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.
282 Comments- Pages:
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Schummi on 21st July 2021 8:02 pm
I highly doubt any Celt is on 5 or 6 times what Ryan is on.
Callum could easily go South for a massive upgrade in wages but it speaks volumes he is staying at Celtic to hopefully be a part of a Successful Celtic team and not just on the domestic scene.
Peter @ 6.56pm
👍☘️.
Welcome to Celtic the Starman – Now blow our minds 🇸🇪
Petec
If Christie could reproduce last night’s form and commitment on a regular basis it would certainly be worth offering him a new contract . Nothing crazy , but £15k rather than £8k would not be over the top IMO.
If Ange plays him where he’s most effective and makes him feel loved , we would have back the asset we were missing last season.
https://thecelticstar.com/bbc-scotlands-tom-english-drags-celtic-fans-into-inquiry-controversy/
Is Starfelt in the building or do we have to wait for 10 days to get him to Lennoxtown?
Covid signings are such a drawn out affair. Even by Celtic standards!!
The Open Goal podcasts regarding Thomas Graveson and Paulo Di Canio are essential listening.
Laugh out Loud stuff the whole way.
Turkish media running with the Boupendza story today.10 million Euros quoted.Seen all of his goal and assists today on TV.Very like Moussa Dembele.Very powerful.A sensation here last year playing for a “Diddy team”.Can’t imagine big wages there.Any truth in it would need to factor in selling Eddy.The media here seem to be taking it serious.Believe it when I see it.Would make some statement though.
AN TEARMANN on 21ST JULY 2021 8:08 PM
thats a memory and a half, ta for sharing.
TT, OR YOURSELFMAYBE KNOWS, wHY DIDNT pADDY ALSO OPT FOR iRELAND ?
Roberto,
I reckon he wullnae be available for the game next week.
Anything is a Bonus in Europe.
Glad we’ve completed the Starfelt signing.
Have never seen him play but his pedigree looks decent.
The point has already been made (and made well) ….
…. Given we knew a week ago we were thin at the back for the tie against the Danes?
Couldn’t this have been expedited 48 hours sooner?
Would have been a “nice to have” for the second leg.
Celtic producing Top Drawer Leo Players that are cool as.
EKBHOY on 21ST JULY 2021 8:19 PM
—
Eh?
How in the name of God do you arrive at the conclusion that I am beating anyone with anything from what I have written?
I will be kind an say you are confused and must be mixing me up with someone else.
We move on!!!
Pretty confident we would have won by a couple of goals or so last night had we kept eleven players on the park. But pretty sure the Danes would have won the game had they managed to keep it eleven against ten. Very capable and quick going forward on the break, left and right especially the boy who got himself the double yellow. Will almost certainly need to score a couple of goals, or more, to go through, so a wee bit surprised to see so many on here discounting the Midgies. That said there were positives, Ange has managed to make a bit of an impact in a short time, and is getting his message across to the players he has available, and some still arriving, so optimism the word of the day.
Petec.
Regards your comments on Calum McGregor,totally agree. He could be down the road at least doubling his wages but has stayed on to battle on for us even though he must have looked at the carnage of last season.
Tom English ? A patriot till the end. I remember Scotland were playing Ireland in a euro qualifier at Celtic Park. Was asked by co-commentator who he wanted to win. Said Scotland tonight and Ireland in Dublin. NorthWestbrit
Many years ago the Mrs bought me a top quality reasonably priced bottle of wine, it was called
“Deer in the Headlights” a 2003 an Oz wine and probable the best wine I have ever had the pleasure to drink, the title reminds me of our keeper, the goal we lost last night immediately reminded me of the name, I saw a post earlier, sorry forgotten from who who said that he could have saved it with one hand without spilling his pint in the other, I honestly feel the same, I said last night that I could have saved it, something is no right, I have not a scooby what the problem is, but you don’t become your national keeper if you are efin useless, some are suited to scotland, some are suited to Celtic, it seems that our Greek tragedy is suited to neither, I would hope that Pedro has some sort of clause for the scouts and the ultimate person who signed the cheque that they at least have some sort of responsibility for their eff up, but as ever, it will fall on the coach, same as it ever was.
This will become a problem for the PLC, and by extension the club-team, we paid by all accounts a fair whack for yer man and have NO prospect of getting anything like we paid back, if we can off load, as I said it’s gonna be a problem
SAINT STIVS on 21ST JULY 2021 8:37 PM
AN TEARMANN on 21ST JULY 2021 8:08 PM
thats a memory and a half, ta for sharing.
TT, OR YOURSELFMAYBE KNOWS, wHY DIDNT pADDY ALSO OPT FOR iRELAND ?
*that option wisnae open by the time Paddy was selected for the scottish team, in fact Charlie G was the first non-native Irishman to represent them.
Former outlander international Martin Keown who played 43 times for the national side admitted that if that option had been available prior tae being picked for his birthplace he would have chosen his his mother’s country Eire, he could also have played for the black north as his da came fae Fermanagh.
PAUL THE SPARK on 21ST JULY 2021 6:46 PM
Starfelt officially announced
*mibbees just mibbees this is what our tragic goalie needs, a decent left side centre back in front of him.
Don’t forget that until his double at hades where he avoided a crocked leg fae the thug in the sevco goal Sammy was a Greek tragedy and many on here and other sites wanted tae drive him themselves tae the airport. After that he became a Greek Ghod.
i always heard this on a hot evening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuafmLvoJow
gorgeous tenor
montherebornhoops
Cheers Petec. Hoping he can join up with the squad and get training ASAP
TURKEYBHOY – interesting. Not heard about that.
Feeling good about Celtic for the first time I a few months! Positive vibes are building.
Really liked the two young centre backs last night. Too.much to ask for a full season from Dane Murray but Welsh looked absolutely determined to keep the place he has found himself in. He might need some careful managing but certainly looks to have a future.
World Cup winner Gotzke scores magnificent third goal after 52 minutes to put PSV Eindhoven 3-1 up on Galatasaray. The Dutch team looking first class.
World Cup winner Gotzke scores magnificent third goal after 52 minutes to put PSV Eindhoven 3-1 up on Galatasaray. The Dutch team looking first class.
Oops! Can’t understand how that happens. Site appears programmed not to allow duplicate comments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CboXRBdxeT8
https://thecelticstar.com/video-the-goalkeeping-mistake-that-could-influence-fraser-forsters-celtic-move/
https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/premier-league/2017-2018/what-has-happened-to-fraser-forster_sto6386875/story.shtml
And???????????????????
Roberto,
Patience is a Virtue.
4×3 – Incredible.
Magnificence.
Ange is taking up the baton.
Zahavi scores 4th for Eindhoven. Looks like Turks are saying sayonara to Champions League.
Good luck to big Kris Ajer at Brentford. A Hunskelper and a committed Celt!
You’ll always be remembered for thumping home the Quadruple Treble penalty big man.
Gotzke makes it 5-1 Eindhoven. Hate to say this, but if we scrape by against Midtjylland, we are going to get absolutely pasted. The Turks have a very experienced defence, with a great keeper, but they can’t live with the Dutch.
Patience is something that has to be practiced Petec! I’m getting schooled in it of late. Hard lesson to learn but important all the same….
I’ve paid zero attention to the zombies since the season ended. So I thought I’d take a look at their ‘activities’. They seem to be quiet on the transfer front??
The inmates of Zombie Media are annoyed that we are getting 18.5k in the ground this Saturday. SNP/ Labour conspiracy apparently.
Also read a post or two wondering if they are going to be ready for their CL qualifiers. Forgot about the suspensions after their shame game against Praha last season. Light in midfield numbers apparently.
I am well aware that it us what we do that will ultimately count but I do think we have built them up into something they are not. They had a one in a million season last year, league wise anyway. We put zero pressure on the and imploded. They Couldn’t muster a cup final appearance though. First half decent ‘team’ in Europe suckered them. When (not if) we get the players in that we need, they won’t know what’s hit them. Fans back in. Pressure back on.
INIQUITOUSIV,
Yer probably right but that isnae Definitive.
Ange is unique.
Celtic of Glasgow is Unique.
INIQUITOUSIV on 21ST JULY 2021 9:48 PM
Gotzke makes it 5-1 Eindhoven. Hate to say this, but if we scrape by against Midtjylland, we are going to get absolutely pasted. The Turks have a very experienced defence, with a great keeper, but they can’t live with the Dutch.
————–
Does Ange do pragmatism/ caution against the tougher teams? Serious question.
Brendan Rodgers refusal to do so was a bit of a bug bear for me.
ROBERTTRESSELL on 21ST JULY 2021 9:52 PM
Yip, pretty much nail on the head.
What we need to do is get a defence together and the rest is a doddle :)
A def mid being the priority big time
HH
Aff oot to water the garden, it’s cool enough now so the water doesn’t evaporate when it hits the soil, it’s that effin hot.
Sleep well Timland
HH
ROBERTRESSELL
Does Ange do pragmatism/ caution against the tougher teams? Serious question.
Brendan Rodgers refusal to do so was a bit of a bug bear for me.
Jeez, I hope so. The Turks went for it, but the pairing of the German Gotzke ( 2 goals ) and Israeli Zahavi ( 3 goals ) was absolutely lethal. Their lightning fast first time passing was just sublime to watch. We would need: 1. The cavalry to arrive, and 2. A real backs to the wall supreme effort, and 3. Need I say it? A Forster vs Lazio-like performance from a new goalkeeper.
Otherwise, our naive neophytes would be crushed. I think Ange will figure that out if we get through and he watches the video.
So Kris Ajer, gone, at least he was a supposed ‘want away’ who stayed and performed.
Good luck to him, he deserves a more prominent club👏👍
Than Brentford I mean😱
Victor Wanyama.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 21ST JULY 2021 1:42 PM
Entered and money sent