Graeme Murty twice took Newco teams to Celtic Park, competed throughout and left with a point on both occasions. It was not until a home 2-3 defeat in March, that his team fell apart. We were promised this season’s Newco were clearly better than last’s, but there was no evidence of that yesterday. Newco defended like Hamilton Accies did a week earlier and were no more effective.
I’m usually annoyed when a goal-scorer is awarded Man of the Match, as the goal often masks a superior performance from a team-mate, but Olivier Ntcham pulled the strings all game. A year ago he was still finding his feet in Glasgow, you will remember a player nervous on the ball. Two weeks ago I thought he should be rested, as his passing was neither crisp nor accurate, but he controlled this game throughout.
The goal was a masterpiece. Tom Rogic won the ball on the edge of the Celtic penalty area, on one of the rare occasions Newco were up field. The break was on. So often players run into dead-ends when presented with half the field to run, but Tom twice made subtle changes to his direction, keeping the path ahead open.
The passes to Eduard, then onto James Forrest, were perfect, but Forrest’s awareness to pick out Ntcham between retreating defenders, instead of shooting, decided the contest. It showed great intelligence.
While Newco defended manfully for most of the afternoon, it took one slip of concentration to decide the game. Ovie Ejaria tracked Tom Rogic until the edge of the penalty area, but switched off while team-mates changed who they were marking. Rogic was picked up by another defender, Ejaria stopped running, leaving Ntcham free.
When you hit the woodwork three times before you score, then again, with the score at 1-0, you would be forgiven for thinking that this was going to be ‘one of those games’, but this never looked likely. Newco were so poor. They came to defend deep, offering Celtic free possession out from the back. In recent weeks Celtic have struggled to unlock teams who defend in this manner. AEK, Suduva and Hamilton Accies each did well for long periods; I suspect Gerrard based his game plan on doing the same, but a little better.
Craig Gordon had little to do: a Morelos shot from a tight angle which flew straight at him, being the sum total. That was in no small way thanks to the Belgian. Dedryck Boyata was imperious, clearing everything in the air with ease and comfort. I am glad to have him.
There was not a weakness, never mind a failure, in the team. There is a long hard season ahead, and we will face greater challenges, but there is already a familiar feel to the season. Newco are seventh in the league but now face a series of fixtures which should enable them to climb the table. Both teams will compete domestically and in Europe until December, with Celtic players also having international duties during this period. We have been here before and have the squad to get the job done.
Newco are light in experience and personnel. They will not compete for the title and have yet to produce evidence of their credentials as runners up (imagine they hyperbole if they had Hearts’ start to the season!). Why they continually loop into this fantasy about “the gap narrowing” is beyond me. All they have done is spent more money for a result which their youth coach bettered. Twice. They present themselves ready for shearing each time.
“If God didn’t want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep”, Eli Wallach, from that other Magnificent 7.
A Match for Cancer, Petrov v Milner
We gather on Saturday to fund three organisations with their work on cancer: your Celtic FC Foundation, the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation and the James Milner Foundation. The game will see the return of our own Magnificent 7, Henrik Larsson, as well as Lubo Moravcik, Artur Boruc, Paddy McCourt, John Hartson, Joos Valgaeren, Johan Mjallby, Robbie Keane, Owen Hargreaves, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch.
It will also be an opportunity to see the magnificent Hristo Stoichkov, Luis Garcia and Gaizka Mendieta play for Petrov’s Celtic team. You can buy tickets here, only £14 adult, £6 for concessions. Or call the Ticket Office, 0871 226 1888. Stoichkov, Mendieta, Larsson, Moravcik and McCourt, all doing their thing at Celtic Park, while Artur gets a chance to relive some antics from the past! Treat yourself.
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Shoot
Goal ??
Newco are still mince!
HappyHangoverCSC?
Close!
Yessss
Tap 10
1-0 to the happy clappers
God Bless Peter Lawwell
That was as convincing a victory as you are liable to witness in any league. Their MOTM was booked for time-wasting shortly after half-time ffs.
Gollam should just give up, has Laughatme landed after Broonie missed him for his joke booking? Anyone heard what the compliance officer is doing this week?
Brendan gave a masterclass in management, on and off the park.Two week break gives time for him to meet PL and make sure they get back on the same page, and ensure we don’t have another Transfer Window like that one again.
Apologies if you read these.
Wrote them out on phone in the pub yesterday during a long day of beer and hunske[ing.
Couldn’t tell you if I posted successfully last night, heid to fuzzy to read back :))
SANDMAN DEFINITIVE GLASGOW SOCCER DERBY APPRAISALS:
“Did Sandman not tell us in early August that after a detailed scouting session in a Gran Canaria bar watching the Huns at the Sheep, that they were marginally better than last season and not the tour de force harlem globetrotters-esque colection of silky swashbuckling mavericks led by Slippy G, the Scouse gangster’s piggy-bank biatch that the SMSM ahve been knackering themselves over in a onanistic frenzy for the past few months?” Natascha Kinski.
“Aye.” Mila Jovovich.
“What a send-off. Obama, Bush,Huns pumped, and now the Sandman definitives. Throw in a resurrection and it’d be the perfect weekend.” J.McCain.
GORDON: 0 or 10.
Irritated about having to get out his kip before noon on a Sunday, big Craig delayed any appearance until late in the Second half when he reluctantly laid down his Sunday Post halfway through Oor Wullie to save a grunting humph from the Colombian drug-mule lovechild of the big goon from the Hills Have eyes and Whoopi Goldberg.
LUSTIG: 8/10
Casting aside his cop duties due to a drastic reduction of ugliness in the Lisbon Lions stand this fixture, ‘he who is perenially past it’ battered into the superior demi-Gods in Lizzie-blue and would have even scored a double if not for bad luck and bad woodwork.
On it from the start.
Just Like…
BOYATA/’THE BELGIAN’ : 8/10
Focussed, driven, positionally-perfect. Won everything, bossed the mutant front line. Looked like he meant business. Here to stay…Until January.
AJJER: 8/10
He’s just a bhoy… and you forget when you see him open that big stride and face up to the intimidation; he’s loving it, and every game’s another notch on the experience post.
Kept his cool when Aids-ridden sex-pest McGregor had a reflexive nervous reaction from spending the weekend licking the floors of Amsterdam peep-show cubicles clean and snapped a boot into his side.
A thanks to Ronny Deila for the big bhoy; major presence for us in years to come.
KT: 8/10
He’s one of our own…Toasted Chav in the first-half, forced wunderkind almost-unfortunately-pronounced ‘Kent’ to double-up with his kipper of a skipper to deny our roving left-back.
Only KT’s often- amiss final balls let down a dazzling display.
BROON: 9/10
Superlatives exhausted. Separates the knowledgeable from the demented; ‘does nothing’ brilliantly, a ROCK in that middle, the ANCHOR by which our team finds ground, the GYRE by which our creatives’ flow is dictated.
Took a ridiculous booking in his stride as angular psychopathic streak of pish Lafferty folded and dropped like a cheap androgynous bisexual hooker at an Andy Warhol Factory party.
Yet again, Broon defied the ignorance of popular opinion and remained impervious and imperious.
SAMUEL L JACKSON: 9/10
Man o’ the mother####in’ Match.
Took the path of the righteous man and laid down some vengeance upon those cheeky Hun Monkey upstarts with a display of near-perfect decision-making and timing of movement.
Made every pass count. Made every Hun weep. He dared them to say ‘What?’ again. They did. And lo, he was Jules; the Huns were Brett, Flock Of seagulls and Jerry…
CALMAC: 7/10
Took off from his Thursday night sparkle and look very sharp and lively. Surprisingly faded a bit in the second half when I expected him to really open them up. They got off lightly.
FORREST: 7/10
Another who shaded away in the second half but not before the Prestwick Flyer had burned them up a few times, sizlzing and direct the way we like him – great inspiration and vision to pick the flat pass across the box to Sam J in the heat of the moment when YOU and ME and EVERY TIM ON EARTH were halfway in the air screaming SHOOT!
ROGIC: 6.5/10
Thought he was a little heavy-footed in his most opportune moments and fizzled things out when he usually has the fleet-footed guile to carve them up. However, you cannot keep a good footballer down and was instrumental in our goal.
FRENCH EDDY: 6.5/10
A lonely furrow and not much space to operate in – he’s best with the ball in front of him and someone to run at. Still, class finds a way and he should have scored the header after finding the room; head it down and it’s in but he went for power too difficult to generate. Nice movement at our goal. Full fitness will come and the inevitable scoring run.
SUBS:
CHRISTIE: 7/10
Good impression. Won that free-kick and rattled the Huns with his determined forward thinking. Looks keen to make his impact once and for all this season; interesting few months ahead.
GRIFFITHS: 7/10
Got the scent of goal again, always difficult for Sparky after a summer of burds knickers. Crashed the free-kick well, denied by Peter Sutclidffe in nets.
Must be utterly delighted Dembele threw a tizzy; expect fireworks from him this season a she shares the top spot with Eddy.
SINCY: N/A
Strolled on last few seconds, annoyed the Zombies with his hair.
BR: 9/10
Difficult week with the surrounding furore. Lot of mental pressure given the presence of Slippy G and the hubris there. Kept his counsel, kept his calm, kept his nerve, WON.
More things could have gone wrong than right today. He made sure none did.
Now expect him to move it right on after the International break and get the team on a competitive level for this Europa group.
OVERALL: 9/10
Pantywetters and handwringers been taking fainting fits all summer with the hyperbole around the Scouse acrobat. It became too easy to dismiss this Celtic squad and to nod in tandem with those fruitcake SMSM hacks when they tented their troosers with every proclamation out of Mordor.
Celtic missed the CL qualification by a baw hair. We’re a european-marinated bunch of players who have played, won and also been humped in some of the toughest football environs.
To think/declare that a ramshackle assortment of journeymen and unknowns could suddenly come together as a potent force under an inexperienced manager, living only on previous playing reputation, and have the wherewithall to seriously damage our past two years of progress was naive, and churlish.
Our players took them to school today. Took the ball off them and kept it. Could and should have been 4 or 5. Pride and professionalism in abundance, job done; marker not laid down, more like rammed right up their arse.
THE HUNS:
Don’t believe the ‘Avengers Assemble’ billing; more like ‘Bullshitters Ensemble’; they’ll be in a scrap for 2nd with hibs, Sheep and Hearts.
Slippy G’s honeymoon is nearing its end, which will come in Euro-savagings and a late Christmas plundering at Mordor on the 29th. He’s about to find out how incredibly repulsive his bride is.
The game is over , the points are in the bag . We have had our celebrations . Now onto the serious business . What about that bloody referee . First tackle from broonie , a card he never even made contact with that lowlife . Spoke to Morelos 3 times before he was forced to book him , turned a blind eye to shocking tackles on KT , gave them celtic momentum breaks at every opportunity ,to relieve the pressure on them . God we are up against it with these guys . Impartial ,aye that will be right
I watched it on TV yesterday and I am sure like most,before the game I was a nervous wreck
At the end I was delighted about how we played I thought we played them of the park
However if you get the chance (as I did this morning) to watch it again (full game not highlights) – it was embarrassing for them they were terrible Celtic toyed with them absolutely destroyed them
A stroll in the park
67ECW
Have they appealed the goal yet?
SANDMAN
Top Drawer:))
His wee Stevie G stopped greeting’ yet:)))
GENE on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2018 12:11 PM
Just watched Ref watch on SSN -Jack jumped into Tom so he fouled first –
maybe that’s what beaton was shouting about
****
I watched that.
The ref was unequivocal, even when the presenter tried to force the issue.
The other guy backed the ref up.
Jack jumped into Tom, with the ball nowhere near him.
Verdict,
Jumping Jack fouls Rogic.
Jack tried to buy the foul like Morelos and Lafferty had been doing all game, if that had been one of our players we would have been raging he went to ground so easily.
I scooted round You Tube this morning, quite a few honest appraisals of how shite they were from their own…
If ye find the wee guy GaminG Jesus he’s under no illusions.
The biggest 1-0 humping I can ever remember…
Bring on The Buddies..
Paul67
I was critical a few weeks ago about CQN not dealing with the hot issue at the time – The Transfer Window
I do not expect you to read my occasional posts – but if you did you would see I am not looking for PLs head on a stick outside The Celtic Way
BUT I do think that for all the brilliant work you do on this blog that there is room for a debrief
It is my view that PL and our board have done a fantastic job in a lot of areas over the years
But something went wrong in this window – again for clarity – I am not blaming PL
Circumstances, unpredictable events, players changing their minds, agents changing their minds, Chairmen changing their minds and a bunch of other chaos surrounds the Transfer Window
IMHO CQN would be a greater place by debating the good and bad of what happened between June and August 2018
As you know its a much easier debate to have today than it would have been had lost yesterday
67ECW
Celtic share price up 5% today to 168p.
Does anyone know anything I don’t?
Paul67
Nice thread.
Ntcham shone because he’s a Harrods buy and he separates Sevco like the wheat and chaff, amazing that we scouted him and robbed Man City for a mere £4.5M complete with Dick Turpin mask.
Scott Brown was immaculate and along with Olivier Ntcham gave the redundant Sevco midfield nothing in return. Missing out the midfield meant that Sevco had to defend for their lives (see Alan MacGregor,) but it was an inevitable Celtic win.
We outplayed Sevco yesterday they have changed the cast, but set them back 10 years trying to be the original parked bus Rangers. Celtic fans have laughed through Sevco’s journey through the failed managers trying to play football especially under Warburton and Caixhinha
Long punt wide to the left, or wide to the right for Lafferty route one football, that failed at the first because Celtic have better players in every position on the pitch, no matter who Douglas Park can unleash on installments.
Celtic have outplayed Sevco 12 times there’s always next time so long as they last, and in a sense its better than 5-0 because after all it’s the hope that’s killing them.
Route one football is so, 2012
Hail Hail
Sooperb Sandman.
Sooperb.
SINCY: N/A
Strolled on last few seconds, annoyed the Zombies with his hair. LOL ?
Ntcham is quality, a pure football. However, I wonder how would he fare in a midfield without Scott Brown.
The Teddies clipped ( again) and the sleekit hun trolls denied………….stymied and frustrated.
Delighted.
Well done Celtica, positive and united. It’s good to be a Tim.
The Bhoys held together, came thru a trumped-up fake news, guff storm of Record proportions……..(the collusion of the scoddish Brown Brogue Correspondents should be remembered for its bear-faced sycophancy).
Difficult to know what to believe at times but it’s clear nooo, who not to….
Hardly surprising the oddly monikered pop-ups have hardly been seen, papped oooot and bearly heard thru gritted teeth…….I
We feel your pain!
Oh aye……..
:))))))
Top marks to Brendan, a very good positive proponent of man-management.
As for the mercurial, millenial millionaire who we bade au-revoir to – good luck to the bhoy. He played his part and is now gone. Increasingly we will have very little in common with the value systems these kids have. Management in these conditions isn’t a Ps 2 game.
A steady stream of readied brilliant replacements neatly waitin’ in line to come an’ play Ross County on a wet wednesday?????? Oh aye……wish it was that simple.
I know nowt about fitba’ but I’m pleased for some reason with Christies performance and hopeful Mulumbu will catch the eye for all the right reasons.
Win, Lose Or Draw, it’s Celtic for me!
HH
Sandman
Brilliant as always
Good to see another counter-attacking goal. Not too dissimilar to the one against Livingston. Hopefully a sign that we have been working on this.
Someone posted last night to the effect that, not only did Celtic shut them up, but also let them know their place – they came to Celtic Park and played like Hamilton or Dundee. They parked the bus and hope the long ball tactic would work.
It could be argued (as Kris Boyd has!) that this was a success – at least they didn’t lose 5 goals this time. Indeed – so the fact remains that they come to our place and their plan is to keep the score down – as all the diddy teams do.
Whoever that poster was – take a bow.
Sandman, BsR et al…………….
…………Keep it really it!
HH
Despite our poor transfer window we were able to field the same team that hammered Them the last time. They had 10 changes since last game. 5 of their team had never played Celtic before.
I think this showed, we were a team united all wanting the ball giving support and options to their Team mates. They were disjointed and all over the place.
There is some advantage in having a settled team. We looked streets ahead and the Sevco players know it. I would be surprised if they can get over this by the next time.
The performance was good and I think we can overcome any domestic team in this manner. European teams may be harder.
Christie was bright and gives a different option to Rogic, Griffiths and Eddy
However, with 33 players in first team squad and only able to play 14 each game, this will give Brendan a challenge to keep them all happy.
We should get some out on loan and address this in the January Window
Loved the game yesterday. Thought atmosphere was great from start to finish.
Ok we were getting a little concerned before the goal but what a roar when we did. It was a ‘GIRFUY’, ‘get back in your box’, ‘WE are the people’ celebration and it was in the full and sure knowledge that 1 was going to be enough. Brilliant stuff.
As for Collum, the Sevco fans have jumped on Stevie G-enius comments to suggest the ref was pro-Celtic!! I mean FFS! I thought Collum was a disgrace. He let Morelos off three times before showing a card. Ditto that string of pish Laugherty, yet he gave Broony a yellow for his first tackle
He allowed Morelos to foul before his tame shot at Gordon and had the cheek to warn CG about timewasting when their keeper wasted about 5 mins before we scored.
#enjoyingthechase
Happy with how we’ve dealt with all that’s been thrown at us this past week both on and off the park. Looking forward to seeing Benkovich, Mulumbu & Morgan getting integrated in to the team, young Christie looks eager and if he can stick a couple away over the next few games his confidence will grow a la Calum Mcgregor style imho.
Looking for 3 points and a few goals off Rosenberg at home giving us a platform to go to Salzburg & Leipzig where hopefully we can bring our A game and get positive results, whilst also maintaining our league results. I can see Lewis Morgan, Youssuf Mulumbu, Johnny Hayes, Ryan Christie and Mikey Johnston all getting game time in the SPFL and i hope they all shine.
Will we ever see honest referees in Scotland?
We all need to ask the same question that Steve Clarke asked.
HH
Small observation pointing out what a professional outfit we are. Has anyone noticed our squad are always immaculately turned out in training kits, track suits etc when travelling, training etc. Different ones for Euro games, all matching on league days etc etc.
Seems the attention to detail is second to none (BR influence I’d say as he is meticulous in his planning).
Meanwhile Newco seem to have been fluffing about in the same trackies all summer, seems like they only have one standard issue grey number each. Heaven forbid they lose a hoodie, its a cold winter in Glasgow!!!!
Also watched their warm up routine yesterday, my warm up for my Under 13 team on a Saturday was better!!!
suitsyousir.csc
Gerrardiola should have taken MoreLoss off at half time. Problem is when you have just given someone a new contract and said he is worth over £10m maybe it’s not so easy without looking a bit stupid. That’s what happens when your club is so focused on PR and soundbites
Philbhoy
Something is afoot for sure.
Perhaps a rethink of what our core business is and realising the value of a manager who can make players better but also that players need to be tied down more.
I’ll repeat an idea lost in yesyerday’s euphoria.
When signing a player with intention to develop and sell on, have a clause in contract that as the club responsible for development Celtic get a percentage cut of the wages the leaving player will receive if he leaves before his contract ends with Celtic .
That takes away a bit of the incentive to move but if the leaving player is on silly money reduces the impact of his departure and helps fund a replacement at a higher rate than the departed play was on.
A whole strategy review is in order in my opinion covering every aspect of the business with the aim of articulating the goal of Celtic and then ensuring all departments are working to that same goal.
It is the kind of thing well run businesses do from time to time and now would be an opportune moment.
Having been involved in a strategy review of how IT can support the business I know the benefits of such an approach.
Paul67 used the word catharsis the other day and something on those lines makes it more than words on paper.
BANKIEBHOY1
Good to see you back:))
Jeanette Findlay on shortbread the now.. discussing yesterday’s crush at janefield st ..
Sandmann…..awfy braw rundown ….
smiley a wee tune for the Huns to go to sleep to thing ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXA1PN0Kgao
Braw
Someone should have a word with Goldson,and say”Listen,numbnuts,thats not the way it works.When we get a thrashing from our opponents,made to look very average,and pose no threat whatsoever to them,the last thing you say is,they were not that good.How fekin thick are you”.
What a goal.
https://twitter.com/espnfc/status/1036388470346924032?s=21