Celtic Banter Archive October 21 2015

21 Oct 2015 14:53:37
Not posted in a while but is it me or does anyone else agree that Stuart Armstrong is a bang average limited football player? That's the exact way I felt about him before he arrived from Dundee Utd and I'm still yet to be convinced he's anything other than that. He may be the best out of the three Dundee Utd lads, some may perhaps debate that, but that's not exactly saying much. Personally I think Dundee Utd have robbed us with £1.75M for Armstrong. The reason I'm bringing this up is because I was hoping Forrest would make it tomorrow night but John Collins just said he's still injured so most likely Armstrong will get the nod out there against Molde in his absence.

I fail to see what he brings down that left hand side for a start and with Forrest out injured, Stokes not in Ronny's plans and with everything that has happened with Boeriggter I think Armstrong has landed on his feet to be playing that left wing role frequently, it's a square peg in a round hole from Ronny tbh. From what I've seen his touch and passing has let him down out there a lot, he has very little pace and can't beat his man with any skill, rarely wins us fouls and his set piece delivery from corners is not great either and his final ball which he tries with his weaker foot a lot is really infuriating and rarely finds anyone, I remember in the last few mins against Fenerbache Rogic played a nice ball out wide to him, Armstrong gathered it and there was Blackett on the edge of the box with his arms out wide waiting for it, all Armstrong had to do was look up and cut it back to him, instead he played a poor aimless ball with his weaker foot into the box which Fenerbache dealt with easily, that's a severe lack of football intelligence and awareness.

Shouldn't be played out there imo and I also don't buy this he should be played centrally behind the striker, he isn't a big enough goal threat for me, you need to be capable of scoring at least 10-15 goals a season behind that striker role in the team and for me Armstrong has not got that in his locker, the only position I could see him in perhaps is in the two holding roles Brown and Bitton currently occupy, but with it looking very unlikely he could break that partnership up he should be nothing more than a squad player for me from the bench, never a starter.

He's nowhere near as effective a winger as Forrest who has done well out there this season taking on defenders and winning fouls, just his final ball still fails him at times, but still a much better player than Armstrong out wide. It could also be argued that even Stokes and Boeriggter would be much more effective options out there and I'm by no means a fan of both those players, far from it but even I think they'd do a better job than Armstrong out there. I didn't think we could do worse than Stokes out wide but in Armstrong I think we have and you only have to look at what Boeriggter done on the left wing with Ajax and his other clubs in Holland to see his assists and goals he was getting when giving a run out there. There's obviously something going on there with Boeriggter as he's fit and training with the development squad, he wasn't in the first team photo, not in the say no to racism video and hasn't been training with the first team in so long.

21 Oct 2015 15:24:39
Can I take it u don't think too highly of Armstrong .

21 Oct 2015 15:35:42
Sorry mate totally disagree. I think he gets played out of position and is not first pick.

21 Oct 2015 15:47:00
You have your opinion mate but that's a poor post esp about a player just back from injury.
Its clear to me Armstrong is a box to box midfielder the problem is we don't play that way.
We are far too rigid in our system and its obvious we just don't have the payers to play it.
We have 2 sitting 2 out wide and a number 10 so to speak. No room for a box to box player. Most teams cry out for a player like this.
What do we do with him? Shove him out wide where its obvious he is not comfortable there.
How can you get the best out of a player if you u don't play him in his best position.
I have seen this so many times a good player gets shoved into a position and all you get is someone doing a job there instead of getting the best out of them.
I sure we can all name players this has happened too, god I even remember Danny McGrain (prob the best right back in the world at the time) getting shoved to left back for Scotland to accommodate Sandy Jardine.

21 Oct 2015 16:07:06
But lads from what I see Armstrong hasn't even shown signs he can be a great player at all, it's not just the position he plays. He's got a poor first touch at times, passing is erratic, poor from set pieces and has no final ball. No pace or skill also and nowhere near clinical enough. He's admitted he's now back and fully fit, so I don't buy this just back from injury excuse, he said himself he feels good. He had a chance against Motherwell where he cut inside just outside the box, with some space around him to take a shot and completely miscued it and put is wide. I just don't see this box to box guy either, he doesn't have the fitness or energy for such a role imo, he always seems to be blowing out his backside whenever the pace picks up a bit in Europe, can't seem to handle it. This is just what I'm seeing, don't think anyone can suggest that he's an above average player.

21 Oct 2015 16:14:30
Celticforever if the point of your post was to get us all talking then you succeeded, but I like Armstrong, even more than GMS, and I think he links up play well especially if Commons is playing, he does a lot of Commons running for him, no he is worth a starting berth, even if Forrest was fit as he always flatters to deceive.
I really hope Lustig, Simonovic, Boyata and Izzy are our back four, Brown and Biton, Armstong, Johansen, Commons and Griffiths making up our starting 11.

21 Oct 2015 18:32:46
I like Armstrong, I think he is potentially the best of all the attacking midfielders we have, I think he is better centrally though, either behind the striker, or even long term playing in the 2 man midfield behind the 3. He has a little bit of everything. I also think that will be Hendersons best position. Even playing a 433 long term with Biton/Armstrong/Henderson, there would be good energy about that midfield!

21 Oct 2015 18:47:10
Please let it be a long while before you post again!

21 Oct 2015 19:54:27
Gonna be honest here, I stopped reading after the first paragraph but taking the stuff you say about Armstrong into consideration, I think I will be placing an anytime goal scorer bet on him tomorrow now.

22 Oct 2015 09:59:57
Celticforever, just have a wee look at the stats for Armstrong's assists compared to Forrest, then look at the time they've both been at the club.

22 Oct 2015 13:36:35
I've liked both Armstrong and Forrest in several of our European ties this term. Armstrong when he gets by the first man and muscles to the by-line, and forrest when he comes inside (although his wide running will be missed tonite I reckon; was sorry to see he won't make the game and - surpassingly disappointed.

Anyway: good vibrations about the game this evening. let's go get the points!