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Strength in depth


andyD

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So, hopefully we're now settled on a formation and a system for the remainder of McLeish's reign (and maybe beyond).
For me, 4231 is the only thing we should be considering, but do we have enough depth to be able to play it despite call offs?

GK: McGregor, Gordon, McLaughlin

RB: O'Donnell, Paterson, Palmer, Ralston (or Tierney)
LB: Robertson, Tierney, Douglas, Kingsley
RCB: Souttar, Bates, Devlin, Hanley, Hendry, Lindsey
LCB: McKenna, Mulgrew, Tierney, Berra

CDM: McGregor, McTominay, Shinnie, Fleck, McDonald
CM: Armstrong, McGinn, Bannan, Cairney

RW: Forrest, Russell, Phillips, Burke
LW: Fraser, McKay, Morgan, GMS
SS: McGregor, Paterson, GMS, Bannan, Snodgrass

CF: Fletcher, Griffiths, Naismith, McBurnie, Rhodes

To me it feels like right back and left wing are our problem areas in terms of depth.
But overall it feels like we've got a bit more quality among the wider squad of players than we've had for a long while.

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1 hour ago, andyD said:

So, hopefully we're now settled on a formation and a system for the remainder of McLeish's reign (and maybe beyond).
For me, 4231 is the only thing we should be considering, but do we have enough depth to be able to play it despite call offs?

GK: McGregor, Gordon, McLaughlin

RB: O'Donnell, Paterson, Palmer, Ralston (or Tierney)
LB: Robertson, Tierney, Douglas, Kingsley
RCB: Souttar, Bates, Devlin, Hanley, Hendry, Lindsey
LCB: McKenna, Mulgrew, Tierney, Berra

CDM: McGregor, McTominay, Shinnie, Fleck, McDonald
CM: Armstrong, McGinn, Bannan, Cairney

RW: Forrest, Russell, Phillips, Burke
LW: Fraser, McKay, Morgan, GMS
SS: McGregor, Paterson, GMS, Bannan, Snodgrass

CF: Fletcher, Griffiths, Naismith, McBurnie, Rhodes

To me it feels like right back and left wing are our problem areas in terms of depth.
But overall it feels like we've got a bit more quality among the wider squad of players than we've had for a long while.

I'd say we're a bit weak in CDM too. McGregor can play there but you only have to look at Israel's first goal to see that he probably shouldn't be playing there. McTominay hardly kicks a ball at Man U and the jury is still very much out on McDonald at international level. Personally I'd play Mulgrew there rather than in central defence. He's played there before and  is reasonably decent with the ball at his feet.  It's just a pity McArthur quit cause we could be doing with him. It's a position that's going to need addressed cause last night's formation won't work against better teams.

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1 hour ago, stocky said:

We will need it , as far as i can see  we will have TEN games next year... 5 home and 5 away between March and November......  in the Euro Quallies..

 

Draw next Sunday    .

 

Not if we’re in a group of 5.........

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1 hour ago, andyD said:

So, hopefully we're now settled on a formation and a system for the remainder of McLeish's reign (and maybe beyond).
For me, 4231 is the only thing we should be considering, but do we have enough depth to be able to play it despite call offs?

GK: McGregor, Gordon, McLaughlin

RB: O'Donnell, Paterson, Palmer, Ralston (or Tierney)
LB: Robertson, Tierney, Douglas, Kingsley
RCB: Souttar, Bates, Devlin, Hanley, Hendry, Lindsey
LCB: McKenna, Mulgrew, Tierney, Berra

CDM: McGregor, McTominay, Shinnie, Fleck, McDonald
CM: Armstrong, McGinn, Bannan, Cairney

RW: Forrest, Russell, Phillips, Burke
LW: Fraser, McKay, Morgan, GMS
SS: McGregor, Paterson, GMS, Bannan, Snodgrass

CF: Fletcher, Griffiths, Naismith, McBurnie, Rhodes

To me it feels like right back and left wing are our problem areas in terms of depth.
But overall it feels like we've got a bit more quality among the wider squad of players than we've had for a long while.

I feel like Christoe has earned at least a call-up to your squad :P

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3 hours ago, andyD said:

So, hopefully we're now settled on a formation and a system for the remainder of McLeish's reign (and maybe beyond).
For me, 4231 is the only thing we should be considering, but do we have enough depth to be able to play it despite call offs?

GK: McGregor, Gordon, McLaughlin

RB: O'Donnell, Paterson, Palmer, Ralston (or Tierney)
LB: Robertson, Tierney, Douglas, Kingsley
RCB: Souttar, Bates, Devlin, Hanley, Hendry, Lindsey
LCB: McKenna, Mulgrew, Tierney, Berra

CDM: McGregor, McTominay, Shinnie, Fleck, McDonald
CM: Armstrong, McGinn, Bannan, Cairney

RW: Forrest, Russell, Phillips, Burke
LW: Fraser, McKay, Morgan, GMS
SS: McGregor, Paterson, GMS, Bannan, Snodgrass

CF: Fletcher, Griffiths, Naismith, McBurnie, Rhodes

To me it feels like right back and left wing are our problem areas in terms of depth.
But overall it feels like we've got a bit more quality among the wider squad of players than we've had for a long while.

Lindsay is left footed. 

Left wing seems strong enough. Middleton and Johnston will be in contention before the season is out. I would very much like to see Ross McRorie converted to right back at club level, as he’s the type we need in the squad, and he could play there with some practice. 

You forgot Christie!

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I think Tierney has to realise he can either be first choice right back or 2nd choice left back. Its as simple as that..

I think we all know Paterson hates playing right back but fair play to him for putting a couple of shifts in. He should be in the mix for striker as he is very good in the air. 

Im slightly worried about a lack of goalkeeper coming through. Hopefully mcrorie comes through although i would be very happy for angus gunn to realise he is scottish..

Edited by Templeton_Peck
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13 minutes ago, Templeton_Peck said:

I think Tierney has to realise he can either be first choice right back or 2nd choice left back. Its as simple as that..

I think we all know Paterson hates playing right back but fair play to him for putting a couple of shifts in. He should be in the mix for striker as he is very good in the air. 

Im slightly worried about a lack of goalkeeper coming through. Hopefully mcrorie comes through although i would be very happy for angus gunn to realise he is scottish..

Ross Doohan at Ayr, top of he championship on loan from Celtic.

Signed a new long term deal with Celtic this year. 

He has a load of clean sheets this year and played for the U21’s at Toulon over the summer.

Better prospect than Mcrorie.

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6 hours ago, stevenmcn said:

I'd say we're a bit weak in CDM too. McGregor can play there but you only have to look at Israel's first goal to see that he probably shouldn't be playing there. McTominay hardly kicks a ball at Man U and the jury is still very much out on McDonald at international level. Personally I'd play Mulgrew there rather than in central defence. He's played there before and  is reasonably decent with the ball at his feet.  It's just a pity McArthur quit cause we could be doing with him. It's a position that's going to need addressed cause last night's formation won't work against better teams.

The formation/team will just need tweaked a bit when playing the better teams. We essentially played 433 last night, with 6 attack-minded players.

For better teams, i'd still have McGregor at CDM, but have him alongside a more traditional CDM (like McDonald) in the 2 of a 4231. In the past 2 games i loved that our defence could easily pass the ball to a technically brilliant midfielder who could retain possession and move it forward.

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2 minutes ago, Dave78 said:

The formation/team will just need tweaked a bit when playing the better teams. We essentially played 433 last night, with 6 attack-minded players.

For better teams, i'd still have McGregor at CDM, but have him alongside a more traditional CDM (like McDonald) in the 2 of a 4231. In the past 2 games i loved that our defence could easily pass the ball to a technically brilliant midfielder who could retain possession and move it forward.

Jesus

You would take any one of those players out and replace him with McDonald!!

Celtic played in the chumps league with Armstrong at DM

He'll do fine

 

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2 minutes ago, Bino's said:

Jesus

You would take any one of those players out and replace him with McDonald!!

Celtic played in the chumps league with Armstrong at DM

He'll do fine

 

There'll surely be games that call for a more traditional CDM though. Someone mentioned Mulgrew, that'd work too.

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9 hours ago, Baz said:

Ross Doohan at Ayr, top of he championship on loan from Celtic.

Signed a new long term deal with Celtic this year. 

He has a load of clean sheets this year and played for the U21’s at Toulon over the summer.

Better prospect than Mcrorie.

McRorie got the nod over him at the bigger games at Toulon, but hopefully one or both make the grade.

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9 hours ago, Baz said:

Ross Doohan at Ayr, top of he championship on loan from Celtic.

Signed a new long term deal with Celtic this year. 

He has a load of clean sheets this year and played for the U21’s at Toulon over the summer.

Better prospect than Mcrorie.

McCrorie is class I think they are both good prospects 

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17 hours ago, Templeton_Peck said:

I think Tierney has to realise he can either be first choice right back or 2nd choice left back. Its as simple as that..

I think we all know Paterson hates playing right back but fair play to him for putting a couple of shifts in. He should be in the mix for striker as he is very good in the air. 

Im slightly worried about a lack of goalkeeper coming through. Hopefully mcrorie comes through although i would be very happy for angus gunn to realise he is scottish..

McLeish making Robertson captain would suggest that you are correct but Robertson hasn’t exactly been spectacular for us in recent matches.  

He’s been solid since we’ve reverted to a back 4 obviously as he is a class player but all it would take is for Robertson to miss one match through injury and for Tierney to perform well at left back and a McLeish (or our next manager) would have a decision to make again. 

I don’t really think Tierney minds playing at right back that much though and will do a decent job for us there I’m sure. Must be frustrating for him though.

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6 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

McLeish making Robertson captain would suggest that you are correct but Robertson hasn’t exactly been spectacular for us in recent matches.  

He’s been solid since we’ve reverted to a back 4 obviously as he is a class player but all it would take is for Robertson to miss one match through injury and for Tierney to perform well at left back and a McLeish (or our next manager) would have a decision to make again. 

I don’t really think Tierney minds playing at right back that much though and will do a decent job for us there I’m sure. Must be frustrating for him though.

Likewise, I can't see him being the sort to complain about it. 

It's clear that it stifled him from going forward when he played at RB but he was reasonably solid defensively. He's potentially better at RB than anyone else that is likely to play that position.

You'd hope that he would look at it as an opportunity to develop and improve his game and his weaker foot, rather than being overly frustrated about it or feeling that he's being hung out to dry. Especially when you've got guys like Danny McGrain who are saying that Tierney could similarly adapt to play RB - that should be all the encouragement and example that the young man requires. 

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25 minutes ago, AlfieMoon said:

Likewise, I can't see him being the sort to complain about it. 

It's clear that it stifled him from going forward when he played at RB but he was reasonably solid defensively. He's potentially better at RB than anyone else that is likely to play that position.

You'd hope that he would look at it as an opportunity to develop and improve his game and his weaker foot, rather than being overly frustrated about it or feeling that he's being hung out to dry. Especially when you've got guys like Danny McGrain who are saying that Tierney could similarly adapt to play RB - that should be all the encouragement and example that the young man requires. 

He should be practicing for half an hour with his right everyday. It would help him even when at left back. So many times forwards force full back onto their weaker foot so they can’t clear it up the line. They end up sclaffing  it straight to the opposition in the middle of the pitch. 

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