You and I have watched a lot of Celtic away from home in the Champions League; we know what to expect. Stick to your task, clear the ball long, tackle hard and exploit set-pieces as best we can. That’s been the plan for 27 away games. 25 of them ended in defeat.
Away game 28, in Barcelona, fell apart at the seams, but last night in Manchester built on the progress in Monchengladbach. From nowhere, Celtic have gone two unbeaten away from home in this tournament.
It wasn’t just the result (in either game) we had more attempts at goal, more attempts on target, we passed with speed and precision under pressure. City caught us on the break to score, and could have added another, on the break, but we had the better of the chances in both halves. Moussa Dembele, Gary Mackay-Steven and Leigh Griffiths will all feel they should have scored.
Jozo Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko again proved they can operate at Champions League level. The difference in central defence since last year, when one or other of them was unavailable, is beyond credible.
The night was another success for Stuart Armstrong, who built on a transformational visit to Motherwell on Saturday. James Forrest took on and beat three players to setup Dembele, but James fell to a familiar foe and retired injured.
Gary Mackay-Steven, playing his first senior game in over eight months, looked exhausted after his first sprint. There are no shortcuts to match fitness. That chance, when he was clean through with Caballero to beat, will no doubt haunt the player, but he delivered a performance reminiscent of the one he gave in the San Siro two years ago, before being sacrificed. As though alchemy is at work, Celtic have squad-fillers from earlier times looking the part at the highest level.
I had a notion that it wouldn’t be too bad if Patrick Roberts had an anonymous game. That lasted all of four minutes, when he waltzed into the Manchester City box to open the scoring. Did he do enough to convince Pep Guardiola that he’ll be needed in the City squad next season when his loan to Celtic ends? Probably not. That’s the way of it at Manchester City. They will spend >£100m between now and 1 September; Patrick will go the way of Jason Denayer.
Bring on Partick Thistle.
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HAMILTONTIM
LOL
Not out of CL my mistake but they got a soft group
Dessybhoy
Leicester have already won their group
And Dpurs 2nd goal there was a mile offside (pass to winger who put ball in for Kane)
Barton ripping Boyd to shreds re Cathro!
Cowiebhoy
Yes sorry my mistake, they played nobodies though. :)
DESSYBHOY on 7TH DECEMBER 2016 5:55 PM
Strange comment there from Brendan in that he doesn’t know if Moussa will be at Celtic beyond this season, kinda contradicts the players own view that he is here for sevral years, has something changed?
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I believe if Celtic are offered the amounts being mentioned we should grab with both hands.
Moussa must have the best agent in Europe,this promising striker has escalated to superstar since he joined us, aided no doubt by those who do not want any prodigy’s at Celtic.
In reality,after a very memorable start,his last 5 games has seen him miss several easy chances,demonstrate a first touch on a par with Balde,and a tendency to break down promising moves,even more worrying he has not won a ball in the air with any level of consistency over this period.
Now perhaps this is due to him now being a press superstar, and it is effecting him adversely, but the facts are he has been poor and should not be playing to satisfy some agreement,to the detriment of Leigh Griffiths.
Moussa will walk soon as he hears the voices,and wont give us a backward glance , so if its a game of “Users” then we should participate to our benefit.
All of that apart,great performance from Celtic,well done to James Forrest, who appears to have sorted many of the concerns that I have criticised him for in the past.
Truth be told I thought Dembele was the least contributor last night.
THETIMREAPER@8-28PM
Not bad for a guy who can’t pass.
Having watched the game back in its entirety we were even better than I originally thought. A fantastic away performance from us last night
EXCATHEDRA44 on 7TH DECEMBER 2016 8:38 PM
I agree re Dembele last night. How ironic that we played so well and Moussa was the only Brendan signing on the pitch.
DESSYBHOY on 7TH DECEMBER 2016 8:32 PM
Leicester getting skelped and out of the CL, also in the relegation zone in the league.
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Think you may have that wrong. They are getting skelped but not out of the CL. We would have beaten either home and away.
Oh Spurs 2 goals aff side
That boy playing for Porto, Jesus Corona, he looks some player.
exacthedra44
Yes his form has dipped but all players go through this, I would start Leigh on Friday not sure about selling him though he has another three years after this. I doubt Celtic would be offered anything in excess of 10m due to his age , would that be too much to turn down even with graded payments for his further development/success?
I would say keep him here
Watching RM V Dortmund. Good game so far and the RM right back Carvajal is a proper player, the best I have seen since our own Danny in that position. Varane at centre half is also a class act.
Dortmund are not out of it from what I have seen , they are not afraid to take the ball in tight areas. Their own Dembele at 19 years of age is also a terrific player.
Guys, Dembele is a young guy, he’s been praised by the the likes of Zidane, who also acclaimed Lubo. Give him time.
If we want to retain our upward curve on the European stage then we have to keep our better players.
Selling Dembele just now would again send the message that we are prioritizing profit over team.
I am sure it would have an adverse effect on the coaches and players.
We already look to have a very sizable profit on this season so strengthening and not weakening our squad is the way forward.
Timgreen
Yes you are correct.
DESSYBHOY on 7TH DECEMBER 2016 8:45 PM
Sure, keep him if offers are pretty low.
If however there is daft money being offered,then we should cash in,as even his value does increase in the future we can,as with VVD, build in a sell on condition.
My friends in Celtic,
The progress we have made is remarkable. But it could have been so much better. Like a broken record I mention again.
We must take a better ratio of chances to goals. In Europe we must take our chances. No criticism, no scapegoats just a fact.
HH.
JMcCormick
I think their young midfielder Weigl is going to be a top player. No 33
Best we will get for Dembele is Five million up front plus payments for so many future appearances plus share of sell on fee, and all wrapped up as ‘worth’ millions more.
Vfr I hailed from drummore road in the drum.
You?
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL
Yes, another one off the conveyor belt. Looks very good in Bundesliga. A certain target for the bloated tax dodgers in Spain and the cash rich buffoons in the EPL.
We have made great strides under Brendan both domestically and in Europe.
On Dembele, he’s a Player. He is young but I like him, he is a different type of Player from Leigh. Moussa offers more in way of a physical presence and creates space for others. Yes he hasn’t been as free scoring of late but his work rate creates chances for others. I think what I am saying is if other Players were not chipping in with goals then it might be time for Brendan to rethink.
Leigh is more of a goal scorer but in my opinion Dembele offers more , if we were not winning games I would give Leigh a run. That said it wouldn’t do any harm to freshen things up.
Might even be an idea to start them both for a few games.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
RM now 2 up. All gets a bit shitty now as places mean less when Dortmund know that they will avoid Bayern and RM will avoid Atletico and Barcelona. Dortmund will happily take care of Leicester or Arsenal. I may be wrong though.
Before tonight’s games Legia Warsaw had played 5, lost 4 and drawn 1. 8 scored but a whopping 24 conceded.
As things stand they’re a goal up against Sporting Lisbon and so going through in 3rd place at the expense of the Portuguese Hoops.
It’s a funny old game.
A big thank you to Johann Murdoch for his driving skills in taking me to and from Manchester, and for his excellent company.
Also to the BT Director who picked out to of the most handsome Bhoys from the Cqn grey brigade
VFR800
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The republican song book was…valid back in the days of the Jungle when, the ‘troubles’ was at it’s hight and, as an aside, if ye were a Cellic supporter – catholic – from Irish descent – then, the job market was tricky place to negotiate if ye had a Timmy sounding name, according to Tom Devine catholics in Scotland weren’t given equal parity or, if ye like, the no catholics should apply here rule, wasn’t lifted until 2001????? Canny provide a link but, it’s on Cellic documentaries on DC Sports on the Kodi box.
Anyway,….the republican song book is brilliant, amazing, inspiring, heart-breaking, tear jerking, soul soothing etc…..
But,….my point is – The republican song book as it is, injected into the Celtic supporters at the game’s book of boxes to be ticked is…..way, way, way…..down the near the bottom of the last page in a book of 1000 pages….imho.
In the days of the Jungle when, the ‘troubles’ were at they’re hight….it was deemed imperative that, for the Irish desendants among the Cellic supporters at the games to express our – support / sympathy – to those self same relatives who were living through a more, hands-on, higher level of brutality than what we – the detached Irish in Glasgow / West of Scotland were going through. It was often said during that time that, Scotland was similar to Norn Ireland only difference was the lack of bombs and guns over here.
Mr Stein jumped in among the Cellic supporters at Stirling one day to get the fans to stop singing about the IRA. Mr Stein was protecting Cellic’s image and, attempting to stop Cellic supporters from damaging they’re own reputation. It was difficult one but, as Mr Stein opined at the time during the 60’s & 70’s…”The Old Firm game is a useful – social lung!”
Mr Stein was correct imho for the – social lung – bit, but,…..I think it was frustration that made him jump in among the fans at Stirling as, at that period in our history, Rangers fans were on a wrecking / rioting spree throughout Europe but, as a balancing act, the media would smear us with the Republican song sheet issue.
The huns were rightly attacked by the media etc for not signing catholic players but, the huns fans would come back with….”Why don’t the media get into the Cellic for not having a non-catholic director ?”
It was a mess…..and, imho….it will never end.
The huns will always be there with all they’re hatred etc…
But, for me,…..there is a weakness / laziness / self-preservationist aspect to the Cellic support of today who, still think that they’re emphasizing they’re own-personal-uber-Tim-statuses by spinning the old Republican song book.
For me,….Cellic supporters of today would demonstrate how – brave / mature / all-inclusive / selfless that they ‘really’ are if,….they sang ‘Cellic Songs’ at the games and, kept the Republican song book for places where it won’t offend.
The Jungle is gone….
Mr Stein is gone….
The ‘Troubles’ are gone….
Let the Republican song book go…
The Scottich establishment ‘hate’ the Cellic so, let them hear ye sing about….the Cellic.
Cellic supporters have got the whole world in they’re hands….don’t drop it…please.
You’ll Never Walk Alone….if ye sing aboot the Cellic.
Cellic is what it’s all about…please keep it that way.
God Bless.
…off-oot-auld-preist-oot-the-omen-etc….
Let’s worry about selling players at the end of the season. All i hear from the Stickies is Rodgers will leave, Dembele will leave, Roberts will leave, Sinclair will leave, Rogic will leave. Desperados that they are. Whatever will be will be. In Brendan we trust.
RON BACARDI
That’s a ridiculously low valuation for Dembele.
When you see some of the sums paid in EPL for average players as a comparison then tat amount is pittance.
Celtic are also strengthened by the fact that both Wanyama and VVD have been huge successes in EPL despite the English crap about it being a huge step up.From SPL it may be but our players have played at a higher level than EPL in Europe where the best league in the world has won it twice in last ten years.
At this point they are rated as two of the best in EPL.
THETIMREAPER
The only hope that they currently have is that others will do badly, because they know they will not improve.
Malorbhoy
Ya pair of loonies! :-)
Stairheedrammy on 7th December 2016 6:28 pm
M6bhoy- sorry but the dobbers behaviour is expected and accepted in Scotland. Contrast Celtic twice being censored for sectarian singing by police match commanders and Sevco’s weekly bigotfest being regularly ignored. It is ignored by the polis, the SFA, the media the politicians and the wider Scottish public. If we ignore it then we are doing what the rest are doing- condoning it
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I never suggested ignoring or condoning their sectarian bigotry but what has banning these songs achieved? The exact opposite of what was originally hoped in that the authorities ignore it when tens of thousands sing the billy boys or the famine song yet our supporters are hauled up in court for singing BOTB. Quite franky, there are more serious crimes undetected in Scottish society than these what these mutants sing.
I may just have a thicker skin than most but I don’t let them get to me and never have. By all means they and their new club should be condemned for the vile sectarian and racists bigots they are when they sing their songs of hate. What really pisses me off more than their songs is that our plc board are more than happy to promote the Old Firm/Glasgow derby brand when it comes to chasing the bigot pound.
I find that more offensive than their sickening songs. I expect them to sing about being up to their knees in fenian blood as they are the vilest scum of the earth. I should not expect our club to jump into bed with them to help keep them alive by agreeing to ticket prices of £49 when we play them at the bigotdome or refusing to act on Res12.
M6 Bhoy- I fully agree
Watching Real v Dortmund and the thing that caught my attention is the pace that both teams fire crosses into the box.
It makes it so much more difficult for defenders.
We still have a tendency to loft the ball but i hope the coaches are working on this.
Crawford Wilson from the north of Ireland was the delegate who reported Celtic for last night.
Read that, digest it and only then comment on what actually happened.
Wow Kevjungle, another hat doffing post. Two in two days.
Your posting form is emulating the hoops.
HH.
HT
I wonder if he’s aTim ?