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Players Missing Games

Discussion in 'Celtic Chat' started by bkk bhoy, Oct 19, 2020.

Discuss Players Missing Games in the Celtic Chat area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. bkk bhoy

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    Much has been made of the amount of players we had missing during the embarrassing game at the weekend. Yes, we have some injuries and a few players not fit (despite being back for more than 2 months!). Christie not being available was annoying as KT was allowed to play for his team. 3 players get Covid while on international duty

    It is a fair old list and many were/ would have been in the team

    So, i accept all that, we got a bad set of circumstances and very little the club could have done to alter that maybe with the exception of having players still not up to speed.. that is something they could have done more about

    HERE IS MY QUESTION - if the players that were given game time are not good enough to step in as replacements the why the * did we sign them?

    Young Welsh gets a pass - he is there to get experience. Laxault in his first game with little time to gel with the team also gets a pass.

    Why did we sign Turnbull if he can't get in the team? The players who came in should have enough experience and fitness to step into the team. If they are not of the quality then why keep them.. sign better players.

    Losing 2-0 at home against any team is hard to take, the 6 players not available definitely had a bearing on the result but it cannot be used an excuse for the gutless sluggish attitude shown by the team as a collective.

    Our squad is massive -- but it doesn't need to be. Two quality players fighting for every position plus a youngster who is next in line for that position. 33 man squad plus 2 utility players to cover for injuries should be enough. No point in having a squad of 50 plus players if 35 of them are not good enough to step into the match day squad

    i cannot accept any excuses for the manner of our defeat no matter who the SPFL opposition would have been. Our squad cost plenty and if they are not up for the fight then either they need punted or the manager needs punted.. maybe both
     
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  2. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    I still don't buy the player missing as an excuse.

    9 of the 11 on Saturday are considered match day squad players at least, with vast majority being regulars.
    Barkas - number one keeper
    Frimpong - Number one RB
    Duffy and Ajer - 2 of a first choice back 3
    Laxalt - brought in as a direct first team player at LWB
    Brown, McGregor, Ntcham - absolute starters.
    Klimala - around the match day squad more than enough and should be starting more games (let down by not having a second striker)
    Ely - experienced player, loaned in for second year to be a replacement for Sinclair and on that sort of level.

    Welsh is the only one for me that gets allowed to be in the list of inexperienced and not a first team player.
    Those who would have came in is Bitton and a Striker (Edouard if everyone is fit and on form).
    Considering that we had two strikers on the bench again, that is down to Lennon doing a Lennon as per the norm this season.

    He can try blaming covid, injuries, no fans, and antyhing else, but he is doing just his normal * this season. Poor management.
     
  3. Free the Adblock Gold Member Gold Member

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    Exactly. Despite what his best pal says, there's one reason we're * these days and Saturday happened, and it's no personnel.
     
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  4. Noskeil

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    A team like Celtic should have a strong enough squad, making excuses for that fact is embarrassing, although not half as bad as stating the “mole” was to blame. If you heard that from the manky mob we’d rip them to shreds.

    NL over his career both as a player and as a manager has said some stupid stuff “the mole” has to be up there with the worst of them, also how easy would it be to flush them out? Text 11 players theyre starting, if the squad gets leaked it’s one of them 11, doesn’t take inspector * clueso. Like I’ve said over the last few days, lack of professionalism seems to be rife at out club, again!
     
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  5. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    Just dont tell them who is playing till its pinned on the wall 90minutes before kick off and the public are told as well. That way only Lennon knows - Kennedy at a push. Easy enough to know who leaks it at that stage.
    18 of them (is it 21 now?) all should be ready to go anyway. * I actually expect the entire first team squad to be at the game as if ready to play regardless. Injury being the only thing not allowing them to attend.
    No player should be knowing the lineup on Thursday or Friday, seeing he is not playing and thinking he has a "day off"


    In there may lie another issue with the squad though, that some are far too casual and needing cuddled along to a game.
     
  6. The Prof Administrator Administrator

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    Whatever way you want to look at it, it always comes back to the manager.
     
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  7. charlietully

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    Think this " mole" business is a diversion. Bar Barker included and Jack not, anyone would have known their team. Didn't help us combat it though.....
     
  8. Foley1888

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    Spot on here there was absolutely no surprises from them you could have picked 10 of their 11 as you say, we knew their shape, we knew they would try squeeze the game. The only surprise I got was they didn’t press us harder.

    In all honesty whether it was because they didn’t have to up it or if it was because of the cheap nature that they got their goals from they didn’t actually do a lot that was particularly impressive. This makes it all the more worrying how easily we were beat.

    The fact we clearly didn’t have any sort of plan to try out do their set up is beyond me.

    Also if I hear anymore excuses about a mole leaking teams or the one I hate at the moment not playing in front of the crowd!

    They are professionals you had the Green Brigade do all they could to show the support were all there for them desperate for a performance with the show at the training ground. Then to go out and deliver that performance was simply a disgrace.

    We have no given right to win any game of football but you do expect the bare minimum is for a team to be able to go out and put their all into it when you come up against your rivals and contenders for your title. That should be the absolute minimum!

    We had 6 players out of which if all fit arguably 5 would have started but of the 11 we fielded, all of them are either capped internationally or at U21 level for their country (maybe Welsh being the exception I am not sure if he has U21 caps). Not to mention all those brought on from the bench being in the same boat, yet we couldn’t manage a shot on target.
     
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  9. Buster

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    That team on Saturday with a bit of effort should have at the very minimum been a match for the huns...............one question on the title of this thread, how long will it take to get Griffiths match fit?
     
  10. joemc

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    I think if the options wer available then the team would have been imo barkas elhamed jullien Duffy ajer / lax broon mcgregor christie frimpong /forrest mo edouard , so 4 forced changes right away , and anyone who thinks fans not being there is an excuse just look at games and scorelines especially down south , no matter how you look at it , as a manager you are much more confident going into games with the players u want .
    People need to get their head round the big picture , its not a normal season and it is showing up in how teams play and adapt , rangers are handling this better atm but don't handle hun fan pressure well so it suits them , us missing players and especially the ones we missed on sat has a major affect on the team , christie gives drive energy press and goal threat assists , edouard gives focal point for attack and goals assists , fear factor .
    Forrest gives goal threat assists , elhamed more steady play , more dig , height , better pass /final ball , big losses to lennon although no guarantees , theres a fair chance more pressure would be on their defence and they didn't look great at mo's chance early on .
     
  11. moravcik1888

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    I dont agree with a lot of what you've said here. For example for me Klimala should be nowhere near the starting 11. A 80
    % fit Griffiths is still a better player than Klimala. Anyway you have your opinion and I have mine and we could argue all day about player selections, what i want to know is.....

    I think we all kind of get the message you dont want Neil Lennon as manager, so what is your solution, who do you realistically want us to replace him with?
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2020
  12. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    I agree that Edouard, Ajeti, Bitton/Elhamed, Christie would probably all have played if available. But the point I was making was that 9 out of the 11 are actually still first team players who have been playing regular this season. It was NOT a thrown together squad, Welsh aside.
     
  13. joemc

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    there are many first team players , but only 11 starters and 100% if available forrest christie edouard and against the huns elhamed would be in for the physical aspect and experience.
     
  14. Callum McGregor The Captain Gold Member

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    Starting Klimala and Elyounoussi up top is the biggest issue for me. An untested partnership while one of them isn't really a striker, and the other one just isn't good enough.
     
  15. joemc

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    I agree , mo is not comfortable wer he is played , klimala is not a player ready for the job of going for 10 , the pressure is too great and his 1 on 1s record is bad , he needs games and goals to build confidence but this is not the time .
     
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  16. moravcik1888

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    Nailed it. Griffiths and Ajeti should have started. I dont care if they're only 80% fit, even at that level of fitness they are far more dangerous than Elyanoussi and Klimala. This is one of the things Neil Lennon needs to sort out now, how can these players still be 'unfit'? what the * are they doing at Lennoxtown.
     
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  17. joemc

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    The problem is both wer not used as they are not fit enough to put pressure on their defense by pressing and chasing , hence the reason klimala and mo started , we never got in positions to deliver to griff or ajeti tbh .
     
  18. Callum McGregor The Captain Gold Member

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    I think he (Klimala) can be a useful squad player, but he needs another proper striker to work with. His effort and work rate will create goals from time to time as we've already seen, but he isn't the type of striker who can receive his ball with his back to goal and then link play. His finishing has been a bit hit and miss so far. He's got his uses, but starting against the scum beside Elyounoussi isn't one of them.
     
  19. joemc

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    He is raw and has plenty enthusiasm , his first touch is poor and you would not bet on him running in on the keeper to put it away for now , a player just not ready for wot we need now .
     
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  20. Foley1888

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    For me there is no doubt having Christie, Eddy, Elhamed, and Julien would have made a big difference. Forrest has been out long term and that could happen at anytime in a season, (you could say that about Julien but then Bitton would have played). With Christie, Eddy and Julien your about 50 goals down on last year.

    However, the above still doesn’t address the manner of Saturdays performance being so tame and almost accepting of defeat. The game was getting away from us and we were mainly feeding of scraps from early on Klimala looked out of his depth and Ntcham first half was all over the place getting owned by Kamara.

    Half time should have seen a change from Lennon to counter the way Rangers were playing by getting Ntcham and Klimala off for Griff and Rogic or Turnbull. You could have went to a four at the back with Ajer or Welsh going out to Right back and pushing Frimpong on.

    The way Rangers play they rely on getting the ball out to their full backs to push on or Davies to start attacks. Neither of their two CBs are good on the ball, get Griff to hound them, push our forwards (Frimpong and Ely) on to their full backs and have our midfield match theirs (CalMac on Davies, Rogic/Turnbull on Kamara and Brown pick up Arfield), our full backs match up to Barker and Kent.

    You then force them to go long to Morelos where you fancy Duffy in the air and have a spare CB to mop up or those wingers to come very deep to get on the ball. You then push up on them and squeeze them make them try play their one touch football in their own half and in tight spaces where we can nick it and break on them. If they play through you fair enough you then need to match your man or rely on the spare CB on bail you out.

    It’s a 4-3-2-1 set up out of possession and a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 when we have the ball. You could even be 3-4-3 in attack by dropping Brown/CDM in with the CBs, push your full backs on and tuck Ely and Frimpong in.

    Alternatively if it’s Ajer at RB, CBs shuffle along to make the three Laxalt pushes on Frimpong holds his width and Rogic pushes on with Ely to support Griff as a front three or just off them.

    Instead our manager sat arms folded took our only player that looked any sort of threat (Ely) off and left Ntcham and Klimala on until we were 2-0 down. Then they just dropped into a 4-1-4-1 formation mainly in their own half and tried to counter on occasion. Even then we never really changed shape until trying to throw Duffy upfront at the end.