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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Hot Smoked @ 7.45am
Replace after with BEHIND then lose the letter E and add as needed the letter I.
Hope this helps.
So proud of the hoops as always.
A few more defeats or draws and Stevie G will be talking about caravans and barking dogs. lol
HH
GC 58
Thanks for that . I understood the E and the I part but I never thought of BEHIND for AFTER !!
Thanks again. I can now enjoy my bike ride to Glen Clova.
Cheerio for now,
JJ
morning bhoys from a dreich Cheshire. do hope my namesake ryan gets a chance,think he has potential.hh.
Morning chaps,
Are StevenGerrardsRainjurs still seventh in the league???
They’ll be glad that they’re closing the gap…
Are Rangers still unbeaten ?
Asking for a friend
First correct answer wins £49
‘Scottish footballers need to be protected from Scott Brown’ …… and now from Tom Rogic….. rampaging about the place like a rampant kangaroo, lunging into potentially career/ending challenges before running (majestically) away with the ball as though no foul had been committed.
We were magnificent.
HH jg
Tom Rogic is a typical scottish hammer throwing thuggish midfielder.
The type that discourages skilful midfielders with amazing quick feet and an eye for a pass.
Discuss
£49 prize for funniest essay.
If the corrupt @ScottishFA allow McGregor off with that incident then what they are basically saying to every fan and the clubs that the new Rangers are untouchable.
This should set alarm bells ringing for everyone.
When can we expect to hear that mcgregor has escaped censure.
Just after we hear Rogic has been cited!
???
If Stevihee Gee was putting down a marker he must have been using invisible ink
Loving the current narrative……
– Done by the referee…..sack him/demote him
– MacGregor, good guy wriggling free. No maliciousness. Ban?? Ach don’t be daft!
– we expected to play Barcelona, and guess what, they weren’t that good
– Celtic were second best in the 2nd half
Back to the narrative. They’ve not pawned off the silver and ended up with a team of spoilers. The gap is closing. #letsgo
God it’s so easy to pull the wool over our eyes
Ps just checking, Celtic did win on Sunday??
;-)
Rogic is a thug…Fact
But you will never hear that reported by the Scottish Media aka Lawwells puppets
Stevie Gee express train coming for 55
I bought the DR yesterday in my local Tesco ,to revel in their pain, but not before having to uncover it from beneath some daily mails.
In retaliation I turned the remaining DRs to the back page showing the BOSSED IT headline.
I had to admit to my wife I was being childish ??
I confess to being a very childish 63 years old.
Weeroch1 on 4th September 2018 9:31 am
I bought the DR yesterday in my local Tesco ,to revel in their pain, but not before having to uncover it from beneath some daily mails.
In retaliation I turned the remaining DRs to the back page showing the BOSSED IT headline.
I had to admit to my wife I was being childish
I confess to being a very childish 63 years old.
———————————————————————————
I enjoy going into my local Tesco and turning all the papers over to display the back page.
Am I childish? :-))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Natknow
Probably. But I suspect we are not alone ?
Spot on BBJ…
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/16685941.john-hartson-forget-whining-about-the-foul-it-could-have-been-4-or-5-on-sunday/
HH
*wheeesht*
Hearin’ all is no’ weeeel in the bowels of the dilapidated edwardian toilet-block…..
The highlights –
-raised voices an’ hi-pitched “funny accents”
-Steevee wan, tea-cups nil…..
-rookie manager deviates from pre-prepared script for first time….hmmmmmm.
-The dark, dark nights of winter ur comin’………..
-The lonesome penny has ‘fishally drapped
Let’s Go……!?
:)
bankiebhoy1 on 4th September 2018 9:49 am
*wheeesht*
Hearin’ all is no’ weeeel in the bowels of the dilapidated edwardian toilet-block…..
The highlights –
-raised voices an’ hi-pitched “funny accents”
-Steevee wan, tea-cups nil…..
-rookie manager deviates from pre-prepared script for first time….hmmmmmm.
-The dark, dark nights of winter ur comin’………..
-The lonesome penny has ‘fishally drapped
Let’s Go……!?
—————————————————
Luvly.
:-))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Tom Rogic has previous for hunskelping and taking oot there players at the same time, Did he no get Beerman carted aff last season before curling a peach into the hun net ?.
If he’s no careful, there will be a fatwha oot on him next.
????♂️?♂️?♂️
50 SHADES…………..
..you break the blog?
;-)
Philbhoy…
Again,,,,DOH..
Mind you if the score had been reversed on Sunday I’m sure the gap between posts wouldn’t be like the gap between the teams ?
Just seen front page of DR colour picture of the alleged foul , don’t you just love their pain …
This one for the compliance officer as well 6 month ban at the least
https://twitter.com/gibbygibbo1/status/1036678747993399297
50 Shades of Green
Big Tam didnt do Beerman it was Master Bates
: > )
If I remember correctly did plastic hardman Jack not get injured trying to “do” the Motherwell player??
Instead of greeting about the imaginary foul he would be better served asking himself where he was when Jamesy hit the bar or when Big Oli had The Thug Goalie scrambling across his box… twice:))
Huns they just canny take it but like all shitebags they love giving it out:))
Anybody seen wee Chick Young:))
What I actually think:
Sunday showed the importance of proven winners over shiny new signings. We sent 11 double treble winners and hunskelpers out there. They looked calm on the ball and knew what it was going to take.
Playing devils advocate:
Sunday papers over the cracks. Boyata won’t sign a new deal and will leave on a free. Dembele’s behaviour could affect other players who will want to move next summer like N’Cham. We’re still short up front and we’ll struggle when the games come thick an fast in December. We could be left short again in January if Leicester take Benkovic back.
Erskine Tim
Yes we did win on Sunday 1-0 but currently it’s 1-1 with that mob winning 2-1 by tomorrow.
If it lasts til the weekend we got humped 5-1.
That is how stupid matters have become and why not?
If you can deny you are not the same club and the media back you, why not be winners by the weekend?
I don’t know why anyone would purchase a Scottish red top to have their intelligence insulted.
JC2…
Cheers mate,
I got the diddies mixed up .
Still worth the £49 though ?
♬ Oh, over and over, we will follow you,
Over and over, we will see you through,
We are servile supporters, faithful through and through,
And over and over, we will follow you. ♬
Hope and pray to those injured on Sunday make a speedy recovery,this from a Belfast man.Now let us see some goodwill gestures from those at Celtic Football Club.
This really could only happen in Scotland. A team get battered remorselessly,barely a shot on target nor a possession stat to linger on
Their opponents hit the woodwork four times,their keeper should have been off after about 30 minutes,and apparently the game is all about a non-existent foul 80 yards from goal?
Kool-aid and feed the delusional. I think the SMSM are doing a wonderful job.
Timaloy29
https://youtu.be/XGd2kuMIJIo
There once was a king of ill humour and temper who beheaded court jesters who failed to make him laugh.
One such poor fellow faced that fate but knowing the king loved his horse pleaded to be given a year to make the horse talk.
The king was intrigued and agreed.
On leaving the court the jesters friend said.
“You are indeed a fool. You will never teach that horse to talk in a hundred years never mind a year.”
“Indeed” replied the jester. “but in a year the horse might die, the king might die or I might die.”
AULDHEID
Thanks for your reply yesterday re share price!
So this fecking eejit is advertising a Scotland match, and at the same time is slagging off the SFA referee Willie Collum, the clown was sent off 4 times last season (2 he got away with), absolute donkey.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ryan-jack-rangers-whirlwind-fury-13188445
Auldheid
“You can give a fool a thousand intellects, but the only one he will want is yours,’ says an Arabic proverb.
KTF
WHAT IS THE STARS on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2018 8:18 AM
Rangers are unbeaten this season because they haven’t played a game. They died in 2012. On Sunday we played The Rangers International, gave them the soundest 1:0 thrashing in a long time. Can I now send you my bank details for you to forward that £49?