It was such a jar to the senses. Twice a striker was clean through on the keeper inside the box. For 12 months, this only led to one outcome. Last night we saw Joe Hart make two saves we have not seen since his former England squad team mate was in goal.
Playing out from the back, as we do, takes nerves and practice. The key players are the goalkeeper, the central defenders and the two deepest central mids. The latter two need to be comfortable controlling a pass facing their own goal with an opponent on their shoulder. Callum McGregor and David Tunbull have this.
You can expect a few bumps on the road; McGregor’s nightmare back pass being an example, but we will improve as the season progresses. Developing this attribute will inevitably cost goals, but you see the speed and effectiveness of the transition into attack. Gone are the days of circulating the ball endlessly in a horseshoe pattern, or worse, the long ball.
I also liked our new player, Tom Rogic – another who has the ability to bring the ball under instant control with an opponent (or two, as it often was last night) breathing down on him. Kenny Dalglish would use his body to keep an opponent from getting a toe on the ball, Tom brought it all back last night. For me, this is an unexpected sunset performance. Tom is a throwback, without an engine for the modern game, so these treats will remain a cameo.
How are you feeling about the direction of travel?
Last night’s starting 11 had three new signings, eight players who were here last season, seven of whom are Scottish. Three signings and, of course, a manager we traveled the world to bring to Glasgow! There are certainly no guarantees against AZ, but the recovery has been swift and impressive. You are not going to hear this from too many sources, but the fundamentals at the club remain very good; watch how we grow.
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GEEBEE1978 on 13TH AUGUST 2021 8:53 PM
——
Shouldn’t be an issue. Some of the bigger clubs have been doing it in the UEFA Cup/Europa League for years.
I’d be very surprised if Tottenham or Roma put full-strength teams out.
—-
Fair enough, but I think that with the squad size, quality & wage bill at these clubs, it could be a matter opinion, with us it would be plainly obvious and would be explicitly highlighted in the Scottish media.
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 13TH AUGUST 2021 8:44 PM
‘Sounds like a screw up rather than cover up, Ernie.’
###
Initially perhaps.
I think the idea that Plod deliberately sabotaged the obtaining of evidence in order to protect person or persons unknown is nonsense. They’re just not that smart.
There needs to be a public inquiry into the whole stinking, corrupt mess, from start to finish.
ERNIE LYNCH on 13TH AUGUST 2021 9:36 PM
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 13TH AUGUST 2021 8:44 PM
‘Sounds like a screw up rather than cover up, Ernie.’
###
Initially perhaps.
I think the idea that Plod deliberately sabotaged the obtaining of evidence in order to protect person or persons unknown is nonsense. They’re just not that smart.
There needs to be a public inquiry into the whole stinking, corrupt mess, from start to finish.
=================
a public enquiry would be correct course.
its at 30m just now and growing.
£1 》》》 £100m especially if D&P sue.
That james doleman TL is hilarious.
hh
Arsenal could do a lot worse than sign Edouard
….goat a penalty tae?
aye!
MARKIEBHOY on 13TH AUGUST 2021 10:00 PM
Arsenal could do a lot worse than sign Edouard
—–
Best idea I’ve heard today!
https://twitter.com/patriciamcx/status/1426261558011826182?s=24
Gaun yersel son
JHB
Balogun playing lone striker for Arsenal tonight – might have been his first ever game – lasted an hour
For a club with Arsenals stature? Would be worth a punt on Eddie
Was Ernest Saunders ever in Dunfermline?
bankiebhoy1
Yes but he made a full recovery
Arsenal lack fight and a bit of grit at times. Eddie wouldn’t solve that.
To be fair, they had both Aubameyang and Lacazette missing tonight.
geebee1978
Fair comments – wasn’t sure what had happened to Aubameyang
MARKIEBHOY on 13TH AUGUST 2021 10:14 PM
JHB
For a club with Arsenals stature? Would be worth a punt on Eddie
——
Up until a year ago I thought he would be a good fit for most EPL teams outwith the big six – now I don’t.
Brendan was really enthusiastic about him during his time with us and he looked a good bet for Leicester.
For the life of me I cannot put my finger on what has gone wrong. He looks a kind of ‘deep’ guy – if he is going through something, I feel for him. He is still young and away from home – he looks unhappy to me.
MARKIEBHOY on 13TH AUGUST 2021 10:31 PM
Arteta said they were both “unwell”. Hmmmm.
In ither news……………………..
“ruthless rangers END run of defeats”
meanwhile
” theres a LONG way to go for Celtic…”
Aye….
JHB
Yes. it’s easy to forget that he is a young Frenchman. living in a foreign country through various lockdowns. He has also had Covid. As you say he just looks unhappy. I hope for his sake he gets a move. I just think his time with us is up.
JHB on 13TH AUGUST 2021 8:12 PM
I do get those who say that the title is all important, they are correct! However I would guess that if we fielded under-strength teams in the Conference, if that is where we’re to be this season, it would certainly reach the attention of UEFA. What would their reaction be to a club apparently disrespecting their brand new competition?
=========================
Not sure if you were being sarcastic there but just in case you weren’t, English clubs have been fielding second strings in the UEFA Cup / Europa League for many years, so can’t see UEFA objecting now.
geebee1978
Yes that doesn;t sound good. Serious lack of harmony at the Emirates. Yet they wanted rid of Venger.
As always be careful what you wish for,
Wenger
Still laughing 😂 😂😂😂😂😂😂
It was a good and bad night last night.
Obviously I’m delighted with the rapid progress we are making, as they were a step up from Dundee. The atmosphere was superb, the noise when Kyogo was being substituted, after another excellent performance was deafening.
I dropped my Son off and told him I’d get him inside as getting parked was likely gonnae be a nightmare.
Got in just as the game was starting and he wisnae there. Phone signals are shocking inside Celtic Park – Wifi disnae work…. I eventually got through to him by text and his Season Ticket didn’t work and he was in a mega queue at the Ticket Office.
He was told 4000 tickets hadn’t been activated that should have been – the worst of it all was there were only 3 people dealing with this problem. Everyone knows the first game is a nightmare with Tickets so why so few there to deal with this? Aidan got to see the last 20 minutes which is disgraceful – about £0.90 a minute – the Referee didn’t even add on injury time despite plenty subs being used, on this occasion I’m not blaming him. :)
We were chatting about things after the game and I got my £50 Celtic voucher a good few weeks ago now but Aidan didn’t, just wondering if all those who’s Tickets were not activated haven’t received that voucher.
I hope Dominic looks into this mess seriously as that was not good enough last night.
Buzzing about the way Ange is getting this Team going howevaaaah.
Oh and and another thing.
Ban that idiot that ran on last night, although the steward wisnae the quickest he booted him a belter. Never sure these roasters urnae huns tbh.
Two reports tonight on transfers.
First,it seems Henry is signing for Genk for 4.5 Million.2, from Poland regards the Croat RB,we offered a price,they accepted,then somehow we lowered the price,and were told to do one.
ACH,off to bed scunnered,1.15 here,its been long scorcher of a day.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 13TH AUGUST 2021 10:47 PM
No sarcasm – just an observation.
HAs I said earlier EPL clubs have large and expensive squads, most on BIG wages. They could play a ‘second-string’ and argue that they are top players who deserve a start – I don’t think we could offer the same defence if tackled.
It’s probably academic anyway.
TURKEYBHOY @ 11:12
If these reports are true, it’s almost as if Peter Lawwell has not left the building.
Oh! Wait!
Morning!
INIQUITOUSIV and ROLLING STONE – ta for your replies.
Yer right; it’s mibby not a campaign per se to discredit our fullbacks; but I was citing/sick of the regular bile directed against them, which has been unjustified IMO.
We all know how good you have to be just to get a jersey at Celtic, right? Better than many obv credit.
Sure; we can say those FB positions currently look our most deficient and we should spend our way to a solution. (Could be argued that til Kyogo arrived, striker was v deficient too, with Wantaway Ed, Dirty Griffy and Unlucky Albi vying for that jersey)
Surely we can all see and agree that Tony and Greg are improving week-on-week (esp Tony who’s finally getting a decent run in the team plus the faith and encouragement of a new manager).
Agree: I want guys doing the very best job possible in those positions but still wonder how much more is lying untapped in all our players, esp when they’re coached properly, esp strong young Scots athletes?
I don’t have crystal balls – mibby;s you do; but who know how much more T&G will improve under Ange.
Urhogide, Murray, Monty, Lawal etc look raw – but so did Cal b4 he went to Notts County.
I’m not opposed to buying quality that guarantees to improve the system AP’s trying to implement.
Wouldnt it be great to have a proper development team where guys came straight from our 2nds to the first team rather than continually have to buy in all the time? Utopian, I know.
Of course, many of us love the drama of the chase and buy – fills our days and entertains our minds.
Just for today, we’re in a good space. As am I.
Here, it’s a near-last of the winter days, 18deg and sunny ! HH
JHB
Hopefully it is academic, but as far as I am concerned the answer is that UEFA don’t have an issue with clubs fielding second strings in Europa League ties. They obviously take the view that it is entirely up to the clubs how they line up, and rightly so.
Quadrophenian,
Our full backs and Every position needs to be put under pressure by A.N.Other
Callum is Magical as Capitano so far with so much Changing. Callum is a Wonderful Football Player.
Quadrophenia,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okPlOaNQSpE
Ave Ave
Petecia,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=626pNZB8xXE
Ave Ave
Tom Waits – Chocolate Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wfamPW3Eaw
HH
Wif Lyrics,
friday night saturday morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2df30y9sMQ
QUADROPHENIAN @ 1:04 AM
A final word from me on Greg Taylor. I agree he has improved out of sight under Ange. I agree he deserves credit for giving his all every game.
I am looking at him from an ex-coach’s point of view. He is short – he will never grow taller. He is slow – he will never get faster. ( It is not that he is lazy, it is simply genetics ). He is slight. Although he may bulk up slightly, it will not be by much.
The result of the above is twofold, and we saw a lot of this last season. 1. He gets ragdolled by speedy, muscular players, and 2. He is so pedestrian at getting back into defence that the opposition targets the space behind him, regularly getting us into deep trouble. McGregor gallantly tried to cover for him a lot last season, and unfortunately, that is not Callum’s forte.
Inevitable conclusion – upgrade the fullback position.
With 18 days to go until the close of the window, Turkeybhoy’s post above has got me fearing that: 1. The Board now thinks they have spent enough, or 2. Lawwell or his successor are back at their penny pinching best, thwarting weeks of effort at the last hurdle. They certainly have previous.
A Message To You Rudy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cntvEDbagAw
PETEC and SIONNAGH.
Agree and like.
Vitamin D is calling me.
HH to u both.
QUADROPHENIAN @ 1:04
“Here, it’s a near-last of the winter days, 18deg and sunny ! HH”
Forgot to mention – here, where I am in the US of A, it was 37C today with high humidity, Just Godawful weather. HH.😊
Afghanistan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SOryJvTAGs
That’s some heat INIQ; I always fancied the States but ended up downunder where we’re no strangers to extreme heat.
Are u southern states and which seaboard?