No need to panic

Just watching the game yesterday & to see the real depth of our squad with 9 players out got me thinking, Why do we have to go out in January & buy a lot of players? I think we really do need another striker to come in, that should be top of the list & maybe a centre back when Loovens leaves, but apart from that it should be it.

I think Majstorovic & Rogne are starting to make a good partnership, I dont know about you guys, but at no point in the game did I feel that Rogne was going to slip up, Majstorovic was solid also, but usually we have Loovens in there & thats where our mistakes are, so for me I dont think we have to break that partnership up, because if we did, it would be Rogne that would drop out & I dont think thats fair on him, because he was outstanding! Yesterday & ok he made that mistake against Caley, but he is only young & hasn't really made any calamity mistakes.

You can go through my threads & you will see umteen threads on Samaras, I have been a big fan of his from day one & have just gave up on trying to defend him on here, because you get nowhere, but yesterday he showed what he is really made of, He has always been a big game player, he might be a bit infuriating at times I will agree, but we have no other player like that in our side if we did sell him. So I think its time we got behind the big man, because he is going nowhere in January & if his confidence stays up, just think what he can do for Celtic, because you look at his goals, very rarely does he score tap in's, they are a bit like Paddy's in a way, maybe not as good, but always good ones never the less, so lets get behind him, because no one can dispute his class yesterday, he was just unplayable! & Im so happy for him. He showed how a lone striker should play, because he was up on his own on more than one occation, & one basically all his headers in the air, turned the Rangers defence everytime & on both goals, you can see he just got his head down & went for it, he didn't need any support from others & to me that is sheer class.

Anyway, tis Itay Shechter the Hapoel Tel Aviv striker & Marco Caneira the Sporting Lisbon defender we are strongly linked with isnt it? I think thats all the business that Celtic have to do this Janaury & I dont really see any point in bringing in lots of other players to fill gaps we dont really have. Freddie Ljungberg is also here as well now & will give us some needed experience so we are sorted.
Tony Mowbray made the mistake last year of bringing in about 8 or 9 players & changing the squad completely, yes the signings of Robbie Keane & Diomansy Kamara was exciting, but by the time the side clicked the title was over. We have the players here already for that, I think we just need to add 2 & that is us, With Gary Hooper out we need another striker & if Loovens leaves in the Jan Window we need another centre half, Im sure Kelvin Wilson will sign a pre-contract with us, but we dont have to worry about that until next season, We shouldnt try to fix something that isnt broken, we can improve it with 2 new faces, maybe 3 at a push, but no more I think.

For me James Forrest, Thomas Rogne & Ki have really stepped up to the plate this year & have probably saved Celtic money, because we dont have to go out & look for players in these positions, all of Lennys buys in the summer you can argue bring something to the side, well all bar one. There is lots of threads on here about him & I totally agree with them, Daryl Murphy shouldnt be at Celtic, he is a waste of money & when we signed him I thought great another Chris Killen, & tis exactly what he is, but the rest of the signings have been great, haven't really seen the best of Efrain Juarez if any of him, but I reckon he could turn out to be a hidden gem later in the season if giving a run of games. Beram Kayal has been a great find, he was superb in the game yesterday, as to has Gary Hooper, didnt really know anything about the guy when he came in, but a great signing he has been. Also players like Charlie Mulgrew, move them further forward (Like we did yesterday) & tis like having a new player, so all in all we have players for every position that are just as good as each other to fill in, so we dont have to go out & get lots of other players, we have the players & the depth of squad already here now.

 

Great post

 

Your spot on mate. I have been saying it for months about the quality we have in our squad, the only issue we have had is that the bhoys have not exactly gelled. I mean - man for man there is not one Rangers player that I would take into the Celtic team, with the exception of maybe McGregor.

I totally agree that another CF and CB would be ideal to cover for any injuries but they would have to come in and fight for their places.

The difference yesterday for me though was Kayal. From the word go he was getting right in about McCulloch and Davis and the rangers midfield shat it. Cant see how Brown can get back into the team now tbh.

 

Still think we need more quality and less quantity. Aye we played well yesterday, but one game won't change my mind. Imo still need a CB and a striker.

 

we need rid of players
Crosas and loovens need to be gone
I'd like to see that De-Ro brought in, just for abit of excitement but lets not forget , before this game we all "knew" we needed new players and I don't think we should disregard signing players based on winning one old firm game where both teams were weak

 

I agree

 

This post

 

good post

its actually laughable how good our squad is compared to them! theyve barely got an injury yet they were playing guys like jamie ness and kyle hutton

weve got injuries, suspensions and internationalists yet we can still put out a team that can play like that! the futures bright

 

Great post mate! Totally agree with everything you said!

I think possibly a GK as well as i am not 100% convinced with Fraser, should shell out for Westwood i think as he could be here for years.

Trim back the squad, I like Crosas and i feel really sorry for him, seemed a good player when i seen him, little lightweight but then we said that about ki a few months back and now look at him! He is still young-ish and i would like to see him at celtic so maybe going out on loan to get some games then maybe challenge next year.

I want murphy gone! You are spot on in comparing him to Killen, never noticed how similar they are! If we can keep Sammy confident and in the mood he can score us some goals and cause problems for teams, made boughy look amateurish yesterday at times!

With Freddie in and possibly de ros, i would like to cut back the squad even if its loans just now to bring the wage bill down a little, sign a box striker or one with some pace and a GK and i will be very happy! I like our defence and would let it gel further, have been saying it the last few weeks to people, even saturday night i was defending Rogne and big Dan when my gfs family were slating them, they got a very gloating phone call from me yesterday!

 

totally agree, I do think however that we still need a quality RB. If i'm being brutally honest the whole team yesterday was brilliant...bar Wilson. Rangers had obviously identified him as the weakness in our team with all the cross field diagonals being played into that area. At the time when I was watching, I thought it was only a matter of time before Wilson handed Rangers the game. He's just not good enough for Celtic, some of his play was amateurish at best. But the rest of the lads delivered.

 

Think the jurys still out for me and it is after all about perspective. If you think beating Rangers is the benchmark of a good team then yesterday is clearly good enough for you. I think we deserve to aim higher and with that in mind I don't think the current squad is good enough. That said I would only advocate bringing in players who can go straight into the first 11 as we have sufficient cover. I think there is a real danger the money men will think that yesterday's win will justify putting the cheque book away, I agree with Lennon that you should build from a position of strength. Therefore I would expect Celtic to still try and better the first team during the transfer window and build on the fantastic result yesterday.

 

I agree we should strengthen, I just think we dont have to go out & go mad in the window, it was our downfall last season, 2 or 3 at most to come in, but only if they can make the difference for us, We do have Ljungberg to throw into the mixer now as well & yesterday showed the squads real strength & depth & I think it would be unfair to go out & buy lots of players to replace ones that are doing the job for us. Next season you can look at bringing in a handfull of players if you want & if we need them, but I reckon just a centre half & a striker is needed & we should be good enough to go on & win this title, & next season you can look at getting more quality players in so we can battle on the European stage.

 

cracking post mate. Hail Hail

 

Don't think you can say yesterday shows the strength in depth, after all who knows if we would have won if for example Hooper was fit. He certainly would not have scored the goals that Sammi did. I think you have to judge the team over the season and if you are being honest their form to date has been patchy at best and no where near the standard that I expect from a Celtic team. I understand that the overall standards in the SPL has fallen but we
don't need to accept it. Agree that major surgery is not the ideal but then again neither is none.

 

We have the best defence in britian out of all the big teams so we are doing something right just lack of consentration leaking silly goal is what's made us drop silly points kayal look great exsactly what we need

 

There's no way we can keep so many players happy, there's quite a few players who will never see regular first-team action this season and a couple of them are decent players as well.

I don't think we need to bring that many players in, I would be looking to sell at least 5 players from this huge squad and bring in 1 or 2 quality, experienced players.

 

I agree with everything you have posted there, especially the Murphy bit, he has to go NOW

 

Need to trim the squad, but they're looking to settle now - so the deadwood like Loovens, Hooiveld, Crosas, Juarez, Murphy etc... can all be moved on.

I'd like to bring in at least 1 quality CB, RB & Striker.

But everything depends on us getting rid of the *.

I like Juarez & Crosas btw, but if they're stagnating, not being used & taking up wages - then there's no point in having them.

 

Look at all my posts i have been consistent in saying keep the faith as nothing is decided until the end of the season and i always said i believed we had the best team and they would show that when they gelled

 

January is never a time to try & make wholesale changes. If the mistakes of last season under Mowbray have taught us anything, it is that. I would still like to see an experienced CB arrive & perhaps a striker also, but thats it. If we do that & can offload the likes of Loovens, I would call that a successful window.