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A few nits to pick but lots went right for Celtic

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Lots went right last night, with only a few nits to pick.

Compare and contrast the key area of the field – central mid – with the game away in Malmo. With Bitton and Brown in their usual roles, Stefan Johansen dropped off his common (or Commons, if you like) position behind the striker to give us a central midfield three. As a result, everything clicked. Ajax were unable to pass through us, while central defence looked protected.

Again, Bitton was our main man. Always looking for a pass, always comfortable in possession, no matter how many opponents were in close proximity.  He even managed a Paul McStay-esque (that’s where you recognised it from) pass 40 yards ahead of Johansen in the second half. Brown and Johansen ran like clockwork alongside him and we looked like a team!

You’ll also have recognised the corner which led to Mikael Lustig’s goal. It was a carbon copy of Kris Commons’ effort, minutes from the end of the Qarabag game, and minutes after he came on as a substitute, which brought the only goal of that tie. It was drilled directly with the top of the foot, a very unusual and difficult delivery but one which, if executed well, is very dangerous.  Commons also got an assist for the first goal, an even more impressive piece of footwork before placing an inch-perfect pass between two Ajax defenders. Bitton’s controlled shot was sublime (I’ll avoid calling it Wakaso-esque, no need to jinx the lad).

I thought both full backs played well, until Izaguirre’s second yellow, of course. Izzie and Lustig were both booked for throwing themselves into challenges. It wasn’t a game for holding back to see what will happen next, so I’ve sympathy for the initial yellows, but Izzie had a game-intelligence bypass. His second yellow came a minute after another robust foul. The red was inevitable. It probably cost us the win.  The player is fighting for his place, and next contract, right now.  The pain on his face as he left the field was real, but he needs this pressure.  The lack of competition hasn’t been good for him in recent years.  Don’t write him off yet.

One frustration I had was that we didn’t get James Forrest on the ball often enough. James has the weapon of pace in his boots but we didn’t once manage to exploit it. Perhaps as a consequence Leigh Griffiths had a frustrating night with little to feast on. I’d have changed James role or replaced him earlier.

And what about Efe? Why he decided to take a man on, 20 yards from his own goal, a moment after coming on, only Efe will know, but thereafter he was the most influential player in securing the point. When Janko came on Efe pulled tight into a role as a defacto central defender.  He took responsibility and helped what was by then a relatively inexperienced defence.

When my youngest heard that Jozo Simunovic was making his debut there was a sharp intake of breath. “But what if he makes a mistake? All we’ll know about him is he’s made a mistake in a huge game.” Jozo looked the part, covered ground efficiently. It was a good start.

So what went wrong? Lustig went to ground on the wing, didn’t get the ball and left 20 yards of space open behind him. This drew Celtic defenders out of position to cover, which Ajax exploited excellently to score their first goal. They opened us up once more like this shortly thereafter, but that apart, they didn’t lay a glove on us until we were down to 10 men.

I’m pretty angry at the second Ajax goal. It was another cross into the six yard box we failed to attack. Dedryck Boyata ran between the two Ajax attackers in attendance, but seemed to be distracted by their runs. No one attacked the ball.  Get your starting position right and attack the ball – that’s the rule on set-pieces. We’re not following it.

And for the record, Craig Gordon was faultless for this one. A keeper has to stay on his line when a cross flies over attackers and defenders alike.  Whatever lies behind our recent frailties at defending cross balls, I suspect it’s not gone away.

The margins between success and failure in this group are shaping up to be thin. Ajax could have snatched three points at the end, we would have won the game if Izzie had stayed on the field. I’m not sure how I feel about Molde winning in Istanbul. A group with two difficult competitors now looks like a group with no easy games.  The group’s top seeds and the early favourites are both licking wounds this morning.

So let’s win it.

One big benefit from last night is that we can look forward to Sunday’s important game with a bit of enthusiasm.  The good people at Magners have again offered us two Premium Seats in the Jock Stein Stand for Sunday.  To win them, all you need to do is answer the following question:

Who do Celtic play on Sunday?

Email me, with your answer in the subject field, at celticquicknews@gmail.com

The competition closes at 2pm today, so there’s not much time and likely to be little competition.  And while you’re at it, how about donating a £1 to our Mary’s Meals, Malawi school kitchen appeal?  It takes moments to get involved here.

Thank you.

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  1. gordybhoy64 on

    AoW,

     

    Excuse me for butting in,

     

    been in the Three Craws a few times lately,

     

    always found the food to be very good,

     

    and very good service too

  2. hashadenough on

    Leftie twice we’ve spoken today

     

    People will start talking. Thanks you and f2f. We man just turned 7 and not interested in fitba but that..may change

     

     

    Wits. Horse noted. Thanks

  4. Art of War on

    Gerry, Andy was there mate cos am dead important an that. :-)

     

     

    Working on my skiving and kidology these days. I learned fae BT!

     

     

    You need to intro me to Dallas. You met the GB bhoy yet?

  7. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Hashadenough

     

     

    Aye, just started in June, although back in 1988 when Maurice J******* signed for the BoS sponsored mob I started working in the original Housing Benefit, it was then called the TPU, the Transitional Payment Unit so I have taken 27yra to get to the same place…. I actually take pride in that achievement.

  8. marspapa on

    Evening Cqnrs

     

     

    Just on to say thanks to BT,TBM and Paolosboots for their company on Thursday , bloody good laugh

     

    at my expense may I add :)

     

     

    Also to Andyr53 for Friday nights 5’s , eased me in to new company and also a credit to the Cqn family.

     

     

    And last but not least Paddybhoy 1888 for today’s lesson at golf , exibisionist stuff at times a joy as always in this guys company

     

     

    Glad to post again as some of the shit and squabbling on here at times defies logic , IMO .

     

    Anyhoo 4-0 tomorrow for me , and if its 1-0 I’ll take that as we need to stop losing stupid goals , for me we’re all good guys on here ….just different opinions. :))

     

     

    TCR , hope you and your family are coping with the circumstances you unfortunately found yourselves in , speedy recovery .

     

     

    Goodnight all …PS Roy Croppie if your looking in a wee request

     

    ,( the Interrupters )” Babylon / jenny drinks

  13. Lennybhoy on

    MARSPAPA on 19TH SEPTEMBER 2015 10:57 PM

     

    Spooky, I was just thinking of you today as I had heard from you for ages. I hope you, V–, The Shadow et al are doing well.

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

    Hail Hail!

  16. leftclicktic on

    Marspapa

     

     

    without speaking to any the others, i could bet each and every one of those bhoys were delighted to have been in your company, as i always am,as DD says miss you my friend,cyber hugs to yer clan.

  18. hashadenough on

    Gerry

     

     

    We must have crossed paths. I was based in Argyll house in the corridor of power ie e floor allegedly running the show

  19. Gerryfaethebrig on

    AoW

     

     

    I just took it you knew Dallas, I was in training a few weeks ago and as I was walking out I held the door open and he said are you Geryfaethebrig, we were in the same section of the building, he knew I was in the training team and my name was on the desk so he didn’t have too much work to do, definitely one of the good guys, I came home and told my good lady that Dallas had introduced himself and she said what’s his name, I was too busy talking about Cqn I forgot to ask him at that point, it didn’t help my good lady’s perception of Cqn she still thinks it’s strangers talking to strangers, it’s far from it ! If it wasn’t for Cqn I wouldn’t have met some many right good Celtic people !

  20. TheLurkinTim on

    Coupla things…..Has any1 posited the notion that the Orduregate person may have a medical condition, that they may find personal & embarrassing, that results in excess BO – that no matter what they do it’s always there – and that the actions of the SLO have publicly demeaned them?

     

     

    Unreserved apologies to Neg2 ( Iknow…;-)) ) for my attempt at petty point scoring last week & calling u a hun…..most on here would agree, to a greater or lesser extent, that the board could do better…..but to continually go on about it just grates sometimes…..;-))

     

     

    H.H.

  22. Delaneys Dunky on

    Leftclick

     

     

    Allbhoy and I miss you too. Hope we cross paths tomorrow.

     

    Stop my favourite non Celtic Scottish player Greg Stewart and we win the match.

     

    Hail Hail

  23. Delaneys Dunky on

    GFTB

     

     

    Did Lennybhoy not tell you Dallas name. I told him by text so you could link to my pal fae my youth years. Great Tims post here. :)

  24. the_huddle on

    TheLurkinTim on 19th September 2015 11:14 pm

     

     

    Coupla things…..Has any1 posited the notion that the Orduregate person may have a medical condition, that they may find personal & embarrassing, that results in excess BO – that no matter what they do it’s always there – and that the actions of the SLO have publicly demeaned them?

     

    ————

     

    It was posted previously that Celtic have tried dealing with it discreetly for some time now and the letter was a last resort. It’s possible that the person can’t help the smell but it also leaves Celtic in a no win situation as had been proven by the reaction of the posts on here. Damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Who’d work for Celtic heh?? Well all of us of course but I’d hate to have to deal with our fans :O)

  25. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Hashadenough…

     

     

    Back in the day it was Centenary House I worked in Morrison Street, quite apt it was 1988 and Centeneray House, until this post I hadn’t realised that !

  26. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Delaneys Dunky….

     

     

    I have been speaking to Dallas the last couple of weeks he told me he knew you from way back, I had chinned Lennybhoy to ask him Dallas’s name, couldn’t believe it when the text came back that Lennybhoy hadn’t met Dallas, I thought Lennybhoy vetted every Cqner !

     

     

    All kidding aside Dallas has told me you were one of the good guys but I sort of had worked that out for myself

  29. andyR53 on

    marspapa on 19th September 2015 10:57 pm – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/a-few-nits-to-pick-but-lots-went-right-for-celtic/comment-page-26/#comme

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    marspapa on 19th September 2015 10:57 pm

     

    Pleasure to meet you mhate.. Youre a gentleman and a Celtic supporter, and along with millions others across the World, were members of the Celtic Family, and that makes me so proud.

     

    So You Take Care, cos yer a very decent footy player, an despite what Hamiltontim says, you only went through from the back once !!

     

    See you Friday mhate.. cheers an H H

  30. Delaneys Dunky on

    GFTB

     

     

    As a teenager Dallas was the spit of Tommy Burns. In his Green blazer that he wore to his school up the toon. :))

  32. TheLurkinTim on

    The_Huddle

     

     

    If the action was a last resort scenario…..mibbe they coulda left a can of deodorant on the seat. ;-))

     

     

    H.H.

  33. Tontine Tim on

    After Eintracht Frankfurt demolished the deid team 12-4 on agg they themselves were gubbed 7-3 by royal Madrid at humpden in the final. Sevcoites don’t like tae talk about that.

     

     

    Incidentally ex-hun and hibbee and now beeb correspondent paterson’s da was centre half in that defence that shipped 12 goals.

  35. the_huddle on

    TheLurkinTim on 19th September 2015 11:37 pm

     

     

    If the action was a last resort scenario…..mibbe they coulda left a can of deodorant on the seat. ;-))

     

    ——-

     

    Maybe they did :O) plus offered free pre match showers meet the players. Not much they can do if they are turning that down ;o)

  36. Gerryfaethebrig on

    DD

     

     

    Tommy Burns was one of my favourites (Maestro, Neil Francis and TB) are my 3 favourites of all time, for both football reasons and Celticness reasons, but what makes Tommy stand out the most, my mother, who rarely had a good word to say about us loved Tommy…..so Dallas is in good company

     

     

    By the way my mother never had a good word to say about Celtic for one reason, her words were “Celtic don’t put food on our tableI think that’s where my love for Celtic even in defeat comes from as I know for a fact she loved the hoops but her priorities far outweighed any game of football

  37. marspapa on

    DD , leftclictic and lennybhoy glad sumdae wiz thinking of me :)

     

     

    Andyr53 haha ‘HT’ he widnae no if sumdae came thru the back of him, was awe that paddin he’s packing lol!!

     

     

    HT, the minx’s life must be so much easier , awe that spare time no huvin tae massage they injuries ye get fae me , mibbe she could iron yir fitbaw stuff for ye ….has she used the best birthday present ever haha !!

     

    Hopefully see you this week mucker x

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