If Craig Gordon had the fortitude of his more vocal critics he would have crawled into a shell and you would be reading about a plucky Celtic defeat this morning. Fortunately for Celtic, Craig is grounded in solid earth.
He’s overcome greater challenges than his recent loss of form. Great to have you back, Craig.
Credit is due right across the back line, as well as to the goalkeeper, despite the loss of three goals. City have some of the finest attacking players currently plying their trade in Europe. A victory last night would have rewritten record books for English football clubs, but time and again Erik Sviatchenko and Kolo Toure timed runs, blocks and tackles perfectly.
I’m having trouble figuring out how Mikael Lustig can still put that kind of performance in. His fitness levels seemed to be inextricably heading south last season, but he’s back as good as ever. Kieran Tierney is that rare property, a left back with pace and endurance, who can defend and cross. He’ll continue to improve.
Tom Rogic was totally in control of what was an incredibly difficult area of the field to play football. Our performance levels followed the fuel in his tank. When he faded, we faded.
Brown and Bitton did very well too. Scott forced his influence onto the game in the first minute, which set the tempo.
I know Nir Bitton looks like he lacks urgency. In his own penalty area. With City players bearing down on him. On nights like this the easiest thing in the world is to play it long when under pressure. The hardest thing to do is to hold the ball, draw pressure but try to create space for others. It’s what the very top midfield players at the very top clubs do. You’ll remember seeing the same from Nir in the second half.
Hands up if you thought James Forrest had this level of performance in him? His timed run from deep at the opening goal was straight from the training ground, but executed perfectly. We didn’t get him into the game often enough, but his work off the ball created space for Dembele.
Scott Sinclair was another who put in a brave performance; brave in the sense that he held the ball often under intense pressure. He looks like he’s enjoying life in Glasgow.
And what of Moussa? I doubt any of us knew the calibre of player we recruited. It was a gamble for the club and for the player, but it’s paid off for both, and how. His first goal was fortuitous – no bad thing in a striker. His second belied his age. It was utterly gallus. No other word for it.
Well done Brendan. I thought you got it wrong in Barcelona but you went toe-to-toe against the top manager in the world, who travelled home with plenty to think about.
What a great phenomenon this whole Champions League business is. Even Newco earned around £500 from selling stadium tours to visiting fans. Happy to help, guys. High-fives all-round the city.
Thanks for the fantastic support for the Foundation ahead of the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon on Sunday. I’m now carb-loading for the first time in my life. It’s as much fun as it sounds. Any more help greatly appreciated.
623 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 17
- »
Pojuum
Top10?
Didn’t read the article first. Does that make me a bad person?
When Dembele chased the Man City player in left back territory, and slide tackled him with about 8 minutes to go, summed up the team effort, the standing ovation he got was emotional….
So……Newco earned about £500 from yesterday’s game?
Hah! surely that’s only about half of what we earned from it?
At least it will help them pay for Clint Hill’s incontinence pads.
A few pundits on Twitter saying we should enjoy the year we have with Moussa as he won’t be here long. I’m not so sure about that. Regardless, I hope any potential suitors have some very deep pockets. If he does go it will only be for a record transfer fee (for Celtic). Same goes for KT – left back is a problem position for many clubs plus KT won’t be in any rush to leave anyway.
There is something special about this team. Let’s try to keep them together for as long as possible.
TONYDONNELLY67 on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:33 AM
Outstanding display of total football from both teams last night, thoroughly enjoyed my evening and a few pints after with my friends, every Celtic fan to a man, every Celtic player to a man done they’re bit, no negatives ( although the usual suspects still nit picking) from last nights display, another learning experience that will only better this Celtic team, to the SMSM and the English, how daft do you all look now (and we know you come in here ) to disrespect your opponents and Scotlands champions was your downfall, the romans built a wall ages and ages ago they got it, you don’t come up here swinging your d..ks and think your going to walk all over us, many have tried and like you failed, your pompous arrogance fallows you around like a bad smell, the city fans at last nights game where dull and to be very honest need lessons on away support excitement, no doubt they will get a right dose of that and how it’s done when Celtic play they’re away game in Manchester, and win, lose, or draw, we will leave your city the way we found it, please accept my apologies for the last team from Glasgow that visited you City and trashed the place, and I hope you enjoyed your Celtic Park experience (it’s not parkhead that’s a media thing)
Lurking Huns BBC Scotland, radio Clyde, STV, Sky , and the SMSM GIRFUYs
An important and slightly overlooked point about last night:
No yellow or red cards, and neither physio entered the field of play during the match. That’s incredible and is a sign of the spirit the game was played in.
It was as close to the perfect match as any neutral will get.
Bada Bing
That tackle by Dembele towards the end was one of the many WOW moments
Great attitude by the young man
Now if only he scored that penalty in Barcelona
Why myself and Almore could be sipping cappuccinos in the brand new Peoples Green and White Café at Celtic Park and saying what a great penalty taker he is
TIM TANIUM on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 10:07 AM
Your comment made me google a few of our previous project players. I see that Amido Balde had a spell in the Angolan League with Benfica Luanda but is now back in Portugal with Maritimo.
When I had a look at his profile on the translated Maritimo page it gives a strange translation for his name.
Amido Balde = Starch Bucket.
Quite apt!
HH EnnisBhoy
EnnisBhoy on 29th September 2016 11:49 am
Amido Balde = Starch Bucket.
———————————————————
It’s pronounced Bouquet…
Good article Paul. Glad I’m not ploughing a lone furrow in recognising what Nir Bitton can bring to the team. The composure he has at times is seen by many as lethargy. His involvement in the 2nd and 3rd goals was crucial. Great skill and passing for both to unlock the defence.
You are bang on about Dembele. Looks like a prodigious talent and will go in a few season time (I hope and think he will stay for at least 2) for very big money if he continues to develop as he has in the last few months!
FAC the Act
KTF
I see the tribute act made 500 brick. Nice.
Was that a net amount or a pre tax figure?
Bravery in possession is one of Brendans catch phrases and like all these things when you try it and it works it just breeds more confidence, the players are starting to realise just how good they could be.
Its a rare talent in a manager
DAVIDOPOULOS on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:53 AM
‘Mind the pedestrians Derek!’
Great night all round, couldn’t have asked for more! Two teams trying to play proper football in a great spirit. No bookings or unsavoury moments. Some great performances on our side, also thought Sterling and Fernandinho were outstanding. Loved Pep at FT, came on to the pitch and shook every Celtic players hand then dragged his own team over to applaud the City fans. Also watched the match when I got home, respect to BT, they are different class.
The task now is to build a team that can perform half as well away from home in Europe.
How you do that without losing the better players (and possibly the manager) along the way is the issue.
Still, it’s a nice problem to have.
I posted on the Celtic city thread about DemBhoy has been placed in the short list for Europes ” Golden Bhoy/ Boy” for under21 players,by Italian paper TuttoSport !
No sign of Sevco’s Dodo and or MacKay ?
HH
ENNISBHOY
:D
Hi Paul67,
Yes, Craig Gordon showed his mettle and then some. Brilliant performance.
Of course you are right the defence and whole team deserve credit… a stupendous evening of playing Football the Glasgow Celtic way.
We are a great Football side… well done to the Man City players too, often folk on their wages are labled Prima Donnas… they were a skilfull, talented side who when the realised they were in a game dug deep and showed hard work and professionalism.
A great, great MATCH!
Hail Hail
DAVIDOPOULOS on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:42 AM
The referee had a good game, though the players made it easy for him.
That t was brilliant, what a night at Celtic Park, and what a gutsy performance from our team.
On the train on the way to visit my wee maw and the smile cant be wiped from my face.
Chuffed and happy Celtic man……HH
I mean this to be a positive post, but after wat Hong the fantastic play of City’s Raheem Sterling last night I have to say that surely Paddy Roberts would probably struggle to get a game back at City given the improvement under Pep in Sterlings game ?
Perhaps Celtic and Paddy ay look at this situation and if Paddy agrees of course, have serious talks with City about keeping Paddy for longer or permanent ?
Just a thought ?
Wat Hong ? = Watching
I think we should get completely carried away by last night’s performance and result.
At the same time I think we should have the self-awareness to remember we could easily get horsed in Manchester and that we’re going to need that kind of performance again to beat BM at home.
I said on the previous thread the importance of the point we gained last night cannot be overestimated. If we match BM for results it could be the difference between 3rd and 4th place.
Listening to Pep’s after-match presser. Some Germanic sounding reporter asked how Man City coped with the tight pitch. I always thought Celtic park was an expansive surface!
HH
Take 6 points off BMG and beat Man C in Manchester and it’s the last 16 bhoys n ghirls.
Always living in hope and after last night some sprinkles of possibility dust.
MWD
Tictaewin@11.55
Their pre tax and post tax figures are one and the same.
Well done to Craig Gordon on last nights performance but just one cog in what was a very effective machine.
ClicheCsc
weeminger on 29th September 2016 12:07 pm
A home win and at least a draw away against Borussia is what I expect.
It would leave us 4 points ahead of them meaning they would need to win home against Man City and away to Barcelona. 2 massive games is what we need to produce.
FAC the Act
KTF
I think we are pretty well unanimous that every man in a Celtic jersey gave the best of everything he had to the cause.
Therefore, it may be unfair to single out one player.
However, I think Scott Brown gave a performance of leadership that I have scarcely, if ever, witnessed before, in driving the team on and fire fighting any dangerous incursions towards our goal.
He was immense.
I have been wondering if Tom Rogic’s lack of stamina can be linked to his late introduction to soccer.
I believe that he was 18 or 19 before he began playing the full sized game, thereby missing those early years where core strength is formed. Can that be overcome?
Just a thought.
thomthethim for Oscar OK
I have been wondering if Tom Rogic’s lack of stamina can be linked to his late introduction to soccer.
I believe that he was 18 or 19 before he began playing the full sized game, thereby missing those early years where core strength is formed. Can that be overcome?
Just a thought.
—————————————————————
Good point – I thought about this last night. Did Tom not spend most of his mid teens playing in a Futsal team? Futsal only has 2 halves of 20 mins per game on a much smaller pitch. You could well be right in your analysis.
Brendan on KT” evening times today”….” He is in a good p!ace, every pass is for Celtic, every header is for Celtic, he loves Celtic”.
Magic,I don’t remember in all my years reading a Celtic manager speak about a young Celtic p!ayer quite in that manner. Can we not give KT a 20 year contract ?
Paul,
Yesterday you asked what we wanted from the game. I posted this:
“Hope we give a good account of ourselves, Paul. Show people we belong in this comp.”
—–
Do you reckon that went okay? :-)
ROWLEY BIRKIN QC on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:12 PM
Listening to Pep’s after-match presser. Some Germanic sounding reporter asked how Man City coped with the tight pitch. I always thought Celtic park was an expansive surface!
It is. Maybe our terrific pressing just made it seem like there wasn’t much room for ManC to play their usual game!
BIG JIMMY on 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 12:23 PM
20 yr contract? You’re Jim McLean aren’t you.
Thought Craig Gordon improved in confidence as the game went on.
What was interesting though is how Celtic stopped the City keeper from distributing the ball by being in his face the whole time, so maybe the blooter it up the field anywhere approached preferred by Gordon will come back into favour.
The Citizens think it will be hard for Paddy to get into their team. There is a lot of competition for him there – they have even signed Jesus, who is arriving in January.
Why is that goal not credited to Kieran? Wasn’t one of Leigh’s goals this season not a deflection?