Liam Scales D Celtic b.1998

[punkrocket]

Looks like he is going to Celtic. Unlike for some other Irish lads making the move it could be a good time to establish himself there what with their current defensive frailties and the new manager looking to bed in some new blood. Still gets to say that he's proud to be a hoop too!

Shamrock Rovers set for League of Ireland record windfall as Celtic to swoop for star (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sport/american-football/shamrock-rovers-set-for-league-of-ireland-record-windfall-as-celtic-to-swoop-for-star/ar-AAMSUqV?ocid=uxbndlbing)

[Olé Olé]

He seems to have transitioned into the left back role at Rovers- either left wing back or left of a back three. Celtic are playing 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 under the new coach. It will be interesting to see if he is being signed to challenge Taylor at left back or as a centre half.

[CSAD]

A Celtic Twitter account that reports on news in regards to Celtic has tweet that apparently a PL team has put in a higher bid for Scales and that he may be off to England.

Interestingly Aston Villa tweeted earlier an emoji of Scales. Could be an indication.

[punkrocket]

It does seem that there's more than a bit of interest from other clubs. I like the fact that he is keen on helping Rovers in Europe before a move is finalised.

Premier League clubs to rival Celtic in race to sign Shamrock Rovers defender Liam Scales - Independent.ie (https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/premier-league-clubs-to-rival-celtic-in-race-to-sign-shamrock-rovers-defender-liam-scales-40718273.html)

[livehead1]

A Celtic Twitter account that reports on news in regards to Celtic has tweet that apparently a PL team has put in a higher bid for Scales and that he may be off to England.

Interestingly Aston Villa tweeted earlier an emoji of Scales. Could be an indication.

Best news I've heard in ages. Celtic would be a terrible move.

[punkrocket]

He may have a few options to weigh up so.

[Poor Student]

Best news I've heard in ages. Celtic would be a terrible move.

Would it really? Virgil Van Dijk and Kris Ajer have progressed onto the EPL through Celtic. Greater chance of him languishing in an U23 side or the Championship/L1 loan production line if he moved to the EPL than if he moved to Celtic who are uniquely bereft of any defensive depth or quality right now.

[nigel-harps1954]

Would it really? Virgil Van Dijk and Kris Ajer have progressed onto the EPL through Celtic. Greater chance of him languishing in an U23 side or the Championship/L1 loan production line if he moved to the EPL than if he moved to Celtic who are uniquely bereft of any defensive depth or quality right now.

Genuine question, why would anyone sign a 23 year old for their under-23 side?

[Razors left peg]

Genuine question, why would anyone sign a 23 year old for their under-23 side?

Cos hes so cheap that the can afford to take a chance on him. Sign him, stick him in the 23s and if hes good then they promote him, if not they havent really lost anything.

[Poor Student]

Genuine question, why would anyone sign a 23 year old for their under-23 side?

Is he not 23 this month and therefore eligible? EPL clubs are signing punts as future saleable and loanable assets. That's not to say you won't rise to the top if you're good enough but a move to Celtic would entail less risk of breaking his development and run in first team football.

[Olé Olé]

Is he not 23 this month and therefore eligible? EPL clubs are signing punts as future saleable and loanable assets. That's not to say you won't rise to the top if you're good enough but a move to Celtic would entail less risk of breaking his development and run in first team football.

Strawberry blonde defenders from Wicklow might seem to like rocking up at under 23 squads...

[Kingdom]

He may have a few options to weigh up so.

I like what you did there.

[punkrocket]

It took a while but now confirmed as a Celtic player Celtic: Irish defender Liam Scales signs four-year deal - BBC Sport (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58355420)

[punkrocket]

I like what you did there.

Aye I also go by the name of Pun Crocked

[punkrocket]

Oops wrong debutant centre-back. Cameron Carter-Vickers started today. Scales not in squad yet.

[zero]

Makes the bench tonight for the trip to Betis in the europa league alongside James McCarthy. He seems to have been give the #5 shirt.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Really good player. I didnt know he was so fast and so composed on the ball left foot. amazed me he can be playing center midfield as well. I think he only missplaced one pass. This is the kind of player that we can call versátile.

[Stuttgart88]

It was only Raith Rovers but he looked really comfortable out there, very confident. An elegant footballer.

[Poor Student]

Agree. It was a brief cameo but very tidy performance.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Very elegant Esteban Cambiasso copycat. Fine lefty

[punkrocket]

Another late appearance to help shore things up against Ferencvaros a couple of minutes after the Hungarians got their second and fancied leveling it.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Played well as McCarthy

[Stuttgart88]

Another late appearance to help shore things up against Ferencvaros a couple of minutes after the Hungarians got their second and fancied leveling it.He came on at a very awkward time. Calm back pass with his first touch. Made a good tackle on one guy. I thought he might be rash and dive in in another tackle but he sensed the danger and simply stood up against his opponent on another occasion, showing maturity and intelligence imho, as his opponent was itching to draw the foul. Took charge of a situation deep in his box by heading a ball away when it looked to me that Hart was hesitant / indecisive.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Good player seems like Ciaran Clark but not too risky, a bit more danger sense

[pineapple stu]

Scored within five minutes of coming on for his SPL debut today

[DCWA]

Big deflection for his goal but should also have had an assist after putting a great ball right across the 6 yard box. A good cameo if not in the most difficult of circumstances.

Has a chance of game time against a a pretty handy Real Betis on Thursday I would think with that group now done and dusted. It would be good to see him get that test against a much better team.

[tetsujin1979]

Goal here
1467489404914741256

[seanfhear]

Goal here
1467489404914741256
Well done to Liam Scales but you would actually have to laugh at the 3 Dundee lads who just strolled along behind Scales making zero effort. That must be one of the, least lack of effort by a team I have ever seen.

[Poor Student]

His minutes for Celtic have been very sparse for Celtic thus far but he's looked very tidy, comfortable and assured every time he's appeared. Ideally from his perspective Celtic would finally move Bolingoli on and not sign another LB in the window, however, no left back at Celtic is near the required standard so they possibly will sign an LB. If another LB wasn't signed then he'd be competing with Taylor and academy graduate Montgomery neither of whom are great shakes.

[Bielsa´s irish]

he showed that he is applied and composed on the ball, someone to make his debut alongside that Jimmy Dunne next time, Ireland is going to right direction, I would love Mark Hughes to manage the team in the near future though

[seanfhear]

he showed that he is applied and composed on the ball, someone to make his debut alongside that Jimmy Dunne next time, Ireland is going to right direction, I would love Mark Hughes to manage the team in the near future though
The opposition team ! !

[Supreme feet]

I would love Mark Hughes to manage the team in the near future though

Mark Hughes in charge, and build the team around James McCarthy and Shane Long. Perfect.

I, for one, am absolutely delighted to learn that it's still 2011.

[EAFC_rdfl]

looking forward to the session in Poland next summer, campervan booked

[Razors left peg]

Mark Hughes in charge, and build the team around James McCarthy and Shane Long. Perfect.

I, for one, am absolutely delighted to learn that it's still 2011.

You forgot Cillian Sheridan

[Bielsa´s irish]

And Dara O Shea and Connor Ronan as mids with Manning as lwb

[pineapple stu]

First start tonight, home to Real Betis. They're 1-0 up already

[Stuttgart88]

Played well enough I thought (only saw second half). He is calm on the ball and is quite stealthy in getting up the pitch to support attacking phases. .

Got pulled out of position a lot by Betis though. Betis found space behind both wing backs a lot and several times he was in no mans land - not close enough to prevent a cross, not close enough to anyone else either.

Crazy game, great fun to watch. Celtic botched a 3 on 1 in comical fashion right at the end.

[Stuttgart88]

Chris Sutton singled him out in commentary:

"I like Scales, I really do. Strong, not the quickest but reads the game very well."

[pineapple stu]

BBC report gave him man of the match

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59481260

[third policeman]

BBC report gave him man of the match

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59481260

And McCarthy got a rating that was only above a player who went off after 28 minutes. He’s not pulling up trees at Celtic so far.

[ontheotherhand]

Scales was solid, particularly going forward. He did get caught out of position a few times although the entire Celtic backline was guilty of it. I don't watch them much and I know it was their reserve team but they seemed a bit leaderless and had nothing going on in the centre of midfield. McCarthy was nowhere to be seen....so nothing new there.

[third policeman]

He was immense during his pre-injury days at Everton. His decline is hard to explain. Is it the physical effects of his injuries or the psychological? He’s just not impacting on games, and I can see him and Celtic parting company by mutual agreement if he doesn’t start looking like he can contribute. A great shame as he would still be an asset for us if he was anywhere near his best.

[Colbert Report]

Why would he agree to part ways? Celtic still owe him about two and a half million pounds at fourteen thousand pounds per week until June 30, 2025.

[Snapshot]

Scales was solid, particularly going forward. He did get caught out of position a few times although the entire Celtic backline was guilty of it. I don't watch them much and I know it was their reserve team but they seemed a bit leaderless and had nothing going on in the centre of midfield. McCarthy was nowhere to be seen....so nothing new there.
Sorry, quoted wrong post.

[Snapshot]

He was immense during his pre-injury days at Everton. His decline is hard to explain. Is it the physical effects of his injuries or the psychological? He’s just not impacting on games, and I can see him and Celtic parting company by mutual agreement if he doesn’t start looking like he can contribute. A great shame as he would still be an asset for us if he was anywhere near his best.
Immense might be a bit strong but I agree with your point. Injuries and psychological scars have reduced him considerably. His first thought in possession now seems finding the easiest, shortest, quickest and least challenging disposal. He treats possession like a chore to avoid and has become one of the least creative players I have ever seen. He should enter the World Pass-the-Parcel Championships. Celtic signing him on a four-year contract must be among the most curious deals in recent times.

[joey B]

Assist for Scales tonight,seems to be getting good reviews from Celtic fans…

[ontheotherhand]

He was good first half. Lost his way in the second and was at fault for Ross County's goal. Let his man get ahead of him from a set piece. Would've gotten away with it at LoI level maybe. Has to get up to speed with the defensive side of things but looks comfortable going forward. My Celtic mates are happy enough with him.

[Poor Student]

He actually assisted Celtic's first goal. I think he has a chance of becoming 1st choice LB by the end of the season. He's more suited to the inverted full back system Postecoglu is deploying and he seems to be more comfortable at drifting in centre as the role commands than other more out and out full backs. There's a lot of intelligence to his passing forward and I think he'll find himself getting a good few assists. He was shocking for Ross County's goal though and was at complete fault.

From what I am hearing his conditioning and stamina just isn't at the level required coming over from Rovers. He didn't even make the bench after his Betis start apparently due to tiredness. This explains his very slow introduction to the team. Celtic have 5 games between now and the winter break which starts 3 January so hopefully he'll see more game time but I'd imagine be may drop back to the bench for the League Cup final on Sunday.

[ifk101]

From what I am hearing his conditioning and stamina just isn't at the level required coming over from Rovers. He didn't even make the bench after his Betis start apparently due to tiredness.

That would be a poor reflection on him if true. He's been at Celtic since August and his fitness levels were not at zero when he did move. If fatigue is an issue maybe it derives from being over-trained?

[Poor Student]

That would be a poor reflection on him if true. He's been at Celtic since August and his fitness levels were not at zero when he did move. If fatigue is an issue maybe it derives from being over-trained?

I don't really know the details of it but Celtic are playing a very high intensity high pressing game. You'll note they've incurred a lot of injuries, particularly hamstrings. They've also had two games a week for most of the season so if he's nowhere near playing 2 games a week it's hard for him to secure a spot. He strikes me as someone who is very professional with a good attitude so I really don't think it's a poor reflection on him. It might just be indicative that it's hard to step up from even a full time LOI step up directly to a big club with high physical demands domestically and in Europe. Seamus Coleman made his debut in Oct 2009 and only appeared 7 times for Everton that season (3 EPL, 1 LC, 3 EL) before being loaned to Blackpool in March.