Caldwell good enough?

Strengths:
Strong by SPL standards
Can distribute well
Pacey by SPL standards
Always gives 100%
Flexible
Good reading of the game

Weaknesses:
At times suffers from "bomb-scare" moments
Can get bullied at CL level

Verdict:
Excellent SPL defender. Form improved dramatically towards end of last season and is working on dropping the "bomb-scare" reputation. Can be found wanting at CL level but if continues current improvement should develop to be reliable at CL and superb in SPL.

 

He's not *. Not much difference between him and McManus, one is a better leader, the other is a better passer of the ball. Can we get better CB's? yes. I hope that we get someone that can push them to the next level or replace them

 

By the time we let Kennedy go off on loan and with Balde supposed to be leaving as well that makes me think we will have someone lined up...

 

The fact that we are dabating whether GC is good enough or not says to me he is not. If he was, there would be no question. I have been a big critic of his since we signed him, didnt think he was good enough then and still not seen anything to change my mind.
In his defence(lol) I would say that him and Robson finished the season the strongest out of our team.

IMO

 

One the basis of the finish to the season, Caldwell is better than Mick and deserves to get a chance this season.

 

Naw its the opposite. Only a few people could see his qualities and the vast majority panned him until the close to the end of the season. He had actually been playing very well for a few months before people slowly started to say he wasnt so * after all. On form he is the best Scottish CB, definately better than Mick.

IMO, he gets better the more back toback games he playes at CB. He played well for weeks when he first joined us before a CL nighmare night and an injury lost him his CB place for a year. He then came in for JVOH and only played a few before having to switch to RB which isnt his position. He only started to get an unbroken run again at CB around Xmas and IMO after a few dodgy games he was excellent. The guy is excellent 90% of the time when he is on a long run at CB. He is badly stretched against top CL sides but so are most of our players.

In the last couple of months of the season his confidence was sky high and he suddenly started to show his long reputed but less often seen quality passing skills. In the run-in he looked like one of the best CBs we have had at Celtic in years, absolutely superb in several games. If he consistently played to his top form big EPL teams would be after him. To me Mick is just a big honest pro but very unrefined and with big flaws. He is still one of the best Scottish CBs but that is not a huge claim to fame these days (what happened-Scots CBs used to be at many top English sides).

 

mcmanus is a poor mans bobo, with better leadership. neither are really mobile, but caldwell makes up for that with good passes, but maybe mcmanus is just too distracted by the captainship, and having to cover for naylors * ups as well

 

caldwell is not good enough for me. sell him and keep bobo! but who would buy caldwell!

 

His form at the end of last season was so good that if he can continue to play at that level then his place in the team should be assured. However if we do sign a CB who is good enough to be in the starting XI then WGS has a real problem in terms of dropping McManus.

 

I don't know, maybe WGS would drop McManus. It wouldn't have to mean he was finished at the club or stripped of the captaincy. Strachan is a determined wee so and so and he might just have it in him to make that decision (if we sign a CB who is going to walk in to the team).

Re Caldwell. I think he has had a fair bit of praise for his form in the run in. For me he was arguably our best player ! (I did not expect to be saying that back in January). I do find myself wondering if Caldwell may be used in a DM role at times, but that too would be dependent upon us signing a CB.

I have got high hopes for Caldwell this season. We've seen what he is capable of and all of us, even his fiercest critics, can only be happy if he keeps up his standards.

BTW whenever Caldwell is mentioned I think about an interview he gave after the Benfica away game and he was asked if his team mates had rallied round and he said 'Yes. Neil Lennon came in and said, Nevermind, at least the second one will make them forget about the first one !'

 

the problem i have with him is i am not confident in him. i think if he was a rangers player alot of people on this site me included would be rubbing our hands before an old firm match, thinking he is going to gift us a chance the day

i must admit though i think the guy has knuckled down over the past few months and done well

 

untill bobo goes and gravessen we wont be getting anyone as there on 68grand a week between with bobo on a million bonus if he copleates his contract,i heard on real radio last night

 

tam grav is on a million bonus aswell

 

Can't believe this thread has seen the light of day never mind get to 3 pages and the f**king season hasn't even started.

Give the guy a break....from january till the end of the season he was by far our best defender and pulled us out of more than a few holes. He finally looks like he's settled into his position and he benefits when Hartley plays in front of him in the hole. That protection gives him the time to pick his passes and takes a lot of pressure off him.

Oh and he's probably THE best passer of a ball over 30 yards that we have in the starting 11....the guy can ping 50 and 60 yarders perfectly.

 

I think caldwell is much better than mcmanus. theres no chance strachan will drop mcmanus tho because he chose him as captain and wont want to look daft by droppin his skipper.

 

Quality Leadership!

 

The problem with him is that his mistakes are on the big stage i.e Benfica, Barca...

 

For me he is our best center back at the moment and I would have him in the team ahead of McManus. Caldwell when at his best is very similar to Alan Stubbs with a great passing range but like Stubbs can get done for pace

 

Aye and big mistakes at that but apart from that i have no complaints about him.