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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File Morelos under Fiction alongside Jelavic and McKay …
BBCKheredine Verified account @BBCKheredine
The word from China: source close to Beijing Renhe denies that the club made a multi-million pound bid for @RangersFC Alfredo Morelos. Says their foreign player quota is full, and that there’s a levy on foreign signings over $7 million.
BMCUWP!
Just saw your name ther, was over in Derry this week, caught the second half of the game in Peadar O’Donnells. Great bunch of guys and the home of the local Paul Mc Stay CSC. Anyhow Tuesday night, pub absolutely jumping, all ages nationalities etc, when my son who is currently working over there, says , ” those guys in the corner are from Kilwinning” ” what brings them in here? I said apparently they love the music and the atmosphere, Can’t all be bad from your neck of the woods!
HH
Barney
Sabado 12.30
TURKEYBHOY on 1ST FEBRUARY 2018 10:04 AM…….
Good post mate….
H.H
GREENPINATA on 1ST FEBRUARY 2018 11:32 AM
Bhoys & Ghirls,
With reference to BMCUW’s post @ 11.04 hrs.
I have always felt that there has been too much emphasis in this country about passing written exams in languages .
How many have passed language highers but cannot actually speak the language .
A long overdue educational reality check in languages is required.
Hail Hail and Auf Wiedersehen.
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I have just been sharing some of the Languages debate with my Partner Ms S. Interestingly as a recently retired Head of English and Modern Languages Dept she says that 30% of any Language exam is now based on “Talking” and almost another 30% is based on “Listening and answering”. Every day’s a school day :)))
HH
new article posted.
Italy . English is compulsory in state schools from Primary
Hardly any Italians can speak English
So Dave King appears in Scotland, suddenly they can turn down lots of cash for their star player and a couple of fluff pieces appear dressed up as interviews with the latest stooge Murty. Poor guy doesn’t realize come the end of the season he’s getting sacrificed for the sake of some managerial bling to sell more season tickets