Anthony Stokes

After their runs I think Virgil has scored once and Ambrose has yet to score. I am sure we need to work on the shooting of both of these centre backs but maybe we need to see if some of more attacking players can get themselves free to be able to get a shot away.

 

I remember one of the few times we really cut the AC Milan defence open in the home game was when Ambrose went on one of his mad runs. He actually did play Sammy in IIRC, but Sammy didn't convert and was standing offside anyway. I love Sammy but I sure wish it'd been Commons instead of Sammy.

 

At least Anthony Stokes has one big worry finally off his mind . The last three trumped up charges against his father have been dropped , so at least that is good news for him .

 

If Efe could pass or shoot he would be absolutely superb, even at CL level he is excellent at taking players on.

 

It's good to see Stokes been proving all the "haters" wrong these past few months.

 

I question peoples knowledge of football when they go overboard on criticism of Anthony Stokes, it was similar to Joe Ledley, when people can't bring themselves to see what they bring to the team I think there's a general lack of football knowledge there to be honest.

 

I'd agree with that.

 

I know it's not Tony's fault because he's not picking the questions, but these journalists are beginning to really get boring...oh, Sevco v Celtic!

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27031659

 

Think Celtic should say they are not here to talk about another club we're not playing at press conferences. As for Stokes on his day he's a very good partner for a main striker. Plenty of skill and a quick thinker, just a bit inconsistent.

 

Lack of football knowledge? Bollocks. If anything it's the other way round. People see his name on the score sheet from time to time and think he's doing a good job. Whenever someone mentions Stokes now all I can think of is his performance in Amsterdam which was undoubtedly the most hopeless, gutless performance I've ever seen in Europe from a Celtic striker.

Even domestically he's never turned up in the big games. There's a reason he rarely played against Rangers. He offers literally nothing for Celtic in matches against decent opposition. He can't hold the ball up, can't win a header, can't run in behind and doesn't take his chances in the big games.

 

Thus lack of football knowledge ^^^^^^^^

 

:smiley-laughing002::smiley-laughing002::smiley-laughing002::smiley-laughing002::smiley-laughing002::smiley-laughing002:

 

See his name on the scoresheet from time to time?

He's been in the top three goals and assist charts pretty much since he joined us.

All the more impressive considering he never plays in the "big games" (nothing to do with us only going with one up front in a lot of big games, no no uh uh it's because he's *)

 

I actually want to retract that post about Stokesy being a bit inconsistent cos I'm * at football and to be fair as far as I know he's never criticised my feeble efforts. Sorry Stokesy

 

He did. He PM'd us. Said you cover every blade of grass...only coz your first touch is so *. It was pretty scathing. It was uncalled for really.

 

Baldy *

 

Everyone knows Sammy's going...time for Efe and Stokes to step up to the plate and be club scapegoat.

 

People have their favourites and when they get criticised, they play the scapegoat card.

He wasn't good enough in Europe last year. Fair enough, we know he was only played as a lone striker which isn't his position, but he played poor and was still criticised.

Yet some people still said he played well. And then moaned in another thread about our lack of a goal threat.

It remains to be seen whether he's good enough in Europe. So until next season, the * waving can be put on ice.

 

I still don't think he played all that poor, he was involved in everything that was good attacking wise at the San Siro, he was absolutely amazing for the 3rd goal against Karagandy to get us into Europe in the first place, he was good against Barcelona at home in a midfield position and shut down space from the back excellently, it was his skill against Ajax that got us the penalty...

I've said many times I think he was the only player that retained his ability on the ball in Europe and hopefully we'll see this come into play next year when he isn't playing as a lone striker when we are in Europe.

Many people did say he played well because we are very aware of Stokes' role in the team, he hasn't done well enough in the goalscoring stakes this year due to the role he has been playing, since January he has reverted to his primary position in the team and is sitting up and scoring, 7 goals in 9 I believe it is.

It's the over the top criticism that I am getting at, people who just completely dismissed him and the evidence of his play of the last 3 years for us. If you watch and support Celtic, the least you can do is have the decency to pay attention to our players and how they are supposed to be used in a team. It's stupidity to judge them on other merits.

 

To say Stokes wasn't poor in Europe this season really is insane, the Stokes beer goggles out in full swing.

Even in the qualifiers he didn't get himself a goal? It doesn't matter what 'build up' play he was part of as 9 out of 10 times it never produced a goal for us, especially in the competition proper.

The bottom line is he managed 0 goals in 11 appearances (9 starts) in European competition over this season.

Who can seriously say they want that from a Celtic striker?