Callum McGregor

If he is doing that then its no working. I feel he'd be more likely the type who would just out and tell it like it is. His glum interview the other night would have had Barry Ferguson and BoB Malcolm fully erect and howling at him at the same time.

 

I think he wants the team to fight their own battles, also be knows it could and probably will be spun against us

With the press and majority of the club's joining in against us

I personally think he's let it go to far without saying things now though,smashed cheekbone could've been a broken leg

What's it gonna take for something to be done ? I think Ange is just old school about this stuff and will be saying to the players you need to toughen up and watch yourselves out there

Think people underestimate the job he has gradually building a team from scratch with a lot of young and inexperieced , getting them playing well is one thing, getting them winning consistently is another, getting them mentally strong and together as a team, it takes time, lot of parts to the jigsaw

 

Do we know what's been damaged yet? Looked like his cheekbone. I've seen quite a few players play with a face mask after a broken cheekbone.

John Terry for example had to get surgery in 2007 for a broken cheekbone and was literally back playing a week later with a face mask on.

Ruddiger also done the same more recently after surgery for a fracture.

 

I posted above my mum works with his old man definitely broken cheekbone and needs an operation according to his old man

 

Celtic are facing the nightmare scenario of losing Callum McGregor for more than two months.

The skipper is awaiting the results of scans amid fears he suffered a fractured cheekbone in Saturday’s bruising Scottish Cup win against Alloa.

McGregor was forced off with a nasty head knock and is likely to miss crunch clashes with Hearts, Dundee United and rivals Rangers in the short term.

But the damage could be bad enough to see the captain sidelined for up to eight weeks – which would include several key encounters in Scotland and in the Europa Conference League.

Ange Postecoglou revealed a gloomy prognosis in the aftermath of the Alloa clash as the midfielder joined a packed Lennoxtown treatment room and lengthy absentee list.

Hoops stiker Kyogo is already battling to get back fit before the end of the season after suffering serious hamstring damage while David Turnbull is also out for the long term.

Postecoglou’s squad will be further weakened for the next few weeks with Tom Rogic away on Australia duty and new recruit Daizen Maeda also receiving a summons from Japan.

McGregor is now set to join the group of sidelined Celts at a vital stage of the season.

Postecoglou admitted at the weekend it looked grim for his on-field general.

He said: “It's a facial injury, I don't know what it is but he's not a great shape. It's not going to be short-term, it looked quite significant.

"It's been that sort of season. We have just had challenge after challenge and what we've done so far is just get on with it.”

 

More than 2 month's and we surely have to bring someone in on loan or whatever..

 

Kyogo’s battling to get back before the end of the season. Grim if true..

 

We have Bitton, Rogic, Ideguchi, Hatate, McCarthy and O'Riley fit and Turnbull will be back before Calmac. No need for a loan.

 

That would be a major kick in the balls man.

Such a crucial player for us.. pretty sure we’ve won every single game he’s started domestically, bar the derby where he was out of position.

Hopefully not the case and he’ll be back in a few weeks/a month but the more it drags on the less confident I am about it.

That Betis dead rubber man, massive error from Ange.

 

I disagree entirely..

I'd only class Bitton, Ideguchi and McCarthy as the 6 replacements..

McCarthy looks completely spent and is a no no
Ideguchi is early day's
Bitton has been here year's and although he's been decent this year when in, still don't overly like him as a regular starter

It isn't just someone who sits. It's where practically every move of ours starts. We should be looking at someone else, even a quality loan to buy younger player..

Wish we could get McCarthy of the book's with Soro but even the latter out would do for now..

 

The bad luck with injuries all season has been *. Kyogo and McGregor getting long term injuries has definitely hampered our chances a bit at winning the league. We will not be conceding anything yet and we do have more options now but everyone knows we have a much better chance winning it with them than without.

Step up Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley.

 

Proper grim. The two cup final goals were great but it's * obvious was rushed back dangerously fast for it. I said at the time that I didn't like Ange's response to whether he'll be ready in time. "The medical team will tell you 3 weeks, Kyogo will tell you he's ready". Extremely poor management and just unprofessional.

Then he made it even worse by playing him against St. Johnstone on Boxing Day, when again he clearly shouldn't have been in the squad for it. Let's not forget the original injury came about from the Betis debacle.

Scunnered with Ange and the "medical team" at the club on the whole situation. A disaster that was completely avoidable on multiple occasions!

 

Ange said O'Riley can also play the 6. You really think you're going to get a loan player who's make the same impact as Calmac? No chance. Bitton and Ideguchi are there for a reason

 

St Johnstone away was the real killer. Should've sat that out after being rushed back for Hibs as he was clearly * at the end of that game..

Disastrous call and management from him and the medical staff on two occasions and to even risk him in a dead rubber in the first place before them..

 

Ah, fair enough. I thought he was likely gonna play the 8 or even 10..

That's a bit better then..

Definitely no. Can we get better than the other's and who suit the system/have more mobility? Very likely..

 

Ange signed Ideguchi for this very reason though? A capable holding midfielder who can fit his style. It's definitely early days but I think Ange will.trust.his own judgement on that one

 

Got to have faith in the current set of midfielders I think, no chance we get anyone close to Mcgregors level on Loan.

Hatate O'Riley
Rogic

This is still an excellent midfield that can win us the title, with Bitton and Ideguchi solid enough back-ups.

What I would maybe do, is bring Robertson back from loan. That way we can give him gametime against the likes of Raith, Dundee home etc.

 

Tierney was out for a bit with a fractured cheekbone,pretty sure he wasn’t out for anything like 8 weeks though.Calmac will be back soon I reckon.

 

CalMac and Kyogo out long term just as Jullien is on the verge of return is * typical, would have been a strong spine to build the team on throughout the rest of the season, in saying that, we still have a lot of players flexible enough to play the 6 and 8 roles

Bitton, Ideguchi, Hatate, Turnbull (back within a couple weeks), O'Riley, Soro, McCarthy

That's 7 players for two positions, no need to panic

First choice MF upon the return of Rogic should be Bitton in the 6, Hatate in the 8 and Rogic in the 10 which is still a tremendous MF trio, with Ideguchi, Turnbull, O'Riley, Soro and McCarthy all available for rotation.