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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Good Evening.
Here is a new piece about Brendan’s press conference last night:
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/08/18/some-questions-for-brendan/
And here is today’s earlier blog about a rush to grass up Celtic:
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/08/18/grassing-up-celtic/
Clumps …..hohohohoho. Awfy braw ….
Brendan Rodgers: [*Stares intently. The melted glass drops on to the desk and forms the shape of a mini Brendan Rodgers kicking the arse of a journalist*]
Pass this on bhoys and ghirls…..
Thankyou….may your nest be aye snug….
Braw
Embdy got a link to BR’s interview
DavidO- you’re actually wan o the average wans,you’re excepted…:)))
Who was the “journalist”? These peepul should be outed and watched for future examples of hunnery.
Interesting couple of weeks coming up, a make or break in the CL and who will be for the ofski and inski.
Personally speaking I will be delighted with a eat his granny [ joke ] def middy, one who will cost plenty, but will be worth every penny, we will need to move a fair few on tho, BR has said he wants a smaller squad and so far there has been little out movement.
In Brendan I trust.
Fan a tic- I posted earlier, when HBS player got the ball after the corner, he should have been taken out, harsh i know, but we need to smarten up in Europe, Sinclair took a card for similar when Kolo was caught out of position HH
Ray W-https://twitter.com/CelticResearch/status/766258307355074564
!!Bada Bing!!
Average???? I’ll take it…
https://twitter.com/CelticResearch/status/766258307355074564
This time…
Ritchie from the Sun…..
Allegedly…
Braw
SCANIEL on 18TH AUGUST 2016 6:47 PM
Been plucking up the courage to come on here since I retired a few months ago. Came late to CQN – came late to social media etc. Only found CQN after RTC closed down, then found Phil’s site which directed me to CQN. Lurked ever since and promised myself to join post retirement. Been putting it off due to being too shy and too in awe of some/most of the characters on here.
welcome on board, good first post.
i dont usually like retired people, too much time on their hands to dominate the blog, you know who i mean, -)))))
but your ok, so far.
DavidO- keep on keeping on amigo, HH
Hun hack was Robert Greive from The Hun, or to give him his nickname Greiving….
When a question like that is asked of Brendan, we should have a PR rep on site to nip that kind of thing in the bud straight away, ‘sorry questions about the match only’. BR is very competent but even so. The clown should have been pulled in afterwards and warned ‘try that again and you’re finished here’.
!!BADA BING!! on 18TH AUGUST 2016 8:11 PM
At times like this i wish CQN had separate threads…
Know what you mean!
Was too busy at work today to get reading much but ive tried to read what i could since i got home, such was my excitement about last nights game and the way things have been transformed in such a short space of time.
I thought this place would be bouncing today, yet the flag debate has proved to be too contentious and then there’s the tit for tat battles that rumble on.
So yeah…….separate threads?
It would have been brilliant to go into a room and jump about all over the place with everyone else who just wanted to celebrate or dissect every minute detail of everyone’s performance and plot the road to European glory and world domination!
On the other hand one of the things i love about this place is that i can actually finally learn some stuff of subjects that i have normally veered away from because they are too heavy(said that in my best Neil voice)and then too much would be missed by being in that other room having a carry on(like i spent toooooo much time doing at school) and still never learn anything!
There have been sporadic attempts to get talking about the game but they have pretty much been lost amongst all the other posts which to me is a shame.
Usual solution exists for us all though and especially for those lapsed posters n pesky lurkers…….get on blethering about the football and sidestep the ‘heavy’ stuff if you prefer!
HH
st. Stivs
How ya doing, pal?
MY mate Dan is flying out tomorrow, so if you are still free to meet them for the Aberdeen game next week (and maybe show them CQN corner), drop me a line with your number/email address (whatever is better for you) and I can pass them along to Dan.
Cheers mate.
Ritchie??? Where did that come from….???
Never mind Bada Bing on song ….
Beaky thing
Again
Braw
Jimmynotpaul, I’m sorry to hear you suffered another attack but its good to hear it wasn’t as debilitating as previous ones. I’m pleasantly surprised our employer is so understanding as its not widespread
Our performance and the result last night , hopefully , gave you a boost. I didn’t go last night. Im a jinx on champions league play off games. The three I went to were against Ajax, the Arse and Maribor, we never even scored in each of the above games.
I hope you keep well for as long as possible.
The hippo was on sportscene the other night. He was interviewed before the Accies Killie game.
Aye aye aye the old corporate hospitality jibe
You make sacrifices in other areas of your social life to afford a season ticket that costs a wee bit more than the norm and it’s now deemed to be Corporate Hospitality
I’ve no doubt that individuals involved with wee splinter groups have enjoyed more corporate hospitality than any of the season ticket holders who sit in my immediate vicinity
Thanks to you all for the Birthday wishes on here, FB or by text, feel like a burst Couch now…:)
Keep the Faith
Hail Hail!
Mike, aye, thats my plan, will get email from Paul67.
Dans no very italian sounding, am i being set up for an incident in the celtic car park ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwW3ytid4DA
4th craw there wisny wan at aw,wisny wan at aw,wisny wan at aw.
4th craw there wisny wan at aw he got shot by neustadt-braw.
Canamalar
Watched this, this morning.
There’s a few videos on it and one with Rodgers but not sure if its what you were hoping to see.
http://sport.bt.com/highlights-celtic-5-2-hapoel-beer-sheva-91364080367701?
The fourth craw flew awa to Justinhaugh…away to Justinhaugh away tae Justinhaugh…aw aw aw aw…
The fourth craw flew awa to Justinhaugh….. On a cold and frosty morning…
The sooth esk ….cald but braw…
Braw .
Football, don’t you just love it?
Really don’t mind the flag debate,it is relevant because it happens every week with the Celtic support, that is my opinion.
What irks me is that an organisation like UEFA can be the judge and jury. That place needs a proper audit and a restoration of moral values almost as much as the FIFA offices do. For them to fine clubs when the fans actions break rules that they write, is all a bit rich.
This same organisation which will lift its leg and allow the rich clubs to rewrite the entry qualifications to their premiere tournament . UEFA have a helluva idea of what is black and white, they worship money and status, everything else has no value to them.
Hahahahahaha…….
Or shid that be …cawcawcawcawcaw…
A braw tune ….give us the 5th wan…..
Please…Celticfan1961…..
Braw ..
Smiley thing
Thetimreaper, Pep Guardiola was asked in a press conference the day before the Steaua Bucharest game about Joe Hart.
A voice from the sidelines, Man City’s media or PR guy, shouted only questions about the champions league game the following night.
It was effective.
Bada Bing. Cheers. Robert Grieve from the Scum. We should all be highlighting this hun arsehole at every opportunity. Hope he was given a yellow card from Celtic after last night and also pour encourager les autres.
Sacrifice, doubt it, but it’s how liars try to illicite sympathy for their so called sacrifice, sacrificed all my what exactly ?, zero proof just insinuation, bent cops, pish in a bag, messy business, no wonder some are so bitter. Convinced by the corps to be bitter, stay bitter till the end, deservedly so, like their little cliques and clubs, no rest for the wicked because the wicked don’t deserve rest.
The Celtic PR dept is a feckin shambles.
We need someone like Bernard Ponsonby to head a totally revamped operation.
HH!!
my most interesting american (i dont want to say favorite) , a retired general, a military man , but often he comes across, to me anyway, as a real man with the courage of his convictions.
he might be a right wing looney, but i havnt seen any evidence.
his wiki page , and family history is interesting.
notre dame – 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wHqTEOaLeg
Lescott and Garner will be very good additions for the huns imo, what with the help they will get from the cheats with the whistles and the flegs they may well not get relegated.
For all that I wanted them gone, it was never going to happen, so we just have to get on with it and in that vein I am actually looking forward to beat the living crap out of them next month.
St. Stivs
Brilliant. Thanks! I owe you a pint (or two) when I get back next time ….. but one of the (many) great things about Dan is that he is always the first to buy a round!
He is playing St. Andrews next week …. dont think I have ever heard him so excited! But, I told him that the real highlight will be his trip to Celtic Park next weekend ….
The Euro results have really set it up nicely for him … think the atmosphere will be brilliant for the Aberdeen game.
Celticfan1961…..
Shooting the craw…..date ye think the Celtic wirld would ken that een?????
A hae ma doots. ….
But am no shooting the craw jist yet…..fridge is half foo….. And there are folk tae quatsch wee…..
Hoopy days …
Celt45…..is athing OK in Sooth Texas????
Braw
Ray..,
“Given a yellow”, that says all you need to know about our guardians, no problem having a pop at ours they will be sacrificed for an old firm publicity stunt. Fcucking disgraceful but not surprising.
SFTB
I’m am not as narcissistic as some to believe I speak for large swathes of the Celtic support. There are enough self appointed revolutionaries who believe that they occupy that position already
a warriors heart, an immigrants spirit and a servants soul,
wb yeats
talent perceives differences, genius unity