27 Feb 2026 14:48:14
I remember - only too well - the disastrous lockdown league season and the players who so-called downed tools back then. To me Maeda and Hatate are as bad - if not worse - because I struggle to remember either of them playing well this term. Maeda may have a grievance regarding a refused transfer but I don't know about Hatate's 'excuse'.
However, both are a total waste of a jersey and are only being accommodated because of either injury, or our pathetic recruitment and even though MON has very limited options, I would rather see players that are going to give 100% on Sunday.
27 Feb 2026 15:44:53
Why does the team sometimes down tools? I can remember the Leipzig game, amongst others, where we were free-flowing, playing as a team, entertaining us all and winning.
Who's to blame for the team downing tools? They must be toeing the line in training or MON would be toeing their ars*s if they weren't?
Who is it in the teams who decides whether they down their tools as it can't be them all collectively at the same time who decide when they go over the white line to slow it.
Is the captain undermining instructions in the Huddle, as it seems to be happening all of the time? What does McGregor say in the Huddle that's different from the motivation that MON or any other manager can't say in the dressing room?
Surely the captain has to take the lion's share of getting the team to work when they're on the field, otherwise what's the point of him being the captain? He can't just be the captain to decide on the coin toss?
Was it GS who substituted Scott Brown after a few minutes just to show who's boss? Maybe MON may want to do the same with McGregor just to get the point across to those who maybe decide not to play the way they should.
27 Feb 2026 16:55:38
Maeda is 2nd top scorer and 2nd top in assists .
27 Feb 2026 17:30:11
McGregor can only do so much.
He’s a good motivator and leads by example but he can’t physically make someone try harder.
Broony had Calmac to help him in big games like Europe and Ibrox but sadly McGregor doesn’t have that same help in midfield.
27 Feb 2026 18:18:29
I accept that Buzz, but how can a team one week (Leipzig) play with beauty, application and winning - and then the subsequent weeks play like donkeys pretty much with the same team. I accept that McGregor can only do so much but why is the manager then not demanding that they play the same way?
27 Feb 2026 19:10:32
@Stengo 1888:
If you watch Hatate, when he wants to play he takes the ball on the half turn and carries ot forwards, when he’s not interested he just plays it back and watch him at throw inns, he turns his back to the Celtic player taking the shy, way to obvious when he’s just not interested.
27 Feb 2026 19:20:05
That’s football Stengo.
It costs good money for a player to be at least a consistent 7/ 10 every game.
Our wingers are the best example of inconsistency because they can’t play 2 good consecutive games between them.
They constantly drop from a 7 out of 10 performance to a 2 out of 10 the next match and that’s been happening all season.
That’s the main reason I would like our formation to change.
It would take our inconsistent wingers out of the equation and replace them with good wingbacks, who can backtrack and defend properly as well as put a decent cross into the box.
28 Feb 2026 07:27:56
This has nothing to do with the captain. He is in that midfield himself, getting no help.
28 Feb 2026 09:07:42
Mally, I'm sorry to say I strongly disagree. Personally, I think Cal Mac is done. Granted, he may have moments of brilliance, but on the whole I think he needs dropped. However, I do agree he has no help in the midfield, but between him and Scales I've never seen so many back passes.
28 Feb 2026 10:32:35
Pete, he's definitely not getting any younger. But if we had a ball winning midfielder to take the weight off him, he'd be a better player. Sorry we have no-one else. He always plays for me, and all the managers clearly think that as well.