When Forrest came on for Celtic yesterday, I know for a fact that a lot of my fellow fans were sighing in frustration and expressing their disbelief.
The Famous Name has not been short of critics in his time; I was once one of them, and a big one at that until Rodgers turned him around, but he has always produced, he has always done it when it counts.
On top of that, he’s experienced, and it was that experience which was obvious in his performance. This is one of the things our board appears not to fully comprehend; experience is a critical factor in a team’s success. He brought poise and calm to a difficult and tricky occasion.
He scored almost at once. Later on, he set up the third, which should have been the winner.
Forrest combines commitment, experience and quality in a way few others in the squad do.
Only Callum McGregor and Joe Hart have as much of it at this level; cup semi-finals and finals. The boys who were here the last couple of years have tasted success, but these three have been over the course again and again and again and have the medal collections to prove it.
This is what we lose out on when we let people go so early.
None of them has the time to build that kind of experience, and when you’re up against it – and we weren’t playing particularly well yesterday before Forrest came on – those are the guys who lift the team. He was so calm, especially with his goal.
He doesn’t rattle. I actually thought his going off at the moment he did was potentially disastrous; he would have been an early choice for a penalty.
He’s going to go out as a one club player; he might be the last of those we see in a long, long time, and he’s been worth every year of his time here. He’s got over 100 goals and another 100 assists; that earns him a place in the pantheon of Celtic greats.
People at our club should be taking notice of this. This is why you keep your experienced players and why you try and sign a couple of them when your team needs that. This nonsense about development players and projects doesn’t make us stronger.
It’s not a foundation to build on; that’s your experienced pros who provide that.
We need more James Forrest’s in this squad.
With the loss of Hart this summer that’s another big, big personality and a dressing room leader gone.
We cannot afford not to replace that.
Spot on and also a winger who produces.
JF is a bit like a modern day Bobby Lennox. Maybe not first choice every single game anymore but when he comes on he is not a last throw of the dice by any means, he is there because he can see what needs done from the bench. When we were playing Lazio back in November, JF’s contemporary Ciro Immobile wasn’t swiping left or right on Tinder when he was sitting on the bench, he was watching what we were doing and when he came on he put that to devastating effect – he attacked Taylor and Scales from the right side and harvested two goals against a pair of tired defenders at the upper end of their level. JF did similar yesterday.
I’ve always loved wee Jamesy, and it dismays me that so many of our support have never taken him to their hearts. His goals, contributions and general presence, have never let us down, in my humble opinion.
Yesterday’s game highlighted our lack of quality on the flanks. Jota was always going to be a huge miss, and so it has proved. Maeda’s absence is already being clearly felt. His energy and pressing is sorely missed!
Kuhn has shown signs that he can be productive, and hopefully will improve more. Unfortunately, as much as I’m wanting Yang and Palma to succeed, they just continue to frustrate.
Palma’s lazy pass, contributed to their second goal, and both he and Yang, were virtually anonymous on the park, if truth be told. Though I commend Palma for his excellent penalty!
I would now be inclined to start Forrest and use his experience and guile to get this title over the line.
There is indeed, no substitute for genuine experience, and the wee man has it in abundance.
Over to you Brendan!!!
James Forrest : – A pure fab player and Fantastic for Celtic Supporters…
James Forrest : – A pure fab bloger and Fantastic for Celtic Supporters…
Hahahaha you cheeky sod 🙂
He’s not wrong,though.
I have a list of blocked bloggers on CelticNewsNow,the length of which is something to behold.
There’s not many Celtic bloggers who are worth reading.
You,my friend,are in exalted company !
We have never lost a league where James Forrest finishes the season fit
I’m exactly like you James I thought when BR first arrived JF became a much better player,s should be starting every seen before yang and palma.
He is a great player but seems to hide against Sevco. Might go a little towards explaining why, as someone suggests here that. the fans haven’t taken him to their hearts. Only two of his hundred odd goals were scored against them but he should start in every other game because the midfield might learn thing or two about taken the ball to a packed defence.