Arne Engels

Think he'll be fine.

 

Getting to that stage where you wonder what he brings to the team over someone like McCowan, and for what it's worth I think he's only a squad type player as well. We really need to strengthen our midfield going in to next season.

 

Some games he shows flashes of real quality, other games he is just dreadful. Maybe thats just what you get with young players, even ones that cost 10m or so. But hes very frustrating to watch.

I still think he can come good though. Next season feels a bit make or break for him at celtic

 

Punt him then as he's not good enough to play that position

 

I like him and think he will be a lot better when we get an actual CDM (same as all our current CM's) but * me he was poor today

 

He has been good as an 8 plenty of times this season for me. Was brutal today though..

Him and Bernardo as the two 8's will never work..

I definitely wouldn't punt him. He'll be better next year..

 

Rodgers said in presser last week that he's never going to be much of a goalscorer and "wasn't brought here for that " (which was a bizarre comment as it is) . So I think the idea is that he is going to be a sitter for us moving forward....although * knows at this point. I agree he doesn't look good in the 6 but surely playing as an 8 at Celtic you're expected to score goals.

 

100% agree with this summation.

 

Ah really. No heard that..

Weirdly I did hear him saying post match recently when praising McGregor that we tried Engels there and in other words saying it didn't work and the difference..

I think he'll be an 8. He isnt quick enough moving the ball as a deep lying playmaker taking it tight there or with the silky footwork to play a 10 (which we don't)..

I think he'll eventually develop in to a box to box 8 or creative 8. His finishing isn't good enough to score bundles from open play but he does have plenty of killer passes and crosses to open teams up in the middle..

 

Yeah I remember his comment with regards to McGregor , was more praising McGregor in that nobody is capable of doing what he does for us. Will be interesting to see what happens with recruitment in there this summer . With Cal a year older and Reo potentially away we could end up a bit of a mess centrally if we don't sign some real quality ( players who we clearly know the strengths of). I do think Engels will get better next season and be part of it, but we need to be get busy in the market for Europe and hun games as the midfield seem to struggle there.

 

Anyone calling him atrocious or wanting him leave need to wind their neck in.

We've seen how good he can be. Prior to the Dortmund game he was excellent in every game he played. He was then excellent Christmas onward in nearly every game he played up until spring, where his form fell off again.

He has bags of talent and if he can add a bit more consistency to his game, he'll flourish, and I think we'll see the best of him next season.

 

Another ineffectual display from him today.

Im not sure if its the player or the system but I think our midfield struggles to really shine. Im not really sure what Engles role in the midfield is. It seems to be just provide a passing option to move the ball out wide. I would expect for the money we paid for him - we would want a lot more. Id be interested to know what Rodgers wants and expects from him though. We cant have spent 11m on a guy to just shuffle the ball from flank to flank.

I guess that Rodgers looks at domestic SPL is that most opponents look to pack the box and sit back. So the space is available out wide and the set up is geared to get the ball to the wide players to either cut inside or look for overlaps. The build up play is predictable and thats fine when its working - with the level of player quality advantage we have it usually will. But games like today are hard watches because there is a dogmatic persistence in doing the same thing even when its not really working. To the point where we are passing to guys out wide when the pass isnt there or they have an opponent on them. This is where you would like to see an Engels or Bernardo read the game in front of them and try vary things. Make a run here, spot a pass there etc

 

£11m to take penalties and corners seems a tad excessive even by Rodgers standards. Is he still using Lee Congleton to scout players for him

 

Been an awful season. Was saying to my brother in law and any one that cares, need Lou macari back.

 

Sums up my thoughts exactly. We’ve three lads who’re good on their day but, ultimately, are any of them good enough to get us to the level we’re aspiring to? Not convinced (yet, anyway).

 

It’s not been an “awful” season from him for * sake

 

He should be scoring goals as the head of our midfield three.

I’m hoping with a full pre season under his belt that he is able to kick on and really develop next season. I just don’t know if I see a player who is going to give that moment of quality when things are not going well or who is going to stand up and impose himself when things are not going well for us. He needs to improve the physical side of his game if he is going to play more defensive for us also.

 

Im not overly clear what his role in the team is supposed to be.

As with Idah, I dont think hes had a bad season. But relative to their price tags we probably need to see more conviction in overall performances.

 

He probably will improve physically over the summer, a lot of players tend to naturally between like 20-24.

Especially after this season, this is his first proper taste of a long season. Playing for a mid table German team before they maybe only had 35-38 games a season. Now he knows what it takes to go the distance, if you add in Belgium and even Belgium U21 games he's played about 60 games this season when he was maybe only used to 40 before.