After Saturday’s excellent away performance, where we scored only one goal, the debate turns again to why we don’t convert more chances. Aberdeen defended resolutely – even I have to admit that, having said that their tactics were a disgrace – but we still had over 30 shots, and 10 of them were on target. One goal is a poor return for that.
So what went wrong?
The question that automatically comes to mind is this; for all their quality, are our strikers really doing enough in some of these games? It leads to another question; should we be looking to add another forward in the January window?
Here’s what concerns me; neither Giakoumakis nor Kyogo was exactly brilliant in the Champions League.
Neither has scored against the Ibrox club, and they’ve both had ample opportunity to do so.
They are clearly both very good players … but do they have the composure for those sorts of games?
If the answer is no, we should be looking for someone who does.
We are linked with the boy from Korea and a couple of other forwards; it might well be that we are interested in these guys, and it might be that we’re casting the net even wider. Ange said the other day that he intends to keep Michael Nicholson and others at the club busy over the next few weeks; he is not resting on his laurels in the least way.
I have little doubt that Ange has looked at the stats and is slightly concerned by them, and although I was very confident that we had enough about us to win that game at the weekend right up to the moment that we did, you do feel that we need something extra, a cutting edge even sharper than that which we already possess.
You can never have too many good players. The trick now is to find even better players. The manager has to be thinking along those lines. It makes the next few weeks highly interesting.
Even if there was not talk about Giakoumakis, we’d still be discussing this.
Yes absolutely!!!. Kyogo has been missing sitters for weeks and big GG is just as bad!!!.
I think the Aberdeen game showed why defensive midfield players are a complete waste of time and money. Unless they can play at CL/EL level while playing only those games. GG missed a relatively simple header which is missing from the highlights. The Kyogo sitter was very poor. The first 45 we played like we had been out for a month. The second half was better. I think the next 3/4 games will show whether a new striker is necessary
The short answer is yes, we do need improvement in that position. The longer answer is that improvement will be very difficult to achieve. Strikers who can consistently perform at the CL or World Cup level do not come cheap, and players who have already demonstrated proficiency at that level are likely outside of Celtic’s budgetary constraints. That leaves Celtic either shopping in the next tier down or taking a punt on unproven players. If we can get the lad from Korea, that would be a huge coup, as he’s already demonstrated that he can perform at the top level, albeit in a small sample size.
The fact is, Celtic were very, very lucky at the weekend. If Kyogo and the Greek poser can’t find the net then get rid of them. I hate to say it but the Japanese players are beginning to disappoint. I don’t think they are made for the ignorant type of stuff that passes for football in this country. The Angeball has disappeared and it’s back to the Lennonball as far as I can see anyway.
There were two mistakes:
1 Not subbing in GG and Forrest sooner. When that happened, things started happening.
2. Starting Maeda instead of Abada. LA brings so many options and links better with Ralston then anyone else. I know he’s been inconsistent but I’d like to see him get a run. Maeda is not a winger. Period.
I thought the days of Celtic being “linked” with players were past. Ange knew who he wanted and signed them without fanfare, so they said anyway. Even someone like
Nisbet at Hibs can put the ball in the net better than the two present strikers.
He would thrive with the service Kyogo and GG gets, even if he was only good enough for
the Scottish game to gather the points. Even Shankland at Hearts would have thrived on
the chances that have been missed this season. Despite Giakoumakis being top scorer in the Dutch league there weren’t many suitors offering their hand to him.
The majority of his goals were penalties which seems strange considering his record here so far.
We have two good strikers and they have proved themselves already this season, but they are underperforming along with some of their team mates, notably our midfielders in general. I think Hatate, O’ Reilly and Turnbull, when he is on, are all a bit lacklustre and not fully wound up enough, they make bad decisions and consequently make bad final passes. There is definitely something lacking and some new faces might give us the freshening up we badly need. A new striker might also just waken up the other two.
Ever thought of Abada through the middle with Kyogo on the left and Jota on the right
Kyogo played wide left last season against the huns and was totally ineffective, so no, it is not an option I would go for. He plays through the middle or not at all.