Anthony Ralston

Hendry positionally was all over the place all game, before Tierney went off he found himself pulled over to cover as the furthest right centre back on multiple occasions.

I actually thought it was an awful performance from most of the Scottish team. We had 4 centre midfielders playing and none of them possibly with the exception of McTominay a couple of times really managed to put their foot on the ball and really get a hold in the game. Adams also failed to really hold the ball up and let us get up the park.

To me we should have switched shape to offer our wing backs more protection but we never tried that. Something like a 4-2-3-1 playing Christie left and Forrest right off the bench could have given us more of a foothold for the last half an hour or so.

Instead we brought in another centre back and Kenny McLean with Christie coming on late on.

 

The shocking play leading to the equaliser started with Hanley. An easy pass he blootered to Gilmour waste high. * pass it along the deck to his feet ya useless *. That led to a rushed pass putting ralston under a bit of pressure. Still shouldn't have played the pass he did but * * Hanley is utter pish.

 

Didn’t we all know he wasn’t top level? He’s wholehearted and decent cover to play against lesser sides in the cup or league, but not a Celtic starter or national team starter in a million years.

 

Exactly. Ralston is used to CCV playing there and giving him the angle for that pass. Scotland defenders just stood there ballwatching.

 

Looks so awkward receiving the ball in his own half. Almost like the ball is 1000°c

 

I think he's being singled out unfairly, Shaquiri's goal was a worldy too.

Jack Hendry is his so called defensive partner who is supposed to cover when Ralston pushes up beyond the wingers then doesn't. Hendry is most spineless, non tackling defender I have seen in a long time.
Our spineless Scotland defenders consistently pass to Ralston typically when he's running back at pace to his goal instead of in front of him, which is a difficult skill to control and precisely make a pass when backtracking.

As we know, AR is limited and not good enough for top level international football - but he's a good honest defender who doesn't hide and did quite well after the mistake.
I'd have him over Hendry, Hanley or McKenna any day.

 

Spot on. Clarke for better or worse chooses the system and the players. He could just not bother answering the call up and instead of playing our 3rd choice it would be our 4th.

Always going to be an extreme test for Ralston at a football level without question, but he's likely to start against Hungary so hopefully game time, team mates backing and his sheer determination allow him to contribute to a winning end to the group.

 

Now if your talking about Hendry in general, then fine, but if your involving him in that * show of a goal then as usual on here, hatred/dislike for a player ends up making people talk *.

He had not one resemblance of blame in that goal, Hanley and Gilmour weren't the best with their passes, but is Hendry meant to stand next to a * Swiss player when we're on ball, lol, ffs. It was terrible by Ralston, stupid * play. He came onto a good game, but it was Efe-esque, play well but * up a goal.

As I said if in general you mean Hendry is pretty *, then fine.

 

I think we were being overly optimistic expecting much of Ralston at Euros level. He's perfectly fine to rotate in home games against weaker domestic opposition. But there are many many levels between looking fine at home to lower half SPFL teams and going up against elite level German and Swiss wingers.

 

Took his goal well, fair play..

 

For me, you can't ask for much more from a back up player.

 

Raldinho back amongst the goals. Love to see it.

 

Scotlands number one you mean

 

Might save us a few quid on Idah now..

 

His first goal in 2 and a half years apparently, I couldn't believe that

 

I like Ralston, isn't the greatest ability wise but never complains and seems happy to just be playing for the club he supports

 

I wish this * was a RB. I really rate him and i love his passion, but AJ is just better.

 

He's underrated ability wise really cause he's built like a rugby player. His passing, crossing and shooting are all really good probably better than Taylor and Johnston.

His main problem is that he doesn't defend that well even though you'd think it would be the opposite, if he played week in week out all season starting he'd probably get us like 3-5 goals and 10-15 assists a season but he'd probably cost us 5-10 more goals a season than Johnston as he is much easier to beat one on one and get in behind.

He's like our Tavernier, couldn't keep weans out a close but would put up better attacking numbers than probably any other full-backs we've had recently.

Just looking actually and he's 2nd to Tierney for goals/assists per game for us in the past 25 year in the full-back positions even though a lot of his appearances are as a sub.

 

I'm always impressed at how well he reads the game and his composure and he's a good SPL-level footballer; he just lacks the physicality and basic technique to be a first-team player at Celtic IMHO. I think we saw that again yesterday.

Fine as back up, though.

 

He's done a great turn for us, will probably be eternally a backup, but a capable one at that.