Celtic change front, middle and wings

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Celtic played their best football in months last night. Why? Well, the shape of the team was different. Scott Brown was no longer in the anchor role, leaving that in the capable hands of Eboue Kouassi (20 last month). Eboue joined this time last year, but has spent most of the intervening period getting to grips with life at Celtic, as well as overcoming illness. He did just fine and went some way to justifying the significant fee Celtic paid.

Olivier Ntcham, no stranger to a robust challenge, played the advanced role of the middle three, while Brown had the freedom to forage wherever need was greatest. It worked.

You will also notice a nascent partnership emerging between Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard. Both thrived. We were even treated to the sight of Moussa collecting a clearance from Dorus de Vries before releaseing Odsonne inside the Celtic half. The big striker stretched his legs to speed away from the Hearts defence before scoring the opening goal. This worked too.

Brendan may have considered the effects of both wing partnerships being broken up. Kieran Tierney was without Scott Sinclair and James Forrest didn’t have Mikael Lustig, but both flourished.

Moments after coming on, Charly Musonda created a chance with a delicious back-heel. Moussa should have converted what would have been a fitting herald for the new loan signing.

My big takeaway from this game? Teams have had 18 months to figure out how to combat Celtic’s play. We have stuttered, in part, because teams knew what to expect and prepared accordingly. Teams need a second system as much as they need a second strip. We now have ours.

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540 Comments

  1. Go tell the Spartim on

    Dundee were waiting on Paul Paton being released as their replacement. He’d fit right in with that ****

  2. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    BBC Scotland saying the Hendry deal is over the line Hendry is now a Celtic player good luck to the Bhoy. H.H.

  3. Glasgowbhoy and Big Packy. We had a lovely Westie. Jamie. Had to have him put down at the age of almost 16. He was in my arms. Very sad. He was a family member and grew up with our kids. We never got another dog. He was the only one and is buried in the corner of our back garden. A great wee man he was.

     

     

    HH

  4. ‘I’m not sure how much of it was substantially there for him.’

     

     

    Graham Murty on the Morelos speculation.

     

     

    In plain English: ‘I’m not sure how true the story actually was.’

     

     

    It’s a laugh for sure and worthy of the ridicule being poured upon it, but to muck about with a young employee in this way? To say it was a chance for him to take care of his family for years to come – when it looks like it was all just made up? Shameful. Just when you think that mob can’t go lower, they surprise you again.

  5. Have not had time to read previous posts, so I am not aware if others have commented on Charly’s interview. He appeared to be a cheerful young man who spoke very articulately and intelligently in English. How many members of last night’s team speak at least two languages? I think there may have been around seven on the pitch at any moment last night. Will it be future condition for all signings that they must speak more than one language? Wait a minute, I forgot we still sign up Scots and English players. See those continentals and languages…

  6. mike in toronto on

    Connaire

     

     

    I remember seeing an interview with the old reggae musician Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace that had to be subtitled, even though he was speaking English …

     

     

    thought it was funny until the film Gregory’s Girl was released in the cinemas over here… I think they redid the audio track to make it easier to understand, but a few clnemas showed the original version …but with ‘English subtitles’

  7. mike in toronto on

    looking back, I saw a few posts about pups ….

     

     

    I’m meeting a breeder this weekend about a new golden retriever pup … if anyone is interested, let me know and I’ll see if we can get a better deal if we buy in volume….

  8. In Gregory’s Girl, when John Gordon Sinclair utters the words ‘Bella, Bella!’, do the subtitles say ‘beautiful, beautiful’?

  9. SSN no longer commenting on the 8M Chinese ginger bottles for Sevco’s “star” striker. Now there’s a surprise ;)

  10. Why is Invisible McGregor still here ?

     

    Why does naebdy waant McGregor ?

     

    Sumbdy take um, jist sumbdy, gonnae!

     

    He’ll cost Brendan the Europa League trophy!

     

    Nurse! Nurse!

     

    Frankie n Benny CSC ;

     

    …….oot.

  11. and another Old Firm Celtic PLC transfer vision draws to a close..its off for Buck Rodgers of the 21st century to the planet Zenit and beyond……

  12. Jack Hendry is expected to arrive at Celtic shortly to wrap up a £1m deal, according to a reliable journalist is a cut and paste from a newsfeed.

     

    Must be a done deal then;-)

     

    When no reliable journalist title was used to back up the Morelo Chinese whisper capers then it was never a goer.

     

    Is this reliable journo a title richly deserved?

     

    MSSM and reliable journo seen incompatible to me.

     

    Has anyone ever met the reliable journo?

     

    As the fat gardener once said who are these people?I want names!

  13. Bournesouprecipe @ 10.36. Not totally true as a number of us on here can speak at least two languages.