After the defeat at Ibrox on 29 December, we anticipated changes, but the most significant decision Brendan Rodgers made was the most unexpected. Celtic’s man of the match that day was goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, without whom the score would have been significantly worse than the 1-0 defeat. Remarkably, he was dropped and has not played since.
The reason for this has nothing to do with Craig’s ability between the sticks, it gets to the reason we lost control of the game: how quickly and accurately we move the ball. Despite a man of the match performance, Craig was dropped because Brendan realised our game plan can be easily dismantled if we are pedestrian in possession.
While Scott Bain is better with the ball at his feet than Craig, and Craig’s liability in this area is limited, central midfield was significantly more culpable for what went wrong at Ibrox.
Since then Callum McGregor has been restored to his normal midfield berth, Scott Brown has retained his place and Olivier Ntcham has been absent through injury, so the manager has had no major selection choices to make in this area. Olivier is now fit and in with a chance of making his first appearance of the year in Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie, while just as we were at Ibrox, we are short at left back, where McGregor moved to fill in.
Brendan has some big decisions to make this week. A central mid of Brown and Ntcham is not right for the football we play. In taking the least expected decision, to drop Gordon for Bain, I hope we saw a sign that Brendan values the velocity with which we circulate the ball.
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THE LURKIN TIM
WOOOOOFT, no answerin that, might get banned.
H.H Mick
Well done Stevie Clarke, not backing down to der hun…
bigbhoy on 8th February 2019 3:06 pm
‘A gesture should be made to the people who were child victims for example an invite to hospitality.’
###
I have to assume you are a hun.
I can’t believe a genuine Celtic fan would come out with anything as offensive as that.
Reading back on some of the posts.
I saw someone advocate reverting to a back 3….
No, no, no
Why would we do a silly thing like that.
Against St Johnstone twice, and against Hibs on Wednesday, we have played pretty well, without setting the place on fire. The balance and fluidity of the team has been good. We have looked in control, in our play, in terms of levels of possession, and we have been able to defend from the front three, through the middle 3, protecting a mix n match back 4.
So for me, lets go in to Sunday’s game, in the same vein. Lets minimise changes and lets get the job done.
If it means Johnny Hayes at left back, then so be it. I don’t think he would let us down.
Professional referees? Why give those huns even more money? They wouldn’t want it anyway, they are pulling in between £3-4 k a month, for a part time job. Euro games are about another £4-5k per match..
CFC
How can we admit to something when we were not responsible? We have no formal legal liability.
However, I agree that we should do something to the victims who were after all mostly young Celtic supporters. The victims know this. If the FC were to express sorrow to the victims for their suffering and offer them the hospitality at the club.
They could also show them the present set up with the Celtic academy and that measures are in place to make sure these crimes cannot be repeated
Just seen that boton McAlister telling me Moreloss was trying to get away from McKenna….
Ernie,
Let this take it’s natural course…it’s not a subject for point scoring…
!!BADA BING!! on 8TH FEBRUARY 2019 3:46 PM
I suppose if you’re trying to get away from someone , booting them in the bawz might be one way to do it.
Team for Sunday
———————–Bain————————
Toljan Boayata Jozo J.Hayes
———-Broony McGregor————–
T.Weah Christie Sinclair
—————Burke———————–
Bayo, Edouard, Ntcham, Johnson all good impact options from bench
GlenD- these clowns just lie blatantly to your face…
James Forrest on 8th February 2019 3:22 pm
To the guys who were wondering about the article on a certain newspaper and a certain judgement …
The person who gave me the story put that info in the public domain before he should have. That one is embaroged for now, but the story will be republished, and updated, in about a fortnight.
###########
Whatever.
The opinion of the IPSO is irrelevant. It is of no consequence to any legal claim the victims may have against CFC.
Moreloss…”hey Mckenna…get your baws away from ma studs”
Mckenna…”awe ffs, sorry they’ve got a mind of their own”
Moreloss….”don’t worry about it…let me gently tap them back in with the sole of my boot”
Mckenna…”yer a good man….oops, sorry about that…automatic twitch”
Moreloss…”ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I’ve been shot”
You read it here first…leaked transcript of the referees report at the disciplinary commitee hearing tomorrow….
Verdict…Moreloss has no case to answer…and the FTSFA will pay compensation for wasting his time…
Mckenna to be castrated so that it doesn’t happen again….
Next
BADA BING
That’s what sleekit,sniggering huns do.
It’s their birthright.
They are plentiful in Scottish society especially within authority and mssm.
!!BADA BING!! on 8TH FEBRUARY 2019 3:54 PM
GlenD- these clowns just lie blatantly to your face…
The camera doesn’t lie . There’s a photo of Morelas with his studs planted on McKenna’s delicate bits.
Exhibit A right there.
Even the cheating refs,will feel undermined if Moreloss gets off again,but they are collateral damage to the Mothership….
Nah disagree
Ntcham is the second best midfielder at the club and would be my pick in front of Christie
Notthebus….are you on drugs…admittedly I’ve been up since yesterday…but even am not that deluded….
Simunovic has been cited solely to allow the ‘old firm’ label to come out when he and Morelos are cleared today.
NOTTHEBUS
I think Nt’cham is very underrated by many Celtic supporters.
Not sure he fulfills the same role as Christie.
Christie gives us runs in the last third whereas Nt’cham is our metronome and keeps play moving.
Also Ollie has become a fall guy for our tactical ineptness at ibrox in the eyes of myopic Celtic supporters.
He has suffered from the midfield tinkering but i think once he returns in his proper position he will be a revelation.
Wonder why the zombie hoards never “invaded ” the pitch the other night, could it be they are scared of the sheep fans……
AnDun….mmm…tomorrow is today…I really really need my scratcher
AlasdairMaclean @1.28
Re sending our refs abroad. That would be funny, imagine them reffing two Catholic teams in Spain or Italy, that would confuse them a tad. Funny though
KINGLuBO
F.U.B.A.R.BHOY @ 1.54
Thanks for reminding me I’d posted that.
Was a bit of a knee jerker post Craig Gordon made a save that Scott Bain might not have reached?.
On reflection Sevco also got away with murder, against a side that was decimated with the loss of Tierney, then Benkovic, Lustig, and playing our best player at full back, was generally well held to have been a boob by Brendan.
HH
DeniaBhoy on 8th February 2019 12:03 pm
The Celtic performance that afternoon was so out of character it made me subscribe to the virus theory.
Fan-at-tic
Agree 100% re : Ntcham.
Think he is a great player. And find it strange that a lot of fans don’t hold him in the same esteem
McGregor 2 game ban
https://twitter.com/AlisonGConroy/status/1093918938025598977?s=08
Steve Clarke has asked Kilmarnock fans to take extra care in and around rugby park tomorrow due to the certainty of Sevco getting a penalty if anyone trips or falls.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s on or off the pitch” he said… “Don’t make it easy for them”
@CelticNation
No action being taken against Jozo Simunovic.
Bada.
So, effectively Madden made another ” honest mistake “again.
Sevco should have been down to 9 men and Sheep should have been awarded pen for chance to make it 3.3.
Hail Hail
KINGLUBO @4.53.
There are no “Catholic ” teams playing professional football in Italy.Some of the players might be.Most recent survey re Religion and the over 18s in Italy revealed that @25% of that cohort identified themselves as being “Observant Catholics”
Hibs new boy Darnell Johnson faces the prospect of two-match ban after being cited by the SFA for his tackle on Celtic defender Emilio Izaguirre.
!!Bada Bing!! on 8th February 2019 3:45 pm
Professional referees? Why give those huns even more money? They wouldn’t want it anyway, they are pulling in between £3-4 k a month, for a part time job. Euro games are about another £4-5k per match..
__________________________________________________
Exactly. Just as you say.
They should not get one thin dime more. Otherwise it would be a reward for incompetence or something much worse.
They don’t deserve even a fraction of what they currently get.
KNP – Correct
South Of Tunis on 8th February 2019 5:15 pm
KINGLUBO @4.53.
;There are no “Catholic ” teams playing professional football in Italy.Some of the players might be.Most recent survey re Religion and the over 18s in Italy revealed that @25% of that cohort identified themselves as being “Observant Catholics”
***********
Did the others identify as ‘Universal Catholics’?
So McGregor has been ‘offered’ a 2 game ban. What happens if he refuses?
Huns statement been released yet??? Or is Jabba out of crayons??.