Negatives out of the way first: we’re not good enough, this is a low achievement by a Celtic team who have reached a group stage. There’s no disputing that, but amid the predictable ‘Throw them all overboard’ reaction, I know I’m not the only one who is not panicking right now.
When I heard we were playing three wingers (Forrest, Mackay-Steven, McGregor) I anticipated a thrashing. Gordon Strachan would often drop all his craft players for the more industrial types in European football, with good reason.
As it turned out, we had the majority of the chances, and all the better ones, as we spent most of the second half pushing for a winner.
No arguments with Leigh Griffiths assessment immediately after the game, that was his worst performance in a Celtic shirt. Nor is there dispute in Ronny Deila’s retort that he’s scored plenty for us before and will continue to do so. Even the greats have days like that, including the Swede.
The midfield formation was fluid throughout the game. Tom Rogic initially played as a defensive mid, before moving in front of Stuart Armstrong (who moved everywhere) and Callum McGregor. The defensive mid role Rogic played isn’t one carried out by either Nir Bitton or Scott Brown. We’ve not had anyone in this role since the departure of Victor Wanyama (still pining) and it remains a large gap in the offering.
Lesson: we need a defensive mid. The deep lying playmaker + box-to-box player isn’t robust enough in Europe.
Callum McGregor carried possibly the lowest expectations of everyone in a Celtic shirt but he put in an excellent shift. His goal was outstanding, losing possession immediately before Ajax equalised took the shine off things a bit, but it was still a strong performance.
Do you know the last time McGregor started a game? October 2014. Under those circumstances that was a remarkable performance.
General consensus is that the defence played well. Kieran Tierney is as good a left back as we’ve had in years. Had he not gone off with an injury the result might have been different.
Jozo Simunovic is clearly out best central defender. I know I’m not setting the bar too high with that statement, but he’s a move in the right direction. He’s also young, still working on his fitness, and will continue to progress.
A week ago Celtic Underground’s Harry Brady suggested Dedryck Boyata plays better alongside Simunovic than without him. Dedryck still has a long way to go but the evidence suggests partnered with a game-reader like Jozo has helped him. Let’s see where he is at the end of the season.
And Craig Gordon? He could have stopped both Ajax goals. That’s not to say he was to blame for either, he wasn’t, but these were the kind of stops he was making in last season’s Europa League.
Ronny is 18 months into the job and has contributed to the situation we find ourselves in (tactical mistakes in both Molde games), but this is not the time to lurch off plan. We’re not good enough largely because we’ve recruited too few players since 2012 who have improved the team.
We need to continue to develop players like Tierney and we need to recruit better. Get this right in January, and again in the summer, and we will be vastly better. The alternative is likely to be to pick up a best from the SPFL pool, or someone from the English circuit who cannot get a better paid gig. And then it would take until November 2017 before we could assess them properly.
Return of the Bampots
Tonight, for one night onlyt, Phil Mac Giolla Bháin, John Fallon and myself are in the Hibs Club, Carfin, for a Q&A in aid of Mary’s Meals, with Phil Agnew hosting. The event starts at 7:30, £5 entry, can pay at the door.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
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It is a bad day when Celtic fans cant sit and have a pint, without being subjected to violence and bigotry.
You can imagine what will happen next season.
Its beyond a joke.
That a Celtic board have nothing to say…deserves contempt.
They are a disgrace to the support.
HH
Hamiltontim
This may be of interest to you Kevin McKenna in The Guardian.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/28/celtic-fc-living-wage
Paul,
How about getting DD on for a Q & A session.
Given the difficulties he has getting to Glasgow, he could do it online.
Just saying.
JFH
Yep I’ll take care of myself but I do think you’re missing my point.
Anyways sir enjoy your evening.
Owen,
There you are right there,
“The hun like arrogance of expecting to win every game? No that is not me or how I support Celtic.”
Anyone who expects to win every game is a hun, nough said.
JFH,
The discussion hadn’t moved on, that was you trying to move it on, I simply identified that I thought claiming to be the best supporters in whe world was a bit of a claim, we should treat some anonymous people better than others, the hypocrisy being the biggest issue I have with it. HHS
HT, keep up the good work, the CT has done a great deal of good for Celtic fans, including helping those erroneously arrested in Amsterdam a couple of years back. I spoke to JF at the time, the interview was published in the CQN magazine.
Helping Celtic supporters was all she was interested in.
Oh, and to make sure I had a copy of Karl Marx’s Communiest Manifesto.
Also looking forward to tomorrow’s game, given it goes ahead, it will do the team good to get on the park and playing. They will have been disappointed on Thursday too.
Gordon64
No honestly why have Celtic not commented on something that happen to some other business.
I really want to hear why Celtic need to speak up about the failure of Police Scotland to protect a tax paying business when the owners of that business and the wider business community in Glasgow do not feel the need to.
Gordon64, well said mate.
HT well said. The ridiculous use of the term ‘storm trooper’ was used indiscriminately by a certain poster and imo was incredibly offensive. Yet no one on the blog chose to challenge it. I’m with you amigo. HH
HAMILTONTIM. I may well be missing your point, but I take you as the type of fella who when he has something to say would say it to my face and not wait until I was offline before you had a go. You enjoy your evening as well. H.H.
SOUKOUS, 8:45 PM
Excellent read, thanks
Owen
It did not happen to some other business it happened to their fans 4 who were hospitalised. If you think that is nothing to do with the club fair enough.
Doc
Disappointment , eh ?
Is The Sports Psychologist Jim McGuiness still on board ? Reason I’m asking you’ll have noticed how Leigh Griffith’s allowed his disappointment at one or two early emmm disappointments, lead to continued err disappointments !
The wee man has to stop beating himself up and lean to subdue his frustration.
We could all see he was beating himself up on Thursday. it continued post match too.
It could and should be schooled out of him.
Again, the board were quick enough to condemn Celtic supporter s for being assaulted outside the stadium when in Amsterdam a couple of years ago, “outside the stadium”
Policy change maybe.
Canamalar
Ah come on using an example from my most recent post to cover an accusation about previous posts! Very shoddy work.
As for my use of “hun like arrogance ” I believe if you read my post correctly it is used to describe myself I.e. I do not have a hun like arrogance to expect… But you continue to interpret to your hearts content.
JFH
I am not moaning.
If I want to post about TD67 I will, be he on the blog or not, I don’t give a flying feck what he thinks about it or anyone else for that matter.
As he keeps telling everyone, it’s a blog FFS.
He is a troll, his ambition is to disrupt the blog, that is obvious to a blind man, and if you want to defend him, carry on, I care not.
I asked you who in scottish football has lost money since the huns have been found to have cheated, you quoted ones who had when the huns were cheating, clubs are now making money without the hun.
HH
CANALAMAR. The subject had moved on it was earlier on in the day and at that time I gave my opinion now it is your choice to agree or disagree with my view.However,to keep bringing the subject up when it has been answered it is in my opinion a waste of time . I did not say Celtic fans are the best fans in the World I merely mentioned something that is often said and linked it in with fairness to posters who are offline at the moment.I think those who are attacking the poster should wait until he is online and tell him to his face thus giving him a chance to defend himself. H.H.
BCW, hence my statement, it will do them good to get back onto the pitch.
The best therapy.
Any psychologist can only give you the advice and information, they can’t make you believe it.
I actually thought Jom McGuinness was brought in to work with the youths?
I agree Leigh should stop beating himself up, he has, on occasion carried the team recently, one poor game, does not make him a poor player, nor does it make his season less successful.
For Goodness sake theres more b*tchin’ going on here tonight than there is in the Studio’s of Geordie Shore.
Canamalar
As I said earlier I would consider myself a happy clapper and back the board in most issues. But when fans can get attacked and end up with serious injuries and they say nothing that’s a step to far for me .
Celtic Football Club is increasingly being run like a business. So it follows that fans are beginning the painful transition towards acting like customers. Things change. Forever. And not always for the better. Time for individuals to either embrace it or go out and do something less boring instead.
Ain’t the blog just the business now…
It’s kind of served a better purpose than even I’d imagined, met some great guys who I now call friends.
Could you say the same now if you were just joining this blog, would you fancy meeting up for a beer with some….
I’ve not been on much recently but every time I do it’s not long before I’m off again.
Ayrshire is Green and White
Aiden Bhoy
These people were attacked away from the environs of Celtic Park, the onus of care was and remains on Police Scotland.
If I trip and fall over an open manhole cover tonight on my way home, is it Celtic’s responsibility to complain on behalf of their shareholder or mine?
HT
Good stuff!
Owen
On the topic of open manholes…….
Owen
Fair enough we’re never going to agree you have your opinion I have mine. We’ll agree to disagree .
Owen,
I know loads of kids with that hun like arrogance, the Kano foundation is full of them.
Kids that expect the Celtic to win against whoever they play.
Ah come on, it was that attitude I interpreted and called out.
Anyone who doesn’t follow your example of how to support the team blah blah blah blah.
All I’m saying is if the board are telling us the gate price should be the same as some of the best European clubs then they should expect people to demand better standards than they are providing, and supporters who are happy to be treated the way the board are currently actually have a bit to answer for cause it’s their fault the board think they can treat everyone like that.
Owen
That depends on if and what you were singing at the time………….and if you are on route to the game.
THE EXILED TIM I did not realise you put a time frame on your question and if you did well I can only quote English clubs but dont know why your question excludes the time the huns were cheating. I am not talking about any one poster ( it is you who brought up a name ) I was referring to any poster on the blog as they deserve the right of reply and not to be slagged when they are off line.We are after all Celtic supporters. H.H. PS Maybe I am a little old fashioned but good manners still maketh the man in my book.
Margaret Magill
I have zero interest in your opinion.
That will always be my position when dealing with foul mouthed cretins.
Celtic fans violently attacked and injured….and some want to nit-pick.
Get fecking real.
HH
If Ronny is to survive he needs his own men around him. John Collins and John Kennedy were imposed on him. Regardless of John Kennedys past as a defensive coach it hasn’t worked out. John Collins IMHO is more about himself than the club
Grow some balls Ronny
Just think, if Stefan Johansen hadn’t missed that great chance to put us 3-0 up at CP against Malmo, we might have had a whole lot different blog since then.
Then again…………….
Big Cup Winners
Now that would be an ecumenical matter :-))
Or more properly a Scottish parliament matter.
Enjoyed reading the posts after Thursday night. Good to see Calum playing well in in midfield and scoring a cracker. I watched his progress on loan at Notts County where he excelled in midfield, not put wide. Scott Allan looks the part. Under normal circumstances, losing control 80 yards from his own goal would not have led to a goal.. Coupon down today. Had York to lose, but nothing else. Poor Jacky’s team have conceded 11 goals in 2 games. Lenny boy has a must win game on Monday. Shuggy Jr gutted, waiting on Everton for £180. Scored to go ahead in 95 minutes, only to concede in 98 minutes. How bad is that ? Will check here tomorrow am to find out if game goes ahead. Next season is 16/17, 50 years after Lisbon……so have to get our act together in Europe, because we should to be a third or fourth rate European team . H H.
If Celtic don’t voice concerns when our own fans are attacked I’m afraid many who criticise them for being just another PLC are correct.
A Club would never leave any of its own members/supporters to have to endure that level of violence, without, at the very least, voicing concern.
SFTB from earlier
I’ve just logged on again and saw your post from earlier. I think we’ll have to agree to disagree,
I see a clear narrative on here from some posters downplaying our European results on the grounds that Celtic operate in a footballing backwater and are disadvantaged due to the financial power of other league
yet the board’s performance is defended by the same posters on the grounds that we aren’t bankrupt and are winning the “backwater” league against much poorly resourced rivals.
It’s inconsistent to me but hey we all see things differently.
Canamalar
Let me remind you that you have backed up none of your accusations about me yet.
I have never questioned anyone else’s credentials as a Celtic supporter but you seem to think it acceptable to throw the opinions of mythical kids at me?
Grow up man. If you cannot win an argument then stop fighting.