Defence...

Imagine we had someone like wee Jackie and Johan and Rieper we would have sailed through the qualifiers with ease

 

Probably not though, even Johan and Rieper wouldn't fit into our team.

We want to (I imagine) play 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1, a high line, pass out from the back and be good and creative in attack.

To do that your two wide centre-backs need to be quick, as they are always going to be exposed and dragged out of position, O'Neill had Bobo and Valgaeren in those positions who done well as they could both run but once Valgaeren started to get injured a lot and lost a yard he became a liability, Laursen was too slow and we ended up playing McNamara there quite a bit before he ended up just changing to 4 at the back and we became more solid again.

If our back 3 was Mjallby, Ajer and Rieper 2 of them would need to play wider and none of them are that quick, they'd get exposed all the time and struggle.

They'd do better in a back 4 but considering we play against 10 man defences 80% of the season, I can see how Rodgers wants to be able to mix between 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2 and 3-4-2-1 as if we play the same way all the time we'll just get found out as we're playing these teams 3/4/5 times a season they become accustomed to us. So if we need to play 3 at the back then we don't want players like Mjallby and Rieper.

 

They both would easy fit into our side and the way we play, they are quality and that’s the issue we need two * hard * at centre half to strike the fear of * into forwards coming near them.

We could easy have brown drop back when our left and right back bomb forward.

Give me them two shifts very day if the week instead of two who try and play it out of the back and * it up.

Our tactics are not working needs to change or get better quality in.

 

Tierney is the only suitable defender at the club and still one of the youngest, that’s an utter disgrace for a club with a turnover of 100 million and a 60 thousand seater stadium.

 

For me out of all the players who have played for us in my time. The ideal back 3 would be:

Denayer Mjallby Van Dijk
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Those 3 would be ideal, all good in the air even though he was small Denayer was very athletic and a threat from set pieces, all good on the ball and Denayer and Van Dijk both fast enough to deal with playing wider comfortably.

On a budget

Boyata Mulgrew K.Wilson
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Would be very good also, not perfect since Wilson was weak in the air and Boyata weak on the ball and Mulgrew not too clever defensively but if that was our back 3 now taking Mulgrew and K.Wilson of 5 years ago they'd barely concede goals domestically and Boyata and Wilson were quick enough and too clever defensively that most teams would never trouble us and Mulgrew good enough in the air and on the ball to deal with long balls and play from the back. Boyata and Mulgrew would also be big threats from set pieces so it would do us very well.

 

Have we ever had a complete, competent and solid defence whilst Peter Lawwell has been here?

 

This is it. Our centre backs don't look comfortable on the ball most of the time (bar Ajer), and our midfield are waiting on them starting the play. We need to be more direct at times, especially in Europe.

 

The players aren't good enough for this system. We could play with another defensive midfielder and defensive full backs, and keep clean sheets every week. But who wants that !

 

Yes. Do you follow Celtic?

 

I just don't understand how we can't find the personnel to get past the likes of AEK. Our greatest defensive achievement in recent times came with Efe in defence and Matthews at LB. Come on, how can we not regularly become a strong defensive unit in Europe?

 

I think the whole team/set-up are/is just generally overrated, and it's shown up under pressure at the highest level. Defence always going to cop it, fairly, but there are more issues for me.

From Brown not being a top defensive mid, Forrest really limited as our best winger, Rogic limited in his playing style (no speed, no press, little threat in behind etc), Ntcham not savvy enough defending, Lustig roached, Ajer inexperienced, Jozo rotten, Griff poor at the higher levels, Dembele missing a certain hunger to become a top player, Edouard's Rogic syndrome being 6'2 when he's standing and 5'3 when he jumps.. All our players seem to me to have little flaws which are naturally highlighted at the top level, in the current system.

It's quite clear defending is our Achilles heel at the moment, so I'd also say it's unfair on the likes of Ntcham/Rogic/Forrest/Sinclair/Griff to be questioned (not that many are, I myself am asking questions) and judged at this level without having anything resembling a decent back line.

When I say Brown isn't a top DM, I mean more on that Euro scale. Course he's likely as good as we could hope for, but you'd almost need Kante in that team to get through the work needed. A midfield of Rogic, Ntcham and Brown lacks legs at the top. While it's good enough to get past an AEK, I think there are weaknesses there that contribute to the teams failings as a unit.

Building strength from the back is essential for success in Europe as a club like Celtic, we have seen this with Strachan and Lenny recently, this also happens to be the complete antithesis of Brendans approach. And it's paid, and to be honest, the only shock is that it took 3 qualifying campaigns.

 

We look better when we play direct and run at teams instead of this push of passing it along the back going forward for a pass and then passing it back again side to side.

 

We give our cbs too much time on the ball, the only player we have that can drive out of defence and pass the ball well is Ajer. Yet we insist on trying to force Hendry, boyata, jozo etc. to be ball playing defenders when they simply can't do it, Deila done the same with boyata.

 

In the 4-2-3-1 (with Jozo and Hendry at the back especially) we are chronic at playing out. You can see Brown distrusts the CB's so drops back, then we have 1-1-1 in midfield with Brown, Ntcham and Rogic.

I don't care what anyone says about UCL pass completion etc, admittedly it has improved, but the Pirlo role is not Scott Brown. You want someone doing that who will find Rogic in the pocket or Forrest over the top, Brown mostly plays safe. Ideally you would want Ntcham dropping back, but he's far better at picking the ball up in a crowded area and spinning.

Was cringing at times how open we would be to the counter with the 1-1-1 midfield, I think Rogic has to drop back when Brown does that, far more secure and gives the "quarterback" easier passes.

 

I'd play Bitton as a CB if we cannot find a proper CB with defensive skills. The big fairy can at least pass and is intelligent enough to allow for a possession-based style which Rodgers likes so much.