Greg Taylor

I would like to see him start tonight, needs the game time to get him back to match sharpness after his lay off with the injury.

 

I’d go much further than that and suggest that he’s always been a frustrated DM/CM. He simply cannot play LB by any orthodox definition. It’s just that we get away with it domestically.

Does he support McGregor well to let him get forward? Absolutely. Do we badly lack width and cover in the LB area because of Taylor drifting inside to do that? Absolutely, and chronically.

We’ve seen the benefit of Valle coming in and providing width, overlapping, etc.

For me, the permanent solution is to move Callum one up, and play a DM behind him. Domestically, Taylor can be that guy (and backup DM in Europe), but we need a number 6 to come in for the CL.

Meanwhile, come summer, we need 2 left-backs, whether Greg signs or not.

 

If Taylor decides to leave next summer then I could see Matthew Anderson given a chance to be the back up player. He is highly regarded and seems to be having another strong season out on loan.

We will definitely need to sign one player there if Valle keeps progressing hopefully it’s him but if not him then someone to be the first team player.

I think Taylor will leave likely for a Championship team down south but who knows. It will probably depend if he tests the market and whether he gets any interest he is expecting. I have to admit I don’t see there being that high a demand for him given his physical stature and lack of pace.

In terms of playing defensive midfield I don’t see that happening for the same physical limitations that he struggles at full back, he is also poor at taking the ball I with his back to the game and getting turned.

 

Anderson should've been given a much better loan if that's part of the thinking..

Had an excellent loan and pre season with us, which could've easily seen him as a first pick for a number of top 6 sides in our league....yet he's back in the Austrian second division..

No far off 21. That was a poor choice from us..

 

To be frank, if we were serious about Anderson, we wouldn’t have sent him back to Admira as an after-thought at the tail end of the window. He’d have either been in the squad, or loaned out to a better level. He’s at an age where it’s really stretching it to call him a ‘youth’ player with a straight face.

 

Decent performance and good to get him back from injury but hope it doesn't stall the momentum Valle had built up.

 

I would have Valle straight back in.

 

I think it’s the sad predicament we are in though. Look at who contributes to our European squads as club trained and association trained.

Club
- McGregor (still got another couple of years in him yet
- Forrest (this should be his last season he has been poor anytime he has played recently)
- Ralston (an ok back up right back)
- Welsh (an injury prone 4th or 5th choice centre back who looks like costing us anytime he plays.)

Association Trained
- Bain (third choice GK who should have had his last contract from us and replaced by a youth)
- Taylor (deals up at the end of the season seems unlikely he signs another)
- McCowan (good contributor so far and should be a solid option for a few years)

So you could easily lose 2 of 4 club trained players, all be it a 3rd choice keeper could be taken from the B side to replace Bain and possibly Dane Murray could replace Welsh. Then two of three association trained players.

The above is also another reason to go get Lennon Miller in as another creative midfield option.

 

Just cannot see him signing a new improved contract because I doubt we will offer him one.
He is, like Ralston, decent back up and is on 15K a week right now. At best, we should offer him a contract extension but reckon he will think he is worth more. So look to sell him in Jan may be best option.

 

He’ll get an extension last minute towards end of the season unless a good offer comes in for him in January.

We do this with guys like Taylor, wait till the last minute to get a new deal, because we assume that he knows anywhere but here will be a downgrade for his career. We do it to guys who are Celtic through and through, like Jackie (it backfiring in the end up) or Lennon at the end of his playing career.

We do it with players managers want to keep, who publicly are desperate for an extension like we did with Joe Ledley and Samaras.

Something we have got better at since Rodgers first time in charge though. It’s a throwback

 

He thinks he should he 1st choice. Think that's the issue with re signing. Coming into peak years so can understand his desire to be a 1st team regular.

The issue is he's only a 1st team regular here due to our own incompetence and he should have been upgraded on in every window since he signed.

Unless something unforeseen happens I think everyone, Taylor included, believes Tierney will be back in the summer at the latest so Taylors days of being 1st choice will thankfully finally be at an end

 

Doubt he'll be leaving because his mrs is pregnant with the baby due in March next year

 

For me I don’t think he feels entitled to being first choice. He’s just made sure he is. We’ve spent money in his position, he’s been better, we’ve had loans in his position, he’s still fought it out to keep his place.

The last thing I’d aim at him is being entitled, guys been first choice for years and not viewed that way had to fight for it constant. And he’s a leader.

 

Not saying he's entitled but chat is he's wanting regular game time as opposed to looking for loads and at his age that's fair enough but I think if we are to progress he's not good enough to be a 1st pick anymore.

We've brought guys in but they were hardly sterling signings. Id fancy my chances of starting over Boli, Laxalt and Berni

 

Not saying he's entitled but chat is he's wanting regular game time as opposed to looking for loads and at his age that's fair enough but I think if we are to progress he's not good enough to be a 1st pick anymore.

We've brought guys in but they were hardly sterling signings. Id fancy my chances of starting over Boli, Laxalt and Berni