Improvements clear two weeks on from home Astra game

2373

It’s a bit frustrating being so close to qualification for the knock out stages last night before a momentary lapse cost us late in the game, but there were plenty of positives.  60 minutes into last month’s game at Celtic Park against Astra, taking four points from them looked very ambitious.  We played considerably better last night in the corresponding home game, or in the home game against Dinamo Zagreb.

Celtic are functioning better in midfield, while defensively they’re also looking solid.  We acknowledged some weeks ago that without Guidetti or Commons we would struggle to create and execute chances, and so it proved.

With Anthony Stokes also out the picture, Leigh Griffiths got the nod to replace Stefan Scepovic and instantly brought some drive to the forward line.  He was unfortunate that his ‘goal’ was disallowed for a debatable infringement, but he just brings the kind of purpose inside the box that we didn’t have until his arrival.

We’re now four games unbeaten in this competition, and we’re improving.  The evidence suggests that Salzburg have also improved since we took a point from them on match day one.  Last night’s result in Zagreb was impressive, but Salzburg will face their stiffest test of the group at Celtic Park.

Still fancy our chances of winning the group.

[calameo code=000390171eccf1f8cf962 lang=en page=118 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

2,373 Comments

  1. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    favourite uncle

     

     

    06:22 on 9 November, 2014

     

    Tricoloured Ribbon

     

     

    think we are nearly related.grew up on stories of SKIB..where you from.from what I heard it was OUR dog.

     

    ….

     

    Jeez,you took the wind out of my sails with that one chief!

     

    The greyhound was brought to Clydebank from either Derry or Donegal.

     

    My dearly departed da Paddy would need to be still here on earth to give me the full details.

     

    I know it was a great dog and had terrific wins at tracks all over Scotland.

  2. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    Tricoloured Ribbon ..

     

     

    hi ya palomino.my father owned a SKIB it was trained down in DUNTOCHER.WAS THAT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR FAMILY.

  3. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    Canamalar,

     

    Neither were the players of Motherwell and Dundee Utd on Friday.

     

    A good few didn’t wear it and that’s the way it should be.

  4. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    favourite uncle

     

     

    11:22 on 9 November, 2014

     

    Tricoloured Ribbon ..

     

     

    hi ya palomino.my father owned a SKIB it was trained down in DUNTOCHER.WAS THAT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR FAMILY.

     

    ……..

     

    I honestly don’t know mate.

  5. Not read back but just wanted to say I hope all the Tic fans behave impeccably at the minutes silence today. God bless the Celts!

  6. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    Tricoloured Ribbon.

     

     

    just asked my older sister about it.is your name ALLAN auntie CISSIE or uncle MOSES?????????SKIB did indeed come from DONEGAL.

  7. Celtic Football Club ‏@celticfc 7s7 seconds ago

     

     

    Celtic XI to play @AberdeenFC: Zaluska; Matthews, Denayer, van Dijk, Izaguirre; Brown, Johansen, Mulgrew; Forrest, Guidetti, Stokes. (

  8. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    Watching the Lisbon lions on sky4 right now followed by the game

  9. Celtic Football Club ‏@celticfc 12s12 seconds ago

     

     

    Subs: Fasan (GK), Šćepović, Lustig, Griffiths, Wakaso, Kayal, McGregor

  10. Captainmoonlight

     

     

    Thanks!

     

     

    Wrong bloomin station though!

     

     

    Can get BT Sport through Virgin but i do not have Sky Sports :(

  11. Just on, I see the poppy debate has started.

     

     

    My take on it is first/second world wars had to be fought and a lot of brave men perished.

     

     

    Other wars were to line the pockets of the usual families that rule and manipulate our country and culture.

     

     

    I’ll wear a poppy on the 11/11, in remembrance for my mother that was laid to rest three years ago on that date and told me stories of how her grandfathers came home from ww1 and died from gas in their lungs.

     

     

    No hun will wave a poppy in my face.

     

     

    COYBIG

  12. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    favourite uncle

     

     

    11:31 on 9 November, 2014

     

    Tricoloured Ribbon.

     

     

    just asked my older sister about it.is your name ALLAN auntie CISSIE or uncle MOSES?????????SKIB did indeed come from DONEGAL.

     

    …..

     

    This is getting a wee bit scary pal.hahaha

     

    I have cousins with the surname Allen.

     

    I had an aunt Cissie(Susan), my dad’s sister.

     

    She moved to Somerset when she was young.She is dead years now.

  13. Not strongest line up

     

     

    Lustig on bench ?

     

     

    Forrest straight into starting line up ?

     

     

    Mulgrew in midfield (jesssssssssuss)

     

     

    Gordon must be injuryed

  14. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    Tricoloured Ribbon

     

     

    looks like we are blood somewhere.cissie and moses would be your GREAT relations.ie a generation before your dad. my sister said she used to go to DUNTOCHER for a holiday to her AUNT CISSIE.TRAMCAR from ANDERSTON straight oot GT W RD.

     

     

    I have another sister who met up with your relations at CELTIC CLUB in DUMDARTON last year.

  15. Minutes silence for ALL those brave british army service death squads or whatever

     

     

    Poppy may have been started to remember the likes of willie mcbride and many working class scottish and irish catholics but

     

     

    Simple matter is… Its also now for those who served in iraq , afghanistan and ireland. raise money to help them and to make those currenly in the ranks waiting to be shipped to foreign land think there going to be rememberd by all as heroes.

     

     

    Tried to avoid the debate but it sickens me football teams and fans are bein used year in year out for a political agenda which when it suits we are told isnt welcome in football.

  16. Alisdair maclean

     

    Thanks for the poem about loch leven.i was in at kinlochleven last week.going into climb Sgurr Eilde Mor.stunning area, as is that whole Glencoe/Ballachuilish area.Thanks again

     

    HH

     

     

    16 roads

     

    Skibbereen class and thanks for puttin it up.

     

    HH

     

     

    Zico

     

    Your niece in my thoughts this morning HH

     

     

    Now Celtic go to work.Top of the league awaits.Now thats incentive

     

    :-)

     

    Away out to watch good guys write another page into their history

     

    HH

  17. bournesouprecipe on

    Five changes, how many of of which are likely to be have been forced?

     

     

    Lustig probably not 100 % and Gordon also injured and Matthews defensive qualities

     

    just aren’t as good.

     

     

    Would have let Griffiths carry on from Thursday rather than Stokes who scoring

     

    rate is helped only by the law of averages.

     

     

    Big, big game coming up and Celtic have wisely left Tonev behind, so that we had no added

     

    bile or distractions, from a growingly unhealthy opposition support.

     

     

    Forrest to run amok and a score prediction 0 – 4.

  18. Great to see James Forrest back. Hope Matthews can find some form, he’s been poor when called upon this season. Gordon & Lustig are obviously having their recurring injury problems ‘managed’. Still don’t see what Stokes offers that Griffiths or Scepovic wouldn’t. Win the midfield battle, and I’m sure we will, win the match.

  19. Good to see the team freshened up. Most teams struggle when playing the weekend after a Thursday match so better to freshen the team up.

  20. Marrakesh Express on

    Tear in the eye watching Lisbon Lions.

     

    Never forget jumping about the living room as a young boy.

     

    Also the big coal lorry going round Castlemilk with what seemed 100 kids on it. Brilliant memories.

  21. Lineup dodgy , mmmmn we’ll see

     

     

    C’mon the Hoops !!!

     

     

    I’d take a draw right now , but with JG anything is possible , imo ;))

  22. An Tearmann,

     

     

    Climbed Binnein Mor and Na Gruagaichean (Sp?) at the beginning of August – I agree, it’s beautiful countryside. Stayed in the wigwam/hobbit houses in Kinlochleven.

     

     

    Didn’t like the midges though – a wet and calm day – they were fierce!

  23. Jobo Mobo Baldie on

    bourne –

     

     

    a most sensible post but what did you drink between “support” and “Forrest”? ;-)