McGregor in Europe - thoughts?

Wade Wilson said:
Guess I'm more old school.

Give me a keeper who can pull off world class saves over a keeper who is very good with the ball at his feet
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We have a strange obsession as Rangers fans with players who are good at the secondary parts of their position but absolutely blow at their primary role. Or maybe its just this forum.

The love for Sebo because he ran around making tackles/fouls. But couldnt score in the proverbial. Then the SPL all time scorer Kris Boyd was much maligned.

Some dont rate Katic because all is good at is making tackles and winning headers. But his distribution isnt so good.

Now McGregor isn;t good enough because he doesn't distribute well enough from the back but his saves are world class.

It's a strange place.

Of course those secondary skills or roles are important. I just think we have a strange fascination with majoring in the minors.

If I was going to pull up a player last night it would be Kamara first. Here is a midfielder, who one of his priority roles is passing and use of the ball who, in almost every game, puts the opposition clean through on our goal because he hasn't read the field properly. I am beginning to think he comes onto the field half baked. He had a major hand in Hearts winner. He put Braga clean through last night. And although I cant remember the specific instacnes and opponents I know for a fact he has done it numerous other times this season.

Lets rate our goalkeepers on how well they keep goals out.
Our defenders on how well they keep the opposition away from our goal and creating chances (i.e. winning tackles, headers and interceptions).
Lets judge our midfielders based on how well they support defence and or attack, creating chances and chipping in with goals, depending on their role in the team.
Lets judge our forwards on how often they score, the chances they create and the problems they cause the opposition first and foremost.

I will only care about the supporting abilities if they demonstrate a high level in their key roles first.

I mean, our problems in Scotland at the moment are that we are being out competed by inferior quality players. We aren't dropping points to Heart, Aberdeen and Killie because Morelos and Kent dont make enough tackles and win enough headers or because McGregor doenst distribute like the City and Barca keepers. Its a lot more fundamental than that.
 
McGregor is arguably amongst the best keepers that we have had (and I include Goram, Klos and Woods in that statement). Yes, his distribution is not perfect, but ask yourself this, would you rather have a ball playing keeper, such as Claudio Bravo, or a goal saving keeper like McGregor? I actually think that the team does not do him any favours, for example, at one point we had a free kick on the half way line. Davis took it short, may have been to Kamara or Barisic, and it was then played all the way back to McGregor. He was immediately put under pressure by the Braga high press and hoofed it to safety. I've never understood why you would play the ball to the keeper, place him under pressure and expect him to accurately pick out Tav from 50m.
 
McGregor is massive for us.

Time and time again he pulls off great saves and keeps us in games.

When he retires he will be very difficult to replace imo.
 
Craig McColl said:
He's very slow off his line don't know if that's always been the case or I've just started noticing it ,but really noticed it this season.Can lead to indecision with our CH's.
His lack of skill with ball at his feet is probably the reason he never went to a top 6 club down south as his shot stopping is good enough to play for a team at that level.
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He was quick off his line to clear a through ball before the Braga player got there.
 
I always think he is relatively safe with the ball at his feet and doesn’t take any chances when under pressure .

Made some big saves last night.

I have to say though I thought he was a touch too far off his line when the guy scored their first goal .
 
Earl of Leven said:
Made a good save last night and remains a top shot stopper.

But has modern football moved on? He doesn't come for crosses and his work on the deck with feet is terrible. Almost every kick is out for a throw in (does no-one say 'out for a a shy' any more btw?)

I am not suggesting a pep guardiola style search of the globe for a ball playing sweeper in goals, I mean it's not something I'd burst the budget on, but do we need to think about this aspect to building up play and holding slightly higher line?

Or is the shot stopping enough as it's his main job?
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I completely disagree to be honest. When he did play it short from the back, e.g. to Goldson, we immediately put ourselves under a level of pressure we couldn't withstand. At least three times, our CBs passed the ball directly to an opponent and were lucky not to have been punished.

"Almost every kick is out for a throw in," just isn't true... the majority of his mid-to-long range kick outs go to Tav's head for a flick on. Of course, when you're playing it out to a wide man, a few of them will go out for a shy, but far more reach the intended recipient. It's clearly something we work on as we do it a lot when a short pass from keeper to CB/CDM isn't on. Tav wins most of his flick-ons - in the first half I was annoyed that Hagi wasn't reading the flick-ons as Tav won a fair few.
 
‘McGregor in Europe’, perhaps the most valuable goalkeeper in terms of the amount of pivotal saves he makes game after game! Any criticism of him is moot in my opinion as his actions speak much louder than the words of any single detractor.
 
Foderingham is better with his feet but he can`t make the big saves in the big games, McGregor is absolute colossal for us , look at his save v Livingston on Sunday, stopped us going behind, he made numerous saves last night to stop us going further behind and then we go on to win the game, this is what you want from a goalkeeper. He steps up at times when we need him most.
 
If not McGregor then who, with McGregor you have a top class keeper if you look at Buffon he's still playing at top level and I know McGregor isn't in that level but look at how many times he has pulled off saves you didn't think where possible.
There is also the question what did Gerrard see in our keepers we had at the time he felt he had to bring in a new number 1 and McGregor seems to have been the keeper he wanted
 
Arguably our 2nd best keeper ever. Hope he does a Shilts, Jennings and Burridge and plays for a few years more
 
Ally Shuffle said:
He does his job very well - one of the best shot stoppers in Britain. For me the only thing that lets him down is his temperament - hate the way he get sinvolved with stupid things. Like the red card last year - just madness
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In fairness and his defence. He knew he had to give Wes game time and he was going to be a deck chair against the poets at home.

Wes deserved to hand his wage back after that game :D
 
What a lot of crap he’s won us many games this year. Still great keeper and I couldn’t care t he can’t kick his own arse as long as he keeps stopping them.
 
These types of McGregor threads never end well, he's worshipped as a god on here.

As you say, he's a top class shot stopper but you're right in saying football has evolved.

A good goalkeeper in 2020 is basically a third CB while in possession, distribution should be prioritised in our scouting
 
I think we should be focusing on a long term replacement for the future rather than replacing a keeper who’s continues to keep us in games.
 
Wes is better with the ball at his feet but I'd wager he's cost more goals and put us under more pressure with the ball at his feet than McGregor has.
 
moiphy said:
I think we should be focusing on a long term replacement for the future rather than replacing a keeper who’s continues to keep us in games.
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McGregor isn't far off being 40 and has long term back problems, it's not out of the question that his form might nosedive at any time now.

Foderingham is going to be gone in the summer, we should bring his replacement in during the next window
 
His kicking may not be pin point but we don't concede goals due to poor distribution either.
Particularly in Europe, he's had world class saves at almost all qualifying games and group games that have more than kept us in games, also spurs on the team and fans.

I dread the day we have to look for a replacement; up there with our best ever keepers IMO
 
B*gg*r McGregor playing it short to the back 4 or defensive midfield. How many goals have we conceded through poor distribution from the back? How often have we been caught facing our own goal and had our pocket picked?

I’m all for modern tactics ....... as long as we have players who can execute them. Playing out from the back ain’t one of our strengths. So leave Greegs be. He’s been excellent this season.
 
For me McGregor is one of the best shot stoppers in the game on his day, there are weaknesses to his game no doubt, but his shot stopping will gain us more points than his bad footwork or lack of coming out for crosses will ever lose us.

He also still has that winners mentality, always looking to take advantage of any given situation whether it be wasting a few seconds here and there or getting a wee sly kick or elbow in when he can.

Massive task to replace him when he finally hangs up his gloves.
 
GallowgateBlue said:
If McGregor had the sweeper keeper abilities seen by more modern keepers he would be worth mega money and not with us.
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This, 100%. He’s not a top tier goalie but he’s as close to it as we can afford and expect. He’s kept us in games more than I can think of. And one of us.
The only worry I have about Shagger is his age because we’re gonna have a hard time replacing him with equal or better.
 
Shawlandsloyal said:
His shot stopping is superb but father time catches up with all of us however hopefully not for a couple of years in shaggers case. As a replacement, the Copenhagen keeper would be a terrific shout although I've no idea how much he would cost. Coming from the Danish league he shouldn't be crazy money. Anyone any idea of his value?
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Robbie McCrorie will be his replacement hence why he went to livi until the end of the season. Hes been getting great reviews already
 
strathavenbear said:
Even though we'd moan if it happened to us, I had a chuckle at him telling the ballboy to throw the spare ball onto the pitch to waste a bit of time near the end.
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I wondered what had happened there! :D The ballboys slowed right down when we were at 3-2, well done to them.

As to the OP, his main job is to stop goals and he does it well. If he doesnt come for crosses its not a major problem as long as the CH's know that as well.

What he gives by far outweighs what he may lack.
 
Necro said:
These types of McGregor threads never end well, he's worshipped as a god on here.

As you say, he's a top class shot stopper but you're right in saying football has evolved.

A good goalkeeper in 2020 is basically a third CB while in possession, distribution should be prioritised in our scouting
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Bat sh.it mental

Preventing goals should be prioritised.

It's not about worshipping McGregor. It's about people prioritizing the wrong things in players.
 
This is a very strange post, of all the points of discussions anyone could raise about out tactic,player etc Shagger has been our outstanding player week after week perfect no but the very best in Scotland.
 
Almost like a weekly thread about McGregor’s distribution on FF.

Steven Davis’ distribution is better than McGregors..... maybe play him in goal?
 
Shot stopping is the most important thing for a keeper and he made some big saves last night. Watching it back though there were multiple times his positioning was dreadful and just ended up standing there as a shot went past him, luckily only 1 of the 3-4 chances like that went in but found it really odd and not like him
 
Great shot stopper but his distribution is terrible. The long kick outs usually end up surrendering possession.
 
I think it’s fair to say that when the time comes to replace McGregor, we won’t be looking for someone with a similar skill set. For now though he remains a cracking keeper and there’s absolutely no need for him to be chased.
 
We wouldn’t have qualified for the groups with him.

We wouldn’t have qualified OUT of the group without him.

2nd leg would be a walkover without him.
 
Carlton The Bear said:
This, 100%. He’s not a top tier goalie but he’s as close to it as we can afford and expect. He’s kept us in games more than I can think of. And one of us.
The only worry I have about Shagger is his age because we’re gonna have a hard time replacing him with equal or better.
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Definitely mate. He ticks all the boxes that's for sure. The recruitment team have a massive job replacing him. I've my fingers crossed that young McCrorie has that same natural ability that AM possesses.
 
Those that want a keeper with good distribution. Would you swap McGregor for their goalkeeper last night. I thought he was shockingly bad at the winner but he did play some nice passes out to their fullbacks.
 
He is not Buffon so he does have his weaknesses. Coming for cross balls and taking the pressure off the defence is his biggest weakness, he is like a rabbit in the headlights for cross balls.

In saying that, when it comes to shot stopping, he is up there with Goram and Kloss.
 
Great shot stopper and unless there is absolutely no danger I prefer the keeper to hoof everytime, I breath a sigh of relief everytime.
 
Earl of Leven said:
Made a good save last night and remains a top shot stopper.

But has modern football moved on? He doesn't come for crosses and his work on the deck with feet is terrible. Almost every kick is out for a throw in (does no-one say 'out for a a shy' any more btw?)

I am not suggesting a pep guardiola style search of the globe for a ball playing sweeper in goals, I mean it's not something I'd burst the budget on, but do we need to think about this aspect to building up play and holding slightly higher line?

Or is the shot stopping enough as it's his main job?
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Always prefer my goalie to be a shot stopper first and foremost. He is undoubtedly a great shot stopper.
 
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