Muzzy_Larsson

Vardy is a legend the likes of which you may never see again, he is surely the most irreplaceable.

Just got done there.

I don't watch Leicester every week but try to watch them whenever they are on TV this season and based on what I see he'd be the last one I'd be wanting to lose (bar Vardy of course). He plays at a level of one of the best right back's in the world and no offence but if you lose him your not going to be able to attract that level of player no matter how much you spend whereas guys like Maddison, Chilwell, etc I think you could replace far easier.

I get that, that's why I said "can't always be the case" but I don't see how signing someone like Lallana, someone who is ageing, has injury problems and hasn't played regular football in years is going to better equip you for the champions league. Younger, hungrier players with something to prove has to be the way forward. I'd be very surprised if Rodgers went for Lallana in any case.

Lallana is done imo, don't see how he'd enhance your squad much and would want a lot in wages for a player who would likely sit on the bench. What Leicester have been really good at in recent years is succession planning, bringing in younger replacements for players in before those they are replacing actually leave. I get this can't always be the case but Soyuncu is the classic example of this approach working well.

Normal service being resumed up here after the big giant killing result on December 29th. Edouard has been on another level recently, there really is no debate among Celtic fans now, he’s by a distance the best we’ve had since Larsson. Just going to enjoy and savour every little moment before he leaves as he’s just far too good for Scottish football now.

More than decent for his first full season in the EPL.

Get in! Barnes contributing again! Time to cut him some slack!

What a shite goal to concede

Been a funny first-half this, Chelsea created a lot but Leicester looking dangerous on the break too. Need to up a gear in the second-half.

He has unbelievable skill and technique and is now making the bench for us most weeks despite being only 16. He came on last week against Ross County. He looks the real deal however his physique is still very much that of a little boy, see the pic below If he even half fulfils his potential then he’ll be away by the time he’s 21 but he seems a really grounded, sensible young lad. I think what happened to Islam Feruz also may be a factor in him hanging around at Celtic for a bit as it’ll be far easier to make the breakthrough here than at the clubs that are chasing him. I have it on good authority from inside the club that Man City, Barcelona and Real Madrid have all been trying to sign him for years now. There’s a famous video of him on YouTube destroying I think Barcelona’s U16 team when he was 12 or something

Of course he doesn't, it's more the Bielsa influence on both Rodgers and Pep which lead to the similarity in style. Both managers have went on at length many times in the past how they've adopted his philosophy.

Ok, City then

Wilson is one I wouldn't be in the least surprised about as Rodgers tried unsuccessfully to get him on loan to Celtic a couple of times. Liverpool put the brakes on it as they didn't have too great a relationship with Rodgers post his exit by all accounts. That said, and I know he plays on the other side but is he the vast upgrade out wide you need? With Champions League qualification hopefully secured I thought your sights would be set a bit higher.

Think he is a pretty good player in all honesty, not sure where he would fit in though.

This is it exactly, about as low risk as you can get for a short term loan to provide cover, experienced at EPL level, solid and dependable.

Could be worse Congerton could have went and got Marvin Compper This is the guy he's signed everywhere he's been, signed for us a few years ago from RBL, 25k a week (a lot for us), played 1 game, in the cup against lower league opposition, looked horrific, was never seen again and took us two years to get him off the books.

Not sure how fit he is but he was terrific for Celtic, both domestically and when he stepped up in Europe, strolled through games, biggest assets are his range of passing and ability to read the game, never looks flustered. I hope he does well at Bristol as he seemed a very likeable lad a Celtic and really bought into the club. If he's fit and firing he'll stroll it in the Championship.

Bit out of left field, not seen too much of him I must say, least he's proven at EPL level I'd imagine which ticks most of the boxes for a short term loan for cover.

Come on now

Ian Wright, would he be another exception? Tyrone Mings? There are countless late developers in football and in a more general sense footballers all develop at different times and rates.

All young players progress at different rates, it's not a liner thing. What was Jamie Vardy doing at 22?

Like Tielemans then?

Yeah we did play a high line, exactly how Rodgers still plays now. His biggest strength imo was his ability to play out from the back, he could stroll into midfield pretty effortlessly and his range of passing was very good. I can't recall him having to burst a gut too much in terms of making up ground, he was more a good reader of the game so rarely got himself into those sort of situations but from what I can remember he certainly wasn't any slouch in terms of pace. Whether he makes it or not at Leicester is another matter but I think, like you allude to, Rodgers is protecting him just now in terms of building up his fitness so that when he does get the chance he can do himself justice and more importantly not get injured again by throwing him in too early.

I don't think it's that at all, I think your looking for something that isn't there. He missed the entirety of pre-season and then picked up another couple of injuries so I doubt he's ever been at the level required to play in the EPL as yet in terms of conditioning. I may be wrong but I don't think Justin has had any real fitness issues of note. The better point for comparison may be Nacho who was left to work away in the background and left out of match day squads until he was deemed ready. I actually think this is very clever management by Rodgers and he does this quite a lot with players, done it with Boyata and a couple of others at Celtic and Iheanacho now at Leicester, he waits until they are firstly phyiscally fit enough and secondly able to do exactly what he asks of them. He probably realises throwing these players in when they're not ready will be detrimental so would rather them spend their time working hard behind the scenes so that when the chance comes the player is ready to grasp it with both hands. Throwing an unfit, untried, Benkovic into an EPL game when he's not ready would be very detrimental and set him back further.