Katic
- Thread starter migsy323
- Start date
Ruben Sosa
Well-Known Member
What the %^*& are you rambling about full backs for, are you alright son?
Katic is a very good defender who has always played well after periods of absence.
Edmundson does lack experience yes, but he's pacy and mobile, whereas Helander might struggle with their pace if they can get him into one on one's.
Take a chill pill mucker, they're all more than capable of performing a role against the scum if given the call.
Danger Zone
Just the tip...
I’ve already got horrible visions of Helander trudging off after being red carded for a last man challenge when one of their players breaks away from him.
Nisbet93
Active Member
I stayed behind after game on Sunday as my wee man wanted to get some photos with the players. Every player that came out took a lot of time with fans, signing stuff and posing for photos. Except big Niko. Stormed out past everybody and totally ignored all the fans. Big man had a face like the thunder and looked like he was ready to kill dead things. I personally dont blame him and even worse, fear losing him.
Xavi Hernandez
Well-Known Member
I know, that wee nippy winger last night was giving him a couple of yards of a start and it was like he was running through treacle.
Forrest and Christie running from deep is a worry.
Danger Zone
Just the tip...
That’s what’s bothering me, I feel like you can already see how a lot of the game will play out. Tav hitting weak crosses way up the pitch, they break, Helander gets done for pace and then he’s in serious bother. Or Goldson just switches off, or tries his Beckenbauer act and gets his feet tangled. It’s hard to be confident with the sorts of gaffs we make back there. I hope I never see Goldson stop and appeal for a decision, that alone should see him dropped because that’s embarrassing shite you’re taught at junior level, play to the whistle.
Hopefully we can at least win the midfield battle this time, but feck me Jack and Morelos definitely can’t afford another off night, too important to us, especially if Gerrards going to persist with defenders who error prone.
GovanFront4
Well-Known Member
I'm not rambling about full backs, I'm talking about the defence as a whole. You don't think that having a settled pairing in the centre of defence helps the full backs out?
You are wanting to play an untested pairing in a cup final.
It's an enormous kneejerk reaction.
dt17
The Jay Cartwright of FF
Ok by that reckoning Grezda should be starting every week? Herrera should be brought back and played ahead of Morelos?
Transfer fee means absolutely %^*& all.
Our strongest pairing for the last 2 years has been Goldson and Katic yet Gerrard has dropped him twice. Couldn't blame Katic if he wants to leave in the summer tbh. %^*& sitting on the bench (sometimes not even in the 18) knowing fine well that no matter how shite the two centre backs play you won't be given an opportunity again...but if by some miracle you do, one slight mistake and you're left out in the cold for months again.
FWIW I'd say that about any other position on the park as well if the same thing was happening.
47blue
Well-Known Member
Your words sum up Gerrards inability or unwillingness to utilise our squad.
True Blue Avenger
Well-Known Member
Hang on. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that Goldson and Helander have the jerseys forever. And as I said, I do like Katic and think he's within his rights to feel a bit undervalued at present. But I just think pitching him in from the cold to an OF final is a bigger risk than playing a partnership that has been established for a good few months now (and barring the Feyenoord and sheep games, has been mainly pretty solid).
Where Gerrard has made a mistake imo is in not bringing in Katic (or Edmundson for that matter) in some of our more routine league fixtures - Hamilton, Hearts etc - to keep them sharp and rest one of the main two / test a new combination. I'd feel less uneasy about Katic playing on Sunday if he had at least a game or two under his belt since September. But he doesn't, so that makes it a non-starter on Sunday imo.
And after all that, Katic will probably start now and score the winner...
Anoldranger
Well-Known Member
I expect Gerrard to see out the season and if it’s another trophy less season he is gone, might walk before he’s pushed actually. He’s a great ambassador for the club and really got things organised off the park. However on the park when things go wrong he appears clueless and looks like he has no input whatsoever on the side lines. He could take a lesson from Klop as far as this goes. Our next manager will undoubtedly come ffrom one of the many experts on FF.
Gazza's Dentist
Active Member
Do folk not remember that Katic DID get a game in our defence? We really weren't any better than we are at the moment. The league stats back that up. If folk are talking specifically for this upcoming game then I'd remind them Katic did start the last old firm game and never played well.
Stats obviously don't tell the full story but I find some of those below pretty compelling. For example, the Goldson/Helander partnership have kept a clean sheet in the majority of their games, whereas Goldson/Katic kept a clean sheet in only 17% of theirs.
Another is that Goldson/Helanders goals conceded record is currently 0.5 (or 1 in 2), whereas Goldson/Katic is 1 in 1.
- League stats -
Katic:
Played 6, WWLWWD (13 points), 6 goals conceded, 1 clean sheet
Points per start: 2.16, Goals conceded per start: 1, Clean sheets per start:17%
Helander:
Played 8, WWWWWWWD (22 Points), 4 goals conceded, 5 clean sheets
Points per start: 2.75, Goals conceded per start: 0.5, Clean sheets per start (%): 62.5%
Stats obviously don't tell the full story but I find some of those below pretty compelling. For example, the Goldson/Helander partnership have kept a clean sheet in the majority of their games, whereas Goldson/Katic kept a clean sheet in only 17% of theirs.
Another is that Goldson/Helanders goals conceded record is currently 0.5 (or 1 in 2), whereas Goldson/Katic is 1 in 1.
- League stats -
Katic:
Played 6, WWLWWD (13 points), 6 goals conceded, 1 clean sheet
Points per start: 2.16, Goals conceded per start: 1, Clean sheets per start:17%
Helander:
Played 8, WWWWWWWD (22 Points), 4 goals conceded, 5 clean sheets
Points per start: 2.75, Goals conceded per start: 0.5, Clean sheets per start (%): 62.5%
dt17
The Jay Cartwright of FF
As you say, stats don't tell the full story.
For starters I'm assuming most of Katic's starts were at the beginning of the season when the team was still gelling together. Not only that, but we seemed to have a different left back every single week.
