It was cold and very wet as we walked away from Celtic Park last night, but with adrenaline coursing through the veins, still coursing hours later as we tried to sleep, no one really noticed. We had just watched Celtic’s best performance of the season, one in which several players grew into the jersey before our eyes.
The gradient on Odsonne Edouard’s blossoming ability has been steady in the two-plus years he has been at Celtic. Suggestions that we would pay PSG the agreed £9m option for him were laughed at in 2017, but when he goes, as he will eventually, it will be for more than the £25m we received for Kieran Tierney.
The only question I have over him is whether he has already overtaken Moussa Dembele in ability. You would be hard pushed to counter this point.
Mohamed Elyounoussi demonstrated why Southampton spent so much money on him last year. This was a physically challenging game and Mohamed wholeheartedly threw himself into challenges and constantly made himself available. His pass that set James Forrest off before returning the ball to Mohamed, was a peach.
Not that that was the best pass of the night. This particular honour goes to Callum McGregor. Some of us grew up on tales of what Bobby Murdoch could do with a ball. I will not go into detail here, but look back at Callum’s pass and you’ll get the idea. Boli Bolingoli had work to do to catch it, but when he did, he dinked the ball over the lunging defender for Odsonne to head home.
At this stage, Celtic looked set to run Cluj ragged but expending so much energy early on caused the game to settle until the break. Cluj struggled to make an impact in the final third, relying on corner kicks and one free kick, which Fraser Forster did well to block. The rebound was knocked forward by a Cluj striker to a teammate in an offside position, who knocked the ball over the line. That was pretty much all Celtic had to worry about until very late in the game.
The outcome was in the balance for much of the second half. Celtic’s game management was much better than their Glasgow meeting in August, although in this respect, the unusual wait until the 86th minute before making a substitution when so many players on both sides were clearly flagging.
Ahead of their fourth meeting of the season, in Romania, Celtic are ahead 6-5 on aggregate, in truth, there is not much between the teams. Celtic delivered a hard won result which places them top of the group. There is a decent chance both will qualify for the knock-out rounds.
This feels like a memorable season in the making…
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Am in a weird mood….music I once dismissed…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XivELBdxVRM
H.H.
Take Five.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDDOFXSgAs
Ave Ave
Scary that I’d never heard this before
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yjIUkiGCFTg
Should get yeez rolling along this morn ;-))
H.H.
Good morning CQN from a chilly, nae, nippy Central Highlands. Just been out shivering (-1c currently) for the last ten minutes to give myself a better view of the most amazing Sunrise. Great start to the weekend, last night, with the two Miss H’s up visiting from the Dear green place for the weekend round for tea last night.
Family life lovely. The sunrise a stunningly colourful graphic reminder of the wonder of our existence, and the Hoops sit imperiously atop of both of the leagues that we currently contest… life’s good. Feel free to spread some of my current good Karma on your morning toast 🙂
🍀⚽️
Hunderbirds……………………..
Two slices of that toast ordered already, locally made honey and with lashings of Kerrygold too!
Parkrun this morn will be a sedate affair……
Life Is Good in Corcaigh, we’re surrounded by sighthounds eyeing a long gallop in the Big Meadow although the weather’s a little dreich currently………..
It’s Good To Be A Tim.
HH
Good morning all from Govanhill. A leafy suburban paradise with stunning vistas over old Larkfield garage.
Good morning, friends from a cloud covered but bright and dry East KIlbride. ParkRun for me too this morning after my schoolbhoy error last week when I rushed down to Strathclyde Park only to find it was cancelled due to a rowing event.
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE
Lovely post to start the day!
My MIL is in Aviemore for a long weekend so a nice wee family only weekend in prospect.
My wee girl has just completed her second week of her modern apprenticeship and is loving it, so delighted for her.
My misses and me are doing “sober October” , however, she was at an office night out last night and strong drink was taken.
So £10 into the holiday fund from her.
Aye, it’s been a good weekend so far!
Good Morning, Pleasantly Autumnal In The Chillederns Today…
SFtBs @ 8:59 PM,
It’s certainly an interesting insight and is very soft on the Liverpool owners, as their stock is riding high, maybe justifibly so. But consider this, if you know how Americans operate you’d understand why they’d be underwhelmed by a legend like Kenny Dalglish and be blown away by a smart, meticulous and driven man like Brendan Rodgers. You’d also know it’s only them that be calling the shots.
When we had superb footballers and their achilles heal was pointed out on CQN, BSR would often reproach the poster with a… that’s why they’re at Celtic. In other words, if they were the complete footballer we wouldn’t be able to afford them.
It’s true to say Liverpool supporters, in the main, were glad to see the back of BR. His flawed – egotistical, single-minded, truculent ways were only tolerated when they were winning.
Yet here is another thing about footballers. Roy Keane was far from the most stable personality and was overly agressive… but as they’d say, you can’t take that away from his game, it was part and parcel of a great player.
At Celtic Park we love our flawed geniuses, well as long as they’re doing the business for us.
Brendan Rodgers came to Celtic Park with various reputations… it actually played out as is…
The fact remains, at Liverpool he disliked intensely, what he seen as, the owners interference. When he came to us, he seeked assurances from the Celtic Board and I believe he got them.
So, why was I personally so keen on Brendan Rodgers… simple, the fit.
Outwith the governance problems, my issues with Celtic at the time were…
Lack of ambition
Under performing coaching and tactics wise
Under performing academy
Unruly dressing room
Hit and miss moneyball recruitment
And of course a badly under-performing first team with a mediocre new Rangers breathing down our necks.
BR simply ticked all the boxes, he had really good experience in all the facets we needed, some skill-sets more advanced than others. Such as his reputation as a coach over his reputation for recruitment for instance but still, even there he could take us to the next level I believed.
Anyway as you know it was a glorious roller-coaster ride and as you know, I saw his departure coming, so no hurt surprise and angst for me when it manifested itself.
Also, no surprise from our Board, as Father Jack says they had been in fevered negotiations with Leicester City, probably had been since 2018. The way I saw it, while there was weeping and gnashing of teeth on the terraces and amoung Celtic supporters the length and breadth of the country and globe, my vision was of a Celtic Board high fiving each other.
Nothing I’ve seen or heard has made me feel any different about the BR-exit, the opposite in fact. I’m convinced the Board wanted to see the back of him, I’m convinced he’s a top coach that given backing would have worked wonders throughout Celtic.
Would we have had to put up with his egotistical and truculent ways.!? Sure.
Would that have been worth managing.!? You tell me;)
Hail Hail
BIGRAILROADBLUES
The Star Bar sounds like a suitable venue for a HOOT in the oasis that is Govanhill.
Mibbe you should bite BMCUWP ear and see what he says!
Hope you are good!
It’s a pity that BR’s Liverpool might have won the EPL if Gerrard hadn’t fell on his arrogant arse.
I was gutted for them.
fell = fallen
Bankiebhoy 1
Spread it good and thick mind.
PHILBHOY
I suspect you may transgress yourself before the month is out.
BRRB
😂
🍀⚽️
Hi Phil. Enjoying retirement. Wouldn’t have a hoot in the Star bar, too many huns polluting the oxygen. Hope you and your gammy knee are doing well. 😁
The B.R.retrospective.
( aka the rewriting of history )
The only unarguable and salient fact.
He dropped us in the poo very suddenly at a crucial part of the season .
( from memory ) Before two v. diff away games in February.
” Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has suggested to The Telegraph that the timing of his departure from Celtic was not ideal.”
Not ideal ?
No Brendan. Not supportable.Not tolerable. Not acceptable.
Don`t ring us.
I’m doing sober in October too. In 2048. I’ll be 90 but one must have targets.
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE
No chance!
I’m in the “Zone” dontcha know!
Must run ;-)
BIGRAILROADBLUES
Had a wee setback with the knee and physio has been pit back two weeks, now starts Tuesday.
I blame BMCUWP for forcing me to walk all over Glasgow at the HOOT!
Hope you are good J!
I probably drink more than normal in October… my way of banishing the short daylight hours blues. Off to Croatia next week, that’ll help too 🌞 🍺
🍀⚽️
Forgot to Say… Hunderbirds – Great morning post, sharing your positive karma and brightening our toast – immense.
MACJAY1 @ 8:52 AM
The B.R.retrospective.
( aka the rewriting of history )
Whit? How Comes?
BR has gone, his partners in crime are still in situ… that’s where our focus should be…
Hail Hail
MACJAY1
Agree with all of your football post!
If BR had gone at the end of the season it would have been with my best wishes.
PHILBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2019 9:06 AM
Exactly.
And with our best wishes.
Just like Kieran.
Good morning CQN from a dry but cold Garngad
Canny wait to see the hoops mañana that coupled with a few beers with mates.😂🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
Team for mañana:
Forster
El Hammed.Julien.KA. Bollingolli.
Brown Cal Mac
Jamesy Eionyoussi
RC
Eddie
Play strongest team possible and then players can get a rest, if they are tired they can pull out of international squads.
COYBIG
D. :)
Macjay,
KT maybe left with the best wishes from the majority of CQN.
However on the Twittering and Facing Book that is certainly not the case.
HH.
GREENPINATA @ 9:52 AM,
Exactly… KT hardly flavour of the month with Celtic supporters.
See Peter’s mate Alison is setting us up for our next blow…
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/17949049.alison-mcconnell-electric-edouard-form-gives-celtic-another-headache-transfer-window/
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2019 9:56 AM
GREENPINATA on 5TH OCTOBER 2019 9:52 AM
I find that disappointing.
But not entirely surprising.
I like to think that they would represent a tiny minority.
And am confident that they would.
I must be in a tiny wee bubble because I know of no bhoys who have a bad word for KT😱
MACJAY1 @ 10:07 AM,
Not so sure… still have Celtic fans slagging off Brian McClair for deserting us:))
To a generation younger than us (& M in M), it’s their “Kenny Dalglish” moment.
Personally I hope the lad does well and goes from strength to strength.
Hail Hail
Training ground set piece …or pub chat ?
https://t.co/aan8QjQ5y1
Chairbhoy
`75 or so.
Guy beside us.
” See you , Dalglish . You`re rubbish. ”
Cue my mate and I exchanging quizzical looks.
Once heard. Never forgotten.
There`s always going to be one. At least.
There always will be.
BOGNORBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2019 10:26 AM
Absolutely brilliant.
:-)
TheLurkinTim on 5th October 2019 7:22 am
——————————————————
Listened to whilst out on a walk this morn. Nice, ta much.
Ave Ave
Dhia Dhaoíobh ó Chontae an Clár.
Good morning from rain drenched Ireland SW.
Still smiling from Thursday night, top class performance.
Just booked flights (€105) for our game in Rome. I just love the away games in Europe.
Get to see a city, taste their culture, excitement of the game and of course, party with fellow Celts.
Great to be a Celt !
GoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooM moring
C……………………………………
Q……………………………………….
N………………………………….
bigJoeinfroma26degreecostaBlanca
On KT, I must be in the same bubble because I only know supporters who wish him all the best. As for Dalgleish – It was Liverpool that this 11 year old took his wrath out on. Still hate them to this day.
QF
Macjay 1
The pub afterwards must have been hilarious
BOGNORBHOY on 5TH OCTOBER 2019 11:20 AM
Macjay 1
Mate
If you watch , the poor burger stays down.
Shouldn`t laugh.
But somehow must.
:-)
That vid. currently wending its way to a` the airts.