Lets Get Creative!

Yes, we’re in the last 16 of the Champions League, well clear in the SPL and everything looks lovely in the Celtic garden. However, as we go into the winter break one thing remains as it has for about 18 months now, this Celtic side is screaming out for a creative midfielder. The midfield isn’t totally void of creativity from the midfield, but the days of Nakamura getting the ball with nowhere to go, giving it to Hartley, to Brown, to McGeady, who’d run against two markers for 10 yards down the left, cut back, either give the keeper catching practice or reverse the cycle through the midfield to Nakamura, might not be too far away unfortunately.

Brown has popped up with a few goals, Commons has chipped in too but theres just something missing from our team at the moment. When Commons first signed he was played on the left but with an outrageous degree of freedom, there were two reasons for this. Commons’ terrific positional sense and the fact Izaguirre was running riot down the left wing. Celtic were playing some terrific football from January to April of 2011 and it was all down to the fact Commons was used as the link between forwards and midfielders. Since then, Commons has been played strictly left sided, possibly due to the indifferent form of Izaguirre or whoever else has played at left back. Recently Lennon has tried to fit Commons in behind Hooper but it rarely worked, and this 3-5-2 formation is further hampering any midfielders looking to get into the box as they have to be aware of the space these ‘marauding’ full backs leave open.

So the problem remains, Celtic need a creative midfielder, not someone who’ll run into a brick wall for you, but someone who’ll flick the ball over said wall and volley it into the top corner. So are there any decent creative midfielders out there? This is where we all have a say, I have a few ideas but why don’t you put your creative midfielder spotting abilities to the fore and suggest in the comments below?

My Prediction? Well I dream of a south american with bright white boots and fancy flicks to get us off our seats and make watching Celtic that bit more exciting again. Sadly I cannot see it any time soon so my vote goes to Norwich’s Robert Snodgrass. I have always been a huge admirer of this player since his days at Livingston. He was instrumental in Leeds’ promotion from league 1 to Championship and played a role in their solid first season back in the second tier. Another good season followed and Paul Lambert, who had him at Livingston back in 2005, chased him frantically before leaving for Aston Villa but Snodgrass eventually made his way to Norwich in the summer. He averages about 1 goal every 5 games which will be bound to improve against lesser opposition. He’s probably not the most gifted flair-wise but has a terrific delivery and will play his part in numerous goals. Probably have to wait until the summer but if Norwich don’t slap themselves out of their losing run we might just get this gem in a cut-price deal.

So there you have my suggestion, so whats yours?*

*Feel free to add any players you’ve discovered on Football Manager #GonzaloFierroCSC