Would the real Scott McDonald please stand up

I would go with 2-3 weeks on the bench,he has lost focus (i said it earlier) and for me he needs to get back in touch with the fns and his love of the game.

Send him out on fan duties to get some perspective on why he's a celtic player and what playing for celtic means.

I have faith he will over come this but my worry is TM doens rate him which imo would be silly because i firmly believe that McDonald has a bright future if he finds the love again.

 

I don't think Scott McDonald has lost any motivation to play for Celtic or got too big for his boots. I think it's just a simple case of him being out of form and a bit overweight. If he'd get rid of a bit of his bulk then his sharpness would return which would go a long way to helping him find his form again.

 

Im sure someone posted about a year ago on here that McDonald was the heaviest player in the squad and then he looked just about right ,but it is obvious he has gained weight ,not as fat but bulk and it doesnt suite him at all ,4-5 weeks on the side lines and get back to his normal weight and we might see another player in him,we do know that he can pop the goals from anywhere but he has lost his drive a bit.

 

I see alot of commentary on Skip's role in the Australian team so I thought I should speak up, as an Aussie Celtic.

Our Dutch gaffer Pim Verbeek favours the 4-2-3-1 formation (like all Dutch managers these days) which means he needs a big tall body up front to feed off to the 3 behind him. Australian have always tended to play this type of formation when we had Mark Viduke in the team. Sadly skip just isn't tall enough for this role.

Not to say he doesn't try, but as well know from the times WGS and even against the huns this year and in the Cup final last season, along with 2 Australian games at home this year, skip is not a lone striker. While Australia goes with 4-2-3-1 sadly this will be skips fate.

Although I do remember him having a superb 1st half against Ireland in August where he was the lynchpin in attack and we were up 2-0 at half time...Pim obviously had forgot.

He needs to get some goals and some to be in the reckoning for australia but sadly I think he will be out of the reckoning. The talk is Kewell is being favoured as striker (I know, he is not tall) on the back of 45 avg mins against the Dutch...

 

Skippy is short of confidence, Sammi seems to be gaining it at the mo. I'd go with Sammi and Fortune for the time being.

Skippy has scored some really special goals in his 2+ years at Celtic park, his all round game seems to have dropped a bit. Maybe down to us being willing to offload him in the summer window.

I hope he gets back on form again as he was a real handful. Maybe a wee break would suit all involved allow him to get his head sorted and get the hunger back.

 

As another fellow Aussie (longtime ex-pat, though), I also follow the Socceroos & whats happening there.

The thing with Australia, Verbeek is a pretty conservative tactician, and as has been noted, prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation. At the moment, Josh Kennedy is the number 1 (for those who don't know him, think of a Peter Crouch type forward) & Verbeek has as much as conceeded, that if Kennedy is out, he is looking for another forward that can play in a simliar role. Skippy is a different type of striker, and definately works better when he has a partner up front to work in conjuction with.

McDonald has lost aa bit of form & hope that being dropped by Pim Verbeek will serve as the wake up call he needs, in order to get back into form & ensure he s on the plane to Sth Africa. I for one, hope it does, and am still confident that Skippy will surpass the 20+ goal mark for the season. How many other strikers in our squad can you seriously say will be able to do likewise?

The way some people have been slating the guy on this thread, makes you wonder if they expect him to be the new Larsson. Get a grip, guys. Larsson was a special, special player, and we'll be fortunate if we see his equal for another generation, if ever.

 

To be honest I think most Celtic fans like Skippy and all we really want is for him to be playing to his potential. Which in my opinion he is not and has not for some time now.

Good point about his exclusion from the Aussie squad.

 

i think we have had our money's worth out of the wee man his time is coming to an end me thinks.
the question is"does he have it in him to be better"? well he will only know, his attitude on the park lately has been poor and seen by all,maybe down to striking partner's might be off in jan, lack of goals ect. one on one on thursday with the hamburg goalie,he should have had 2 but all of the above must be playing on his mind if we get a good offer for him come january, then take it

 

According to celtic's official website skippy is 12st 4lbs. and 5ft 8.

Maybe Strach will fancy him back at middlesboro...

 

IMO he needs a prolonged bout on the side lines to get himself back into the right shape of mind.... Skippy is a natural finisher and we're not seeing that at the moment and that isn't the type of thing that a player just loses overnight. I think that there is perhaps external reasons for on-field form and I think that a Sammy-Fortune run in the side for 3/4 games could be in order...

I think that he'll come good before x-mas but I think that he needs Mogga to take the pressure off him at the moment...

 

I think it's Mowbrays style he can't get to grips with.

Mowbrays style involves passing the ball into space or out to the flanks, Samaras seems to be the only striker willing to drift out into those positions though.

I'm sick of seeing McDonald let full games pass him by.