I thought the initial line-up yesterday left us open to a few risks. A lot of responsibility was handed to Liam Henderson and Gary Mackay-Steven – and it was St Johnstone, no one’s mugs.
They caused the trouble we should have expected until the Cavalry arrived.
Once they got their focal point, Celtic were irresistible. The passing was fast and accurate, the movement, sublime, the finishing, unforgiving. Lustig’s rabona, to McGregor’s back-heel, for Dembele’s first-time finish was an appropriate end to an exquisite move.
It’s all about the shape. When Moussa came on yesterday we saw a great example of how a tiny change in the shape of a team can transform their effectiveness. This phenomenon is rife in the game but we seldom see as clear an example. You watch Leicester drop from champions to relegation candidates, or Ronny’s Celtic crumble in the face of a passport, while the same players take points in Germany and England, the changes are too subtle to detect.
This game will live long in the memory for the penalty we got but shouldn’t have, but that incident was drowned in an avalanche of goals. What was missed in all the post-match analysis was Keith Watson’s push on Nir Bitton a second before he headed St Johnstone’s equaliser. Nir was shoved just as he was preparing to leap, as a consequence, Watson headed unchallenged. Another one the referee missed.
Now we get to rest for a week and train normally before the Scottish Cup game against Inverness. This is a rarity, the winter-break aside, we have played two games per week since the middle of November.
If you are a student of physiology, you’ll expect Celtic to kick-on now and really improve.
104 Comments- Pages:
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good morning
A very satisfying win yesterday. And fair play to St Johnstone for having a real go. That fifth goal will never ever get old! Ooft!
Meanwhile, here is my latest. About someone in the media having a really bad time online…
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/dear-diary/
Brilliant. Just back & grab last post in old Blog.
THEDONALD
I respectfully suggest that you are lying,old bean.
Tap ten will do me HH
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! ECNOYEB
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Brendan’s Shapeshifters.
I believe your man MWD was the only noteable poster to highlight the wee push on Nir prior to that goal.
MWD speakers in Third Person cause of The Donald’s influence
Afternoon OT67
MWD
MOONBEAMSWD
I think ye’ll find I was on that bus as well:))
Unless of course I’m not in the notable clique:))
CORKCELT
Indeed,he was. Can’t remember who he was before that,but I remember him posting the exact opposite of his views-in the most illiterate way,just to emphasise the point.
Called himself ANTIFA,I think.
Starry MWD would like to offer you his apologies and welcomes you under the bus with him.
MWD
BMCUWP….
YOU Have The Form On Here For Lying..
I Have (Catholic) Relatives Of Inlaws Who Have Number Tattoos From WWII Camps
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Oh BMCUWP
I think you have electrified a wee raw nerve there!
MWD
BMCUWP
Rightwing MWD is farrightoot of this conversation now before the usual Klan come on in defense league of their open mindedness and call us oot for the Billy Bully Wrights that we are perceived to be.
MWD
Great performance.
Have to laugh at the pundits suggesting the penalty “changed the game”
Celtic were all over them and goals were coming dodgy penalty or not
TIMALOY29
It was a stonewaller.
MWD
MOONBEAMSWD
Is that Mark Warburton next to you under the bus:)))
See JJ calling for McInnes to get the keys tae the Big Hoose
I wish someone somewhere, who might be listened to, would point out the penalty came as the result of a howler by the ref. There was very little in the way of appeals for a penalty, Skoosh had an arm raised, but that’s as much as I saw.
The penalty was a result of “one of their own” dropping a huge clanger. Why is all the focus on Celtic getting a dodgy penalty? That implies we won it through some underhand cheating.
Sickens me, cos if it were the mob from the South side of Glasgow, the ref’s part in all this would have been much clearer irrespective of where his favouritism may lie.
I agree with Brendan, the player climbed on Bitton to head the equaliser, there was no push he simply used Bitton as support
Paul 67 et all,
Hard to disagree with your article, however:-
“If you are a student of physiology, you’ll expect Celtic to kick-on now and really improve.”
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Don’t really get that last sentence.
My daughter is a 4th student of Physiology. She canny tie her own laces, and her pals are basically the same.
Get much more sense from a ” Professor of Metals” i.e. A Plater, Welder , Pipefitter etc.
HH.
Dammit…knew that would happen….
from last page on old blog…
Reading the comments from yesterday about Police behaviour, and the intimidation of fans perceived to be terrorists because they’re taking photographs ( takes an elastic imagination to make that jump ). Instead of taking photographs, why not ‘go-live’ on facebook and effectively broadcast the behaviour of the guardians of truth and justice. By filming this and getting it on facebook, it’ll be out there, and will be very quickly shared. there can then be no denial by Poilce scotland and no ambiguity about how or why they have acted.
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BMCUWP…..
You’re Probably NOT Lying When You Boast About The Number Of Pubs You’re Barred From….
In SWINGIN’ SWINDON !
[ It FIGURES..! Ed ]
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Off Oot Wi’ Kellyanne Conway…
What A Doll…!
Her Maiden Name Is Fitzpatrick….
The ‘FIGHTING FITZPATRICKS’….
Related To The O’Neils…
HIGH KINGS OF IRELAND.
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SFA Reforms
Sevco to be renamed Rangers ( Five ) in deference to time added on for c̶h̶e̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶
stoppages
I am soooooooo glad we won with exhibition football.
Even the most partisan Celtic supporter knows the penalty we got was referring incompetence at its best.
I would say St Johnstone are presently the 2nd best team in Scotland, with arguably the second best manager.
HH.
” you’ll expect Celtic to kick-on now and really improve.”
Good. So we can expect the slump to end?
Cheerio for now,
JJ
Aff oot.
Be nice.
HH to all. Great times to be a part of the Celtic family.
Green Pinata 12:27
Welders (or as they are better know – Artists wi Steel Pencils) are not usually given to extreme physical exertion. Well not if they can help it.
:-)
Think the balance was wrong with MacKay-Steven on the right. Two wingers on the “wrong” side doesn’t work for me. Too much emphasis on the full-backs getting forward; leaves us exposed at the back, especially with no out-and-out DM.
Not convinced either with Tierney dropping back onto the post AFTER the corner has been taken. Seem to recall an issue away to Beer-Sheva.
Other than that not too much to complain about!
Agree about the two games per week – I think the extra prep time is more significant than any physical issues.
Bateen Bhoy
That seems like a good idea. If it is, I hope some take up the idea.
Definitely off now.
JJ
It’s brilliant the way Rodgers has been using the squad and bringing players in with little impact on team performance. Was especially pleased to see Henderson get a start after 2 great sub appearances and be rewarded with a goal. Hopefully see a bit more of him in the remainder of the season.
Analysing the squad we do seem to be carrying too many players which will hopefully be addressed in the close season with quite a few out of contract & others being moved on. By my reckoning we could pick two completely different first XI’s capable of winning most if not all games in Scotland and a 3rd XI which could compete for a European place with around 6 players that would be stars at the other Scottish teams.
First XI: Gordon, Lustig, Tierney, Jozo, Sviatchenko, Brown, Armstrong, Rogic, Sinclair, Roberts, Dembele
2nd XI: De Vries, Gamboa, Izzy, Boyata, Toure, Bitton, Henderson, McGregor, GMS, Forrest, Griffiths
3rd XI: Bailly, Ambrose, Janko, O’Connell, Ajer, Eboue, Allan, Commons, Christie, Aitchison, Ciftci
Canamalar
Look at the goal again.
As the two player began to move to attack the ball Nir got a two handed push in the back just before same player climbed all over him.
Starry. Naw, this is oor bus not the IF it was a mega bus.
MWD
Get on the Bus The Big Green Bus:))
Starry
That’s the one. ;@-)))
MWD
The trouble with Sevco, is not just their absurd inate sense of entitlement which they somehow bought or inherited from Rangers? – is plain hate.
Could yet, get really bad like Maurice Edu bad, racially abused and terrorized not by Rangers supporters, but by the ‘Ibrox hate mob’ who vanish faster than toilet wreckers.
SMSM’s ‘the Ibrox hate mob’ appears to have tuped over to Sevco back in 2012.
Deep inside the ‘posh bit’ of crumbling oraface Rob Kiernan is the recipient of ‘player hospitality’ and has to have security protection the kind of which is normally reserved for Neil Lennon
We already know the people are indeed revolting, and not only that, they are even angry with hate.
Rob Kiernan played for Watford and Wigan Athletic and also spent time on loan at Kilmarnock, Yeovil Town, Bradford City, Wycombe Wanderers, Accrington Stanley, Burton Albion, and Brentford
Poor Rob, in root an Irish republican just trying for an honest wage in his descent towards Sevco the real trouble with whom, is those dark men in the bowler hats , and their marble staircase.
In my watching of fitba , the ‘climbing’ , arms over the shoulders of the opposing player for cross balls is something I remark on frequently, yet it is seldom picked up by the referee.
The St. J goalscorer was physically preventing Biton jumping and we should have been awarded a foul.
Brilliant analysis for our 5th goal yesterday includes graphics :)
http://etims.net/?p=10814
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 12:58 PM
Spot on. Not sure about your last sentence though…….Bowler hats, aye….but surely dark men wouldn’t be tolerated by the southside KKK on their marble staircase? -))
Dont know whether anyone has mentioned it but that 5th goal yesterday was a thing of beauty..
Wont see a goal like that for a long time….
And it was scored by a fellow European brother of ours,a young French man of Malian descent..
The type of person the Trump loving Farage loving Le Pen loving twits on here would not allow entry to our green and hallowed land if they had their way.
Sorry couldnt resist
SPORTANDPOLITICS SHOULD NEVER MIX CSC