Controversial topic

Is Calmac good enough to lead us in Europe? I want celtic to continually improve. But I think we should be aiming higher than Calmac he is constantly found out in Europe. I really think we need better than him imo.

 

Simple answer is no, I personally think he’s done.

 

I just want him up the park more, hes a man down where hes playing.

A DM was needed to allow him to push forward, all he seems to do is first time pass back to his chs and point now.

A Bernardo or even Engels should be tried there, Engels just to see if he actually can do something because further up hes a useless streak of pish.

 

Do you think calmac still has the legs to be further up the park.

 

He had a few brilliant performances in Europe last year but he's started this season off terrible. His pointing and hiding has been creeping into his game in the last couple of years but when he's on form naturally were a better side.
A double pivot would help him massively but Rodgers for whatever reason at the moment refuses to change his tactics.
That last minute against the huns was alarming for me though. He never has a lapse of concentration as bad as that.

 

Think this goes full circle as too why Rodgers can't be blameless which a lot of people in here are alluding to.
4-2-3-1 would be ideal for us now.

 

Fantastic player on his day, but feel he's been played out of position for us now for a while as a deep lying playmaker type, when he's more effective as a box-to-box 8. Doesn't get the best out of him or the team. He's not a defensive type hence why our midfield regularly gets cut through with ease in Europe against higher quality players than we face domestically.

 

He’s slowed down in his thinking too, number of times last season he had the ball with back to goal and he * himself with a backwards pass into our defence who are under pressure, where if he’d have had a look over his shoulders he would’ve realised he was in space.

Can’t carry that in the champions league v the top teams. Might get away with it v some lower level teams in Europe.

 

Do you think he sits watching old videos of Sinclair, Eddy, Moussa etc and gets all teary before having to walk out to Yang, Kenny etc

 

Yes and no. Technically speaking yes, he has the tools to lead us in Europe IF he has the right players around him. I said in another thread if he had fast dynamic players to do the running and chasing and creating space he absolutley could lead us in Europe. But right now our midfield is too static and one paced which doesn't suit his style as it doesn't give him options, resulting in him having to take the "safe" option too often and pass back, and in Europe that isn't usually safe at all.

So for me the answer is yes he could, but not with the current squad and formation.

 

I agree with this, still looks to have good energy levels and ability to chip in with goals but he's never a 6. He doesn't have the type of character and bravery you need to play that role. He runs away from the ball, he runs to blocked channels and points away at other players to take the ball. When he gets it he passes backwards rather than take it on the half turn.

He hangs our defenders out to dry on the ball. People are regularly slaughtering Scales for being poor on the ball, he would not be criticised for that if McGregor did his job in that role.

We have no 6 in the squad but I think it's maybe worth trialling Engels or Bernardo there as they might show more than McGregor.

 

He is one of the main issues with this brand of football we are currently playing and have been playing for the past 9 months or so. Backwards and sideways. He is just not able to perform in the DM role anymore, legs are gone now too. Even if we play him further forward but we just don’t have anyone to play the DM role. That time we beat Huns 3-0 last season, am sure BR played Cal and Bernardo together beside each other and worked well, so that may be a possibility. And don’t get me started on that pointing lark he’s constantly at, so off putting for the guy on the ball.

 

Should be playing where Hatate pretends he plays, Cal would be more effective there

 

Not controversial at all. And no, he isn't. And as pointed above, his deficiencies are being exposed and highlighted in a ineffective strategy and set up.

Time to really think of his long term replacement....


In 4 years time probably.

 

Plenty have been saying for years we need a proper DM and he shouldn't be playing the 6 role, we get away with it domestically most games because we dominate possession so heavily, and Taylor inverting gave us extra cover in the middle of the park. It's all the more annoying when you see last season the games he's further forward that he's one of our better midfield goal threats as well, but he just has to play the 6 because...???