Cup powerhouses face each other, spotting patterns to develop

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Scotland’s cup duopolists, Celtic and St Johnstone, face each other in the League Cup semi-final.  They are the two most successful Scottish clubs over the last decade, having won the previous 10 domestic cups between them.  St Johnstone have won on their last four visits to Hampden, whereas Celtic have incredibly won their last sixteen successive visits to the national stadium.  Something has got to give but the winner of this tie will surely fancy their chances for the trophy.

Hibs, who are the last team to win a cup apart from Celtic and St Johnstone, face Newco in the other semi.  The latter hoping to reach their third major final having lost the previous two.  Hibs last won the League Cup 15 years ago.

Celtic comfortably got the job done against Raith Rovers last night without ever hitting the heights they reached in the previous round, when Hearts were battered before leaving with a flattering 3-2 deficit.  We await a return of that blistering football.

Goals change games and win trophies and it is vital that those occupying the supporting forward roles contribute.  Jota got his first goal for the club as he controlled a pass from James McCarthy before beating the keeper at his near post.  The Portuguese then turned creator for the second.  Raith keeper Jamie MacDonald only parried his shot into the path of Liel Abada, who headed into the net.

Abada has an incredible knack for finding space inside the box and arriving to occupy it at exactly the right moment.  20 years ago, I remember a Rangers fan complain to me that his team continually fail to mark Henrik Larsson inside the box.  All he saw was Larsson, in acres of space, despatching the ball into the net.

An innate understanding of space and time, and being able to anticipate what others will do, makes the attackers’ job look easy.  It is easy, if you are gifted enough to find the right place at the right time.  I know better than to burden Liel with unattainable comparisons, but this ability to find space inside the box has been so rare for Celtic recently, you wonder if he could follow the path others have walked from wing to centre.

If Celtic are to fulfil their potential, they need to be able to spot patterns like this and know what to do about them.

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409 Comments

  1. The Comfortable Collective on

    ST TAMS

     

     

    Thanks. I’m not going to complain. But I’ve had the three home league games on the pass (used by others) when I’ve been in the stadium and it’s doing the countdown thing for how long it is till the Dundee Utd game on Sunday.

     

     

    Maybe it is a main stand thing, but as I said, I’m near the 18 yard line at the Celtic end sitting in my normal seat.

  2. Grenpinata

     

    Have always thought long distance drivers were underpaid for their efforts

     

    apart from the conditions you eloquently described ,some other negatives are

     

    loneliness ,pay and responsibility of safety

     

    As for foreign drivers like so many other walks of life we reap what we sow it is the Capitalist way

  3. At last the Club are listening to me 😂 the move to give the game on Sunday on pay per view is a good one. Let’s keep it going now for the season, Celtic.

  4. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    !!BADA BING!! @ 3:34 PM

     

    Callum McGregor signs new 5 year contract

     

     

    ———–

     

     

    That was quick?

     

     

    According to reports an hour ago he was just thinking about it.

     

     

    Good news all the same.

     

     

    I’d assume our host (if he is wearing his asset management hat) will be pleased also.

  5. Get an extra 20% off the adidas x Celtic FC 2020/21 Trainingwear Range final clearance when you shop before Monday, September 27!

     

     

    With prices already slashed across all products – don’t miss your chance to get your hands on an even bigger bargain when you shop the flash sale today.

     

     

    Use the code FLASH20 at checkout and you can get your hands on last season’s Trainingwear at the lowest prices yet!

     

     

    Shop now, as these prices won’t be around for long! Offer ends Monday, September 27.

  6. PC

     

     

    Auchterarder, wetting a locked down line, is the Rutherglen recluse. Set free by the Belle, who since she’d been granted a day off herself offered me a few hours liberation, so long as I did all my chores ‘before’ I went.

  7. Bada bing!!

     

     

    Your last post was written like an ad, you should write some others, you’re a natural!

  8. BIG WAVY

     

     

    Ajeti.. I have watched him a lot at games, trying to see whets his lack of form hides. Intelligent runs or work off the ball, harrying defenders. I just dont see anything that makes me feel we have a hidden gem.

     

     

    There was a break last night where Celtic briefly had 3 0r 4 on 2. I was screaming for Ajeti to go ide to open up the pitch, but he ran towards goal closely marked leaving the advancing player with no pass and the chance fizzled out.

     

     

    I genuinely hope I’m wrong but I think we are being over kind to him with the lack of service excuses.

     

     

    He will get more game time, he has no competition, and I genuinely hope he comes good, but there some’s a time you have to call it. he’s fast approaching that time for me.

  9. DAVID66 on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:22 PM

     

     

    A post more suited to Follow Follow than anything connected with our club.

  10. 2. Any truth the Orange Order’s new marketing strategy to appeal to the ‘yoof’ includes a focus on ecological concerns and, as a result, they are going to rebrand as the Green Order?

     

     

     

    —————–

     

     

    them gigantic toxic bonfires they have, killing the planet.

     

     

    and the supply chain issues aint just drivers, these eejits have burnt all the pallets.

  11. GREENPINATA

     

     

    My brother in law was a continental long distance lorry driver, worked for Aston Clinton Haulage and lived in Cambridge.

     

     

    In the late seventies I would go with him on a trip abroad from time to time.

     

    Mainly nothern Italy, Bergamo, Milan, Turin.

     

     

    Milan and Turin are 100 kilometre’s apart and there is a sign post every kilometre!

     

     

    His basic pay was poor, however, he was paid a daily subsistence allowance. He was also paid an amount for delivering his cargo abroad. He was paid for picking up and bringing back a new cargo to the UK. He was paid for delivering the cargo in the UK and he was also paid an amount for returning the empty lorry to the yard.

     

     

    Bottom line was impressive as most of his income was tax free, downside, pension contributions were less.

     

     

    Unfortunately he died in 1979 near Paris when he crashed his lorry.

     

     

    RIP Stephen.

  12. Squire – What are you talking about.

     

     

    So you agree with low pay and abusing immigrants?

     

     

    Are you a Hun?

     

     

    D :)

  13. Squire – I’m not wanting to be abusive I apologise.

     

     

    What part of the post you refer to do you not agree with.

     

     

    D :)

  14. THE COMFORTABLE COLLECTIVE

     

     

    When it was announced that football crowd restrictions were being removed, Celtic decided that the season ticket pass would continue for all ST holders. This is to cater for those ST holders who are still not comfortable sitting in a crowded stadium during the pandemic.

     

     

    The ST pass has been available for ALL season ticket games this season and not just Sunday’s match v Dundee United.

     

     

    It is unlikely that I will be attending on Sunday due to a heavy cold and I will certainly be tuning in via my ST pass.

     

     

    Well done Celtic.

  15. itscalledthemalvinas on

    Would anyone know if,where and when a supporters bus passes through Largs on Sunday ?

     

    Those pesky militant train drivers have cut me off from civilisation !

  16. Great news about CalMac, richly deserved. We take him for granted but when he’s not playing we notice him.

     

    Could be wrong but we don’t seem to have a song for him? In saying that do we have a song for any others?

  17. DAVID66 1:22

     

     

    Unfortunately this is the UK in 2021 where it pays not to work in monetary terms.

     

     

    A benefit system abused by some (the lazy and workshy).

     

    ———

     

     

    I am maybe misreading your comments in which case I apologise.

     

     

    I acknowledge part of your initial post refers to immigrants being exploited and ill treated.

     

     

    However I don’t believe it is befitting of Celtic supporters to be using judgemental language and indulging in right-wing tabloid tropes involving “benefit abuse”, “workshy” and “lazy”.

     

     

    I don’t have figures to hand but I would imagine that the cost to the public purse of either

     

     

    poor people working a couple of hours on the side while claiming benefit, or

     

     

    someone claiming ESA on dubious health grounds and getting an extra £20 pw on top of their pittance Universal Credit

     

     

    is hardly comparable to billionaires engaging in tax “avoidance”.

     

     

    The downtrodden in society have enough merde being dumped on them from ahigh without us joining in.

  18. Squire – I am talking about generations of family’s abusing the system that’s who I am referring to.

     

     

    Nothing against people who fall on hard times, or have disabilities in fact I find it insulting that you even mention that as I never.

     

     

    I think you have totally misread my post or maybe I did not put it as eloquently as some would have.

     

     

    Believe me I would help anyone and indeed have and will help even more before my time on this planet is over.

     

     

    Regarding Tax evasion I agree totally with you.

     

     

    D :)