Callum McGregor

One thing hes seemed to add this season is more goals but I think he is another one along with Hatate who has regressed since Ange left, a few have improved massively under Rodgers like AJ and Maeda but I think its clear to see McGregor and Hatate both have declined performance wise, 3-0 game in September aside his performances against the huns since Rodgers came back in have been poor.

 

No one is turning on him but it needs to be addressed at how hot and cold he's been this year. Sorry but the hiding in these high pressure games is doing my head in. I don't care that the other two are miles away from him he should be the one taking the game by the scruff of the neck and demanding better. If he feels he is too isolated he should be screaming at Rodgers to change it up

 

Slows the game down, always demanding the ball, and then playing sideways or backwards. Without him we move forward quickly. Against St Johnstone we were fast and effective going forward, without him. He's been good for us, but we have to progress.

 

Your right. He's open, we pass it beating the first 2 men of the press... he just gives it back and points to give it elsewhere. Press unbeaten again and allowing them to reshape. He needs to push it forward, and he has the ability but he's fell into this easy pass back routine. He needs a shake because he's got the ability to turn and lay it on to someone else who's not a defender.

 

He has really lost something this season, maybe age? Even though he is only 31

 

Should be dropped on Sunday.

 

Do you think Rodgers has the balls to do it ?

He should be dropping Taylor(mainly because he wants to leave),Scales, Hatate and McGregor. I would add Kyogo in there as well simply for the fact as a lone striker he doesn't offer enough outside the odd goal. Plus the fact we splashed out £9m on a guy that needs to be starting and improving parts of his game rather than sitting on his * not getting enough minutes.

Sitting 11 points ahead is the perfect time to start adjusting things for the future. We've been winning games but performance wise, we've had more poor than good the past few months.

Out with the old and hopefully in with the new. Especially with the transfer window open now. Few decent signings in key positions required.

 

I’d be surprised if McGregor got dropped on Sunday, but he should be, no doubt about it.

 

Has he gotten out of Raskins back pocket yet

 

McGregor is the least of our worries. We’ve been persisting with Hatate for years now and he is brutal. Can’t string a good game together never mind 2 games in a row. Get him out the team and watch us improve.

 

I do wonder if callum has reached his peak. Not every player can do what Broony done and keep a high standard going into their mid thirties.

Wonder if callum is starting to decline a bit. Not doubting he is still a quality with plenty to offer us but perhaps we are approaching a time where we manage his game time and on occasion explore what we look like with him on the bench.

A great player and happy to keep him as a player for a few more years yet but at the same time I wouldnt be against giving others a chance in his place. It's up to the other midfielders to show their worth in that scenario

 

How long ago was Leipzig? Is it two months or something?

Cal was absolutely phenomenal that night, against an excellent team. Tore them to shreds.

The fact he was woeful yesterday and hiding (not the first time he's dome that) doesn't mean he's past it or can't do it anymore. He's still our best midfielder on his day.

All for resting him sometimes but he'll pick himself up like he always does and find his spark again. The overall midfield setup and tactics are what need looking at.

 

The amount of football he's played has been obscene and the level of consistency unparalleled..

Said it after the final, but for me it's the beginning of the end for him.. and that's just football the fact he has had to retire from International football shows he knows it himself..

It's not a slight on him, it just the facts that are playing out in front of our eyes.. he's getting caught in possession regularly.

I'm sure he'll still put in high quality dominant performances, quite consistently. But, it is absolutely essential we sign a dynamic DM, in this window! He needs help in the engine room.

 

He won’t be dropped that’s a certainty. He should be IMO but Rodgers won’t do it. It’s well documented how friendly they are off the field.

Therefore it’s about how do we accommodate him for me. Two options:

1. Change the midfield system and play 2 deep lying midfielders. Bernardo or Engels sit alongside him, or even better we sign a dynamic CDM similar to Wanyama (the best midfielder we’ve had in years btw, he had a bit of everything and showed it in Europe).

2. Push McGregor further forward and let someone with more legs play the CDM role

 

I don’t know why McGregor needs to play every game. I know he’s the captain but he’s not getting any younger. Manager him now and get an extra year out of him

 

Every time he puts in a poor performance the chat is always his legs have gone and he's past his peak but for me it's all to do with the position he plays in the side. He's already shown this year he can carry a massive threat going forward but we persist with playing him as the holding mid which is a role I don't think he has ever been suited to

 

Yeah for me the problem was tactical.

We could have had Kante in there and it wouldn't have stopped anything.

The way they sat kind of deep around the half way line with like 5 players and had 1 striker plodding about, they pretty much knew we would always try to pass it through them into their half and then every time they won the ball they all burst forward and had 3/4/5 guys in behind our midfield.

There pretty much nothing you can do to stop that while playing the same formation/tactics we are playing. Same happened in Dortmund.

We had to drop a midfielder in next to him and not gamble as much in front of their first line of defence or whatever you'd call it inviting them with easy oppertunities to break.

 

I hate when he plays so deep constantly demanding the ball, it slows things right down when a pass further forward is on.

He isnt a dm, move him forward or begin to rotate him more.

 

You have to ask the question though. If McGregor is so brilliant as an advanced 8, why have two successive managers (both of whom are regarded as great by the majority of Celtic fans), overlooked him for that position?

That's 4 years that McGregor's played as the 6. Meanwhile players like Turnbull, Rogic, O'Riley, Hatate, Mooy, Bernardo, Engels and McCowan have all been selected time and time again before him in advanced positions. Are Ange and Rodgers so clueless that they can't see McGregor is a better option than all of them?

Now you could say that's because McGregor is our best option in the 6. Whilst that's been somewhat true domestically, we have also signed players like Ideguchi, Iwata, Abildgaard and Kwon, and by all accounts we chased Souza all Summer. It's clearly been identified that we need a proper 6, despite these transfers being utter failures.