still want Nakamura to go?

I can acknowledge both sides to his game as well... but I fail to see how the downsides are any worse than any other player on the team -- including Boruc as of this year.
I thought he did very average or even poor in the second game of the run-in, the first game he played everyone else off the pitch.
There's a lot of people that like to claim he's a passenger in CL. That's true if all you're looking at is workrate irt pressuring opposition. But what has Gordon been harping on that we need to improve? What's the fundamental reason we didn't take 3 points from ManU at home? Possession. If you look at it from that perspective, most of the players are passengers.

I also wonder if you realize the contrarian principle in that statement. You're assuming that everybody who likes Nakamura can't accept he has flaws, so anytime Naka comes up you disparage him.
So what's behind this contrarian attitude? I have 3 theories for why these contrarians find it necessary to more or less troll.

Yes. No.

 

Good post Messi Although, I'm certainly up there with his biggest fans on here.:icon_mrgreen:

 

They need someone to pass the ball to them. I'd be happy if we played MON's 3-5-2, then Naka in the AM, just like Lubomir. Naka is crucial in the offensive. And he disappears from games due to being put on RM, from where he is dependent on the RB. If the RB plays dross, Naka is left stranded. At AM, he'd shine fully.

 

couldnt agree more me thinks he would be class there

 

Why is it so hard to admit Naka's inability to tackle and ability to get lost in a game means that players like Davis, Sidwell and Mendes are better all round.

Naka is world class when it comes to passing a ball/taking a free kick. However all of these players can do this to a good level and in most other departments they are either better than him and they can all put in a tackle. This means they are better all round!

Whether these are the sort of players Celtic should sign etc is a different matter.

 

I don't think they are that good all round. And even if they are, why does that have to mean a player like Naka can't play?

 

They're jack-of-all trade players. You're basically proposing we compose a midfield like Rangers have the past couple of years. How has that worked out for them again?
Whereas MON and WGS both emphasized specializing. With WGS that includes a dedicated DM and dedicated attacking/creative wingers. How has that worked out for us?
You're right on one point... Naka would not be very good in EPL. But he'd slot straight into La Liga if age wasn't an issue. The reverse is generally true for the kind of player you think we should sign.

 

I know Martin and FTB will laugh at this, but I'll say it:Naka could play for Real and Barcelona. He has the skill.

 

You're never going to agree but Nakamura is on a list of my favourite players in my lifetime to watch in Scotland that includes Lubo, Di Canio, Cooper, Gascoigne, Laudrup and Larsson, all special players.

The 2 current Rangers guys are good but not at this level.

 

hes got to stay

 

The people in charge at Barca and Real would appear, so far, to disagree.

 

I agree with this.

 

Against UCL teams ... I'm sorry, but Hartley/Brown/Robsons' passing is atrocious. As is our fullbacks crossing. They're good enough for SPL, not for Champions League.
Even McGeady falls into this as he you pass the ball to him and he just obliviously runs up the pitch with it.

Because there haven't been games where other players were complete passengers in CL?

Did you even watch Villarreal game? Nakamura ran like * until he was dead on his feet... work rate was there in a game where you believe he let us down.

And there's people who can't hear a bad word against Boruc or McGeady. Hmmmm. I wonder why they don't get as much stick.

 

This is to counter that he 'never runs or helps', like Martin says. I think Naka has the team spirit in mind, and will try to help, but he is unable to. And people in charge of Real let Makelele go, and bought a * that only likes to take pictures and be on fashion nights(Beckham). Barca chiefs can't find a decent GK, and they punted Saviola...

 

I am not going to attempt to argue that almost all of our players don't look average against the best European sides, because they are in comparison. The point I was making (re Naka) is that not only has his work rate been poor at times but so has his creative contribution.

We're talking about Naka and the near idolatry some seem to have for him.

.

I watched it mate and I wasn't as impressed as you.

I wouldn't know as I have acknowledged the flaws and poor performances from both. Have I to take it you are suggesting it's because they're Catholic ?

 

You're right.

They wouldn't know a player if they saw one.

 

Every club sometimes makes mistakes. That might be the case with Naka. He'd be a star player of any Spanish or Italian top club, if they had seen his potential. The main problem is, most big clubs don't look in Asia.