Kieran Tierney

As long as we keep on winning domestically I don't think it really matters too much. I do think it was crystal clear from day 1 what Ange wanted to do and the team knew that and their part, without exception. Dropping points was a consequence of having to rebuild the squad late in the preseason and cope with the likes of Christie and Edouard exiting.

When we look to go to play in the CL if every person in our team doesn't know exactly what they need to do then we are going to get horsed. Thats 100% on Rodgers to make sure that doesn't happen. From what I understand Kennedy took a big step up in terms of player direction when Ange came in. Hoping he gets to continue that but unsure if that is happening at present, but maybe the dynamic with him and Rodgers has to settle a bit for that to happen. But Rodgers needs to set out the style of play and tactics, and at present its not clear he has. He's had every advantage to do so, far more than Ange, so a bit worried its not happened.

 

With his body, that's maybe 6 more years if he's lucky. I'm frankly not sure how many of those he'll still actually be good, but let's be generous and say 6 years. At the figure someone suggested earlier, that's £15 million over 6 years, which is £2.5 milion a year on top of wages. That's a lot of money that can't be spent elsewhere. Actually it's worse than that as payment will be more frontloaded than annual payments; that but exactly how much worse would depend on how the deal was structured and on economic factors like interest rates.

Buying him is just a bad investment, however we try to square it. The money is better spent elsewhere.

 

100% agree with that. I think Rodgers is trying to be pragmatic by not asking too much of the full backs (as he knows they’re limited), but by trying to implement his ideas in midfield and the front line the full backs are kind of being made totally redundant.

By that I mean that midfielders are filling the spaces that the inverted fullbacks would have taken up under Ange and the full backs we have simply can’t bomb into the wider spaces generated. Rodgers wants his wingers starting wide to create 2 v 1 situations, but they’re isolated without the fullbacks overlapping and opening up the inside channel.

So right now we’re out of shape and attacking with 5/6 players, whereas if you add AJ and KT (or similar), we’d be attacking with a more structured 7/8 players.

 

Taylor hasn't really got forward either game. But Ralston overlapped a fair few times in both games but the midfielders where slow to get the ball to him or came inside themselves. But a number of times he came in from the inverted position on a diagonal, Ange style, which makes me think our midfield is still a bit shapeless. I did think Abada, O'Riley and Ralston had a few good interplays but its all a bit random at the moment.

Rodgers certainly doesn't look like he's told the FBs to hug the line and bomb forward. Far from it I'd say. That's the bit I don't get when talking about that style of play. He's certainly not communicating during the game they are doing anything wrong from what I've seen. They are either not getting forwards or if they are still moving into the inverted positions more frequently than I'd expect.

 

Last minute loan on the cards. But we should be preparing for a permanent LB and if the option becomes available, aye take it.

But we had better not be relying on it. It’s shaping up for us to be able to though.

Any talk of an actual fee and permanent move back is never ever a thing either btw.

 

Neither have really got forward on the overlap outwith 2/3 times. The full backs are still majorly adapting from Ange’s tactics, you can physically see them reminding themselves when they start to wander into the middle of the pitch.

Bonus is I don’t think it’ll effect AJ, he didn’t play that role for very long and the majority of his career he’s been a classic full back.

That’s been the biggest part of BR’s tactics that’s not clicked yet for me, wingers and full backs haven’t linked up at all.

 

Honestly, I'd prefer us to be able to play like under Ange as a tactical option if needed. If Tierney comes, Taylor will still play lots, and for him, the old system is best.

 

Do you mean play inverted full backs like Ange’s tactics here btw? Taylor will still play on the minuscule probability we get KT back on loan, because KT can’t and shouldn’t play 60 odd games in a season.

Thing for me there, see if we do get him, and BR does do that and manages game time and cradles his fitness carefully, I’ll resent even more what he done first time round with Tierney when he first needed it. Because it’s Rodgers that made his injury problems be a permanent thing, then Lenny compounded it when he took over, asked him if he could play against Rangers and of course he said yes cos he’s KT and hard as nails. And he should never have been put out there, he was *. And it * him more.

 

If a player says he's fine what do you do? I doubt Tierney said "yes I'm injured boss pls play me" he more than likely done the young guy celtic fan thing of lying and saying he's completely fine causing more issues for himself.

 

If you know a players been out injured and is struggling you don’t * ask when you know if you tell them you need them to do it, you know the answers yes. And you can guarantee it’s against the advice of the sports science and physio guys as well, its an old school detrimental attitude. And plus, he couldn’t run, that’s no even helpful on the pitch

 

I geniunly can't remember a game he played where he couldn't run.

 

It is a lot of money i agree. I have stated on this thread I'd rather he went elsewhere for his sake as he'd just get battered every other week again up here.
I would love him back but it's just not right for both parties for different reasons.

 

After Lennon took over from Brendan , we won 2-1 eddy and forrest scoring. Lasted 70 odd minutes but couldn’t get by the halfway line for most of the game. He hadn’t played weeks before, didn’t play after that. Can’t mind if it was the rest of the season but substantial anyway.

That’s classic Lenny that, because he always said yes to play through pain as well, but he’s not evolved with the game since he played ever.

It was Rodgers overplaying KT and playing him with jags that done the damage though. He thought he might need to retire that season because of it.

BR done similar to Rogic, jags to get through games, not a coincidence it took him a full year afterwards to get a semblance of fitness, under a manager who knew him well enough to manage his training schedule to get through games.

We’re just lucky Calmacs a freak of nature, cos it was the same with him, for season upon season.

 

Remember sitting at the match just thinking please take him off several times. Happened under both Rodgers and Lennon so must have been a period of time he was obviously playing injured. If I remember correctly he could run, but then had to rest to recover from the pain and was much more one sided when playing.

I blame Rodgers much more than Lennon as you just know Lennon is so guts and glory he could see it less. Rodgers absolutely knew what he was doing.

 

Yes, the inverted FB concept. I honestly also prefer wingers that at least sometimes go down the line and cross. Agreed on the rest- Tierney should have been afforded a solid backup that would have meant he didn't have to play so much.

 

A sensational return to Celtic could be the only avenue open for Arsenal fringe star Kieran Tierney this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

This news comes after Football Insider revealed on Friday (18 August) that Newcastle United have ended their interest in the Scotland international despite extensive talks with his camp.

The Magpies are instead pushing ahead with the loan-to-buy capture of Chelsea youngster Lewis Hall.


And it is believed that collapse means Arsenal could keep Tierney, 26, at the club past the 1 September deadline with defender Jurrien Timber suffering a serious knee injury on his debut last week.


A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Celtic could tempt the Gunners to sell the defender this summer – but are likely to lack the financial clout to do so.

Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports earlier in the window (5 August) that Celtic will not spend “£15-20million” on any new arrivals this summer.

That is despite selling winger Jota to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad for a reported fee of £25million – of which the Hoops have received £17.5million.


Tierney left Celtic for Arsenal in 2019, with the Gunners paying a reported fee of £25million for his services.

However, he has fallen out of favour in recent months and was left out of the matchday squad for last week’s season-opener against Nottingham Forest.

The 38-time Scotland international notched one goal and two assists in 36 appearances across all competitions in the 2022-23 campaign but started in just 15 of those outings.

Celtic have already completed no fewer than seven permanent signings this summer.

The Hoops, like Arsenal, will play Champions League group-stage football this season

 

TBH, I think we're starting to see that with CM too. He's looking slower and that's 2-3 years earlier than I would have expected.