Adam Idah

Said it before, but he's not a good enough footballer to be our number 1 striker. He's effective off the bench when we're winning by a few goals but play him from the start and he's had a handful of good games for us. We were absolutely robbed by Norwich. I'd happily punt for half of what we paid.

 

Aye, the laziness is just one aspect.

The most important problem is he's just not very good at the whole football thing.

 

Willing to give him this season. If it doesn't happen then we've Maeda and Yamada as very viable options.

Worst case we take a hit of £3-4m and move on.

 

If it was a performance like that Killie away match once every 3 or 4 games, I think there would be definitely be a serious conversation about a lack of consistency because the ability is evident. But I don't think he's come anywhere close to that performance since and that was over a year ago.

I think if someone plays well 2 out of every 4/5 games then you question consistency. If they play well 2 out of every 7/8 games (and I honestly think that's being very kind to him) then I think that points more towards a player just not being very good.

He's up against dross most of the time up here. Yet how many times have we seen him dominate a back line? Make opposition defenders look silly? Link up with wide players/midfielders to cut through a team and score or create a goal?

He's a big fella, but he doesn't use his strength well enough. His finishing is hit and miss and I completely disagree that he can play with his back to goal. The very fact that it's a pleasant surprise when he backs into a defender, holds the ball up and links play says it all. It should be routine for him. But half the time the ball bounces off him, or he gets outmuscled.

He's scored some big goals (most of them in his loan spell over a year ago) but a player who, far more often than not, doesn't turn up... just isn't very good.

 

I think we all just have to accept he's not going anywhere this window anyway. He's in the same boat as Engels, Bernardo, Yang, Trusty and possibly one or two others - they need to do far more. All of them have had a spell where they have looked a player but to succeed at Celtic you need to be doing it week in week out. Motherwell away, Villa, Kilmarnock - there's been games there where he's led the line superbly but his attitude seems off. His focus isn't there sometimes, he's a streaky player.

He's not the carthorse some make him out to be some. The completely hyperbolic stuff some players get from fans like Ralston, Scales, MJ, Taylor, Idah get or have got is toxic at times. Some people just actively want them to fail and can't even acknowledge when they play well.

His pre season form has been a huge worry though, as has Engels and Bernardo - Trusty on the other hand has actually shown up well. Idah will definitely start this weekend I feel. He needs to hit the ground running. If he gets his head right he can score 30+ this season.

 

idah is a good finisher ,he needs good service . the problem he has is that hes not creative enough to get himself a goal or set someone else up when the service is pish and it is when we get stuck in backwards sideways

 

He’s been brilliant at time. That much is undeniable. Away to Killie that time, Ibrox, away to Villa among others. He almost single handedly dragged us to the title when he was on loan here.

I’ve always been one of his biggest defenders but he is starting to really annoy me. It’s like he thinks he’s better than he is or something. He’s missing big chances and just not imposing himself on games enough. He’s a big, strong and fast international footballer with champions league goals under his belt. He simply has to do more. I do wonder if his form is down to him knowing he’s the number one striker at the club.. although that wasn’t really the case when Maeda was through the centre last season.

 

I think people need to make peace with the fact he's gonna be given the season to fight it out with Yamada up top and back them both. His confidence issues won't be helped by supporters waiting to jump on his back every time he takes a bad touch.

He does also need to grit his teeth and show how much he wants to be the man as well, though.

 

I would say that he Can be a good finisher but he have been a hilariously bad finisher since the end of last season and in pre season. He have been Panathinaikosly bad in all honesty.

 

We've been blessed since Kyogo's arrival with ultra reliable strikers. When one had a dip in form another stepped up.

I would definitely like to see Idahs form improve, in particular his overall involvement in some games, but 20 goals last season for his game time was a good return. Expect him to do similar or better this season.

 

Could even argue that we have been Blessed since Hooper. Actually quite incredible. Hooper, Pukki to some extent, Dembele, Edoard, Giakoumakis, Kyogo, Maeda.

 

Pukki

 

Tbh I dont think he's got the fight in him to battle for being no1 striker..
I think they'll get equal game time.

 

I know.. I know... He was a bad example to use but he had ability and i think he could have been a great player for us. He went on to have a really good career in the EPL.

 

Days past we had Brattbakk and Cascarino. Amazing the patience the fan base had then.

 

He has it all to prove. He's a fringe first team-er seemingly best suited to coming off the bench. That’d be fine except we didn’t pay a cool 10 mil to fill that role.

He’ll score you a certain number of goals, especially coming on against tired legs in matches we’re dominating, but other areas like his link up play aren’t close to the level we need.

Thinking about our attacking players from last season and how difficult they’d be to replace, someone like Maeda would be really tough, Kuhn’s not gonna be easy, and we know full well the lack of progress replacing Kyogo. With decent scouting, I think we could very reasonably expect to replace Idah at half the price. Maybe not in terms of his well-rounded athleticism, but certainly his output.