You could see Celtic mature during last night’s game. They were defensively solid during the first half, and Craig Gordon was assured throughout, but for the best part of an hour we scarcely tested St Johnstone.
That changed after the goal, which arrived just as St Johnstone were enjoying their best period of the game. Kris Commons didn’t have his most productive night but it was his pressing which led to the break through.
During the second half Ronny Deila replaced Commons, Stokes and the tiring Forrest with Boerrigter, Inge Berget and Kayal. Even before the home team were reduced to 10 men moments after the final substitution, Celtic were clearly in a more comfortable shape. Players were finding space which didn’t exist earlier.
Maribor made seven changes for last night’s Slovenian Super Cup Final, which they won comfortably against opponents who are pointless in the league after four games. Celtic’s scouts are unlikely to have learned too much useful information ahead of next weeks’ game.
What is clear about Maribor is their aerial threat. Five of their 12 goals this season have been headers, which may influence Ronny’s team selection. They also break quickly down the flanks, so maybe a 4-5-1, offering protection to our full backs, is the way to go. Hopefully we’ve learned we’re not quite ready for 4-3-3 away from home in Europe.
The Slovenian media are dismissive of Celtic’s chances, encouraged, it seems, but continuing celebrations from Maribor that they pulled an “easy” draw. I suspect they’ve yet to see the Celtic who will take the field on Wednesday.
Fancy winning a pair of tickets in the padded seats of the Jock Stein Stand for flag day on Saturday – and helping Mary’s Meals? Magners have kindly offered a pair of tickets, which you can win, if you donate £1 to Mary’s Meals. You can, of course, give as much you like, but £1 is the minimum donation.
You also need to answer the question: Which team will Celtic play this Saturday, shortly after the League Flag flies? To enter, forward your MyDonate confirmation email to celticquicknews@gmail.com, with your answer. Competition closes at noon tomorrow (Friday), winner will be notified by email, so check you inbox.
It’ll cost you £1, you could win premium seats to the premium event, enter here. Cheers to Magners.
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Agree with RWE
Its ridiculous to condemn Celtic when they could do absolutely nothing to influence the UEFA decision.
And all from the same band of clowns who ignored Ogilvie, the 5 way agreement Sevco 5088, Murray being duped, The billionaire, The yorkshireman and charlotte.
GIRFUYs
Gutted!!!!!!!!
Back in November we bought tickets to take the weans to see Ant & Dec. I checked last week and the date of this wonderful, never to be missed extravaganza?????
Yep Tuesday 26th August :-(((((((
Anyone looking for tickets for Maribor at home get in touch I think we’ll have 4 or 5.
Lennon’s Passion
Manager satisfied at second-half showing
By: Mark Henderson on 13 Aug, 2014 22:45
RONNY Deila believes Celtic took a step in the right direction as they started their title defence with a 3-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
Second-half strikes from Anthony Stokes and Callum McGregor, bookended between Nir Bitton’s penalty, sealed the spoils for the Scottish champions against the Perth side, who finished the match with 10 men following Dave Mackay’s sending off.
And while the manager was happy to collect three points, he will be seeking an improvement in performance levels from his charges over the coming months.
“The first 20 minutes of the first half was ok but the last 25 minutes of it wasn’t the way I want to see my team,” said the Hoops boss.
“But in the second half we started to up the intensity and pressure and got more movement. It opened them up more and in the end we got the chances we needed and won the game.
“The second half was more like how I want to see my team, but we need to work more on the fitness and pattern and transition to improve. But that will come.
“I am calm tonight but I’m not unbelievably happy as I don’t think we performed fantastically – but we are on our way.
“I have absorbed a lot and observed the way we played before and how we want to play. It takes time, and this what I have been saying all the time.
“Tonight wasn’t perfect but the second half was a step in the right direction, and I know it’s going to be very good in a few months.”
Craig Gordon kept a clean sheet on his competitive bow for the club. It was also his first senior appearance in almost two-and-a-half years after an injury-hit spell on the sidelines, which made his calm and composed display all the more impressive.
“I think he played well,” said the manager. “He was calm and read situations in a good way. I was pleased with his performance. It’s almost two-and-half-years since his last competitive game and it was good to have him back.
Further forward, James Forrest made his first start in over five months and was particularly prominent in the opening 45 minutes, causing consternation to the host with his pace and movement.
And his encouraging display was another positive outcome for Ronny Deila, who is confident the wing wizard can take his game to a new level.
“He is unbelievably important but he is only at 50 per cent what he can,” said the Hoops boss. “He had 20 minute where he was working the defence and then he stopped doing that.
“If we can get his potential out he has to look at Robben and Ribery and how much they run. He has played for 60 minutes tonight and 15-20 minutes against Legia so he needs time. But he is a very important player for us.
Kojo
Still,Laughin
Colonel Kurtz’s FFin’ reaction to the appeal outcome:
“I used to blog mercilessly in defence of [Sevco], every negative article, every topical blog, I was there, my approach was granular, forensic and fact based in the face of vitriol, lies and downright libel.
Missives involving Rangers became akin to a steaming pile of freshly s*at s*it, attracting thousands of sh*t eating, and talking vermin interested only in regaling the world with their disgustingly bigoted and ill reasoned version of our toils.
I have risen above that now and realise that your average [Tim] zealot has absolutely no interest in the truth, fair play or indeed the survival of my club, [Sevco] FC, Scotland’s greatest and most august sporting organisation since [2012].
Preferring instead to peddle a form of hatred and envy which renders them a danger to the very future of our club and by definition their own club, you only have to look at the rapid decline of that club in the intervening years since our banishment.
Don’t give them the oxygen of a reply, do not blog on their articles, they revel in that, they are willing to go further, dig in longer and peddle just about any lie to get their point across no matter how reasoned and factual your argument…In short it is not worth the effort!
They will never see the inequity in any situation where it should exist, Legia being the current ’cause celebre’ for them, they don’t shame, they don’t care and once their course is set they are intractable. They have even managed to turn themselves into the victim, citing amongst other things, emotional blackmail from Legia officials as despicable.
Of course when you are indulged like a spoilt older child, you have no boundaries in terms of right and wrong and to that end when you are always portrayed as being in the right it becomes almost impossible to see the truth. We see this at its most manifest when European referees interpret the laws of the game in an even handed manner.
Their sense of being persecuted throughout history and general inferiority complex renders them a dangerous and irrational enemy, given the chance they will destroy [Sevco]. We shouldn’t waste our time crossing swords with them in futile engagement, blogs, articles etc, we need to get our message to a wider audience, one beyond these shores, whom like European referees are willing to apply the letter of the law.
The cowardly, intellectually stunted pygmies within the Scottish media and establishment will never allow the truth of Celtc’s corrupt fiscal, land deals, nor their subversive undermining of the controlling mechanisms of Scottish football to be properly scrutinised.
They instead prefer to destroy the good name of a club which has operated with honour, a club which has taken principled stances in defence of the club they deify preferring to dishonour themselves by accepting tarnished, ill gained titles in attempt to erroneously right wrongs which never existed.”
——
“Well said,my friend.”
——
“Bang on mate.”
——
“A good piece and well written.”
Tonydonnelly67
I`ll come in and have a pint with you if that`s OK?
JJ
No matter what the decision was on the appeal today I think CAS would have been getting a case put forward to them.
Legia are obviously looking to go down that route as they have to try everything they can even if there is little hope.
If the decision went against us we would also go down that route for lost earnings.
Either way, I don’t think even a winning appeal to CAS would get reinstatement, it might get some money out of UEFA as compensation but reinstatement, I don’t think so. It would just cause more problems to other clubs in the Europa and CL.
TonyD
A few pages back but is the Story
Wee Annie ” I am so proud of him
40 years a student but he finally graduated as a teacher
and hes looking forward to his new position in the new term”
Tom Molach
13:11 on
14 August, 2014
Awash with cash? Why don’t we spend some?
If we accept you case, then surely the sensible thing would be to use the Hooper, Wanyama and Forster money to immediately reduce debt rather than drag out the downsizing years.
A cynic, and there are a few around might ask why a club that has been cutting costs for years is still so massively in debt.
The same cynic might also ask in how many of those debt ridden years were dividends being paid.
Looks like the weathers a hit an miss for Sat. ;)
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gcuvz3bch#?fcTime=1408143600
Geordie, Weeminger
regarding the substitution of Commons
Was Commons playing well? ……. Hmmm not particularly although his excellent tackle set up the first goal, which is often the decisive goal/turning point but IMO I dont think any of the players shone in particular.
Like I said excellent result for the club on a day when the performance was less than impressive.
Do either of you feel that ANY of the team were particularly good? or for that matter playing better than KC?
Hebcelt
Hope you are well, my good man. CMcG = Callum McGregor,
JJ
Aye not a problem.
jungle jim
15:59 on 14 August, 2014
Tonydonnelly67
I`ll come in and have a pint with you if that`s OK?
JJ
I had a near death experience a few years ago.
I had a bout of pneumonia, there was also a suspicion that I had H1N1 (Swine Flu) and it was touch and go whether I would survive or not. I don’t mind admitting that I was delirious and in a mortal panic.
Faced with my own mortality, and as there was a good possibility that it was going to be the end of little old me, I tried my best to insulate my family from how drastic the situation was by not letting them visit my bedside because I could have been contagious.
The only person who was with me was my wife. She is a chartered psychologist and is an angel of a woman. I will never truly know why she puts up with me. She is the love of my life.
She was left with the awful task of discussing with me my final affairs. The end was nigh.
She is a very patient woman and sat with me as I hacked and wheezed and I managed to dictate a last will and testament, while I coughed and spluttered out my wishes for any funeral arrangements, while I hawked and choked and explained how much I loved her.
It was hard on her. I could see it.
We had never thought to discuss these things. We’re both still quite young and although we have been together for years and years we had never seen fit to talk about the end of life.
In the wee small hours of the morning (the hospital had me in isolation, she had to scrub in and scrub out of my room, had to wear a gown and mask, in case she caught the H1N1 from me) I was at my lowest ebb. Things were looking bleak.
And she asked me “What would be your dying wish?”
And without pause I said to her “I hope that Rangers die before me.” and I fell asleep.
She said that she laughed and cried in equal measure at that crazy sentiment.
Now, of course, I made a full recovery and I’ve never looked back. I will be eternally grateful to her for her love and attention in that lowest moment of my life.
But I was thinking about that moment again today and I realized. I didn’t die. And Rangers did. My wish came true.
Granted it might seem like post hoc, ergo propter hoc…
But by my reckoning you all owe me a pint.
:)
Monaghan
The Colonel loves his ‘shrooms!
jc2
16:00 on 14 August, 2014
TonyD
A few pages back but is the Story
Wee Annie ” I am so proud of him
40 years a student but he finally graduated as a teacher
and hes looking forward to his new position in the new term”
____________________
Ohhhhhh nooooooo, lol.
kojo
15:58 on 14 August, 2014
Cheers
jimmci
15:55 on
14 August, 2014
Disappointing to hear so many criticising Sky for their comments.
Don’t know why. They are run by Huns for Huns in terms of sports reporting from Scotland.
Do yourselves a favour. Phone Sky if you subscribe and cancel. The only language they will ever understand.
Been preaching same gospel on here for years.
Hit them and all those of their ilk in the pocket.
Hamiltontim,
Wey Aye Man, Canny :-))))
I would like to know what mind altering substance that FF’er is on so I can avoid it.
TMQ
Would love to buy you a pint anytime.
God bless you.
Ray Winstone’s Big Disembodied Heid
16:05 on
14 August, 2014
I would like to know what mind altering substance that FF’er is on so I can avoid it.
Me. I wish I could find his supplier.
Hey, Lawwel dinnna be too smug yet, can you explain (when yer no counting your bonus in the Cayman Islands) selling Oor goalie for £10 million and replacing him with a goalie who looked confident fit and agile. He even kept a clean sheet for FFS. And he comes lot for crosses, big Frazer didna, why does Gordon do that, is he a natural show aff or what?You even conned Southampton into paying the 12.5% to Newcastle that was part of the sell on fee. And what about selling Big Kelvin to Notts Forest for £2million we got him on Bosman for Gods sake from Notts Forest, what are ye daing to our Club, Nae wonder I don’t attend Celtic Park any mare. Jesus wept.
Tamrabam
Why Did Ronny Sub Commons,last Night?
Ye hiv enquired…
well…
Ah think.. THIS…. is why…
Commons, wiz as Useful, last Night, as a Milk Spiggot oan a Boar.
He has no Verve.. Pizzaz..
Up n Go Go.. He wiz Footery..n Uncertain.. He breaks up a Loata oot Promisin Attacks.. because of this.
n.
that is Only fur Strarters!
Commons, is a Marked Man.. as far as Kojo goes..
He is Nae Use in Europe..
Sure, he is Useful in the S.P.L..
But so Is.. Stokesy… n.. He is Nae Use in Europe ..eether!
Get the Pattern?
If we are building a European C.L. Challenger outfit..
These tow Guys Wull Hiv tae go..
Sad.. But.. Trew.
Noo, Ye know.
Kojo
Still,Laughin
JQB
I’ll get you a pint for the story alone mate!!
CaltonBaldMan
It’s no laughing matter ye wee daftie!!!!! :-(
HT-are the Dynamic Duo not doing more than 1 night in Glasgow?
A Celtic Act of Contrition
No-one does flag days quite like Celtic does flag days . . .
http://theshamrockglasgow.wordpress.com/2014/08/14/a-celtic-act-of-contrition/
Tamrabam,
I thought kc looked like he was blowing out his hoop and had run his race.
He’s the man to create and he just wasn’t.
Nobody was amazing or even very good but I feel anto, johanson and kc had poor games.
Kriss had a great last season but I’d at least expect him to develop a wee bit of alan Thompsonitis;)
Tamrabam
16:01 on
14 August, 2014
I thought Commons and Stokes were particularly poor. Of the attacking players, I thought Forrest had good periods and MacGregor reasonable. It’s hard to say for the more defence minded as St J weren’t doing too much attacking.
George Galloway speaking in Belfast this weekend cue apoplexy from our Unionist friends in the DUP one of whom “confronted” George on the radio. George (as he does) tore him a new one but one of the comments was a”MasterCard ” moment.
“Being lectured to about tolerance by the DUP is like being told to sit up straight by the hunchback of Notre Dame”
Pure quality. A wee bit like being lectured to by Mr Speirs on OUR teams “cheating”?????
auld bertie- as long as Stevie Woods disnae tell Gordon to stay on his line….
Hamiltondimtim,
It is from where I’m reading….
WhentheboatcomesinCSC
Quonno
Head up the Kilpatrick Hills, they are out early this season. :)
themightyquinn
Mortality is such a bummer… :o)
Where would we be without those we love.
Thanks for sharing and a pint for you when we meet.
HH
Caltontongues,
I’d go easy on HT.
He sounds like he’s getting ready to rumble. :)
HT
part timer
Any excuse as well CQNTEN , ants and dec it will be gay boy bands from las vegas next
HH
Bada
No idea but if I was to tell my daughters that I wasn’t going with them they’d never forgive me!! :-(
HT
check their birth certificates
if there are any spelling mistakes, missing dates whatever, just tell the weans that you’re “no their da” that someone else will need to go and see ant & dec with them and then head to the game.
Geordie Munro
16:12 on
14 August, 2014
Caltontongues,
I’d go easy on HT.
He sounds like he’s getting ready to rumble. :)
===================================
Aye, he’s a propa wazzock :-)