There are good ways and bad ways to win the League Cup; yesterday was perfect. The atmosphere reminded me of the 1997 final at Ibrox, where a similar result was achieved against Dundee United. That was our first League Cup in 15 years, but there was a more substantial reason to be optimistic then. At that moment, we began to believe that this could be the start of something significant.
Contrast that with the sentiment two seasons later, as we left Hampden having beaten Aberdeen in the same final. We’d won a trophy but celebrations were muted. We were miles behind in the league and that season had splurged significant resources on players who failed to deliver.
Celtic’s performance yesterday was imperious. It was controlled, oozed competence throughout the team and subjugated the second best team in the land with little fuss. Dare we start to believe we are at the start of something significant?
We dare.
The “start” of something significant is an unusual phrase to describe five-in-a-row champions, but having plateaued as merely champions in recent seasons, the Celtic Movement is on the march again.
These are exciting time – enjoy them.
What did you like most about the win yesterday? I’m really pleased at how effective and important our central defenders are becoming. They helped deliver a trophy without the loss of a goal in any round, but, more importantly, Jozo Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko regularly morph into deep-lying playmakers.
At the opening goal, Simunovic wasn’t so deep-lying. Having carried the ball into the opposition half, he won a tackle 30 yards from goal before feeding Tom Rogic. Can you imagine how disruptive it is for opponents to have to deal with a central defender that high up the field? Who picks him up and what are the subsequent consequences?
Those of you old enough to swoon at the great No. 14 will remember when the world first discovered Total Football. As I watched Scott Brown drop behind his own defensive line to create space for others to move into it all came flooding back. The concept which ‘did for us’ a couple of times in the 70s echoes in what you’re now watching. This is Total Celtic. It’s difficult to get right but if you achieve it, it’s very difficult to play against.
This is why we’ve won a cup without conceding. This is why we plucked a guy from Fulham who appears to have geometrically appreciated in value. This is why a guy who didn’t get a lot of football at Aston Villa last season was given special treatment by Barcelona and Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League. This is why Stuart Armstrong and James Forrest are looking like new, better, players. They’re not, they are just working in a vastly better system.
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Useless prick of aye-here.
Have a look at your posts just before midnight.
Wee word of advice-disagree all you like on here,that is fair game.
But don’t suggest that someone might be spreading falsehoods unless you can prove it.
In a forlorn hope to drag the blog back to football.
What former Celtic player would you want to be playing in the team? It doesn’t have to be the best Celtic player but one that you think would improve the team the most. Don’t pick Henrik….
yorkbhoy
Good question. I’d suggest Stan Petrov.
Anyway, stop distracting us from our discussion of Kabbalah, or soemthing like that…
YORKBHOY on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:05 AM
In a forlorn hope to drag the blog back to football.
What former Celtic player would you want to be playing in the team? It doesn’t have to be the best Celtic player but one that you think would improve the team the most. Don’t pick Henrik….
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Henrik…acht!!!!
I was thinking a Lubo or Petrov.. or even an Alan Thompson. Looking at the type of player we don’t have at the moment
MODERATOR 3 on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:49 AM
TONYDONNELLY67 on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:42 AM
_________________________________________________________
Enough is, enough.
I’m pulling your account.
Report to the Glasgow dock’s 9:00 am in the morning.
A brown shirted operative will direct you to your ship of departure.
Don’t be late!
Heheheeeeeee, GFY.
Takin’ back control of our blog..!
CQN Breakfast Club
Melon
Sliced Pancetta Adobada Iberico
Scrambled aggs
Toast
Coffee
:-)))
yorkbhoy
I really think Petrov would have been excellent in this team because of his dynamism. Another good shout would be Wanyama. We’ve never really got over losing him.
YORKBHOY, easy – Paul Lambert. he would be the missing piece to the jigsaw, especially in Europe.
KTF
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:04 AM
Are you dictating to me?
Like a dictator.
And using bad words too.
The cabal committee might promote ye, keep it up.
W hat afu d.
NatKnow
Avocado and a fried egg.
Espresso.
All half finished because the dug wouldn’t leave me alone until I took him for a walk…in the freezing cold…
Aristophrenia
I don’t got this! That’s a good thing right?
DAVIDOPOULIS
Thanks!
Definitely going to read back now!
NATKNOW
Bertie Auld or David Hay.
Those two fellas were hugely important on the pitch as well as in training. The ball-players knew they had protection.
On top of that,they were damn fine players.
I’d have one or maybe even both even at the age they are.
DAVIDOPOULOS on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:17 AM
NatKnow
Avocado and a fried egg.
Espresso.
All half finished because the dug wouldn’t leave me alone until I took him for a walk…in the freezing cold…
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Not sure our breakfasts will be on the menu at Almore’s Celtic Cafe? :-)
Know how you feel re: the dog. Mine just sits there and stares at me while I’m eating. Very unnerving! I made the mistake of getting up to go to the toilet the other night and she bounced up thinking it was time to go out. Was walking round the street with her at 03:30. Wee bugger….!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:21 AM
NATKNOW
Bertie Auld or David Hay.
Those two fellas were hugely important on the pitch as well as in training. The ball-players knew they had protection.
On top of that,they were damn fine players.
I’d have one or maybe even both even at the age they are.
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Good shout – the refs ain;t gonna give any protection are they??
Breakfast
Some perriwinkles on toast.
BPOI
Away and behave yersel.
Bonk,damn this spellcheck.
NatKnow
Lol, same for me yesterday, albeit I was out at 05:00 which would seem like a blooming luxury to you at 03:30!
BTW – I noticed that the ex-administrators of the old huns are taking various people to court over their arrest and charge including Head of Police Scotland, Proc. Fiscal and the Lord Advocate. Am I correct in stating that it was Frank Mulholland that was Lord Advocate at the time when the arrests were made etc?
VFR
We had friends round on Saturday for drinks and food.
Stopped drinking about 3:00am so no chance of me going near the car on Sunday.
So, wife and wee one went into Edinburgh early doors leaving me to sober up in my own time.
It was a great game, so many great performances, great goals, great result and the supporters are, well they are the greatest too.
In the post match scenes I cried with joy when I saw wee Shay.
Door opens, in walks the girls and they immediately think we lost because I was crying!
Copious hugs followed before I let them know everything was fine.
A fantastic day!
Soooo looking forward to the next one!
Hope your day went well too!
YORKBHOY, in addition to that question: who should we (realistically) go for to bolster the midfield in January?
I’d like to see Aaron Mooy on the books. He slipped through the net when with St Mirren.
KTF
Natknow- this could end up a whitewash, with nobody getting jail time, could be a result of Operation Save Minty’s Knighthood…
VFR800 is now a Monster 821
Mooy had a good game for Huddersfield last night. A good player but a really bizarre signing for Man City.
DAVIDOPOULOS on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:26 AM
NatKnow
Lol, same for me yesterday, albeit I was out at 05:00 which would seem like a blooming luxury to you at 03:30!
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That was unusual to be fair – she’s normally good as gold. Would eat ANYTHING you gave her though. She’s on a farm during the day when I’m at work and happily eats goat shit apparently.
!!BADA BING!! on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 10:29 AM
Natknow- this could end up a whitewash, with nobody getting jail time, could be a result of Operation Save Minty’s Knighthood…
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Aye no doubt mate. Lot of egg on faces though, eh?
Wee choon for PHILBHOY and his smashing gals.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6iYhw_5ehZ4
Philbhoy on 29th November 2016 10:28 am
Glad you enjoyed the day! I did too.
Mass at 10:30, followed by a wee cuppa and cake before heading up the road. Then skwerr slice, tottie scones and roll – all home-made. Lovely.
Over tae Hampden, met HT briefly then BCW to give him a ticket.
The game was very enjoyable; we still had a couple of gears to go up if required, but didn’t need them. Great to see Simunovic and Moussa get their first trophy with Celtic (last years SPL disnae count for Simo); and of course Brendan Rodgers collecting his first managerial trophy.
Back to Duke St and a wee takeaway from Coias to round the day off whilst watching a re-run.
Only one glass of wine all day!
A Carlsberg Sunday …………………….
KTF
Davidopoulos on 29th November 2016 10:31 am
I thought it was a strange one; a fine player but I don’t see him displacing any of their midfielders any time soon. He’d do a job for us though!
KTF
BMCUWP
Great choice!
I’ll let them see/listen later!
Hope you are well Buddy!
Just been reminded of a great Clive James quote on radio. Describing Barbara Cartland’s face: “Twin miracles of mascara, her eyes looked like the corpses of two small crows that had crashed into a chalk cliff.”
VFR
A great day all round!
One glass of wine all day?!
I don’t (well, try not to) drink during the week, but I certainly make up for it at the weekends!
Unless I am on taxi duty, of course.
PHILBHOY
Fine and dandy,as I hope yeezallur.
Missing my four effs badly.
Family,friends,football and f…..g Tennents Lager.
I’ll cope,but this a sair yin the now!
PHILBHOY
I usually sit wi an abacus and a stopwatch,figure out how many I can have before starting work.
Then subtract one.
Usually…
All waiting on King making the next move, Admin, or money laundering, are his only choices, no matter what he chooses, the SFA must step in, maybe even before he chooses IMO, although I doubt it.
https://johnjamessite.com/author/sitonfence/
Not sure which former player to choose, but ,I think that our Skipper has added another dimension to his game.
He has added the Neil Lennon gene to his DNA.
He now has the ability to be everywhere on the park where their is a potential for danger.
He is our chief firefighter and his reading of the game is pure Lennonesque. ( in my informed opinion!)
Now that the ‘cyber brawl’ appears to be over here’s a free Aran jumper knitting pattern from the site ‘Men Love Knitting” to help the members of the CQN cooking clique ‘while away’ the time between recipes and posts:)
http://blog.loveknitting.com/free-aran-jumper-knitting-patterns-men/
Duty calls
whilevwilecsc
Applications open for moderator3
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