Originally published at: Callum McGregor "won't accept" bad results says Celtic boss
Callum McGregor is a vital presence in the Celtic team, who won’t accept the recent results or mediocrity from his teammates. That’s the verdict of Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with out-of-form Aberdeen at Pittodrie. McGregor, unusually by his standards, has missed a recent run of games. Form has slipped in…
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McGregors role isn’t to bomb up and down the pitch.
It’s to link up play from deep and get the ball up the pitch as quickly as possible by playing the right pass.
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about his role among those commentating on Celtic.
Here’s a quality and easy to understand tutorial from Tifo Football explaining his role as the Deep Lying Playmaker or Regista and the reason why we will struggle more without him in the team as there is no one else who can replace him effectively in this role.
Under Rodgers when both Brown and Ntcham were unavailable for a few games through Suspension and injury Brendan was forced into deploying McGregor into the Regista role but instead of having two defensively minded midfielders in front shielding he opted for two very attack minded Midfielders in Rogic and Christie screening McGregor but with Christie acting as his wingman tracking back to help out putting in the tackles.
Which effectively created a highly mobile and technically gifted midfield that could shift the ball from defence to attack at pace and with precision.
The result of this was a very evident improvement in our speed of attack in the absence of sideways passing Broony and I need all the time in the world Ntcham to look great 1 game in 5.
In my opinion anyway it’s the best our midfield had looked in years with that combination but in Europe it would be a very high risk approach.
We do have several players who could do the screening job in Soro ,Bitton and McCarthy and I think we could well see a combination like this in Europe as it would be more effective defensively whilst still retaining that threat in attack.
We have been hampered severely by injuries however as you need decent wingbacks in order to create a threat in the wide areas.
Juranovic and Scales could be the answer to that but only time will tell.
McGregor is pivotal to Postecoglou’s approach that much is for sure.
Calmac has been missed, yes he was playing against Bayer and yes we know the result, but without him there’s no leadership on the pitch. Yes Joe Hart makes a good stand in captain but you need someone who is up with play and can see what’s happening there and then, Calumn is a Celtic man in the tradition of Celtic men, a McStay, McGrain or McNeil. He lives and breathes Celtic and we need that especially in such a transient period were players have come and gone, egos have demanded moves away and some squad members are stealing a wage. I understand that we are a European club that needs to move with the changing styles of football but we also need that connection with what it means to be a Celtic and Calmac brings that in spades.
I am afraid that with both Rogic and Turnbull in the team , especially in Europe we have no chance. The evidence is before our eyes. The opposition score four goals. We don’t score enough to beat them. Very great teams can play this way. We are NOT a very great team. I so much hope that Ange changes things. Play four four two with McCarthy and McGregor and two others in the midfield four. Not Rogic or Turnbull. The wide men would have to defend as well. This system plus the press and energy that Ange has brought to the team would work in Europe. The style that Ange wants to play never works even against a decent enough but average outfit. I hope he can summon up the courage to make this change as that could very well ensure that his stay at Celtic is a long and successful one