Helander over Katic

Followbear93

Well-Known Member
It feel that Gerrard was waiting for a weak performance to get Helander in the team. Katic for me has proved to be a great player for us and understand some games we all have poor games (although I didn’t thank it was all that bad). What I would say is that Helander didn’t have the best game today and early signs doesn’t make me feel he’s any better.

While in the topic of Cbs I thought Golson was immense today
 
Everyone knew he was waiting for a couple of poor showings before getting Helander in. Predicted right from the start.

I can deal with it as long as we’re winning, but it’ll never fully sit right with me given the circumstances. Also if it wasn’t for Shagger Helander would be coming in for some heavy criticism today.
 
Katic is the best defender we have but i dont think gerrard fancies him for some reason

Goldson shod have been dropped

I prefer Katic over Goldson and although we’ve not saw very much of Helander from early signs I think we have got ourselves a top quality defender and he will be our no 1 centre half , hopefully Katic back in on wed night to get game time
 
We haven't conceded a goal with Helander on the pitch and already people are calling to bring Katic back into the fold.

He's really going to be up against it to win some supporters over. Wonder what the reaction will be like on here if he actually does have a bad game.
He was decent today , only negative was when him and May challenged for the ball which fell for MOH.
 
I wonder if Goldson actually has a say in this?
That he would prefer to pålay with Helander over Katic.
Katic and Helander have had niggles with each other recently
 
Yeah he made 1 error but that was just more of a lapse than anything. Didn't seem indicative of his overall play.

That's my point though. I feel our defence has improved in the last 2 games compared to how it was against Livi & Celtic so see absolutely no reason to mourn for Katic right now.

Barisic and Goldson's performances have improved especially. Could it be due to playing alongside a more experienced centre half than Katic? After the game on Thursday Goldson did mention how much Helander was talking to him throughout the game. He has impressed me.
There is no doubt the defence looks more solid
Barasic is a different player and a left footed CB and LB give more balance.
 
Katic was a bomb scare 2nd half v Livi. Not helped by Haliday being very poor beside him.

Goldson and McGregor in particular were have a go at him on a few occasions last Sat. He’s young, we can expect that.

He’ll play his part this season, if we are going to be successful, he’ll have to.

I’ve been very impressed with Katic on the whole this season.

I might be reading too much into it but sharing a flat with Grezda isn’t a great idea for Niko......
 
You may be right, but it could be that Boran has just started to get more confident with more games.

Time will tell and I’m a fan of Katic I think he’s tremendous in the air ect.
Be interesting to see if Katic plays and Borna has a shitter then we can maybe ask questions.
 
Everyone knew he was waiting for a couple of poor showings before getting Helander in. Predicted right from the start.

I can deal with it as long as we’re winning, but it’ll never fully sit right with me given the circumstances. Also if it wasn’t for Shagger Helander would be coming in for some heavy criticism today.
I didn’t know.

Disappointed to hear it was so contrived.
 
Helander moves the ball from the back a lot better than Katic. A lot passes are one touch and he zips it more. He also makes some forwarded passes that Katic wouldn't make. This is a big advantage when most of our attacks are built from the back. In terms of defending it will take a few more games to fully decide on Helander, but he looks good so far.
 
Yeah he made 1 error but that was just more of a lapse than anything. Didn't seem indicative of his overall play.

That's my point though. I feel our defence has improved in the last 2 games compared to how it was against Livi & Celtic so see absolutely no reason to mourn for Katic right now.

Barisic and Goldson's performances have improved especially. Could it be due to playing alongside a more experienced centre half than Katic? After the game on Thursday Goldson did mention how much Helander was talking to him throughout the game. He has impressed me.

You could easily speculate Katic’s shit show against Livingston was down to playing next to Halliday.
 
The thing with Katic for me is, and I say this as a big fan of his, is that positionally he can be a bit all over the place. Theres no doubting physically he is a monster, and he is a more than comfortable on the deck. However, as a top top centre half you need to have the instinct (much like a striker) to be able to read the game and sense danger.

For all the Goldson has his critics and has had the odd slip, you can see he is a top player.

Katic is young. He will improve. But he needs to put in the performances that show he has it all. Having physicality and being able to play it out are important but there are other aspects like positioning and instinct which are equally important.

I think Helander has shown in the few games he has this.
 
We haven't conceded a goal with Helander on the pitch and already people are calling to bring Katic back into the fold.

He's really going to be up against it to win some supporters over. Wonder what the reaction will be like on here if he actually does have a bad game.
Helander was beaten in the air to many times today for a man his height for me Katic is without a doubt our best central defender and unless it's something going on behind the scenes then I seriously question our managers thinking in dropping him from the squad, that being said why Goldson keeps his place I just don't know
 
Everyone knew he was waiting for a couple of poor showings before getting Helander in. Predicted right from the start.

I can deal with it as long as we’re winning, but it’ll never fully sit right with me given the circumstances. Also if it wasn’t for Shagger Helander would be coming in for some heavy criticism today.

I didn't know this, have I been left out SG's private thoughts email :(
 
I think that he has given Barasic confidence to go forward that Katic never for some reason.
We have a strong left hand side just a pity Tav and goldson seem to be off the boils slightly for now.
We are winning that’s all that matters to me!
Off the boil is being kind to both of them.
 
Thought Helander looked uneasy with high balls today. Something Katic thrives on. It may be a case of horses for courses but against physical long ball teams I prefer Katic.

Goldson today was excellent.
 
Other than the header that ended up infront of MoH I'm not sure what else Helander done that wrong.
He got ran past a few times today and got caught on the wrong side a couple of times as well. Hopefully a one off as katic has more pace than either goldson or helmander.
 
Everyone knew he was waiting for a couple of poor showings before getting Helander in. Predicted right from the start.

I can deal with it as long as we’re winning, but it’ll never fully sit right with me given the circumstances. Also if it wasn’t for Shagger Helander would be coming in for some heavy criticism today.

He spent £3.5m on Helander, of course he was going to bring him in. I was a little surprised it took him as long as it did and a big part of that was how well Katic had been playing.

I get why the fans love the big Croat - he’s a real no nonsense defender who loves a crunching tackle - and I think he can feel genuinely aggrieved about losing his place when Goldson has been arguably worse, but for whatever reason Gerrard evidently feels Goldson and Helander is his first choice pairing, and to be honest, in the two games they’ve played together so far they’ve barely put a foot wrong.

Katic will get his chance again.
 
He spent £3.5m on Helander, of course he was going to bring him in. I was a little surprised it took him as long as it did and a big part of that was how well Katic had been playing.

I get why the fans love the big Croat - he’s a real no nonsense defender who loves a crunching tackle - and I think he can feel genuinely aggrieved about losing his place when Goldson has been arguably worse, but for whatever reason Gerrard evidently feels Goldson and Helander is his first choice pairing, and to be honest, in the two games they’ve played together so far they’ve barely put a foot wrong.

Katic will get his chance again.

They’ve only played two games mate and shagger really pulled their chestnuts out of the fire today because that was amateur stuff when May got the ball on to O’Halloran. Ultimately they’ve worked well and I like both players, but it doesn’t mean Katic being the one to make way wasn’t unfair. Players should be selected on merit, when a player has ropey patches and is the only one in his position to never see time on the bench as a consequence, then players aren’t always being selected on merit, and it’ll lead to guys like Katic getting fed up and angling for a move away.

We’ve already seen it one with Worral, there’s not a doubt in my mind that had he never become a regular last season we’d have faired better overall last season. We’ve got a quality international now so it’s clearly not the same thing now, but it is evidence of favouritism none the less.
 
It feel that Gerrard was waiting for a weak performance to get Helander in the team. Katic for me has proved to be a great player for us and understand some games we all have poor games (although I didn’t thank it was all that bad). What I would say is that Helander didn’t have the best game today and early signs doesn’t make me feel he’s any better.

While in the topic of Cbs I thought Golson was immense today
Goldson was immense, you must have been watching a different game to me and I was at the game. Yet again he passed the ball to the opposition that much I lost count he also passed it straight out the park a few times as well. It's becoming a habit now in every single game and is just not good enough.
 
So, player dropped for poor performances. It’s not exactly unheard of in football.

Well predicted.

Purposefully obtuse?

Yes it’s not unheard of, but as I’ve clearly explained several times, it is unheard of in the case of Goldson. Tell you what, you stick to slavering shite about fans wanting to see us lose games so that their opinions are validated, and I’ll stick to engaging in a proper discussion on the subject.
 
It feel that Gerrard was waiting for a weak performance to get Helander in the team. Katic for me has proved to be a great player for us and understand some games we all have poor games (although I didn’t thank it was all that bad). What I would say is that Helander didn’t have the best game today and early signs doesn’t make me feel he’s any better.

While in the topic of Cbs I thought Golson was immense today
He gave the ball away numerous times today and it’s happening in every game at the moment from him.
 
I think everyone wanting Katic and Helander is getting things mixed up. They both step onto the ball, Helander slightly less so, and there’s no way the gaffer will play them together too often.

I love big Niko and think he’ll be a top player but facts are he played offside v the abusers when he shouldn’t have done, had a nightmare v Livi and generally struggles v the press playing on his wrong side. It’s hardly an outrageous decision to bring in a 3 m international in those circs.
 
Katic main strength is winning headers tbh in the last two games we haven’t really came up against a proper target man. I’m sure Katic will come back into contention.
 
Oh great, another thread about Katic’s entirely justified removal from the starting XI.

Haven’t had one of these since....... this morning?

People are aware that we’ve kept two subsequent clean sheets and Helander was MOTM worthy against the best team we’ve played this season?

We all appreciate Katic’s strengths, he was awful versus Celtic and hideous against Livi.

Goldson’s errant pass seems to have everyone forgetting that he was the stronger of the 2 v the Papes.
 
The facts of the matter are the current back 4 have had 2 shut outs in 2 games, so Gerrard has called it right.

Niko had his poorest game of the season against Livingston and Gerrard clearly thought Helander's experience against Feyenoord would benefit us.

He was proved spot on and I certainly won't be wanting our defence changed, as long as the shut outs continue.
 
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