Celtic progress with worthy win

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Reo Hatate endured a torrid start to the month but what a return to form he enjoyed last night.  In earlier seasons, Reo’s energy levels dipped late in games, but against Young Boys he covered every blade of grass.  After Daizen Maeda’s dismissal, it was Reo who marshalled the left wing, throwing himself at the ball to squeeze the life out of the Swiss attack.

Space and time on the ball is a premium at this level, but players with elite ability can manufacture both.  Reo’s first touch, combined with intelligent use of his body, allowed him to repeatedly settle Celtic into possession.

He did this deliciously with five minutes remaining, before carving open the Young Boys defence with a pass into the path of Adam Idah for the goal.  The goal itself was a lucky break, but you often make your luck.  Reo made ours last night, without his skill, the Young Boys defence would have not have been stressed.

You will wait 20 years before seeing another hattrick of disallowed goals (I have a vague memory of Tommy Johnson being incorrectly penalised like this against Kilmarnock).  Kyogo’s three goals were all correctly disallowed, but seemed an indication that the opener would soon come.

Greg Taylor’s cardio capacity almost came to the rescue, when he hit the byline inside the box and crossed, while being dragged to the ground by the neck.  Arne Engels’ attempt from the penalty spot was poor.  If you stagger your run as Arne did, you are in trouble if the keeper is not already on his way down.  The resultant shot had no momentum from the run-up, allowing the keeper time to read it.

Keller in the Young Boys goal had an outstanding game, although there was a ‘saveable’ element to each of his seven shots stopped.  His final act of heroism, getting a foot out to stop Adam Idah, became a short pass to the onrushing defender Benito, who could do nothing but bundle the ball into his own net.  The cheers at Celtic Park were loud, matched only by the sound of television channels being changed in unison across large parts of the country.

Unlike the first, the second half lacked chances (we will come onto this in a moment).  Maeda came close early in the period, while Kasper Schmeichel made a tremendous double save to stop Young Boys taking the lead.

The late goal should have seen Celtic close the game out comfortably.  Instead, Maeda’s temperament led him to retaliate.  The red card which followed will cost us one of our truly Champions League-class players in Birmingham next week.

Young Boys halted Celtic’s relentless first half procession at the start of the second period when they figured out they needed to deny Callum McGregor space.  Callum was imperious in the first half.  The key to Celtic’s play is finding angles to make simple forward passed into.  Callum was able to make and (more importantly) receive these passes, which repeatedly triggered an attack.

Modern football increasingly resembles a chess board.  Everyone who can receive a pass is covered, to progress the ball, you need motion and an understanding of how to create an angle where the recipient can move into to receive a pass.

Celtic did this terribly at Ibrox this month and were vastly better last night.  Remember also how often Taylor and Johnston passed the ball along the line into empty space, knowing it would be met by a Celtic jersey.  Our success as a football team is all about how we move the ball forward.  I don’t think we are the finished article, but you can see what the coaches have been working on since 3 January.

Young Boys remain rooted to the bottom of the table and are ninth in the Swiss league but still managed to give us a proper game last night.  This demonstrates the gap between most of our domestic opponents and even the Swiss league.  It is difficult to live week-to-week in one environment and then step up to a vastly higher level.

We will have at least 10 Champions League games this season and five against Newco; each match a genuine test.  Other games are of little developmental value.

An interesting aside: five clubs are currently on 12 points, each of them a past winner: Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Celtic.

Congratulations to Celtic on progressing to the next stage.

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325 Comments

  1. Now I’ve has a chance to wind down a bit, I was thinking. as we know, the players ARE human and totally understand just how vital last night was . So, I will cut them some slack here and get why they were so , if you like, nervous and apprehensive coming into the game.

     

    I say, hats off, job done

     

     

    Kyogo, go with my deepest thanks, best of luck to you

     

     

    KINGLubO

  2. Who sells their main striker at this time of the season ?? surely a pre-contract should have been done with a move to France in the summer.

  3. I am struggling with why sell kyogo now. Unless he wants to go.

     

    we dont need the cash for a start, and do we not want to try progress again in europe / or are we content just to get there ?

     

     

    If he does I am amazed no EPL interest at £10m, a steal for a player with maybe another 6 years in him.

     

     

    why not wait till the summer ?

     

     

    Jota, my only caution is, does the bhoy still have it ?

  4. Bada Bing I immediately thought like you last night re Maeda. Def would be regarded wrongly as violent. Lots of clever folks on here and other places seem to be saying other wise. I really hope they are right.

     

     

    Huge credit to uefa re this new format. I saw some English chap on sky slagging it off last night. I 100% disagree with him. Next week will be amazing with 90% of the games having something resting on them for both sides and even those without will have big money at stake.

     

     

    Re Rangers and a run in Europa this year. It is massively devalued competition even compared with last year. The Top 36 teams in Europe cannot play in it whereas last year only the Top 16 could not and so 20 other stronger teams than those in it this year had the potential to qualify through the 8 drop down places from CL or via not being in CL at all.

     

     

    Financially there is little benefit to them getting straight to the last 16 as the miss out on a bumper revenue from a play off match which would be similar in value as direct last 16 place. From a playing point of view I would rather they had to play another 2 games to keep clement moaning and his wafer thin squad stretched pre any cup games we might have with them.

  5. Maybe a Jota in for Kyogo and Maeda as a 9 is what we are considering and giving young Kenny or the under 21 lad 4 months to impress ?

  6. ffs you can’t call elon musk a cucking funt on tiktok !!! you can’t say anything these days

  7. onenightinlisbon on

    Burnley78 on 23rd January 2025 7:13 pm

     

     

    Would not be surprised if that is the thought.

     

     

    Maeda plays 9 for Japan.

  8. A late goal for Roma and Olympiakos plus wins for Sociedad and a couple of others could knock that lot down to 16th place tonight and teetering on the brink of a non seeded spot in this 2nd rate event.

  9. Jackiemac

     

     

    He is , and dangerous into the bargain.

     

    Problem with TRUMP and him, they are so fekkin isolationist, it is worrying. I mean, apart from decent music just what has the US given the world exactly

     

     

    KINGLuBO

  10. ONIL

     

     

    Yes and given we do have to adapt our style for the big games v better opponents it might just make sense.

     

     

    Obv the younger guys could be used and given a chance as and when appropriate once we are comfortable re the league. Maybe a game or two away now.

  11. The slightly scary thing is that I have had a few conversations this past few days with people I genuinely respected in the past who themselves are suggesting they really get some of Trumps behaviour and rhetoric. Really scary actually not just slightly.

  12. £70m in the bank, on the brink of a treble and in the champions league knock out stages , so it’s time to sell our top striker 👍

     

     

    Fuck right off

  13. I mean, apart from decent music just what has the US given the world exactly

     

     

    KINGLuBO

     

     

    ‘The Hotdog’ 🌭

     

     

    Long Good Friday CSC

     

     

    T

  14. SAINT STIVS on 23RD JANUARY 2025 7:10 PM

     

     

    30 years old, fancies a go in another league and probably with a pay rise for his lat big contract. He changed his agent in the Summer so you’d think he was thinking about his future back then.

  15. Kyogo has been wanting the move.Change of agents,and the transfer talk surrounding him recently,a dead giveaway.Boy from Japan wants to play in Europe,and why not.Good luck to him.

     

    Those compaining,just what do you want Celtic to do?.Keep a player who wants away?.When have we ever stopped anyone from leaving?.Just how would that work.

     

    Ange told us all,” Never fall in love with players”.

     

    Going by last season,and this,his form was on the wane,for whatever reason.Better he leaves now and leaves us with great memories.

     

    Loved him.

  16. bournesouprecipe on

    Windows being boarded up , bins fastened shut , garden furniture put away into sheds. I’m not talking about the storm heading for Glasgow, pray for those poor folk living in Manchester.

  17. Never mind the Weary Willie’s,Jota returning will be a fantastic bit of business,if true.Our best winger since Jinky,Hunskelper,entertainer,fantastic player,star quality.I have said before,he was born to play for us,and his heart is in Celtic Park.

     

    If it comes off,and KT,bring on the play offs.

  18. onenightinlisbon on

    Turkeybhoy on 23rd January 2025 7:39 pm

     

     

    Absolutely agree. He’s a fabulous player and almost as important he “gets us”….

  19. TIMMY7_NOTED, could already be someone lined up?

     

    After all this deal was all but done and we knew nothing?

     

    Cardsclosetochestfc

  20. From Ouest France (translated)

     

     

    A transfer that would be around 10 million euros is in the cards. This case had been open for several weeks, and it took the leaders of Rennes to be patient.

     

     

    The negotiations between Rennes and Celtic were constructive, not least because the case of the Portuguese winger Jota, former star… of Celtic, was mentioned, and even if the two files would be separated.

     

     

    Read also: Albert Gronbaek and the Stade Rennais, it was just a holiday love affair

     

     

    According to our information, Jota, who is not counting on coach Jorge Sampaoli and who was in the process of starting, must go the other way and join Celtic. It’s like Furuhashi a transfer.

  21. You cant keep a player if he wants to go, and he does seem to want to go.

     

     

    Stay nimble in the transfer market, keep rolling the dice. And other cliches.

     

     

    A first choice striker is probably the hardest position for Celtic to fill, but fill it we must now. Its vitally important we replace his goals and overall play.

  22. Great to see Ange get the result tonight.

     

     

    I think rather than listen to McCoist I will watch James McLean’s Wrexham vs Chris Davies and Tomoki’s Birmingham.

  23. So Kyogo gone? Baffling.

     

     

    Idah, Kenny and Cummings? Or a loan project in with option to buy?

  24. jusr researched riennes, never won their league, 3 french cup wins in their whole history.

     

     

    half the support of celtic, half the size of a stadium,

     

     

    the wee man is being very poorly advised from a football perspective.

     

     

    given spurs woes i am really suprised ange never took him there.

  25. I honestly think Maeda might be the option for a central role like Japan. With our superstar from Portugal playing wide.

  26. bigrailroadblues on

    Been sent a video of hun fighting in Manchester.

     

    They really are a criminal underclass of scum.

  27. Rennes are in a terrible situation in Ligue 1.

     

    In danger of relegation, so why oh why does the wee mhan want to

     

    go there?

  28. bigrailroadblues on

    Hun and manure “fans” fighting in the pub. Fat, unfit fookers thinking they are Marvin Hagler. Dearie me. 😁

  29. bournesouprecipe on

    Very crafty bit of business by Celtic, getting a 25 year old £25M player, for a 30 year old?

     

     

    I hope Kyogo’s replacement brings as much joy as he did.

     

     

    Plenty of room and resource to be serious about Europe, with another difference making striker.

     

     

    Sayonara CSC

  30. glendalystonsils on

    Maeda at centre would provide just as much energy as Kyogo and would give defenders just as much of a nightmare . Plus he is less easily knocked off the ball . I think he would have the goals in him too so it might just work .

     

    With the mouthwatering prospect of Kuhn and Jota on the wings (and KT in behind) would represent a significant upgrade .