Erik Sviatchenko

I think he had a few fairly solid performances and people got slightly carried away with him touting him as the next captain and I even remember people around other forums and on social media saying that he should have taken the arm band off Broony. Don't think he's played particularly poorly, apart from opening 20 at Ibrox, I just think he's disappointing some based on the fact his reputation was sky high very early on.

 

Would agree with all of that, I've thought that Sviatchenko's distribution is very average since he signed and like you've said he isn't the fastest either.

He is still a very good defender though, no doubt about it.

 

Yeah, the talk of him taking the captaincy off Brown was absolutely ridiculous, I read that on here as well.

I do rate him highly, but people have often spoken about him as being our best central defender by far and I've never really seen him as that.

 

In terms of the second part of your post, I guess before his competition was an injured Simunovic, Ambrose, a * Boyata and a young O'Connell so that probably played a part in him being so highly rated, but I'm with you, I've never been as fond of him as some others.

 

I still think he's quality. You can tell he is at his happiest just defending and doing the ugly side rather than playing out from the back though,which might hinder him in our system and the way we want to play.

 

Aye he does strut out well and looks composed enough, then bang, far too often he loses it with sloppy passing. Other time's he can stroll out and put a 40 yarder in the top corner like against France or a 45 yarder v Accies..

He does have leadership qualities in my opinion that the other 2 don't, but I wouldn't ever change it from Broony to him..

My first ever alarm about his pace was when a 34 year old Red Imps striker mentioned playing up against him before Celtic and him being slow..

 

I think he's quality. I'm sure I saw a stat a couple of weeks ago of the pass completion % in our team and Sviatchenko had the highest of our centre backs.

 

That maybe right. Simunovic tries to split and break line's with many of his passes though. A lot of Sviatchenko's are simple one's which is fine, it's just when he tries to play penetrating one's, he let's himself down a bit and exposes us and him..

Just my opinion..

 

Eric had a shocker at Ibrox and it dented his confidence a good bit I think, I don't think he has really recovered from that yet. First choice for me is Boyata and Simunovic now. If he wants to go I would let him go, and bring in that Liam Lindsay of Thistle to replace him.

 

Fucksake

 

Yeah tbh I agree that Simunovic is the most comfortable on the ball. In general he's just a very composed player. I think in terms of pure defensive qualities, Erik is the best we have.

 

Against St Mirren I'd love to see a 343. Boyata, Erik and Jozo at the back.

 

Aye mate. It's hard to fully put down in words what I mean, as I still highly rate him..

Just think he's had some glaring flaws lately..

Love his aggression and no nonsense. It's pace and distribution which are his 2 biggest weaknesses, and possibly it's been more noticeable since a possible head turn during the window putting him off stride..

I'm still completely comfortable with him. That department is one of our strongest now..

 

Boyata and Simuonovic are definitely my preferred pairing at the moment, they just keep getting better and better.

I really like Sviatchenko, but whether it's just a dip in form or something else, he's been a bit 'off' recently. Between the stuff in January with his agent and Armstrong's comment about him in his Q&A (although I'm maybe reading too much into that) I sort of wonder if his head's in the right place at the moment.

 

What was the Armstrong comment Moustache?

 

Blasphemers

Erik is *

 

I completely missed the stuff with his agent. What was said?

 

His agent was touting him for moves surprisingly to England. One was supposedly Leicester..

Erik did say he was flattered but happy here for now..

I wasn't happy with either of them to be honest..

 

Simunovic and Boyata are quite a bit ahead of him for me just now.

 

fastest player at Celtic ?
SA: Training pitch: @Cris_GamboaCR. To leave training: @eriksviat! If he's not got a photo-shoot, he's got a coffee date