Last night’s performance was at the upper end of my expectations. We were sharper than I remember from a year ago, although not Nadir Ciftci, who is a couple of weeks behind, and looked a couple of pounds over, his team mates.
You could see how Stjarnan did so well against Lech and Motherwell last season. They defended with six along the back and have a good keeper. Celtic’s passing looked off, but I think that had as much to do with Stjarnan’s denial of space in advanced areas. The chances came when we broke forward having allowed space to open up 50 yards out, and from a set-piece for the opening goal.
Stefan Johansen was my man of the match, he was the creative fulcrum behind all that worked. And yes, Stefan, in a public spat with you, Leigh Griffiths, a man who eats Tea Cakes on the bench and cultivates a rascal persona, walked away looking the grown up. You think about that for a while.
Emilio Izaguirre had a horrible World Cup and started all over the place last season. It was months into the campaign before people started to notice his consistency was back, but the head seemed as though it was still on the beach last night. He would have been punished severely by a mainland European team.
Ronny started with his traditional 4-2-3-1 but for a while after Leigh replaced James Forrest, he played a 4-4-2, which coincided with our best period of the game. Nadir had someone to link with, instead of being isolated in a sea of blue shirts, resplendent with the old World of Sport logo.
It was great having Mikael Lustig back and although Dedryck Boyata was not challenged defensively, he was clearly on a par with Lustig as being a defender who is comfortable on the ball. No mistakes and a goal is pretty much all that could be asked of him.
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Bobby Murdoch
I prefer this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur5fGSBsfq8
JJ,
How did the wee clubs do when they existed ?
100% the game is improving year on year since they died and that is becoming more obvious the results in Europe will support that very soon.
It is already improving domestically with more teams playing the game on the deck.
Travellerbhoy
Some folk just travel down a very narrow road and build high fences along every mile of that road.
It truly is their loss that their road is so barren.
KTF
HH
Gotta be Honest..Ever since the huns died, i Have wanted Every Scottish team to do well in Europe, without exception, Ever since the huns died, did i mention that the huns died, YES i did…Since the huns died i want all Scottish teams to do well is what i mean..
Apologies for the above link.
I’ve just realised that it might give IDS another bright idea.
WITS: I’ve no doubt that if Bertie died tomorrow he’d be far more revered than CJH. A Fan I travel to games with is a huge fan of both and has ambitions to follow in their footsteps.
Oíche mhaith Angus codladh sámh
WHATISTHESTARS
Aye,fond of that one too. But they spelt Netzer wrong.
angus = agus
Almore and any other dublin based people who might be interested
Speaking of west brits
THE 1916 SOCIETY
We are hosting a public debate on the merits of the 1916 Rising with two people with each on each on the opposing side of the argument. We’ve invited ex-republican prisoner Tommy McKearney and Daily Mail writer (and admittedly highly controversial) Ruth Dudley Edwards to head the debate.
We have our own strong opinions on the matter but we believe in facilitating honest and open debate on any matter and coming up to the Centenary we should be comfortable enough in our skin to have them with anybody.
It will take place Wednesday, July 29th @ 7:30pm in the Teachers Club (main hall) on Parnell Square. Entry will be free and all are welcome.
CLOGHERCELT
ALMORE
In your debt,lads. Grateful,and you shall be rewarded.
Neganon2
16.43
Positive Celtic thoughts?…. na! Just your usual negative drivel….
Change the record
Travellerbhoy
Thanks for the Barbie Smith tunes last week, had never heard of him before, really beautiful, got Walking in His Shadow as my ringtone now :o)
Thanks BMCUWP’s,
Just wanted to record my thanks to Almore.
I said I would publish all income and expenditure.
While driving home it dawned on me that I was the only that got a receipt.
Just thought I would record Almore’s contribution.
HH,
Clogher
CLOGHERCELT
Ah,we trust you. Mail you in a few minutes,bud.
I’ve had a long day painting and then travelling so have only just caught up with Paul’s article and read to the end of the first page.
Paul, in all the years I’ve posted here I’ve never seen you come on and offer such a repeated defence of a player after a performance as you’ve done with Johansen.
SJ was on the park for 90 minutes last night, if there hadn’t been some good or some decent contributions from him he shouldn’t be wearing a Celtic jersey.
Last night he was extremely poor. I watched carefully and in the first 20 minutes, despite being in possession several times, he only passed to a Celtic player once. His touch was erratic and overall his passing was woeful.
In fairness I thought he took his goal extremely well.
SJ has many qualities, his incredible engine being the greatest attribute in my opinion. The problem, for me, is that he rarely actually tackles once closing down an opposing player. Now, I think that’s a continental thing, how often in the last 7 or 8 years have we seen Barca players effectively forcing the opposition to concede possession without actually making a tackle? The problem is that we’re not Barcelona. Our most effective player at forcing the opposition to lose the ball is Brown. Why? Because he’s pro active and physically takes the ball away from them.
I noticed a post from Canamalar that I’m in complete agreement with. SJ will only be dropped by Ronny if he is injured.
That worries me. I’ve always said about Ronny, he admires fitness more than finesse.
HAMILTONTIM
Painting then travelling?
Who’s watching the paint dry?
Bmcuw
You are!
Down in Upton but only until Saturday. The blues festival is on so tomorrow night should be good fun.
If you’re out driving do your best to avoid the M6, today was a nightmare.
HT
Impressionist or classical?
Agree to a point about SJ.
Lots or poor passing last night and a packed defense.
HH
HT,
You out painting chapel cisterns again :)
What is the Stars
23:57 on
16 July, 2015
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
We have our own strong opinions on the matter but we believe in facilitating honest and open debate on any matter and coming up to the Centenary we should be comfortable enough in our skin to have them with anybody.
———————————————————————————————————————–
THE 1916 SOCIETY
Yes indeed.
Now we`re talking.:-)
HAMILTONTIM
I avoid the spaghetti junction nightmare. Leave the M6,then M54,A449,A4123 and back onto the M5 at junction 2. Only problem is the speed cameras,but they’re everywhere now.
Is the M6 still a 50mph dual carriageway? Shocking the way they’ve ruined it.
Oh,and say hi tae yer wee mammy!!!
Skyislandfill
I’m absolutely befuddled by Paul’s defence of SJ. I’ve no bother with a difference of opinions regarding players performances/managers tactics etc but I don’t ever recall Paul coming back on in defence of an individual player.
Canamalar
Trust me I’ve done that too! :-)
Bmcuw
I got caught at Stafford (where Collins was imprissoned after 1916) and then at Stoke (where God dropped a large tolley). Before Birmingham they’ve got miles and miles of road works that lead on to the start of the M5.
Worst ever trip south.
Try the route I suggested. It’s dual carriageway all the way.
I took it all the time in my lorry-driving days.
Btw,I used to go out wi a lass from Stafford. All those visits,I didn’t know Michael Collins had been in that nick. Right in the town centre as well.
>Hamiltontim
Agree re: Stefan. I was one of his biggest critics at the start of last season – when he was playing in the centre of midfield and mis-placing passes and putting team-mates in trouble – but then in the last 3/4 of the season when he played further forward he was brilliant. Against the Icelanders he was – alternatively good and quite ordinary.
All managers have their blind spots and I think Stefan Johanssen is Ronnie’s: if he’s fit he plays, whatever his previous form. p67 seems to have bought into this. He’s good, but, not THAT good.
Hamiltontim
00:45 on
17 July, 2015
I noticed a post from Canamalar that I’m in complete agreement with. SJ will only be dropped by Ronny if he is injured.
That worries me. I’ve always said about Ronny, he admires fitness more than finesse.
———————————–
You might be right, you might be wrong.
Its a possibility, an idea. It might never be true/real but a lot depends on how the idea is nurtured. Its like a planted seed. Will it bloom and grow or whither and die?
Depends how many want to water it and how many want to pee on it.
Either way only Ronnie will know the truth.
In light of Aberdeen’s success tonight I was thinking contrastingly how momentous a European campaign this could be for Celtic this year if we could only overcome the alliterative suicide of the boards belligerent breakdown of the bigot buck
Ken
auldheid
02:09 on 17 July
Nah
It’s all to do with night soil nutrients and who can take the biggest shite
Margaret McGill
02:12 on
17 July, 2015
Now there’s an idea that could nurture itself.
AULDHEID
Did you o.d. on WITS post at 2347?
Ronny’s aboot tae get fun oot….CQN will, as usual….shoot the poster and sweep the post under the big CQN-carpet that sits directly under Phil’s latest…”It’ll no be long noo.”…..smoke-screen-piss aboot the huns….aye…
Dont be gulled by the smoke-screen-clique….
…or any other kind of clique….
….oot tae the treatment room….
Kev
He was “fun oot ” a year ago.
Since rehabilitated.
Non qualification for the group stages must mean jotters.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/gunnar-nielsen-celtic-will-pay-for-missed-penalty-1-3833116
Hamiltontim
01:15 on
17 July, 2015
Skyislandfill
I’m absolutely befuddled by Paul’s defence of SJ. I’ve no bother with a difference of opinions regarding players performances/managers tactics etc but I don’t ever recall Paul coming back on in defence of an individual player.
Canamalar
Trust me I’ve done that too! :-)
===========================================================
Paul is correct in what he says – most of the stuff written on here is by malcontents, who are malcontent, just for the sake of it, and have little or no knowledge of the game.
Yes they are entitled to their opinion – such as it is!!!!!
THOMPSONTWIN
Absolutely correct. Every time I watch a game of football,I wish I knew something about it.
Been the same all my life,even when I played it. I know everyone else on here feels the same way.
You’re to be congratulated on figuring it all out,I don’t know how you did it. I just hope one day to do the same. It will make life so worthwhile.
macjay1 for neil lennon
03:09 on 17 July, 2015
Kev
He was “fun oot ” a year ago.
Since rehabilitated.
Non qualification for the group stages must mean jotters.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/gunnar-nielsen-celtic-will-pay-for-missed-penalty-1-3833116
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Just the thing to read to the players or pin on the dressing room wall before the game next Wednesday.
Trust the Scottish media to feature a negative story about Celtic.
No questions about where their goals will come from or why Craig didn’t have a save to make.
No questions about whether they will leave even more gaps at the back seeking a goal.
No questions about Celtic having 22 shots despite their two lines of defence and his multiple saves.
Or whether he thought 33% possession would be enough for them to get a draw.
Or whether he thought flapping at corners was the sign of effective goal keeping.
I’m thoroughly convinced we will trounce them next Wednesday, and the Scotsman and the rest of the media will have to find another spokesman to disparage us.
COYBIG