what is our solid base for rebuilding

The number of times Boruc has been upfront in the last couple of minutes of games recently. You would think he was a centre forward.

P.S you say some players are versatile I agree but you obviously believe Odea isnt one of them. What do you base this view on.?
In regards to Caldwell´s versatility that is not in dispute he is equaly as versatile in all positions. He is as * at RB,CB and probably in DM aswell. The only decent position I can see him in is at Gretna.

 

Based on the fact that he plays centre half for the first team, the reserves, and Ireland. He only ever moves to full back when its absolutely necessary and there literally is no other options.

Don't you think that if he has the potential to play in DM then one of the many coaches at Parkhead over the years might have spotted it and tried him there in a few reserve games?

 

PMSL

 

Odea is a young guy and has only come to the fore under WGS´s tenure.

I dont trust the current coaches knowledge with regards to who plays best in wich position. See Ross Wallace, Craig Beatie, Stephen Pearson and the boy Conroy all have been tried at Full back. Come one you telling me Beattie is a full back. These guys are just a few that have been tried in alien positions under WGS. Riorden is not a LM player as Hartley is not a full back and JJ was not a Striker and it was even debatable if his position was LM.

To me with all these flawed decisions that have been made on where certain individuals best positions are under this current regime, then it is logical to look at other players. Perhaps they are being played out of position aswell Odea has been tried at CB and LB all I was saying was perhaps those positions are not his best ones.

I mean look at his atributes.

Quick in the tackle.

Comfortable on the ball

Has a turn of pace

Strong and hard to knock of the ball

Good at reading the game.

All atributes that could be useful as a Defensive Midfield player. You base your argument on the coaching staff at Celtic I am sorry but their opinion has not always been correct. Maybe Odea is not a DM player my argument is IMO neither is Gary Caldwell and if any of the two has a chance of playing that position successfily then to me it has to be Odea he is young enough to be taught the position while Caldwell is not. Hey just an opinion you dont have to agree with it.

To throw another name at you for DM slot how about Mark Wilson he played their on ocaision for Dundee Utd and like Odea IMO has most of the atributes to play the holding midfield role. Wilson has an added advantage as he is more composed in posession.

 

Completely agree. We are the best squad in the counry and i feel now we jsut need a new boss to move a few people around and tinker with the formation. We dont need massive changes. A few in and outs and we could slaughter every team in the league, including the Huns. This is just my opinion.

Boruc

Hinkel New defender McManus New left back

Hartley New centre mid

Brown

McGeady Riordan

Samaras/McDonald

More defensive stability and giving Brown the chance to roam in midfield and giving deeks a chance. It is just a case of putting good players in their best positions and motivating them. And a few new faces. There are other guys who could come in to this formation and perform.

Hail! Hail!

 

would be a good team^

would suit alot of our players better, thats the formation that got the best out of brooooon at hibs, stephen hunt instead of deeks though. cant see WGS having the balls to change the team that much

 

OD may have some of these attributes but his pace and change of pace is poor. Watch him again when he is high up the pitch and attacked: he is lost. He is a CB out and out. I would certainly be willing to give him a few games on place of Mick who is playing poor at the moment. i still think he is too like Mick to make a big difference but I would like to see him play a few with Caldwell.

Apparently Wilson has played very well at CM for the arabs and in training for us. Before he got his run of injuries he was known for having serious pace and a fair bit of skill. He also has very decent concetration. If he could get a long run without injury I think he will he a very high quality player as he showed in his early run at LB.

 

I agree when playing LB he has looked lost when further up the park. However playing LB is totaly a diferent proposition than playing in the middle of the park as a holding player with the game in front of you.

Like you I would like to see him given more games a CB. I just think he may be lacking a bit in the air to be a long term answer in that position. Maybe with a dominant CB next to him a Balde type then this would allow him to be what WGS wanted Caldwell to be a quality ball playing CB.

I agree with you on Wilson I think he has a lot to offer us if he gets fit. Weather he plays LB fills in at RB or even as a potential holding midfielder.

 

That a sort of cross between a 4-5-1 and a 4-3-3. I like it although it does leave is us a litlle short up front. One thing I think the team is lacking is gallus flair and cheek and Deeks can probably give us this.

Right now I would go for

...................Artur

.........Herr Hinkel........Garold.......OD.....Wilson

.........................Hartley

........Brown........................Robson

......................Aidan

.................Samaras......Deeks


Thats a sort of 4-4-2 with a diamond. What I would love about this team is the flair. There has been a lack of energy about Naka, JVOH, Skippy, Donati, Mick, Naylor etc. I dont think they have become bad players. They all have been praised at times this season. I just think they are done for the season- lots of club and international games. This line up will freshen things up. The fact WGS has not dont that recently is swaying me towards the WGS replacement camp although I dont agree with most of their reasoning.

 

They all played at full back when we had no other options.

He might only have made the first team recently but he has been at Celtic for years. Youth coaches would have spotted any potential for a posistional change.

JJ and Riordan clearly have skills that make them versatile players.

You are arguing against your own point here. Wilson can/has played there because he has the versatility to do so. Spotted by the coaches at Dundee Utd. He is a versatile player.

O'Dea is not.

 

O´Dea was obviously thought versatile enough to play LB. Given the fact we have rarely played with a Holding midfield player under WGS. The asumption that O´Dea couldnt play that position has yet to be proven. You maybe right that he could never play that position however IMO I think he could be tailor made for it. Hey its all about opinions. With regards to players not being seen as versatile in their early careers threir are a number of players who switched positions later on. Colin Hendry, Christian Daily and even Dider Agathe started their early careers as Strikers but made their names in more defensive roles. Their are many other examples of players being found to be better, in a different position that has been earmarked for them by certain coaches. Perhaps O´Dea is similar.

Regards to your first point on versatile players I supose that is also upto interpratation. You may feel that some are versatile however I think they have been used incorectly.

With regards to Wilson he has played far more games than O´Dea and has been given the oportunity to showcase his talents in many positions. O´Dea has not been aforded the same oportunity. I supose until he has had a sustained run in any position we cant realy asess his ability fully.

 

Imo O'Dea is first and foremost a centre-back who happens to be left footed. Thanks to his decent understanding of the game that means he can make a passable left-back but I hardly think he played fantastic in the few games I saw him there.

Hes too burly and flat-footed to be a full-back in my eyes - especially the attacking style of full-back that Strachans commited to. I would compare O'Dea to Papac (at LB) - defensively solid but questionable going forward.

 

OK ellboy think its time to put this one away.
Your right its all about opinions.
Agree to disagree on this one. Cheers mate.

 

Fair enough.

 

not wanting to cause an argument but in pre-season wilson was good in the holding role when played there, however this leaves us short of one of our only half decent full-backs whereas caldwell moving forward means balde can come in.

ps. in wgs's tenure we have used a holding midfielder more often than not- lennon was here for 2 seasons under strachan.

 

When McManus broke through he was put in at left back simply because he was left footed.The same has happpend with O'Dea.If O'Dea was right footed he wouldn't have gone anywhere near LB this season.

I think O'Dea is too cumbersome to be a CM.He has exactly the same build as McManus and many of the same attributes.Maybe he is a bit quicker over a long distance but he's got * all acceleration and he's got the turning speed of an oil tanker.ATM he is remakably similiar to McManus.

 

Lennon was the exeption he played in a two and did it well.

We dont have anyone capable of giving us that balence now hence looking for other options.

The guys I mentioned would not play in a 4-4-2 as Lenny did under WGS and as he currently employs now. I see someone like Wilson or O´Dea sitting in a three.

P.S. Celtic Nut O´dea is more stocky compared to Mick and yes he has not impressed in the turn especialy at LB. I am not saying he is a definate holding DM player although I dont think he is tall enough to be a successful long term CB. I like O´Dea but if he is not versatile I cant realy see a big future for him at Celtic.

 

I think at home Donati and Brown are our best partnership.We don't need a DM at home IMO but Donati can still offer relative defensive soidity while still being a creative force.
Away from home I would go with Hartley in the holding role.He is uncreative and unimaginative and lacks passing range but he does the holding job well.
I hope Wilson can show himself to be a good DM in pre season unhder a new manager.

 

Do you know what height he is mate?I thought he was about 6ft?

 

Aye he is six foot.

Mick is 6"3 and Caldwell is 6"2 foot. Bobo on the other hand is around 6"6.