Despite the many portents of doom, Celtic were the better team last night against Midtjylland. When the defence needed a leader, Stephen Welsh rose to the occasion, putting in his best performance in senior football. Honestly, I did not think he had a performance like that in him. The free kick he conceded was harsh.
Midtjylland are not as good as the Copenhagen team we lose meekly to in February 2020 but they left Glasgow with a draw, courtesy of two hangovers from last season: a lack of cutting edge in attack and a keeper error. It does not matter how much better you are at most things in football, the game is all about putting the ball in the net and stopping opponents from scoring, aspects that will give Midtjylland hope.
Last season, a friend noted Vasilis Barkas looked like an outfield player stuck in goals. The keeper’s hands were right below the free kick, taken from what looked like an unlikely tight angle, but Barkas arms did not instinctively extend to make what would have been a functionary block. That’s what you or I would look like. Ange learned what you and I already knew about our keeper.
Players running down their contracts can go a couple of ways; Ryan Christie decided to leave everything on the park. He was Celtic’s fulcrum, one we will miss, for sure. Fortunately, Liel Abada looked every inch the replacement on his competitive debut, marked with a goal before he was hooked to make way for a defender when fellow Israeli, Nir Bitton, was red carded.
I like Bitton, he has the ability to take the ball out of defence, but he is not a defender. On the back of last night’s evidence, he is not much of a thinker either. It is not often we see Instant Karma but Midtjylland’s Dreyer received two yellows for simulation, the first leading to Bitton’s moment of madness. His self-satisfied smirk deserved nothing less. “Gonna knock you off your feet”, indeed
You and I have seen Celtic lose to lesser teams too often, there remains a lot of work to do next week.
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See Tom English back up with a list of negative drivel … he is useless knows nothing about football
Some of the very best paid footballers in the world hardly ever get a game. They are often literally sitting on their arses year after year.
Ladies and Gents, I give you Reserve Goalies at the World’s top clubs.
What doe it take to get one of these benchwarmers on loan? Do none of the top CL teams have goalies they are willing to farm out for experience? Where that matters to them more than what % of the salary is being paid by whom?
These top clubs have been hoovering up the best talent for years, goalkeepers included. Am I being overly naive to think there must be plenty other FF-level keepers who cannot get a game in the top 4-6 leagues?
Looking back at the goals was interested to see all the coaches reacting to our goal, apart from Kennedy who looked like a guy who has realised its his round😱
Again Barkas playing Sunday league football, what’s wrong with this guy a full international, I can only remember him making one save in all his games😵weird
Roberttressell at 3:44
Many thanks for the considered reply. Good points. I hope you prove to be correct.
I also imagine 1 more defensive signing wouldn’t do any harm
EKBhoy – yeah no point in reading any of his ramblings; scroll on by for me
regarding debate on fullbacks – all in agreement Ralston is not the answer. Taylor has done ok at left back and always gives 100% , BUT Ange wants his fullbacks to come inside from deep positions and play midfield during build up. Both full backs are not comfortable doing that , both losing possession pivoting and turning with the ball on a few occasions.
Bolingoli has all the credentials but he fits into the category of wrong fit/wrong energy for Celtic – like Barkas, Ntcham, Sved – its not going to work out so their agents should be finding alternatives. Why waste time?
the Dundee Utd keeper had a great start to the season but fell away leaking savable shots – I like his presence though and he would have caught that shot from last night with one hand!
Re Tom English & The BBC, nothing new there, to be honest You expect that from practically all the SMSM, just take a look at Radio Clyde, contacted UEFA about Abada not being in the UEFA list squad, you just know the zombie cretins we’re hoping for something else to beat Celtic about, sadly for them it was a Uefa mix up and all above board. Shame ……….
Show the lot of them at a Celtic presser or get them to tell their name and employer before a question
An interesting insight into the impact of sports science on pre-season preparations- Caution- Eddie Howe gets praised
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57890108
In fact the BBC has practically the same article from two different writers on does Ange have one season, they’re trying so hard, I know I’m in the significant minority but I’d ban the BBC
give ange 2 years at least- he’ll sort this mess out.
I hope Ange is aware of the fact that Barkas’ howler last night was not a one-off and he has the potential to do that kind of thing in any game. GK should be at the top of our shopping list .
The fact that he was an highly regarded keeper before coming to CP is irrelevant . He clearly now has some kind of problem .
EKBHOY on 21ST JULY 2021 3:59 PM
See Tom English back up with a list of negative drivel … he is useless knows nothing about football
———
Curiosity got the better of me. I have just read the article on BBC website.
I would normally agree with you that English is an attention seeker among the lines of Keevins.
However I can’t see anything in his piece today which is massively at odds with the prevailing post-match mood on here.
He does say “arguably” when he suggests there are “4-5” SPL keepers better than Barkas.
About feeling confident about next week, we absolutely should. The only problem is we have said this during the last 2 campaigns and been totally wrong.
Was Bain injured last night or did the manager see something in Barkas? Hoping for the former.
hw do you make a good player – let them feckin play
I don’t say this in jest; has barkas gone all grobelaar on us?
Prestonpans Bhoy @ 4:01pm
Yip.
I didn’t think John Kennedy looked great physically last night.
He comes in for a lot of stick.
I don’t actually know if Neil handed John the coaching manual before he left?
But, judging from John’s appearance last night?
… Neil DID hand him his dietician’s phone number?
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/july/Increase-in-number-of-fans-at-Paradise-for-West-Ham-United-game/
18000 on Saturday, 24500 thereafter
Personally, I would ban the BBC Scotland sports department first of the lot. They go out of their way to put us down any opportunity they can manufacture. I don’t listen to Clyde (haven’t for over 20 years) as I couldn’t them. Haven’t read a tabloid (or the Herald sports section) for years. Oh for the days of Cyril Horne and John Rafferty.
I would ban the lot of them, or, failing that, record every press conference and ask the questioner to identify him/herself before answering. We are on a hiding to nothing in Scotland. It has only got worse since the deid team went into l;iquidation.
couldn’t-stand-them
I noticed JK and AP in deep discussion during the game – looked like good respectful collaboration – rarely seen that with NL and JK
Btw – the iPad is a little embarrassing unless the players are fully paying attention – its cringe material – Strachan looked like he was giving way to much information – he should at least finish with asking the player to verbalize their understanding – was too one sided for my liking! not modern coaching
By the way, I was a bit shocked at Celtic Park at the state of the toilets. Still no hot water; about 9.30there was no soap or paper towels. Surely we should be ensuring that we comply with covid regulations……?
“AN DÚN on 21ST JULY 2021 12:23 PM
The scouting that lead to Barkas being signed is a worry.”
As someone else ( Turkeybhoy?) remarked, Barkas` record before coming to us was fine ( I`m basing that on the number of caps he was awarded). It is what has happened to him since that is the real worry.
Last night, I felt he had turned a corner and that that might have been the beginning of a success story…..then he, for me inexplicably, decided to let the ball go for a goal kick.
I fear we need a new `keeper. Maybe Dundee United would like Ralston on a permanent basis and we could have their `keeper?
I listened to Shortbread pre match last night.
English was diabolical in his “already under pressure” agenda regarding Ange. Even saying a loss here will have him questioned as not the right man for the job.
Tried desperately to get John Collins to say the same, he kind of steered away from it and kept saying “what we have to do” .
They banged on about having all the players in for pre-season, all the signings made, who ever does that anywhere ever at all ?
English went on about Anges barbed comments towwards Dom regarding recruitment being too slow and said if that wasnt a dig i dont know what is.
Rounded it off with Ange is a big man, would like to take a tackle from him, ……
for me, it is only a matter of time till they frame him as NFL mark2, they need their panto villian.
arseholes the lot of them.
wouldnt like to take a tackle from him.
SAINT STIVS on 21ST JULY 2021 5:45 PM
I do a casual peruse of the MSM but avoid the BBC like the plague. Full of ex Hun EBT’s and talentless cowards like English.
Wouldn’t piss on the guy if he was on fire TBH😱
Timmy 7 last night. it was my wife who interpreted the rules wrongly regarding test kit on return to scotland, was only highlighting in case anyone else might, and they are DOUBLE the price of England fact!! but you know that !
https://news.stv.tv/politics/aviation-bosses-call-for-use-of-private-covid-tests
It’s official Ajer is away to Brentford
is it safe to come back on , or is it only happy clappers allowed.
Ajer’s gone to brentford
RC
I’m a mineshafter so fill your boots
Kyogo Furuhashi. to be given the No.. 7 top ?
Nice tribute to Charlie Gallagher on STV News there…
Celtic looked decent last night but still easily days and lots of work to do.
I dont prescribe to the idea of adding more centrebacks after starfelt comes in considering jullian is due back and welsh has shown he is capable. Also appear to have a few youngsters below that who are capable and need opportunities. The CB from Sheffield wednesday needs a chance too.
In order we need a:
1st pick rightback
1st pick GK,
1st pick left back
Left winger
1 forward to replace eduard who looks like he has checked out.
Ps dont need to spend a fortune to get good players just need to get the right type and look in reasonable markets.
Rebuild is big ask but not impossible.
Shved in Belgium – hope is perm deal
HH
don’t think I’m liked on here with my comments that don’t fit the agenda.
SQUIRE DANAHER on 21ST JULY 2021 4:51 PM
EKBHOY on 21ST JULY 2021 3:59 PM
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Contrast with the alternative which would be written , good start , keeper just needs to settle and iron out these silly errors and Celtic will go from strength to strength…. They would not have the nerve to write a similar article about the Southside shysters …. Hot on the heels of another BBC reporter putting it out there he’s only got a year …..
…. As Ange noted last night half empty glass style questions from the media …. Let’s just up the game on our media and leave these muppets in our slipstream … have the press conference first with our own media /blog guys … keep the muppets waiting give them nothing to write about
WT @ 5.56
The thing you always notice about the Nats / Not Jacinda / Auld Reekie Civil Service is the way that they try to nickel and dime everything — always looking for a cut or delaying payments that have been agreed.
CoViD19 is just them milking it to the max.
The testing charges are a disgrace to a country with such low costs of production.
The problem is that we have a weak media that will not call them out for anything — the CoViD19 surplus has been re-invested in press officers and media “bribes”.
Best of luck to Kris Ajer and thanks for some great memories. You were part of something special, never forget that son. I’m sure you will go much, much further than Brentford, this is only the beginning for you. 👍☘️