem to have him down as. He's a defender. Play him as a defender and recruit to address the deficiencies in midfield.
I do appreciate I'm in a small minority who are of that view - and circumstances may dictate we see Sterling in that role again in the Cup Final. Hopefully has a better outcome than last time.
It's not that simple, they draw other players out to give him space.Mcgregor is vastly over rated.
Teams give him freedom of the park.
It's absurd. Yet an opposition manager can't see it?
Or you could put Sterling on him all game and play Wright or McCausland on the right instead.Lawrence starts against Celtic, he's shite, next game Cantwell starts rather than Lawrence against Celtic and he's shite.
Rinse and repeat.
Might well be what happens in the Cup Final. Time will tell if its his long-term position. Not for me, as I say, but he certainly needs to be in the team somewhere.OK mate my bad.
I don't think he's the next Zidane or anything but I think he gives us more in there in terms of getting after people than any other player at the club.
If Clement doesn't do this in the Final he's on a hiding to nothing.
He's got plenty of other players who can play out wider in the position he seems to like playing sterling.
Lawerence despite having no pace can pass it from out there, Cantwell mcausland sima - we need to get Sterling into the middle in an attempt to control the middle of the park where mcgregor oreilly and hatate have carte balance to do whatever they bloody want
He also played there against Kilmarnock and Hibs. The league games against Aberdeen at home and Hibs at Easter Road saw us play some of our best football of the season, IMO, and I think a big part of that was the presence Sterling brought to our midfield.According to Transfermarkt it was his third game (in a row) for us in that role. He's only played there twice since - Aberdeen at Home in the League and Aberdeen in the League Cup Final. He was, arguably, our best player in the latter.
I'm in a very small minority but I firmly believe we see the best of him in defence, as yesterday helped illustrate. Certainly in the longer term. For the Cup Final it ill come down to who's available I guess.
That's been the main problem the whole time. We give them the entire middle of the park to do what they want. This then leads to wave after wave of attack and by the law of averages the defenders will make mistakes in that scenario.A lot of focus goes on the defence but the ease at which they are able to get to our defence passing it around our midfield first 35 minutes yesterday was absolutely embarassing imo.
He makes them tick but the suggestion we need to build our tactics around him is mental.Mcgregor is vastly over rated.
Teams give him freedom of the park.
It's absurd. Yet an opposition manager can't see it?
Tav is capable of attacking the back post and would prob make better decisions in the forward areas, and Sterling would make better decisions in the defensive areas so why not swap them about doesn't seem like rocket scienceSterling played on the right because we wanted to target their back post. It worked for the goal and was very close on at least one other occasion. If you have a full squad to choose from you can play Sima there and let Sterling drop back.
Lawrence starts against Celtic, he's shite, next game Cantwell starts rather than Lawrence against Celtic and he's shite.
Rinse and repeat.