Callum McGregor

Easily worried? It's August and we've already given up one trophy. When I see worrying signs I call them out. I may be proven wrong and would love to be if that means Celtic are successful but so far everything I've been worried about going into this season has come into fruition.

McGregor has undeniably started this season poorly. He looks a yard slower, looks weaker in the challenge and isn't influencing the game in any positive way at all. Just because he's the captain and has gone through good spells in previous years doesn't mean that he's immune to criticism or shouldn't be dropped if his poor form continues.

You're only as good as your last game and that goes for everyone in the squad. I'm not scared to criticise players because they're fan favourites or Celtic "through and through". I want us to be at the best level possible, I'm sure McGregor does too but he needs to step up.

 

Sometimes the decline can come quick. Or else it's all those games catching up with him...

 

Cal has been poor so far this season, but I'm confident that'll change, BR was the one that made him the player he is the now.

 

Really poor today, had no influence whatsoever but he’s way, way down the list of things to be worried about at this stage.

 

It's no his talent that's in question, it's the fact he's looked devoid of any sort of urgency or initiative. I've never ever seen him like this.

 

Doesnt look fit to me.

 

Winning trophies has been a regular occurrence for Callum McGregor throughout his time at Celtic, but he knows that any success the team enjoys is always hard-fought for and never a foregone conclusion.

So the Celtic captain knows that the 1-0 League Cup defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park today (Sunday) is a reminder of what can happen when the team doesn’t perform to the high levels that have brought so much success in the past.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, he said: “It wasn’t good enough. Celtic teams have to play with a certain level or personality and quality and we didn’t do that, but I think it’s a reminder for everyone that you don’t just have the *-given right to turn up and win trebles.

“It’s not easy. You come here and you have to fight and find a way to win the game, find the quality moment to win the game, and we didn’t do that. We didn’t have enough quality, so that’s disappointing.

“But we have to learn from it. It’s important that everyone sticks together. We find the solutions, we find the answers to the problems that lie on the pitch, and the only way we’re going to get better is if we stick together.

“Our record over so many years now has been very good but that’s because you turn up and you play. You don’t get any second chances.

“It’s hugely disappointing and everyone will feel it, so now we have to stick together.

“We have to learn from it and that’s the biggest thing. You can’t let it fester, you can’t let it snowball into two games or three or four.

“You have to find something within yourself as a player, to go again and put this right. There’s a lot of football to be played and we have to get it right, and that starts tomorrow.”

 

He's our best player and the one that controls the way we play. He's literally ten heart beat of the team.

So id disagree, if he's off form or worse in decline then he's easily the biggest worry

 

In decline? After 3 games of the season, one of which on one of the worst surfaces in professional football.

As you quite rightly pointed out he’s our best player, but he’s not a robot he’ll games where he’s not quite at his best, he’ll have games today where he’s *, it happens. Just a shame it came when the rest of his teammates were also *.

Folk are genuinely mental.

 

He’ll bounce back, i just hope we don’t rely on him as our CDM as he just isn’t that type of player

 

People said the same thing and denied there was a problem with Brown the start of the 10 in a row season.

Hopefully it's just a dip in form/rustiness but it's definitely a worry bcoz in his 9 year's in the team I don't remember him having 2 performances as bad as the last 2 games back to back.

That's testememt to him and his incredible consistency but there's no doubt we are no where near as good a team when he's not playing well so it's definitely a concern of this "dip" is going to continue.

 

Time to give Iwata his shot. Free Mcgregor up a bit.

Holm and Turnbull have had opportunity and havnt grasped it time to give Iwata his

 

It's Holm's first start FFS

 

Nobody covered themselves in glory today.

 

See this idea that he can’t be dropped, it’s * ridiculous.

If he plays *, he shouldn’t be guaranteed a start because he’s “CalMac”. He was poor against both Aberdeen and County. Looks a yard or two off the pace.

He’s been brilliant for us and he’s still a very good player - but he absolutely should not be a guaranteed starter. Nobody ever should.

The midfield is stale and he’s a part of that. We need someone in his position with more aggression, physicality and size. Would much rather see McGregor as a number 8.

 

Difference does that make? He was poor and balance wasn't right. manager is obviously trying out different combinations to find a working midfield.

If he's gonna chop and change it then he could do a lot worse than give the current J League player of the year the same opportunity

 

He's been *, and it shouldn't be sacrilege to say it.