Accept the Downgrades, Bhoys – It’s Only Going to Get Worse

There is a serious problem developing in the middle of Celtic’s team, and I don’t think we should be pretending otherwise.

Our midfield has been downgraded.

We have moved on Reo Hatate. Arne Engels has gone for around £22 million. Paulo Bernardo has gone out on loan. And what have we replaced them with?

An inexperienced Joël van den Berg, a loan signing in Oliver Sørensen and Mika Baur.

Now, I’m not saying any of those three are bad footballers.

But that isn’t the point.

The point is that Celtic have taken established players out of the midfield and replaced them with players who, for the most part, are still trying to establish themselves.

Even the reporting around the failed Gineitis deal suggests Celtic identified the need for another midfielder but ultimately couldn’t get the deal over the line, with Van Den Berg effectively becoming the Engels replacement.

That’s the bit that annoys me.

Because we’re being asked to accept it.

Accept the downgrade, bhoys.

Accept that Engels, Bernardo, and Hatate has gone.

Accept that Callum McGregor will continue to “carry” this midfield.

And if you dare question it, you’re apparently being negative and not a Celtic supporter. 

I’m sorry, but I’m not buying it.

McGregor cannot be the answer forever

I love Callum McGregor.

He has been an outstanding servant to Celtic and deserves every bit of respect he receives.

But Celtic cannot build their midfield strategy around the assumption that McGregor will simply continue playing at the same level forever.

We are now reaching the point where it feels like we’re expected to accept McGregor being the solution until he’s 40.

And that’s not fair on him either.

Against domestic teams who sit off Celtic and allow him time on the ball, he can still dictate games.

But when the opposition actually presses, runs, competes and puts physical pressure on Celtic, the limitations become obvious.

The 3-0 defeat at Castle Greyskull was the latest example.

Celtic’s midfield was overwhelmed and their lots intensity exposed the lack of physicality and energy in the middle of the pitch. 

That’s not a criticism of McGregor’s career.

It’s an assessment of where this team is right now.

We sold the player who gave us legs

The most frustrating part is that Celtic had a player who could have helped address some of these problems.

Engels.

He wasn’t perfect. He had plenty of criticism thrown his way.

But he was young, athletic and capable of covering ground. He offered another dimension to the midfield.

Now he’s gone.

And we are left asking who actually replaces that energy?

Baur has already shown some promising signs, including scoring the winner against St Johnstone, while Sørensen brings significantly more senior experience than Van den Berg.

But promising signs aren’t the same as having a proven midfield.

That’s the gamble Celtic have taken.

This is being forced down our throats

And this is where my frustration with the board comes in.

We were told Celtic needed to improve.

We were told Europe was the target.

We were told we needed to build a squad capable of competing.

Yet the midfield has lost three players and the replacements are, collectively, a gamble.

That’s not ambition.

That’s hoping the recruitment works.

And after what happened against LASK and now against Castle Greyskull, I’m getting increasingly uncomfortable with that gamble.

The problem isn’t that Van den Berg might turn out to be excellent.

I hope he does.

The problem isn’t that Baur might develop into a fantastic Celtic midfielder.

I hope he does too.

The problem is that there should have been a statement signing in there.

A midfielder who walks into the team and immediately raises the level.

Someone with experience, physicality and the ability to take responsibility when games become difficult.

We chased Gineitis.

We didn’t get him.

And now we’re left with the midfield we have.

The warning signs are already there

The St Johnstone game was hardly a disaster, with Baur scoring the winner, but Celtic were far from convincing and St Johnstone created problems.

Then came Castle Greyskull.

And suddenly the argument becomes much harder to ignore.

When Celtic were physically challenged, our midfield didn’t respond.

That is the concern.

Because Europe is not going to get easier.

If anything, it is going to expose these weaknesses even more.

Celtic have now got to go into the Europa League knowing that opponents will look at that midfield and think they can press it.

They’ll think they can get after McGregor.

They’ll think they can disrupt the build-up.

They’ll think they can make Celtic uncomfortable.

And until Celtic prove otherwise, they would be right to do so.

Accept the downgrades, bhoys