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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Jabba is fluent in 2 languages, English and Rubbish
Starry Plough,
yep,valuable squad player for us,pops up with some important goals too
Have players with hibs gear arriving at Celtic park to sign on been happening since February 1888 ?
Forever thus.
Very good transfer window and BTW I really like Callum McGregor, a very intelligent footballer and still learning his trade.
At half ten, my wife called me through to the living room saying ‘you’ll want to see what’s on the telly.’
I’m thinking, highlights from last night? Confirmation of a signing?
No. – Big Judith, in leather.
I’m away to howl at the moon.
Fieldofdrams
What a wonderful understanding wife.
GERRYBHOY, god bless just seen your post, no words can say hail hail.and.ktf.
STARRY PLOUGH on 31ST JANUARY 2018 10:54 PM
GORDYBHOY64
Scored some important and cracking goals for us Young McGregor, been at the club since he was a wee boy, Celtic through and through!
*had a very successful loan spell with the UK’s oldest club Notts County, who wanted to keep him, scoring 14 goals in 37 appearances.
Has also appeared for Scotland at every level from under 15 through to full international.
Brendan Rodgers for Chelsea.
A thread on one of their blogs.
gordybhoy64 on 31st January 2018 10:47 pm
https://youtu.be/d9wXOVEpj_k
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It is noticeable how he scores with either foot.
“I’m not sure how much of it was substantially there for him”.
Graeme Murty
BBBBBBBBWWWWWWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA CSC
TONTINE TIM
I thought he came back a better player after being down there at Notts Co.
He plays well with other quick thinking pass and move players, like Paddy, I’m glad he one of ours:))
Bring on the Killie!
Watch callum McGregor celebrate a Celtic goal.
He might have been from a non Celtic supporting family.
I bet my house on him being a Celt forever now.
Like Scott and Danny. And jock. And Bertie’s.
Did SSN reporter just say “Moreles deal to China will not happen…the player is confused”
(Manual and Basil Fawllty come to mind)
Moreles: But meester Murty. I no understand. Why not I sign for China?
Murty: No Alfred, there is no offer from Chinese team.
Moreles: Yes, there ees. I see it in Sky. I read it in Daily 45s (that’s a record for the younger viewers)
Murty. NO. They are only saying what we want the Bears to believe.
Moreles: Si… Que?
Murty: The reporters are just reproducing whatever we tell them.
Moreles: Si. Ze Club / Company get £8m and Alfredo, he gets £75K for week.
Murty. NO! Listen carefully. I shall say this only once (more). There is no offer for you Alfred. No £8m, no £75K, no Chinese; takeaway, laundry or Great Wall. Nothing, zero, zilch. Konichiwa.
Moreles. Si. … Que? No, Mr Murtee. I want to go to China.
Murty: FFS you daft Spanish waiter. We’ve got a cup game against Fraserburgh tonight. We need all the goals we can get. So forget about transfers. And go out there and … sit on the bench.
Supersutton
Superb verbatim reportage!
Funnily enough the Chinese interested in Morales was not reported by the sports news in China.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Beijing+Guoan&client=tablet-android-lenovo&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLUz9U3MC1Oiy9TAjNTitPyUrQ0Msqt9JPzc3JSk0sy8_P0iwvyi0qK4xOLi_OTMxNBQsVWJamJucWPGBO5BV7-uCcsFTFpzclrjEFcRGsVUuNic80rySypFJLh4pVCOESDQYqbC8HlAQBZWMAepgAAAA&prmd=niv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjL2YruqoPZAhXsI8AKHR-UAQcQ_AUIEigC&biw=1280&bih=720#imgrc=QwknH-phMyu8XM:
Citic
Citic
Citic
More at our game v Hearts than at The Emptyhad tonight
CONNAIRE12 on 31ST JANUARY 2018 10:27 PM
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
——-
Had a similar thought during last nigjt’s match.
With all these young French and Belgian players on the pitch has French become the new ‘lingua Franca’ at Celtic?
;-)
HH jamesgang
SAINT STIVS
Why wouldn’t he join them?
Much more illustrious history than sevco.
FIELDOFDRAMS on 31ST JANUARY 2018 11:18 PM
Supersutton
Superb verbatim reportage!
—–
Thanks. Though I hope I haven’t stolen The Clumpany’s angle on this one.
SAINT STIVS on 31ST JANUARY 2018 11:13 PM
Watch callum McGregor celebrate a Celtic goal. He might have been from a non Celtic supporting family.
I bet my house on him being a Celt forever now. Like Scott and Danny. And jock. And Bertie’s.
*when the Big Mhan made his famous remark on the Donny MacLeod show about singing ken dodds first as deidco couldnae sign the ben afflecks he also said that the latter were desperate tae play for us but by the time they were done with the prods they were worse that the Catholics, would run through brick walls for us.
This one’s for Alfredo, the things you’ll miss in life:
https://youtu.be/wFP-htHmNBk
All joking aside.)) That’s outrageous what the huns and their PR have just down to their top striker.
How low can you go to do that to one of your players, he might be a squared headed wee orc who doesn’t look the sharpest tool in the box but he’s no daft:((
James Forrest said it would blow up in their faces and he could well be right, there’s no orc like an unhappy orc..
Oh Dear
Whit next at the doom dome..
Sometimes the most unrepentant Fenianologists are those who have walked largely alone through the valley of sticky bun darkness.
HH jamesgang
Was last night the first time our three goal scorers were all French speakers ?
Kevj , your ghost player in our team has moved from Joe Ledley to Calumn now.
Both seemed to ghost past opposoition players scoring or assisting in a fair number of goals for s.
I hope you are keeping well.
Jamesgang
The Zeal of the Convert? Maybe
DALLAS DALLAS WHERE THE HECK IS DALLAS on 31ST JANUARY 2018 11:34 PM
Was last night the first time our three goal scorers were all French speakers ?
When Charly came on we had 6 French speakers on the pitch. Was that the first time more French speaking players than English?
Looks like we have secured 2 first team ready players, 2 good scottish prospect and a gk (needed due to injuries). Outlay appears lower than expected but imo we should not measure quality by price tag.
Compper is a very experienced centreback who will hopefully offer reassurance at the back (a 4 weeks injuries lay off is hardly the end of the world)
Hendry is 22 years old and will most likely improve with age akin to most centrebacks. And he can cover rightback so that is a bonus right there.
Wee charly offers more options to our team right now and is here for 18 months so if we cant deal roberts in we still have that bit of magic in the team moving into next season.
Wee lewis Morgan adds depth to the wing and looks again like a skillful customer.
Bain provides cover until gordon return next season and if he does well be might manage to get another deal.
We are stronger now than we were and we will be stronger for the start of next season because of this window.
I would have been very happy if we bought in a first choice gk and rb but we have gordon on a long and costly contract and we have 3 rb. A few more outbound players would open up space in the team for quality signings.
HH
WITS
I’m no zealot bud. I’m just a very naughty Bhoy!
HH jamesgang
Perhaps the bloody mindedness of the stoic?
Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland
Deals involving Scott Bain, Jack Hendry, Scott Allan and Simon Murray all hanging in the balance with 20 minutes until the window closes. Midnight oil being burned at Celtic, Dundee and Hibs.
Gary , I would assume so .
Although Im sure some of our non Scottish players might think Broonie does not speak English as they know it. Lol
Tonetime time, calmac’s dad is a sevco supporter however, calmac is a celtic supporter or at last he has been since he was a wee bhoy.
HH
The stoic bloodiness of the mindless zealot.
Up to their knees.
Tremendous story on the Daily Record website about a change in voting intentions. It is reported with some authority that voting intentions about six months ago were 37% SNP, 27% Labour, 29% Conservative, 7% Liberal and 3% Other.
Can I invite you to do the math?
In other numerically accurate news, an unnamed Chinese club has offered 5, no 6, no wait, 7 million quid for a Rangers striker. These numbers presented to you by a newspaper that can’t make a pie chart add up to 100%.
DianeAbbotismyagentCSC
Don’t know anything about Hendry but part of me wants the deal to fall through just so mccann and dundee can reflect on what the £1m might have done for their club.
A bit like murderwell.
Just me, I suppose.