As the debate over what went wrong at the weekend continues to go back and forth online, the question automatically arises; are there issues that we need to fix in the next transfer window? The summer promises to be a long one, but not overly stressful for once.
There are key decisions that need to be made, some about people who are here and some about the positions that we need to fill. If you think we were weak in midfield, then you probably reckon we need to buy at least one tough tackling ball winner. I would tend to agree, we’re light on defensive midfield players and have been for a while.
There are some – and I’ve said this myself – who think we lost the semi-final the minute Taylor went off, after we’d already lost Juranovic. We badly need a left back and that’s another area that I’m sure the boss will be taking a long look at.
I think we need at least one more wide player. And you could argue – since Maeda looks as if that’s where he’s predominantly going to play – that we’re going to need another striker. Four might seem like overkill but we’ve seen this season that anything can happen … and when a team plays at this intensity it happens a lot. We can’t miss a trick.
On top of that, I think we need to consider signing at least one top Scottish up and coming talent, for UEFA registration purposes and because that’s what our side has consistently done, and profited from it in more ways than one. But is there an outstanding talent out there at this moment in time who you could say, with confidence, could make it?
This is a debate which we should be having right now. Ange will certainly be looking at the player lists made up by the scouts and he’ll have his own ideas from players he knows and has watched. He is careful about this stuff, but I imagine the work started some time ago and so it will be further advanced than anything we did last summer.
Still, it would be interesting to know what the rest of you think on this, so post your thoughts on social media, on Twitter (@CelticBlog2008) or on our Facebook Group, or in the comments at the bottom of the piece.
Let’s hear your views, and please share this article.
Poor Liam Scales…
When the season is decided the decisions will be made.
I think we desperately need a centre half who can carry the ball out from the back, like Ajer did in his final two seasons. That is the obvious way to break the press. Once that defender goes past the front player and gets into the midfield then the opposition has to start making decisions.
If we look at our games against Bodo Glimt, I lost count of the amount of times they did that to us and we didn’t seem to know how to combat it.
Celtic/any top club, need at least 5 Centre Forwards for the first team, imo, to provide competition for places, cover for injuries and suspensions, internationals etc, so i would hope the club would invest wisely here.
Left Back is a must, and Right Forward if Ange is sticking with his 3 up front system(wouldn’t mind us signing both from Bodo/Glimt as Wembamgomo and Solbakken both looked accomplished v us); could also be doing with cover on the Left Forward position.
Midfield, on the Right is another key squad position needing strengthening…
I’m sure Ange has his targets in mind and will pluck a few gems from the unknown over the summer.
We defo need a left back.Also a partner for Carter Vickers at centre half.Wide men Need to start learning how to go by a defender and get ball in early.Bit more dig in midfield would help.We ars almost there but in a lot of big games too many players have let us down.Let’s get league won v huns on1st May HH.??
We need a solid no.2 keeper. All season I’ve dreaded us losing Hart to injury.
I don’t buy the hand wringing about the loss at the weekend to the tribute act. They took 120 minutes to scrape past us 2-1, with an offside goal, an openly partisan “referee” who allowed dangerous play and we were very poor. The last time we played them we beat them in their own backyard without getting out of second gear. And the time before that we beat them 3-0 in 45 minutes. They’re a busted flush and will very likely implode completely once they need to start giving players away for nothing and aren’t able to actually sign anyone.
In terms of incoming for us I’d agree with you James, to an extent – a left back, a backup striker and a proper hard man in midfield to soak up the kind of abuse that even VAR won’t protect us from with clowns like Beaton and Madden allowed to continue. But I don’t see any Scottish youth prospects at the moment who could get anywhere near our subs bench.
Celtic need a Scott Brown type character in the middle of the park asap. We were bullied in that department on Sunday with a bit part player like Lundstram running the show theres not a snowballs chance in hell he would have done that if Brown was on the park. Callum McGregor is a great player for Celtic but a different mould to Brown. Reo Hatate the jurys out still drifts out of games too much at times and Rogic Turnbull are very similar type players. So for me the priority is to find a hard tackling, tough ball winning midfielder who can play a bit. Not easy i know..
Have to agree with Dan
“Jury still out on Reo Hatate “. Have thought that for a while
HH
A LB, a CH and a DM. Also a wide player if Jota leaves. We have needed these three positions for two years at least.
If Joe Hart gets crocked we have a major problem, a good back up goalkeeper is needed.
I’m putting my tin hat on but Lewis Ferguson ticks a couple of those boxes. Scottish, tough tackling midfielder who also chips in with goals.
I agree and by all accounts even with his family connections to the once upon a time rangers he would jump at the chance to join Celtic. Decent squad player at least and carries a goal threat.