Overall I was pleased with many aspects of Celtic’s play yesterday. We dominated large parts of the game and got in and around the Hearts penalty area often enough to score the proverbial barrel load.
Hearts scored a good goal. The flick from Beattie and run from Skacel were both exquisite, although a deflection off the blameless Kelvin Wilson was crucial. Enough has been said about the second Hearts goal already. Defensively we were good.
Midfield also played well, to a point, forcing Hearts into retreat for all but the opening 20 minutes of the second half. Ki Sung-Yueng should have scored twice but he’s never been a player for back post headers and I was more surprised he found himself in that position than he missed both opportunities. He is a player who continues to impress.
The question we should turn our attention to is why Celtic didn’t score more goals?
It is probably not an exaggeration to suggest Emilio Izaguirre is the best left back at the club in 30 years. Skilful and intelligent in possession, Celtic look composed when he is on the field, but he’s being kept out of the team by a free transfer from Aberdeen because Charlie Mulgrew is manufacturing the most crucial item in the game – goals.
I’m close to advocating ‘Give the ball to Charlie’ tactics. He has the ability to fire in remarkably dangerous crosses and has an instinctive awareness that the purpose of the game is to score goals. Kris Commons shares this awareness but Kris has had a wretched season and is still rescuing his game from injury and early season loss of form.
In these circumstances, Neil Lennon cannot afford to play Izaguirre if it involves dropping Mulgew as this would severely hamper Celtic’s ability to put the ball in the net. If the manager wants to use Emilio, particularly in Europe next season when retaining possession will be crucial, Charlie has to play left midfield.
Scoring goals is the primary responsibility of the strikers. None of Celtic’s current crop are impressing at the moment, but we need to look further upstream first.
We have an outstanding original canvass painting of Neil Lennon available for purchase on eBay to kick start our summer charity fundraising. This year the beneficiaries will be Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Martin Chambers Foundation and The Neuroblastoma Alliance, Aberdour PS PTA, The Haven, Blantyre. The painting, by US based artist, Joseph Gormley, is an outstanding memento of our manager during these times.
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Huns being bought buy Ng Billy? Tim windup? Shurely shome mishtake!
A Son of Dan.
He doesn’t do walking towards either, apparently.
No show at Hampden.
Warrant for Whytey.
Serge@08:34
The DR also said Craig Whyte was a Billionaire and that Sally would be given a war chest ;)
Morning CQNer’s
Would just like to say that…..no matter what happens when Neil faces the masonic-beaks…the Celtic hierarchy should hold our, final media conference and, announce that…Neil Francis Lennon and, his Seville comrades from the dug-out have, signed a new 5 YEAR contract as the ultimate GIRFUY to, anti-Celtic Scotland!!! IMO!
After the dust has settled and, the season ends….the hierarchy should back our new management team, substantially ie: some quality players brought in for the european campaign. My first signing would be, Alexi Eremenko, the ex-Killie player who had to put up wth a, queue of huns trying to kick him off the pitch at ibrokes, under the watchful eye of, soup-taking ref Stevie O’Reilly.
This scenario expressed to me, how much the huns feared this player.
Hail Hail
KevJungle – Where is Eremenko this season?
In fairness Killie have done alright without him.
KJAMBHOY
RUBIN KAZAM
Morning Bhoys
Hard Hat firmly on, but do you not think that Neil Lennon should turn the other cheek when faced with Referee cheats and not glorify the refs position and generate income for the SPL and The SFA in fines and then give them the satisfaction when he serves the lengthy touchline bans.
Count to ten Neil count to ten, we all do
Watched the ole 70s TV show last night, and while quite entertaining the book on which it is based [State of Emergency] is much, much better, and well worth packing away for the summer.
I look back on the 70s with great fondness but clearly the country was a complete basket case, even if the weather [temporarily at least ] was a lot better.
Anyways, good news is book does mention behaviour mention of Celtic support in Lisbon [ good] and contrasts it with behaviour of Horribles in Barcelona [ maybe not so good]
Morning all. Just listened to Alex Thomson on Clyde last night and what a shower of idiots he makes our MSA journalists look. In the first minute or so Flanders is saying he is a sports journalist so matters of corporate governance are not his concern. When asked if there was noone else in Glasgow who could do this and whether he went to his boss and pointed out the scandal that is Rangers he spluteers his way back into silence.
Keevins and Hannah shown up for what they are, Hun apologist!
Hail Hail!
RobinBhoy
Well done to Alex Thomson on Clyde.
Not a super hero, not Jesus Christ, just a man doing his job, properly.
Keevins was a shambles, I am finished with Clyde, what is Real radio like, has that got BFDJ on it still.
I was thinking that if Mr Ng persuades our very own Mr KI to join forces with him in buying Rangers,,………, would the club then be owned by Ki Ng Billy?
Interesting item on SSN about cheating to win penalties in (mainly) English football. Neville doesn’t want people like Beckham and Gerrard to be called cheats, although he shows evidence of them doing it. It would cause mayhem in football, he reckons, if there were to be retrospective action taken about such behaviour. Why not allow that mayhem and see how quickly it ends, when clubs know they are going to be punished? Guy from the Sun (of all papers!!) spoke a lot of sense.
At least, they’re prepared to air such subjects in England. What would our media call the likes of Naismith?
‘What would our media call the likes of Naismith?’
Leo Messi’s long lost more talented twin brother?
Kittoch on 17 April, 2012 at 09:46 said:
////////////
If it wasn’t for the fact that, Neil has a pair of b####, a tank couldny crush…..we would all still be stuck in 2010! IMO.
2010 – Never Again
“We Shall Overcome” – CSC
Thanks Bobby!
Thought Eremenko was decent the few times I seen him for Killie. Not sure if we need more creative midfielders with Commons, Forrest, McGeouch and Ibrahim.
With Fojut to join next season, a big quality striker must be the priority.
I hope the Celtic lawyers got on town on Murray and Brines inconistent match reports at Neil Lennon´s hearing this week. The LL are spouting on about 10 to 17 match ban!
Kittoch on 17 April, 2012 at 09:49 said:
//////////////
I’m finished with SSB as well.
SSB = White Wash Hun Radio! IMO!
Hail Hail
Eremenko has been out since since scoring for Finland in a 2-1 defeat by Denmark in mid-November with a cruciate ligament injury (reportedly back in training now) and is contracted with Rubin Kazan until 2014.
At 29, I think he has the guile, temperament and experience to be an asset to Celtic. I think, depending on his fitness, we could get him – Rubin Kazan have rarely used him (since their new-found wealth was, erm, found) and would release him for a modest fee IMO.
Eremenko looked a good footballer but not the fittest.
KevJungle
Regarding Neil and his tank beating credentials, I am a huge fan of Neil Lennon and want him with us for a Ferguson like 20 years, but I am coming round to the fact the he never achieves a change in the decision, only a public mauling and then a ban, for his own sake he should be the bigger man, wry smile and walk away, maybe a shake of the head, it sends the same message, but without the bans
Just a thought with all the digging burrowing and a nodding and a winking that goes on in here why werent esteemed bloggers able to bring to the the table what Alex Thomson has or are all the juicy bits gleaned in bloggerdome tucked up safely in the dossier
And I hear that Derek Ogg will fight Neil Lennons corner down Letherby Drive way on Thursday
Kittoch on 17 April, 2012 at 09:49 said:
I’d agree bid time with your point there of being finished with Clyde.
I usually tune in just for a laugh – I don’t get upset about the “Celtic” fans complaining
about Neil Lennon’s behaviour – I know how it works.
I go with the flow.
But I made a mental note last night after Alex Thomson had been on to make it the last time I ever dialled that station up on my wee radio.
The SSB show just made me so sad. To hear grown men reduced to rubble because a new guy appears and asks a few obvious questions.
And this as they sit on top of The Story Of All Stories and do nothing. Incredible.
It’s just sooooo dumb.
AT was not a world beater – he was just doing his job, something that has
rarely occurred to our radio cretins.
I pined for Ian Archer, Bob Crampsey, some quality. Anything but this crap.
Does CQN have a radio station yet ?
Because the quality that’s served up on the local media to serve all of our
football fans is absolutely tragic.
Radio silence for me.
pigalle
KJamBhoy on 17 April, 2012 at 09:42 said:
KevJungle – Where is Eremenko this season?
In fairness Killie have done alright without him.
…………………………
I don’t know where he is but, I’ll tell you what….I would rather have had, AE in our midfield on sunday than, Scott Brown, Joe Ledley, KI or Commons!
Neil must INSIST that, he gets ‘our’ money to strengthen the team and, not allow the board to sucker him in re: Lets wait and see what will happen to the huns! F#ck the huns. Get Celtic sorted as, the way I see it….when James Forrest is out injured…gone is THE class player from the side!
Not good enough.
If our board/CEO have not as yet replaced the late, Paul McBride QC to, represent our boss then, they should resign en-masse! IMO!
Hail Hail
Bhoycott the radio, All they do is stick the boot into Celtic. It’s great having guys on it who can argue our case but what we dont hear wont bother us so let them have a little hunfest to themselves every night.
Kittoch on 17 April, 2012 at 10:04 said:
……………………………………
Yeah, I see where you’re coming from now.
Totally Agree m8!
“Be a move in front” CSC
!!Bada Bing!! on 17 April, 2012 at 10:01 said:
Eremenko looked a good footballer but not the fittest.
……………………………………….
Some on here will have you believe that, Paddy McCourt is Messi-esque, despite never being fit.
I imagine David Leggatt is wishing he could pay to have his google history deleted.
Up over goal
On your point 6,big Sutton was right!
Eremenko
Good player but we have more than enough squad players, we need to get rid of these players not add more. we should only sign players who are good enough to start every week.
Kevjungle- Paddy is an enigma to many,he will probably get a farewell run out in the coming weeks.I always thought he would have been a useful sub in LC Final and possibly Sunday against a tight defence but…..He needs to move in the Summer for his own sake IMO.
Three Verulam Buildings (3VB) will today ’vigorously contest’ claims of professional negligence on behalf of Collyer Bristow’s role in the Rangers FC administration.
The firm has instructed Clyde & Co partner Richard Harrison and senior associate Nicole McKinnon to fight the action brought by the club’s administrators, Duff & Phelps partners Paul Clark and David Whitehouse.
Clydes has called on 3VB counsel Cyril Kinsky QC and Matthew Hardwick, who will go up against South Square Chambers’ Mark Phillips QC and Mark Bayfield at the High Court this morning. The latter two were instructed by Taylor Wessing restructuring partner Nick Moser.
The Lawyer understands that Collyer Bristow does not contest any claim to the £3.6m of client money that was transferred out of the firm and into Taylor Wessing for safekeeping last month. There is a dispute about who can access the money between the UK tax authorities, a pension fund and Duff & Phelps, which are all claiming a share.
Proceedings were adjourned last month so that wider claims against Collyer Bristow could be brought. The details of these claims will be revealed in court today but are believed to be substantially larger claims relating to alleged professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
Collyer Bristow business development director Paul Newhall said the firm will “robustly defend” any further claims.
Former Collyer Bristow partner Gary Withey last week distanced himself from the ongoing legal action and told The Lawyer he would not be appearing in court today
mickbhoy1888 @10:05
I apologise for scrolling too far back.
Silly me :o)))
Hope you’re right about Derek Ogg m8, especially down Letherby Drive :o)
Hail Hail
Is it possible that Lennon is calling it a day (walking away) after all the problems and just went the whole way on Sunday? I hope I am wrong but his behaviour was a bit OTT with what had recently happened at Ibrox.
Kittoch on 17 April, 2012 at 10:04 said:
”but I am coming round to the fact the he never achieves a change in the decision, only a public mauling and then a ban, for his own sake he should be the bigger man, wry smile and walk away, maybe a shake of the head, it sends the same message, but without the bans”
That’s certainly been Celtic’s approach in the past, since the days of Willie Maley, and probably since before then.
Two points though.
1. It hasn’t improved things has it? The referees are as biased now as they ever were. ‘If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always had’. Maybe it’s time we tried something else.
2. Society isn’t as deferential as it once was. On balance, that’s a good thing. Football referees are no more worthy of deference than anyone else in society. They have all the benefits of the modern age’; substantial fees , all expenses paid trips to coaching events in luxury resorts, networking opportunities to enhance their careers (look at Stuart Dougal) and a nice little pension in the form of masonic speaking events when they hang up their whistle. It’s only right that the have the whole package, and that includes criticism.
!!Bada Bing!! on 17 April, 2012 at 10:22 said:
…………………………..
Too true m8.
If sumdy could just find that darn button.
Hail Hail
BMCUW – John Lewis sell a Grufallo costume, although they seem to be out of stock online. I can have a look in the store in Cardiff to see if they have any if you like ?
You see Alex Thomson is very good at showing up how incompetent these buffoons are. He rails against them not even having the wherewithall to do a 5 minute google search. Then gives them everything they need to find out who threatened him, and they fail once again. Idiots.
When has the team played well this season? Kilmarnock 6-0, Rangers 1-0, Hearts 4-0. Not really a great return is it. We also have the prospect of losing to Rangers 3 times, because believe me they will be wound up to beat us, and this Celtic team has proved that they struggle to cope when another team wants it more. Neil Lennon has done well and deserves great credit for reshaping the team, but he has to address the lacklustre performances in big games, and his debatable team selections. Ki is lightweight and should be sold, Wilson has failed everytime he has been tested and Hooper has failed to reach the heights that we saw when he scored 2 against Rangers.
HEARTS owner Vladimir Romanov is set to crank up the pressure on cash-strapped Rangers by wiping out the near £1m SPL placement money they are due to collect for finishing second in the table.
Romanov could snatch the bulk of that sum by making an official complaint to the SPL about the £800,000 owed to the Edinburgh club for Lee Wallace.
The Scotland full-back moved to Ibrox for £1.5m last summer but less than half of the fee was paid up front.
Rangers’ other SPL creditors include Celtic (£40,337) and Inverness Caledonian Thistle (£39,805).
Under SPL rules the governing body can divert any money they are due to pay to defaulting clubs straight to the members who are owed the cash.
As things stand, Rangers are due to collect £900,000 in placement money for being runners-up this season.
“Of course that’s vital,” said manager Ally McCoist. “In the current climate to everybody it’s worth a lot of money but because we’re in administration we need that £900,000.”
However, that placement money would be wiped out if Romanov demands that the rest of the Wallace fee is paid up.
The SPL would be forced to act under Rule C9.1. which states: “If any Club defaults in making payment of any sum or sums due to the Company and/or to another Club the Board shall be entitled to apply any sums which, under these Rules, would otherwise be payable to the defaulting Club by the Company in discharge of any debt due by such Club in default to the Company and/or such other Club in such manner as the Board shall determine.”
“A club would need to bring a complaint forward to the SPL, the SPL board would then consider this and come to a decision,” said SPL communications director Natalie Duncan.