Callum McGregor

They did a job on him, sometimes other players need to step up to the plate. When a team are so focussed on stopping one player it should give more space to the other midfielders but we were so poor in there today.

 

He was always going to put himself forward and make sure he was one of the penalty takers, but his last 3 I think for us and I think maybe 1 for Scotland he’d missed. Before then he was excellent at them, but standing up 2nd in line and doing that, when he’s largely stayed away from them since missing a few. * iron will. And I had zero doubts when he was the 2nd man up even with knowing he was on a poor run with penalties. He’s somebody I have complete confidence and faith in, always

 

Love him, one of my favourite players ever and an excellent leader..

But, I'm wondering if we're starting to see the start of his decline.. seems crazy saying that with his goals from outside the box this season and how consistent we've been.

He looks sluggish at times, in Europe and is getting caught more domestically than he used to.

 

Poorest game I can remember from him in a long time. Use of the ball was woeful, allowed players to run off him, ran into trouble with the ball. At half time, based on performance, he could’ve been subbed.

 

Love him as well and when he’s on it, he absolutely is the driving force behind everything good that we do.

Every single player he plays / has played with talk about his mentality and the standards he sets day to day.

He will be a stalwart for another couple season yet IMO but I don’t think we can afford to play him as a single pivot in a 3 man midfield in Europe or domestic fixtures like yesterday.

We need a young combative CDM that takes the ball under pressure and can use his body to hold players off and get turned. Someone who can put an opposition player 10ft in the air when needed. We basically need another Wanyama - that type of player would elevate this team to another level. With Calmac playing alongside them.

 

There is absolutely zero decline in Callum whatsoever mate.

What we're seeing is a slight dip in form, coupled in with the fact that teams are now starting to double up on him as they know he is the lynchpin deepest in midfield receiving the ball from our defence.

He needs a CDM there helping to shield * off him. That's why Taylor has started inverting more to assist him in CM, which obviously work at times, but when Taylor is out of position from LB, it can create an avenue for the other mobs to hit us down the right.

 

Aye, the huns concentrated on nullifying him and it worked, but he looked sluggish even at getting out to stop crosses coming in and he let his man go a couple of times. Not like him but in his defence he plays nearly every minute of every game.

 

Hope you're right mate..

 

Think it’s largely this time of year when we’re playing three games a week and a lot of the squad have a dip in form. I’m not worried about McGregor declining for at least another two seasons.

 

My captain. What a * player. Level on trophy's with Billy McNeill says it all.

Legend.