Aaron Mooy

Do you genuinely believe that signing Mooy will enable us to dominate the ball against world class teams? Like do you reckon Real and City won't get anywhere near us because we've got Mooy to keep it ticking over? What about when we invariably lose that ball and 2 or 3 passes later they're in our box and papping Joe Hart's goal. What will happen when that happens over and over again?

Its utterly delusional to think that Mooy will single handedly solve our problems in midfield. Once teams beat our press we're * - Mooy and McGregor won't get near them.

 

This is what some don’t seem to understand. As if Mooy is this magical fix where we never lose the ball again.

Mooy, McGregor and let’s say O’Riley are all technically proficient. Keep the ball well. Spot passes etc.

But playing that midfield 3 against a team with a couple of powerful and quick midfielders is a recipe for disaster.

It’s not exactly Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta we have.

 

I understand your point. I am also concerned we have a lot of young men on the books that will be playing against teams of men in their prime in Europe. Our guys will need a steady voice and a helpful word on the pitch from the more experienced players on the pitch and how to steady the ship by playing by example and not being over-awed by the occasion.

 

To be fair, I do think he will improve the squad but I don't see the need for him in Europe unless McGregor is injured. Just my opinion.

 

Using Bodo might not be the best example considering O'Riley was in the door for three seconds, Hatate was in the door for three seconds so we used Rogic instead who very evidently was never in Ange's future plans, Turnbull injured, etc. If we have Mooy, we will have 8 first team players to fill 3 positions.

And I can't accept the failures of previous managers and previous cycles of players in Europe as a reason why Ange should compromise, for one of the rare times in his career, on his philosophy, especially as there is NO guarantee that the player you're demanding for will turn past Celtic failures in Europe into victories today.

 

Not at all, that's actually how you lot have been carrying on about Souza, as if we will never lose in Europe if we had him instead.

 

Rogic was one of our best players last season so let’s not use him as an excuse not to take that game seriously. He also had Bitton on the bench if he wanted to use him - an actual CDM - but chose not to.

That second paragraph tells me everything. I hope most of us here are wrong and we play incredible football, keeping possession against some of the best teams in Europe, and don’t need an actual defensive player in midfield. But we’ve seen this before.

 

Nah not really. We’re just stating that having a midfielder who is good defensively might actually be a benefit when we play teams who will attack us quite a lot. Shouldn’t be a controversial thought.

There’s a reason why even Guardiola, with a team of world class superstars, always has a defensive midfielder in his team to do the dirty work. It’s absolutely essential when playing against top teams.

 

Another side to that game, if Australia went head to head and opened up the game, we would most likely get done. We don’t have the quality across the park of a Peru so it’s important that the game has the tempo taken out of it.

Why people really rate Mooy, is his ability to just play dead then out of nowhere pick a pass that sets the game open for Australia. Then as soon as the game looks like it’s opening up, he just kills the tempo again. It’s definitely something that Ange has trusted Mooy to do for Australia.

Personally, if there’s no more midfield additions then that’s what I would go. A 4231 of:

Hart​

Juranovic CCV Starfelt Taylor/Bernabei

Mooy McGregor​

Abada Hatate Jota

Kyogo/GG​

The only other change would be to bring Maeda on the left and Jota on the right for a more defensive set up.

 

It's not a coincidence that some of our best results in Europe, we have had a defensive midfielder in there who protected the back 4. Lambert, Lennon, Wanyama, Brown etc.

Never did we get skudded in Europe under Gordan Strachan. Or even Neil Lennon. (2020 aside)

Our biggest skuddings have been when a manager tries to play his style of play against vastly superior technical and physical teams. That's why a DM is important.

 

Had a good two years before he joined Hudds where he was the best player in the AL. That's not nothing by the way.

 

There is no guarantee Mooy will play in Europe, Ange may want him mainly for the SPL season.

No one has stated that Ange has finished with his signings in this window.
Everyone is going crazy thinking we got Mooy to replace the loss of Souza, when in fact Mooy may have been in the pipeline a lot earlier.
After Souza, my mind was going Belmonte or Vera to sign. This may still happen.

The window closes in September.

 

My point is, which is aligned with Ange's many statements, is that there is no guarantee or even maximisation of chances to win a game by using a CDM instead. To see a game out it certainly helps, as in the case of Bitton's use last season, but this is a role Mooy can certainly fulfil in the very very few times we actually need this role filled.

 

You seem to forget that we will be playing against teams with a median player worth of 50 mill. each, compared to our median player worth of 4 mill each, so let's deal with the reality of this.

We need to play to our strengths and play as a team with 100% effort because that's the only option we will have on match days against these big clubs. Hopefully we do not get a group of death at the start.

 

If a team mitigates your strength, it then becomes your greatest weakness.

Let's say we play Mooy and McGregor holding and Hatate in front of them. Ange expects that team to dominate the ball against the likes of Real Madrid or Bayern Munich? It's just not going to happen. You need to completely change your approach or you're going to get * skudded and embarassed.

A stronger, physical DM alongside McGregor and playing more direct balls up to Giakoumakis is the way to go. It's not pretty and it's not exactly how I want to be playing football but if you nick a draw with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, who's complaining?

 

That would actually be another concern for me.

In reality, given our style of play, theres a * of a chance that we're gonna get completely overrun in this years CL.

Progression is key. We were under the impression that Ange is "building" a side that can actually compete in this comp, not be there to make up numbers.
Aaron Mooy very well might come in and boss some of the best midfielders in Europe, as has been constantly alluded to by the aussie bhoys.
But * do we do next year? Or the year after?

It will be back to square one, to try to fill a position that were so obviously, desperately, need for Europe.

As has already been cited, look what Bodo did to us, and as most of us realise, that was a direct result of not having that position filled properly.

The disappointment is not actually at Mooy signing. Its the fear that we're not signing anyone else to properly fulfil that CDM role.

Last year we were SCREAMING for a RB. Ange delivered in spades.

This year, screaming for a proper LB... Berny in. Ange delivers.

Were SCREAMING for a CDM, to protect us against what will be vastly superior sides that Bodo * Glimt.... We just hope Ange doesnt think Mooy is the answer.

 

I'll tell you what's delusional... suggesting I ever said Mooy will single handedly solve our problems in midfield.

* me dead there are some strange people out there who just seem to want to glory in pre-defeat.

 

And Celtic will have the resources to get Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta?

* *, people accuse the Aussies of being delusional.

There's clearly no comparison. Mooy is * excellent value for what Celtic can afford. Why is this so impossible for some to understand?

 

Australians who’s only just started following Celtic because of Ange



This player is the best player ever



Lads who’s followed Celtic for years



This player isn’t what we need



Australians you know * all listen to us



Next player please

 

You joined this forum a couple of months before I did.

Kudos...