Arne Engels

Yeah he's never an 8.

 

He's a passenger in games & it's resulted, eventually, in him ending up where he deserves to be, on the bench. If he wants to make it here he'll need to fight for his place and show something more than a few cross field passes and diving about & moaning for 90 minutes.

 

Looking at anytime he’s been here don’t think he’s quite that either. Honestly, best suited to and got the attributes of a double pivot. But BR has abandoned that as an option really. Adds greatly to the strength of the squad though, time to fight like * someone else can be benched and add to that squad role, time to sed what he’s made of

 

Leigh Griffiths

 

Thought he was good. Dangerous deliveries from corners too.

 

Agree his deliveries were good today, both from set pieces and from open play. Needs more to his game though, obviously.

 

A lot better from his pre-season performances and his deliveries were top class. The competition with Nygren in there now will only help kick him on.

 

He needs to prove himself.

He needs to prove himself. Outwith his set plays he’s been no better than average. He doesn’t influence games the way I thought he would, or should. Is there much of a difference between his contributions over his time here compared with Bernardo, McCowan? Yes everyone can point to a game but over the course of a few months, I’m not seeing it. I agree he is young but I’d be expecting more.

 

Aye his corners were * unreal, as was his free kick...so unlucky. Played well enough overall hope he can keep improving.

 

Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic bought potential in Arne Engels - and says the £11million man will prove he’s worth every penny.



Club record signing Engels, 21, starred as the Hoops swept aside Falkirk 4-1 to book their place in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final.


It was the Belgium international’s first start of the season, after coming off the bench in the opening two league games against St Mirren and Aberdeen.


Critics have questioned the massive outlay Celts shelled out last summer but Rodgers defended his midfielder and believes he’s proved his quality on the Champions League stage.


He said: “Yeah, I think there's obviously negativity around Arne and some of these guys.

“But for a manager, we've put a really good player in. We take a really good player out. And then I can change it.


And it's absolutely great for the squad. His attitude is great. He tired a little bit, a little bit of looseness towards the last five, ten minutes.

“But his quality from his set piece and his general work rate and intensity was great. He's a boy that gives everything.

“There's a lot on his shoulders as an expensive player. But we bought potential. The club has bought potential many times. And a lot of them aren't here.


“This is a guy who has potential, but it costs a little bit more. And you have to pay that little bit more because if you're going to be sat away in Bayern Munich and watching the team play and he has that athleticism, then that's what you need because it costs you money.

“He’s nowhere near the finished article. We've just had to pay more for potential. You can buy potential at a million quid and two million quid.


A lot of the time, it doesn't work. Sometimes it does. I will tell you a lot of time it doesn't.

“But him, we've had to pay a little bit more to get the athleticism, to get the physicality that this team needed.

“And now I've got great options in there. Guys that are physical, but guys that are technical. So I don't complain.”

 

Deliveries outstanding. Needs to get confidence from open play to take a pop at goal!

 

Need to see much much more from “open play”.

 

I remember last season he looked quite good against some of the smaller teams or when we were coasting in games however, he was often found missing in action when it came to the tougher games where he just disappeared. Would love to be proven wrong and hope he can develop into a player but I'm still to be convinced and one good game against Falkirk is not the kind of games he will be judged on

 

His delivery is good but he needs to do more for me.

 

Very good corners and extremely unlucky with his free kick effort however, does nowhere near enough from open play, can't play him for his set pieces alone as he's hardly Naka level with them to justify a starting place every week

I honestly thought Bernardo did far more with the ball from open play in his 14 mins compared to the 76 mins Engels had with it, Bernardo looks to go forward and is positive, Engels too negative in possession for my liking, far too many backward passes when he's supposed to be an attacking 8

 

I think he is qn 8 but he doesn’t suit our system as one. We ask a lot of them in terms of creating and play a lot wider than normal. Quite often find themselves wider than full back or winger.

He has all the attributes to be a brilliant midfielder but he struggles to stamp his authority for me. I don’t even blame him its poor recruitment again, Nygren is perfect for that role but Engels isn’t gonna open a game up for you with 11 behind the ball.

I think he was excellent in Europe last year because he could open up his legs a bit more and get about the pitch. Probably more suited to a team less dominant.

He would be a good 6 in a double pivot which is rare these days but i think he takes too many touches when he plays as a lone one for us.

 

Technically the best player we have in the middle of the pitch.

He sprays the ball around unlike any other player in the team. Also his technical ability at penalties is unparalleled.

I can tell a mile away he has excellent potential. I think he will realise it this year

 

To say Engels is better technically than Hatate is absolutely wild. Even McGregor I’d say shades him.