It was not pretty, but for the second time in 2024 Celtic subjugated St Mirren in Paisley and eased into the Scottish Cup quarter finals, where they will face Livingston at home. We now have the potential of three games in Glasgow to win the cup, a prospect which should focus minds. Hampden has been as profitable a venue as Celtic Park for nearly eight years now, we’ve won 24 out of 25 visits. No team has ever had a better Hampden record, including Queen’s Park (renamed Cathkin Park doesn’t count). The business end of the season is insight.
Brendan Rodgers decision to play Adam Idah up front with Kyogo in a withdrawn role played out perfectly. Luis Palma’s 15th minute cross behind Idah was perfect for Kyogo to run onto. The ball had plenty of pace on it, allowing Kyogo to divert its course from 18 yards into the net. Had he been playing as striker, he would not have been in position for this cross.
With the continuing absence of Reo Hatate, pulling Kyogo back one position gives us an added option. It was also refreshing to see Idah get involved in the physical side of the game early on yesterday. This is a quantity we have been without for a while.
Six weeks ago Joe Hart’s suitability for the second half of the season was being debated. Joe can go weeks without making saves that have any consequence on the end result. Since then, he has made outcome determining saves against St Mirren, Hibs, Aberdeen and Ross County. The keeper will hope for a quieter period in the weeks to come.
Stephen Welsh and Liam Scales are not the dream team in central defence, but both have particular strengths in the air. With Idah also in the side we look far more comfortable defending set-pieces. On a park like that in Paisley, defending the air is particularly important.
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Ah, Monday. Thought you would never arrive.
more positive article at last !!!
Majestic hsrtson
Chin up. Get well soon
HH
MAJESTIC HARTSON
All good here , hope its the same for you and the family pal .
Whenever you’re up this way again a wee visit to the vaults would be good.
Kyogo’s speed of thought is incredible.
His goal is worth watching again.
Ambling into the box look how quickly he picks up the flight of the Palma cross and suddenly accelerates to meet it.
Set pieces (and defending in general) … I’ll feel better when CCV returns.
As a general rule of thumb I always like at least four big guys in the set piece mix.
2 CBs, Idah and Matt gives us that.
Cheers AT
Marspapa, send me a text – I’ve got a new phone and have lost some numbers – and I’ll give you a shout when I’m back through 👍
Had to listen to the radio for the game, these guys made it sound like the battle of the Alamo! Watched the highlights two overhead kicks from St Mirren was shown, was that it 😳
Great result in trying circumstances. Well done bhoys.
QUADBHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2024 11:56 AM
MAJESTIC HARTSON on 12TH FEBRUARY 2024 11:43 AM
“I’m not feeling the best today and it messed with my mind when I read that date 😂”
Me too, I had to double take it!
I blame the super bowl and forgetting to book the Monday off work!
It took me back to John Barnes and his 4-2-2-2 formation which gave a slight giggle, followed by a shudder. I was against BR coming back but when you think back to some of our managerial appointments over the years perhaps it is better the devil you know! Good to hear BR sounding more calm and positive after the game and praising the players for recent results despite all the chopping and changing and injuries. I was genuinely worried that some of his recent comments might have irked the players but that was the calmest I’ve felt watching a match in quite a while even with all of the set pieces / high balls from saints.
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Any time I hear a manager say it’s not the formation that counts it’s what the players do within it it takes me back to John Barnes saying the same.
It sounded good at the time 😂
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I was of the same thinking re BRs comments, just look at Ross County after Derek Adams’ comments. But it was a good result if not the most sparkling performances, here’s hoping we can build on it.
Another 2 assists for the wily Palma.Boy has fantastic vision.Pinpointed Kyogo,and O Riley with brilliant precision.And the myth about lack of pace,is just that,a myth.Bernebei not letting anything distract him from getting stuck in.Great full of running performance.Calmac looking like Calmac.Big Joe outstanding.Its coming back.CCV massive bonus.
Maeda must be under pressure if Khun shows what he did when he came on,regularly.Too much of a passenger,for far too much of the game.Even those that like him,must see that.His howlers always in evidence.For me,he is through the middle or nowhere.
I fancy Hibs to knock them out.This game is their season.
Excellent performance yesterday. Thought we stood up strongly to an aggressive opponent. We stood up well to set pieces and held an excellent offside line when pushing out for the second phases. It was to me a real sign of coaching and organisation.
Credit to the Manager and coaching staff as it was a makeshift back four with two full backs who haven’t played a lot of football.
Yesterday was Brendan’s 723rd game as a Manager. Watching the post match coverage it was clear that Goodwin and Neil Lennon have massive respect for our gaffer. We are lucky to have him.
I also thought there was an element of Callum and Brendan creating a bit of a siege mentality with their post match comments.
As Neil Lennon said, the high standards at our club are ‘Brendans fault’. Since he arrived in 2016 we have enjoyed previously unseen levels of success.
The behaviour of some of our fans recently towards him has been completely out of order. Paul’s comment last week about not being able to do it without Chris Davies is open to the highest level of ridicule.
I went to see the bend it like Bertie play on Saturday night. In 1965 we had went 11 years without a trophy. Some thought Jinky was too wee and didn’t have an end product. Murdoch , Gemmell and others were thought not to be good enough for Celtic. Certainly makes you think.
MAJESTIC HARTSON
“It took me back to John Barnes and his 4-2-2-2 formation which gave a slight giggle, followed by a shudder”
I do recall the bold Barnes trying to defend it by saying its the formation Brazil played. Only flaw in that argument is the Brazilians are a wee bit better players than ours!
TURKEYBHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2024 12:43 PM
Maeda must be under pressure if Khun shows what he did when he came on,regularly.
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Maeda is one of the first names on the team sheet. The difference in our performances and results with and without him are clear to see.
BR looks like a new man.His enthusiasm and fight seem back.This rubs off on the players.
Thank you, Celtic.
If anyone is wondering why I haven’t posted recently, it’s quire simple really. I have great difficulty reading, never mind contributing toCQN. Besides that, way too many have been so overly negative.
The first important trophy I seen Celtic lifting was the Cup in 65. I was 15. I had been watching for about 6 years.
Turkeybhoy – I like that Brendan has come out swinging a little lately. I think he must know he needs to lift things. He can’t walk again. He can’t allow himself/ his career to be associated with not winning the league up here after relegation with Leicester. He has alot to lose.
There will be twists and turns ahead but we’ve won the league from much worse positions against much better ibrox teams.
Onward and upward.
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD re: eyesight
Sorry to hear that.
HH good sir.
David 66,
Yes,you obviously like him,no problem.So I will ask you the question that no one else seems able to answer.
Just what does he actually bring to the team?Be honest.Running about,does not cut it.Against Hibs,he had the lowest touches of the bal,same in the last Hun game.Both games he was abysmal.Some say that he stops Tavernier attacking.A myth.He was throwing crosses into our area the whole game.No one is frightened of him,Sick seeing fullbacks outrun him.The problem the guy has,is ,he has no great football brain.Time to think,forget it.To me we cannot afford to gamble on him,having a very rare game,where,. does something noteable.
P67
“It was also refreshing to see Idah get involved in the physical side of the game early on yesterday.”
I was 3 minutes late in getting the game switched on as I spend Fri / Sat at a family members house and stupidly left the remote control there so had to dash across town and back to retrieve it but I assume this relates to a comment I heard on the radio commentary which sounded a bit like Idah was dishing out a bit of the treatment Kyogo often gets when he is almost always impeded (usually a shoulder barge) when our opponents kick off a half and he rushes up to press the opposition – anyone got a link?
QB
I actually enjoyed yesterday’s game. A very competitive cup tie. We defended well with a makeshift defence and scored two good goals. The first from a magnificent pass by Callum setting up an excellent breakaway goal. Our best players were Big Joe, Stevie Welsh and Bernabei. The horrendous condition of the pitch made it difficult for our players to control the ball, pass accurately or play good football and yet we did at times. It was a difficult fixture but we took control and went through to the next round. I think it showed that Brendan has steadied the ship. I have a feeling we will get steadily better from here on in especially when our injured players return.
Well done to Brendan and the Bhoys!
So are Hibs going to Hibs it ….AGAIN against the mighty SEVCO ….would not bet against it !?🧐…where as if it was us !??😠
TURKEYBHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2024 1:34 PM
“Just what does he (Maeda) actually bring to the team?”
For me, both he and Kyogo often force turn-overs of the ball in our favour though you could argue his crossing returns possession to them just as often. There was one corner he won us yesterday on the opposite side that summed up his work rate which is important to the manager and how he (and Ange before him) want to play.
He often does not stop crosses from the wing for me but usually this is because he has just pressed a centre back / def mid and then is also running out to the wing to press “his” man there also.
I get tired just watching him sometimes.
QB
“To me we cannot afford to gamble on him,having a very rare game,where,. does something noteable.”
Very true! One wonders what those idiots Ange and Brendan see in the imposter.
@Hot Smoked
If you are about, contrary to my previous post when the bus was fully booked I managed to get seats on the bus after all for the Killie game for me and my eldest so all being well I will see you on Saturday.
QB
Re Daizen.
He tends to keep opposing defences back an extra 10 yards or so, also pulls the left centre back over to act as cover, so in short stretches the opposition defence before a ball is kicked.
Good foil for when we have a ball playing tricky winger on the other flank.
Still , not sure he’ll ever cut out the wayward crossing
HH
Maeda has more good points than bad,he raises the tempo ot the team,we need Kyogo to keep on scoring, if we are to win this league
David 17
Agree we have done well this past 9 games.
Despite the garbage spouted by our own and rival fans and media.
Can’t agree we would not be a better outfit with Chris Davies. He is a quality operator with heaps of experience and a real dig about him.
Brendan and Chris gelled really well and the Sun of those parts was definitely better. It would be wrong to challenge Paul on that in my view.
My view is based on direct observation btw and knowing both.
Bada Bing 2.56
Agree on both points.
I also believe he will.
Bernabei I think he could be used as left winger he is full of energy has a bit of speed to ,I don’t think he is a bad player he like a few other Celtic players if the team struggles to win games he is another scapegoat
Bernebei deserves to start on Saturday, Taylor just coming back from injury, but we need to show players when they get a chance and do well,the jersey is theirs,been looking for players to step up all season from the bench,he’s done well IMO, if his passing is a bit erratic, maybe needs to relax a bit.
So thems go top with a 3-0 win Wednesday?
Hoping for a valentines day massacre and at least a point for RC.
I thought Bernabei did really well yesterday , he added to the attack but didn’t let the defence down either . I’ve not been a great fan of his up until now but maybe getting two starts in a row has been a better basis to judge him on . I’d love to eventually be saying the same of some of our other recent signings who haven’t figured much .
I was very close to putting him in my top 3 for Jobo.
Bernabei that is.
https://twitter.com/paulmacmillan_/status/1756958044284657762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1756958044284657762%7Ctwgr%5E8aa3c5b4330680bde07bf1d9f71db6ef57f3a53e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthecelticstar.com%2Fvideo-unique-angle-captures-brilliant-brendan-rodgers-moment%2F
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Maeda
He is a sprinter not a footballer.However the modern game likes/wants/needs sprinters.They cause opposing defenders a lot of problems (Balgoun was sent off because Maeda was about to sprint past him,if he let him run Maeda would probably not have scored)
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