Callum McGregor

McGregor isn't a CDM at this level..

It's a bit of a conundrum as we don't really need a DM domestically.. so we sign one and play him domestically it kind of detracts from Hatate and O'Riley, with one of them missing out..

He needed Iwata beside him today..

In the longterm we need to sign a dominant DM in January and rest McGregor from time to time, he can't play the same amount of minutes he used to..

He is the heartbeat of this side, he just needs some help..

 

Aye I feel like Iwata deserves a chance.

 

Not sure what the prevailing opinion is but mcgregor at his best is unplayable world class etc, but times like tonight he can be anonymous and almost a liability, if someone like Taylor but in that performance they'd be slaughtered. One thing about brown is he was always a bit more clever than cal, when the chops were down he could still stand out try and rally a team and put in some sort of performance. Not a criticism of him in general but just how I observe it currently.

 

Callum McGregor branded Celtic's 6-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid as "embarrassing" after their thrashing in Spain.

Doubles from Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata, as well as strikes from Samuel Lino and Saul Niguez, saw Diego Simeone's side run out comfortable winners at the Civitas Metropolitan Stadium.

A red card early in the first half for Daizen Maeda changed the course of the game for the Scottish champions and McGregor insists Celtic must learn quickly from their mistakes.

Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: "It was a very tough night for sure. It is embarrassing to lose six goals and we have to learn quick.

"That has to be a one off, we have now come to two away games and had men sent off. This level is difficult enough when it is 11 v 11and that is not to point fingers at anyone because I think all three of the challenges have not had any malice in them.

"We have to learn from that as this level is too difficult to play against teams with 10 men or nine men and you see the massive quality with their goals as they scored with almost every shot they hit.

"I thought we started the game quite well and even when we lost the goal, I thought we were decent value and in the game.

"If we then get to half time at 1-0 then game probably feels a bit different for us but then we make the match so difficult for ourselves to be fair to them that was a clinic on how to play against 10 men.

"They really stretched the pitch, and you see how they got in time and time again."

 

Problem with McGregor at this level is he needs those around him to get on the same wavelength. Look at his performances for Scotland alongside the likes of McGinn, Gilmour, McTominay....he rarely has a poor game at all.

Everyone saying we need a proper DM, there's no point having that if the guys around him aren't in the zone. Cal is plenty good enough but we need the whole team playing well for him to have the impact he's capable of.

 

He's been let down by the board as much as BR has. Guys an absolute legend and wants what we all want but is being hamstrung by the biscuit tin.

 

It's demonstrably irrefutable, I'm afraid.

 

It really isn't. Making the assumption that 'x' player has been on the end of a number of bad results then concluding that they are the reason to be concerned is terrible logic.

 

If you actually pay attention to his performances then you'd notice there's truth to this. He's been at fault for many goals, whether that's a poor clearance, a * attempt at a tackle, or him getting glided past in the middle of the park before they go and score - it's been evident for a long time.

I don't believe we'll win a CL game again with McGregor operating as a DM. Let alone go deep in any European competition.

 

But that isn't the case with McGregor.

It's not that he's coincidentally happened to be in the starting XI when results have been poor, but that he himself has been awful in those games. I can think of several European matches where he's been overrun, caught in possession and making sloppy decisions leading directly to goals.

 

I do pay attention to his performances, he's invariably one of our stronger performers in Europe. Take literally any player in any club's history over the same length of time that McGregor has played and you'll be able to cherry pick a few mistakes in amongst a lot of decent and above performances.

 

Agree to disagree then. McGregor lagging around the park as a defensive midfielder is a massive issue. He needs dropped or at the very least given a different role otherwise we'll continue getting overrun and bullied in Europe.

He isn't the only one that applies too, but it does apply to him.

 

it was a pathetic attempt of a header for their first goal

 

He’s not free of criticism but my point was singling him out as the one to worry about was inaccurate.

 

Soro
Abildgaard
Kwon
Iwata
Ideguchi
Shaw
McCarthy


We've bought 7 DM's in the last 3 years - the most expensive being Soro at £2m, the others cost less than a million or free. Zero have made an impact.

How difficult is it to spend a decent amount on a proper holding midfielder? Every other side in the Champions League has one.

 

Needs some bench time and rest as his high standards have slipped.

 

Not a DM at this level and never has been. Too bored of saying and reading that simple fact for years to really go into it again.

 

We do need a proper defensive midfielder though. That isn’t even up for debate.

 

I don't disagree as such, just saying that won't solve our problems. We could bring in a top class DM and still get leathered because of the system we play.

It's been proven that Callum is good enough to play there if everyone is playing well, Athletico at home prime example, so clamouring for a good DM is pointless unless we find a way of competing regularly.