Liam Scales

Ajer was a fantastic CB for passing, bringing the ball out of defence and especially running with the ball at his feet. Scales is a much better defender, though.

To take a concrete example, I don't think we get that draw in Bergamo with Ajer alongside Trusty.

 

Scales is rightly getting a lot of praise and I get that given the unfair criticism he often gets; but we don't half take CCV for granted. CCV was just as good IMO. I couldn't split them as MOTM.

 

Ajer dribbling out with the ball, could just keep beating players with it and they’d need to do * something about it. Which would free up a man. Even the times we’re like yesterday. Static no movement. Not freeing up players for a pass. That’s an unusual quality and something I don’t expect to have in a defender. My other two examples, obviously particularly Van Dijk. Is very far beyond unlikely to find again, never mind signing him.

Bergamo result you’re right though.

Scales is a Stephen McManus with more ability on the ball. But he needs options for us to make use of that

 

Wee present for the 'Scales canny pass the ball' massive.

 

Scales is also a good bit more mobile and stronger in the air than McManus was. You'd struggle to slide a piece of paper under McManus when he jumped.

 

This is nonsense as well. This season he has one of the best passing % in the league. It’s to be expected from a Celtic centre back in our league but the notion that he can’t pass the ball isn’t true.

 

No, you’re talking nonsense, my friend. Twice he gave the ball away yesterday in dangerous areas when he was under little or no pressure; both times led to Rangers getting an opportunity to attack close to our goal. Passing stats mean * all when you’re only knocking it sideways 50 times a game - children can do that. Doesn’t take from the fact that he’d a very good game, and that he’s a very committed and brave defender, but don’t try and paint him as Maldini because it’s simply not accurate.

 

You should do your research, because you’re arguing with fact. You don’t have to be Maldini to be one of the better defenders in the SPL and that includes on the ball. Go and look at the statistics over the past few seasons.

He took the ball numerous times from Schmeichel yesterday under pressure and deep in his own half. And so what if he did give the ball away twice, he won every header that came his way and cut out numerous crosses. His passing % was 1% less than CCV who also had a great defensive performance.

 

He was solid yesterday, and I'm far from his biggest fan.

 

Read what I said again and this time note where I praised his defending. Still doesn’t change the fact that, at times, he’s a bombscare on the ball. I don’t need stats to understand what I see in front of me.

 

Can’t beat a bit of revisionism, eh?

 

and read where I mentioned about his passing statistics and how you are arguing with fact.

 

Your facts are missing nuance: it’s easy to have high pass-accuracy when the *majority* of the passes you make are simple side-to-side/backwards ones which are generally no longer than 30-40 yards.

 

If revisionism means clear video evidence, then sure.

 

And there’s also “clear video evidence” to the contrary (search YouTube for last night’s Sportscene highlights, for one example). Perhaps, like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

 

Best striker at the club

 

That works both ways mate:-
at Ibrox, under constant pressure when the attack haven’t gained any kind of foothold on the game. If it’s that easy how have their defenders not achieved close to it? It was a solid all round defensive effort and he was a huge part in that. On and off the ball . But kids can do it eh?

It’s just ignorance. People don’t want to give him the credit he has earned. He is one of the best defenders in the league.

 

No one is claiming he has 100% pass accuracy mate. He's obviously capable of making an * of it at times, he's not Baresi. But he's more than capable of pinging balls up to a team mate and bringing the ball out. He's done it on multiple occasions. It's just that his detractors like to ignore/deny it for some strange reason.

 

It’s funny how people twist other people’s words in debates, isn’t it? I meant that kids can knock the ball 10, 20, 30 yards from side-to-side, over and over again, without too much bother - as well you know. Like it or not, that’s what makes up a lot of the stats you’re putting so much faith in. That’s not Scales’ faulty, he’s just doing his job. He played very well yesterday, as I’ve already said, and as his fellow countryman I’m very pleased for him. Your ‘ignorance’ comment is uncalled for.