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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Paul67
Glad to know the team will be imroving soon.
This bliddy slump is doig my nut in…;-)
MURDOCHAULDANDHAY on 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 1:08 PM
Don’t know about anybody else, but when I click on your etims link i get a message saying ‘dangerous website blocked’.
Maybe just my Norton being over fussy?
Celts went 2 full games without strikers.
Sevco are going the whole ‘journey’
Paul67
Ronny’s team picked up points in Holland and Turkey. No need to go over the top like Chris Sutton. You even suggested recently that the home defeat to M’Gladbach was a good performance.
On another subject, has GMS ever had a good game for us away from Celtic Park?
GLENDALYS
noted, should have read darkside
79CAPS
Firhill?
Great Debuts CSC
Firhill
Chic Charnley masterclass?
The way the squad is playing, if 2 or 3 guys come in to the team, it’s seamless.GMS needs to contribute more though, when he gets a chance, maybe he’s trying too hard and needs to relax a wee bit.Compare and contrast Brendan’s interview on Sky post match, with the inane ramblings of the Muppet of Ibrox? Very similar to Blackadder with pencils up his nose.
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 1:14 PM
MURDOCHAULDANDHAY on 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 1:08 PM
Don’t know about anybody else, but when I click on your etims link i get a message saying ‘dangerous website blocked’.
Maybe just my Norton being over fussy?
———————————————————————————————-
GLENDALY Copied & pasted the article from etims on celticnewsnow
No problems my end with warnings etc link works fine
M, A &H
Cheers.
Just enjoyed some of the finest vegetarian succulent lamb there with a re read of Ken Gallagher’s finest from The Herald 30th March 2000.
This journalistic masterpiece has to be given greater recognition by our own. Perhaps an annual award ‘Ken Gallagher succulent lamb Trophy’ or similar could be developed…..
For the record they were 15 points clear at the end of March vs our current 27 points after the first week of February ……..
Mind the gap !
Right this really rips my knitting and I have mentioned it on here before.
The person that “reports” on Scottish football, match reports et al, for the Irish News (a perceived Nationalist newspaper) is Ronnie Esplin. Ronnie Esplin is the author of at least 8 books (obv pop up colouring ins) on the Deady bears, some quite ironic I.e Official Biography of “Rangers”. Ironic because they died the next year.
In his reports there have been quite a few belters and quite a lot of previous. When reporting on Celtic supporters singing the Roll of Honour for example he described it as a song “glorifying terrorists” for a Nationalist newspaper. He is also a member of the Rangers were relegated club, a liquidation “denier” and has reported as such.
In his “report” this a.m the SOLE focus of his match report is the penalty decision for Celtics second goal and the other decisions that went against St Johnstone. No mention of the controversy re Watsons goal and NO mention of any of the goals after 2-2. Indeed its as if the game ended 2-2 with St Johnstone thereby claiming a moral victory. Not only is it biased “reporting”, it is sh#te reporting in the extreme.
I don’t want sycophantic reporting (after all that contributed to the demise of the Deady bears and will obviously do the same to the different shite) but the least you would want to see is some semblance of balance. Was the world class 5th goal a figment of my imagination? Did Sinclairs/Hendersons sublime finishes really happen ffs.
We have come to expect journalists,particularly in the SMSM, living in an alternate Universe but Ronnie is expecting to export it to the Irish News. I’m also aware that this guff is probably syndicated
As I said all you want and expect is balanced reporting. I don’t recall him being similarly transfixed with decisions that have went against Celtic. I’m going to vote with my hard earned in this instance but someone from the AICSC needs to chase this garbage up.
AngryfrombasingstokeCsc
Ps
I nominate Ronnie Esplin for the Ken Gallagher award.
HH
I see the Radar is turning up the heat on Warburton. Hot bread = toast!
Do they really think that changing the manager will make everything okay?
!!Bada Bing!!
I thought GMS was trying too much to make the best of his opportunity,
perhaps Brendan did to as I noted very early on he called him over for a wee word
Seemed to untwist his knickers a bit.
Bournesouprecipe and Glendalystonsils
OK, but apart from that?
4 points too many
All Celtic players had a touch of the ball leading to Moussa Dembele’s Hatrick -Celtic Vs St Johnstone
Bada! Bing!/Whitedoghunch
Re GMS
You may be on to something and I did not think he looked confident running in on goal for the chance he had to put us 2 up. He was a wee bit unlucky early in the second half with a shot to deflect a Sinclair effort that looked like a sitter but which he must have seen late. So far just about Brendan’s greatest strength has been to get players to believe in themselves but right now Gary looks as if he doesn’t (believe in himself).
It is a shame because I think he has ability but I fear for him over the summer as he may not get that many more chances .
I was surprised to see Nadir C get a brief run and wonder if he will get other opportunities. Unlike with GMS, Stuart A, Nir B and Dedryk I do wonder if there is a player in there at all but with Leigh G unfit and possibly out of favour I wonder of NC will outscore Garner this season.
Jimbo67
kitalba
classic goal.
TIMHORTON:
Classic football club
Please sign this petition and pass on to as many as possible.
Yogi
https://www.change.org/p/celtic-fans-ask-rod-stewart-not-to-play-in-israel
Thanks,
Bit of lateral thinking. I think we may get a few decisions for the rest of the league season when we are playing against rivals for Sevcos Euro spot. It would have been bad news for Sevco had St Johnstone got three points yesterday. Scottish cup games will be very different.
GLASGOWTWOTHIRDSFULL
It’s all about selling season tickets next time. So a change of managers is paramount. They desperately need a new motivation for their season ticket holders to purchase. That’s what the “Get Warbuton” headlines are for por cierto.
JP- GMS might not get too many more starts, he’s under pressure next time to deliver.Ciftci getting quoted now , due to lack of numbers IMO.LG had better grasp the nettle, or he’ll end up at a Blackburn or Cardiff.
PC- Jabba and the Level 5 clowns will be happy Sevco are struggling, keeps the money coming in from King to keep his name out of the rags.
Por cierto…they can’t afford to pay off Warbs et al, therefore, I imagine the hope is if enough pressure is put on the manager he will chuck it and walk away…but who would be daft enough to take that job? Plenty dafties out there I suppose…
“He’s clearly a talent. But if we’re going to be a Champions League club consistently then you need a Champions League mindset.
“Otherwise, you’ll be playing somewhere else and that goes for anybody.”
Brendan Rogers
Bit harsh on Henderson who I thought continued his fine vain of form from a cameo to a starting role. Ran out of legs, which was to be expected and replaced by the ever dependable Calum McGregor, who did what 98% of the time he does.
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS
Are they still paying Super Salary??
Warby apparently missing his half mil bonus as well..whit a mess…luverly!
Tim green 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 11:12 AM
Thanks for that explanation of rabano and Hookey.
I thought Colrain got his nickname from “hooking” a cross in from the wrong foot one would expect a cross to come from.
No Internet in those days..
Thought Liam Henderson did well.. definitely a good player in there.. just badly needs to up his fitness and bulk up abit.
When is Leigh Griffiths due back ?? I thought was only small calf strain that was keeping him out .. seems to be lasting long time.
MALC –
Kieran Tierney whose cross resulted in the award, instantly raised his arms high and loudly called for a penalty, so Nir Bitton wasn’t the only one.
WHAT IS THE STARS on 6TH FEBRUARY 2017 1:24 AM
Macjay
Enoch Powell …a bitter and twisted man who couldnt accept the dark faces that followed the troops home.That’s the price of empire building
*absolutely, I heard many war veterans say the same thing over 50 year ago. It’s the same over her now, there’s a city about 25 miles northwest of TO which for many years was populated by Scottish/Irish/English and some dikepluggers, it was regarded as being british, it still is only its punjabi british and is mockingly called bramladesh now
Whenever there are big football tourneys on the car windows are adorned with St George’s Cross flags driven by former british empire residents who still have a love affair with the mother country.
I see kayal linked with move to China .. he’s done well since moving on from us.
Same as Ross Wallace .. plays well for Sheffield Wednesday anytime I see them .
Conclaves up
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/letting-the-side-down-and-signing-the-jerseys/#more-8739
MWD
Phil’s up
Aye, it’s all about shape right enough.