Olivier Ntcham

May well come down to whether we make the group stages of the champions league or not.

 

His form is still patchy to be honest.

Lennon had been starting him in games after Christmas, he had some excellent games and some less than excellent games.

His pirouette 25 yards out from goal v Copenhagen when we were 1-0 up and looking comfortable which led to a goal was the reason he was dropped out for the 3 games after that.

Lennon doesn't have a vendetta against the guy but his inconsistency in performances is what is holding him back. Being a 9/10 for 2 games then a 5/10 for 4 is no use to us when every game is critical at a club like Celtic.

 

Yet Lennon never dropped Brown for costing us CL football against Cluj. Or Christie for costing us against Livi.

Or Jullien, Ajer, Forrest when they’ve had a howler.

He’s of use to us when our midfield continuously get overrun in big games. And constantly get cut open every week against dross.

 

People keep talking about that Ntcham pirouette like the whole team weren't abysmal vs Copenhagen. Players make mistakes. Brown has had some real stinking performances in Europe for us that get forgotten about, but Ntcham (and other players) get crucified.

 

If he could find consistency to his game then he'd be the first midfielder on the sheet for us, he has it all.

Unfortunately until he finds that consistency, Lennon will continue to go with players that he trusts in more.

For all that Brown, McGregor and Christie can have poor performances, they will always graft 100% for the team. Ntcham occasionally goes into nonchalant mode.

The quandary that we have is, he doesn't put up the numbers that Christie does for the 10 and he doesn't have the positional awareness of Brown for the DM role. If he improved on either of those then he could become an automatic pick.

 

There’s a saying about players getting better and better the whole time they’re not playing that is true about Ntcham imo.

I like him, and yes he has pretty much all you could ask for in his locker, but he’s never produced it consistently enough to hold down a regular spot in the starting XI.

 

This graft 100% of the time while Ntcham doesn’t patter is bullshit.

We heard it with Dembele and Griffiths and we even hear it now with Edouard. Dembele or Edouard have a poor game and it’s they don’t care or weren’t trying. Griffiths has a poor game and it’s just a poor game.

Ntcham doesn’t have to play as a 10 or a DM. Brown’s positional awareness has been a massive problem for us with the amount of chances/goals we concede by people cutting through our midfield easily.

The fact we won’t even change the shape of the midfield is another problem but that’s a different discussion.

 

Thats he's not a 10 or a holding/DM, he's probably best suited on the right of a diamond which we rarely play..

Its essential we keep him tho as we need quality in the squad.

 

That's your opinion and I disagree.

How else could you explain us looking lethargic, wide open and probably the worse team in the first half of the 2018/19 League Cup Semi v Hearts at Murrayfield with Ntcham on.

The only change made at HT was Christie on for Ntcham. We blew them away 4-0 going on 6 or 7 in the 2nd half.

I will trust my own eyes in seeing Christie and Brown thunder into tackles and press hard when Ntcham is doing a light jog.

Ntcham is the most gifted of all our midfielders in terms of athleticism, technique, vision etc. it isn't just down to bad luck that we aren't seeing him dominate in games more often, with that evident talent.

 

Think he will we have promised him a move at some point and knocked back a couple of bids don’t know if it’s morally right to keep knocking them back tbh


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So a game 2 seasons ago where we were playing with a midfielder who was running about with his cruciate done.

The fact that match seems to be your go to example sums up how ridiculous it is the excuses being made.

What about us getting dominated every derby game game outside of 1 since Lennon came back? Aren’t they more valid examples seeing as they’re more recent and under the same manager? Or Cluj?

Lennon has favourites like every other manager. Rodgers had them as well. * knows why you seem think it’s petty to suggest.

 

It was the most clear contrast that I could think of.

All other variables controlled, 1 half doing nothing, the other dominating and running away with the game.

I have no problem with managers having favourites, it sounds like it's you who does.

The numbers that Christie puts up for a 10 are insane, he won't be subbed out for Ntcham who can pick a pass but whose edge of the box shots are frequently embarrassingly bad for a guy of his ability.

Brown is club captain and despite him slowing down, he is still an important player for us. When he isn't on the park the team shape always seems to suffer.

McGregor is ultra-consistent and never injured.

Until Ntcham starts putting it altogether and being the superb player we all know that he can be on a regular basis then the 3 above will continue to be Lennon's first choice starting CMs....and given the success we've had with them as our anchors, it's hard to argue against.

 

He’s one player I would sell if the price was right as he isn’t a starter. If someone offered us £15-20m and a decent amount was going to be reinvested in the team I’d take it.

 

Oozes class...

 

This * HAS to start more games, if he's dropped at weekend theres problems.

 

He should be starting games for us right now, no question about that.

 

Should be a key player in this side..

His passing is off the scale. Even his first the way he popped it out to Forrest..

Has to be in this side..

 

Far too good not to play - especially vs these teams that just sit back. I'd almost pick him over Brown in these games.

 

Still for me our best midfielder, he is far too good to be sitting on our bench.