The manager got the big calls right. Moussa Dembele’s form has shaded recently, while Leigh Griffiths has been scoring freely, so the latter was the form horse. Not only did Moussa score the equaliser, Newco found it impossible to deal with him throughout.
His circumference of control with the ball at his feet is considerable. I’m not going to burden him with the ‘new Dalglish’ tag, but that ability to shield the ball in tight areas takes me back to my early days watching Celtic. Kenny did this to great effect, creating space for others as he used his strength and close-control to create havoc.
Kenny Millar’s opening goal had been in the post from the first minute as Newco pressurised Celtic off their game. They were the team forcing mistakes of nervous looking defenders (I’m looking at you, Erik). Celtic just didn’t get going early on as the home team controlled midfield with Barrie McKay in particular causing problems.
The turning point came around the time Scott Brown picked up his yellow card (deservedly). It was a typically-calculated Brown intervention.
Moussa’s goal was quite unbelievable. The corner came from a breakaway chance when Scott Sinclair seemed to lose the opportunity by standing on the ball, but recovered to run at the Newco defence before firing a shot which was deflected onto the inside of the post before being knocked behind by a defender for a corner.
Dembele was standing 8 yards out when a high corner fell to his feet. Unchallenged. The ball bounced head-height but Moussa still had time to wait on it falling before finishing into the top corner.
Danny Wilson was marking him when the corner was taken but for reasons all too evident to those who have followed the player’s recent form, he left Celtic’s striker to challenge players already marked. It was an unfathomable mistake.
From that moment on, there was only going to be one result. Celtic should have gone ahead three times in the opening nine minutes of the second half. Their passing was now crisp and fast. Sinclair and Armstrong’s movement made defenders look statuesque.
One stat I’d like to see is the number of touches we had inside the opposition box. We spent a lot of time in there, pinging tight passes, which opened up the home defence. Dembele, Forrest, Sinclair and Armstrong should all have added to the score but Foderingham made himself big throughout and stopped the result from being as embarrassing as the performance.
Forrest made way for Patrick Roberts, who, at his first involvement, released Armstrong with a reverse pass into the box. Celtic had been in this position many times in the minutes beforehand. Their format was to cut the ball back, which is what we were all expecting Armstrong to do, but he released the ball a fraction of a second early across the face of goal for Sinclair to side-foot into the net at the far post.
Craig Gordon had a few comfortable saves, which he dealt with assuredly. Sviatchenko made up for two early poor touches by making the tackle of the game to deny Forrester. Emilio Izaguirre put in his best 45 minutes of the season in the second half; he looked like the player who arrived six years ago.
Mikael Lustig sprinted 40 yards across field to cut-out a breakaway inside the box. Big Jozo Simunovic must be wondering when kick-off is, he didn’t break sweat.
Off-piste mention to Leigh Griffiths, who was warming up behind the goal when the guy who kept him out the team picked himself up off the turf after a fruitless effort. Leigh stepped forward and patted his team-competitor on the back three times while shouting encouragement.
Great team-mates make great teams.
Have a Happy New Year, everyone.
842 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- »
Good morning friends from a cold and frosty, clear skied and dry East Kilbride.
Cold and frosty here also in darkest Lanarkshire. Bit of a sad one as the lhad leaves on the 5.45 to Stansted tonight, I will be designated driver and I hate that lonely drive back.
Will nit the gym shortly to work on this annoying hamstring pull which resurfaced yesterday. Thank God I only have shitty wee things like that to worry about.
Have a good day everyone.
GREENPINATA
I think the first few times I replied to you,I addressed you as GREENPINTA.
I offer my grovelling if belated apologies…
Interesting to see what positions Rodgers is looking to strengthen in January. He wants a small squad, so should only be looking players that can improve the 1st team. He is on record as stating he wanted another creative midfielder in August, presumably a no. 8 to play with Brown and Rogic, but Armstrong’s emergence has possibly diluted the urgency to bring someone in there. We will have heavily scouted this position, so may bring someone in, but it’s no longer the priority. What is? It’s not easy given the form of the team but I think
1. Right back. Lustig has been a warrior this year, but he’s lost a bit of pace and doesn’t get forward like he used to. Gamboa hasn’t done much, but did show some flashes when he got a run of games. Our right side isn’t nearly as threatening as our left.
2. Right wing. Forrest has also had a terrific season, and is deservedly keeping Roberts out, who hasn’t recaptured his pre injury form. If he isn’t coming back next year then someone to play opposite Sinclair may be high on the list, with Forrest able to deputise either side.
3. Centre half. Sviatchenko has had a great season as well, it’s hard to criticise, he is an excellent defender but could be a bit better on the ball. Sometimes he has 20 yards of space and rather than stride forward and draw a player to him, he’ll square it to a man instantly under pressure. He can get better though. I thought Denayer had struggled a bit at Sunderland and was dreaming he may come back, but he seems to be playing well now which takes him out of our price bracket. I think Rodgers would love a pacy centre back that can play, but they are hard to find.
4. The aforementioned playmaker, possibly capable of playing as an 8 and a 10.
Commons and Ambrose will definitely go, Toure probably as well unless his leadership is valued, but the guy looks like he loves playing. Bailly (I think) is out of contract as well. Ciftci and Boyata we won’t be hard to deal with. Players like Henderson, Christie and GMS are at a stage where they probably need game time, if they don’t a get a run of games before the season ends then they may have to move on for their own sake.
Hopefully whoever comes in can take a set piece, we’ve been spoiled with free kick specialists in the last decade and more, but Griffiths aside they are pretty honking at the moment. For once I can sit back and relax in a window knowing the team is in great shape, if we can’t get the players we want we can go back again in the summer.
Happy new year
GREENPINATA on 2ND JANUARY 2017 9:31 AM
My friends in Celtic,
CQN may collectively be a font of knowledge, however maybe we should do our homework on how to spell our own gang,s names.
Peter Lawell should be Peter Lawwell
Ronnie Delia should be Ronny Delia
Oops, think you mean DEILA, Greenpinata!
T
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 2ND JANUARY 2017 8:17 AM
‘Sutton may be calling for the Board to hand our manager a budget that make sit impossible for the Ibrox club to catch us but that doesn’t mean the players our manager would want to bring in (whatever the budget) will come to the backwater of the SPFL.’
###
To what extent does the attraction of playing in The Old Firm Derby Match persuade players ( who have no understanding of the background and context) to come to Celtic?
Thanks for the replies,lhads.
Sorry, I have been out and have to go out again. Here’s hoping our manager gets what he asked Santa for.
Ha, Ha .
Cheers.
Who Czechs the Spellchackers:))
Greenpint
You have a piont
Cheers GFBT
By the way green pint in spellcheck turns to “free pint”
REGGIE
Really good post . Had been contemplating writing similarly but was worried about being overly critical of players that have done really well. You managed to avoid that.
Did sumdy mention a free pint?
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 2ND JANUARY 2017 10:07 AM
Did sumdy mention a free pint?
——————————————–
Free pint tomorrow????
Well,Brendan has more powers than any of us even knew.After the game,he spoke for arounf 30 seconds to “Wee Bazza”telling him he had a good game.It seems that this 30 seconds has gone straight to the wee guys head and given him delusions of greatness.Not only is their not really a big gap between the teams,but really,they could have beaten us 5-1.Its no wonder the likes of Armstrong,Forrest ,etc have really upped their game if they are listening to Brendan every day.
I see Chelsea supposedly lining a £60 million bid for Van Dijk with £6 million going to Celtic. I’d take that.
Another small problem for BR re the transfer window was alluded to by REGGIE.
He will be looking to strengthen with players who can improve our chances of surviving the CL qualifiers.
That means playing them.
Apart from the possibility of breaking up the continuity of a successful team as they bed in,it also reduces the opportunities for our younger players to break through.
It’s a difficult one to get right. Some of our youngsters may well be outstanding prospects,but not yet outstanding players at the level Brendan requires. And they won’t achieve that unless they get a run of games to learn from.
If they can barely scrape a mention in the current team,their chances will not be enhanced by Brendan signing ready-made improvements.
This management lark’s easy,innit?
THEGLASGOWCELTICWAY
Happy New Year,young fella!
PL needs shooting if he only managed to negotiate a 10% sell-on(!)
Ridiculous money down there.
With more than three weeks until our next League game, I am feeling more and more happy about having beaten Sevco. Usually, after any bad result, a good performance in the next game confines the bad one to history. Can you imagine how we would be feeling had we dropped points to Sevco and had to wait three weeks for any sort of comfort? Can you imagine what CQN would be like ! 0:-))
Happy New Year to everyone.
JJ
My friends in Celtic,
To keep Celtic at the level we want, indeed demand .We must use every tool in our locker and that includes the lure of Celtic v Sevco games.
There is no doubt it is a selling point. Many players have stated it. Alan Thompson et al.
I have reservations about playing the cheats, but there is no doubt the majority of our fans embrace the actual games.
We are deluding ourselves if we think that was just another three points. The unbridled joy of our win on Saturday seems self explanatory to that suggestion.
Maybe it’s not fashionable on here to talk up Games against Sevco. Sorry, but in the real world, I really, really, really enjoyed grubbing them.
Can’t help it , to be honest I just couldn’t get enough.
HH.
BMCUW
Yes, we’ve seen before at other clubs big signings coming in and it’s had a disruptive influence. However got total confidence in Brendan to get it right.
Another on my wish list is someone who is a threat in the air at set pieces
BORGO67
Maybe we should send Craig Gordon forward(!)
Regarding transfers – Scott Sinclair was a fantastic signing. It was telling that our ‘slump’ coincided with his absence through injury.
He reminds me of Chris Sutton in that he was under-valued and under-utilized playing for a team that didn’t suit him or want him. Brendan Rodgers has tremendous contacts and respect in the English game – so I wouldn’t be surprised if he has one or two others in mind from the EPL or Championship.
And what about Stuart Armstrong? – the first real box-to-box midfielder we have had since Stan Petrov. I bet Brendan didn’t realise he had the new ‘Steven Gerard’ already signed up. If he didn’t know it when he joined – I am sure he does now.
Really looking forward to 2017.
Bobby
Ha. We might forgive him one day.
Haven’t seen the full ninety minutes yet but thought Craig looked really assured.
BORGO67
He had to be on his game early on Saturday. And on his toes for the rest of the match.
IMO,performing as well as he has ever done,and I hope he enjoyed the rest of his 34th birthday.
Greenpinata 10.35am
I would say that is the view of 99% of Celtic fans, totally agree we need to use any lure to get the best players here, but also never let the cheats forget, I know, you know and most of the world know the original Huns liquidated :-)
Reggie @ 9.42
Good post.
Our club ‘missed out’ on a creative midfielder right at the end of the last window, we need to buy if we are to turn CL draws to wins. We have never been in such a position of strength , between now and next summer we
will see how seriously backed Brendan is with regard European football.
Money well spent will see us negotiate that group of death, stockpiled takings gets us nowhere.
We need to move on good but surplus players facinating times for us where BR should be planning his Seville.
Bobby
It’s tremendous the way he has turned his season around and saved us a few bob . No doubt age will catch up with him but more than happy for him to be our keeper next season
Greenpinata
Perhaps you should learn to stop talking nonsense before pulling up folks spelling
BORGO67
His wilderness years due to injury might well work to our advantage as it lengthens his career.
Certainly BR is happy with how he responded to initial doubts about his ability.
Years I spent watching Celtic wi ten players and one who wasn’t. Then we get three in rapid succession to have faith in.
Truly,there is a God.
JORIS MAUNSTON
Oh,he’s gonna have a right pop at your punctuation!
Fortunate enough to still be still in the stadium on Saturday and witness the celebrations of the Celtic players at the final whistle. I haven’t seen them celebrate a league victory at an away ground in Scotland this season the way they celebrated on Saturday. The players the board and the fans in attendance there know it’s one of the biggest games and spectacles of the season. In my opinion some of the players enjoyed that victory more than the five one game.
it probably pains some in here that there were7000 Celtic fans inside the ground enjoying themselves and many more outside offering ridiculous amounts of money to try and secure a £49 ticket. The truth is the majority of those fortunate enough to get their hands on a ticket for the Broomloan Road stand on Saturday are more interested in gubbing that mob on the park than they have in any resolutions supported by a few
The only sell out games Celtic Park is likely to see again this season is our league game against them and if we draw them in the cup…..that tells you what the vast majority of Celtic supporters want to see
For all those who have been saying,they never want to see a Celtic v Monkeys game again,and quite entitled to that opinion,after watching the players after that win,I think they need these games.Their sheer joy at the end on Saturday was something to behold.The 7,500 fans also were delirious with joy at the end.For the players,its a big game,with atmosphere,that really means something to the fans.No one can tell me,Scott,Moussa,etc did not love it.Cup finals,CL nights are fantastic,but the league is a hard slog and I think these wins brighten that up for the players no end.
MICKYBHOY
In life we always enjoy beating cheating bassas more and than those who have played fairly and come up short.
So the celebrations and ‘clamour’ for tickets had little to do with beating a team wi 2/3 of our points to date,or beating our rivals,or even a return to OF business as usual.
Merely a matter of putting a bunch of cheats,charlatans,and bigots back in their hole.
Live abroad… Don’t offer opinions on the old firm
Have we bought anybody yet? If Brendan brings in one this week, he can throw in a wee sunshine trip to Dubai ;)
Do you attend all home matches mickbhoy?
https://twitter.com/muireannf/status/815696360481705984?s=08
Scott Sinclair song….Wagner style….
Joris Maunston
Are you a hun?