Arne Engels

Thought he looked different class. The confidence, technique, physicality. Proper box to box by the looks of it.

 

No problem and to be clear I wasn't saying he was bad, just not that impressed yet.

Will say when he was announced MOTM at the ground it was more than me that was surprised.

I'm also often wrong about things so

 

I thought he was good today but would give Bernardo the nod for the midweek game.

More a compliment to Bernie than anything.

 

I actually agree with you. That's not to say he had a bad game but underwhelmed is probably the way I felt on the whole. Despite a couple of moments and that cool as ye like spot kick I felt he wasn't in the right areas to influence play a lot of the game that I saw (My steam cut out midway through second half). I would say my expectation was a Hatate or O'Riley type debut. The feeling I got after their first starts is the way the majority seem to feel on here about Engels today, which came as a surprise as he didn't hit those heights, for me. It's quite clear he has it in him and bags of confidence so like you, i'm not reading into it.

 

You can see the difference in size with guys like him and Bernardo which is something we've lacked for a while. O'Riley was the same. I'm a massive Hatate fan but in the CL, I can see Engels and Bernardo being the preferred choice in with McGregor.

 

Yep, particularly if we're trying to see out a win or draw..

Players were bouncing off him. Shankland and then Grant later with ease..

Bernardo's the same deffo..

 

Assists and chances made especially, we had one season of Matt the goalscorer, and that was unreal from him making sure to improve. The year before last the fact he had a big thing about having the most shots by Christmas with no goals, and the press making a thing about it got to him. Rodgers gave him the direction to be the guy to arrive in the box to score, and he’d worked on it pre-season and it majorly upped in his last season.


From the minute he was at us though, his creativity was insane, and it was creative as * without being reckless, it was pinpoint. And then there was the workrate, duels won, interceptions and aerial duels won. His pressing and work rate, all the defensive measures of the game he was right up 1/2 players in the squad for it.

The all round game, that’s the measure against O’Riley. But I think with the glimpse we’ve had he looks quality. And BR definitely thinks so, because the all round game without the consistent creativity and goals, but some of it… that’s Paolo Bernardo. And he was dropped today after a very good performance against the Huns last time out, going away Internationally and scoring, tail up and confident and he never started. If he didn’t have that supreme confidence in him, £11m fee be damned Bernardo would start. Like Kyogo is infront of Idah, like Scales infront of Trusty.

 

I had this thought myself but not the size, Hatate is a wee tank that goes unnoticed for that at times, the way he rolls players outmuscling them in complete control is a staple of his game.

But he takes far more risks doing that and sometimes when it doesn’t work leaves us exposed, and he can do the same creatively, he spots a pass he knows he can do but might not come off and will go for it. It’s electric, but risky at times. BR generally likes safer and more controlled midfield.

 

I can see similarities there but too early to call it definitely obviously, but MOR looks to me like he’s a Bernardo and Engels mix of a player. That seems harsh on the other two that but it’s not even.

 

My read of today was that he is clearly a talented player that was at times a little lost in what is a new role for him.

In his old team, he was playing in a more defensive role and effectively having to make use of counter-attacks. We're asking him to do something a little different and that will take time to adapt to.

However, you can see the skill he has at times. Saw him chase players down, show a bit of flair, get in a cross, a good shot, and a controlled goal from the spot.

Today was a perfect game for him to start in, would expect to see him get more home starts and come on leaps in this half of the season.

 

O’Riley with the 3 goals that season was mental as well, Rodgers gave him the roll to arrive late and be that goalscorer but the season before not having that role he could and should have been at least 10. It got in his head though, and he went into the next year determined to fix that, and Rodgers handed him the role and trust to do so. First game of the season under Rodgers empathic laces through the ball on his bad foot bolstered his confidence so much. Year before he knew he’d had a lot of chances and hadn’t took any, was being too precise and thinking too much, ended up powderpuff and a passback instead.

Not a contrarian point to what you’ve said but a testament to the work O’Riley put in and a definite backing to your point about what Rodgers could make Engels.

Engels if I’m comparing it’s to the O’Riley that came in to Celtic not the one who left, £1.5m to £11m transfers or not. What we are hoping for is he has a higher barrier to reach potential wise and that’s the fee. I don’t expect an O’Riley that left straight away.

 

Pretty confident Bernardo will start on Wednesday.

 

I think Engels is going to be a mainstay in our team for years to come. Very intelligent player and brimming with self confidence.

Likes to get stuck in too, which is a big help as well in midfield. That £11M transfer fee I bet, is going to look like a very shrewd investment going forward into the future.

 

Reckon he will be awesome for us when he finds his feet.
I must say, really hate to see that sort of carry on at the penalty, all that should be sorted before kick off.
Only time a captain should intervein is if a player is on a hatrick or something like that

 

If he does I think it’ll be instead of Hatate not Engels though, it’s a toss up with them I think. But I reckon it’ll be the same 3 that started today

 

Put in some amount of tackles. Who did he snap in half (fairly) at one point down in the corner? Was a belter.

 

Looked like Hatate was the penalty taker but Engels never knew probably as he's only trained 2/3 times. Engels picked the ball up like he wanted it then I think Taylor took the ball and gave it to McGregor who gave it to Hatate but then Hatate wasn't bothered and let Engels take it.

Engels should be taking them if not him then Bernardo for me, most of our other players have hit them and not looked convincing.

Idah and Engels for now but if neither of them are on Bernardo should be next. You want your penalty taker to be delighted at getting to take a penalty for an easy goal rather than nervous about it. So if Hatate has passed one up thats him out the picture, Kyogo also would have asserted himself by now if he was interested, same even with McGregor.