The most pleasing aspect about last night was the manager’s reaction afterwards: “Yet another soft goal”. “We don’t defend a basic ball into the box”. But, before Cristian Gamboa and Craig Gordon pick up the tab for a bad night in Lithuania, more went wrong. Much more.
Goals change games and you can be sure games will change when Celtic are defending the way they are right now. Gamboa losing his man for the goal was in keeping with what we should expect. Cristian is good going forward but is not the most diligent at the back. We need a backup, backup, right back. Right?
Despite all that’s going wrong in defence, I am just as concerned about how the midfield is operating. Our passing was again poor. Olivier Ntcham opened the scoring after two minutes and opened the Suduva defence late in the game for Moussa Dembele to shoot wide, but for the rest of the game his passing was as inaccurate as it was against AEK and Rosenborg away.
Callum McGregor, so often a key to unlock packed defences, was ineffective. I would like to see him play the deep lying playmaker roll over our next three games. There he can dictate the pace and accuracy of our passing, leaving space for Rogic to play in front of him.
Moussa Dembele is our best striker, but the shape of the team left him isolated and looking just as out of sorts as Odsonne Edouard did at home to AEK. We have potent strikers who see little of the ball.
On the positive side, Suduva were as poor a team as I can remember playing in recent seasons – and I include the Gibraltareños (as they will be known after March) in that. We will reach the Europa League group stage. How effectively we compete there will be determined by the arrivals over the next seven days.
Dinner for four at the Walfrid at Hamilton game on Sunday!
Courtesy of Intelligent Car Leasing, we are raffling a table for four at Sunday’s game against Hamilton Accies in aid of your Foundation. If like me, you watch football in the bitter cold and wind, even in July and August, this will be a fantastic day our for you and three friends!
It’s a free bar. And you get the chance to support the Celtic FC Foundation.
To win, contribute to this MyDonate page. Suggest a minimum of £5 donation, but donate less if you cannot afford that. Your money does straight to the Foundation as they prepare for the difficult winter period ahead.
Then, please forward your confirmation email to celticquicknews@gmail.com with the words “Central defender” in the SUBJECT line. Competition closes at 11.00 Saturday. Winner will be informed on Saturday afternoon – so include a phone number if there’s any chance of missing your email (it’s happened).
Good luck, and remember: Central defender.
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D66, sorry to break into your winning streak there. :-)
Hope that the real Celtic turn up tomorrow.
HH
DAVID66 – at the moment your optimism is a tonic to my pessimism. Off oot with the family now, curry time in Denia.
Hope to see Kouassi in the starting 11 tomorrow, in preparation for the battle next weekend. Our Captain needs someone strong alongside him just now.
HH
Deniabhoy enjoy your ruby.
Everyone in my house is out apart from me and mans best friend.
So I thought I would have something different to eat.
Toast and cheese, not had a debate on here about toast and cheese for a while.
HH
D. :)
North Cypres Bhoy we do need a bit of steel in there.
We know that Steven Gerard’s Rangers as they are now called by the press, will try a hearts on us.
We need to be up for a battle next week, win that and let our talent shine through
HH
D. :)
Paul67 et al
Lots of references to shareholders on here though generally not from me. That said, an interesting doc. on ITV the other evening re the collapse of Carrillion. Folded earlier this year, forced into liquidation with liabilities on a par with MIH, ie around £1.25 bill. This was a company ran solely for its shareholders, its directors and its executives. Sound familiar? Suppliers were treated with disdain, contractors unpaid and direct employees left with minimal or no support, and pension funds unfunded. As Blantyre Tim pointed out recently most Celtic supporting shareholders have an emotional connection, do not care about dividends as such, but expect the Club to be run well. That is not true of the majority of Celtic shareholders, or rather those with the majority of shares, many of which appear to be in the hands of New York financial, lets call them vehicles. Friends and family of Dermot Desmond in many cases. Their priorities are different albeit for the same club, profit more important than football, success to be tempered in case it damages the longer term golden goose. These are the people who run the club, not Brendan, not Chris, not people like BT or OldTim 67, and they run it for their own benefit. Not unlike those that ran Carrillion!
D66, they will kick us off the park next weekend, if we allow them to. No way will the game finish with 22 on the field, and without stretchers. Could be another summit on the cards.
Watched BT’s coverage of the Liverpool v. BHA game tonight, and lost count of the SG Sevco references.
HH
David66,
It was the smell of liver put everyone off sorry bout that. On the liver , that was actually a loaded question,,I just wanted to know who to avoid ever sharing a room with at a hoot. Seems most! I knew these Auld yins would love liver,,I’m half waiting on a “during the war” story to pop up on the blog.
I personally don’t eat it and that’s that.
I remember once up the mountains a pack of midges attacked us,,I attacked them back and defended my boys,,didn’t taste anything though ;).
Hope you’re well. Beautiful on the deck.
Hail Hail
David66
I have a hope that we will click tomorrow and beat Hamilton 6-0. I would hope for that score in our next 3 home matches. ;))
Barnes started well at Celtic…..look how that turned out….
Mahe it’s a beautiful night in the Garngad in the north of Glasgow
I do like a bit of liver now and again
How ironic when my own is fecked (Cirrhosis) fatty liver.
Lost a stone to try and help it and feel great
Hope you are well
D. :)
DD Garry I thought I was optimistic. ?
I hope your wish comes true.
HH
D. :)
Delaneys
I dont see us scoring 6 against anyone this season.
I think it will be a long tough season. Don’t expect us to bring in any players and think we will draw at best against the Stevie Gee express train next week.
I think there is a malaise running through the team that won’t easily be shook off.
That said I am hoping for 3 convincing wins but dont see it happening
David66
Wishful thinking. Just had a pint wi my Bankie diehard mate. Just back fae Kilwinning, where the Bankies beat the local Rangers 2-0. A win for ‘Well tomorrow before we kick off, would be nice.
YNWA
DAVID66, sorry pal did not know about your health problems, you keep on keeping on.hh.
WITS
An early goal tomorrow would lift confidence in players and crowd. Then, who knows? Could be 6 or 7?
OpTIMist CSC
D66,
Interferon repairs a damaged liver but it’s expensive here. Look into it.
Glad you told me garngad is as I had no idea. Couldn’t point at East kilbride on a map if my life depended on it.
Got an email from a Scots fella a while back and neither me or the wife could make head not tail of it. Didn’t have the nerve to tell him.
The wife still has her walking stick that was passed to her by a fellow yank who had finished the west highland way as she was starting. I’ve never done it. Doubt it beats my ring of Kerry though ;)
The wife also had the misfortune to spend the night in Mount joy women’s jail after a big visa mix up before we got hitched.
I’m gonna let loose my Barry White story some night I’ve tome. Take it easy partner.
Hail Hail Fae Cali
DELANEYS DUNKY ,glad you enjoyed your time down here in englandshire, just a pity we could not meet up .hh.
DD – all we need, right now, is for that confidence to flow back into the team, and management.
HH
DD
an early goal could be key
WITS 7.49.
Malaise is part of it, an unhappy/ split dressing room is another part, as is an unhappy manager.
There are some internal matters that need sorted.
I think it’s starting to show on the pitch.
Hail Hail
Mahe
In Belfast at our hoot in June, I had the pleasure of having a chat with Bik McFarlane. His first question on hearing my accent was, “How are things in Glasgow, and up in The Garden of God (Garngad)?” Little Ireland in Glasgow North. :)
YNWA
BP1. I am champion mate, caught it early so I should be fine if I keep on eating healthy, going to gym and loose some weight.
That said I think I will give the 4.30am gym session a miss on Monday as I slipped and hurt my new hip coming out the shower yesterday and it’s a bit sore, muscle I think.
Anyway I am champion, there is always someone worse off than yersell
H H
D. :)
Dallas/Franny, Park Rd 67 (on tour)
Cumbernauld won 1.0 today.
They scored in the first few seconds and then missed some amount of chances.
Chrissy Lennon definitely being missed.
Hail Hail
Jimmynotpaul
Yup
Worrying signs so far. But…goals change games, winning a few games can restore confidence.
BP
Had great time in Liverpool, Manchester and Blackpool. Sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet. What you are doing is wonderful. I will light a candle for Annette at 10am Mass at Our Holy Redeemer Clydebank tomorrow. Prayer to my pal Saint Jude every day too.
YNWA
Bp1,
Hope all well after some stressful times for you Joan.
DD,,,that was the hoot I really wanted to be at but didn’t work out . The wife is telling me it’s Belfast next year,,I’m hoping to time it with a hoot somewhere. I see Corona is bringing out a stoner beer here that has Bob Marley in it. ;)
Vegas some year?
MAHE THE MADMAN, thanks for that okay here.hh.
A bit of a narcissist post here, but two wee things delighted me.
An old friend, who I’ve not heard from for a couple of years, just text out the blue, to say he seen my brick in the tunnel at Celtic Park. I’m not sure why, but that gave me great joy. The power of Celtic, I guess.
Also I had tweeted about George McCluskey and how he should be thought about more often when we talk about true Celts and that he is Celtic to the core.
Murdo McLeod said he liked the tweet. That delighted me too, again the power of Celtic, I guess.
Hail Hail
We scored 8 v Hamilton only 2 or 3 years ago. HH
Not buying that split in the dressing room crap. The only one to offer the Belgian any support was CG. Can’t see where the fallout is three months after the open top bus.
NCB
It is a confidence sport fitba. Our’s is low today. One match can change that. Pray it is tomorrow and we win convincingly.
YNWA
DELANEYS DUNKY, did you see that video of them horrible morons kicking the guy in the head while on the deck I said to joan just wish Delaney and his mates had been around, would have been a different outcome.hh.
Any bookies paid oot oan the hertz Yet?.
Bada Bing!.
That wiz John Barnes Celtic surely!.
God bless Francis!!.
HH.
Bp1, Thon video was effing disgusting. Girls and an older fella,,aye,,hard men indeed. I noticed yer man wasn’t throwing punches just trying to push them away. Wonder what sparked it,,,asked to leave ” ethic minority ” patrons alone? No songs please? I would bet along those lines.
Scum and we should refuse tickets and highlight all these attacks in the present conf. When explaining why.
BP
I was brought up 200 yards fae that MacDonalds in Partick. My house as a baby. It is a hun hell hole. They probably staggered out of one of the half dozen hun pubs nearby.
Scotland’s Shame
MAHE THE MADMAN, why do they get away with it beggars belief.hh.
DD, I’m full of positive energy here tonight (cheap red wine to blame), and I’m sure that 3 wins, in our next 3 games, would set our season up perfectly.
However, we also need to get reinforcements in before Friday, to keep our Manager happy.
HH