BT Sport had Alan Thompson on at the weekend previewing the Cup Final and I was reminiscing about him. When he played, I wrote he was the most influential Celtic midfielder since the Lisbon Lions. Not the most talented, McStay and Collins among others could claim to be more gifted, by Thompson pushed Celtic into places none of the others managed.
His goals in Europe and against Rangers are legend, and his assists record is outstanding, but despite my complete adoration of the player, he had a clear drawback. Whenever he was absent through injury, it took weeks in the first team before he looked moderately competent. So much of his game was about sheer physical effort that anything below 100% fitness made him ineffective.
This week Boli Bolingoli, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Leigh Griffiths, Jonny Hayes and Mikey Johnston started games for the first time after injury. Bolingoli (that corner kick!) and Elyounoussi both reminded me of Alan Thompson returning from injury. We should cut them some slack as they build fitness.
The same cannot be said for Leigh Griffiths, who looks as sharp as a tack. He will benefit from 90 minutes last night but he is ready to lead the line, if required.
Scott Robertson looked the part, especially early on, when Celtic had more shape than they did at the end of the game. Delighted too that Karamoko Dembele got his first outing of the season. He was not able to contribute much but he is a lad we should have plans to develop into a first team player.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the raffle for Tom Rogic’s signed shirt for the Celtic FC Foundation’s Christmas appeal. It is humbling to see Celtic fans in action like this. The winner has been informed by email – so check your inbox!
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Happy Friday all from a pleasantly mild Kentucky where the grass is green!
HH all.
Ps I don’t do the politics on here but what the…..?
AIPPLE
How can you get a podium when you are 5 hours behind us??
:-)
Sun’s just come out in G73…perhaps Friday is not so black after all…
Shameless podium chasing
now for the article.
D :)
Yaaaaas
D :)
WBC
The good news is that the Cathkin Braes road is no longer in spate.
If we survived Thatcher we can survive this guy…
My biggest concern is will the NHS survive him?
Yes Paul, sometimes the least talented, as you say, are the
ones that make the team tic.
The hod carriers, as my wee da used to say.
Murdo McLoud
Tommy Callaghan
John Clark
Steve Murray
Name your own.
H.H . Mick
TBB…yes, I had to change my dog walking route for a few days…
Credit to the drivers who avoided drowning me and the dogs via the great lakes (puddles)…
THE BATTERED BUNNET
Spated many a good night up there in ye olde Cathkin Braes
in my olde Austin Cambridge.
Pure rust bucket but what a ride 8-))
H.H . Mick
Rust bucket rides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGON4LLZOZ8
The only thing I pulled in cathkin braes was my calf muscle climbing the place
Jeremy Corbyn said it was a disappointing night – master of the understatement.
Great view of Celtic Park from the top…worth a muscle pull.
MACJAY1
LOL. brought back so many memories, my first car was ye olde Austin Cambridge
can any CQN’rs beat that ?
Check back in the morn.
H.H . Mick
MM
Hamish Imlach.
Magic `60s folk.
Indulge me with another.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIYKo8lLV3M
My Dad had an Austin Cambridge back in the day. Bought it to replace the Singer Gazelle, which was on its last legs, if it ever had legs at all.
Beautifully upholstered car, red leather with walnut dash. Even remember the reg: PVD 321G.
Followed that up with the old Rover 3.5l Coupe (Not the 3500), which was perhaps the worst built luxury car ever produced. Handsome looking thing, gorgeous interior, a V8 engine that could pull an elephant out of the mud, brakes like plasticine, and bodywork made of papier mache: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C997013
Tom Rogic is another who takes a huge number of games before he gets close to his best. It is perhaps a factor that should be taken into consideration when assessing players ( existing players contracts and transfer targets)
If you look at a player who on average picks up X injuries per seadon that keep him out for X weeks, you have a number that equates to available games per season.
However if that player takes 4 or 5 games ( or more) to get back to his best each time you are perhaps left with a number that would cause us to question the players worth in the team.
Q Where is Celticbynumbers when we need him ?
The Onlooker
I had an old Vauxhall Victor which burned more oil than petrol
Good to see Gerrard signing up for ‘the ten’.
Good Morning Bhoys,
…. to add to the conversation, I had a Morris 1000. A great car which lasted all my student days.
HH
I don’t wanna be that person…
But…
Lewis Morgan ain’t up to it.
The Huns looked shattered by the end of their game. Real last legs stuff. Interesting Motherwell clash coming up. We need to bounce back of course.
Little bit off topic:
Talking to a few friends yesterday,when and who were you with as you got your first glimpse of CELTIC PARK?
Now that i’ve asked the question, i can’t get to sleep.
THE BATTERED BUNNET
I also had the Rover 3.5 which the polis used at the time, it
was very effective when driving along and all the traffic slowing
down when they thought a cop car was following.
It was very useful when picking up my son one day from school
and a full blown free for all was going down outside school.
Mickeybhoy wound the window down and pretended to talk into
a microphone and they all scattered thinking ” it’s the cops ”
suppose i saved a wee guy from a doing lol.
H.H . Mick
.
PAUL67
I did not fully appreciate what a great player Alan was until I watched the Treble VHS at the end of the 2000/2001 season, the amount of crucial goals and assists he had that season was breath-taking.
Love him or loathe him, one has to admit JohnJames has a way with words.
” The chin does not fall far from the tree”
Lol
Oh no! We’re not getting a striker in the January window, are we?
SILVER CITY 1888
My boots are being dubbined as we speak 8-))
H.H Mick
Philbhoy
The 5hrs is exactly how. I’m usually sipping my morning brew as the articles land.
HH!
BHOYJOEBELFAST
With my wee da and Charlie Tully as i entered the hallowed
ground, don’t know why or when but it’s etched in my brain.
H.H . Mick
I only remember being passed from the arm of my Dad to that of my uncles in what my Dad always called the Hayshed (otherwise the Jungle) when I was about 3/4. I was annoyed that I couldn’t spot the “wee barra” they were all shouting about. I couldn’t see a little barrow (for any foreigners looking in).
Given that Elyounoussi was so off the pace on Sunday I was surprised he didn’t play a part in last night’s game
BHOYJOEBELFAST
With my old man ..
A Wednesday afternoon game v Dundee . A 1 each draw
Walked there From Queens X ( and back ) . Exercise is good for you son .
Delivered some Daily Worker stuff to an address in Muslin Street beforehand .
Spoke with the mad mental 99 year old this morning . Art Tatum playing loudly in the background . Corbyn’s ears will be burning
Gene- agree,he was well short on Sunday, I thought LG looked sharp, despite not seeing much of the ball,needs to be playing more games now.
Oopla !
1957 .
Bada
No reason why Griff and Eddie couldn’t start together.
Pretty sure my first visit to Paradise, was seeing the Lions parade the big cup,on the back of the lorry.