Anxiety on display

165

Scott Bain is a better goalkeeper than you saw last night.  He was our main keeper during the 8-in-a-row season, a treble winner, and he was also there when the wheels came off two years later.  He played Ange Postecoglou’s first league match in charge of Celtic, but last night was only his second appearance in any competition since.

The injury on 34 minutes was a telling moment.  Something wasn’t right and instead of shaking it off, he asked for treatment.  People feel physical ailments more readily when they are anxious.  The 30-yard shot he let slip through his fingers late in the game was as clear a sign of anxiety as you’ll find.

Third keepers exist in case the two above them are injured or suspended.  They seldom play, so you will not keep someone good enough for first team football to sit in the stands, but seldom playing leads to unfamiliarity when they are called upon.  Unfamiliarity leads to anxiety, which leads to mistakes.  That’s one of the reasons why Ange picked Scott at Easter Road, give him a run out in a meaningless fixture.

It backfired.  If anything, the mistake will heighten tensions.  He has a good support network around him in Stevie Woods and Joe Hart, who has come through the mistakes mill and recovered successfully.  In purely pragmatic terms, we are not going to sign a different third choice keeper and even if we did, there would be weaknesses.  Scott needs to play again, though not in the next 9 days.

On the rest of the game.  Daizen Maeda’s first yellow card should have been a foul to Celtic.  You are only allowed to obstruct a player when you are close enough to the ball to make contact, Daizen’s opponent was 5 yards from the ball when obstructing the Celtic player before he was shoved aside.

For the second yellow, he went in with the wrong foot and deserved the card.  A worldly volley, a Boruc-at-Easter Rd-moment and a deflection flattered Hibs but Celtic can have no complaints.  First team will be back for Saturday.

Shout out to the Hibs TV commentator: quoted Shakespeare, pondered the meaning of “if” and threw in “sayonara”, although he clearly thought of too late for the perfect moment.  Never dumb it down, Hibs.  Sky should look him up.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

165 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5

  1. Good morning all from another dry but overcast day in the Garngad.

     

     

    Bring on the sheep oh and the Fleg.

     

     

    D :)

  2. Ange taking the Spurs job depends on whether he wants to take the money and run or continue as a football manager. Ange might have done well here but Spurs need a miracle worker or someone with shares in Ex Lax. Kane needs to go and I wouldn’t want to be the guy responsible for that. There seems to be an incredible staff issue at Spurs, they have good players but they look like they have never met. It doesn’t matter who goes in there, as long as Levi is there you are never in charge.

  3. Lawell back in the room…

     

     

    Ange walking away…..

     

     

    Celtic at Hampden over the weekend….

     

     

    Neil Lennon getting ready to strip off, stand under the water and wait for the tap on the curtain….

     

     

    Unfinished business csc

     

     

    HH

  4. About this time on the 26th May 1967, Charlie Gallagher got Big Jock’s room key from him as he sat by the pool in the team’s hotel in Estoril. Charlie then took my friend and I up to the room. There it was the Big Cup on a beside table. We got to hold it in our hands. What a wonderful Celtic moment that was for us. I will never forget it.

  5. All quiet on CQN, reminded me of U2´s classic . . .

     

     

    All is quiet on Treble Day

     

    A world in green & white gets underway

     

    I want to be with you

     

    Be with you night and day

     

    Nothing changes on Treble Day

     

    On Treble Day

     

     

    I will be with you again

     

    I will be with you again

     

     

    Under a blood red sky

     

    A crowd has gathered in green and white

     

    Arms entwined, the chosen few

     

    The newspaper says, says

     

    Say it’s true, it’s true

     

    And we can break through

     

    Though torn in two

     

    We can be one

     

     

    I…I will begin again

     

    I…I will begin again

     

     

    Oh

     

    Maybe the time is right

     

    Oh…maybe tonight

     

     

    I will be with you again

     

    I will be with you again

     

     

    And so we’re told this is the golden age

     

    And trophies are the reason for the wars we wage

     

    Though I want to be with you

     

    Be with you night and day

     

    Nothing changes

     

    On Treble Day

     

    On Treble Day

     

    On Treble Day

  6. MARKIEBHOY

     

    From earlier, you are spot on.

     

    Ange manages EVERYTHING practically. At Spurs, there is a director of this and a director of that.

     

    Don’t think Ange would want that as he likes to be in total control

     

     

    KINGLuBO

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5