Jury's still out after his first full 90 mins. What does appear clear is that when going for an aerial 50/50 (against a defence missing their captain and best centre half), he so far has around a 0% success rate of getting a knockdown. His positioning was good last night - always looking to push Benfica's backline deeper but he rarely actually got a touch last night for someone who should've been holding up play, linking with the midfield and (although he wasn't given the service last night - Forrest) getting onto balls into danger areas. I thought Hooper got more involved in the short spell he was on than Miku did in the whole 90 mins. I still think/hope he'll prove to be a valuable player for us and it's slightly unfair to judge on someone's first full game (which happens to be in the UCL) but he wasn't good enough last night. please log in to view this image ^^ This picture means discuss
In fairness, Miku was still operating in the same space when Hooper came on. Hooper was not the penalty box striker when he came on. I thought Miku had a thankless task last night. He pulled the defence all over the park and kept them occupied. I agree the jury is still out but what he did, he did it as well as could be expected. A real **** job that.
It's been difficult for him in the two games he's played. The service has been poor. Think he'll benefit from having Sammy back in the team.
I thought he did really well. First 90 mins and had little to no support when he did have the ball. Maybe could have done better with that ball across the box late-on but it would be harsh to slate the guy as he's just in the door. For me he's never a lone-striker. He'll need a partner.
The ball was pumped to him in the air all night and I can't remember him winning a single one - half of them he didn't jump, just tried to nudge his marker back a bit to let the ball bounce. Chris Sutton, he is not.
I don't understand the mentality at Celtic. We've been screaming out for a Sutton/JVoH type for a while but naw keep trying to make a square peg go in a round hole.
You would think, therefore, that we should have stopped pumping the ball up to him then. During Lennon's first two seasons we played some decent football on the ground. For some reason we've started punting the ball up the park at nearly every opportunity. Need to get back to playing fitba like it should be played.
Very occasionally, last night, we did - late second half there was a period where we played in some nice wee triangles down the right hand side - other than that, though, you're right - we humped it up to a guy on his own up front who looks like he can't win headers. I'm aware of being over-critical here, I'm very satisfied with the point and the 4 straight European clean sheets and Lennon got the formation and tactics right - we're not good enough to pass Benfica or Barca off the park and we'll be going over the top a few times this campaign. I think from last night, everything went to Lennon's plan except we didn't get a goal from a set-piece which, I think, is what he's aiming for - we will probably do the same in Lisbon and in the two Barca games. Keep it tight and fling people forward for Mulgrew dead balls. Samaras would've raggedolled that defence last night - as I type that I can hear the sound of my Samaras-hating self from eight months ago slapping me aboot.
All this Sammy praise is confusing right enough. I can't disagree with any of that Bib. I thought Celtic did the right thing last night, the main aim is to come out of this group in 2nd or 3rd and not finish bottom. A hard fought point against Benfica is a nothing to moan about. I also agree with ST though. We were lumping balls forward against both Ross County and St Johnstone. Seems like we'd run out of ideas with the ball on the deck which is a wee bit of a worry. They missed Ledley big time.
Watt was sent to warm up as the clock hit 89 mins What was the fecking point of that? Watt and Hooper both coming on together would've scunnered them
What more could he have done Simon? Played out of his natural position with no support from midfield. Why they lumped balls up to him all game I'll never know. I watched him for Getafe a good few times and he's certainly not a target-man. Again it's this square pegs, round holes pish. Change the system to suit the players, not the players to suit the system.
Far too early to judge him ... I thought he did well last night. He's never a lone striker ... worked better with Hooper up front. Think Him and Sammy would work well together. Was hoping to see Lassad last night .. think he could have came on for the last 10 mins for the long diagonal ball Chuck was hitting into teh box.
i thought at least a couple of times the ball bouced off him like it used to do to scott mcdonald its all well and good to say he got no service - but great players make their own service when it isnt going for them - last night he was anonymous hooper came on and looked 5 times the player
I seem to remember an extremely great player being anonymous against Dunfermline on his home debut and we got pumped 2-1. I was at that game and there were folk in the crowd wondering why we'd signed him. We can't just throw these guys into big games and expect them to work miracles.
im not saying he wont be a good player - he might turn out to be excellent he just wasnt good last night
I'm just not sure what more you wanted him to do? He's not a target-man and he was expected to hold-up the ball and win headers against centre-backs on his own. If anyone is to be slated it's Lennon for playing that system instead of telling the players to play to Miku's strengths. If Hooper was up-front on his own last night they never would have pumped it long to him at every opportunity. He'd have expected the ball to feet or coming in from the flanks. I don't understand why Lennon told Miku to play as a target-man. Totally baffling when Lassad was on the bench
not every ball into him was lumped up - he miscontrolled a few into his chest etc as well i expect him to change things if it isnt working - to drop off more, to run more channels, take men on im not saying he wont be good - but no one can argue he played well last night can they??
