Shortly after Elfsborg cracked one against the crossbar last night I quickly scanned the Celtic team and had a thought. For the second season in a row we are taking on the Swedish champions but we’re missing two of last season’s big performers and none of this season’s new signings were ready for action. In short, this was Celtic 2012 minus Wanyama and Hooper. No wonder we looked unstructured.
Joe Ledley brought some vision to central midfield when he arrived, hopefully banishing the Brown-Kayal partnership to hidden corners of our mind once and for all. Anthony Stokes playing at the front of a wide diamond was equally effective. With the signing of Amido Balde, bids in for Kevin Doyle, and the addition of a wide-delivery-expert Derk Boerrigter, clearly Neil Lennon has a different plan for the months to come….. so there’s no real need for me to state the obvious.
Defensively we looked solid after a shaky opening few minutes. I’m not the only one who was a bit nervous about Efe Ambrose after he was (again) caught underneath a long ball, but he settled quickly. As we know to our cost, being great for 87 minutes is not how Champions League reputations are made, you are judged on your how vulnerable you become in your weak moments.
I said yesterday that Samaras and Commons were the two players who could cope at this level, which became plainly obvious during the game. Georgios was the one player who frightened Elfsborg, they either swamped him with four defenders or fouled him before he got near goal.
Kris is simply the most intelligent footballer we have. He is not the fastest, will never have the best stats, but he understands how games are won and is able to act accordingly. Without these two players Celtic would be distinctly vanilla.
Thanks to those who sent over their 1254125 Great Scottish Run details, I’ll have them on the page later.
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don’t beleive it first thing on SCOTTISH BT.DARRRRLLLLL.SOMEBODY RIGHT OVER TO STADIUM WI NAE ROOF . WEE MASONIC HON SHAKE WI SUPER ALLY PLUS GARRY PENALTY MISSER WILL BE LENDING A HAND.I WAS HAPPIER EARLIER WHEN IT WISSNAE WORKIN.
VMHAN
Above to EDB applies to you too.
I replied to your post about a fortnight ago,but I reckon you missed it.
Can’t find your mail addy either….
LudditesCSC
St Johnstone win 1-0 away from home again!
Wish I had backed them!
HH!!
mon the saints
Major clanger from BT Sport.
Launching their preview of Scottish football they visit a 3rd tier Scottish side and interview their rotund manager.
Completely ignoring the Champions who raised Scottish football’s profile by also reaching the CL last 16.
Not a good start from BT.
ASonOfDan
18:46 on 1 August, 2013
3 Scottish teams in Europe this week and zero tv coverage. You would almost think the msm wanted the Scottish game to die
————————————
There only interested in sensationalism that involves
Pulling all of Scottish fitbaw down
In favour of there establishment
Team that are dead and tow the jack Irvine line
excuse for journalists
8/11 the mob playing Murderwell……tempting..
Saints win away in Europe again, obviously there no chance of them surviving without the huns..armaaaaaaaaaagedon eh Hugh….
Greendreamz
at 18.30
Your Scenario of oor next Confrono wi the Swedes in Elfland.. May be the Right wan..
Ah kin Not be certain. that it Won’t.
Howevahhh..
The Scenario fur this Tie, that Kojo Proposes.. goes something like this..
The Swedes Wull.. Play..
In the IDENTICAL WEY. in which They Played Agin Us…at Parkheid oan the Clyde.
And that Wiz..
Hack the Hell oota The Celtic, and Play Stonewall Gamesmanship..
Ten Men Behind the Ba..and Wan Man..up Front, but, with… that Solitary Striker. being,ready and willing tae Drap back..and Help his Stonewalling Comrades,at a Signal fae the Swedish Bench.
and With the Swedes…Pinning thur Hopes oan a Celtic.. Defensive Blunder, or Two
tae Gift them the Tie..
Which.. Unfortunately,is Not Beyond all Possibilities.
The Swedes, simply Cannot.. Ah repeat.. Cannot
Allow Celtic tae Bolster thur Advantage.. by score. that All Important .
Double Valued.. Away Goal!
That woud be a Calamity.. which could end up in being. A CATASTROPHE, fur them.
So..
Bottum line..
No,Pal.. Ah do not believe that the Swedes wull.. as you say..
“Open Up”…
Celtic kin expect a very Tough game.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Gotta Leave,Steve
Seeya
ArmageddonGiveMeMore
Yee ha got my free BT Sports on now. Bayern v City coming up.
LEFTCLICKTIC 1835
That’s a lot of good news in one post,bud!!!!
As I mentioned above,I’m looking for suggestions for the initial more sober part of the day.
Drunken revelry will probably be much as before!
‘bring back skippy’ on clyde
Minx
She might ask if its a world record attendance
Well done,St Johnstone.
Biggest co-efficient gain from any club outside Glasgow since the system started.
Hope they make it to the group stages,the MSM won’t know what to do then….
‘get Griffiths in’now
Ten Men Won The League
Seems clear who their target audience is then….
Of course Euro success can only be measured against victory in the Ramsdens Cup!!!
BT Vision?
Obviously chasing the hun pound.
Did we really expect it to be any different?
Would have been the same if Lord Livingston of Parkhead was still the CEO of the BT Group.
Pathetic!
HH!!
TBJ I am kidding we are happy to have all there! All welcome
Well done St Johnstone.
That has to be the best string of performances from a non Celtic Scottish side in many many years given the way they’ve done it – by prudence with a tiny club.
Hopefully they can finish the tie next week and get into the group stages.
Our football could do with two or three teams making the two group stages.
Swansea v Malmo on ITV4
Minx
You dont really believe I have a zombette ;))))
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Get HT to take yous on a tour of the Calton bars.
soundsgoodtomecsc.
Off to my meeting bud
till later all
Well done Saints.
Kojo
You are absolutely right (and I am amazed as I type those five words).
Elfsborg will play the same in Sweden as they did at CP. It is the only way they play.
It will be tight as hell and they will hope to score on the break.
Why are Sevco complaining about Hearts.
A It’s bad form.
B The punishments were changed after a review when Rangers F C went into administration. Hearts Will have larger points deduction than Rangers got.
C Rangers administration was wilful and contrived the extra punishments were due to the fact that only match fixing was deemed to be worse than their wrong doing.
D Rangers were given a winter and summer transfer embargo. They were allowed a period of grace???? to bring in players, so Hearts once again got a greater punishments.
E Rangers were liquidated, so what has their insolvency event got to do with Sevco.
F On what grounds were Hearts given an extra punishment anyhow?
A chap posted earlier that if Ibrox have a dodgy roof the City should be on top of this.
Could I suggest the SFA & SPFL Boards get on top of it also.
Well done to St Johnston great result.
Mr Cisse welcome to North Lanarkshire.
We love oor Football and love to see a legendput on a great performance and score some goals8-O
Hail Hail
Andypingu @andypingu
St Johnstone have won more games in Europe this year than rangers did in their last 4 years of existence Armageddon
Skippy signed for mighty Millwall.
At long last, Sevcomedian explains the same club business and all becomes clear:
“It was conveniently ignored that Rangers actually avoided liquidation by the mere fact that the sale of assets, business and goodwill preceded any liquidation process.”
Monaghan
Where did that unbelievable statement come from
No sign of the fuds Burley and Craigan on BT Sport so far…….
Monaghan1900
Wonderful finger on the pulse stuff that we poor Tims can only aspire too!!
Administration 2 should throw up more genius’s like him!
Monaghan1900
19:19 on
1 August, 2013
At long last, Sevcomedian explains the same club business and all becomes clear:
“It was conveniently ignored that Rangers actually avoided liquidation by the mere fact that the sale of assets, business and goodwill preceded any liquidation process.”
If there’s one thing Sevcovians do better than anyone else, it’s denial.
b.t. and sky so sevco friendly
received a brochure thro the door from virgin
bangin on about the season ahead , nowhere
do they give a mention to scottish football.
btw i am a virgin customer.
we as celtic fans are being treated as 2nd class
customers. nothing new there
the over hyped epl and sevco seem to be all that
counts,
the sooner we have our own domestic channel cant
come quick enough
Hard done by!
In any other country, except NI, THEY would be out existence and their administration process be the subject of some very searching scrutiny.
19:24 on
1 August, 2013
Should have read.
Hard done by!
In any other country, except possibly NI, THEY would be out existence and their administration process be the subject of some very searching scrutiny.
As I have previously said about other media organisations.
Money, even in small amounts talks.
If anyone is unhappy with BT, then hit them in the pocket.