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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Neil’s team selection… One enforced change from the team that destroyed Kilmarnock the week before… Honestly all those complaining would have changed the side before the match.. And if Neil and we’d still lost you could complain about his tinkering… We got beat we are still champions
AT been in touch with Strathclyde Police about threats from journalist
THIS IS BRILLIANT!!!! GO ALEX!!!!
Brilliant, Tommo
Alex Thompson has reported the journalist who threatened him to Strathclyde Police and quotes from the person concerned`s twitter account.
I`ve seen the tweet so know who it is. :)
YES
Into them Tommo!!!
Has Keevins keeled over?? Brilliant brilliant radio
@the glorious balance sheet
Share with me please. Who was it?
Brilliant sectarian threats from one of the LL to Alex – OMG a Good Presbyterian slap for Timmy Alex – Police involved –
It’s like a cat playing with a near dead mouse!
Easily the best piece of radio Ive ever heard….
the glorious balance sheet
has he got a Leggat to stand on ?
LMFAO, how quiet has Keevins gone!!! Alex Thomo , Legend!!!!
Neil cant win big games? – Can anyone name me a big game this year where the MIBs didnt decide the outcome? They dont have to cheat when we are playing against Cowdenbeath.
Neil doesnt do himself any favours? – Neil had apologized and had a drink with TFPL an hour after the shame game. They demolished him anyway. They then let TFPL off the hook.
At the latest Ibrox fix, he expressed his disgust out of camera shot. They demolished him anyway.
Well done, Neil Lennon, for learning the lesson. Nail them in public, on camera, and on Twitter.
Neil is no loose cannon.
It’ll come out in court!
malceye on 16 April, 2012 at 19:12 said:
———————————————————
If you’re not listening to this, your loss.
Now he’s calling out Guidi, brilliant!!!
Keep the AT comments coming bhoys , has he mentioned the journo who threatend him ?
Keevins making a fool of himself, swatted aside by AT
@the glorious balance sheet
Can you let us know who made the tweet please? I am really intrigued, and it has no bearing on Thomson’s comment – I just want to know who made that Tweet!
The club have came out in support of the manager in the past. It is time to do so again before the SFA rigged hearings. Lenny had one objective this season and he has done it , win the league. We did not win either cup both in highly controversial circumstances. So in this results business Lenny has delivered …..although he has not over delivered.
Lenny as an individual needs to realise that any indiscretion from him is pounced on by the media. The cheating of referees has to be dealt with by the club and not by Neil as an individual.
We know Norris is a rangers fan that gave rangers 5 penalties in 3 games and was itching to help hearts. The club knew this as well as lenny before the game. The club had should have written to regan and Fleming warning that an inexperienced referee should not be handling such a game ( the letter can be leaked after the event as Fleming would not change from appointing a pet Hun ). We should plan worst case and act accordingly with the benefit of hindsight. It’s a game of chess and we need to plan our moves well ahead and countermeasures for the premeditated cheating.
Celtic by supporting the manager in advance are playing chess. It is not about Lenny, that is a separate issue. Celtic FC have been cheated for years by SFA referees and under Fleming it continues. As a football club we need to start/continue the war with the SFA until a level playing field is achieved. This independent of whom the Celtic manager is.
Regarding Lenny he has one objective – winning the league. A stretch objective would be champions league qualification. A personal objective to Lenny would be to ignore the referees and the media. I have 4 season tickets and I do not need to hear from Lenny ; a winning Celtic team is enough for me with released statements from the manager.
I have met Lenny a couple of times and a more down to earth , calm individual you could not meet. Football does crazy things to managers from ferguson, mourinho, wenger etc ; lenny is a youngster compared to these raving lunatics.
So Lenny please hang in there ( even when so called Celtic fans stick the knife in your feedback ). We shall overcome…..together.
I am so glad i listened to this. They are squirming – Keevins complaining he is being interrupted- Alex rips him another one.
K A B O O M
Sneevins is a fool
AT’s response to Keevins pathetic rant:
‘The moral ambeguity of that is morally reprehensible’
AT driving a coach and horses through the charade of Scottish journalism
That gordon needs to pipe down,..he cannot stop rambling.
Leggo now moves up in the betting to 1/50
The Raven on 16 April, 2012 at 19:17 said:
Keep the AT comments coming bhoys , has he mentioned the journo who threatend him ?
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Yes Police involved – Sectarian language involved also
Can AT please come on every night
Roger Baillie basically asking AT to show me the money….. Big mistake.
Get him off what a bafoon
Is that a drunk Mark Guidi on SSB
Intaerrum BigAl…
Ho ho…! Stupid hun plampfs !
Ha haha haaarrr….!
Now the Orc’s are getting it, this man is brilliant!!!
He’s now owning a stupid hun on the phone. The first hour of this pash was worth it to hear this.
This is the greatest few minutes of radio I have ever heard!!!!!!!!
notthebus on 16 April, 2012 at 19:19 said:
Can AT please come on every night
i’ll second that