Deadline day disappointment

We have an extensive scouting network around the world, yet by all accounts it came down to James McCarthy, a player we've been aware of for pretty much a decade, on loan on deadline day?

You can't tell me there isn't a single player around the world we couldn't have brought in that would have played to a high standard, especially when you consider the millions upon millions we have earned over the last 2 months alone.

 

Your too sensible for this forum mate .

 

Apparently we failed in a last minute bid for James Morrison.

Personally I wouldn't want to go any further down a list that has James Morrison on it. :smiley-laughing002:

 

He's deid mate

 

But no one we buy is going to change anything for us. We will still get beat in Europe and we will still win the league.

I'd rather Brendan got his preferred players in January than go any further down a list just so we can say we addressed something.

We also have Ajer to come back in too, very highly rated DM.

 

So do we just stop trying to sign good players for positions we need because we'll probably not do well in Europe and probably win the league anyway?

IMO we should have signed a midfielder, should have absolutely made sure it happened. It didn't have to be "James McCarthy followed by a last ditch attempt for James Morrison" or absolutely nothing. We've had 2 full months to address this.

 

Thing is nobody here knows any * about what we tried or not. Only thing reliable sources telled, we were after two more players probably for CM but we couldnt get them. I still think its a major letdown that we didnt got one player for CM that atleast could challenge Bitton\Brown. Its not like it is a position we just wanted to get better in quality or quantity but a place we seriously lacked real options and quality no matter if we qualified or not.

 

I agree with the points you've made but totally understand the frustration of Murph-E and others making similar points.

It's obvious to everyone we need a midfielder. Signing McCarthy on loan would improve our midfield for a year, but at great cost and it'd only really benefit the team for 6 matches.

Hindsight will be the only way to determine whether gambling on not signing someone pays off.

 

Let's put it this way, mucker:

We already have an abundance of midfielders on the books - more than a few of which we were unable to see off out of the squad that window there. We have at our disposal NINE.......yes 9 first team players who are able to play in the central midfield position - Brown, Bitton, Armstrong, Commons, Chrsitie, Rogic, Ajer, McGregor and Henderson. That's not even counting daft-* Ambrose who could even be deployed as a DM.

Aye, I wanted a big name centre mid, it didn't happen. But we still have more than enough, and probably too many on the books to maybe justify another one or two coming in?

 

Cheers for clearing that up for us, boss

 

Forgot to add, and that was us getting rid of Allan and Johansen.

* me, what a mess that Deila * left me in......12 * midfielders? I should hunt him down and kick him in the peezo!

 

Aye but none of those 9 can defend, especially Efe..:smiley-laughing002:

 

Less than half of those players you mention are central midfielders let alone defensive midfielders. Brown is the only one that we know of who has any defensive instincts and even at that he has several deficiencies in his defensive game.

It's not a big name centre mid everyone wants. It's a guy who can sit in front of the back 4 who can break up play, track a man, make short simple passes and have the ability to slow a game down. Not asking too much for a club our size.

 

I'd have been delighted with Ogu and that's not a big name.

 

Perhaps, or perhaps it could be that part of an evolving team dynamic that a player already on our books to be fitted to this task rather than bring one in.

This is nothing new. In fact Jock Stein did the exact same thing when he moved Bobby Murdoch into the midfield, largely to accomodate Jinky. Think we can all agree that worked out pretty well.

Not saying we have a Jinky or a Murdoch on our books at present, but what if, and this is pure speculation, with Brown now into his 30's, giving up International football and looking to extend his playing career, may be moulded from fitting the role he has done for pretty much his entire Celtic career and made more to this type of role?

Not saying this is what is going to happen, but just an example of a possible answer for your question?

 

Didn't come on yesterday because I knew it would be tetchy and emotional, which seemingly it was. :smiley-laughing002:

I am disappointed, though. Had it not been Brendan in charge, would folk still be so 'optimistic' and forgiven?

People are venting their frustrations not because we never signed someone on 'transfer deadline day' but because we failed to strengthen in a weak area - all summer. In fact an area which needed strengthened for years. We're going on all fronts with Brown and Bitton the anchors of our midfield, both of whom have been posted missing quite regularly and in big games too. An injury/suspension to one or both and we are *.

I'm also really confused as to why we did all our business in England this year? Is Brendan untrusting of the scouts? That has alarm bells ringing for me. It actually has me laughing at all the threads and posts we made in the transfer rumours thread about players in other leagues. It seems we weren't interested in any.

We've effectively spent heehaw this summer, really. Toure is going to need replaced next summer too. And we're going to have to hope he can power through 50 matches this season.

Also, the board shouldn't be charging silly prices for the game against Sevco. The amount of money we have made and yet spent modestly should mean we have some reserves and at least give something back to the fans. It's a bare faced cheek to charge up to £50 for the game.

 

* me, that post took 10 scrolls :smiley-laughing002:

 

Deadline Day Disappointment ??? No for me, Champions League with the big boys, great new players fitting in well, rejuvenated old players back to their best, A manager who is top notch and intent on developing youth and he can actually change a game when the going is tough, great performances in games (couple of hiccups aside).
Nope no disappointment here, only excitement for a great season ahead