Squad comparisons

AriseSirWalter

AriseSirWalter

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It seems the penny has finally dropped among their fans that we are the better coached team but they all, to a man, trot out the 'best squad in Scotland' line. I've took both squads from Sky Sports, they have the bigger squad but honestly, trying to be as objective as possible I would take ours overall.

Edouard for me is the best player in the league, him and Defoe are the best finishers in the league. If I had to rate the forwards I'd saying....
- Edouard
- Morelos
- Roofe
- Defoe
- Itten
- Grittiths


Midfield I'd take McGregor, Ntcham. Rogic is talented but injury prone and doesn't do enough off the ball. Forrest and Christie are alright but don't think they'd materially improve our side, I'd probably have Christie in front of Barker.


Defenders; Ajer is good, I rate him. Jullien is a big sh!tebag but looks like he could be decent but none of them are getting in our back 4, best defenders......
- Goldson
- Helander
- Barisic
- Tav
- Ajer
- Katic
- Balogun
- Edmundson
- Frimpong

Keepers, wont waste any words on that even Barkas da wouldn't pick him!

Allan McGregor
Jon McLaughlin

James Tavernier
Calvin Bassey
Filip Helander
Connor Goldson
Jon Flanagan
Nikola Katic
Leon Balogun
Borna Barisic
Leon King
Nathan Patterson
George Edmundson

Ianis Hagi
Ryan Jack
Steven Davis
Ryan Kent
Joe Aribo
Glen Kamara
Jordan Jones
Jamie Barjonas
Scott Arfield

Jermain Defoe
Cedric Itten
Alfredo Morelos
Brandon Barker
Greg Stewart
Kemar Roofe

------------------------------------------------

Vasilios Barkas
Scott Bain

Christopher Jullien
Greg Taylor
Shane Duffy
Jozo Simunovic
Marian Shved
Luca Connell
Jeremie Frimpong
Hatem Abed Elhamed
Ewan Henderson
Cameron Harper
Anthony Ralston
Stephen Welsh

Nir Bitton
Scott Brown
Vakoun Issouf Bayo
David Turnbull
Ryan Christie
Tomas Rogic
Olivier Ntcham
Kristoffer Ajer
Callum McGregor
Karamoko Dembele
Diego Laxalt

Leigh Griffiths
Albian Ajeti
Patryk Klimala
Ismaila Soro
Odsonne Edouard
Mohamed Elyounoussi
James Forrest
Michael Johnston


It's a childish argument anyway, it's the sum of the parts rather than the parts themselves that are important and if they do have the better squad it just shows how bad their manager is!
 
We have a better squad, no question.

We just need our squad to continue to develop the correct mentality.

We do that, we’ll be okay ;-)
 
I'd say they have some better individual players with higher ceilings but they are poorly coached and have regressed since Lennon came back. While they have some good players, their squad is poorly assembled and they have a lot of square pegs in round holes and players out of position. Their recruitment in recent years has been atrocious. For every good signing they have 3-4 bad ones, the amount of money they have wasted on players in the last 3 years has been shocking. Compare that to our recruitment where our only big money failure since Gerrard has been Grezda. Our recruitment has closed the gap and let us over take them, just 3 players remain from the squad Gerrard took over (Tav, Morelos and Jack). Gerrard has done a complete rebuild job on us and spent less than Celtic have in the same timeframe.
 
SirAlfredofMorelos said:
I'd say they have some better individual players with higher ceilings but they are poorly coached and have regressed since Lennon came back. While they have some good players, their squad is poorly assembled and they have a lot of square pegs in round holes and players out of position. Their recruitment in recent years has been atrocious. For every good signing they have 3-4 bad ones, the amount of money they have wasted on players in the last 3 years has been shocking. Compare that to our recruitment where our only big money failure since Gerrard has been Grezda. Our recruitment has closed the gap and let us over take them, just 3 players remain from the squad Gerrard took over (Tav, Morelos and Jack). Gerrard has done a complete rebuild job on us and spent less than Celtic have in the same timeframe.
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Excellent assessment.
 
I had this chat with my brother yesterday out walking.

We discussed how many of our squad would have got into their first team two seasons ago. We reckoned two, maybe three at a push

Now, the boot is completely on the other foot.

The only players of their’s that I reckon might improve us would be Edouarde, maybe Ajer (even there, I’m not sure) and possibly Christie (who despite being pot fucking ugly, and clearly half simian, is actually half decent)
 
Starting XI they have more loan players in Duffy, Laxalt and Elyounoussi with no options to buy-very short term thinking. Also Jono Simunovic was released on a free. The squad regression at Celtic over the past 2years has been shocking-big player sales with poor player recruitment. Tierney for example was replaced cheaply with Taylor & Bolingoli only for a loan signing to play. I’m enjoying this.
 
HMS.Temple.Garden said:
like it or not, Griffiths always gives me the fear when he's playing, he is always liable to score.
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I know what you mean but I honestly think part of that is just that he is the one we would least like to score against us (maybe Brown aside). Fully fit he begrudgingly is a good player, but as he is right now I would take all 4 of our strikers ahead of him.
 
It’s quality over quantity in Rangers favour we may have a smaller squad but we have better coached players in every position
 
For me christie mcgregor and edouard are brilliant players. Christie always looks dangerous even when off form. Mcgregor is a good player too. Not just because he secretly plays the flute haha. Still at the moment I wouldnt take nobody out of our squad atm
 
Flanagan doesn't play for us and simunovic doesn't play for them.

You rate ntcham? Based on what

Edouard yes
Macgregor yes
Griffiths is a great finisher but never fit
Ajer was good under Brenda
Forest yes
 
Fernando0606 said:
Flanagan doesn't play for us and simunovic doesn't play for them.

You rate ntcham? Based on what

Edouard yes
Macgregor yes
Griffiths is a great finisher but never fit
Ajer was good under Brenda
Forest yes
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Sky need to update their website, see above.

Ntcham is a very decent footballer and would excel in Gerrard's midfield.
 
We need to have the second half of 2 seasons in the back of our minds.

They're off form and we saw last season in second half of it what they can do when they perform so we really need to make the most of this and get ahead of them and make a big points gap.

Take things one game at a time we have won nothing yet.

For Scottish Football they have a strong strength in depth and had 4 or 5 seasons of piss easy title wins to help instill a winning mentality when we were not there.

Also a weeks a long time in football and things can change quickly.

For me if we can keep most of our starting 11 fit especially Helander we will have a good chance to make our own history this seasons by winning title 55.

I rate:
Griffiths (wxnk)
Christie
McGregor (Thankfully he's off form just now long may it continue)
Ajer
Edouard
 
I can't see Edouard being around much longer they need to sell him in January for financial reasons and also due to his contract length. They only have two windows now to move him on or risk him walking out the door for nothing.

If they wait till the summer his value will plummet being only 6 months away from being able to sign a Bosman or he could pick up an injury that keeps him out over the summer months meaning no team will sign him.

They've been utterly moronic not selling him or extending his contract over the summer.
 
Sir Walter’s Warriors said:
I know what you mean but I honestly think part of that is just that he is the one we would least like to score against us (maybe Brown aside). Fully fit he begrudgingly is a good player, but as he is right now I would take all 4 of our strikers ahead of him.
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Don't get me wrong I think he is now past his peak, still isn't fit after all these months.

Tims I know said he was washed after 30 minutes against Milan and was hooked at half time.

Comes on against the Sheep and its just that finishing instinct.

he is always a threat at free kicks
 
forget the past, ask someone who's never seen the two teams play before, and have no idea who we are,show the last few match ups, there's you answer
 
Dulce et Decorum Est said:
Starting XI they have more loan players in Duffy, Laxalt and Elyounoussi with no options to buy-very short term thinking. Also Jono Simunovic was released on a free. The squad regression at Celtic over the past 2years has been shocking-big player sales with poor player recruitment. Tierney for example was replaced cheaply with Taylor & Bolingoli only for a loan signing to play. I’m enjoying this.
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They spent 6.5 million on them combined, that isn't the cheap option. 3-4 million is what you'd expect to be spent on a replacement, regardless of how much they left for. It's just poor scouting and recruitment, which as you say has been a staple of them in recent years.
 
Purely looking at playing ability I would probably take Edouard, Christie, Forrest (as backup), McGregor, and Ajer (as backup to Goldson and Helander). Frimpong would maybe be a good backup right back in case Tav got injured until we see more of Patterson. Out of those the only definite starter would be Edouard. Right now that’s it.
 
Walters80 said:
I can't see Edouard being around much longer they need to sell him in January for financial reasons and also due to his contract length. They only have two windows now to move him on or risk him walking out the door for nothing.

If they wait till the summer his value will plummet being only 6 months away from being able to sign a Bosman or he could pick up an injury that keeps him out over the summer months meaning no team will sign him.

They've been utterly moronic not selling him or extending his contract over the summer.
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It's the fact it just isn't Édouard they've let this happen to, it's 4 of their biggest saleable assets (Christie, Ayer and Ntcham). They knew their fans would've been Rabbid, if any left and kept them all and it could result in them losing millions in transfer fees.
 
Raymondgers said:
For me christie mcgregor and edouard are brilliant players. Christie always looks dangerous even when off form. Mcgregor is a good player too. Not just because he secretly plays the flute haha. Still at the moment I wouldnt take nobody out of our squad atm
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Exactly the players I was thinking as I scrolled down -

Christie - away at end of season (watch this space),
McGregor - to be fair a very tidy player,
Edouard - again tbf an excellent player and thankfully offski also. Hopefully between now and end of season him and his agent dont alter their stance and he stays in a wee huff until May and this mirrored in his performances :).
I'd prob add in Ajer also as he does have decent attributes and will continue to improve (when hes left them ha).
 
3-5-2 said:
Exactly the players I was thinking as I scrolled down -

Christie - away at end of season (watch this space),
McGregor - to be fair a very tidy player,
Edouard - again tbf an excellent player and thankfully offski also. Hopefully between now and end of season him and his agent dont alter their stance and he stays in a wee huff until May and this mirrored in his performances :).
I'd prob add in Ajer also as he does have decent attributes and will continue to improve (when hes left them ha).
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They do have some tidy players if we like it or not. They just don't click no more. The element is dying as it does for all teams on form eventually. Long may it continue and I hope they drag the transfers out as they'll lose out on some money
 
Another thing to remember, we only have 1 loan player with an option to buy.

And he hasn't even been integrated into the squad yet.

They have several (first teamers at that).
 
Given the fact you've included Flanagan & Simunovic, I'd guess you don't watch either team enough to make calls on what squad is better...
 
Rather than squad player by player comparisons, I'll put it simple.

Is there anyone in their team, I'd have starting ahead of one of our players in the same position just now?

Outwith possibly Edouard, I don't think there is.
 
Raymondgers said:
For me christie mcgregor and edouard are brilliant players. Christie always looks dangerous even when off form. Mcgregor is a good player too. Not just because he secretly plays the flute haha. Still at the moment I wouldnt take nobody out of our squad atm
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Eduoard is on a completely different level to Christie and McCgregor.
 
Walters80 said:
I can't see Edouard being around much longer they need to sell him in January for financial reasons and also due to his contract length. They only have two windows now to move him on or risk him walking out the door for nothing.

If they wait till the summer his value will plummet being only 6 months away from being able to sign a Bosman or he could pick up an injury that keeps him out over the summer months meaning no team will sign him.

They've been utterly moronic not selling him or extending his contract over the summer.
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This is what I don’t get, they’ve been good at getting decent fees for players (Tierney, Dembele, VVD, Foster) yet it looks like they won’t get anywhere near what they tout Edourd for. Him, Ajer, Ntcham and Christie now their biggest assets yet their value have all plummeted since Lennon took over. Completely goes against how they’ve been run for years.

Missed CL revenue has hit them hard, their finances show how reliant they are on players being sold, if they don’t sell someone in Jan there’ll be a massive hole in the finances. If they do (especially Edouard) the fans will go mental!

Add to that if we win the league this year there will be a massive drop of in ST sales for them next season.

I don’t know if they’ve not had replacements coming through or if it’s short sightedness trying to win the league this year but they have regressed massively.

Who could have foreseen this when they offered a Hibs reject the job in the showers!
 
MSF said:
Given the fact you've included Flanagan & Simunovic, I'd guess you don't watch either team enough to make calls on what squad is better...
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Do you really think I sat there and typed out both those squads?!

That comment has been made and addressed several times above.
 
They have a bloated squad of absolute dung. Some of the cash they've spent on said dung is crazy. We are imo a better squad. Eduaord, mcgregor and Ajer are the only ones I'd take. Christie is a decent player but hate the little pr*ck. Griffiths again is a little pr*ck but you can't knock the wee turd for always seeming to score goals.
 
Ajer is fucking rubbish. Can’t believe some folk saying he’d get in our team. He’s a big shite bag that goes missing quite often plus I’ve seen milk turning quicker as Cosgrove proved at the weekend.
 
Edouard is a good player but Alfie at his peak is better, Edouard has never reached the level Alfie was when he was scoring back to back against Porto and hitting the double away to Feyenoord.
 
Just don't see anyone of them being a guaranteed starter every week in our starting 11. -Edouard would have the best chance, probably rotating with Morelos but whilst he is a good player can he play and move around the front 3 the way Morelos does as that's the way we generally play?
-Think Ntcham would be a great player under Gerrard but on form for Celtic, he wouldn't be a starter.
-Forest would be a decent squad player, an upgrade on Barker and possibly Jones.
-MacGregor, for me, is overrated. He's a tidy player and is quick. With our system I think he'd struggle for game time. He's not getting in front of Aribo, Hagi, Arfield, Kamara, Davis or Jack and hopefully Zungu turns out to be the player we hope he is.
-Christie is dangerous but couldn't see him being a starter every week.
-Griffith is a decent player when he's fit and his head's not all over the place. He'd score goals for us and has a cracking left foot but wouldn't be a starter. Don't think he'd fit the system and is he ever regularly fit with his head on straight?
-Just don't see it with Ajer. He's quite fast and can play our from the back but he has the heart of a mouse, get's caught out of position and can't mark at set-pieces. His trademark is to stand with his hand in the air claiming for offside. Maybe he could be decent if properly coached.
-Maybe Frimpong as back up to Tav, is he any better than Patterson though?

As for the rest, nope. Rogic can be good but he doesn't do enough off the ball and generally can't last more than 70 mins
 
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