Nir Bitton

Exactly right mate. What's the point in being a good player if you can't slide tackle from ten yards cos you just lost the ball again. Waste

 

Maybe just really well. Really, really well and someone might notice.

 

I cant believe I agree with the King of the Hipsters

 

Right you are. Thank * he got over being a shitebag. A well known part of development of players and oft talked about. Definitely not made up on the spot.

I get the contradictory Dev thing mate, but this one's a wee bit too over-reaching, even for your good self.

The things people say

 

So will Bitton as soon as the vultures start circling.

 

It's a well known part of playing in a two man defensive midfield partnership you need to be strong in the tackle, his defensive game has improved massively. I don't think there's any doubt in that, not only his tackling or challenging in the air, his positioning has came on ten fold.

That's to be commended, he's worked very hard at it. Dismissing it is a bit degrading to the hard work he has put in.

This year he looks to be adding even more to his game, going forward, a lot more bursting runs in the box. He's turning into the complete midfielder.

I'm * delighted with it, he's known what he needs to work on and has worked hard to get there.

 

You're right I canny argue with that at all.

Just bursts my * when we sell our best players every season.

 

He was let off the leash last night. He had more free reign to move forward and make runs rather than sitting back. Bit of a weird place to do it away to Ajax but it definitely worked.

He was outstanding!

 

I don't disagree with any of that, however none of it equates to being a shitebag just because he has improved his game, as have countless others in our beautiful sport.

In fact, for clarity, the shitebag phrase was brought up by one or two "passionate" posters after he "pulled out" of a collision with a centre half vs killie and the usual hard-of-thinking mob (who need to be told their opinion on a weekly basis) picked it up as a favoured nom de plume for a few short weeks until they realised the boy could play.

But you knew that.

I agree, again, with everything you've said above though

 

I was one of them. I can remember you being particularly annoyed about it for a while.

It wasn't just that, when he first came in under Lenny he had the tendency to pull out of challenges, it wasn't his game. It was shitebaggish, it's something that you can change in your mentality though and he clearly has because he's one of the hardest tacklers in the team now and is learning to use his physicality as well as his class.

That's what you want to see, people went on about it like we wanted him to be a Keith Lasley, it wasn't that. Loads of players of his class know how to tackle or when to be physical (remember Pirlo going toe to toe with Broony?).

It's added to his game brilliantly and he deserves a lot of credit for that, takes a lot to overcome your instinct. He's clearly a player who thinks about what he's doing though.

 

There is a school of thought that he has learned to be harder because he will have been told in no uncertain terms by a certain midfielder on the coaching staff, that it is far more dangerous to your own health if you go into tackles half heartedly!

He is cracking player now in my opinion.

 

Oh absolutely you were one of them. If it makes you feel any better you were the "passionate poster" not the * braindead sheep who attached it to his name matter-of-factly anytime he was mentioned for about two weeks (though it's really weird this accusation was never leveled at him before the Killie game and hasn't been mentioned since.)

Guessing not, though

PS Yes, I am still annoyed, as hard as that is to spot

 

Maybe off others, it's something I've always said he needed to work on. Management must have thought the same because he has been working on it and it's improved his all round game.

As has James Forrest this year. I know it's the term 'shitebag' you've took offence at but it's not all that strong a phrase.

 

Agreed took his goal well and for me was our best player on the night. Thats 4 goals already this season so he seems to be adding goals to his game as well.

 

Looks like the club has opened talks with him over a new deal

His current contract runs out in Summer 2017

 

I * that up didn't I :smiley-laughing002:






I meant current blame my * phone

 

Hope he has a 8 year deal with a 150 billion buy out clause with no way out other than that