Anthony Ralston just is not the answer in Nancy’s defensive system…
One of our most obvious frailties at this moment is that of our defence, which is undoubtedly our achilles heel, and that will continue to be exposed until the players learn to fully adapt to Wilfried Nancy’s system, or we install players who can fully adjust to the Frenchman’s philosophy.
One such player who looks somewhat lost in Nancys system is Anthony Ralston. Raldo is naturally a right back, and asking him to play a more central role is clearly not working. Some players such as Kieran Tierney can adapt to a more central role, but unfortunately for Raldo he isn’t one of those players.
The Scotland man without sounding disrespectful isn’t blessed with an abundance of natural ability. I don’t wish to single him out as he gives everything in a Celtic shirt, but he’s a back up player at best, that’s the brutal truth. A back up right back, not a central defender. Something that continues to be exposed in each game.
It might seem like I’m singling out an easy target, but it’s nothing more than fair criticism of a player who’s a weak link in Nancy’s Celtic side. A weak link that will continue to be exposed by our opponents who can also see Nancy’s problem.
Surely Nancy has better options available to him? JSP or Dane Murray would be better utilised in a position they favour. Even playing a three man left sided defence of Liam Scales, Aston Trusty and Kieran Tierney would serve us more efficiently but then again that’s three lefties and that has also had its vulnerabilities.
Surely Wilfried Nancy will be looking to bring in his own players when the window opens, but in the meantime he’s got to select the best players available to him, and Anthony Ralston isn’t one of them when playing in a back three. If he continues to persevere with Tony as a right sided centre back then we will continue to be exposed defensively and that’s a worry ahead of the trip to Fir Park to take on Motherwell then the Glasgow Derby at Celtic Park on 3 January.
If the manager sticks with his current back three I certainly hope that Anthony Ralston proves me wrong.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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Nobody said Tony was the answer.
He’s obviously place-holding for AJ.
Back the legend. We need his total 100% confident committment for another month to get us through winter.
Don’t give the virgins cannon-fodder to destroy him from the tall grass.
Absolutely brilliantly put!
The vultures have nothing better to do with themselves than to look for negativity in all things Celtic!
Well said!
HAIL HAIL!
Always thought ralston could and would adapt into a back 3.
Sadly this doesn’t seem to be the case now imo?
More disappointing that Pusey and especially Murray, haven’t been able to make a claim for the position either?
Would question there commitment to our club now, as a result, and potentially joining the growing want away list?
Nancy possibly faces a massive decision in January regarding the position?
Could understand the calls for getting the position addressed come January. Would be my own preference also.
Downside is it could possibly effect ralston chances of a Scottish world cup squad place?
Maybe even under threat now, in his current role?
So getting a new right CB, may cost ourselves 3 homegrown players in Ralston, Murray and Welsh in the longer term imo?
Agreed mate, Tony will never be comfortable in a back 3.
He’s at best a back up defensively minded right/full back.
This will have been exposed in training against what we have down the left, knowing his frailties and lack of positional sense.
That’s on Nancy IMO.
JOHNNO
CMON mate, as far as Murray is concerned, we have a very young right sided player who could fit straight into that position easily, to gain experience if nothing but he could defo adapt to the style better than Tony.
To say this might change his attitude longer term towards celtic is a bit premature. Against Newcastle pre-season he was immense, 2 bad games in a rudderless and off form team shouldn’t cloud anyone’s beliefs.
Murray will come good.
The ‘very young” Dane Murray is 3 months older the Engels. I don’t think he’s going to make it and should be moved on in January.
Why are so many fans acting like Ralston playing there isn’t about CCV and Johnston being injured. Nancy has the play lopsided on the left because he knows our right side is weak.
Imo the situation could be helped by playing Donovan as the wing back freeing Yang to play on the left and moving Daizen to replace Kenny , but im no the boss so ……..
We have to win games but I want to see the likes of Murray, Donovan, Osmand when he recovers and maybe others but basically we need to give game time to our youth players too. Otherwise we’ll never find the next generation of homegrown talent. Also, UEFA quotas mean we need a certain number of homegrown players. But I’m not a fan of this 3 defence set up. It might work in the SPL but we’ll get tanked in Europe with this. If we don’t, I’ll eat my hat but 4 at the back gives greater flexibility. I see even Man U have abandoned 3 at the back (after 13 months of it).
It’s good we got that win but we have to win the next 2. What we do need is a much better head of football operations and a new ceo, as both are hopeless at their jobs. Which is ironic as we need them to be good for the transfer window! HH