Can we all just agree to change nothing? I know it was a dead rubber and I know it’s different playing against a 10 man defence, but honestly, just, change, nothing.
We had a defender at the right side of defence, not a frustrated winger. That subtly rebalanced the team; Kristoffer Ajer (22) was not 20 yards further upfield to connect to a Mohamed Elyounoussi pass, but he was back to provide cover and balance to the two to his left.
Christopher Jullien and Shane Duffy had their most assured game together – although Shane, you were never winning that ball, you should have shown the player down the line instead of committing to the foul. It was a mistake that would have been sore on another day.
David Turnbull (21) got one goal, one assist and got the assist for the penalty. That is an incredible return for a player who has been sitting in the stand or out through illness all season.
After a couple of substitute appearances in 11 months at the club, Ismaila Soro (22) made his starting debut and was even more influential than Turnbull to the flow of Celtic’s play. The deep lying central midfield player has several jobs: protect the defence, intercept opposition moves, get the ball forward quickly and accurately. A lot of off the ball work is also required; the best in the business are in position to stop moves before an interception is required. Ismaila did all of this very well.
Like Soro, the lack of opportunities afforded to Patryk Klimala (22) made me think he was less effective than our other strikers have been recently. Apparently not. Patryk is all about movement. He can take a ball, bring others into play and – effectively last night – win corner kicks. At no time did he try to beat three players on his own, take note, Odsonne.
After THAT pass at Tynecastle in 2019 you may have wondered what happened to Ewan Henderson (20). The player had a lost 18 months but, like the rest of the midfield last night, he was on his game. He was tidy and intelligent in possession. Use him.
The biggest compliment to the midfield and defence is that Conor Hazard (22) had little to do. Blameless at either goal, he got a foot to a dangerous ball, handled and distributed well throughout.
I don’t know who deserved the win more, the players, the manager or you and me, no doubt someone has been busy running a poll on the subject….. Onto Sunday!
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Gene
EH’s brother
I think we all need to get over the fact that as a starter — SB is finished at our level.
By the look of him he is probably training at a level few can match.
However his legs have gone and he struggles to cope with the unexpected.
They are not running past him now — they are strolling past him.
Putting him in the SPL starting 11 is just giving the opposition a chance to kick him.
He is the captain but enough is enough.
SFTB
Exactly – if one’s going to use initials one should use the right ones 🤭
Depression is looking at the list of Lennoxtown graduates who got a repution with us / who won U19 / U21 caps with us and who are currently playing in the Scottish second division or the English second division.
And they are the lucky ones — still playing football.
Too many seem to have drifted out the game by 26 or 28.
Something is badly wrong with Lennoxtown and the St Ninians pathway.
Seems to major in teenage pregnancy and inflated egos.
SFTB @ 15.01
Please no SB and no CMcG — if NL is feeling generous he might offer RC 45 minutes.
These players are the reason we are failing.
I think it was 31003 who said that the marked difference from recent performances last night was all about pace. It was pace that made the players look like a Celtic team.
It’s difficult to capitalise on pace against a ten-man defence. But there must be a way.
I’m in the play 2 upfront camp – any 2 from our 4. And play them regularly to get an understanding. Let’s try and make life difficult for our opponents.
On another note – I loved Ewan Henderson’s quick feet at the edge of the box and then a left footed cross. Many a player would have pulled the ball back onto their stronger foot allowing the defender to get back into position.
Well done young man.
Very important lesson learned last night and now a “Daddy or Chips”
moment for Lenny. Will he take us forward or back to the old faces and
auld pals act, bearing in mind there is no margin for error.
Would he have picked that eleven players last night if we were chasing points
instead of a dead rubber game
I very much doubt that. Sorry but I don’t think that he can take us forward
and will revert to type. Hope I am totally wrong.
Also i would like to see Ralston getting a run at RB in a back four, at present
he is the best RB we have at the club.
Fritzsong
The slow build up allows teams to organise and sit back. Hopefully a bit of pace will unsettle them.
Broonie took us to 9. He has done his bit.
Others need to take up the mantle —- he is club captain and a leader. Still vip.
Don’t believe that Calum Mcgregor was one of the wantaways although he has been playing poorly.
Scott Brown receiving some unfair criticism. I actually don’t think he has played that badly this season, although he should have been rested more often. I wouldn,t like to go play the huns without him.
No harm, or disrespect, to Broony, but he needs rested, along with CalMac.
Neil Lennon knows freshness has been long needed, why it has taken him so long to change things, is imho, that he’s become delusional, or he’s been asked to pull the handbrake up, way back when the financial fears for the Ibrox club last appeared. The overarching interference from the dubious executive operatives, probably spelling out where we’ll be a year from now, if the Ibrox club suffer a financial hit, then next year how many bottom six clubs will survive, after a season without gate receipts?
If Neil has been asked to pull up the handbrake, which would in effect be cheating Celtic supporters, could he have been influenced by, the moral arguments of the recent past?
Neil walked out of the managers job before, one of the reasons arguably, that he didn’t want to engage in Lawwell’s austerity cuts to the first team, the main case was, selling Wanyama for £13 million? And replacing him with Bitton for £1.5 million?
Neil saw austerity on the team, as in effect the cheating of Celtic supporters. So he quit, rather than cheat the supporters.
So, imagine what was going through Neil’s mind, in 2016, when Neil was outside the club, and the Ibrox club came back into the SPFL, with still not a word from the PLC board about the Same Club issue, not a trophy stripped, not a single dime paid back to HMRC, still with the same accredited trophy haul as the Old Ibrox club.
So Celtic PLC board, recruited Brendan Rodgers, to replace RD, who’d replaced Neil when he quit as Celtic manager, previously. All of a sudden, no one seemed to care about…
Trophy stripping
HMRC debt
The Same Club issue
…none of these fires that burned so brightly for four years, seemed to matter anymore.
It was as though, Brendan Rodgers had arrived with a magic wand, and made all of these contentious issues, disappear, like magic.
Then, reality sneaked up, but still, no one cared anymore. Unbelievable!
So, being the sharks that they are, the opportunistic PLC board, were presented with an open goal, to ‘FIX’ the Old Firm ticket prices, to what they were in 2012, the Bobby Ewing price of, £49:00.
And still, nobody cared about old arguments, as Brendan Rodgers was here. But at what price?
Unbelievably, after four poisonous years of ‘the banter’ the Celtic supporters were about to be sheared, like a sheep gets sheared, all without a single “bleat” or, “bah” Celtic supporters, had put their thirst for the Old Firm return, ahead of, Trophy Stripping, HMRC Swindle money, Same Club issue, nobody cared anymore about, ethic’s, principle’s, moral’s, their Celtic soul’s, these season ticket holders, had just been USED, CONNED, SHAFTED, HAD, SHEARED, all of that, and more, because they’d just shown their real colours, and they weren’t pre-1994 green & white hoops, not this gulled gang. To compound the felony of being easily mugged, these ‘new age’ Celtic supporters, had just paid Old Ranger prices, to watch New Rangers vs Celtic. But it didn’t end there, as these NON JUNGLE experienced version of, Celtic supporters, proceeded into Ibrox, and started to sing, “YOUR NOT RANGERS ANYMORE” the Benny Hill choir had spoken, on behalf of, Celtic supporters who’d been cheated out of 20+ trophies by David Murray, and these present day Celtic supporters, joined the queue, of the Scottish establishment operatives, as they swept David Murray’s corruption under the carpet.
Well, if Neil Lennon had been asked to pull up the handbrake, by PLC board operatives, to avoid another, Ibrox financial calamity, and make Celtic play pish, and allow the Ibrox club to win the league, he would be understood by me, as he threw himself under a bus before in 2014, to respect Celtic supporters and their cause. But Neil knows that these same Celtic supporters that he respected, taking kickings on Glasgow’s streets, as he remained, unbowed, unbroken, and unbeaten, on their behalf, yet in 2016, Celtic supporters put the Old Firm FIRST, not the cause, the cause of Brother Walfrid, Mr Stein and his Lisbon Lions, Mr McNeill, Mr Hay, Mr Jansen, Mr O’Neill, Mr Tommy Burns, the cause that was roared on from the pish flowing Jungle’s hallowed steps, that cause died in 2016, sacrificed on the Green Hun alter, for a chance to gloat at the New Rangers, whilst paying Old Rangers prices. Shame on them!
Off oot.
I think Callum is suffering from playing far too many games in the last 3 or 4 seasons, he recovered really well last night, a top player.
Formula
1) develop a hypothesis – ” What If……?”
2) Add an outrageous conspiracy theory as “plausible”- “What if…… we are working to give Sevco the title?”
3) Treat said outrageous theory as established fact- ” What if…. we are working to give Sevco the title, therefore, it follows, that by picking a poor manager who will mess up the players, you guarantee this”
4) Add a bit more colour and oft-repeated mantras to round it off and show how prescient the poster was in foreseeing (inventing) this scenario and how the rest of you were not only blind to it but actively contributed and ……
” What if…. we are working to give Sevco the title, therefore, it follows, that by picking a poor manager who will mess up the players, you guarantee this, and I warned you all about it but you were too busy buying into O** F*** thinking, suporting a Tory Board and paying £49 for a tribute act, that you failed to notice my genius and affirm it to my satisfaction”
Who needs the tabloids, eh?
SFTB
We can see you sneaking Scott Brown back in 👎
BADA
He’s got Kieran Tierney burn out.
ST TAMS on 11TH DECEMBER 2020 12:22 PM
Paul agree, re. Soro.
Never took the ball off the back 4 , allowed them to play it forward early.
When he broke up play and intercepted, he pas forward quickly, not back or accross.
Don’t think Christie merits a place on Sunday.
Would have Eddy alongside Klimala
…………………………..
Great point about Soro not taking the ball off the back four & how that changed the dynamic throughout the rest of the field. It reduced the gap between our defence & midfield forcing Lille to drop or risk having their own midfield bypassed.
I disagree about Christie though as I’d have him back in place of Elyounoussi.
Frimpong is likely to be out so we’ve still got room for another striker.
I’d prefer Griff but it seems that he can’t give us 90 minutes yet.
I saw that young & very talented Cameron Harper was a sub last night so we could have either Eddie or Griff for 70 minutes then give Harper a chance.
I can’t remember such anticipation over the team sheet for a Celtic SPFL game.
HH
MM and BSR
I wanted to see how we would play with 2 genuine DMs
The trouble with Brown & McGregor or Brown & Ntcham is the latter 2 go wanferin gup the park too regularly as they see themselves as central or attacking mids and are rarely around to assit the defence which is already missing two Wing Backs upfield.
Brown usually plays there alone, when “paired” with any other Celt. The same will happen if Soro is paired with Calmac, Ntcham, Turnbull, Christie or Rogic- they will all drift upfield. If you choose only one DM in either Brown or Soro, you cannot easily cover both wings with one DM. That is why I have Broonie there until we have a reserve DM like Connel or Kerr McInroy, who is ready.
Do we need 2 DMs?
SFTB
Definately merit for more than one DM especially in the Europa. It’s largely the reason Scott Brown gets stick as he’s firefighting as the only blocker, to the sieve.
The angry bitterness of the multi-monikered “turn” is well rehearsed………
but, there’s is no love or genuine hurt there – just bile for its own sake or some other sleekt diversionary purpose.
AN TEARMANN @ 1:03 PM,
“Remember Celtic PLC kept the compensation received a secret.
———————
Hi Chairbhoy.
Beg to differ. Did Celtic not notify the LSE.i think as a plc they had to fully disclose.
Might be wtong,aplogies if i am parachuting in again without a parachute.hope your well
HH
All’s well here, hope things are fine with you and yours
No, of course you are not parachuting in, actually my first reply was from Celtic40Me who commented on Brendan Rodgers’ midnight flit, then there was VFR’s thinking that Leicester were prepared to wait until the summer of 2019 for Rodgers and his team.
The reason fholk think these things and a great deal of other misinformationn over the Rodgers’ departure was that when it happened the smsm, social media and others were inaccuately briefed.
In time the truth will out if you will.
Same as Celtic reporting the compensation to the Stock Exchange. Celtic infomed the Stock Exchange on the 18th March, over three weeks after Brendan Rodgers left Celtic for Leicester.
The Daily Telegraph in England exclusively exposed the compensation details on the 13th March.
Hail Hail
………….Barkas…………
Ajer…..Jullien….Duffy…… Laxalt
………….Soro……… Brown……………
……………..MacGregor………………..
………….Turnbull………MOI……………
………………….Klimala…………………….
Barkas becuase he needs to make a save before Xmas, Henderson to come on for Brown, Klimala starts before Eddy because he can be bothered. Duffy was brought to pair with Jullien not replace him Frimpong’s injury revealed a better bet at full back and he needs a rest anyway. Turnbull’s game improved MOI in a deeper role
Baby Steps CSC
So things are going to get better, not worse?🤔
I would keep young Hazard in goal for this weekend. He deserves more than just one game, and some may say that Sunday is too important, but every game is important. Give the young man a chance to grow. Right back is an issue. Frimpong is a winger not a defender. Keep Soro and Turnbull and McGregor in the mid, and lets go with Christie, Moi, and Paddy.
Would love to see Henderson and Harper get more involved. Fear that young Dembele is turning into that saga we had with the young kid who ended up going to Chelsea (name escapes me). The way that players were closing down last night and attacking and defending with pace was such a game changer.
The press gave us a wee bit of positivity but of course they added Lille were already through or Lille played a weakened team. Garbage, Lille wanted to winthat game to finish first.
Keep up the positive feelings Bhoys, keep out them negative waves as Donald Sutherland said in Kelly’s Heroes ( great movie)
Sean
Frimpong is fit for Sunday.
Repeat.
Frimpong is fit for Sunday.
PLAY THE SAME FEKKIN TEAM LENNIE TO KEEP YA JOB AND SANITY
BSR
I like the look of that set up plus it might give Eddie a wake up call
Excellent game of football last night and for Celtic to score 3 goals against that class of opponent must rank as the teams best performance of the season and all achieved with five lads two of whom Hazard and the brilliant Sorro I’d never seen play previously. The energy and sheer workrate of the lads was a joy to watch.
Young Turnbull looked a player on the odd occasion I’ve seen him and he was terrific last night and at last we have a guy who is a dead ball specialist and all his deliveries gave the French the jitters. Perhaps now Griff can take his rightful place in the penalty box at corner kicks etc. Sorro was like a Tazmanian devil popping up all over the place with his tenacious tackling. Add in young Henderson and Patryk Klimala and it was high energy all around.
The back four were solid and could not be faulted for the goals. Julien and Shane Duffy complimented each other well in central defence, perhaps that’s a partnership that will work. Ajer and Don Diego – superb.
The young players in the squad proved last night against top class opponents that they can be trusted and should be kept under wraps no longer. The French came to attack and win and not park the bus which is a different ball game in the SPFL.
BIG WAVY
He might be fit but he’s no getting in my team. 👍
Hazzard
Ajer Duffy Jullienne Laxalt
Frimpong Sorro McGregor Turnbull
Eddie Griff
CLINK\O/ 3X3
Yip , overdue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_PzUzaf5uc
anybody ever do derry to kerry?
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 11TH DECEMBER 2020 5:05 PM
BIG WAVY
He might be fit but he’s no getting in my team. 👍
—-
Good, as your team has more defenders than the Shankill Road Flute Band as it is :)
kevjungle
so you went oot the door with mon ?
you’re one of the lucky ones to have been brought up with a celtic whose board and fans were united as one.
If only we had the family dynasties of olde.
you’re one of the lucky ones to have been brought up with no celtic stars sold – we were all so happy when dalglish left.
you’re one of the lucky ones to have been brought up when celtic existed in perfect harmony with the huns, the sfa and the media – it must have been great playing on a level playing field.
you’re one of the lucky ones to have been brought up when the term Old Firm didnt exist. Wonder how many days after you left it was invented.
If only…
Big Wavy ,So your conflicted about Kimala,I’ll say one thing in his favour he can put a shift a trier ,Eduard been a disappointment this season ,he will be for the off in January,as for you wavy no wonder some players don’t make it at Celtic,with people like you ,I would like to know your thoughts about the coaches at Celtic ,who have made a pigs erchie of things ,
Tommy Burns was on the pitch last night
as an aside,
how brave is that wee mhan frimpong
pushed, pulled and booted from pillar to post by hammer throwers and athletes at speed, giving away stones.
thats brave and thats not hiding