Shaun Maloney's Striker Credentials

Do you think Shaun Maloney is good enough to be classed as Celtic's 1st choice centre forward for the present and the future.

This means competing in all domestic and european levels?

Is his goal scoring record good enough for this?? Is he too small/ weak to lead the pack of goal scorers??? Is he effective enough in the penalty box.

Where do you see him fitting into the current squad?

Please disclose your vote and you reasons for voting!

 

Bitter enough to make a thread eh

If anyone is confused GreenGoblin is one of the Maloney haters that is coming out now using Celtic being a bit down to his advantage to make his opinions known.

Maloney has been one of the few bright spots this season. Easilly the best signing we have made.

Would be great either as a withdrawn striker working with a true scorer like Skippy/JVOH/Samaras or on the wing if Naka/McGeady get injured.

Think he could get 15-20 goals a season (he got 16 from the wing before he left) especially as he starts to get his scoring form back. Combine that with 30+ assists and you would have a good striker combo.

 

As a Celtic supporter I am not bitter! We are the peoples club, run by our own people for our masses and so I found it fitting to 'Let the People Sing' to guage their perception....

IMO Shaun is a squad man who will be used up front when required. He is too small and weak to put himself about and his pace is not enough to compensate for this. He looks far from confident in the penalty box, where a striker is expected to perform. Whilst playing up front he often drifts far too deep, finding himself deeper than the midfield in some cases and way out of position.

For this reason he cannot lead the line at home or abroad, he is however capable of breaking 10 goals a season, given his set piece abilities!

Shaun- as seen in his 1st season- is best deployed on the wings. He played well there before his departure and his stature suits this role. However I believe that Aiden McGeadys performances over the last 18 months have improved greatly, having worked on his defensive game and cutting down a little on the tricks. He can however still improve the final ball. On the same hand Nakamura is worth having on as that one moment of magic can split a defence. The main issue with Naka is that we do not have a RB who is capable of allowing him the room to galavant at the moment. Paul Telfer was great with him!

For these reasons at the moment I see Shaun as a played who will- in a fully fit squad- mainly feature from the bench or in front of an injured player.

Hence, a squad player!

 

maloneys a winger fast good feet IMO he should have a run in mcgeadys position bcos he can at least shoot i think mcgeady boruc mcmanus all need to find out that they need to play well to stay in the team

 

first choice for me, a better player than McDonald and will create more and score more simple as that.

 

A better winger than McGeady, more end product.

 

His starting position yesterday was too far up the pitch, he needs to drop off and play with the goal in front of him. For me he would be best playing in behind a front two or just in behind a loan striker. Against Falkirk he played that way and could use his skill and pace to good effect yesterday he stuck to leading the line must have been ordered to do so.

We need creative players like Maloney in our team we are starved of them. He is not an out an out striker who will score 30 plus goals a season but he will be involved in creating many goals for us, if used correctly.

 

first choice striker with 10+goals... although if he dips in form then back up

 

like see him and mcdonald in partnership with jan a cf or samaras might be sum force and go 3 at back 3 - 4 - 1- 2

 

I would say a bit of both can play on the wing and as a striker, i think when skippy and jvoh come back into the team he will be moved to the wing.

 

He's not a striker and going by McGeadys recent form to the start of this season, Maloney could quite easily become our first choice winger.

 

Here we have common sense prevailing!

Maloney isnt and will never be able to lead the line and be a 1st choice striker, he doesnt pull his weight up front... in terms of both goals and strength.

We were bullied from back to front yesterday, I could count on one hand the amount of headers won by Samaras and Maloney!

his only credentials are wide on either flank!

 

Green your the only one on this forum that thinks he is a squad player.

I agree that he is a better winger than striker but if GS wants McGeady and Naka to start then I would rather have him as a withdrawn striker.

Think you should admit your the only one who thinks he's a squad player or at least admit you are in the extreme minority.

 

Wing, wing and thrice wing - that's where he is best suited and where he will cause the most damage..

When Skippy returns, it's where he'll be played too, i think - move Naka in a bit, maybe even in a five man mid until Scotty gets up to full fitness...

 

A back up striker is in essence a squad player... If you are a back up, then you are past of the squad and therefore not 1st choice!

To believe that Shaun Maloney is capable to lead Celtic's forward line in Europe is absolute lunacy! I put squad player as a believe he is a good winger but think McGeady and Naka offer more.

To consider removing McDonald at this stage(30+ goals a season) is crazy especially when you propose to replace him with someone who has a complex with goalscoring! The better part of Maloneys goals come from set pieces.... how many of McDonald and JVoH's goals came from set pieces last season. 5???

 

will do a good job best as a winger but can turn a trick as a withdrawn striker running direct at goal.


PS how about that bit of skill yesterday when he turned two huns in the box and so nearly curled into the far right corner? Was mouthwatering stuff!

 

Well you posted this thread to prove everyone agrees with you.

Your still the only one to vote "squad player".

75%+ see him as a starter at either wing or midfield

Another 15% see him scoring 10 goals this year.

Like I said your the only one who thinks hes a "squad player"

 

1st choice Striker 10+ goals per season

 

I posted not to prove a point but to guage opinion! You claimed that that SM was good enough to be our 1st choice striker with Jan/Skippy/samaras competing for the 2nd berth! I wanted to see perceptions of fellow fans who see him week in week out! You will also know that in terms of Sundays game I wanted him played on the flank(where he is most suited) of a midfield 5....

Would you not agree that a back up player and a back up striker also amount to being a squad player, back up meaning "IF someone else cant play....."

Fair enough 15% see 10 goals, I personally can see 10 or so goals, but do you want 10 or so goals to lead the line in europe and the SPL! These 10 goals will come from free kicks or wonder strikes.... he doesnt score consistently nor does he lead the forward line well! We play 50+ games in a season and 10+ goals for a 1st choice striker is mediocre!

At east we discovered that 13.whatever % of us are regular drug users who think he is capable of scoring over 20 goals per year!!!Thats not even funny to contemplate him as our main striker!

 

He's the first choice winger IMO where he won poty and scored a good amount of goals. He's very direct at cutting in from the wide area charging towards the central defenders.