Priorities once we wrap the leagur up if still unbeaten.

Shawlandsloyal

Well-Known Member
If still unbeaten once we wrap the league up would you see this as an opportunity to give game time to the youngsters knocking at the door like Patterson or would you prefer us to take no chances to try and deliver an unbeaten league?

Personally I'm torn. I see the need to give game time to kids who aren't far away and help their development but the opportunity for an unbeaten season doesn't present itself too often.
 
Apart from Patterson, the youngsters 'knocking at the door' are, rightly, currently out on loan. Kelly and Kennedy to name but two. Middleton perhaps as well. The guys still at Auchenhowie are the tier behind them.
 
I think we need to be mindful of who will be playing in Euros in summer. We want our big players fit and healthy for Champions League qualifiers so if we wrap title up early it would be great to give Borna, Kamara, Jack etc. some extra time off before they join up with national squads.
Being ready for next season is worth more than an undefeated season for me.
 
I'd much rather rotate and bring through some youth when possible. We had the chance to do this in the lower leagues and instead ran older players in to the ground playing essentially pointless fixtures. We must always consider the long term.
 
I don’t care about going unbeaten in the league.

Once we seal the title I’d be keen to blood in young players and rest the mainstays in the team for the Europa League which we’ll hopefully still be in.
 
When we tie up the league. I personally don’t care about being unbeaten. I’d like us to do what is best for the team as a whole. I don’t think Gerrard or the players will give a toss either once it’s mathematical over.

If we’re in Europe still, and he want to keep the players sharp, he’ll play a strong team. If it serves us well to bring in the kids he’ll do that.

I think he will play a strong team but integrate some younger players here and there. There wouldn’t be any point playing a whole team of kids and fringe players just for them to get a hiding for 4 or 5 games.
 
If still unbeaten once we wrap the league up would you see this as an opportunity to give game time to the youngsters knocking at the door like Patterson or would you prefer us to take no chances to try and deliver an unbeaten league?

Personally I'm torn. I see the need to give game time to kids who aren't far away and help their development but the opportunity for an unbeaten season doesn't present itself too often.
Im greedy. I want to win the Scottish Cup too so I don't want our key players to switch off completely.
 
Weirdly I was talking to my mate about this earlier. For us it's win the league as quickly as possible so we can rotate and keep the best team fresh for a deep run in the Europa League and winning the Scottish Cup. Unbeaten in the league is just a bonus
 
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I'd much rather rotate and bring through some youth when possible. We had the chance to do this in the lower leagues and instead ran older players in to the ground playing essentially pointless fixtures. We must always consider the long term.
We gave plenty of kids a chance in the lower Leagues. Sadly it turned out most of them weren't up to it. Ultimately, as you say, we went down the experienced route for the final stage.
 
Remaining unbeaten is honestly not something I've really thought about. Its great to keep that up but it doesn't really benefit us in any meaningful way (providing the league is won) whereas giving youngsters/fringe players real first team experience will speed up their development/tell us who isn't going to make the cut so I'd probably opt for that option.
 
I think developing our young players into the 1st team would be more important than an unbeaten season , not interested in all this invincibles pish leave that to that mob , get the league won and throw in some young lads to help them develop into hopefully 1st team players of the future and also hopefully we are still in latter stages of europa we can rest players for that
 
In the grand scheme of things then unbeaten should be a nice to have but I do like the fact it takes a bit of the shine off of Dulux teeth's invincible season. They love the fact that he went through the league without losing and it would help rattle their cage a little bit more.
 
Remaining unbeaten would be great but not a priority when we win the league. Assuming still in Europe, it would be next priority for me and using squad rotation to give more playing time to Patterson, Mayo, Barjonas, King and Middleton (if not out on loan) as well as Itten, Zungu, Bassey, McLaughlin and hopefully Wright. Can they deliver consistently when given playing more rather than in cameo appearances (think McLaughlin has proved he can).
 
Remaining unbeaten would be great but not a priority when we win the league. Assuming still in Europe, it would be next priority for me and using squad rotation to give more playing time to Patterson, Mayo, Barjonas, King and Middleton (if not out on loan) as well as Itten, Zungu, Bassey, McLaughlin and hopefully Wright. Can they deliver consistently when given playing more rather than in cameo appearances (think McLaughlin has proved he can).
Barjonas and Middleton are both out of contract this Summer I'm sure. For me, its not looking like either has a future at Ibrox. King isn't ready yet. I'd suggest he will go on loan next Summer to get games in the Championship.
 
If still unbeaten once we wrap the league up would you see this as an opportunity to give game time to the youngsters knocking at the door like Patterson or would you prefer us to take no chances to try and deliver an unbeaten league?

Personally I'm torn. I see the need to give game time to kids who aren't far away and help their development but the opportunity for an unbeaten season doesn't present itself too often.
Bassey and Patterson but minus that is their any other younger players? Unbeaten doesn’t Really bother me much if we win the trophy
 
SGs too much of a perfectionist to allow any scenario where we would risk getting a result against a team, even if we were 30 points clear.

I think it's more likely he will make earlier substitutions with the door knockers replacing their equivalents.
 
If still unbeaten once we wrap the league up would you see this as an opportunity to give game time to the youngsters knocking at the door like Patterson or would you prefer us to take no chances to try and deliver an unbeaten league?

Personally I'm torn. I see the need to give game time to kids who aren't far away and help their development but the opportunity for an unbeaten season doesn't present itself too often.

I'd not jump into anything too quickly. Feed the youngsters in slowly, one at a time. Bring too many in too quickly and you risk losing matches and knocking their confidence, especially after the season we're having. I don't care so much about losing but the effect that would have on their development. We want them develop in a winning team.
 
I'd not jump into anything too quickly. Feed the youngsters in slowly, one at a time. Bring too many in too quickly and you risk losing matches and knocking their confidence, especially after the season we're having. I don't care so much about losing but the effect that would have on their development. We want them develop in a winning team.

Came to post this. Keep a winning team playing, especially to keep the habit going and don't break the consistency of the team for European fixtures if we get to the last 8/4/final.
 
Every time this question arises, I have no difficulty answering. I just want to win every game we play.

Once we are mathematically over the line I think we can afford to play a more extravagant game which should allow us to get ahead in most matches and that would afford the opportunity to give game time to the developing players.
 
I dont really care about the whole unbeaten thing,get the league wrapped up then rotate a couple of players and give the younger guys some game time
 
All in for the Europa League. Its been a strange season all over Europe, I genuinely think we have as good a chance as anyone.

The last 32 draw was really open as well, Sociedad vs Man Utd, Benfica vs Arsenal, Braga vs Roma and Granada vs Napoli, a lot of good teams will be going out at this stage so it's vital we take advantage of the favourable draw against Antwerp.
We've got Hibs away Wednesday, then St.Johnstone at home followed by Accies away and Kilmarnock at home before Europe returns on the 18th February. Win those 4 and then all focus on Europe, we can afford to prioritise it and with the draw, you just never know.
 
I’m genuinely not bothered about an unbeaten season. Win the league win the cup and get further into Europe. A treble
 
This is ideally why I'd like the pre contract signings so come in now. After league title in the bag, they will get plenty of game time and bed in quicker.

I'd like Itten, Patterson starting more as well. Give Dickson and King the odd cameo

Not fussed about this unbeaten thing
 
I’m genuinely not bothered about an unbeaten season. Win the league win the cup and get further into Europe. A treble
Our defensive record is as good as anyone in Europe - in fact, its the best in Europe, bar none. If we get some luck with injuries, no-one will get an easy ride drawing us.
 
Win the cup and try to improve on the European co-efficient. We are getting close to automatic qualification in the CL for the SPFL winners.
I remember in 67/68 when we were unbeaten in the league going into the last game . We lost 3-2 to Aberdeen at Ibrox but even if we had won that game we would have lost the league on goal average.
 
McCoist got caught up in the whole unbeaten thing when we came out the 1st division and the fact no one remembers it or isn't the least bit interested in it says it all. Win the League and give a couple of the younger lads a game.
 
Rest players for Europe and the Scottish Cup.

But I also really want us to finish unbeaten, 3 draws max would be the icing on the cake and GIRUY to Celtic fans
 
It all depends where we are with Europe and the cup.
Patterson getting time is really the main thing for me. But others coming in as well

we may need to balance rest/blooding youngsters and ticking over.
 
In a perfect world:

- Win 55 finishing unbeaten in league season

- Win Scottish Cup

- Last 16 or better in UEL.

B-D
 
As much as finishing unbeaten would be nice it doesn't get you any extra trophies. If sacrificing a couple games means we get further in Europe and get to blood some youngsters that will help in future competitions then so be it.
 
We gave plenty of kids a chance in the lower Leagues. Sadly it turned out most of them weren't up to it. Ultimately, as you say, we went down the experienced route for the final stage.
True. It's tragic when you look at most of those young guys. The best of the bunch McKay and Macleod are in the English lower leagues and they're probably the ones who have done the best. Can't think of too many others who have done much. Think we all had this romantic notion of a young side climbing the leagues, sadly the youth we had were, as you say, not up to it.
 
McCoist got caught up in the whole unbeaten thing when we came out the 1st division and the fact no one remembers it or isn't the least bit interested in it says it all. Win the League and give a couple of the younger lads a game.

There's a difference between the top tier and League 1 ffs
 
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