Giorgos Giakoumakis

Wish we never sold him as he gave us something different from Kyogo

 

Bad mistake, punting him.

 

Probably one of anges biggest failures was not giving this guy a run of games together with kyogo. Would of kept him happy

 

This sickens me now. If we lose Kyogo to injury we're *.

 

Was a "hands tied" situation. I think him here with no Kyogo he's the star man but- and luckily for us - we have Kyogo. Kyogo is on another level to him. Just bad timing for him being here and his age too. If he'd been younger he would have likely been happier to accept 2nd fiddle status.
Wish him all the best, he's a total ride tae.

 

Would have been a mistake to keep him, he wasn't happy here being second choice behind Kyogo, don't know how many times it needs to be spelled out to people.

 

He wanted to leave, nothing we could do about it. Kyogo is the better player.

 

I think that depends on the opposition. Kyogo is amazing aginst weaker teams (most SPL teams) and peer teams (Huns and EL teams). However, against superior opposition with better players than us (most CL teams), I'd genuinely argue that GG is/was a better option than Kyogo.

 

TBH, I'd tend to agree with this. In a perfect world, GG probably should've started a few more times in those sorts of games (even at the time I argued a 'horses for courses' attitude re using Kyogo & GG. That said, those sorts of games where GG's physicality could come into it would be an asset and potentially hold up play to bring others in, whereas Kyogo's chief weapon has always been his pace and getting in behind. Back in the WGS days this would've made for some partnership, in the big/small roles, a la JVOH & Skippy.

 

You need not spell out anything pal. If the boy wanted more money - as was rumoured - he should’ve received it. He’d done enough to justify it.

 

We offered him a new contract and he turned it down, he wanted to match kyogo's wage and guaranteed playing time that he was never going to get.

 

I’d agree mate, despite Kyogo being better than him by a distance I think.

We need to outplay teams to work him into a game or hope his movement can get in behind a long pass.

But we can’t get the ball up the pitch easily by passing it up there and having it stick. We need to build the play up to him, passed the strikers press, passed the midfield. And then play him in.

That might be a big ask for some opposition we’ll face, Real last year would be one even though we done it ok for a half hour to 45 mins.

However, the other night wasn’t one of them. We were even in possession and midfield, and Hatate didn’t use the opportunity to we made with our press when it was needed. I put that down to Hatate being erratic as * when he’s not fully fit, and I’m sure he wasn’t the other night btw.

and then going down to 9 men after a poor goal on the brink of half time, and struggling start of second half to recover before the sending offs….


Our midfield and wingers decision making would not have been any different if it was GG there or Kyogo.

We lacked composure for a final pass. Palma looked, well looked like he could do nothing but early days so I’m ignoring that. Maeda doesn’t have that composure at the best of times and I just come to terms that the ones that he pulls off perfectly just be happy bout it and not expect it. He’s useful enough in a lot of other ways to get that grace from me at least.

O’Riley we never worked into space to attempt a final ball, Hatate though, he had chances to and never had the composure. Then the 2nd half happened and it’s impossible by that point. But the sending offs you could probably put down to lack of composure as well. From Holm at least.

 

I'd agree with almost all of that; but I'd argue that it's most CL teams not just the Real Madrids. Last year there was only Shakhtar Donetsk who were a similar level to us* and sadly this week's game was probably the easiest game we'll get in the group, given that Feyenoord look weaker than Lazio and Atletico and that they were having to play without a striker.


* infuriatingly, I think we were ever so slightly better even and I do think that failing to win one of those 2 games have to be considered real failures on Ange's part along with the Bodo Glimt tie.

 

Well, if that’s the case, fair enough. A big loss but on that evidence it was his choice.

 

I felt that players like kyogo and maeda would have scared teams in Europe coming on at 65 mins. Totally agree on that point.

 

Proper striker.

Totally understandable why he left.

Coming towards the later stages of his peak at 29 and needs to be playing week in week out.

No benefit to us in keeping a player against their will.

If Kyogo hadn’t been around, he would have been our number 1 striker for a few seasons.

 

Could or should we have had a system of playin him and Kyogo together in certain games? Woulda been interesting to see them playing together up top although it’s obviously few and far between these days

 

I've said this before, if he was at celtic at pretty much any other time post Larsson he'd be our main man. Unfortunate for him that we landed on Kyogo in the same window.

 

Wish we still had him but close to impossible to keep two high quality strikers happy at Celtic at the same time. Especially now when the modern game only play 1 striker.