Nikola Katić – Best CB At Ibrox

Yes I agreed Katic is the best CB at the club. He should be playing with Herlander at the moment. The Chuckle Brothers (Goldson and Tav) should be sold as they are quite mistake prone, but Gerrard loves them and finds them undroppable for some strange reason.
 
Katic is the best at the club. Should try a pairing of Katic and Edmundson against a lower team and see how they get on. Time for a change.
 
OP is correct

I got a week ban for slagging Goldson for being incapable of heading a ball half the time after Hamilton game.

Katic is far better and sooner Gerrard realises that Goldson is bang average, we will concede less stupid goals.
 
I don't believe Katic was dropped for poor performances, the management team simply prefer the more experienced pairing of Goldson & Helander, not a big surprise really and for the most part they have paired up well.

But, there's been a lack of clean sheets recently and both CH's have been party to that, don't think either could complain if they were replaced by the Golden Boy, i think they will be given Sunday to redeem themselves though.
 
If Katic really is the best centre half at the club, why isn’t he starting?

That’s the question being repeatedly asked in one way or another, and the answer seems to be that Gerrard either:

a) doesn’t see it, in which case we have a manager that has a glaring inability to assess the relative strengths of the individual components that make up his squad

or

b) that he does see it, but for some unknown reason continues to deliberately weaken his starting eleven by playing a player or players he knows to be inferior.

That’s essentially what’s being said here - that Gerrard can’t spot a player.
 
Katic and Edmundson are the future and if SG doesn't sicken any off them and they leave will be one of the great CB pairings in our clubs history .
 
Katic is a fan favourite and his mistakes just get ignored. Last night has been taken as a disaster and therefore we get this level of debate.

It's something that we've seen many times over the years bad results equals we want change. Managers will resist this type of fan pressure for so long if the pressure builds due to lack of success then he will bow to it and Katic will come back in.

He's a young player with plenty of potential but I don't think he is better or more reliable than the current pairing and I'm not alone many FFers agree and so does the manager.
 
Katic is a fan favourite and his mistakes just get ignored. Last night has been taken as a disaster and therefore we get this level of debate.

It's something that we've seen many times over the years bad results equals we want change. Managers will resist this type of fan pressure for so long if the pressure builds due to lack of success then he will bow to it and Katic will come back in.

He's a young player with plenty of potential but I don't think he is better or more reliable than the current pairing and I'm not alone many FFers agree and so does the manager.

I agree .

Katic is decent and has potential ,I’ve seen him turned plenty of times ,he’s good in the air but arent most centre backs .
 
I agree .

Katic is decent and has potential ,I’ve seen him turned plenty of times ,he’s good in the air but arent most centre backs .
There's been games when he's been a bit all over the place and nothing is said.

Fans mainly have pre-determined bias on players beyond the obvious-as such every Goldson error is magnified and every Katic one forgotten. It is what it is-this season was always going to see severe backlash at any setbacks and well if we don't have a successful season I would easily wager SG will consider his future as the criticism will be immense and he will have options to go elsewhere. This is not overstating things-this where we are.
 
I'd be looking at bringing Katic back sooner rather than later something needs to change in defence the goals we are conceding are terrible.
 
There's been games when he's been a bit all over the place and nothing is said.

Fans mainly have pre-determined bias on players beyond the obvious-as such every Goldson error is magnified and every Katic one forgotten. It is what it is-this season was always going to see severe backlash at any setbacks and well if we don't have a successful season I would easily wager SG will consider his future as the criticism will be immense and he will have options to go elsewhere. This is not overstating things-this where we are.

Lose on Sunday and the hysteria is going to be unbearable.

I’ve said all along I still feel we’re a little short of what’s needed to pip a Celtic side which, when all is said and done, are also having a terrific season, but it’s testament to the work Gerrard and his backroom team have put in to date that we’re still more or less neck and neck with them (certainly until the second minute of injury time last night at least) despite the considerable financial advantage they possess.

Unless there’s a complete collapse in the second half of the season I think we will have seen significant improvement this term to make us all believe the trajectory remains determinedly in the ascent and I think that’ll be enough to ensure Gerrard remains fully focussed on the job for another season at least, but that’s unlikely to stop the delusion and insanity on here if come May we finish trophyless once again - the pressure supporters have invested in stopping NIAR at all costs doesn’t do us any favours at all, IMO.
 
I’ve said it repeatedly myself....why Katic is not a first pick is beyond me. The right hand side of our defence is where we mess up repeatedly and Goldson needs rested....Power and Pace is what we need from our CBs.
 
Lose on Sunday and the hysteria is going to be unbearable.

I’ve said all along I still feel we’re a little short of what’s needed to pip a Celtic side which, when all is said and done, are also having a terrific season, but it’s testament to the work Gerrard and his backroom team have put in to date that we’re still more or less neck and neck with them (certainly until the second minute of injury time last night at least) despite the considerable financial advantage they possess.

Unless there’s a complete collapse in the second half of the season I think we will have seen significant improvement this term to make us all believe the trajectory remains determinedly in the ascent and I think that’ll be enough to ensure Gerrard remains fully focussed on the job for another season at least, but that’s unlikely to stop the delusion and insanity on here if come May we finish trophyless once again - the pressure supporters have invested in stopping NIAR at all costs doesn’t do us any favours at all, IMO.
The biggest issue for us is our own belief, I hope I’m wrong but I think we lack a bit of gallusness.
 
On the one hand I understand Gerrard going with the more experienced two that give a right/left balance- but if they play the way they have done of late on Sunday the knives will be out,and neither will be in a position to complain about any criticism that comes their way.
 
Our current centre half pairing both cost 3.5 million pounds each, while a lot of money for us as club in the scheme of things in todays market its not much, the reason its not much? both our centre half's have limitations, as do the two guys waiting in the wings, thats why they cost $750k each.

Some people on here have literally zero perspective or understanding of where we now sit as a club, they expect our centre half's to be modern day Baresi's and Beckenbauer's with a midfield of Pirlo and Laudrup.

Its getting ridiculous.
 
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Our current centre half pairing both cost 3.5 million pounds each, while a lot of money for us as club in the scheme of things in todays market its not much, the reason its not much? both our centre half's have limitations, as do the two guys waiting in the wings, thats why they cost $750k each.

Some people on here have literally zero perspective or understanding of where we now sit as a club, they expect our centre half's to be modern day Baresi's and Beckenbauer's with a midfield of Pirlo and Laudrup.

Its getting ridiculous.

Alfredo Morelos cost £1 million, so the fees aren't really indicative of value or playing ability.
 
Katic is good in the air and that is it. His distribution and his positioning when someone runs at him is honking.

He's got the raw physical attributes the current two lack, the rest can be coached and worked on or someone ain't doing their job right.
 
Alfredo Morelos cost £1 million, so the fees aren't really indicative of value or playing ability.

so your saying the Morelos we got for 1 million had the same level of ability then as he does now?

What we paid for the level of player Morelos was then was probably fair.
 
so your saying the Morelos we got for 1 million had the same level of ability then as he does now?

What we paid for the level of player Morelos was then was probably fair.

No, of course not.

As far as I know, however, we signed Katić for an undisclosed fee.
I'd suggest he, too, is worth more now than what we paid for him.

However, just because Goldson and Helander cost more than Katić doesn't mean they're better than him.

I can't remember the exact fee, but Docherty cost over £500k.
Would you play him ahead of £50k Kamara?
 
No, of course not.

As far as I know, however, we signed Katić for an undisclosed fee.
I'd suggest he, too, is worth more now than what we paid for him.

However, just because Goldson and Helander cost more than Katić doesn't mean they're better than him.

I can't remember the exact fee, but Docherty cost over £500k.
Would you play him ahead of £50k Kamara?

Similarly does that mean Grezda is our best option out wide aside from Kent?
 
No, of course not.

As far as I know, however, we signed Katić for an undisclosed fee.
I'd suggest he, too, is worth more now than what we paid for him.

However, just because Goldson and Helander cost more than Katić doesn't mean they're better than him.

I can't remember the exact fee, but Docherty cost over £500k.
Would you play him ahead of £50k Kamara?

cant disagree on the Doc/Kamara point, I thinkthe point in trying to make is that people have to be realistic about the level of player we can attract, lot of over reactions to a draw over the last couple of days.
Similarly does that mean Grezda is our best option out wide aside from Kent?
So what you pay for a player is no apparent gauge of talent?
 
cant disagree on the Doc/Kamara point, I thinkthe point in trying to make is that people have to be realistic about the level of player we can attract, lot of over reactions to a draw over the last couple of days.

So what you pay for a player is no apparent gauge of talent?

It's certainly not the be all and end all.
 
Our current centre half pairing both cost 3.5 million pounds each, while a lot of money for us as club in the scheme of things in todays market its not much, the reason its not much? both our centre half's have limitations, as do the two guys waiting in the wings, thats why they cost $750k each.

Some people on here have literally zero perspective or understanding of where we now sit as a club, they expect our centre half's to be modern day Baresi's and Beckenbauer's with a midfield of Pirlo and Laudrup.

Its getting ridiculous.

Relative to others in the league, £3.5M should see them being the Baresi's of the league. Aberdeen's attack cut through them like a hot knife on butter, an attack that cost Aberdeen precisely zero. If transfer fee was relevant, then Aberdeen players shouldn't be doing to us what they did the other night.
 
Alfredo Morelos cost £1 million, so the fees aren't really indicative of value or playing ability.
There are always exceptions.
Works both ways though.
Take Goldson’s fee.
£3.5m (?) down there, with their massively over valued, tv money driven economy, is probably close to us paying Dundee £50k for Kamara.
By the way, this isn’t a dig at Goldson.
 
Katic is good in the air and that is it. His distribution and his positioning when someone runs at him is honking.
Absolutely.
I’m friends with a few ex pros and they can’t believe that some rate Katic better than Goodson.
In the interests of balance, they don’t see Goldson as being much better than SPL, lower EPL level.
 
Remember Katic got MOM in the winner takes all Legia tie at Ibrox. Not saying he should be starting ahead of the others but if the first team pairing are under performing then the likes of Katic should see a couple of games at least.
 
Remember Katic got MOM in the winner takes all Legia tie at Ibrox. Not saying he should be starting ahead of the others but if the first team pairing are under performing then the likes of Katic should see a couple of games at least.
Played all the qualifiers then gets bombed out for the group stages for the second year in a row.
 
Some sense, at last.

Katic is a talent to be developed.

The problem is, some fans only measure a CB by their number of wild, strong headders and crunching tackles.

How do you develop a player when all he's done lately is pick skelfs out of his arse on the bench?

Remember Katic got MOM in the winner takes all Legia tie at Ibrox. Not saying he should be starting ahead of the others but if the first team pairing are under performing then the likes of Katic should see a couple of games at least.

All he can do is head the ball apparently. :rolleyes:

He absolutely strolled that game and covered for Goldson on more than one occasion.
 
Relative to others in the league, £3.5M should see them being the Baresi's of the league. Aberdeen's attack cut through them like a hot knife on butter, an attack that cost Aberdeen precisely zero. If transfer fee was relevant, then Aberdeen players shouldn't be doing to us what they did the other night.

fair enough, but that attack now contains a player quoted at 4million quid down south (Cosgrove) Goldson and Helander never had a great game, I’ve stated that, however at this stage I’m not sure what options we have other than to go with them again On Sunday.
 
Absolutely.
I’m friends with a few ex pros and they can’t believe that some rate Katic better than Goodson.
In the interests of balance, they don’t see Goldson as being much better than SPL, lower EPL level.

I think Katic has a little bit more in his locker than just being good in the air, but the summation of Goldson is not completely inaccurate - he came from a lower EPL level club.

That's probably about the best we can hope to attract when shopping down south.

What it gives us is a player who is one of the best central defenders in Scotland, a guy who has generally excelled in Europe, but one who is not without his flaws.

Even Van Dijk had the odd poor game when he was up in Scotland and he's now being spoken of as the best centre half in the world.
 
Our whole group of players in the CB position are far from stable.

The current partnership is there to be got at by various styles of play. Pace takes it apart, pressure makes them have daft mistakes fairly regularly which of course not all lead to goals which papers the cracks for alot of people.

The difference for me is, whilst Katic has errors in him aswell, you know what you are getting. Absolute commitment, concentration levels and determination to get better. He has all the promising attributes of a young defender you could ask for. His distribution is far from as bad as places like this forum would have you believe. Especially when it's people defending the current partnership and use his distribution as his weakness. Irony.

If you asked me who I wanted to lead us into the biggest battle of the season, he'd be in there everytime. We're witnessing a talented young player who looks to me to be progressing well, waste a chunk of his most important age as a player on the bench.

He should ask for a loan move or a transfer if this keeps up. Not that i'd like that to happen.
 
Our whole group of players in the CB position are far from stable.

The current partnership is there to be got at by various styles of play. Pace takes it apart, pressure makes them have daft mistakes fairly regularly which of course not all lead to goals which papers the cracks for alot of people.

The difference for me is, whilst Katic has errors in him aswell, you know what you are getting. Absolute commitment, concentration levels and determination to get better. He has all the promising attributes of a young defender you could ask for. His distribution is far from as bad as places like this forum would have you believe. Especially when it's people defending the current partnership and use his distribution as his weakness. Irony.

If you asked me who I wanted to lead us into the biggest battle of the season, he'd be in there everytime. We're witnessing a talented young player who looks to me to be progressing well, waste a chunk of his most important age as a player on the bench.

He should ask for a loan move or a transfer if this keeps up. Not that i'd like that to happen.

Is his distribution really any worse than Goldson's? For every good long ball Goldson hits there's at least a dozen shiters.

The last couple of games as well - Goldson seems to be getting a touch of the Bougherra's where he wants to go on a run into the opponent's half. Trouble is he's not very good at it and loses possession.
 
We've seen him play three 90 minutes against utter pish and a cameo in midfield when we were 4-0 up against Aberdeen.
Lol, Goldson poor, Helander as quick as a week in the jail, Katic better than they two Edmondson reads the game better than them IMO, you can keep your opinion as I'm not interested in it.
 
Lol, Goldson poor, Helander as quick as a week in the jail, Katic better than they two Edmondson reads the game better than them IMO, you can keep your opinion as I'm not interested in it.
The manager shares my opinion. As do the majority of fans who know anything about football.
 
Our current centre half pairing both cost 3.5 million pounds each, while a lot of money for us as club in the scheme of things in todays market its not much, the reason its not much? both our centre half's have limitations, as do the two guys waiting in the wings, thats why they cost $750k each.

Some people on here have literally zero perspective or understanding of where we now sit as a club, they expect our centre half's to be modern day Baresi's and Beckenbauer's with a midfield of Pirlo and Laudrup.

Its getting ridiculous.

To be fair though I’d expect £7m worth of central defensive talent to be able to deal with the likes of Aberdeen’s attack and not blunder their way through the 90.
 
Is his distribution really any worse than Goldson's? For every good long ball Goldson hits there's at least a dozen shiters.

The last couple of games as well - Goldson seems to be getting a touch of the Bougherra's where he wants to go on a run into the opponent's half. Trouble is he's not very good at it and loses possession.

It’s as daft as the suggestion people ignore any error by Katic. The opposite is true, he makes a mistake and the more extreme faction of the Goldson loyal are on it in a flash. It works the opposite way too when Goldson slips up.

Neither are perfect, both are very good on their game, but only one is undroppable, and only one doesn’t have a care in the world in respect of competing for his place, and that is a lot of bollocks to be perfectly honest.
 
I doubt this will happen as Goldson is vice captain but I would like to see Katic and Helander get a run together I think they may compliment each other better than the Helander Goldson partnership
 
I think he’ll come back into the side after the Young Boys game. Just because it would seem the most natural time to give players a rest
 
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