This is uncharted territory for Celtic and Callum McGregor as the title run-in is here.
In years gone by, McGregor has been used to lifting the Premiership title with ease, but not this time around, as Hearts and Rangers threaten to further derail what has been an ugly campaign for the Hoops.
One of many problem areas for Celtic has been the midfield, and Andy Halliday thinks Martin O’Neill needs to deploy two sitting midfielders to help out an overused McGregor.
Halliday: “Just to follow up. My criticism of Callum McGregor. What did I say last week on the back of that that Celtic should do to help him out?”
Paul Slane: “Play somebody alongside him.”
Halliday: “Aye, play two sixes. I wouldn’t take him out because I don’t think Celtic have a good enough holding midfielder to replace him.
“But I feel if they play with two deeper ones to try and help him out off the ball. I think it will make a massive difference.
“See if they played him or Hatate. Or him and Engels, just two holding midfielders, with Nygren in front of them because Nygren, that’s what he is, he doesn’t get involved.”
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Celtic urged to play two holding midfielders to help out Callum McGregor
Celtic’s style of play has been amiss this season, and many feel it’s down to a lack of control, and that’s something McGregor is the master at.
Si Ferry wanted to point out that the Celtic skipper has become ‘soft’ in his play, as he questioned when was the last time he dominated a game of football.
Last Sunday, Celtic beat St Mirren in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden, with McGregor getting subbed off just after an hour.
This isn’t the norm because McGregor, even if he is carrying an injury, is overworked again and again. No matter who is in the dugout.
That’s why, speaking on Open Goal, Halliday feels that the champions of Scotland need to deploy two number sixes.
With the hectic, dramatic and chaotic post-split fixtures here, Halliday stated that Celtic can’t afford to drop their main man in the middle, so instead, they need to become more defensive in that area of the pitch.
Paul Slane: “The only two pundits in the country who so-called criticise Callum McGregor are you two (Ferry and Halliday). You said that ‘nobody criticises him.’ Is that right? Only you two.”
Halliday: “I said to you, it seems as though it’s against the law to criticise him.”
Slane: “You two are the only ones who do it. Would you take him out for the run-in?”
Ferry: “No.”
Halliday: “No.”
Ferry: “So, you are not allowed to criticise anyone who plays every week? I said he isn’t as influential on the ball as he once was. I think he plays too soft now.”
Halliday: “Just to follow up. My criticism of Callum McGregor. What did I say last week on the back of that that Celtic should do to help him out?”
Slane: “Play somebody alongside him.”
Halliday: “Aye, play two sixes. I wouldn’t take him out because I don’t think Celtic have a good enough holding midfielder to replace him.
“But I feel if they play with two deeper ones to try and help him out off the ball. I think it will make a massive difference.
“See if they played him or Hatate. Or him and Engels, just two holding midfielders, with Nygren in front of them because Nygren, that’s what he is, he doesn’t get involved.”
Ferry: “Tell me a game where he has dominated the game, on the ball?”
Slane: “That’s more on Celtic.”
Ferry: “I know. But see when I am seeing centre backs pass the ball to the goalie all the time, go and get it off them. When we used to watch Callum McGregor, he used to go and hunt the ball to get on it all the time. I don’t see that now.”
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