The Midfield

What is everyone's thoughts on our midfield at the moment?

I personally think the balance is completely wrong with McGregor sitting in the 6 position and the way the centre midfielders are spread so far part apart to the left and to the right and in advanced positions. I think it was highlighted best especially against Bodo/Glimt.

I think we would benefit with Biton or Ideguchi in there offering a bit more of a solid defensive approach and give us a bit more protection. McGregor has been pretty poor of late and I'm not sure if it's the position or just form but think he could be doing with a bit of time out.

 

It just depends. Its not so long ago that same midfield formula massacred the huns.

 

It's a dodgy way to play but we pull it off (mostly), domestically we are rarely troubled even against the Huns from open play, the two games we've played them this season they only had about 3 decent chances and one of them was the set piece they scored.

It works because domestically the opposition aren't really capable of attacking us when all their players are that deep marking ours. Like 2 daftys from Dundee or Motherwell aren't going to beat CCV and Starfelt when picking the ball up in their own half.

In Europe though, Leverkusen, Bodo, Betis all were sailing through and scoring for fun so we probably shouldn't do it there but even then against Leverkusen and Betis we could have won home and away against both as we created a lot as well.

A big part of why Bodo done us as well as I think they just studies us that well over weeks/months that they knew all our patterns of play and how to counter us and block us. We've never played a team before really who had months to prepare to play us and it's a really big game for us.

If Bodo were mid season I doubt they'd have been half as good as they'd not have been able to plan as well.

 

I think it would be better for Hatate to sit deeper and O Reily/McGregor/Rogic etc pushing on up.

 

Still waiting to see what Guchi can offer, but since the 2nd half at Aberdeen we've looked extremely leggy.. maybe understandably..

Think we need to see a bit more of Bitton in the meantime, who looks fresh and raring to go..

Hopefully, Turnbull back soon too.

Still think we're a bit lightweight in there even with everyone fit.. and would like to add a big dominant DM in the long-term..

Short-term, Ange maybe has to show a more pragmatic side, in terms of selecting 3 flair players everytime..

 

Or then mask affecting his vision. Some of his passes today were way off

 

People have been calling for this since Rodgers time.... Actually probably since Wanyama left.

Really miss that kind of player and think it's shown even more so in Europe but Ange like Rodgers doesn't strike me as type to have that kind of player in his team. All about ball playing technical players. So probably unlikely to ever be in the market for that type no matter how much we all probably think we need one

 

Would like Ideguchi to play DM against St Mirren.

Could be a really useful player in the run in.

 

Definitely tired leg's..

Got our captain and 6 who's been rushed back in, plus two new boy's who've been run in to the ground in a short space of time..

Rogic regaining some form, Turnbull coming back, Bitton coming in now and again and Ideguchi getting game time will all help..

 

In general, I think our midfield is excellent. O'Riley, Hatate, McGregor, Rogic and Turnbull are all players you could argue should be first choice. Bitton and Ideguchi are good backups.

What I think we lack is a Wanyama like cdm. Just somebody who can absolutely beast the midfield.

Get rid of Soro and McCarthy in the summer and bring in a CDM similar to him.

 

100%. McGregor is an 8. It’s testament to his work rate, intelligence and selflessness that he’s managed to play in the 6 role for most of the season, but that only masks so much.

 

In general its working brilliantly, a few tired performances aside. Just a couple of weeks ago we were all salivating at the style, just need to stick with it through the rougher patches. I've got full faith in the system.

 

Would like to see McGregor linking up more with CCV and Starfelt if he is playing the 6. I know with our inverted FBs they do need to get involved a lot but more variety out of the back could help.

 

Hatate, McGregor
Rogic

Turnbull, Bitton
O'Reily
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I'm not convinced we should be overly merging these 2 trios.
Like for like replacement may work - so O'Reily for Rogic. Turnbull for Hatate.
But I don't think it is wise to be having O'Reily and Rogic in the same side. Or McGregor and Bitton in the same side for example.

There needs to be a balance and understanding between the three roles as each role does something different and connects with other parts of the team.

O'Reily and Rogic both like to come to the right side and are wonderfully supported by Abada and Josip when they are both playing there. However if both these guys (O'Reily and Rogic) are playing at the same time, that ends up with 2 of our midfielders drifting to the right side of the pitch, leaving just McGregor who is covering the entire central area and potentially any switch of play to the left.

It's not the end of the world though, as results are still coming, but it is allowing us to be over ran and hit on a counter through the middle when players are drifting out too much when someone else is already doing that role.


As for the actual calibre of players, it has been a long long time since I can recall having 6 central players for the 3 positions, that are all actually good footballers and are of the right calibre to play here. Of course I always want better and I could name the two I would upgrade on, but that would be harsh.
Much like the CB pairing options, if we can keep the personnel at the club currently, we will be in a great shape for next season.

 

Really not convinced that McGregor as a 6 is going to work. I'd rather see Bitton in there, and McGregor in the 8 role. Certainly in games where we need more defensive cover.

We probably need to sign a 'proper' (or better) player for the 6 role in the summer. But that would give us a massive selection headache... New 6/McGregor/Hatate as our best starting midfield? What about O'Riley and Rogic?

 

Playing devil's advocate here, but Bitton slows our attacking play down too much.

 

McGregor is fine in the 6 in the SPFL, as ILoveTheCeltic says it's in Europe where to problems start. Hopefully Gucci can force his way into the mix and become our 6 in the CL next season..

 

He definitely does, he should be used and maybe start more games tho, McGregor needs to be rested/rotated now and then, Ange asks so much of his players, so it's right McGregor should be left out now and then.

Wouldn't mind seeing O'Riley tried as the 6 now on occasion too, feel he could really dictate from the deeplying playmaker role..Has a bit of stature too.

We've got great options, Ange just needs to utilise them slightly better, can't be three flair players everytime..

Hatate and O'Riley both realising what's expected every game and every training session and it looks like their bodies and minds are still adjusting, after an initial high of being here.

 

Totally agree with rotation and not burning McGregor out. Turnbull coming back will only help us with that too.

 

CalMac in the 6 in Europe will never work, he doesn't protect the defence enough, that's no mark against him because he was never a defensive player during his youth and early professional career, he was always an attacking player, so to expect him to have developed the skills required to shield the defence from many attacks is both unrealistic and unfair on him, he's an 8, a box to box MF who should be playing in front of a CDM, not as the CDM.

Ideally, a Wanyama monster CDM would be perfect, but those are few and far between, atm, Bitton has shown more than enough in that position where that should be his spot, in the Summer, need to find a more robust CDM like Wanyama, I'm a huge Bitton fan but having a Wanyama type in that role would take the team to the next level.

Bitton as the 6, CalMac as an attacking 8 alongside Hatate as another attacking 8 is what I would go with most weeks between now and the end of the season. With Ideguchi, Rogic and O'Riley coming in for rotation.