Trending
Celtic News Now
Celtic Quick News on News Now
Celtic Quick News
You are at:»»A few nits to pick but lots went right for Celtic

A few nits to pick but lots went right for Celtic

1491
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.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

1,491 Comments
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12
  12. ...
  13. 40

  2. Billy Bhoy on

    Cheers guys, ill give it a go.

     

    Nae prods here Geordie LOL

     

    Fecken kindle has defaulted to French anaw! This is more stressful than last night.

  7. San Diego Bhoy on

    Back to being a happy clapper after the dig shown by the players last night. It wasn’t goals conceded, or even games lost recently that was my gripe, it was the manner in which we were losing them that had my back up. We just seemed soft and a few of the players had seemed to lose their competitive edge. That seems sorted, bring on Dundee.

     

     

    Anyone who thinks we are not going to ship goals for a few games after the heart of the defence was torn to shreds is fooling themselves. I predict at least another 3-4 games of anxious moments, before we start really showing the expected solidity. Last night showed the green shoots are poking up in that department.

     

     

    I would never critisise a player for showing the heart and determination that Izzy did last night. More of that from a few others please.

     

     

    HebCelt- don’t be a daft Teuchter, as in the Billy Connolly version :-) and get yourself back on the blog. Are you going to let the hunterlopers, the trolls, the plants, the wallopers, the roasters etc etc take over the blog???

  8. NatKnow on

    SYD NEGAKEV on 18TH SEPTEMBER 2015 5:29 PM

     

     

    Not only is every team we play rubbidge but every referee is useless and every commentary team is biased and our players aren’t Celtic quality and our manager is hopeless and our fans are smelly. I just give up. :-)

     

    —————————————————————

     

    You forgot to mention the nits… ;-)

  9. Geordie Munro on

    Today it’s nits.

     

     

    A year to the day it was nats.

     

     

    What’s it to be next year…nuts or nets?

     

     

    HH

  12. excathedra44 on

    !!BADA BING!! on 18TH SEPTEMBER 2015 4:04 PM

     

    LG might have done better with more support from Forrest and Johansen IMO,Forrest didn’t fancy it after his first joust with the RB.

     

    =============================================

     

     

    I agree, JF did exactly the same for Scotland vs Germany to the extent the LB (Hector I think ) was one of their most influential attackers.

     

     

    25 years old,7 years in development,the HadronCollider was developed quicker,we will never have a successful team whilst running a man short re contribution.

     

    Time the experiment was concluded.

     

     

    –

  21. NatKnow on

    SYD NEGAKEV on 18TH SEPTEMBER 2015 6:32 PM

     

     

    NatKnow

     

     

    ‘Mon the internits!

     

    ——————————————————–

     

    Internits?? The whole thing is pure bloggin.

  24. Geordie Munro on

    Hunderbirds,

     

     

    Bah. I can’t believe I missed that one. ;)

     

     

     

    bankiebhoy,

     

     

    I thought you were awfy quiet!:)

     

     

     

    HH

  26. Tallybhoy on

    The egg-chasers World Cup to start shortly.

     

     

    PFAYR will be tuning in no doubt.

     

     

    Mon Fiji!

     

     

    HH!!

  29. bournesouprecipe on

    Madmitch

     

     

    Your post was about Aye Axe, mine was about every Celtic expert opinion on this Blog talking varying degrees ‘of no very goodness’ on a scale of ‘crap’ to ‘average’

     

     

    I watched the match as well, we clearly have a different view of standards.

     

     

    Stjarnan

     

     

    Qarabag

     

     

    Malmo

     

     

    Ajax

     

     

    All rotten right enough as no doubt somebody will post about Fenerbache and Molde, just you wait and see.

     

     

    No wonder your opinion of Celtic is so painful, if you think Aye Axe aren’t very good.

     

     

    Everything is rotten, including the £27million pound striker Aye Axe sold in summer.

     

     

    Onwards to Celtic Park to face ‘crap’ Dundee.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  31. sixtaeseven - Gardez la Foi on

    Leading software giant EA Sports do not include Sevco in the FIFA 16 console game, due for release on September 22nd.

     

     

    EA Sports have sold over 100 million copies of the FIFA series.

     

     

    Sevco have been left out after EA Sports failed to reach a licencing agreement with the holding company, erm, the club, erm, the team down Govan way…

     

     

    However, EA Sports reassures Scottish fitba’ fans:

     

    “Newly promoted Hearts will feature in the game with the other 11 AUTHENTIC clubs from the Scottish Premiership.”

     

     

    Nurse, nurse !!!

     

    My sides are ACHING !!!

     

    Bwahahahahhahhaha

  33. sid on

    JFH

     

    TD67. I agree I ran a cross one the other day spouting negative nonsense when I asked him to give us a bit more information he then started to attack. I think the blog has to watch these infiltrators or it will be ruined.H.H.

     

     

    – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/a-few-nits-to-pick-but-lots-went-right-for-celtic/comment-page-2/#comments

     

     

    SID. I certainly dont recall calling anyone an infiltrator you are entitled to post what you like. – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/a-few-nits-to-pick-but-lots-went-right-for-celtic/comment-page-6/#comment-2681024

     

     

    Oh dear.

  34. Tallybhoy on

    Ally McCoist demands to know the names of the Celtic players who do not like John Collins.

     

     

    As does John Collins!

     

     

    It’s only a rumour though!

     

     

    HH!!

  35. Jobo Baldie on

    Good evening friends.

     

     

    2 more sleeps then we get to see The Champions play. Donated my own seat to my Bhoy’s girlfriend and I’ll be up in The Gods (412, but row 2) with my other laddie. Can’t wait!

  36. Coneybhoy on

    I know Spurs ultimately won last night but I was interested to see how they matched up to Qarabag

     

     

    A few young players in defence struggled with the organised play of Qarabag early on and gave away a draft penalty

     

     

    Spurs have a massive budget compared to us but created a similar amount if chances

     

     

    2 things struck me

     

     

    1. Boyata was a young player in that league not getting a chance hence can be compared to the young spurs guys. I think we got a bargain

     

    2. The level of expectation on Celtic and their new/young players is immense compared to down south. No panic when they screw up in Europe as the league is everything

     

     

    We put a hell if a pressure on our team when in the grand scheme of things, they do really well

  38. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    SID. Infiltrator appears to be one of your words not mine you are hell bent on stirring it again not a Celtic trait more like from the darkside. Fella you need to take a look at your posts absolutely not in the Celtic mould what so ever of course there may be a good reason for that. H.H.

  40. Sandman on

    BBC Scotland News completely ignor ethe country’s only football team still in Europe getting a fine draw at the home of one of the continent’s most famous sides. Not a peep.

     

     

    Instead, we get an article on Aberdeen and a re-run of their winning goal against us last week.

     

    Does it really hurt that much, you tragic, demented Huns?

     

     

    And Christopher the weather buftie will now probably get the sack for sporting a cool green and white tie.

  41. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    Sandman. Fella some things never change they are hurting so badly they just cant bring themselves to talk about Celtic if we are doing well. H.H.

  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12
  12. ...
  13. 40