Our midfield has a good future
The midfield performance was much better than recent games. They linked up more positively and played forward balls more often. Scott Brown looked much more on form today and didn’t seem to slow the game, which has been a criticism in recent matches. Callum McGregor zipped around distributing the ball well and took sensible shots. His early goal from one set the game up very nicely.
Ryan Christie could learn from McGregor’s shot selection rather than continue to fire away wastefully. Christie did have a decent game but the clear observation was that for most of the second half David Turnbull was a very good replacement for him. Turnbull showed good skill, awareness and took some very good dead ball free kicks and corners creating opportunities in the box.
Jeremie Frimpong did very well again with some great runs and amazing pace, his Hibs opponent in the first half, Josh Doig, was turned inside out so often they couldn’t untangle him for the second half and had to send on a replacement. Frimpong’s final ball still needs work, he needs to improve accuracy at times. Our forwards need to anticipate his pace and balls into the box better too.
Greg Taylor gets a lot of flack, he had a better game today. He seemed to make less pass backs to Ajer or Duffy, more positive passes made inside or forward. Encouraging, if perhaps still not the final answer for the left position.
Midfield learning overall today is about helping Frimpong develop his final ball and perhaps realising that selling Christie for as much as Celtic can get and using Turnbull instead could be a very positive and forward looking change.