Patrick Roberts - 2017/18 performances

[domalino]

He'd have had the opportunity to play in at least 10 PL games against decent CL clubs had he gone to Southampton.

Not unless he was sold to Southampton.

 

[CityStu]

Not unless he was sold to Southampton.

Why not? Southampton had the easiest first fixtures in the PL so plenty of time for him (as a loanee) to establish himself in the team.

Unless you're meaning that he can't play against City, in which case I'd point out that 8 games against CL standard opposition is still twice as many as 4, and Arsenal could very easily be considered as CL standard anyway with this season being the first for donkeys years that they haven't qualified.

 

[domalino]

Why not? Southampton had the easiest first fixtures in the PL so plenty of time for him (as a loanee) to establish himself in the team.

Unless you're meaning that he can't play against City, in which case I'd point out that 8 games against CL standard opposition is still twice as many as 4, and Arsenal could very easily be considered as CL standard anyway with this season being the first for donkeys years that they haven't qualified.

Arsenal aren't champions league quality, that's quite apparent, and he can't play against City, so we're down to 6 possible games already. Same as he had at Celtic.

 

[CityStu]

Arsenal aren't champions league quality, that's quite apparent, and he can't play against City, so we're down to 6 possible games already. Same as he had at Celtic.

There were 5 English teams in the CL this season, minus City is 4 and multiply up by 2 games each gives 8.

And Arsenal are better than Anderlecht; Celtic's other group stage opponents.

 

[Gabriel]

I was intrigued by Guardiola's recent comments about how experience of playing abroad leads to a more rounded character. He also pointed out that the lack of such development could stymie the English national team. In that regard, I'll be interested in seeing whether someone such as Roberts could be enticed to try a period abroad if he's not ready for City. Indeed, I'll be interested in seeing where the English players land when they come through the development system. Don't think any of the current loanees at Girona or NAC Breda are English.

 

[Magicpole]

If I remember last season he was being valued at £15+. I don’t have a problem with him wanting a permanent move. Historic big club with guaranteed champions league football. I just think we should get fair value wherever he goes.

I understand you wanting the most money you can get. I hope it’s not that figure for the simple reason we would be out of the running. I would hope a smaller figure and possibly you having first shout after a couple of years, if he progressed enough to warrant a place in Peps thinking.

He’s only a pup and playing regularly is what he and every young player needs. I just hope it’s with us, but the price will determine wether that happens.

It’s shit having very limited resources, but it’s the way it is and we just have to get on with it.

 

[Magicpole]

Celtic have an incredible fanbase and a wonderful stadium with an immense atmosphere but we have to be honest and admit they're not very good. For the vast majority of their European games they're not fighting, they're getting spanked.

This season they've gone down 5-0 and 7-1 to PSG, 3-0 and 2-1 to Bayern. Yes they drew with us twice- one was fortunate and the other was a dead rubber where we played a team featuring Adarabioyo, Maffeo, Fernando and Zabaleta at CDM.
Last season they went down 9-0 on aggregate to Barca and 3-1 on aggregate to Monchengladbach.
The season before that they went down 5-2 to a Norwegian team called Molde FK.

Roberts is barely getting any opportunities to show what he can do in those games because even if he's fully fit and plays the full 90 in every single group stage game, if you discount matches against teams that're below Premier League level, how many attacks are Celtic even going to have?

I fail to see how four games a season against teams Celtic can't compete with is more valuable than learning the ropes of the league where a top English footballer is likely to spend most of his career.

You make valid points regarding our recent showings in the CL. There are a couple of points I would ask you to consider though.

1. The average age of our team is 23 and they will get better.
2. Rogers has failed to improve a shambles of a defence, that continually fucks us up with horrendous decision making. This puts pressure on mid to front not to try a play that could mean the defence is tested. This makes them scared and they don’t express themselves. Rogers has had four windows to sort this. The fifth needs to be the one.

3. We want to see gradual improvement, this year that stalled but we nicked third place. Which for us is progress.

4. If we sort the defence then players like Paddy can be more effective. It’s all about confidence and no one could feel that playing in front of our defence.

5. The fact we were slaughtered has to finally convince Rogers the players we have aren’t good enough.

6. Qualifying each year for the CL will help us attract younger good players looking for a move to a bigger league. It also gives us money, peanuts to you, but it’s a lot to us.

If we improve then the dynamic changes. It can’t happen overnight. We can’t go out and spend £100m on a couple of defenders, but we found VVD and there are players out there we could afford that will improve us.

Sometimes a team needs to be slaughtered to focus the mind. If Rogers doesn’t improve our CL performances then his next move will be to a Stoke type club. He keeps saying to our young players, if they want to get the best move they have to step up on the CL stage.

The same applies to him. Four windows in and the defence is even worse has been a total fucking failure by him. If he doesn’t see what needs to be done he can fuckoff.

I think he will though. He fucking better.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I understand you wanting the most money you can get. I hope it’s not that figure for the simple reason we would be out of the running. I would hope a smaller figure and possibly you having first shout after a couple of years, if he progressed enough to warrant a place in Peps thinking.

He’s only a pup and playing regularly is what he and every young player needs. I just hope it’s with us, but the price will determine wether that happens.

It’s shit having very limited resources, but it’s the way it is and we just have to get on with it.

The thing is though Magic, that Celtic won't apply that same logic with Tierney who is in fact younger than Roberts. I have no doubt the valuation will be £5m for Roberts and £25m minimum for Tierney. Maybe a swap deal would work for both clubs (yeah right). Did you enjoy the old firm game the other week?

 

[Saddleworth2]

You make valid points regarding our recent showings in the CL. There are a couple of points I would ask you to consider though.

1. The average age of our team is 23 and they will get better.
2. Rogers has failed to improve a shambles of a defence, that continually fucks us up with horrendous decision making. This puts pressure on mid to front not to try a play that could mean the defence is tested. This makes them scared and they don’t express themselves. Rogers has had four windows to sort this. The fifth needs to be the one.

3. We want to see gradual improvement, this year that stalled but we nicked third place. Which for us is progress.

4. If we sort the defence then players like Paddy can be more effective. It’s all about confidence and no one could feel that playing in front of our defence.

5. The fact we were slaughtered has to finally convince Rogers the players we have aren’t good enough.

6. Qualifying each year for the CL will help us attract younger good players looking for a move to a bigger league. It also gives us money, peanuts to you, but it’s a lot to us.

If we improve then the dynamic changes. It can’t happen overnight. We can’t go out and spend £100m on a couple of defenders, but we found VVD and there are players out there we could afford that will improve us.

Sometimes a team needs to be slaughtered to focus the mind. If Rogers doesn’t improve our CL performances then his next move will be to a Stoke type club. He keeps saying to our young players, if they want to get the best move they have to step up on the CL stage.

The same applies to him. Four windows in and the defence is even worse has been a total fucking failure by him. If he doesn’t see what needs to be done he can fuckoff.

I think he will though. He fucking better.

Hmmm. The only evidence I would see that he will get it right was at Swansea and thats a long time ago and certainly not at the level you are aspiring to reach in Europe. My personal opinion is that he has peaked. If it wasn't Rogers, who do you think Celtic would be looking at? Someone from the PL or Europe?

 

[Magicpole]

The thing is though Magic, that Celtic won't apply that same logic with Tierney who is in fact younger than Roberts. I have no doubt the valuation will be £5m for Roberts and £25m minimum for Tierney. Maybe a swap deal would work for both clubs (yeah right). Did you enjoy the old firm game the other week?

I hear you about Tierney. I know Paddy is worth a shit load more than £5m. I would be a liar if I disagreed. I just hope we can get him, but I understand all the points the lads on here are saying.

As for the recent game against our friends across the city? Well, I did enjoy it. Not the shamboluc defending by Boyata who was gifted them two goals, which could have been five so unbelievably shite was he.

Rangers are probe to believing their own hype and after beating Falkirk and St Johnstone had themselves as world beaters. Their oaks in the press had them mounting a challenge. They bought it. We came back twice, had a player sent off and scored a great winner. My best pal is a Ger and he was texting like a madman when they opened the scoring, then after their second. I pounded the **** into a red white and blue paste. That was lovely.

After the dust settled when we put them back in our pocket, the shambles of a defence is my lasting memory. I will be carted away in a straight jacket if we don’t improve that defence. We have two games to play them, one in the cup semi. What we demand is we go out and hammer them both games.

The truth is, due to Rogers making a total **** of improving our defence, pub teams would get a chance against us. That’s still a worry. And to be fair, as pub teams go, Rangers are not bad.:)