We should have gone all out to buy Shankland in January.
Failing to do so has likely cost us £50 million.
We couldn't due to FFP.
Plus do Hearts beat then at Tynecastle without him? Doubt it. So it probably all balanced out.
We should have gone all out to buy Shankland in January.
Failing to do so has likely cost us £50 million.
With what money Bearman?We should have gone all out to buy Shankland in January.
Failing to do so has likely cost us £50 million.
I think this is the only decision that Clement has made that I would question. We need Sterling in midfield for his athleticism. If the manager doesn't trust Borna then play one of the kidsTotally agree with your first couple of points, that and losing Yilmaz is massive.
On the last point, I just wonder if Lundstram is so bad now because he has lost the security of Raskin or Sterling beside him, resulting in zero midfield structure. Maybe he has chucked it, but surley the manager would know this and drop him? %^*& knows!
A lot of posters were screaming for Sterling to be moved up into midfield tonight, I actually expected that from the start. I just can understand it, Borna at LB has to be less of a negative than sacrificing Sterling to play him at LB instead given the massive impact on the midfield.
If he has been told to leave he shouldn't be anywhere near the team.I wouldn’t be surprised if Lundstrams been told to leave and he and his clique have went in a huff
Single biggest factor for me... Yilmaz getting injured playing for Turkey.
Agree entirely, something isn't right at the club.I honestly think something has happened behind the scenes. That was a complete lack of effort tonight and one or two players being injured doesn't make half a team suddenly give up.
I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
We have been really unfortunate with injuries to our wide players. Even Lovelace lasted only a couple of games.Your very last comment here is the one point I wanted to add to this.
The beat performance I've personally seen this season was that 5-0 at home v Hearts where Cortes and Ridvan were excellent on the left, and likewise Tav and Sterling on the right hand side gave us excellent balance down both flanks. Only a couple of weeks after and that whole left flank has been fucked because of the injuries and we've not found anywhere near an adequate solution since Sterling just doesn't look comfortable at LB and Silva has been shoehorned in there expected to do the job Cortes was brought in for, when I'm still not sure I could really call Silvas best position.
Isn't the time Goldsons confidence dropped also the same time Balogun got injured? I feel like Souttar's positioning is poor. He's a very Scottish style of defender that has an all or nothing approach, & ends up way out of position when it goes wrong. I think it would be difficult to feel confident woth him next to youWhen was the last time Sterling played CM? For me Lundstram’s legs have gone because he played every minute of every game. That has been a major factor. The last game he played well was Hibs away.
Clement has also preserved with Silva and Dessers in the team together (until tonight) and it hasn’t worked. Playing Silva on the left hasn’t worked since we played in Lisbon. I can’t recall it working prior to that.
Goldson’s confidence seemed to totally collapse around the middle of February for some reason and he hasn’t recovered. I can’t remember the last time he had even a semi decent game.
It really wasn't, the form of this team was teetering on the brink long before that.That was the moment.
Can't be the case surely. Surely you would tell them win the league and there will be a decent offer.Gut feeling lundstrams,contract talks havnt been to his liking, his performance the last few weeks have been telling.
Wouldn't surprise me if another few have been told their time is up.
And not before time
The tame fashion we exited Europe should have cause more concern at the time.
No one will ever admit it but Europa League progression was de-prioritised.
That mindset is loser material - and here we are.
I think having to flog the likes of Dessers every game, whilst also lacking genuine wide options like Cortes and, until now, Sima has eventually taken its toll.
We were flying and confident and actually showing bottle (coming from behind at Kilmarnock, smashing Hearts, seeing out some nervy games) and then the injuries and tiredness toom hold, we stuttered and the confidence wen
These bottlers will drive me back to the wineZero belief in a squad that's made up of players who don't get it.
A draw in the English Championship would see most of these bottlers celebrating with a glass of wine when they got home.
Really hope we pull it back together. Though I won’t hold my breath.Psychology plays a huge role in football, and beating Dundee before the peasants game at Ibrox would have placed us top of the table, and set up for the rest of the season. Dropping points at Ibrox against that mob has shattered the team morale.
Agree, he was our best player in many games before going on International leave.Single biggest factor for me... Yilmaz getting injured playing for Turkey.
Sadly there might be truth in this. Dressing room culture needs revampedI wouldn’t be surprised if Lundstrams been told to leave and he and his clique have went in a huff
I wasn't going to say that he takes a great penaltyDid i say that ? As captain, he is meant to provide the inspiration, leadership and mental fortitude to the rest of the team when it really matters. When have we ever seen that from him ?
(And please don't say he takes a good penalty - that's not the function of an effective captain).
I'd add Cortes getting crocked too.
It's meant changes to the team that haven't worked.
Silva and Sterling as our left hand side.
Which may also explain his sugar coating and ego massaging post match interview last night.It seemed to start with Clement throwing Dio under the bus for one of the Motherwell goals. I just wonder if the players were that fragile they took offence?
I was certainly surprised he mentioned him by name.
A player a high percentage of the support either wanted sold or didn’t rate!A few mentions of the importance of Yilmaz - a player we were trying to sell in January.
Just had the same conversation.Our injuries have exacerbated what the manager had already told us was a completely unfit squad and it's now caught up with us.
I honestly just think they are done and have nothing left to give
It's almost like Celtic scored within 20 seconds and we've never recovered from it. That goal absolutely battered us mentally and sent us on a journey of destructionI’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
Is this a criticism?And even Gio’s win took extra time and let’s be real, Celtic were absolutely dead on their arse that day.
Gerrard showed Celtic absolutely no respect, turned the tide back in our favour and when he left, that mentality he finally built left with him.
Our injuries have exacerbated what the manager had already told us was a completely unfit squad and it's now caught up with us.
I honestly just think they are done and have nothing left to give
I'm getting a case of absolut before the price hike by youslessThese bottlers will drive me back to the wine
When you look at the timing of this, you can’t think there has to be something in it.I think getting knocked out of Europe was a big factor. The core of this group like playing in Europe and seem to loathe playing in the Scottish league. Once we were knocked out I think some of them subconsciously dropped their levels.
It's fans job to dream and sing enthusiastically and the teams job to deliver. It was on a plate then and the players conspired to throw it away.We beat StJohnstone at McDiarmid to go top the day after Celtic had drawn at Parkhead and the players and fans thought that was the league won. It was cringey hearing that eff you Celtic song were gonna win the league with so many games to go and i think the players believed it as well.
The euphoria that day was OTT.
This one is laughable.This is what people refuse to admit. It's no example to set to the new players especially the young ones, it's no coincidence Butland had lost confidence to come off his line after that. Imaging having Tav and Goldson in front of you. Imaging a young player silva etc seeing that example. You'd fall apart. Since that moment we have been a shadow of ourselves.
That’s exactly it.The fear of being in with a shout going to parkheed
We'd just played a KO tie in Europe that had went to ET 3 days before it. Why were they dead on their arse and we weren't?And even Gio’s win took extra time and let’s be real, Celtic were absolutely dead on their arse that day.
Gerrard showed Celtic absolutely no respect, turned the tide back in our favour and when he left, that mentality he finally built left with him.
Possibly. But I thought Souttar was absolutely fine last night.Isn't the time Goldsons confidence dropped also the same time Balogun got injured? I feel like Souttar's positioning is poor. He's a very Scottish style of defender that has an all or nothing approach, & ends up way out of position when it goes wrong. I think it would be difficult to feel confident woth him next to you
I’ve seen this before. A line of players across the front all standing. No movement, no runs in behind. We lack any penetration in behind. Lawrence makes good runs but he is being played too deep. I don’t understand why Dowell has been played further forward recently instead of him. We also don’t have wingers who can get to the byline and our wide forwards don’t get to the back post enough.There was 5 up front at times tonight, Roofe was having to come back in to midfield.
What actual position does Lawrence play?
The Adam Idah goal was the moment.That was the moment.
They were always dead on their feet after 60 minutes that season.We'd just played a KO tie in Europe that had went to ET 3 days before it. Why were they dead on their arse and we weren't?