Gary Mackay-Steven

If Mackay-Steven puts in performances like the one at the weekend on a regular basis, he will also receive dogs abuse. Much like Armstrong.

 

Eh? Maybe it wasn't his best game since signing but he was far from the worst player on the pitch. Armstrong et al were worse. In fact, first half he was putting in some shift chasing down the ball and making tackles. As someone else mentioned, he seemed distraught by the Brill injury and makes sense that he was less effective 2nd half.

GMS is potentially our most talented player. Did we really expect him to be consistently excellent from the very beginning? People forget how new both him and Armstrong are to the team. Many many players take a heck of a lot longer to perform as well as they have already. E.g Bitton, Lustig

 

I'm just pointing out that Forrest gets absolutely no slack compared to GMS. Check the comments on Forrest last week when he scored and won us a penalty, you'd think he kicked a dog live on skysports.

In my opinion Forrest brings a lot more than GMS, but theres not reason why they cant play in the same team.

 

That was Mackay-Steven's first really poor game for us. If he went through a long period off the boil, as Forrest did, he would receive just as much stick as Forrest.

 

I agree about Forrest. He gets far too much abuse even when he doesn't really deserve it.

I wouldnt say Forrest brings more to the team, they are very different players, despite both being wingers. Both have goals in them but i'd say GMS is a bit more inventive where as that burst of speed Forrest has is invaluable if he can utilise it properly.

I remember salivating at the prospect of having GMS and Forrest on either wing. But if Armstrong continues to impress then he is going to struggle to get in the team if he can't be consistent and stay away from injuries.

 

My point is Forrest is poor with some people not matter what, but with GMS its always look on the bright side. I like GMS a lot but I dont think hes some sort of revelation and also I think Forrest has been showing improved performances and scoring vital goals but he can't get a good word.

 

Fair play man, we will just agree to disagree on who should be first pick out of the two.

 

The point is though, that was Mackay-Steven's first really poor game in a Celtic strip. Should we be slaughtering him after only 1 poor performance? With Forrest, he has racked up numerous poor displays, and his one at St. Mirren was brutal as well, make no mistake about that. If Mackay-Steven goes through a bad run of form, like Forrest has, he will get criticised, as does any footballer who goes through a bad patch.

 

Agreed about Forrest. He has been playing well when ever called upon recently.

6 months without injury. I have high hopes for this lad. If ronny can't sort him out then it's probably all over for him.

Next season we will see the best of him as long as he has no more setbacks between now and then.

Nearly a year injury free come the CL qualifiers.

 

See thats the thing. I don't agree with Forrest going through a bad spell. There were parts of the St Mirren game that he did have a hard time but he bounced back and was hugely influential in the second half, * dwell on the negatives with Forrest and forget about the positives.

I've heard people say if he doesn't fancy it he doesn't play, well that performance proved them wrong. I think people mix it up that hes had a bad spell but really he hasn't been playing to have a bad spell. Now that hes been back I can see the difference he brings to the team and I can see why Deila rates him so highly, cause Deila knows what he's looking at.

I also wouldn't agree with that being GMS first bad performance, but I'm not trying to get down on that guy. I'm trying to make people be a bit more positive about Forrest.

 

Gms looked like he wasn't trying on Saturday. Very poor and unlike him, in fact it was the kinda performance I'd had of him in mind before joining..

 

Well that's not even slightly true. He didn't have his best game in a creative sense but he worked his balls off in the first half. He was tracking back, making tackles, trying to intercept passes and even (accidentally) injured their goalkeeper.

In fact, i was very encouraged that, even though he wasn't having his best game, he was still making an effort. A trait we all love from Johansen.

 

The Keeper injured himself .

 

You must have been watching a different game to me. He wasn't penetrating enough on the ball or going at people with conviction. It was poor all round and wasn't the effort or performance of recent weeks..
I expect much better tonight and think we'll see it..

 

why does he keep getting benched? hes got great feet, and some tasty flair about him, he is nice have to shake things up coming off the bench, but should really be starting games,

hes very useful when breaking down those mass ranks of defensive 11 men teams who just come to sit in their own penalty areas.

 

He will undoubtedly gain from a pre-season with us, great start to what could be a very good Celtic career. Maybe just tiring a bit but the rest this week should see him refreshed for Dundee on Wednesday.

 

Has became a bit more sterile as games have went on.

He is RAW (buzzword of 2014) but he could be moulded to be an amazing player.

He will be 25 shortly which is odd in terms of his looks and play style.

He still plays and acts like a youth player - full of tricks and drive.

He was outstanding vs inter over two legs and I'd place him above Forrest in the starting 11 but Ronny, Collins and Kennedy know best and must be based how they have been performing in training.

As with Armstrong I hope it's not been a great couple of impressive games to cement a staring place and wilt into squad players.

I personally think he's shown more than McGeady has for Everton. Based upon the rumours we shouldn't be looking at Aiden when we have a better (and 4 year younger) player in GMS

 

He's deffo gone slightly off the boil. I'm not worried in the slightest though, he was always gonna have a quiet patch after a world wind start..
He's the kind of player where if he's not providing some magic then he can seem a passenger or totally ineffective..

As I said though, not worried, he's been a huge success early in and what a steal of a price..

 

I see what you're saying but if we have the chance to get McGeady we should take him in a heartbeat.

 

McGeady AND GMS would be fantastic.

I just can't see Ronny employing 2 types of wide players in the same team.

He has a very peculiar and effective (I must say) of having 11 players set out to do seperate roles.

I could never envisage a Ronny type system involving two of the same type of player working together in a unit.

I mean if McGeady wants to come and we can afford him then why not?

It's just whether Ronny would employ both him and GMS in the same team.

I could only see it being a contest between GMS and McGeady for the same position.

OT: I've only met 8 Celtic/Ex-Celtic players, and McGeady is one of them. I met him about 6 months after he moved to Spartak and we asked him
"Aiden, how's Moscow"
"It's alright"
That was it.
Barrel of laughs he was :bbpd: