Paulo Bernardo

The lads done well last few games no doubt about that but there were were games in the CL last season where Reo looked like he really belonged at that level and made it look easy at times.

MOR has looked good at that level in the CL also but Iv not seen the same from Bernardo though to give him his dues he’s still very young

 

Aye Hatate’s * excellent, but he still needs to win his place back.

O’Riley dropped out last season, won his place this season as first choice almost irreplaceable. * about chopping and changing too much this year, found a partnership in there that looks very good. Hatate will be in the Asian Cup so they’ll play more together, and if they keep this up, he’ll need to force his way in.

And if he does, good for us, because he can only do that by playing better than the guys infront of him.

 

I seem to remember O’Riley starting when he first arrived and was fantastic especially against the zombies and everyone said what a player we have on our hands, he has an up and down season last year compared to his first season or 6 months when he signed.

 

Aye he started on fire right off the bat

 

I would say he’s painfully slow tbh hahhaa but that’s not taking anything away from him that’s just pace wise/sprint speed. But he’s ridiculously sharp and has a very good football IQ so he similar to O’Riley looks a step or two ahead of others around him if you get me.
Yeah the tempo is definitely quick as they are sharp and they have such good vision to see the first time passes and know when to hold the ball or move it on. Just because players are slow paced doesn’t mean they can’t play fast paced football.
Bernardo and O’Riley are Also super fit and whilst other players might jog around a lot they’re sprinting constantly into space or sprinting constantly to press and close players down

 

Rogic took about 2 year. Stuart Armstrong about 18 months. Ryan Christie a couple years and loans.

Wanyama took a wee bit of time to settle as well

 

3 very different type of players.

There was a stat from that celtic by numbers account on twitter about his number of possession recoveries/interceptions or something like that and how it was highest of any of our players since he's been taking note of them.

It's maybe not a stand out stat but fact he played the next 3 CL games would suggest he was bringing something to the team. Similarly his stats were very high v the huns last week too. So he appears to have really strong qualities off the ball which given we play against stronger sides in europe would suggest he's a very useful player at CL level.

Needs to do more on the ball but definitely showed signs last couple of games that he has that too. His assist for Taylor was sublime

 

Not sure if this had been mentioned already but I love that Bernardo came over to hi five Calmac after cantwell fouled McG but still couldn't get the ball off of him.

 

Aye, remember seeing that in real time & loving it

 

Could maybe even rest McGregor and give a 3 of Bernardo, Hatate and O'Riley a start. He could do with one, the amount of games he plays between us and international.

 

I agree but it's not going to happen for a bit since Hatate is away for the next month.

 

Probably come back injured as well, knowing our luck.

 

I’ve had that thought as well

I’m hoping that he comes back fully match fit, getting gametime with them rather than us playing him working him back towards being that after a lengthy injury.

 

Peter Grant talking about Bernardo.

“Bernardo was going about his business quite quietly, but because you are an ex-midfielder and looking at the game as a coach checking for strengths and weaknesses, I was really impressed when watching. You see a game differently when watching a player in a position you used to play yourself, so I’d be thinking: How do Celtic want him to play? How’s he going to press? What are they looking at for that position on that day?

“I thought he picked up really good areas on the pitch, he was intercepting things well and his use of the ball was good. He was one of these guys that when the opposition had the ball, people talk about pressing now, he knew the distances were right to go and put opponents under pressure. He was forcing people into making errors and that’s a skill a lot of people don’t rate or realise.

“Small things that don’t get noticed that are so important I rarely saw him give the ball away. The first time playing alongside Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley, they interchanged positions and he understood that. People think that is easy, but it’s not and there seemed a good balance and who would be where. For a young man, I saw a good understanding.

“He knows how to tackle and, as I mentioned, it’s more interceptions nowadays and he doesn’t put himself into a position where opponents can just walk past him as he moves his body well. So, no, I think his all-round game has been very good. I didn’t ever think he struggled even at the start as he was doing certain things in games.

“In general, I have been impressed with Bernardo. People said he was quiet, but I’d say: What he’s done and what he’s had to do, he’s done it well.

“Sometimes that is not going out and beating three or four players. It’s about being in the right place at the right time, forcing opponents into mistakes. All of those things he was doing well and, as a young man, he was performing like someone with more experience.”

“Just as the boy was getting up to speed, Hatate came back from injury and began to hit a bit of form.

“I never felt he let himself down. It was more a case that he was going quietly about his business. It’s like everything. A big performance against Rangers for a Celtic player changes a lot in how individuals are viewed.

“Of course, going into the match, he managed to get his first goal when scoring at Dundee to set himself up for it and a different light falls onto you if you do well in the Rangers game.

“His goal against Rangers was fantastic and he had another strike just past the post. He can get into attacking positions and, like I said, also into the right defensive areas. That’s always the combination of a very good midfield player.”

 

Expecting big things from him second half of the season. Has the potential to be the complete midfielder, I have a feeling 6 mil will be an absolute bargain come the summer.

 

apparently a few teams looking at Bernardo, boy must have some Agent.

 

They can look at him all they want. We have a loan to buy and we will have first dibs. Obviously, it's up to Bernardo but if we have a successful season, I can't see him turning us down to come here.

 

Yeah if he keeps playing well he'll have options obviously, just hopefully he likes it here enough to give it another seaosn or two, in the same boat as we were with Jota, it'll be up to him.

 

See, he never looked bad before December, I thought he was just quiet, but never bad.

Last few games he's looked fantastic, big second half of the season for him.