For the first 20 minutes of the second half, AZ Alkmaar lay siege to the Celtic defence, which stood firm. They only looked vulnerable when; in a carbon copy of the move Celtic scored with, Poku stretched but was unable to make a good enough contact to put the ball on target.
Free kicks and corners came and went without fuss, the defensive line was straight and each player in at the back controlled and distributed the ball safely. Considering most of us believe the defence is the area of the team most in need of supplements, we are already in an elevated position compared to last season.
Yet again Anthony Ralston made a significant contribution, this time, sending Liel Abada clear to cross for our Irrepressible Icon, Kyogo Furuhashi, to do his thing. Greg Taylor was injured but struggled-on until 24 minutes when he was replaced by Adam Montgomery. This felt ominous as until then, AZ were most dangerous through their right back, Sugawara, who flooded forward effectively. Adam more than took care of the Japanese full back in what was one of the most crucial personal encounters of the game. He is a player.
Both central defenders almost had a flawless game. Almost. Stephen Welsh was caught in two minds; he did not head a long ball and he did not let it run through, as a consequence, it skimmed his chest to spark a night of anxiety.
Carl Starfelt’s own goal was a classic of the genre. The Swede started the season on the left side but after clearly struggling there, Ange Postecoglou switched him to the right. Evidence mounts that his left peg is largely for standing on. Carl swung at a cross that was going nowhere with his ‘standing foot’. He missed, the ball struck his right heel and squirmed into the net. The early weeks of his Celtic career, featuring so much good play, has been peppered by errors.
I am delighted Joe Hart is at Celtic and remain surprised at the improvement in our form he has provided. Still in the peak years for a keeper, there is a reason he’s no longer in the Lucre League (I believe they prefer “EPL”). At the point Stephen Welsh was caught in two minds, Joe’s decision-making capacity deserted him. This was not a footwork error, he just did not correctly judge the pace of the ball in relation to the man who was about to drift past him and score. The Joe Hart Anthology has another entry. Our memories should also record that he made two crucial saves during the game.
Yesterday’s blog was entitled “Game management when the roof falls in”. It is as though we have seen Celtic in Europe before; against the best team we have faced since 2019, there was always the potential for things to drift south rapidly. Recent Celtic teams crashed and burned after being pushed to the precipice in European qualification.
To the home fans, this must have thought this looked on the cards during the opening period of the second half, when Celtic could not get out of their defensive third. Possession was repeatedly surrendered while passing out from the back. AZ were permitted to mount relentless surges forward, we needed to change the game plan.
Odsonne Edouard arrived on the hour for the majestic but seldom mobile Tom Rogic. From that moment, Celtic had the engine to cover the pitch and could retain possession. For all of the criticisms that go his way, if we lose Odsonne next week*, we will have one less game-changing option.
If you are second seed in a European group, as Celtic are, the most important opponent is who you face from the third pot, given the assumption that the top seed is unlikely to drop two places below their expected finish. In this respect, we got a very difficult draw.
Bayer Leverkusen, sixth last season in Bundesliga, 8 points behind fifth place Eintracht. Difficult, of course, but a team we should compete against.
Real Betis also finished sixth last season, one place in La Liga above last season’s Europa League winner, Villarreal. They will be favourites to win the group and are everything we did not want. We have a bit of history here, of course, they got their first strips from us and we will both always have Seville.
Delighted to get Ferencvaros, they are a decent side but we owe them one. Bring it on.
*We’ll pick this up at the time, but I’ve been preaching asset management here for 17 years, so you know where I’m going on this subject.
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Who would win in a fight about whether a player is sold, the manager or the board?
HOT SMOKED on 28TH AUGUST 2021 1:06 PM
………..
Cheers HOT SMOKED..
And thank you for your very kind words in your Post.
I already have my bets on for the game Tomorrow…..I hope that we gub the Hun…and in the process as a wee bonus…I also gub the big bad Bookie Man ?
LOL
HH
POR CIERTO
You are correctimundo! Major fact failure on my part, por cierto.😊
not when we need quality depth in the squad. Ajeti has been telling celtic for 18months he not good enough and cant be trusted. Don’t start us on the left back position – Taylor for all his heart simply dent have the physique , the defensive quality and frequently gives the ball away.
weffar
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/pa7
Well done Tír Eoghain. Never saw that coming. Ye have my support in the final.
Is the Betis v Madrid game on any channels tonight ?
Liverpool v Chelski not a face mask in sight in the crowd.
Mmmmmmm.
D :)
BURNLEY78
It’s on the ESPN Plus App.
Burnley78 – La Liga channel on virgin 554
D :)
Tontine Tim on 28th August 2021 4:25 pm
I hope big Macaroni plays the morra as he has a score tae settle with that fat moron that stood on his back knocking him out of the team for a spell.
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I hope he plays as well, that kind of sh!t isnae acceptable in any Country except North Korea/Scotland.
Anthony is a unit and he has flew into a few well timed tackles this Season – delighting me. That scumbag of a player deserves a full on Ralston challenge that will be intended to play the man or attempt to unlike the snide cokeheid. Newco and him are a marriage made in hell.
SAINTSTIVS
I have a sense that your saintliness and BADA have a wee infatuation wif Scoddish weffar. Or ah meringue? 😊 Here’s a wee distraction.
https://youtu.be/sxBwoLXnV1c
Burnley78,
Not checked but likely to be on Premier Sports.
Pinot grigio ffs, it’s like drinking buckie
JHB- unlike you, I won’t be surprised if we win tomorrow. I’m expecting us to win.
Tom McLaughlin
Thanks for reply Re order fixtures in Europa.
Also sorry Re your illness.
The fixtures normally have the reverse of game 1 as game 5 and reverse of game 2 on game 6.
Eg last season we played Milan at home first and in Milan as 5th game. Lille away 2nd and Lille at home 6th.
This is the first season ever it has varied from that for us. Hence my question ? Not checked if all groups are like this this year.
Glad you are on the mend and although not a jab or vax fan myself I am all for folk feeling safe and being responsible testing regularly. Personally I do think it is not responsible for anyone to go on supporters bus without testing whether they are jabbed or not.
David 66
thanks
Inquitousiv
Petec
Thanks also
My Sisters In-laws are Betis supporters from Seville so this should be an interesting few weeks.
mncelt,
I’m hoping we win and win well the morra, there is no doubt the forces of Darkness will go to any length to get their Favourite club (Zombie version) that CL Money frae next Seasons CL.
I have no doubt we have an Incredible Manager who will not miss when the inevitable cheating goes into overdrive, whilst building a Cracking team. We lose the morra so what, we are gonnae roast Every team in the League despite the LRA.
How on earth do you call tomorrow? A month later and I’d be sure the better team would win.
Rangers are average and organised.
We now have a gameplan.
Everyone knows their role
We can still pull weird conceding of a goal or two out of the bag
wangers will be ref backed
We have a talisman in defence
Repeating last season’s victory is a challenge for knobbers
The World is watching.
Loved the Roses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a35VDvuDiz0
DAVID66 on 28TH AUGUST 2021 6:13 PM
Liverpool v Chelski not a face mask in sight in the crowd.
kinda like like our game last week tbh
STEBHOY
In this transfer window, Celtic have brought in 11 new players at a cost of circa £20m. But according to you, the board are miserly and haven’t backed the manager.
Also, why buy a striker to replace a striker who hasn’t left yet and possibly may not leave this window?
Celtic for once are doing the right thing by lining up replacements ready to sing even at the 11th hour.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 28TH AUGUST 2021 7:06 PM
STEBHOY
‘Also, why buy a striker to replace a striker who hasn’t left yet and possibly may not leave this window?’
###
Injuries, illness, suspension, international games, loss of form.
And the CL place.
$20m ? thats less than we got for the sale of one player, KT. Add Ajer, Frimpong to that tally.
Not argument from most, we need more quality “additons” – not exist replacements. This is what the manager is asking for.
Fourstone I know.
I think regional restrictions will be brought back in this or next week in Scotland.
D :)
BURNLEY78
Many thanks for your comments.
It’s going to come to Vaccine Passports eventually. Boris will make sure of that.
ERNIE
We already have 4 strikers.
Vaccine passports are the way to go.
No vaccine no holiday, no pub, no restaurants, no work, no travelling around the UK.
I’m all for that unless you have a health reason that makes you not take the vaccine.
A bit tough but that should keep the majority of the population safe.
D :)
See we play the same night at home as the hun on match day 3 ? I guess one will be moved to the Wednesday ?
Sorry scrub that last post
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 28TH AUGUST 2021 7:15 PM
ERNIE
We already have 4 strikers.
###
And you need two on the pitch and one on the bench.
So factor in injuries, illness, suspension, international games and loss of form.
And the CL place that’s available for a league win.
Tom- speedy recovery, you and i have more chance of a game than Griffiths and Ajeti
David66 on 28th August 2021 7:19 pm
Vaccine passports are the way to go.
No vaccine no holiday, no pub, no restaurants, no work, no travelling around the UK.
I’m all for that unless you have a health reason that makes you not take the vaccine.
A bit tough but that should keep the majority of the population safe.
D :)
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Also Celtic Park? – if so I won’t be going again. Hopefully my Work wullnae impose this but its a possibility.
I wonder how much the Georgia Guidestones cost to erect?
wtf is going on with the ‘we are above the law’co and covid?
”Livingston striker Bruce Anderson suffered a diabetic fit and two other players vomited in the dressing-room during their 2-0 loss to Hibernian.
On-loan midfielder Ben Williamson was withdrawn by parent club Rangers shortly before kick-off “because of a post-Covid blood test”.”
Not sure I’ll be around on here tomorrow. Will be disappointed if we don’t win by at least three goals. Will be jubilant if we win.
Stebhoy,
20 million spent on players,not enough it seems.What about the money the club lost through Covid?.Considering,I think we have done well by Ange.
Greg Taylor too small,and gives the ball away”.Off course he does.Nobody else does,or I am sure you would mention them just as much.
Get off the boys back.Every post you feel the need to run him down.
My only reservation about tomorrow is that we will have at least 6 players and a coach who have never played at Ibrox for Celtic against Sevco or any associated clubs.
I realise that Eddie and a few have performed int geof first match there but it’s a bit ask.
Negate that factor, which hopefully the intensity of Angeball can, and I reckon we could see something special tomorrow.
Playing without fear seems to be his mantra. Hopefully that continues and grows tomorrow.