The headline at halftime had a familiar feel, Celtic’s run of poor results looked like continuing, but despite this, we dared to hope a corner had been turned. The apparent lack of Commitment to the Cause which – seemed to envelop the team (I may be wrong) was not evident. Instead, players looked up for it.
Whatever ailed Kieran Tierney until recently was not evident, this was the KT we remembered. Available and energetic. Sebastian Tounekti looked to be synchronised with his left-sided partner. A word too for Michel-Ange Balikwisha, his late cameo brought energy and a bit of physicality which helped get the game over the line.
Benjamin Nygren was destined for headlines after last night. I counted six headed chances he had. Benji is not a winger, nor is he a target-man striker, but he has a nose for goal and after passing up four headed chances, he connected with a corner to put Celtic ahead. He needed the goal; we all did.
Just three minutes earlier Liam Scales drew Celtic level, a move which also started with a corner, following yet another Nygren chance. The equaliser was not a glorious goal, Colby Donovan’s cross was mis-hit, but Scales shifted his body angle and made the necessary connection.
You are going to think I am ridiculous, but hear me out. There is a Celtic European tradition of sticking a foot out to make contact with a ball and divert it into the net. When Liam’s shot crossed the line, I got the feeling things were going to be OK. Inspired by legends, and all that!
I was calling for Reo Hatate to be hooked for most of the game. That spark he so-often brings was absent. However, he proved important during the last 20 minutes. Despite being a man down, Strum were able to get into the Celtic final third far too often. Reo was the man who slowed the play down and looked to impose structure.
We need to learn to hold the ball better. This involves players moving into space, and not passing to others who do not have more than one option. Reo’s muscle memory for this was evident. Better game management would have kept Sturm out of our box during added time.
The game cost us Kelechi Iheanacho and Alastair Johnston, both likely to be out for a month at least. We win things because we have the biggest budget and strongest squad. It is for others to step up.
Last night’s attendance seemed down on the Braga game three weeks earlier, but those who were there were as committed to the task as the players. The stadium had an energy about it, which perhaps lifted players’ confidence. That quality – confidence – is as important a takeaway as the three points.
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Auldheid.
How about Tierney in a sweeper role?
————————————.
Good shout, did it for Scotland?
Less long runs 👍
The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on 24th October 2025 4:53 pm
“ The idea that Spend not a Penny will impact on the Board and not the players illustrates this wrong thinking”.
As I’ve said before, whatever happens they will get a team they deserve.
===============
Hi Blogger, we always get what we deserve as fans and we also get right behind whatever team that is set out and purchased.
We are currently playing Europa league stumbling along in 2nd place instead of Champions League and being 1st,was that the fans fault or our executive for not tieing deals up early or failing in late replacements for whatever reason (dohlberg was not our only knock back.
We always get the team given/bought by our money by our executive anyway,in recent years the club Brother Walfrid founded for the penny dinners is sitting with approx £100,000,000+ One Hundred Million pounds° in the bank yet we are where we are but to anyone of a Celtic ethos that figure in bank is a real source of discontent.
Hope your well.
Hail Hail
A very costly victory last night, 3 first team players out for a crucial period of the season.
We’ll have to wait some time to see if it was worth it.
Question
Sound point on the ol beeb repeating the same old error.
I think it was during the Olympic opening ceremony that the SFA issued a statement saying The Rangers have been ‘accepted into’ the Scottish football league.
If they were accepted into the league? What was the external force that put them outside- liquidation,hope am not been to malicious bout the team Minty Ubended eternally:-))
Blogger GM
° I was just accentuating our bank approx fig for effect in the style of the results teleprompter
HH
If UEFA’s obscure (well I’ve never heard of it) and bizarre substitution rules have contributed to CCV being out long-term then Celtic need raise merry hell over it. We should, and to be fair I think can, add to the EL squad, (or incorporate into the playing sqad) or be able bring in another player in the circumstance. Might be another rule out there. Of course if CCV had a pre-existing condition that is a whole different scenario. That said I’m not buying this injury crisis, Brendan has completely ignored or exiled at least four players brought in bought in or in on loan over the summer, two defenders and two forwards. Plus we have any number of young players out on loan, or playing in the B League all listed as part of our UEFA squad. How many times must I say it is the managers job to get the best out of the squad, as in all of the players.
Brendan Presser from last night
https://youtu.be/6IAAqwvkMnw?si=o_iqy1yTFuDE0vtm
HH
Surely we have Simpson Pusey as cover
And I forgot about Stephen Welsh, nearly away to Belgium on a permanent deal, and now it seems at Motherwell. Now I am probably the only one on here, anywhere possibly who thinks that Stephen could make a half decent defensive midfielder, if that position still exists, certainly doesn’t seem to at Celtic that is for sure.
Needs must and we could bring him back. Not great at centre back it has to be said but can pass forward not bad in the air, and can help out at set pieces.
king lubo
He is one of the two defenders I mentioned……
Celtic Mac,
I don’t think that the UEFA competition rules are any different to the Scottish Premier League wrt substitutions.
You are allowed up to 5 subs, but can only interrupt play a maximum of 3 times to make substitutions. Half time does not count as an interruption to play.
Celtic were unfortunate last night in that 2 subs were unplanned in first half – but the same would be true if it happened against Hearts at the weekend.
Watched the game last night with my nephew who is home from Brisbane on holiday, although a rugby man, thoroughly enjoyed the match. I said a couple of days ago the alarm bells were ringing but no need to press the panic button yet and Celtic rose to last night’s challenge in style with that brilliant second half performance. Our record in Europe so far is played three with a win , a draw and a loss exactly the same at this stage last season, not too bad at all.
Sturm Graz are no bad side winning their title two seasons on the trot and deposing Salzburg who have been one of the top European teams in recent years. Liam Scales had a terrific game last night and continues to improve his heading ability and aggression in the tackle and his subtle finish for the crucial equaliser would do justice to any top striker. Nygren ran amok last night and was popping up all over the place giving the Austrian defenders nightmares..
Unfortunately the result was achieved at a cost due to injuries particularly with Hearts on the horizon come Sunday. Hope fully the Hoops can sort out the injury situation and be inspired by last night’s performance..
ran amok last night and
is it the case that every season a lot of the important games we have early in the season, we always have important players out injured, but the less important players never seem to get injured?
or is it just my perception?
i could understand if it was later in the season so our important players would have played a lot of games but early season injuries to big players seem to be the norm for us.
not a very good selling point to convince good players to come to us – “come to celtic, get injured within a few games”
the sub rule has been around for a few years and applies to domestic games as well.
AN TEARMANN
Malicious ? – not at all
Accurate ? – Tick
Liquidation was indeed the burial ground of 1872 from which sprang forth The Rangers, newclub- in- a -newco, Lest we Forget.
And agreed there are so many contradictions just like the SFA statement, they just can’t help themselves.
tim malone will tell
Just checked that. As a member of IFAB SFA applies FIFA Laws of the Game, and you are right , the three substitutions “opportunities” rule does apply in Scotland, with no exceptions for injuries. So we used up two early doors, and only one left. But that is not really the point I was making, which was that if the rule itself contributed to Celtic keeping CCV on the pitch despite being injured and that has led to a long term injury then we should flag that up, given that we still had unused substitutes. Not sure how it works in Rugby or other sports, but it did not work for us last night. Point being, surely replacing an injured player is or should be a different category to a tactical change. (Then again there are a few faking it out there)
Must admit I have never noticed its impact before in any game. Thanks for the response.
just noticed,
if the position in the europa league stay the same, celtic would play go ahead eagles in the play-off round.
i would like to give big mouth a doing.
The football calendar is rammed, that is what is causing injuries and severe ones, that and travel all over the globe even if you dont play.
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE…………….games in Europe early in the season put greater demands on players having to compete at a higher level.
Think our injuries are due to bad luck and lack of squad depth not being able to rotate squad
Enjoyed last night though suffered a lot in injury time listening to radio on way back to the car
It is so irritating having to walk all the way around from east to West but only if you’re on lower tiers…if on upper tiers you can walk within the ground…it added 18 mins walk to the car ( parked just off a side street on Duke street)
Another shambles
Dessybhoy
100% correct,far too many games ,7 games in 21 days is ridiculous plus the travelling.
Celtic should be using the league cup competition as an opportunity to blood young players along with first team players.not getting regular games
Running out of time , 9pm, to post on Jobo’s POTY, three players, no matter the order 🙃
SENCELPOTY@GMAIL.COM
👍
Imagine if the PLC were daft enough to listen to a fan base that paid 56 quid for a ticket to see Sevco vs Celtic, and help the PLC/Lodge to play their part in covering up the FACt that David Murray killed old Rangers? lol
Ah mean – when fans demonstrate such lazy spoiled stupidity, why would anybody listen to a single word that any of them say?
Apart from of course, KEVJUNGLE, who still has his Celtic/Jungle/Book/Soul not a single blemish on it, not an Old Firm sellout pair of Green & Blue erse cheeks tattooed onto my Green & White Jungle/roof/shaped Tim heart.
No Naye Never!
HH
oot.
https://thecelticbhoys.com/goosebump-what-austrian-media-are-saying-celtic-fans
Saint Stivs on 24th October 2025 7:12 pm
just noticed,
if the position in the europa league stay the same, celtic would play go ahead eagles in the play-off round.
i would like to give big mouth a doing.
Who he, my good mhan?
Ave Ave
A wee note of positivity amongst the gloom re CCV.
Our best defensive performance in recent times was at Atalanta last season. Trusty and Scales were immense thst night. CCV didn’t play.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
I’d use the CCV misfortune to go to a 3-4-3.
Come on Auldhied , what have you heard?
CQN ?
Not truly upset that CCV is out,Trusty and Scales will do me.I like Trusty,plenty. Of pace.AJ,a different problem.Hiss. runs ahead,,as nightmares for defenders…I think,if. Played,the young fella will score iin the next 2 games.
Excuse the doubles,a nightmare.
Saint Stivs on 24th October 2025 7:12 pm
just noticed,
if the position in the europa league stay the same, celtic would play go ahead eagles in the play-off round.
i would like to give big mouth a doing.
———-
Me too
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
From jobo
*SENTINEL CELTS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025-26*
*RESULTS FROM GAME #15 CELTIC 2 STURM GRAZ 1 (SCALAES, NYGREN)*
Good evening, friends.
Watching our game from the comfort of my armchair after having thoroughly enjoyed a feast of All Brann I actually thought we played well from the off – faster and quicker in moving the ball. Losing Iheanacho after just 100 seconds was a real blow and not just for this game either. So, it was Jonny Kenny in the spotlight and ha very nearly opened the scoring on 13 minutes. Johnston had cleared his lines with a ball to nobody down the right, but Jonny chased the defender down and nicked the ball. Bearing in on goal from a tightish angle on the right, his shot actually came much closer than the sclaff that I was fearing.
But rather than taking that early need, a minute later saw us fall behind. Kasper did well with some early distribution out to Tierney. But Kieren’s ball towards Tounekti was intercepts and 3 short passes later the ball was with Horvat who curled a spectacular 25 year effort into the postage stamp.
Celtic were then dealt arguably a more serious blow on 22 minutes when Alastair Johnston seemed to pull his hamstring. Brendan had 2 substitute right backs to choose from but I was delighted that it was Donovan who got the nod.
On the half hour mark Celtic were lucky to not have fallen 2 behind. Graz broke down their left with acres of space for the unmarked winger. A good cut back was met by a teammate who crashed a thumping effort off Kaspar’s right hand post. That turned out to be the closest that Sturm would come to getting a 2nd goal. For the final hour it really was all Celtic. Chance after chance was squandered with Nygren being the biggest culprit in not scoring. But he kept plugging away and getting into scoring chances; just a pity he was missing so many. Had Celtic not already used 2 of their 3 ‘substitution opportunities’ I’m guessing that Nygren may have been taken off before the hour mark. Further chances for Kenny and Hatate were also passed up.
The equaliser, when it came was a thing of real beauty. A quickly taken short corner from Nygren on the right found Donovan who noticed the inrushing Scales. A ball across and Scales opened up his body and gently cushioned the ball with his left instep into the far corner of the net. Liam was already in my own mind for Man Of The Match and that goal pretty much sealed it. So, Celtic were deservedly level on the hour mark.
And with momentum very much in our favour, we finally took the lead just 3 minutes later. Engels’ corners had been good all night, hit with pace and usually right into the 6 yard box. And it was from the latest of these that Nygren finally got his goal. And bhoy did he celebrate. God loves a trier!
Momentum swung even more the way of Celtic in the 70th minute. A 50/50 ball saw a 100% committed Calum McGregor against Chukwuani who made no attempt to connect with the ball, instead leaving his studs high and into Calum’s Yamada. Oops, sorry I meant shin. A straight red and, luckily, no lasting damage to our captain who was having probably his best game of this season so far.
Further chances fell Celtic’s way during the remainder of the game but this time it was generally Kenny who squandered them.
During the 5 minutes of stoppage time Sturm Graz did benefit from 2 or 3 free kick awards that were each dubious to say the least. But their hopeful balls into our box were all successfully cleared.
So Celtic get their first win in Europe this season and move up to 21st place in the table. We can now look forward to Matchday 4 – an away trip on November 6 to top of the table FC Midtjyland.
We have now played 15 games, winning 8, drawing 5 and losing 2. We have scored 22 goals and conceded 10.
As for the voting numbers, I’m absolutely delighted that we are back into treble figures and so I offer my most sincere thanks to the 107 who voted this time around, generating another donation pledge to CHAS of £4.40.
The total votes cast for each player are as follows, with my own nominations asterisked.
Schmeichel: 0
Johnston: 0
Carter-Vickers: 4
Scales*: 84
Tierney*: 20
McGregor: 32
Hatate*: 9
Engels: 71
Nygren: 19
Iheanacho: 0
Tounekti: 61
Kenny: 13
Donovan: 8
Balikwisha: 0
Unused substitutes: Bernardo, Forrest, McCowan, Murray, Ralston, Saracchi, Sinisalo, Trusty, Yang
And so, the _POINTS_ earned by each player for this match are as follows –
25 points: Scales
22 points: Engels
19 points: Tounekti
16 points: McGregor
14 points: Tierney
12 points: Nygren
11 points: Kenny
10 points: Hatate
9 points: Donovan
8 points: Carter-Vickers
6 points: Balikwisha, Iheanacho, Johnston, Schmeichel
1 point: Bernardo, Forrest, McCowan, Murray, Ralston, Saracchi, Sinisalo, Trusty, Yang
And the *cumulative points* achieved after 15 games played are now –
265: Scales
175: Tierney
170: McGregor
168: Nygren
158: Carter-Vickers
143: Tounekti
141: Engels
139: Iheanacho
138: Forrest
135: Hatate
118: Donovan
115: Maeda
101: McCowan
98: Saracchi
84: Schmeichel
80: Ralston
77: Yang
63: Murray
60: Johnston
46: Bernardo
44: Kenny
41: Balikwisha and Yamada
29: Sinisalo
24: Trusty
22: Inamura
19: Idah
2: Doohan, Osmond and Simpson-Pusey
0: All the other players who’ve not yet made a matchday squad!
It’s back to league business for our next game as we travel to Tynecastle to face the league leaders and attempt to reduce the gap at the top to 2 points. Kick off on Sunday is High Noon. Remember to move your clocks back an hour the night before – hopefully our players all remember!
Hail Hail!
A statue for Tommy.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/25571107.husband-celtic-legend—statue-inspire-kids/
I will be delighted with Ttrussty,on the. bencch Thursday,alongside Scales.Young Kenny to keep his place uP front. We have better players, despite our injuries.
Just do. Them hoops.
Hrvatski Jim on 24th October 2025 11:32 pm
A statue for Tommy.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/25571107.husband-celtic-legend—statue-inspire-kids/
==≈===================
Hrvatski Jim
Thanks for that article,paywalled with me but is a good read
https://archive.ph/xEChn
HH
The daft Ange & Brendan approach gets very expensive players worn out then injured.
Half of the Spurs playing squad were injured under Ange before Christmas in his first season, with INSENSITIVE Ange whining for MORE new players in the winter Transfer Window. lol
It might be the case at Celtic as well with this stupid, “RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN” pishfest of an approach from Rodgers.
It was only a matter of time before Celtic players started falling as well.
Ah mean, Centrebacks shouldny be over the halfway line initiating attacks, using up the attack surface and leaving the wingers with less and less space to run into, forcing them to turn back and start again.
Wingers would be as well sitting in the stand under Rodgers as its only a matter of weeks before the wingers look stupid and start to get pissed off.
It was different in Rodgers first spell wit us as Sevco were full of 4th division players making Rodgers look inordinately good.
Rodgers knows that no big serious club who don’t want relegated will be interested in Rodgers after their first Google search.
Ange & Brendan – make the ball do the work like savvy Mourinho.
Its so simple.
Anyway.
So, how does this end?
When someone surprises us and wins the league which would likely mean Rodgers leaving or being mutually consented.
I can’t see any worries in that regard from the generating a surprise challenge for the league which a tooled up wee Ferguson/Master/Mind/Wee/McCannzy led Huns would have done imho.
The Huns new lettuce leaf eating manager, or woke idiot, looks like the first step on the road to Sevco 2 imho.
How many Celtic season ticket holders will go along with the PLC’s likely increase to 58 quid tickets for Sevco 2 vs Celtic? lol
HH
oot.