It was the easiest criticism of Aiden McGeady.
There was an element of truth to it at times but equally the stats disputed that argument with McGeady top of last season’s SPL assists chart alongwith Steve Davis of Rangers.
The last two season’s at Celtic haven’t been much fun to watch, even less so to have played in.
Other than Scott McDonald McGeady had no one to help with his end product with the combined scoring rates of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Georgios Samaras, Marco Fortune nowhere near the Australian who was shipped off to Middlesbrough.
Add in a midfield that struggled to accumulate ten goals a season and it’s obvious that McGeady had precious few options to help his ‘end product’.
A burst of pace and quickly delivered cross 3:18
Looking at the start of his Spartak Moscow career it seems that the 24-year-old has found himself a set of team-mates more in tune with his thinking.
In two league matches he has set up two goals. On his debut against Saturn a seventh minute pass behind the defence sent Brazilian Welliton racing in on goal to put Spartak one up.
Yesterday, away to Spartak Nalchik it was a more familiar turn that sealed the points for the visitors.
A quick turn of pace to create a yard on the right wing was followed by a low cross into the penalty area for Ari da Silva to head across the goalkeeper into the net.
Although it’s only You Tube clips McGeady looks to have settled in quickly with his new team mates and to be enjoying the new challenge.
The attendances in the Russian league are nothing to write home about with under 30,000 watching McGeady’s two appearances so far but it seems fairly obvious that he’s not homesick for the prospect of four or five games with Inverness Caley Thistle or Kilmarnock and wondering how Ross Tokely or Frazer Wright have changed their game.
Winning the title looks to be beyond Spartak but a top three finish would bring about a place in next season’s Champions League qualifiers whilst last week’s 1-0 win away to Marseilles was the perfect start to the current Champions League campaign.
There are just over two months to go in the Russian league season with the Champions League programme stretching into December.
McGeady looks in the mood to maximise what’s left of the season and after avoiding the depths of the Russian winter should be raring to go again next season amongst a team that appreciates what he has to offer- including end products.
Celtic’s Academy bhoys on form for Scotland.
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What happens when them pesky Russians double up on him ? Red Square full of spat out dummies ? Aiden would run riot with any full back for fun but he can’t shoot and his final ball is atrocious !!! Good luck to him though .
Well well Aiden McGeady in front of goal, its a subject close to my heart.
As a coach we teach kids to look at the ball when shooting at goal, Aiden never did it once in his career, its partly his fault and partly the coaching. I mean Ian Rush was brought in as a forwards coach for Liverpool, why?
Aiden’s a great player but if you cant master a decent shot at goal then you never gonna be a legend its that simple…pity Paddy McCourt is the complete opposite
Fair enough you’re a coach but Ian Rush is a proven player and is able to be a good coach.
If your posting here saying your a coach, you are a failed player. I am not having a pop at you directly but coaching can only tech you half of what you need. McGeady as a youngster had the ball at his feet every minute of the day at school, not that I went to school with him but a friend did.
You can only improve by playing at a level above you, other wise you get away with your mistakes because your that much better than the opposition.
Here is the problem Celtic’s youth face in that they are that much better than the opposition, without better opposition they plataeu instead of improve.
His end product is poor. The stats may look good, but not when you take them in context. Not when you take into consideration the amount of opportunities he gave himself to deliver a ball. More often than not he’d send a very poor ball slowly rolling into the box and they were easily cleared up by the opposition defenders or goalkeeper.
Blaming the strikers for that isn’t fair. Sure, they could have done better with the ball at times, but they certainly aren’t to blame for McGeady’s weak crosses and weaker shots.
I do wish him well in Russia and hope his game improves while there, it was a good move for him as I think he would have disappeared in England. Wingers like him and better are a dime a dozen down there.