Despite a cast of thousands on the bench against Hamilton Accies yesterday and the points comfortably secured, Neil Lennon made only one substitution before the 86th minute, replacing Mohamed Elyounoussi with Olivier Ntcham with 20 minutes remaining.
There will be occasions when it is more beneficial to make early use of the five substitutions available, but for now, the manager’s principle objective is to get his starting 11 as fit as possible, and that takes game time. Champions League qualification starts in two weeks, we have three games to prepare for a 90 minute knockout fixture. While the points are important, these early Premiership games are crucial for building muscles for our series of summer cup finals.
Breaking down packed defences can be difficult so it was great to see how varied Celtic’s play was yesterday. Elyounoussi, James Forrest, Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard’s movement made it difficult for defenders to know how to match up.
A possible consequence of this variety and the high positions of Greg Taylor and Jeremie Frimpong was the number of chances Accies created. Their goal, from an unnecessarily conceded set-piece, came from one of several good chances.
I had to smile this morning when I saw we were back reading about Oldco Rangers’ old chairmen. Craig Whyte has been exposed by the Daily Record for allegedly trading under his father’s name in a business designed to do pretty much what he did to Oldco Rangers back in 2012.
I wonder if we will ever see Sir David Murray’s reruns given the same treatment? No investigative journalism is needed, just read Sir David’s company, Murray Capital Group’s most recent financial statement on a challenge by HMRC “regarding the tax treatment of payments made under the Group’s Share Based Payment Scheme”.
No provision was made in earlier accounts, as “management considered it unlikely that additional tax would be payable to HMRC.” However, “following further legal consultation….. and communication from HMRC… it was now more likely than not that a future cash outflow would be required.”
Never mind, we should let David discretely get on with being David. Share Based Payment Scheme! Honestly! The company also extended it’s year end from 31 December 2019 to 30 June 2020; always a good sign.
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Only one game but what a start to the season! I particularly enjoyed Patryk Klimala’s finish for the 5th goal! Nice!
Meanwhile here’s some light relief about how Sevco have finally, definitely, absolutely got rid of Mike Ashley…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2020/08/01/a-live-sevco-update-from-ae/
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2020/08/01/the-sevco-sports-direct-puzzle/
And just to check – David Murray still hasn’t been banned from football has he?!
Happy Monday !! ☘☘☘
Sircumcision…….for that chancer.
Sir !! David Murray in another tax dispute with HMRC . Who’d have thunk it ?
When he tried to buy Ayr Utd way back in the day, not many understood the rejection from the Ayr board of directors.
The most apt reason given ……..
“ we knew yer father “ . Yon apple’s seldom fall far from the tree.
Fair play to Hamilton yesterday, they were more than prepared to push men forward in numbers. It ultimately left them exposed to our counter attacks, which made it a decent game to watch.
Fairly happy CSC ☘️
Good day and good read Paul,
Off to a flier yesterday and the movement was excellent.
I get proved wrong daily by Neil and I enjoy the humble pie but not the increase in waist size, lol. Anyway he has matured and learned a lot since the last stint, I worried about the newer players adapt to his abruptness but I was wrong. Go on my son.
He has them flying and laughing and that will do for me.
Are we going in with Eddie, Paddy and Leigh? And the swashbuckling gang behind them?
HH
KLV
Did the Huns `take a knee` before the Aberdeen game?
Re the subs yesterday, Neil said before the game that 3 practice games wasn’t enough, so I understand why he didn’t change the team earlier.
HS- yes
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HWGTIAR
Keep your Klimala close and your Miroslav Klose.
“ Where’s the burdz ? “
Frank McAvennie
principle should be principal
discretely should be discreetly
SubeditorsrusCSC
Bada,
Thanks.Sportscene showed Celtic/Hamilton players doing so but no other teams. I wonderd why but I guess it was because we were the Sunday game and out highlights were longer than those from all the other games.
Incidentally, has SFTB been on here since or even during the game?
I see early scapegoating has targeted our Centre Halves. Given that we play football like the charge of the light brigade and expose our defensive line as a result doesn’t come into it for some.
It’s more correctly called genuflecting.
Hamilton’s two big lads up front put themselves about. I liked the look of Moyo decent player. They’ll be a handful the way Hamilton play this season.
Nevertheless we handled the game well and scored some terrific goals.
Well played Celtic yesterday. Also well done to Hamilton for actually having a go, good on them. Reckon they were more adventurous than Sevco will be when they come to visit…
Robinbhoy
Indeed, the thought of going away to Hamilton, on that pitch, with those two up front, is the stuff of nightmares…
When we kick off against Kilmarnock on Sunday we will already know our Champions League 1st round opponents. The draw will be made on Sunday 9th, and we will find out or potential 2nd round opponents next day on Monday 10th when the Champions League 2nd round draw is made.
1st round has traditionally been grouped geographically but with the Covid precautions in play, it will be interesting how it may affect draw procedures.
It’s a pity seeded teams are not being drawn at home by right rather by luck of the draw which could give 2nd and 3td round ties an extra degree of difficulty.
Fingers crossed I think and I hope that Lenny has the “2 or 3 players” signed up before the deadlines.
I think a good summary of the game was provided by one of the contributors to Celtic By The Numbers. Headline points:
-Expected Goals of 4.0 compares to 2.30 avg over 55 games the past 5 seasons against what I will call “low end” opponents;
-Our problem was preventing chances- 0.91 is the highest xG conceded to Hamilton at home in the 5 seasons-0.46 next highest;
-Eddy’s link up with Moi and Forrest, was not good. He received just 4 passes from Moi and 2 from Forrest and only sent 2 passes to each. He had 0 xAssits (expected assists) vs the 0.4+ (expected assists) when playing with a strike partner. McGregor fed him 22 times w/ Brown just 2;
– Broony’s numbers were objectively awful.
It’s time to have a conversation about Broony. He is 35, has played 211 games in the last 4 seasons (Boyata at 29 has played 233 in his whole career) and the numbers show that he is clearly no longer near where he once was. Any inspiration or motivation he provides is outweighed by his productivity elsewhere. With Ntcham waiting in the wings, we really need to move to McGregor, Christie and Ntcham 3 to give ourselves the best chance of European qualification.
Also, highly recommend listening to the same contributor discuss Celtic and statistical analysis on the Celtic underground podcast:
https://celticunderground.libsyn.com/big-data-the-squad-and-brown?tdest_id=121286
HOT SMOKED @12.55
They sure did,and to some of their playing contingent they have had plenty of practice.
Paul 67 et al.
What a start to the season. I didn’t think I could really enjoy a game behind closed doors, but I was wrong. What an enjoyable watch.
Of course the packed socially distanced pub and the brilliant waitress service helped. The atmosphere was brill.
I could get to like home games like this.
HH to all, the journey has commenced.
It was interesting to read in Craig Whyte’s book , that the biggest mistake he said that he made was not being in the Mason’s even although most people assumed he was including, the top man at the daily record (at the time) who promised him good press in the paper, one of Scotlands highest judges who promised to sort out any legal requirements he had, Scotlands 1st Minister who invited him for a private lunch and tour of Holyrood and the leading DUP man who offered to get the ‘bhoys’ round to sort out any problems that he encountered.
Rolling Stone
It’s a conversation too many won’t have despite the facts. Saying that, CBN and others don’t record the immeasurable presence Scott has on the pitch still in terms of leadership abd presence. We’d lose that along the way.
I suspect Neil will rely heavily on him this year which I don’t think is right but he’s a winner and will be 1st name down. I suspect we might see injuries impact him more than tactical decisions.
Rolling_Stone
While I agree Brown was a bit ‘off it’ yesterday, at his age it will take slightly longer to get up to match speed
I thought he got better as the game went on
For the past four seasons every ‘conversation’ about Scott Brown has eventually resulted in the same conclusion… that he is the best in the country at what he does
B-)
Thankfully football isn’t played by algorithms
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Big Wavy – During the game, it was pointed out that our two very tall CHs were regularly getting beat to headers from set pieces. This is not a new observation. The same happened a fair bit last season too, and very noticeably at Hampden in LCF. No idea if it as a positional thing, where they get caught out by a runner, or if they lack a bit of spring in their step from a standing start. But they are not dominating or particularly imposing in the air when it comes to defending in the box.
what were Broonies stats ?
If the huns could sub Celtic’s players, Eddy and Broonie would be hauled off first.
SPIKEYSAULDMAN – when Frimpong was hacked down yesterday there was only one player stepping forward to protect him, that was Broonie. Made it clear to the opposition, in his own way, that he was up for a fight if they fancied it. We need someone to do that job, preferably 2-3 of them, when we have so many small/lightweight players that are easy targets for the boot boys.
Celtic completed 435 passes against Hamilton yesterday. On being told this Slippy G said the only way they could compete with that was to put Ryan Jack on mastermind.HH
the frailties of our defensive centre back pairing is down to their defending at corner or free kicks into our box and the amount of free headers that the opposition get from set plays, agree that when we are a free wheeling all out attacking team it can/will leave us short of numbers at the back and open to a punt up the park can leave the defence open to criticism if it is not dealt with authority but our defensive line has to work better as a unit.
Good result yesterday and a lovely start to the League. Big Tommy Gemmell used to say that Lemon would draw players inside allowing him to maraud up the wing.
If you have a wee look back to yesterday you will see 2or 3 Accies players following the Invisible Man on both sides of the park. That’s why Jamsie is picked by NFL it’s not always about what you do when having the ball,. make defenders work when you don’t have the ball
Hail Hail James Forrest!
serious question , what was the lasst goal that celtic lost from a “free header” ?
Hamilton did the same to us yesterday as they did to the huns on the 4th march, except that time they won.
I think Barkas will come for a lot more corners and crosses than FF did,hopefully……..
PAPAJOE55 on 3RD AUGUST 2020 3:18 PM
Celtic completed 435 passes against Hamilton yesterday. On being told this Slippy G said the only way they could compete with that was to put Ryan Jack on mastermind.HH
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Ajer and calmac in about them when Frimpong was hacked,
Scott looked leggy yesterday and sluggish, its just age, the guys in front of him are 10 yrs younger and more and full of beans, he grew into the game like the campaigner he is, I wonder if Ntcham and sorro will get more time this season, no as aggressive but it’s early days.
KLV