New centre back priority for January

Gio will have many appropriate contacts.
I think our team could change significantly over the next year - especially at CB
Goldson gone
Simpson gone
Helander & Balogun stay
Katic back
Souttar signed
King progressing
One or two from Gio “contact” list
We will be in great shape.
I think there will be a new look next season but I am concerned about our cover right here and now. We are an injury away to Goldson, Bassey or Borna that could be a real issue at CB. However, we are improving with every game. We are on the right track with the new team in place.
 
Saturday’s BBC (I know - it’s the proper one though) gossip column had a club from Birmingham looking for a new centre half and a defensive midfielder. I wonder??
 
If Katic has a future at Rangers he would not be away now.

Simpson seems inexplicably not getting a chance even when we literally have nobody else at to naturally play there.
I posted at the time that my mates son plays for Bournemouth and he was surprised we were taking him. According to his boy, the lad Killie had from them was a far better player and even he was not at our level. Definitely a strange one.
 
I agree we desperately need someone to replace Goldson like for like. He’s run his course at Ibrox and doesn’t seem interested anymore. He’s clearly not focused and has been phoning in performances all season. Hopefully big Nico will return as well and pressure the new guy for the shirt

Despite his great shift in midweek I don’t rate Bassey as a centre half at all. its not his position and as we saw in Prague he is a disaster waiting to happen in central defence.
 
Simpson and Goldson should be out the door and Souttar and Katic in. Important to have a strong core of Scottish players who know our league IMO.
 
I like Soutrar but with Helander being inury prone the last thing we need is another CH likely to miss many games.

With the financial situation, bringing back Mayo or Katic may be our only option this winter anyway
 
If all you did was read Follow Follow you’d think Souttar was a stick on for this season’s Ballon d’Or


It's probably all based on one performance against a weakened Danish side.

If the same folk had watched his performance against us at Ibrox, or recently for Hearts when they lost at Pittodrie and Fir Park, then they'd soon change their view.
 
Souttar and Katic. Honest to God man. Some of our fans are genuinely desperate to take us back the way.

The Goldson situation needs resolved pronto as it's becoming toxic and it is clear there is an element of fans baying for his blood and waiting with sharpened knives for his next misplaced pass.

He gave it away a few times yesterday to howls of abuse from the stands. Kamara and Alfie were given a pass to lose possession time after time though.
 
Out of interest, anyone know how Edmundson is fairing down south?
I've heard Katic's form has been patchy.
 
I would take Souttar in a heartbeat but I also think we need a left footed centre back. Bassey isnt a centre half but even having him on that side means there isnt a natural gap between the centre half an Barisic. It also makes Barisic a far better player when Bassey or Helander are in there. With Helander liable for an injury or 3, a left sided centre half is the priority. Unless goldson goes, then it is both.
 
The Simpson signing is utterly bizarre, rumoured to be chased by Gerrard for a year or so. Signs pre-contract, then we spend money to bring him in early.

And there hasn't been one performance where anyone could say 'now I see why he's here'.
 
There are various syndromes on here tbf. However, it’s not patter - some of the obsessions folk develop over players we don’t get can be likened to Stockholm Syndrome. Veerman didn’t want us, he said as much; yet folk remained obsessed.

Doekhi looks a good option, not sure about his partner. Looks to have been subbed a lot too.
Yip the Bazoer chap seems to be a bit of a loose cannon apparently going by reports, albeit a very talented one.

Many will disagree but a CH four of Helander, Doekhi, Souttar and potentially Mayo if he's ready could be pretty strong for me in that the preferred pairing is Helander and Doekhi with Souttar and young Mayo as back up.

Financially with both Doekhi and Souttar ooc next summer would make a lot of sense also, although there would need to be a decent signing on package to entice Doekhi no doubt.
 
Souttar has been miles ahead of Goldson this season. He was fantastic last season no doubt, but I’d guess that is levels he has never hit and will never hit again.


You are aware that you have just posted a graphic to back up you argument that Souttar has been miles better this season, that shows Goldson is better in all defensive stats this season compared to Souttar (other than blocked shots)?

Good job!
 
The Simpson signing is utterly bizarre, rumoured to be chased by Gerrard for a year or so. Signs pre-contract, then we spend money to bring him in early.

And there hasn't been one performance where anyone could say 'now I see why he's here'.
Gerrard made some strange signings seemingly on the basis that they were from the EPL they'd automatically be good enough for us without really thinking if they would suit us at all.
 
The Simpson signing is utterly bizarre, rumoured to be chased by Gerrard for a year or so. Signs pre-contract, then we spend money to bring him in early.

And there hasn't been one performance where anyone could say 'now I see why he's here'.
Similar to a number of signings made by the previous management I think it was blatantly obvious that a 5th choice Bournemouth defender with barely any games under his belt was never gonna make an impact for us.

Same goes for Barker, Jones, Stewart, Zungu, King, Grezda etc and many more mediocre dross squad players we brought in under Gerrard just think of the money squandered on that lot alone ?

Our transfer policy and general recruitment has to be overhauled going forward imo.
 
I take yer point with his positioning at the goal but he doesn’t half do some marshalling at the back. I think Barasic was as culpable not cutting the cross out in the lead up to the great save from McGregor
He was but goldson also watched the ball in and let the man go behind him
 
You are aware that you have just posted a graphic to back up you argument that Souttar has been miles better this season, that shows Goldson is better in all defensive stats this season compared to Souttar (other than blocked shots)?

Good job!
It shows Goldson has 2% better aerial duel & 1% better defensive duel.

Souttar more interceptions, more shots blocked, better attacking set pieces and better at dribbling out of defence.

Wouldn’t get hung up on 1 & 2%
 
It shows Goldson has 2% better aerial duel & 1% better defensive duel.

Souttar more interceptions, more shots blocked, better attacking set pieces and better at dribbling out of defence.

Wouldn’t get hung up on 1 & 2%


Are these stats in proportion to the amount of possession and shots against teams?

Obviously if someone is playing for a team that has less shots and possession against them, then they are going to make far less interceptions and blocks.
 
Are these stats in proportion to the amount of possession and shots against teams?

Obviously if someone is playing for a team that has less shots and possession against them, then they are going to make far less interceptions and blocks.
Yes.

Padj stands for possession adjusted. It takes that in to account.

I’m not necessarily saying Souttar is much better than Goldson. But he has been this season, and I absolutely would like to him to come in as 2nd/3rd choice.

I would like him & another CB brought in. Ones who can actually fight to start.
 
Yes.

Padj stands for possession adjusted. It takes that in to account.

I’m not necessarily saying Souttar is much better than Goldson. But he has been this season, and I absolutely would like to him to come in as 2nd/3rd choice.

I would like him & another CB brought in. Ones who can actually fight to start.


Thanks for clearing that up mate.

We can all watch him carefully on Thursday night.
 
It shows Goldson has 2% better aerial duel & 1% better defensive duel.

Souttar more interceptions, more shots blocked, better attacking set pieces and better at dribbling out of defence.

Wouldn’t get hung up on 1 & 2%

So it doesn't show Souttar miles better than Goldson this season like you claimed?

More interceptions and shots blocked, don't you think that's maybe due to how much possession we have compared to Hearts? I know they are "corrected" for that but there will still be a great degree of play in these figures due to how few shots we have against us and how much of the ball we have, and the type of possession our opponents have against us.
 
Thanks for clearing that up mate.

We can all watch him carefully on Thursday night.

It doesn't account for the fact that teams hoof the ball up the park against us, leading to Goldson being less likely to be in a position to make an interception, as opposed to Souttar playing against teams like us and Celtic who have a great deal of passing around the opposition box, and that the other teams don't always play hoof all against Hearts.

Same as blocked shots, not adjusted really for the type of chances we give up compared to Hearts. Look at the amount of blocks made due to the box being congested and shots being difficult to get of cleanly, makes it easier to block shots that way.

We give up shots and it's either from set plays or we are exposed at the back.

The important ones there are defensive duels and defensive headers, which Goldson is ahead of in both.
 
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