Glenn Loovens set to return

It's either a back-in-training Loovens or an injured O'Dea. Only one answer if you ask me - not that Loovens is any better. Too easily bullied around in my opinion.

 

The thing I don't like about Loovens is he is nowhere near aggressive enough. You never see him going through somebody or bullying somebody out of the game. The way Kenny Miller just shrugged him off to score at Ibrox earlier in the season is typical of the way Loovens plays.

He is also terrible with the ball at his feet but that isn't a deal breaker for me.

 

I think Glen Loovens is our best centre back on the books just now. Like Brown he just needs the right partner beside him. That was neither of the Chuckle Brothers who just made Loovens look bad.

I am all for a Loovens - Hooiveld partnership next year. I reckon that partnership will be the bedrock of our defence. All we would need then is two new full backs to compliment them.

All good managers build on a solid defence.Goalkeeper included.

 

having watched him recently at murray park he played well with ronge at centre back i also spoke with him and he is a nice guy! i look forward to seein him back at the centre of our defence!

 

Our midfield this season has offered absolutely no support to our central defence. Sod all. To make it worse, our full back were told to bomb forward, both at a time, and play more like wingers, leaving them to be ripped apart.

I'll be pleased to re-assess the central defence, and defence as a whole, once we're playing as an organised unit. Every team has known how to play against us this season down to our extremely naive set up. The centre of defence have been the most exposed area of the team thanks to tactics that are more in tune with 35 a side over the park or Roy of the Rovers.

 

Loovens cannot be Hooiveld's partner next year, whether it's St. Ledger or Ramis or any tough, solid centre back, Loovens just is not good enough to start.

 

I agree with this. Loovens is better than O'Dea and i would be more than happy to see Loovens take his place.

the sooner Jos (his birthday yesterday haha) and Rogne are fit the better.

 

Caldwell has been similar in the EPL-solid and praised for leadership but a sprinkling of Red cards/OGs/the odd gaff. However, the bad moments are against a background of being solid and a useful player at EPL level. Its no coincidence that Caldwell is the one looking forward to another season in a top league while the others were championship loans etc. I wish he was still here. Its a shame for him that back 3s are our of fashion because he would be a brilliant sweeper type player.

 

I think the question above was interesting. Why do CBs usually struggle at CP. I think that is because Celtic have tended to play too many flair players and attackers. You cant have 2 strikers, 2 wingers, overlapping FBs and a CM making box to box runs without moments of total panic unless you have world class defenders or very intelligent players who cover for each other. MON packed the MF with 5 which helped while probably the best protected defence was under Wim. The MF 4 of Weighhorst-Lambo-Burley-Jackie was very solid defensively.

 

pretty * in my opinion hes an O.K defender some games he plays with the heart u need others he just looks like a waste of skin !!!

 

It's not often I agree with you gunt but I really think you're on to something here.

 

you know it makes sense:icon_mrgreen:

I think the way we are often set up reflects our own mythology and fan expectation for open attacking football but I think that is often not practical and the managers who really believed this ideal played pretty losing football.

The SPL is usually won by compact teams who can defend en-masse from the midfield back - MON, Wattie etc. However these teams sacrificed flair players and real width or certainly reduced this to bit parts, wing backs etc.
Teams packed with flair player and playing open fluid football have struggled in the last 15 years.

The closest a manager came to combining the inclusion of several wee flair players with success was WGS but there was no doubt that it was a struggle at times to keep the defense fully protected while playing 2 wee wingers and attacking CM, overlapping FBs etc. The only reason we sort of got away with it under WGS was the way he had the team drilled (shackled if you like) to cover and also the strategy of a safety first passing game to starve the opposition of the ball. However, there is no doubt that even then the CBs were exposed at times and made to look much worse than they were.

Watching Wigan has been interesting. They play very compact with most of their team close to the defense who in turn play deep. That means the danger zone always is protected by a forest of players in close banks of 4. At Celtic the defensive area is so open and players so wide apart they practically need walkie talkies! The compact way Wigan play is similar to Rangers but very different from us. I remember the extreme compactness we had under Wim. It seems to work in the SPL

BTW-Loovens straight in for OD injury or not. OD is not good enough except against the smallest SPL teams. No future as a CH at Celtic level IMO.

 

Sorry mate, but Loovens is the fastest CB we've had at CP for absolutely ages.
Not sure if Hooiveld or Rogne are faster - but he's faster than everyone else at the club in CB position.

I'm not a fan of Loovens, but he ain't as slow as you say - sure your not thnking of Thomson?

 

Papac is probably the only Rangers player I have time for. Him and Davis. Basically two players we would love to have.

Loovens is a bombscare..remember Tynecastle, Ibrox etc. O'dea lives on the fact he is Irish. He is a ned, and useless at the sametime.

I would go with Rogne and Hooiveld next season, there is great potential there. Hinkel needs to start afresh again, he was playing well, but his form has dipped since January. A solid left back, not to flashy is a must. Dixon from the arabs is good, but attack minded, not sure thats what we need. Hreiddarson (sp) from Pompey is a shout.

In Midfield N'Guemo must be punted. We need someone that will partner Scott Brown, or Crosas effectively. A worker, a grafter, with the vision to play a long ball. I would not mind Gomis from Dundee Utd. Great player. McGeady needs an * kicking, or to be shipped for coins. We can then afford a few new players. Keep McCourt, work on his fitness all summer.

Samaras has to go, his time is up. Inconsistency is no use at Celtic. Keane will be gone, and apart from his goals, he has been quiet. Fortune i like 90% of the time, so keep him, and play him upfront with Rasmussen next season. Otherwise, sign Stokes to play with Ras.

 

totally agree. Loovens is easily the fastest out of him, Mick, OD and Thompson. That doesnt say much but I think Loovens has show a reasonable ability to change pace. I am undecided on Loovens. Some games he looks like he could be another Mjallby and then he has a very bad run. Seems inconsistent. Would like to see him with a consistent experienced partner like Jos rather than rookies.

 

Glad he's back tbh

Think he's better than O'dea and Thomson, but then again its no hard