After collecting one point from their previous five games, Livingston fans can scarcely believe the result and performance their side recorded against Celtic yesterday. A goal from a breakaway on 25 minutes was enough to shatter Celtic’s early fluency. For all the flattery achieved by pounding opponents at Celtic Park, there is a fragility about Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Andrew Shinnie nipped in front of Stephen Welsh before thrashing a shot high into the net. The central defender should have done better but it was an excellent finish from Shinnie. The move started when Celtic were exposed on the right as Livingston won possession in the middle of the field.
The way we setup, we are going to concede chances and goals on the counter; going behind should not have had the consequences that followed. Instead of provoking a clinical reaction, Celtic’s early assured touch deserted them.
James McCarthy started his first game since May and is clearly well off pace. Mikey Johnston came on for his first appearance of any sort since May, he also needs time before we can expect anything like his best.
While central mid took much of the focus, our wing play was no better. Jota was significantly less effective against Livingston than against Betis on Thursday, and Liel Abada’s devastating runs into the box just didn’t happen. The only real pass mark was for Joe Hart, who made an instinctive save that prevented the home side doubling their lead.
We won on nine consecutive visits to Livingston between 2001 and 2007 before an 11-year gap until the next visit. Since returning to the West Lothian venue in 2018, we have played five, drawn three and lost twice. I am not fond of blaming the pitch; we have ample access to artificial pitches to practice on. Be ready next time.
So what now for our league challenge? News from Ibrox that Motherwell took a point to limit the damage of the afternoon was a merciful relief. A four-point gap is bad enough but six points would feel daunting. We are still in the race largely due to the fact that our only genuine opponents are well below the form they enjoyed in the two previous seasons. Whoever sorts out their form first will win the title.
Lots to consider, Ange.
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Two car polluting families are “rich” and have no consideration for the health of their fellow citizens.
Are they welcome to Parkhead. ?
Where does categorisation end ?
Surely those who bought their local authority homes, under the right to buy scheme, or invested in any sort of tax free savings (Tessas, ISAs or PEPs) should be chased from Celtic Park.
What a strange argument.
Only “rich” people have have more than one C02 polluting foreign holiday per year.
Only ” rich” people have second homes , when many families are looking for one.
Are they welcome to Parkhead.?
Weird stuff on here today. Some funny weird and some “what the….?” weird.
Uncle Jimmy,
It could be argued that Margaret Thatchers prize policy of selling council homes has caused the social housing problem that is still with us.
Surely only Tories would participate?
Bhoys and Ghirls,
Apologies for the ” ridiculous ” posts. The objective was to show how silly it is to pigeon hole demographics.
Celtic, open to all.
what has the rich people on the celtic board got to do with me having procured me old mams council house and inherited her caravan ?
it didnt make me vote tory at anytime in my life.
that others might is their business alone,
however the collective term of “board tories” is refelctive of how we feel about their business performance over football performance ethos,
dermo might vote sinn fein for all i know, he is stiss a figurative “tory on the board” panto villain
ZIGGYDOC1 on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 6:34 PM
Any shareholders had a strange call recently?
—————-
I did, asking me if i wanted to buy Desmonds share holding but not to tell anyone, as it was a one time offer just for me.
-)))
global warming is being spun by untrustworthy types if it was a danger China would be world leaders on climate issues.
the weather was controlled in Vietnam during Yankee colonial invasion by aeroplanes spraying chemicals that created giant clouds of water that when they eventually burst it created floods for oppressed Vietnamese people on the ground.
just think about that form of weather control all those years ago and what the capabilities are now a days.
climate change their reset asses. all of the world is a stage.
Saint Stives,
That’s because your deemed ” rich” and able to buy Desmond out. 😀😀😀
holy troll batman
GREENPINATA on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 6:59 PM
Agree on the council hoose.
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O’PLEB on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 7:07 PM
You back on the diesel oil?
I’m breaking my own rule here by commenting on politics.
My understanding about why Celtic were formed, feeding the poor, giving the immigrant Irish a bit of respite from there hardship and suffering, a bit like most of us get respite today. They were to me good socialist and charitable values and actions.
My dilemma now and for a long time is that while I always want my team to be successful the money and corporate side of it pains me.
Point I’m trying to make I think is whilst I would like more socialist values on the board they are not going to sanction huge wages and transfer fees because it would be against their principles.We can’t moan about the Tory board without accepting capitalist values. HH ☘
JHB ,The Labour Party in Scotland need people better than they have at present,Somebody needs to try and go down the Democratic way in America ,needs to stop talking up the usual stuff ,which doesn’t appeal to most voters,ie protect the N H S and break ties with England and embrace a independent Scotland.Keir Stamer is a poor leader .
Some sort of positivity has returned to me psyche
– we have been hit by a double ‘key payer injury’
– ange has never experienced ‘away at livi’
– this led to the livi gameplan being effective
– we will get more fit players, more players back from injury
– ange will realise you have to do radical shi* sometimes
– the world won’t end if we stick ccv up front for the last 15 mins
– the board will give ange a chance to get a first team player/squad option ange wants in january ( i know this is easier said than done)
– the board will realise I am ordering pitchforks to poke them in the arse
– we can challenge for the league even if we don’t win it
– ange will try many different tactics
SAINT STIVS on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 7:02 PM
‘what has the rich people on the celtic board got to do with me having procured me old mams council house and inherited her caravan ?’
###
Because, as the old joke goes, ‘having established the principle we are now just haggling over the price.’
I’ve only ever seen Mccarthy play in the short time he’s been with us. In the second half yesterday, he certainly did have some woeful passes, probably due partially due to his lack of match fitness.
With the number of years playing in the top flight in England and caps for Ireland, surely this boy is a good player. Yet he’s been written off already by many of us. Unbelievable.
Like many, I like to read about Celtic and what’s going on. The days of football news starting on a Friday and ending on a Monday are long gone. Many including myself are allowed to waffle too much and talk shite. Hour after hour and day after day of regurgitating and writting off players too quickly and managers.
`We can turn this around but we do need to string 4 or 5 wins together.`
….and I am probably one of the few who genuinely believes we will.
AKBW 1888 😂, you are in fur it noo whatsnat group in action 😂Big nat will be on with some swaheala later , good post by the way ! 😂
very funny commentary onbbc alba
berwick v gretna 2008.
rob mclean getting himslef into all sorts of back tracking, becasue he mentioned gretnas greeat history in the scottish cup.
which he them corrected as offcourse, that gretna went bust, and this gretna dont consider themselves as the same, they are very much a community club, and not the same as the other club.
hahahahha
honest gretna 2008, must be able to read company and corparate law.
this is a good read, our first patron, could be considered as catholic aristocracy even.
https://www.thecelticwiki.com/about-celtic/celtic-board/celtic-committee/eyre-archbishop-charles/
Ernie Lynch
Because, as the old joke goes, ‘having established the principle we are now just haggling over the price.’
Are you Peter Lawwell?
and our other patron and that donation – very much political as an organisation, how else could it be interpretated.
Below: Letter from Michael Davitt upon submitting on Celtic’s behalf a donation to the Irish National Fund, Freeman’s Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser (Dublin, Ireland), Thursday, June 23, 1892
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/kY1CIQLs9AY6d_24bdSUpg378969
Not saying we deserve to be but if we had VAR in Scotland we would be, at least, joint top of the league.
Why are Celtic FC, The CSA, Ange and the players, Sutton and Hartson, CQN and other sites and The GB with banners not clamouring or protesting for this?
Am I (maybe as usual) missing something here?
We are Celtic supporters, Tory through and through…..no I don’t think so….
Is there a roll-call of multi-moniker “characters”?
never-mind-the-post-check-oot-the-costumes!
:0
The major problem is our scouting .
Jota will go down the same road a Charlie Musonda.
Starfield is poor.
………….
I could go on and on .
TT
I can’t remember specifically but were we not promised significant reforms?
We have changed manager.
What about coaches?
What about sports science?
What about Director of Football?
The nadir of last season gave us the chance- actually the necessity- for meaningful reform. You cannot expect the new manager to come in with only a few new first XI players to his name to develop a new footballing culture at the club.
LAXALT on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 8:24 PM
Not saying we deserve to be but if we had VAR in Scotland we would be, at least, joint top of the league.
—-
Well, I’ll tell you what VAR won’t change-
1. The criminal lack of a new left back. FFS boli back yesterday. Joke.
2. £5m down the toilet with Ajeti when a few extra quid would’ve secured Toney
3. The signing of players who are “not ready”. I mean, wtf? Especially when our season actually begins with Euro qualifiers
4. The fact we spent good money on 2 Sheffield Wednesday players and the LOI’s best defender never to play them
5. The lack of product coming through Lennoxvale to the first team and the loaning out of decent prospects to lower leagues
O Pleb,
Somebody on here is having a laugh.This guy is just a made up Madman.
C,Mon,own up,who is pretending to be an out and out raving Lunatic.
My guess is its that life of the party,jolly japester,Ernie Lynch.
St Stivs, cheers HH ☘
40 mins
Post update
Barcelona 0-1 Granada
There are nerves on show everywhere in this ground. Fans whistling, home players failing to control properly, the Barca manager pacing a groove into his technical area.
smiley livvyitis thing
Braw
Good article on what is meant to being on behind the scenes at the club
https://thecelticstar.com/the-athletics-article-on-mccarthy-and-the-dangerous-precedent-set/
The Athletic’s Article on McCarthy and the Dangerous Precedent Set
By NIALL J 20 September, 2021
Celtic v AZ Alkmaar – James McCarthy at the end of the match at Celtic Park. Photo Andrew Milligan
MEMO: Devlin was on The Agenda. He highlighted again only Juranovic (who McKay went out on a limb to conclude) and Kyogo were Ange signings. Apparently, targets were a mixed bag of old playlists for Shaw and Urighide who coaching staff do not rate, Historically scouted players like Jota, Starfelt and Vickers and agent led deals like Giakoumakis and Abada.
Hart also not an Ange buy, didn’t fit the system of play with ball at feet but we needed a ‘keeper and much like McCarthy we went with Prem/International experience and time was running out, Ange also wanted more leaders so he fitted that at least. Scales he said is another the scouting department aren’t convinced by and mentioned ‘ulterior motives’ behind that one regarding why both clubs would want that deal to go ahead.
Apparently, Devlin has taken stick for holding back on this story until Celtic got beat, but he says it’s only recently been double sourced and he was waiting for McCarthy to start a game before including it in analysis, had he played well or badly. Not sure about that!
Whole thing makes me think we can forget a modern structure. Gallagher on the cynic said the stories of McGregor contract were to indicate we’re moving through the gears and to expect a board counter offensive come January of a bloated squad meaning we’d have to offload some before we buy and to get a few sources to start saying is a 2/3 year plan and was never about getting the title back in year one. Lawwell’s compliant blogger will no doubt help with that one…
Devlin’s article on McCarthy, the dangerous precedent set…
If there was one story that caught the eye today it has to be the latest offering from The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin, where in his post-match critique, of in particular the Celtic midfield performance against Livingston, the well-connected and well balanced Devlin cited “dressing room sources” as advising “James McCarthy has struggled in training with the pace and intensity of Postecoglou’s sessions and the demands of his midfielders”.
That in itself isn’t all that surprising of course when you add a little context. After all it is fair to say with no real pre-season under his belt, after being released by Crystal palace in the summer, allied to Packie Bonner recently advising on BBC Sportsound that McCarthy had also been recovering from Covid-19, there are clear mitigating circumstances when it comes to James McCarthy’s readiness or indeed acclimatisation to new teammates and a new playing philosophy.
Add to that McCarthy is a player who has played predominately in counter attacking defensive based line-ups, particularly of late when under Roy Hodgson, a manager not renowned for his attacking outlook. As such there is still time for the penny to drop as McCarthy beds into the club but when you add fitness to realigning your entire style of play there has to be misgivings on this one.
McCarthy however has been a good player and is currently lacking in fitness, so with time he might adapt as he finds his feet. However, it must be said yesterday’s performance was poor from such an experienced performer and that can’t be entirely down to a lack of fitness. Indeed, with Ismaila Soro left on the bench yesterday it couldn’t be that Ange Postecoglou felt fitness was so lacking in McCarthy otherwise Soro would have started would he not?
Perhaps then the most worrying comment in the Athletic article was when Devlin stated “The Athletic understands neither Postecoglou nor the scouting department had meaningful input into signing McCarthy this summer after his contract expired at Premier League Crystal Palace.” Now that has to be a concern.
When you consider Callum McGregor has been asked to play a number six role of late, it’s a worry if the deputy, or indeed the player you’d assume signed on hefty wages and a 4-year contract, and the guy who would actually be expected to be first pick and allow McGregor return to the eight role, had not been signed off by the manager or the scouting staff. That opens a can of worms.
It is understandable, given the recruitment and footballing operations vacuum that has been in operation at Celtic this summer that the mix of players signed for Celtic may not all have personally been chosen by the manager, but the worrying part of that is whether those signed, if not signed off by the manager or the scouting department, actually fit the philosophy and style of play the manager needs.
After all, in the case of McCarthy there is a big difference between a deep lying playmaker as Callum McGregor plays and a defensive midfielder as James McCarthy has historically played as. A difference that would be highlighted by Postecoglou and by scouting staff, but perhaps not by people choosing players who don’t understand the nuances and simply see a generic Number Six with Hundreds of Premier League games, multiple Ireland caps and think ‘job’s a good’un’ for the Scottish League – you know like Shane Duffy.
Now depending on who out with the football department chose that player, does their seniority stretch to interreference when it comes to match-day selection pressure as much as it did when it came to identifying and signing the player? You’d hope that’s not the case, but when interference in signing players stretches to bypassing the manager and scouting staff it would be a worry the ego of the person choosing the player may be dented should he not be selected. Especially if your ego was large.
Niall J
It will be interesting if P67 does become a stenographer for the Lawwell and the board on this too as is being hinted at.
DEXTER P. BAMPOT on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 8:37 PM
LAXALT on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 8:24 PM
Not saying we deserve to be but if we had VAR in Scotland we would be, at least, joint top of the league.
—-
Well, I’ll tell you what VAR won’t change-
1. The criminal lack of a new left back. FFS boli back yesterday. Joke.
2. £5m down the toilet with Ajeti when a few extra quid would’ve secured Toney
3. The signing of players who are “not ready”. I mean, wtf? Especially when our season actually begins with Euro qualifiers
4. The fact we spent good money on 2 Sheffield Wednesday players and the LOI’s best defender never to play them
5. The lack of product coming through Lennoxvale to the first team and the loaning out of decent prospects to lower leagues
——————————————————————-
And the award for CQN’s most apt pseudonym goes to….
;-)
HH
Dexter… I know all that but my point was that if we had VAR in Scotland we’d be at least joint top of the league instead of 4 points behind.
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/69e29828a72f59a06e9324612ecd8ade
Joseph Shaughnessy.
Irish, Catholic, lawyer, Nationalist, saint als fp, founder.
LAXALT on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 8:24 PM
LAXALT on 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021 8:44 PM
Who do you think would operate VAR in Scotland?
tinytim
That’s the problem right there…
You could ….and you do