Motherwell’s late equaliser at Paisley yesterday put daylight between Celtic and nearest challengers St Mirren at the top of the table. The champions have not been entirely convincing in the two home league games so far this term, but it is telling about how tight a league we have that getting wins is enough to see the champions clear at the top.
Two goals ahead inside 30 minutes should have seen Celtic coast for the remainder of the game against Falkirk on Saturday. However….. as happened earlier in the week, early promise does not always produce results. A glut of chances were not converted, then Falkirk managed to carve Celtic open right through the middle of the park to create the chance which went in off the blameless Colby Donovan.
That concern aside, there were positives. Haissem Hassan made his first start for the club and gave us a look at what we can expect from the player. He is direct, moves the ball forward earlier than any of our current wingers and is happy to take a defender on. A big part of his game appears to be putting defenders on the wrong foot with stepovers and feigns. He will lose possession more than most of his team-mates, but that’s a consequence of his desire to open things up.
Camilo Duran played his first competitive game as the main striker for Celtic and did not disappoint. His first goal was a Scott Bain Special, but putting the ball in the net from a tight angle with only an instant to react is still a skill. The second goal was a more conventional striker’s finish.
I like to see crosses on the deck between defenders and the keeper. It is a play which was a prominent feature of football in the last century but dropped from fashion with the arrival of inverted wingers who often do not trust their weaker foot. Bring it back and watch what Camilo does.
The aforementioned gaps in the middle of the park implies reinforcements in that area would be welcome. Hopes are high for a glut of such talent over the next two days. I’ll not get too excited yet.
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HH
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/2094372813738037509?s=12
Parma MF on loan
The Bada Bing @ 12:02 pm,
Let’s hope the lad can bring a bit of steel to that midfield…
Hail Hail
If Oliver’s turning up, the apt thing to say is:
“Please sir. I want some more!”
MarkLester CSC
I hope the lad from Parma’s not a ham .
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head. Top of the league again. 👍
Chairbhoy- he’s 6 foot 1,34 appearances last season, 1 goal,sounds like a defensive MF
As I posted on the last thread:
Today, already, I’ve been told Van Den Berg, Gineitis and Sorenson.
All midfielders.
No mention of a GK, full backs or a tackling CH.
Still, early yet for the rumour mongers and click chasers.
Hurrah….a player at last….had the rosary out for 3 days …..next decade will be that he can Run !!
I’ve no problem with loan to buy .. in fact i prefer it because of our past duds !
The Bada Bing @ 12:14 pm,
Well, that’s promising, he sounds like a MO’N type player…
Hail Hail
glendalystonsils on 31st August 2026 12:13 pm
I hope the lad from Parma’s not a ham .
———-
Or a shrinking (Parma) Violet ??
Match officials Aberdeen
The match, which is the fifth round of the league campaign, kicks off at 7.45pm at Celtic Park. Duncan Nicolson will be supported by assistant referees Frank Connor and Chris Rae, with Peter Stuart as fourth official. John Beaton will oversee VAR, assisted by Sean Carr.
No cheesy jokes yet?
Why did the man put Parmesan on his spaghetti? For the grater good!
Let’s hope the rasher aspects of our midfield play is cured…
Hail Hail
quadrophenian /DeniaBhoy
The pun police will be after us !
Punished…..
Chairbhoy
You’ve taken that too far !-)))
Chewin the fat CSC
Glendalystonsils @ 12:45 pm,
You think so!?
Hard Cheese..;))
Hail Hail
hopefully the Parma ham lad will cure the midfield with a few crudo tackles
PS that break from midfield looked amazing due to a mis-control by a Falkirk player and all our players in the area being square on and run past.
When you are always in possession, you will be square to receive the ball but we ned to learn to become active defensively when we lose it.
Historical Stats at FC Midtjylland
Before moving to Serie A, Sørensen was highly regarded at FC Midtjylland for his immense work rate and running power. In fact, during his breakout 2023–24 season, he recorded the highest number of sprints (649) and high-speed running distance in the entire Danish Superliga.
His production across his final two main seasons in Denmark showcases his rapid development as a goal-scoring central midfielder.
Season 23-24 in the Danish superleague he scored 5 goals in 30 games.
In season 24-25 he scored 9 goals in 28 games.
Aged 24, he has had no serious injuries.
He has no full caps for Denmark but has extensive youth international experience: He was a regular fixture for the Denmark U21 team, earning 15 caps and scoring 6 goals, alongside appearances at the U19 and U20 levels.
Aged 23, he played at the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals in Slovakia. Played in all four games, scoring against France.
Trust the Sorensen deal includes the option to become Parma-nent ?
According to AI, Parma traded his attacking instinct for tactical security. By forcing him to sit deeper, stabilize the midfield, and pick his moments to run with extreme caution, his shots-per-game plummeted. He essentially transformed from a dynamic, high-scoring hybrid threat into a standard, rotational engine room workhorse
Reading some comments over the weekend about Engles and his new club West Ham. Some doubful, some downright negative but most willing to give him time. What I found interesting was the cpolmments on his lack of physicality and toughness. Seemingly he is nowhere near EPL or Championship fitness.
We have fallen down in the department for years, excluding Brown and Johnston.
No matter what skill levels we can afford, there is no excuse for lack of strength in the tackle from any of our players.
Perhaps a new improved fitness coach ?
All we are saying is give us some decent defenders
Madra Rua – anyone who scouted Engels knew they were not watching a robust midfielder that was strong in the tackle. We haven’t had one of those for a few years. I assume West Ham bought him and are playing him because they believe they can develop that side of his game?
At the other end of the spectrum, I doubt anyone in the EPL will be close to Maeda’s level of fitness. Funnily enough Duran looks like he has a similar engine, here’s hoping he doesn’t lose it.
on fitness,
Strachan 2005
Delia 2014
Postecoglou 2021
They all upped fitness levels when they came in, sometimes famously/infamously. Through combinations of training and sport science
The managers prior to them were O’Neill, Lennon, Lennon
Yesterday Justin Devenney was the story. Today, from out of left-field, appears Oliver Sorensen…and Justin Devenney goes silent…made up tosh or deflection?
Weknownothingcsc…
I should have added that I was probably in the minority of not being a big fan of Engels but that might have been more to do with the lack of quality around him than anything else. He has skill, no doubt about that, but he didn’t have the engine for what we needed him to do (in my opinion).
Sorensen sounds more like what we need. Fingers crossed.
I do hope the big Lithuanian is genuinely targeted.
We deserve butter 🧈🇮🇪
young Danish player from parma
Ham-let?
Coneybhoy – you get the prize for that one :)
Coneybhoy
Brilliant.
If only there was a champions league for puns then you guys would be right up there.
I said 2 signing and 2 loans would be minimum yesterday. Seems it maybe 3 and 2 before window closes.
While I would love if we were able to recruit a no nonsense, hard tackling midfielder enforcer or similar type of defenders but I fear we would only see said player for about 50% of games as they would be suspended for the rest.
We are already referreed to a different standard than everyone else. I give you most fouls conceded in a game we have the majority of possession in. Celtic players booked for first tackle nevermind foul while opposing players foul with impunity.
As I said I would love to see us sign these players but they would be a target for every plastic hardman and hun with a whistle.
Spent 10 fruitless minutes trying to work proscuitto into a pun.
pro-shoot-oh
SadLifeCSC
And the winner is… Coneybhoy.
NoblerInTheMindCSC