Callum McGregor

Callum will never say he's too tired to play. He's the captain. It's the manager who needs to manage the players' fitness and rotate them.

 

He’s been poor this season for the most part, his general play has slowed down and no longer taking on players to beat the press and speed up our play.

I’d start Iwata in the sitting role for Sunday.

 

Callum is not good enough to play there at that level. That’s nothing against him, he just isn’t a defensive midfielder. We saw it last season as well when he was at fault for a couple of big goals in Europe. A proper holding midfielder would then allow McGregor to play higher up the park when his passing and vision could be far more effective.

This is one of the things we need to try and be able to compete regularly. We all knew this prior to last season’s CL group stages. It’s still the same now. We also need a top goalkeeper and left back to go along with that defensive mid, and you might see a difference in results.

 

said it at the Lazio game he could of spun and turned us around and got us up the pitch a lot more before they scored. He kept inviting pressure to the defence by passing it back to them constantly in awkward positions.
He's been extremely poor in Europe for a while now but while I think Iwata is a good player I'm sure he would do much better. We need to be more flexible in this competition though - change of shape, personel?

 

Agreed but would be Holm for me. Or Iwata, Holm, Turnbull.

100% needs freshened up in there though.

 

Said exactly the same at the game. He was very negative. I also didn’t think he offered himself enough that night either. Loads of times Scales had it and needed McGregor to make an angle and he didn’t. Which is very unlike him. The only reason I could just about put up with him playing as the holding midfielder was his ability to receive the ball on the half turn and get us moving forward. He doesn’t do that enough now either. Not sure if he is being told to go backwards more often or if it’s a slight lack of confidence, but it’s been very noticeable that he is far more negative with the ball.

 

I have also said this, it makes us very easy to press against when you don’t have someone who is willing to turn on the ball and drive up the pitch.

Given McGregors technical ability he should be comfortable receiving the ball tight and turning out of danger instead of constantly playing the ball backwards.

 

Other than Hatate and from the brief glimpses I have seen of Holm none of our midfielders are great at taking the ball on the half turn.

Add in we get Taylor to do some of this and more often than not he gives the ball straight back where it came from and puts us under pressure.

Most Rodgers teams have a physical presence in midfield and we have none. In fact go further, most successful teams have a physical presence in their midfield and we have next to none. A lack of pace and physicality in our midfield combined with our limited technical ability just makes us easy to play against at that level.

 

Its always sideways and backwards from McGregor these days. There's no bravery or intent on the ball at all. I think that's partly because our movement is so * at this level but it's also because McGregor doesn't have the skill to play through the lines or drive forward with the ball.

It isn't just him though. Taylor's first thought is to pass it back to Scales, Johnston is the same. There's a distinct lack of bravery in Europe from our players. The only players that do it are Hatate and O'Riley, and the former gives the ball away repeatedly at this level. But I don't mind that as long as we're not losing it in dangerous areas and actually trying to create something.

The reason for our players' negativity is open to debate. I think it's a combination of 3 things: low confidence, poor ability, and coaching. We all know Rodgers favours recycling the ball over and over again. We keep the ball well at times but unfortunately it's in the areas of the park that cause no trouble to the opposition.

Defensively we're a shambles and up front we're toothless. But we win the possession stats in the middle of the park, namely by passing it sideways and backwards.

 

I disagree that he doesn’t have the skill set to play through the lines or break forward. I absolutely think he does, but for one reason or another, we just aren’t seeing it now. I just think we need a nasty * that can read the game, break up play and then give it to likes of McGregor in a more advanced position to where he is playing now. He is an intelligent footballer McGregor but he isn’t naturally defensive minded.

One thing he is bad for, which cost us away to Shakhtar last year is that he will try and intercept passes at times, doesn’t win it and then he is wrong side, where a more naturally minded defensive player would remain goal side and allow the opposition player to have the ball but facing his own goals. Wee things like that are what can get you punished at the top level.

 

Might be carrying a knock, not just fatigue. In any case, critically needs rest.

 

I think Iwata, Holm & O’Reilly would be an exciting combo, a better balance.

 

Just not sure why he isn’t/hasn’t playing more advanced. He was at his best when he was a real goal threat - scored a few against the huns in consecutive matches a few years back.

He’s far too safe a player now. We don’t see the things he thrived at as often as we should.

 

Trying to cut him some slack, O’Riely had a horror show and Bernardo was posted missing. He was more or less on his own in the midfield.

 

Sideways passing.. not much else.

Becoming criminally slow as well.

 

He just sort of does nothing of late. No idea what he’s supposed to be giving us.

 

Been off his game for months, just call him square ball Calmac.

 

It's a weird one, he thrived under Rodgers system initially, and whilst he's getting older he's only turned 30.

The whole team have been on and off it this season, but it feels like he's never really fully started.

 

Said it for a while now. He has been miles off it. Isn’t offering anywhere near enough.

 

He was poor today.