Tomoki Iwata

This poses questions on who the AM is. Hatate...Hakšabanović (okay, it's unlikely, but he's an AM or winger by preference)...or will we switch to a 4-2-2-2 in Europe, with Kyogo linking up a bit with midfielders and wingers?

 

Definitely needs to be applied in Europe, especially with Iwata being a very good tackler, we should be so much more secure defensively and on the counter as well as still posing a threat. Good teams pick and choose their moments when to attack, I think we were a bit naive this season in the CL. I'd like to see us try reserve some energy next season and keep possession a bit better too as opposed to always playing the forward pass even when it isn't on. Domestically just keep doing what we're doing as the teams aren't good enough to counter it.

 

I don't think a 4-2-2-2 is out of the question at all. Key thing is it gives us flexibility where we probably didn't really have it before.

 

This is the only scenario where all those rumors of a deal for both Oh and Jo make sense, as well. Or, Nisbet instead of Jo.

 

Yup that’s why a few of us have said oh isn’t or at least wasn’t seen as a replacement for Giakoumakis we tried to get oh in the summer even with GG and Kyogo here. We still want a 3rd option up top 100%

 

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has been discussing his midfield options this weekend, signalling that new signing Tomoki Iwata’s presence could see Callum McGregor alter his role.

McGregor is primarily played as the sitting ‘number six’ at the base of the Bhoys midfield, which is also where Iwata is at his strongest.



Now, the arrival of the J-League MVP could see McGregor moved to a more forward-thinking role – the kind that Reo Hatate, Aaron Mooy and Matt O’Riley are currently used for. In fact, we could even see Celtic formation changes in the future.




As quoted by The Sunday Post [29/01 print edition, Post Match supplement page 7], Postecoglou said: “It gives us more options, and we can change things around a bit. We can even change the formation at times – not necessarily short-term but over the long-term. We want to be able to do that. Obviously, Callum has been outstanding – and he is outstanding wherever you play him.

“We had a period where he was out, and we put Matt O’Riley back there. Matt did a great job for us, but we didn’t have an obvious guy who could come in and play that role. Tomoki is a different type of No. 6, and I think he and Cal could play together.




That’s something we will look at. The key thing is it gives us more options and flexibility around the way we can set up the team. The beauty of having someone like Callum is that wherever you put him, you don’t lose any effectiveness

 

Surprised he never got on..

 

I don't think he is fit yet. He said himself when he joined that he was quite unfit at the moment. Hopefully see more of him soon.

 

Want to see him soon. Needs game time

 

Needs to be patient...

Could do with a ball winner in the midfield at times, keen to see what he can do..

 

He'll be bled in over the next 3 months with an eye to having him starting and fully up to speed come the beginning of next season. No rush. Though I would like to see more of him.

 

Thanks to our current form and league position and options we are in no rush to chuck new signing in at the deep end.. a great way to be.. his time will come

 

The signing i'm most excited about and I really rate him but he's got by far the hardest task of trying to shift our captain and arguably the best player in the country from the heart of the midfield. He'll need time and patience even when fully fit.

I'd like him to get some minutes in a more competitively charged game though like yesterday. Having him come on for about 5 minutes and just neatly ping a ball about in a game where the opposition just want to the final whistle to go and head home after 45 minutes isn't what he's all about.

 

A few months ago Mooy had no chance of getting one of the 3 midfield spots, but now.....

 

New Celtic star Tomoki Iwata accepts he will have to raise his game to reach the high standards of Callum McGregor after admitting he regards the Hoops captain on a far higher level than him.

The Japanese ace joined Celtic in the last transfer window and Ange Postecoglou has opted to use him so far in a central midfield role, although he has also played as a central defender and a full back for former club Yokohama F.Marinos under the current Parkhead manager.

And Iwata admits even his limited time so far at Celtic has shown him he needs to get up to speed quickly if he is to play next to Hoops captain McGregor.

Iwata, in an interview in his homeland, said: "I knew if I wanted to play in European football, I would have to play as a holding midfielder.

"That's where the manager used me at Yokohama.

"It's been about a month since I came here, but the speed and intensity of play is different from Japan, and even the ball and pitches are all different.

"The reality is I can't do as well as I did in Japan because we have Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate who all start games and they all have something special that they can do...and I don't. So I want to gradually get used to it and play more matches.

"My strengths as a holding midfielder are tackling and breaking up moves. But in this Celtic team, you need to have something extra.

"Here we have players who can create the tempo of an attack and distribute passes, for example, Callum McGregor



Callum McGregor is the heart of the team and the captain. I think the bar is set very high for me to be able to compete with him. But I have my own way of developing. Even if I don't play in as many games, there are things I can learn from him in training.

"When I see how he passes the ball, or how he makes a change of tempo, he is very consistent, which is something I lack. I think it's important to learn that in a short time and evolve into a player who can do something when he has the ball.

"A large part of my motivation to sign for Celtic was to play in the Champions League and I would love to do that next season and I will keep fighting to improve my game here.

 

Very honest. Reminds me of Hatate last season

 

I like he's being modest but I think he's doing himself a disservice. You don't get MVP in Japan for nothing, it's good he's willing to improve though. He's going to be a player for us I just hope Ange gives him the game time he needs.

 

What he says about himself doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence

 

I don't know, I'd rather have someone that realises they are not the finished article and is ready and willing to put the work into improving than some cocky * that thinks they are way better than they really are and doesn't need to improve.

Beyond that though, it just reads like he's being repectful to his new teammates to me anyway.