The Most Terrifying Words..."Gary Caldwell"..."To Replace"..."Bobo Balde"

[Carntyne]

I shuddered when I heard that wobbly so called centre half Gary Calwell is 'expected' to replace Bobo on Sunday.

Gordon Strachan is quoted as saying..."Gary is as brave as anyone, and I'm not talking about tackling." (You can say that again Gordon, not even a fish supper.)

"I'm talking about on the ball. He will wait until people are in good positions before passing."

This can also be interpreted as dithering, or not being quick of thought Gordon.

I've seen the team's forward movement slither to a halt many times when the ball reaches Caldwell, usually halfway up the pitch on the right.

Instead of picking out an available team mate, he dithers, and then when his team mates are all closely marked, he humps the ball into the penalty box, (or somtetimes over the bar) straight to the head of the opposing centre half.

Caldwell thinks he is a cultured midfield player.

YOO URNY, GARY!

Bobo Balde on the other hand does what it should say on the tin, and what we expect to see from a centre half.

Great in the air and strong in the tackle.

No fancy airs and graces.

One ray of sunshine for the game at the weekend.

Strachan has hinted that Scott Brown may not automatically regain his place after suspension.

Perhaps wee Gordon has taken to heart Nakamura's comments that the team played good football with Robson and Hartley in the central midfield.

Let's hope so.

C'MON THE HOOPS!

[Unregistered]

What a lot of nonsense.

Caldwell has generally played well this season and have you forgotten his two passes agaisnt Scotland's Shame.

Also, have you forgotten that for every Bobo Barca performance, their was a Bobo Copenhagen performance. And Lyon. etc etc.

[Unregistered]

Does it make you feel good ripping into Celtic players, a team you profess to support? Bobo Balde, don't make me laugh. Keepit up, only 4 games left, keep slagging off the players and hand them the title you green hun.

[Paul]

I think Caldwell has had a decent season to be fair, he certainly hasn't played much worse then the entire team has and doesn't deserve to be singled out as the weak link at all.

Saying that though, 2 passes does not a great player make so highlighting this doesn't suddenly mean Bobo shouldn't get a chance.

[Unregistered]

if ur gonna put the boot into celtic players maybe you should be writing for fascist fascist or the RS(cum)T

[Carntyne]

Does it make you feel good ripping into Celtic players, a team you profess to support? Bobo Balde, don't make me laugh. Keepit up, only 4 games left, keep slagging off the players and hand them the title you green hun.


Temper, Temper!

:evil::evil::evil:

[Carntyne]

I think Caldwell has had a decent season to be fair, he certainly hasn't played much worse then the entire team has and doesn't deserve to be singled out as the weak link at all.

Saying that though, 2 passes does not a great player make so highlighting this doesn't suddenly mean Bobo shouldn't get a chance.

He's a weak link in the defence, in my opinion.

And when the defence doesn't look too clever, it doesn't inspire confidence in the rest of the team.

Balde has had three appearances since the turn of the year.

In those games Celtic have had three clean sheets.

'Nuff said.

[Carntyne]

What a lot of nonsense.

Caldwell has generally played well this season and have you forgotten his two passes agaisnt Scotland's Shame.

Also, have you forgotten that for every Bobo Barca performance, their was a Bobo Copenhagen performance. And Lyon. etc etc.


Hmmm..... And you seem to have forgotten Caldwell's horrendous blunders in the Champion's League!

Have a think about it.

I'm sure it will come back to you.

[cathal]

Can't agree with the general feeling of the piece ... I watch the Reserves quite a lot and big Bobo still looks clumsy ... usual strength in the air (much better than Gary Caldwell), but on the ground, oh my.
Not saying GC is the much better option than BB - but would imagine WGS going with Caldwell on Sunday, as he has come onto a game (slowly but surely), and had a stormer last game.

[Unregistered]

um - did you watch Bobos performance on Sunday? Against a team of any better quality, he would've been punished at least twice for sloppy defending. Caldwell is part of a defence that's only conceeded 23 goals this season. It's the midfield that has been the problem.

Caldwell played well last time against TFOD - no reason to suspect that he won't start on Sunday.

Still, you keep laying into the club - obviously getting Strachan to leave is more important to you than winning the league. Hail Hail indeed.

[Unregistered]

I'd keep big GC over Bobo. Bobo didn't convince me on Saturday. Every header seemed to hit a Aberdeen's player's foot - Sevrin's shot after 5 mins for example. Gary Caldwell isn't great but he doesn't deserve half the stick he gets. I'd bring him back, he was solid vs them last week as well.

[Carntyne]

Can't agree with the general feeling of the piece ... I watch the Reserves quite a lot and big Bobo still looks clumsy ... usual strength in the air (much better than Gary Caldwell), but on the ground, oh my.
Not saying GC is the much better option than BB - but would imagine WGS going with Caldwell on Sunday, as he has come onto a game (slowly but surely), and had a stormer last game.

Billy McNeill was one of the best centre halfs we have had, and I'm sure he'd admit he wasn't the best on the ground either.

When he got the ball on the floor he passed it to someone who knew how to make better use of it.

But, just like Balde, in the air he was a giant, missing very little at one end and scoring lots of goals (mainly headers) at the other.

[clydebuilt]

He's a weak link in the defence, in my opinion.

And when the defence doesn't look too clever, it doesn't inspire confidence in the rest of the team.

Balde has had three appearances since the turn of the year.

In those games Celtic have had three clean sheets.

'Nuff said.

Saturday was Baldes first appearance since the game against Dundee UTD in December mate, which was his first game back after his leg break.

[Carntyne]

He's had three appearances, and three clean sheets.

That's the important point.

[clydebuilt]

He's had three appearances, and three clean sheets.

That's the important point.


Mate he has only played one game since the turn of the year, last week

[The Pointer]

I shuddered when I heard that wobbly so called centre half Gary Calwell is 'expected' to replace Bobo on Sunday.

Gordon Strachan is quoted as saying..."Gary is as brave as anyone, and I'm not talking about tackling." (You can say that again Gordon, not even a fish supper.)

"I'm talking about on the ball. He will wait until people are in good positions before passing."

This can also be interpreted as dithering, or not being quick of thought Gordon.

I've seen the team's forward movement slither to a halt many times when the ball reaches Caldwell, usually halfway up the pitch on the right.

Instead of picking out an available team mate, he dithers, and then when his team mates are all closely marked, he humps the ball into the penalty box, (or somtetimes over the bar) straight to the head of the opposing centre half.

Caldwell thinks he is a cultured midfield player.

YOO URNY, GARY!

Bobo Balde on the other hand does what it should say on the tin, and what we expect to see from a centre half.

Great in the air and strong in the tackle.

No fancy airs and graces.

One ray of sunshine for the game at the weekend.

Strachan has hinted that Scott Brown may not automatically regain his place after suspension.

Perhaps wee Gordon has taken to heart Nakamura's comments that the team played good football with Robson and Hartley in the central midfield.

Let's hope so.

C'MON THE HOOPS!
not a fan of caldwell then!!

[Carntyne]

not a fan of caldwell then!!

Not really, but I will admit he's a decent player, not top class though, and certainly not the best centre half we have.

Bobo Balde is.

Does this mean Balde is world class and priceless?

Of course not!

He has his faults, who hasn't, but he IS the best we've got in that position, and within the financial restraints of the SPL the best we're likely to get.

[Carntyne]

Mate he has only played one game since the turn of the year, last week

Yes, well spotted.

No goals conceded in that game, or the other two in which he's played.

That's the point.

Before Balde broke his leg last season there was no complaint about the central defence.

They were solid, giving away very few goals.

After Balde's injury our central defensive worries started.

Not rocket science, really.

[clydebuilt]

Before Balde broke his leg last season there was no complaint about the central defence.

Does that include the games that Caldwell played in?

[deerin1916]

i would play bobo and caldwell together, mcmanus is not my idea of a centre half, hail hail

[Carntyne]

Before Balde broke his leg last season there was no complaint about the central defence.

Does that include the games that Caldwell played in?

The regular central defensive pairing was Balde and McManus.

Caldwell played right back most of the time filling in for the injured Mark Wilson and the equally crocked Jean Pierre Doumbe.

And there was many a complaint about Caldwell playing at right back!

I wonder what is going on with Doumbe.

There's been little mentioned about him for a long time.

[clydebuilt]

The regular central defensive pairing was Balde and McManus.

Caldwell played right back most of the time filling in for the injured Mark Wilson and the equally crocked Jean Pierre Doumbe.

And there was many a complaint about Caldwell playing at right back!

I wonder what is going on with Doumbe.

There's been little mentioned about him for a long time.


Not too sure what is going on with Doumbe either mate. Just a wee point though, the period that you speak of when Caldwell was playing at right back was this season when Pressley covered Centre Half position.

Caldwell was poor when out of position

[Carntyne]

Not too sure what is going on with Doumbe either mate. Just a wee point though, the period that you speak of when Caldwell was playing at right back was this season when Pressley covered Centre Half position.

Caldwell was poor when out of position

Yes he did play right back this season, but he also played there last season when the central defensive pairing was Balde and McManus, and Wilson and Doumbe were constantly injured.

Then Bobo broke his leg...

[Carntyne]

um - did you watch Bobos performance on Sunday? Against a team of any better quality, he would've been punished at least twice for sloppy defending. Caldwell is part of a defence that's only conceeded 23 goals this season. It's the midfield that has been the problem.

Caldwell played well last time against TFOD - no reason to suspect that he won't start on Sunday.

Still, you keep laying into the club-(NOT 'laying into' the club-Just expressing an opinion of Caldwell)- obviously getting Strachan to leave is more important to you than winning the league. (Now you're making it up! I think Strachan has done a great job. How else can you regard someone who has won two titles in a row? That doesn't mean I can't give my opinion on individual players!)Hail Hail indeed.


Rubbish, I'm just expressing an opinion on one player. Caldwell.(See above)