Aaron Mooy

Really?

I've never seen an Australian say "we know better" on this forum. What I have seen is massive enthusiasm for Celtic from Australian Celts (some long term, like me) some newer fans, mainly since Ange joined. When we enthuse about an Australian player, it's got * all to do with them being Australian... it's because we watch the A League, plus other leagues, and those are the players we mostly see.

Only the very best of the Australian players would I (or most others) ever recommend for Celtic, and I do watch other leagues so I have a bit of an idea how they compare. Australians are cheap. Like for like quality... Australians are cheap compared with a European player. So are the Japanese, and anyone else in Asia.

And yet, every time we have these debates there's a pile on from the Glasgow locals about the Aussies not having a clue and wanting to push forward their countrymen. Nup, you're dead * wrong. We do it because we perceive value for Celtic.

I also get a little weary of those who refer doubters back to the early pages of the Ange thread (and yes, I've done it myself), but it's not saying we know better. It's saying we care, and that we shouldn't be doubted (as Ange said himself) because of our passport.

 

Very hard to play in that heat. Yes it was a bit of ugly game - beyond Mooy's control of the pace, I thought Kye Rowles had a massive game. He's just gone to Hearts for a pittance.

 

Personally, I’m not writing Mooy off as a * player. I’m sure he’ll be do a job for us. I mind watching him in the EPL and he was a good player.

But what a couple of Aussies don’t understand, and one in particular, is that aye Ange maybe doesn’t see the need for an imposing, tough CDM. If that’s his philosophy that’s great.

However, I think us Celtic fans actually know why that’s a problem. We have a recent history of being overrun and bullied in midfield against decent teams. * even last season at Tynecastle or Pittodrie, we were cruising at half time, lost a goal in the second half and completely fell apart in the middle because we didn’t have that security and aggression.

Obviously we trust Ange given what he’s done. But I think the majority of us would agree that not signing a proper defensive midfielder would be a huge mistake.

 

Good post.

I agree that Rangers changed their game and they probably would not have got to the Europa final under Gerrard because he did not have the experience in Europe that Giovanni V.B had to get them there.

Gio had played for Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal and Barcelona in a stellar career at club level and represented the Netherlands in 106 games at full international level. He is a humble man but with a wealth of experience playing in Europe. He also managed Feyenoord from 2015 - 2019. So he had a good idea as to what it takes to do well in Europe.

He looked at his squad of players and determined his game plan to get to the final.

Ange does not have this grounding in European football but he learned from bitter experience last season.

Personally I am more inclined to a strong defence and contained game plan, and am quiet happy with a 2-0 result in such games.

To me this score means that all the players did their job and the team was able to contain any threat and finish with a clean sheet. I would be very happy with such a score in each game we play in Europe and at Parkhead.

I hope that Ange will have similar thoughts for this season.

 

You don't let up do you?

I was a regular lurker on the Brighton forum (I've always been interested in Mooy) and the instant he was established in the team he was a firm fan favourite - regularly won their MOTM or close enough. Hugely lamented when he left.

You really ought to know that there have been * all games recently in China due to Covid.

 

Yeah, I don't doubt it. Unfortunately, he will need to get used to playing in the heat. 32 degrees in Scotland. He needs to buck up his ideas if he wants to make it a success here!

 

Hmm, I would dispute that. Definitely, if you go on the Huddersfield forums, they were distraught when he left. I nipped on recently and there was about a 50/50 split about getting him back this year. (Most didn't want him to tarnish the legacy he built there and it was better for him to look elsewhere, provided it wasn't another championship team)... and they seemed genuinely happy for him that he was getting a move to a "huge club"...

On the Brighton forum when he left, or the one I was on anyways, there seemed to be an overall consensus of 'yeah, he played well on occasion but it was probably for the best he left'... no * about him or anything,. he seemed well liked but I don't think the majority of fans were all that bothered that he moved on and they were happy to get some decent money for him back.

 

If Mooy is our only "defensive" midfielder signed this window then we are in big trouble for Europe, again..

I've come round to the idea of Mooy and to be honest I remember watching him a couple of years ago and thinking he was a good player. I'm happy to have him in the squad and filling in over the likes of McCarthy and Ideguchi, both of whom look like utterly pointless players and have won the lotto to be here.

With that said, we need to stop this notion that we're * prime barca who only play beautiful football and therefore do not require a CDM. For those who suggest "Ange doesn't want a DM, that's what Mooy is for, to keep the ball ticking over" a dose of realism is needed. This thought process starts from the assumption that we are going to dominate possession in every single game in Europe, constantly be on the front foot and be the dominant side against our opponents. As lovely as that sounds it's * insane. This is the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, we get trounced regularly by Europa Conference level teams.

We've seen us get our arses handed to us time and time again for over a decade in European competitions. Just please take a look back to Bodo * Glimt or any of the games we lost in the EL last year. We are probably the most timid side in European football. Whenever we meet a semi competent team on the continent, we collapse. Simply because they actually have the technical ability and tactical discipline to navigate easily around our press. All it takes is a few passes around our strikers/midfield and before you know it they are running past McGregor et al like they aren't there and into our penalty box.

That's why we needed Souza or someone similar, a strong * who can read the game and make vital tackles, blocks and interceptions. As many have said, the best teams in the world play with this type of player now, but what, Ange-ball is too good for that and all we need to do is keep the ball for most of the game against world class opposition?? Its a bonkers mindset because we KNOW other teams will control spells of the game against us, and when that happens we'll do our usual and concede 2/3 goals in quick succession because we've been left far too open and exposed in the middle. Mooy ain't fixing that.

Even the other day, * Blackburn and Rapid were bypassing the middle and cutting us open. Last year we actually looked the most solid in Europe when Bitton was playing. I'm honestly terrified at what Real, City, Liverpool, PSG etc will do to us if we set up to dominate and have Mooy and McGregor as our midfield pivot.

We know what we need, we've known it for years because we've needed it for years. If Ange thinks otherwise then unfortunately we'll be in for another rude awakening.

 

In tough European game and against the zombies, I think this midfield 3 could work well

Mooy - CalMac
Hatate
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None of them are a CDM destroyer, but they all have a bit of dig. CalMac has good defensive positioning and Mooy is supposed to as well. Hatate has great work rate and has played as a full back. All of them can pick a good pass and are a goal threat. When we've got possession either CalMac or Mooy can push forward, and both are a goal threat. Plus Mooy is supposed to be good at set pieces.

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So you're basically admitting to being a pantywetter for having PTSD because of previous European campaigns

 

I dont think anyone is writing the player off as a "bad signing".

Hes clearly a talented player, who has a wealth of club and international experience, and will be expected to do more than a decent job for us.

The issue, well mine anyway, is that most of us were expecting a young and highly rated CDM to come in. One who fits the exact profile, with bags of potential and the inevitable sell on fee.

No disrespect, but going from Souza to Mooy, feels like we're getting a second hand Benz with a few miles on it, instead of the Bugatti sitting in the showroom.

Now the Benz is still a great car, plenty of miles left and will get ya from a to b. But we all wanted the Bugatti.

No one is writing Mooy off. Its just a hard one to take for alot of seasoned Celtic supporters, who have witnessed the board cut corners on investment for decades, and thought we'd turned a corner when it came to speculate to accumulate.

No one, not one single Celtic supporter on the planet, wants a return to signing 30+ epl journey men looking a pay day. Im not saying Mooy signing is that exactly... But its certainly bringing up past traumas for alot of us.
Its the very type of signing we criticize Sevco for.

 

Then you haven't read all the comments.

 

I refer you to my earlier comments. With Mooy on the park we enormously improve our capacity to keep the ball / reduce our need to tackle other *.

That's why Ange wants him.

 

Unlike you, most of us watch and have watched Celtic our whole lives. We understand that a club of our wealth and place in the game aren’t in a position to play every team in Europe off the park.

Playing a midfield 3 of McGregor, Rogic and O’Riley was great against most domestic teams where we have 80% possession. But we saw what happened against Bodo, who let’s be honest, were no great shakes. They were set up well and had energy and power. They ran over the top of us.

All well and good you and other Aussies trying to lecture us about Mooy. That’s fine, you’ve seen him more than us. But trying to tell us we shouldn’t be concerned because “duh Angeball duh” is a brass beck. Having a philosophy is great, but it’s not foolproof. Doesn’t take a genius to work that out.

 

No, significantly longer than that, but he was a late bloomer. It was like he finally found himself at about 24 and has been a consistently strong player ever since.

I'm starting to bore myself (again) so I'm going to try and stop now. I will say that (if he signs) Calmac will love him to bits.

 

What we do with the ball is important and I'm sure Mooy will be decent enough at keeping the ball. It's what we do without the ball that matters in Europe. We won't dominate the ball as much. You could have 3 aaron mooys in midfield and Bayern Munich are going to rip you to shreds. That's where the need for a different type of midfielder comes in.