Central-mid quandary for Celtic

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We know what to expect from Aberdeen tonight.  They will flood (pardon the pun) central midfield, defend deeply and, let’s be clear, they will score any time we allow them the kind of space they exploited at Celtic Park this month.

Question is, what will Celtic do about it?  If Stefan Johansen’s ankle knock keeps him out the central-mid triangle of Johansen, Brown and Biton will be disrupted, and surely Neil Lennon will not revert to a central two after the Scottish Cup lesson.  The picture is further complicated by the injury to Emilio Izaguirre, which forced Charlie Mulgrew back at the weekend.  Mulgrew would be a suitable direct replacement for Johansen.

In 10 years doing this stuff I’ve probably used no more than a few dozen words to praise emerging young talent; it’s been a rough decade in that respect.  Without wanting to go overboard in any way, Darnell Fisher has looked more than comfortable at right back in the absence of Mikael Lustig and Adam Matthews.  Darnell’s problem going forward will be that he has two excellent international players ahead of him in the pecking order, but for tonight, I would be tempted to bring Matthews to left back (if he can do it against Barcelona….) and restore Fisher to the right back slot.  This would allow Charlie to sit alongside Scott Brown and Nir Biton in central-mid.

Well done to Frank McAvennie, who is jumping out of an aeroplane 15,000 feet in the air.  You can play your part in this exercise by supporting the Quarriers run, Chavey Down residential home, in Newton Mearns, which helps young people up to the age of 16.

The need is for sensory equipment, toys and wheelchair-appropriate play areas.  To contribute, go to Frank’s JustGiving page, or text FMSD 89 followed by £1, 2, 3, 5, 10 to 70070.

If you would like to read the new CQN Magazine, GO HERE to read properly, and for FREE, the graphic below is just a taster.
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  1. snake plissken

     

    I don’t need Celtic to entertain me or I will withdraw my support.

     

    The fact that they turn up and play is good enough for me.

     

    Win, lose or draw.

  2. For me, if he touches the ball it isn’t even a free kick as he didn’t play through the man, he was clipped. This doesn’t matter though. His intent was to tackle, not to play through the man violently or recklessly. He did trip him, it was a free kick, but was it clear goalscoring opportunity, given, he wasn’t even in our box when it was committed, given he was running wide away from goal due to his poor touch? No definitely not. Was he the last man? No definite cover from Ambrose.

     

     

    Ref’s a cheat all day long.

  3. A Ceiler Gonof Rust Says Hail Hail Big Fraser on

    Watching the game on bbc alba and the sending off was clearly incorrect. Virgil gets the ball and the Aberdeen player falls over his leading leg.

     

     

    Disgraceful refereeing.

     

     

    When does this incompetent hun retire? If I was as bad at my job as he is at his I’d have killed myself years ago.

     

     

    He killed our chance tonight with his failure to carry out his duty.

  4. Billy Bhoy

     

     

    Kojo,is an American Indian Name..

     

     

    If ye really wanta Know..

     

     

    n..

     

     

    By the way.. Kid

     

     

    You,,Sir.. Ur No Gentleman.

     

     

    Kojo

     

    Still,Laughin

  5. GG

     

     

    I don’t need to be entertained but it sure as hell helps.

     

     

    I can forgive a bad or difficult performance with 10 men but we seem aimless at times and I cannot see it getting much better in the short term.

     

     

    I worry about the up coming qualifiers in a World cup year.

     

     

    I’ll ask again – who hand on heart has thought this season has been a good one?

     

     

    And more importantly why?

  6. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........FC not PLC on

    A CEILER GONOF RUST

     

     

    Depends on your remit. He will think-Job done.

     

     

    His employers are unlikely to disagree.

  7. tommytwiststommyturns on

    Martim – I wouldn’t disagree with your last sentence, but if the situation was the other way round we would have been screaming for a red card !

     

    For me, it was a red all day….would Thompson have given it at the other end? That’s a different story!

     

     

    T4

  8. corkcelt- SUPPORTING THE DAM 5 on

    Snake, You simply can’t ignore our record breaking run as if it didn’t happen. We didn’t play badly tonight we were done by the Ref. Yes there is room for improvement but to call our signings this year as by and large rubbish is simply hun like spake. Virgil & Biton & Leigh look very good, Johansen Pukki & Balde look reasonably good prospects and the only guy who has really disappointed is Derk and I wouldn’t write him off yet. Yep I want to win everything playing fantastic football but win or lose I’ll follow the Hoops regardless..

  9. Snake Plissken

     

     

    Without being pedantic you’ve not seen Celtic this year, but you certainly know how to moan like @@@@ when you watch them on TV, and trash your keyboard at every Celtic player that pulls on the Hoops.

     

     

    How many times are you going to post your schoolboy compositions of how Celtic are rubbish and Neil Lennon is useless and you’re not getting entertained.

     

     

    Go to the circus, get a new hobby, but FFS give it a rest.

     

     

    Either that try or supporting Celtic and stop bleating, from whatever your skewed vantage point is, your negativity is nauseous during every televised game, even at 0-0, thank god

     

    you don’t sit next to me at home games.

     

     

    OhWait CSC

  10. eddieinkirkmichael on

    Sorry guys but anyone trying to say Virgil didn’t deserve his red card is wearing green tinted specs IMHO

  11. snake plissken

     

    We all worry about each game whether it’s a CL qualifier or a game against Ross County.

     

    This is a golden era for Celtic fans and maybe we will appreciate it more in retrospect.

  12. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    Don’t normally go to away games, but went tonight since game wasn’t televised…….on the bus back now and raging at that referreeing contrived performance……..he set the scene with bookings etc…….when will we get out of this feckin country…… Anyway, good craic with a good few real characters tonight………will sleep tonight…….hahahahaha

  13. Just shows how difficult it is to go unbeaten for entire season

     

    – one miss timed tackle

     

    – a couple of injuries in the one area of the team

     

    – a homer of a ref

     

     

    Many factors go into creating a run but it only takes one thing to derail the entire run.

     

     

    Anyway team of the decade is very interesting – 2004/05 onwards

     

    MON v WGS v NL

  14. Kilbowie Kelt will vote YES on

    Did he touch the ball ?

     

    Impossible to judge, but certainly not so that we could be sure.

     

     

     

    Was Efe in position to cover ?

     

    NO.

     

     

    Yellow card would have sufficed.

     

    Red card was harsh but not the worst decision we have seen.

     

     

    We can’t win them all,…. Thank God.

     

     

    What a boring game it would be if we did.

     

     

    Is that us only 21 points clear now ?

  15. Didn’t see or hear the game , so not too bothered about record or result. The title is what matters.

     

     

    Craig Thomson has previous against Celtic as John Reid sarcastically thanked him for his recognition of denying Celtic stonewallers at ibrox. If Efe was in a position to cover Virgil then it should not be an ordering off — it sounds if Thomson had the card in his hand already ( a bit like his sending off Joe Ledley sending off at Tynecastle ).

     

     

    Regarding Lenny irrespective of tonite he is not going to take Celtic to the next level. C’est la vie.

  16. Kevtic

     

    Ref wasn’t a homer, he was just a Hun illustrating that the inbuilt prejudice in the corridors of Hampden will not go away any time soon.

  17. ….PFayr supports WeeOscar

     

    22:32 on

     

    25 February, 2014

     

    Just watched it on TV

     

     

    Red card all day long …. for a Celtic player,

  18. The only angle that shows that it was not a red card is the first angle which they never showed again. The ball is going away from goal and Efe is running in behind to cover. The rule is goal scoring opportunity not last man.

  19. tommytwiststommyturns on

    latchford – “Regarding Lenny irrespective of tonite he is not going to take Celtic to the next level. C’est la vie.”

     

     

    Aye, but who and/or what level of investment would take us to the next level? Whatever that is….CL last 8?

     

     

    T4

  20. Martim

     

     

    Pal.. Ah admit Ah am no up tae Scratch in awe the Soccer Rules n Regs.

     

     

    there ur gaps in Ma Knowledge.

     

     

     

    But..

     

     

     

    Ah always thought ..

     

     

    That if a Player.. Clearly, went fur the Ball.. First n Foremost, n…

     

     

    Wi No Malice, Aforethought..

     

     

    Then if the Said Player, succeeded in getting his Foot tae the Football…First..n.. Pushed the football Clear..of the Player ,whom He had Tackled.

     

     

    then..If.. The Player ,from whom The Player had dispossessed of the fitba..

     

     

    subsequently, Tripped of the Player’s Trailin Leg..

     

     

    Then.. No Foul Had taken Place,,in this Particular Case..

     

     

     

    Of Course..If Ma Reading of the Laws of the Game, is Faulty.. n Ah hiv therefore reached an Inaccurate Conclusion… then Ah wull Stand Down

     

     

    and wull Have to Admit that Ma reading of the Laws of the Game, leaves a Loat mair tae be desired, than Ah thought.

     

     

    Kojo

  21. Despite result…I thought we bossed that game, particularly in 2nd half.

     

     

    Biton was outstanding.

     

     

    Afc were lucky. A lucky wonder strike from Hayes, lucky to avoid a pen and lucky to see Celtic’s best player sent off early in the game.

     

     

    Had we had 11 we would have won comfortably. Still if any team is to get 2nd then AFC are worthy IMO.

     

    I hope AFC win both cups to put a lie to any future Hun claim that we had no real opponents while they were gone.

     

     

    Still don’t get the. 5 minute Balde gig?

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