Ball winning midfielder

McGregor has been fantastic in the 6 but we don't have any suitable replacement for when he's injured or to even be rotated..

It would be nice to have that different type of option. We have Jackie and Kyogo up top. Completely different types of player's but fit in to our style of play..

Why couldn't we have a bit of a bully anchor man in the 6 who could also be quick and good enough on the ball?

I think a mobile, playmaker type 6 who has a bit of dig (no easy to find, granted) with McGregor and Hatate as the 8's would be a excellent midfield trio next season. Would give us balance and real drive and energy in there..

 

Couple of players who might fit the bill

Ladislav Krejci - Would be my dream signing this summer. Basically a younger version of Bitton, except faster, stronger and a far greater goal threat. So aye nothing like Bitton at all except he plays DM or CB. Genuinely think he could turn out as well as Soucek has for West Ham.

Morten Thorsby - Think he'd be another one who would be perfect for what we're missing in midfield. Disciplined enough to play a deeper role in Europe whilst still maintaining a goal threat from midfield domestically. 25, Norwegian international, entering the last year of his contract with Sampdoria. Really solid player.

Hidemasa Morita - Played alongside Hatate at Frontale, been excellent in Portugal for Santa Clara the past 18 months. Would be surprised if he didn't get a move to a bigger club this summer, most likely to the top 3 in Portugal. More of a specialist DM and not as physically imposing as the other two but reckon him and Calmac would work as a partnership in Europe.

One of those, a quality LB, CCV, Jota and Solbakken would solve a lot of our problems.

 

Can't argue with any of that... Also, I remember Wanyama and Brown playing just in front of the defence and breaking everything up for us in Europe, and it was a * joy to watch... Completely allowed us to push with the forward players against bigger/better teams.

Just not sure it's Ange's style though...

 

Wild take here from me, McGregor is more of a Rogic than a Brown.

He's technical ability is wasted imo playing a deeper role, he needs to be doing more further forward. That is what he was best at for so long until he was effectively molded into playing Brown's game.

He'd be a riot being a danger man around the edges of the box, late runs, first touch shots, running into space centrally that guys like Kyogo would open up with his own movement.

Someone is easily out there who could take up a Celtic equivalent of a Kante, Fernandinho, Fabhino, * even a Soucek or Tonali...Celtic should have it about them to try and source some sort player who would be able to offer that to an extent at a level Celtic could afford if we find them early enough.

We've found class talent before, we should be able to find class talent again.

McGregor further forward would be a dream to watch under Ange

 

Would love a tough * of a DM but in this system but it has to be one that has a good engine, technically competent - shows for the ball and pass really well under pressure like McGregor does to help us play out of the press.

No point just having a lad running about kicking folk or we'd may aswell just sign guys like Cammy Devlin but a good DM would go a long way to taking us up another level.

 

Its not just a ball winning midfielder we need, we need to work on the tactics so we have more time on the ball when turning over possession. Too often we break up an attack, win it back, then hit the wrong pass or lose it immediately due to sloppiness or the press. We have Kyogo and Maeda making runs all day, we need to work it out so we have enough time to pick them up on a counter.

 

I agree we need a hard * who can play a bit and is mobile. We already have loads of CMs as it is so would probably need to shift a couple before we get anyone in.

 

McGregor totally understands what is required to play in the DM of Ange’s system. As you said he directs the others where to play and sees how to get the ball out and where he needs to be 2-3 passes ahead. Biton doesn’t have that, and that’s the main difference.

Krejci looks like a real up and comer. That’s the market we need to be in. Tall, a real goal threat, would be fantastic to defend set pieces, tidy on the ball and a ball winner. At 190cm he’s what we need to increase our height in the team. It’d be tough on Biton, but he would be a direct replacement.

Second season is where a lot of play gets tidied up with Ange. It’s a complex system which takes time to bed in. TBH our players picked up the initial system reasonably quickly, but that’s what happens when you have intelligent footballers. The real difference is that we play 2 games a week compared to his previous clubs which usually only play once a week, so there hasn’t been the time to take the players to another level.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, for Hatate, this is his first season playing twice a week. He’s cooked, but Ange is showing him what’s required and while he’s lasting only 60 minutes now, next year he’ll be an 80 minute player because of what is happening now. I’m picking Hatate to be an absolute star in the Champions League.

 

Absolutely agree with this, there is no doubting McGregor's ability to sit deep as a midfielder, he is very good at it. His best is further up the park though. McGregor's strengths make him far more suited higher up the pitch. I hope that's in Ange's long term thoughts and I think it will be.