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Celtic’s difficulty retaining possession

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Celtic played well to a point yesterday. We dominated the opening period but Hearts steadied and worked their way into the game. The old adage proved true; when you’re on top, you need to score. Unfortunately we couldn’t make the early pressure count.

I think it was coincidental that our period of domination ended around the time Stuart Armstrong was taken off injured. Stuart was not having such an overarching impact on the game, and James Forrest was an able replacement.

The goals eventually came from midfield, leaving us to defend a lead for the last 20 minutes. There’s not much you can do about Hearts added-time equaliser, which soared into the top corner, but our play in the final 10 minutes of the game was inviting the sucker punch. We couldn’t retain possession, often clearing the ball long, which allowed Hearts to launch forward again.

I wasn’t too concerned about the equaliser but we we’re going to lose late goals if we cannot retain possession.

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  3. embramike says "the Huns are Deid" on

    @ScottishFA @spfl supply all clubs list of banned songs and fine them TV match fee for any singing and ban them from next lot of TV matches

  7. butsybhoy on

    BCW

     

    I think the courts will finally put them out of business

     

    We need the English media to run the story right from the start.because our lot don’t have the balls

     

    With every thing going on with FIFA they would tear the SFA SPFl to shreds.

     

    My opinion.

     

     

    HH

  9. TheBarcaMole on

    Seeing as I am here and on the blog, thought I might add a wee sentence or two, so that I am not viewed as using CQN as a personal message board.

     

    The dissatisfaction of the Celtic support is (IMHO) at the highest it has been in my lifetime thus far. There has always been this disconnect between the rank and file support and the board but the other alternatives open to said support by way of entertainment (on a Saturday), did not, to all intents and purposes, fall within the affordability needed to get involved in such.

     

    The Bowling Clubs may well have been affordable but there were other issues at play to prevent playing in clubs other than the old Corporation ran greens.

     

    Golf Clubs; cost and class prohibitive. Again, other than the old Corporation ran courses.

     

    Many other examples out there re.

     

    Today though, other outlets are available and affordable. Yes, not to all, as those who cannot afford to get involved in the other alternative leisure pursuits also cannot afford to pay the exorbitant price of a one off ticket to Celtic Park, let alone dream of purchasing a season ticket………………

     

    I know of many families that would love to be at Celtic Park every other fortnight just as I know of many families that just cannot be bothered with it all anymore, guys who ran CSC’s for years, not glory hunters by any means. The entity that is Scottish football has disgusted more than a few of these guys and families, and Celtic FC/plc really need to explain their role in all of the most recent shenanigans.

     

    If reading this you may have noticed previously that I said hello to Butsy on here, well, I had a conversation with his younger brother in a car journey down to Heathrow about two years or so ago, and it was pretty much along the lines of ‘I don’t recognise this Celtic as the team that my (maternal) grandfather and father followed all over the country after a Friday night-shift in the Saracen Foundry and The GPO, respectively’….. ‘Aye’ says Thomas ‘agreed’…………Silence then took over for the remainder of the journey. A few pints and a bite to eat in the bar at the Premier Inn , general chit chat and cheerio pal at breakfast in the morning.

     

    I boarded the plane carrying a heavy heart, with the the thought of leaving some family and friends behind, coupled with the less than appetising thought of a thirty hour trip to come was bad enough but what really upset me was the thought that one of my closest friends felt that same dreadful sadness. Not that he was growing away from Celtic but that Celtic is/was growing away from him…….. There are surely many out there that feel that way.

     

    Hope this makes up for my vodka fuelled, poorly written, badly constructed, melancholic effort of last night.

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  10. Cowiebhoy on

    Embramike

     

    As a non – Twitter user, can you explain that ?

     

    Is it from the FTSFA or someone to them ?

  11. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    I have not supported Scottish football since the 5 way agreement. Since then I have not given them a penny. Cancelled all TV subscriptions even those not in my household. Only those that I pay for. Weaned my own son of off Celtic and apologised profusely for brain washing him. The only reason I am here is too watch one of the slowest car crashes in history and to get confirmation of my first ever post on CQN. That Celtic is the Old Firm. Scottish football is the Old Firm and the only thing that Scottish football has to offer to the world is what the Romans did to the Christians. Used to bring in the 11 plus failures to the amphitheaters as well.

     

     

    BarabasCSC

  12. tonydonnelly67 on

    TINYTIM on 29TH DECEMBER 2015 1:26 PM

     

    Eddieinkirkmichael 1.11

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Well I think anybody who doesn’t see them as a threat is blinded by bias.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The team that they are currently fielding will be greatly improved upon if they are in the SPFL.

     

     

     

     

    They will play to bigger audiences ,with a frenzied support fully behind them.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    They will have more money than Aberdeen ,and let’s face it .

     

     

     

     

    We are struggling to shake them off this season.

     

     

    – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/celtics-difficulty-retaining-possession/comment-page-8/#comment-2745141

     

     

    Now correct me if I’m wrong here, you posted this , right?

     

     

    And you as a Celtic supporter are telling me that I’m supposed to be scared of this new club coming up ( if they do) you seem to be more of an expert on them that’s me, so let’s wait and see, but scared? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaa, sorry.

  13. bournesouprecipe on

    Cowiebhoy – ( from ages ago )

     

     

    Yip, is it a grand ole team to pay a grand for, including European ad hoc Scottish and League cups, and that doesn’t count your expenses.

     

     

    Not worth it anymore? – for me the public proof is, Madden, McLean, Muirhead, and the Hampden administrators who have maintained, aided, abetted and nourished an unlevel playing field, with the way clearly paved for Newco Rangers and their sectarian staining.

     

     

    Celtic ‘playing the game’, simply won’t cut it soon ,and not with the season ticket rock bed of Fergus McCann’s age now decimated, we may rely more on a new age day tripper, safe standing, Celtic supporter for games at CP in the future,

     

     

    The ST has become more and more of an annual dilemma for a lot of Celtic fans (who could blame them?) and with thousands more seemingly, at risk next year the PLC has to be crystal clear, on our club’s status, particularly if they can’t find us a competition where we are not funding fraud, or are required to sit at the back of the bus, pipe down and pay up.

  14. mike in toronto on

    To ask how many zombies would make our team is, in my opinion, to miss the fundamental point…

     

     

    Football isn’t an individual game … its not, my full back is better than your full back, so 1 point for me … and if I have a higher number of better players in a best of 11, then I win ….

     

     

    it is a TEAM game …. I agree that, on paper, most if not all of our players are better than theirs (not often that TD and I agree on anything, but I think we agree on that)…. but collectively we are less than the sum of our parts …. we are taking admittedly good players and making them look poor as they dont play as a unit ….

     

     

    As usual, we had lost of possession on the weekend, but it was possession without purpose … by analogy to boxing, we had 300 punches, but only maybe 10 were ‘power punches ‘… that is punches that make a difference … hearts had much less possession, but did much more with it when they had it …. to extend the analogy… they had 150 punches, but maybe 25 were power punches …

     

     

    I cant comment on Sevco, as I have only seen minutes of them since they did their zombie lazarus routine ….

     

     

    but I remember our host talking a few years ago about 1967 …. how IM were that generation’s versions of The Invincibles …. I dont think he went so far as to say none of our players would have make their first 11 … but, before the game, most neutrals probably would have ….. however, the Big Man had a plan, the players knew the plan, had the skill and the heart to execute it …. and we all know how that turned out.

     

     

    it doesn’t matter who has the best players …. it is who is the best team. Obviously, a good team with better players will usually beat a good team with lesser players ….. but, unless you have a Lionel Messi, usually teamwork is the key.

     

     

    right now, Celtic have decent players, but dont play (well) as a team …. lots of possession (punches) but very few chances created (power punches)…

     

     

    I did see Sevco when we played them a few years ago …. we weren’t great, but they were minging ….

     

     

    However, (i) they will be hungry (hunger is something we seem to be lacking at the moment), and (ii) from what I have heard, they may not be great players, but they may not be a terrible TEAM ….. and that can be a great equalizer.

     

     

    The moment we start assuming that we will win (which a great many of us have the last few years) ….. we risk not only losing to them, more importantly, we risk sounding like them.

     

     

    Have to run into the office, but will check back in later.

     

     

    HH

  15. TinyTim on

    TD67

     

     

     

    I do more than just post on here.

     

    I support Celtic home and away ,through thick and thin.

     

     

    If you have read my posts over the last 11 years ,you would be well aware of that.

     

    I’ve even had beers in the company of your brother at the Vegas convention a number of years ago.

     

     

    I detest the Hun.

     

     

    But I am not blind to Celtics appalling recent failings ,and the desire for the Hun to murder us.

     

     

    They are a wounded animal right now.

     

     

    TT

  19. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Closing your eyes doesn´t make it go away no matter how hard the 11 plus is

     

     

    HH

  21. kikinthenakas on

    We are a poor team, in a poor league, managed by a poor manager.

     

    Doesn’t dtop us being Celtic Supporters

     

     

    Kikinthenakas

  22. Cowiebhoy on

    BSR

     

    Just a quick response, nipping oot :-)

     

    I have not funded an FTSFA competition for 5 seasons now, not a penny towards them.

     

    I have not funded the so called League cup in same time

     

    No other club is gaining from my contributions to football other than Celtic

     

    I will repeat for those hard of hearing

     

    I do not do pubs etc, my life is family and Celtic,

     

    I will always support Celtic, maybe in the future not with 2 season tickets though

  24. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    Tony

     

     

    Some of your views are valid some less so. You are polarised and that is not a good thing when as you do try and persuade others.

     

     

    At the other end of the spectrum is Neganon2.

     

     

    I’m sure you know that, don’t you ?

  25. TheBarcaMole on

    butsybhoy on 29th December 2015 1:57 pm

     

     

    For sure J, for sure………. God willing!

     

     

    Regards & Hail Hail

     

    TBM

  26. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    COWIEBHOY on 29TH DECEMBER 2015 2:11 PM

     

     

    I refuse to finance the Old Firm and those willingly profiting from it.

     

     

    Do not think you don´t or that Celtic are not complicit.

     

     

    I can´t believe you failed your 11 plus ;-)

     

     

    HH

  29. The Battered Bunnet on

    Crossed my mind a while back, apropos little enough, that if one was considering resetting Sevco financially via a managed Insolvency, it couldn’t be accomplished while the IPs were in the hands of Sports Direct. No Brand: No Football Club.

     

     

    I’m not suggesting that this is the reason the dough was repaid in a hurry last week, but there was a reason for the hurry – this is not a business after all that has a spare £5M to hand. Indeed, it needs around £5M external funding to see the season out.

     

     

    Something caused the main shareholders to dig out a significant chunk of money, and to dig it out damned quickly. There’s a story there for any idle journos looking in.

  30. Cowiebhoy on

    Awe Naw

     

    I take my dividend on shares, so I suppose that does makes me complicit :-)))

     

    Probably got my initial investment back by now though

     

     

    Hail Hail and off ooot, till later

  32. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    TBB

     

     

    You are saying the three berrs want admin but Mike won´t let them ?

     

     

    on a technical hitch ….e,g late payment fee

     

     

    HH

  33. Turkeybhoy on

    Apart from the boy Cummings,Hibs were rank rotten last night.Easy for the Huns to look half decent.Anybody still reckon that Henderson should be in our first team?No pace,no stamina,lightweight.The boy has a long way to go.

     

    Apart from that,same old guff on here,so offski.

  34. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    Can’t remember who first posted the idea that the only club that would suffer once the wee jobby floated back up.

     

     

    They were spot on. Seems like many Tims will not support a sport exposed as grossly favouring one cheating club.

  36. MoonbeamsWD on

    TBB

     

     

    I was not aware that the shangrala had apid their £5m due to the Geordie shangrala as yet.

     

     

    Unless Santa was very very very good to der hun II

     

     

    MWD

  40. Auldheid on

    TinyTim on 29th December 2015 1:26 pm

     

     

     

    Eddieinkirkmichael 1.11

     

     

    Well I think anybody who doesn’t see them as a threat is blinded by bias.

     

     

    The team that they are currently fielding will be greatly improved upon if they are in the SPFL.

     

     

    They will play to bigger audiences ,with a frenzied support fully behind them.

     

     

    They will have more money than Aberdeen ,and let’s face it .

     

     

    We are struggling to shake them off this season.

     

     

    We have wasted the opportunity of over £80 million of CL income to separate us from them .

     

     

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

     

    What £80M? It is clear that to qualify for the CL you need better players each of those years than those we have.

     

     

    That kind of quality does not come cheap in transfer fees or wages and to attract them to Scotland the wages are even higher.

     

     

    So there is a cost and risk over 6 qualifying games when team are not up to full match fitness in not qualifying and apart from that actual cost having to be deducted from the £80 there is the potential cost of not qualifying.

     

     

    I think if some of the risk factors of not qualifying could be removed then the punt taken to reach the CL would be small enough in risk terms to actually take it. Its not the cost of qualifying that deters, its the cost of failing to, so making qualification less risky like a change in the football season (not in Celtic’s control )might help.

     

     

    Alternatively the prize money for the EL goes up enough to suit clubs in Europe with access to less TV money than others , which is what UEFA have done

     

     

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3019496/Champions-League-prize-money-increases-UEFA-hand-Europa-League-big-cash-boost-too.html

     

     

    and the realistic aim of Celtic (and it is the club who should set the bar not the SMSM) should be EL qualification and to be in the later stages after Christmas.

     

     

    Now on that basis RD comes out 50/50 in last two seasons but that is not an argument for that to be the policy. The argument should be on the economics of CL money over EL money using correct figures that measure as accurately as possible costs over benefits.

     

     

    This £80M loss is a rod made for Celtic’s back that ignores a number of factors that render it meaningless as a measure to support a business plan for CL participation.

     

     

    So why not bloody well bloom where we are planted and enjoy the flowering?

     

     

    Its getting real hard work to enjoy being a Tim (well here anyway)

  42. MoonbeamsWD on

    Auldheid

     

     

    In your opinion it is rendered meaningless.

     

     

    Given the teams we have failed to compete against and the lack of investment prior to the CL qualifiers followed by panick purchases or loan deal to placate thereafter in most of the campaigns we have failed in this last few years the board have been at it and you and I both know it. It is just now that a sizable number of fans are beginning to actually see through it and see them for what they are. Shysters!!!

     

     

    The club needs refreshed from Top (and I mean the very top) to the bottom.

     

     

    It is being desttroyed from the inside out.

     

     

    You stay happy with that crap.

     

     

    I won’t.

     

     

    Fighting against the hun and it’s return is just laughable in my opinion now if you are happy to sit back and let these charlatans destroy our own club while using what happened to the hun as a stick to back up there frugile fingers at us.

     

     

    MWD

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