If you caught Leigh Griffiths’ post-match Radio Scotland interview you’ll have noticed the profuse support offered to Brendan Rodgers. We’ll discuss that in more detail tomorrow, but what was clear to Leigh and the rest of us last night, was the Celtic dug out an excellent result from a position which would likely have seen them eliminated a year earlier.
We were well on top early on against Legia, Maribor and Malmo but crumbled when the going got tough. Not anymore.
It’s hard to know what’s gotten into James Forrest, one of six Scots in the starting lineup, but I suspect the arrival of Scott Sinclair has had as big an impact on him than that of Brendan. Wide players are always subject to fluctuations in effectiveness levels, but in James and Scott we’ve a standard which is clearly higher than we’ve had for years.
There was a moment late in the game when James was easily robbed attempting a take-on in the final third, but this was a symptom of having run himself into the ground over the previous 80-odd minutes. He played a big part in the result and left nothing on the field.
One of James’ more important contributions was the dinked cross for Leigh’s header which made it 2-0. The goal was technically difficult, but was eclipsed by Leigh’s second. That free kick was in a perfect position to whip at the far post, allowing players to attack the ball, with the keeper not knowing if he should stay on his line to defend the shot, or come out to block a header.
That was the play we all expected, including the Hapoel keeper. Instead, Leigh played an incredibly difficult free kick into the top near post. Brendan Rodgers must have had no idea the player was capable of work like this when he arrived in June.
Scott Brown has been transformed from the player we watched end last season, quite probably because he’s now fully fit. His goal was a worthy acknowledgement of his best game in a year.
Brendan was right to express concern after the game that we let a halftime winning position slip so easily. There were mistakes throughout the team leading to the first Hapoel goal, but I suspect experience will tighten things up.
Kolo Toure was immense. His rampaging run setup the second goal, but when he was caught ahead of the ball on the 55th minute, the defence behind him didn’t have the organisation to prevent a goal. We’ll not see this happen often from now on.
The second half arrivals of Nir Bitton and Moussa Dembele proved decisive. Nir brought a calmness to central midfield as Callum McGregor tired, while Moussa outjumped defence and keeper to score what was a priceless goal.
Craig Gordon’s been under pressure in recent weeks. There was little he could do about Hapoel’ second, a fabulous shot which nicked between Brown and Toure, but he’ll be annoyed their first nipped in at his near post.
This tie, however, turned the moment he made a point-blank save to stop the score going to 4-3. We’ll be able to look back later this season and say that was the moment we secured our Champions League adventure.
Feeling good about last night, but if only we’d a player like Patrick Roberts, or Erik Sviatchenko to come in and take things up a notch……
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and Scott Brown
Good to see some getting their mojo back, I suppose when you’ve spent the last two weeks reading spineless rhetoric and exaggeration about consequences of doing the right thing it is no longer a matter of right and wrong mearly a fear of the consequences. And that is gentleman jims strategy. Find a reason not to do right is working for evil.
Make it polarised, only two sides pro board and anti board simplistic idiocy, well if the board are so hostile to moral justice fcuk the board and any so called Celtic supporter that tries to tell any other Celtic supporter their sense of justice is wrong because it’s not aligned with cash is a fcucking disgrace to our heritage. Not in my name, I was there before the board and will be there after they are gone as is my reb heritage. If your looking for a sanitised sport, fcuk of and watch the rugby ya brainless hoor.
Fly the flag.
JIMMYNOTPAUL…
Great hearing from you.Sorry you missed attending game,hope the result made up for it.
Go easy mo chara and all the best with your treatment.
===============
Choon
http://youtu.be/vMCoiehkH8U
There are Celtic supporters and there are Parasite Celtic Supporters (PCS).
Those like the Truss and the GB, who use Celtic for their own selfish ends – riding on its back and sucking blood from its body, in pursuit of a perverse agenda.
52,000 who give 100% backing to the squad, manager and club, and a few hundred PCS who treat them with distain.
We don’t need them shouting COYBIG – we didn’t need them for 100+ years and we can well do without their hypocrisy now – these people will carry on until every stand is shut down – they care NOTHING for Celtic.
Shut down the Safe Standing Area for all but matches covered by the occupants’ ST during the remainder of this season – refuse to sell them any tickets for European matches and domestic cup ties – ban them from next season and sue them for any fines incurred by the club.
The PCS are using Celtic as a political platform – let them get their own vehicle – why not join Clerkin and Sheridan and leave real Celtic supporters in peace?
AULDHEID on 18TH AUGUST 2016 7:04 PM
It is, IMHO, about the fans representatives, whether that’s the Celtic Trust, Supporters Association, Green Brigade or whatever, as a consolidated fan group we tell the Board/PLC that on OUR behalf we want them to approach UEFA to clarify the rules and at the same time “decriminalise” the support of Palestine – and other “just causes” we as a fan group want to support.
Just a thought…….
KTF
VFR800A8 on 18TH AUGUST 2016 7:13 PM
It will be a cold day in hell before this Celtic Board challenge any form of football authority on anything.
The idea that they would do so on this particular issue is just ridiculous.
Birmingham Mail,
Lescott still to be paid by Villa.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dr-tony-xia-confirms-aston-11769811
Oh dear
“Don’t chuck ruddy spears at me”
Michael Caine as Lt. Gonville Bromhead – Rorke’s Drift
“Despite the bigotry and bias of the Scottish media and the SFA in trying to degrade Glasgow Celtic by demanding that they take down the Irish Tricolour and asking their fans to stop singing the songs of their native land, Glasgow Celtic are a very succesful and dignified club. Without a doubt the greatest club in the world. TIOCFAIDH AR LA “
Pastry…feck off with your hun pish
Whitedoghunch
Best post of the day
Auldheid,
Tell us more about your experience with the board and how they operate when it comes to cooperation ?
I see they have started setting up the Board for the blame if and when the club is sanctioned by UEFA.
They’re predictable if nothing else.
Sagabona kunjani wena…..
The green and white train is coming !!!!!
Hoopy days ……
Cool down …..relax …take it easy…..
It is only dough…….
Spondoolicks….. And we have lots of them …..
Awfy braw…
Let the people sing ….fly the fleg….
. And talk shoite!!!!
Braw.
MATS NILLOC on 18TH AUGUST 2016 7:13 PM
I don’t usually resort to personal abuse on Forums, but for you I will make an exception – you are a knob!
I am in the standing section, behind the GB and they do add a lot to the atmosphere. I’ve been attending Celtic Park for over 50 years and between the old Jungle shutting down and the rise of the GB, much of the atmosphere had become stagnant. I don’t agree with all their politics or actions, but I have no right to class them as parasites, nor do you.
Nor do you have the right to demand the area where I stand be shut down. I am a real Celtic Supporter – why don’t YOU leave me in peace?
KTF
Celtic fans have fair raised their Twitter following around the world, might be down to ole John Reid and
his ‘ we will not tweeted differently ‘ speech.
https://twitter.com/alansmith1962/status/766311034554572801
Don’t worry big man…huns will welcome you with open arms…one of a kind…
It’s late here……………Good Night all…………….
TBM
BSR
“Pte. Thomas Cole: Why is it us? Why us?
Colour Sergeant Bourne: Because we’re here, lad. Nobody else. Just us.”
Explains a lot about CQN if you think about. I mean, if you REALLY think about it…don’t think too much though…
Evening all. What a game last night. Took a Spanish visitor along – we have a new supporter.
Re: the Palestinian flag – our green brigade friends clearly have strong convictions and are prepared to do what they believe is right without fear of consequences.
With that in mind will they repeat this exercise next week in Israel where they will … ahem … Be held to account personally?
Hail hail
What VFR800A8 said
ERNIE LYNCH on 18TH AUGUST 2016 7:15 PM
VFR800A8 on 18TH AUGUST 2016 7:13 PM
It will be a cold day in hell before this Celtic Board challenge any form of football authority on anything.
The idea that they would do so on this particular issue is just ridiculous.
__________________________________________
What is ridiculous is that you have, in this post, simply negated any and all arguments you posited in support of flying the Palestinian flag. The argument you put forward regarding the pointlessness of pressuring the board, if applied to the intransigence of Israel, means that we might as well accept the status quo in Palestine.
You cannot have it both ways!
KTF
Aye ; Wan scabbit lamb will spoil the flock….
shiver…shiver..shiver…Presbyterian style…. :)
Mats…,
Your PCS does exist but it’s not those you target, it’s those who occupy seats they don’t pay for and spend their time tut tutting paying season ticket holders for expressing themselves as Celtic supporters have done throughout our club’s history, the PCS spent all their time trying like you to make it harder for the real supporters to express themselves to the degree we are now, where real Celtic supporters are agreeing with PCS like yourself.
Great win by the Serbian Ladies team in the women’s Volleyball there.
They lost all 5 matches in London 2012- now they have beaten the yanks in the semi-final after beating the Russkies in the quarters.
Now they will face the Dutch or the Chinese in the final.
Brankica Mihailovic may not be the kind of face that the pervier supporter wants to admire but she is a true athlete and warrior.
I taught I saw a pussy cat !!!
I did I did ,I did saw a pussy cat …..
Tweet tweet
Beaky thing ….
Braw
Feliz Cumpleanos to Lennybhoy and Eurochamps67
HH
BSR…
Did he make that speech at Canary Wharf?
Really pleased with last night but didn’t see due to work. Thanks to Thunder road for posting highlights.
Surely we will progress. The folly of the downsizing of recent years can’t be repeated. Get a good manager and let him sign good players and we can avoid more disasters such as Maribor.
O’Connell doesn’t convince me, nor does CG these days but I would expect us to score in Israel.
Who speaks for the Celtic Season Ticket Holders who are not affiliated to any minority fans groups
Re Lescott – it says a lot about a player/person when you are prepared to pay a sizeable portion of his wages just to get rid of him. As one Villa fan said, ‘who cares if we are still paying his wages, as long as he is gone’.
The best Zulu quote of all:-
Colour Sergeant Bourne: It’s a miracle.
Lieutenant John Chard: If it’s a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it’s a short chamber Boxer Henry point 45 caliber miracle.
Colour Sergeant Bourne: And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind.
There bank managers ….
Braw .
To be fair Villa fans said Sinclair was crap…
Villa fans say a lot of things…
mickbhoy
“Who speaks for the Celtic Season Ticket Holders who are not affiliated to any minority fans groups”
Have you resigned from that position?
BTW
If they can score 2 at parkhead they can score 3 at home.
Celtic need at least 1 more goal.
Next week negotiated, can’t wait to watch our Bhoys up against the European elite players.
We will be in for one ride and a half.