Attacking change looks more effective

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Saturday’s win over Dundee Untied was as close to a perfect afternoon for the champions as we could hope for.  Remarkably, we picked up no injuries, despite some tasty challenges from United players.  Arne Engels in particular was targeted.  The absence of Paulo Bernardo leaves us light in the middle of the park, especially during this period of two games a week.

Adam Idah continued his scoring form, that’s five goals in six games since Kyogo left.  Prior to then, neither Adam not Kyogo were scoring with any regularity.  Kyogo took 13 games to score his last five goals for Celtic and Adam’s fallow patch was even longer.

This is a small sample size and we cannot rush to conclusions, but the slight change in Celtic’s attacking options looks to be more effective.  Could it be that defenders had figured out how to mark Kyogo?

Tomorrow’s opponents, Bayern Munich, earned a hard-fought point away to second placed Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday evening.  The result was celebrated like a win by Bayern players, who were fortunate not to concede on several occasions, including when Jeremie Frimpong hit the crossbar.

Munich are not quietly confidence of winning the Bundesliga and progressing into the next round of the Champions League.  They are eight points ahead in the league with 12 games remaining and they have won 17 and drawn four since their last home defeat in the Champions League.

That came at the hands of PSG in an empty stadium during the Covid season.  You need to go back six years to their last home defeat in front of fans in Europe.  So they are due another one, right?

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  1. Happy Presidents day from an -8 below Kentucky.

     

     

    Surprised he hasn’t changed the holiday name to “Sitting Presidents Day.”

  2. Will be tough tomorrow. Hopefully we can get through first half by keeping it tight and

     

    take it from there.

     

    COYBIG!

  3. Happy Family day from a severely snow covered -10 Southern Ontario. It could be called Mr Plow day. D’oh!

     

     

    T

  4. Despite failing my personal fitness test to go over to Munich I am buzzing for tomorrow night.

     

     

    We have a free hit. The weight of expectation is all on them. They will carry that burden.

     

     

    They were taken to the wire on Saturday and 8 or 9 of that team will start. We had a nice run out which got minutes for key players and exhausted no one.

     

     

    We are a team together and we are a better team than 2 months ago. I would argue a better team than even last Wednesday.

     

     

    We have an experienced manager and maybe just a sense of building belief in each other at this level. The disappointment at the result last week spoke volumes.

     

     

    Of course they have immense talent and strength in depth. Of course they are at home and already a goal ahead in the tie. This can be positive and negative as we well know.

     

     

    We have a punchers chance. Maybe actually more than that.

     

     

    We have some options. Quite a few actually. More than we had pre window. We have growing experience. We have our lucky referee.

     

     

    It is our cup final. We are clear on that. Maybe they are less clear and less focused as they have their eyes looking further ahead.

     

     

    This is knockout football now. Anything can happen over 100 mins. Or even 130 mins and pens.

  5. I didn’t think Kyogo warranted his starting place by the time he left us. When you’re involved as little as he is in a game then you have to be deadly in front of goal and make your two or three touches per half count for something. If he isn’t scoring, he’s a passenger

  6. An Dun

     

     

    I don’t disagree. In part the change in style Ange to Brendan was a major influence on how effective the wee guy could be.

  7. Tomorrow night is a level we play at once, maybe twice a year, at most. It’s a huge ask against a Munich team that put 9 past Zagreb.

     

     

    Hope springs eternal but this realistic would be happy to avoid a mauling.

  8. bournesouprecipe on

    Keep it going ‘just in case’

     

     

    Beaton, & McLean the Sevco dream team keep Sevco’s season ‘going’ with a toxic display at Tynecastle. They didn’t know Sevco would get the bounce to score from an other O.G., after they both blatantly ignored a two handed shove in the box with Hertz in the ascendancy, it was just a bonus.

     

     

    The pointless Willie Collum VAR review, will be just as pointless and noticeably Neil Critchley’s only comment was “ I haven’t seen it back yet “ ………Go compare to Hertz managers before

     

     

    So much for cheating in plain sight doubled down by VAR and referees that can call it one way only.

  9. An Dun

     

     

    The Bayern I hope we play are the one who lost 3-0 to the 5th placed team in the Dutch league.

     

     

    Personally I hope for a much better outcome than you.

     

     

    The realistic in me is just for the business world.

  10. An Dun

     

     

    Apologies 4th place now in Dutch league. 3 goals ahead of 5th and 1. Point ahead of 6th. Miles away from the top 2 though.

  11. Burnley78

     

     

    Unfortunatley, we can’t make Bayern play two away legs – so we travel to Munich. They’ve a formidable home record.

     

     

    The Feyenoord game, played in Holland, seen Feyenoord score with every single one of their 3 shots on target.

     

     

    Munich had 80% of the ball that night and an XG of 2.9 seeing them draw a blank.

     

     

    These games can happen of course but rarely at this stage of the CL. Hardly ever with the favourites having home advantage.

  12. No doubt the bayern defence can be got ar – buy so can ours. I’m afraid it’s going to be a 4-0 to them

  13. Burnley78 on 17th February 2025 12:22 pm

     

    “We have a punchers chance. Maybe actually more than that.”

     

     

    Love seeing the positivity back in your posts! They must have sent you home from hospital with some right good meds ;)

     

     

    Sadly I don’t think the analogy fits, especially as we are 2-1 down. I am being too literal for sure but we need more than 1 punch to win. We need one punch, 120 mins of defensive masterclass then luck on the penalties or 2 punches plus 120 of defensive perfection and luck.

     

     

    It is still a HUGE ask.

     

     

    Still hoping for a result though I may need a beer or two to get through the game as I think we will all have to suffer for long spells of the match, even more so than at home, regardless of personnel / approach.

  14. AN DÚN on 17TH FEBRUARY 2025 12:37 PM

     

     

    Funny how perception works. Or perhaps stats dont tell the whole story.

     

     

    Kyogo assisted nearly twice as frequently than Idah when they were both on the pitch. More frequently tgis season than

     

     

    Whether his link up play is of more use to the team than Kyogo’s constant movement is debatable but Idah has 1 direct assist this season and none in his last ten starts while Kyogo had 4.

     

     

    I think it’s part of having a single striker playing with two advanced wingers. I wouldn’t be too harsh on any striker not assisting, it’s not their job, but it does mean the focus on their goal number is sharper.

  15. “Kyogo assisted nearly twice as frequently than Idah when they were both on the pitch. More frequently tgis season than”

     

     

    That’s about assists per minute played. Not explained very well

  16. glendalystonsils on

    bournesouprecipe on 17th February 2025 12:54 pm

     

     

    Was the shove in the back looked at by VAR? Scandalous if it wasn’t /scandalous if it was and then ignored.

     

     

    The D.U. defender who threw himself down in front of Ralston just before Adam’s goal was VAR scrutinised in the way that almost every single Celtic goal is forensically examined in the desperate search for an infringement.

  17. the long wait is over on

    BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 17TH FEBRUARY 2025 12:54 PM

     

    Keep it going ‘just in case’

     

     

     

    Beaton, & McLean the Sevco dream team keep Sevco’s season ‘going’ with a toxic display at Tynecastle. They didn’t know Sevco would get the bounce to score from an other O.G., after they both blatantly ignored a two handed shove in the box with Hertz in the ascendancy, it was just a bonus.

     

     

     

    The pointless Willie Collum VAR review, will be just as pointless and noticeably Neil Critchley’s only comment was “ I haven’t seen it back yet “ ………Go compare to Hertz managers before

     

     

     

    So much for cheating in plain sight doubled down by VAR and referees that can call it one way only.

     

     

    ======

     

     

    Completely agree, especially when compared to the ridiculous decisions to give them a penalty against Queens Park when they desperately needed it , and then add on as much time as possible after that in the hope they could still salvage what as , it turns out , was the most embarrassing result in their history ( however long you consider that history to be …).

  18. Next 4 weeks brings some tasty ties.

     

     

    Bayern away Tuesday.

     

    Hibs away Saturday.

     

    Aberdeen at home on Tuesday 25th.

     

    St Mirren away Saturday the 1st March.

     

    Last 16 Champions league Tuesday 4th March

     

    Home to Hibs in quarters of cup.

     

    Second leg of last 16 on Tuesday 11th March.

     

    At home to tribute act March 16th. I shall be attending!

  19. I would hope we go into a live tie with a better mentality than avoiding a mauling.

     

     

    We’ve given ourselves a very small chance of progression. Nobody would judge Brendan and the team harshly if they went down swinging.

     

     

    For all the quality they have in their squad, and they have world class players all over the pitch and on the bench they looked like a team a bit short on confidence at the weekend and against us and at the weekend, a group who don’t have full confidence in the way they play or the manager’s tactics.

     

     

    We have a team who have total faith in Brendan and his methods. It’s something we should try abd use to our advantage, especially in front of a home crowd who don’t seem totally sold on their young manager

  20. bournesouprecipe on

    GLENDALYSTONSILS/ Let’s All do the huddle

     

     

    McLean saw the two handed shove the same as Beaton did, and both ignored it.

     

     

    VAR is bad enough on its own IMO, when it’s abused by someone being paid to use it at the very least of a fair review, in this case

     

     

    Hampden, we have a problem.

  21. Anyone who thought VAR would be fair in Scotland must have a zip up the back of their head for sure. It will only ever be to one club’s advantage, np prizes for guessing who. And it is not us !!!!!

     

     

    KINGLuBO

  22. used to like berkovic as a player

     

     

    right now, I’m pretty glad big john gied him a doin at west ham

     

     

    as for the record – using someone else to try to score some points against the TIC and the GB – bigger scumbags than berkovic ever could be

     

     

    thank god for decent israelis who appear on AJ or rite in Haaretz

     

     

    this berkovic…

     

     

    https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2193708/berkovic-turns-to-his-briefs

     

     

    https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2018-08-19/ty-article/.premium/anti-arab-rant-gets-ex-soccer-star-suspended-from-talk-show-sued/0000017f-dec9-df9c-a17f-fed95fcd0000

     

     

    https://www.timesofisrael.com/soccer-legend-eyal-berkovic-accused-of-sexual-harassment/

     

     

    only 1 “good” story …

     

     

    https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/eyal-berkovic-responds-to-miri-regev-everyone-should-be-a-steak-now-646002

  23. Let’s all keep our hopes and expectations in check for tomorrow night. The odds on us progressing are very slim.

     

     

    For comparison, Paddy Power offer the following odds:

     

     

    Celtic to win 1-0 @ 50/1

     

    Celtic to win 2-1 @ 33/1

     

     

    Bayern to win 6-0 @ 22/1

     

     

    🤷‍♂️

     

     

    We can but hope (though I do not expect).

     

     

    HH

  24. lets all do the huddle on

    as for the Record – using someone else to try to score some points against the TIC and the GB – bigger scumbags than berkovic ever could be

     

     

     

    to be fair the evening times had the same story,

     

     

    which makes your point twice as valid!

  25. the rags, b team sales earn more than the rangers, sack the bored.

     

     

    The Scottish Premiership ranks 23rd in Europe for money made from player sales, with only five leaving for transfer fees during January and the vast majority of the £15.6m being made by Celtic, whose B team has earned more than closest rivals Rangers this season. (Transfermarkt)

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