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.
[calameo code=00039017126b6a648d717 lang=en page=128 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,112 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- ...
- 30
- »
murderwell down 1 nil,,,,,,,,,,that will be the manager of the season up in the air then…….or maybe not!!!!!!!! I despise that lot GIRUT.
‘Well 1-0 down
Looks like last hope falls with Saints
Malmo denied a penalty, but Swansea a lot better than them …..3-0
Doyle may come on loan because Wolves want his wages off their budget while they are in Div1( or 3 ..really)
Mulletwell are up against a decent outfit, they’ll get spanked home and away as usual…
Burghbhoy
Hehe….nice timing 1-0
FtM
Che
All you wealthy bhoys chatting about cancelling sky .. bt .. espn etc
Im lucky if I can afford a coffee mug :(
the spirit of arthur lee @ 20.31
Genius!
Pity help us if we end up in the EL.
Last night’s attendance was not encouraging.
67Heaven
That third goal had to be offside surely!
I see Spiers is at it now with the anomalies of Hearts/Rangers punishments.
never alone
Would be honestly be just as happy with a QFplus stage in EL as a Last 16 exit
HH
Randers FC 1 – 2 Rubin Kazan
they haven’t come up with another name have they ? Or are Rubin Kazan in the Ramsdens Cup ?
Che, I understand giving up Sky on principle.
But where will you watch Celtic games when it’s an away game in Dingwall, will you miss the game, or is it just an excuse to go to the pub?:-)
For those who played at the 5’s tonight, thanks, great game.
Shame I was dire tonight.
Geez-I-thought-Blinker-was-pants:-) clear yer lines!:-)
Che
Only reason I’m keeping Sky Sports is for CL group games, Celtic TV don’t show them.
Can you get to those games?
EDB
I didn’t think last nights attendance was too bad all things considered ….holiday month …etc
There are some good teams in the EL
Celtic Mac 21:04 on 1 August, 2013
67Heaven
That third goal had to be offside surely!
——————————————————
Bony was behind ball when Michu played it against the post so no offside
Che
You’re at it …no Sky love ..off to the Gallowgate ….
ElDiegoBhoy
21:03 on 1 August, 2013
Pity help us if we end up in the EL.
Last night’s attendance was not encouraging.
==============================
Thought 40k was pretty good myself. Also a QF knock-out would probably be an attraction. Chelsea seemed to cope.
neveralone
19:57 on 1 August, 2013
Coming late to the discussion re players of previous generations ‘improving’ with the benefit of nostalgic reminisces…
My late father (b 1917) normally a man of few words would often reel off theCeltic litany which ended “…Thompson,Thompson, McGrory, Scarff & Napier”. However he sat me down one day and said there was NEVER a Celtic team to match the new litany beginning “Simpson, Craig & Gemmell…” and no player (he saw) better than Jinky.
Sometimes it is difficult to see the obvious but in this case me old Dad surely got it right
———————–
Neveralone.
My dad was born 1913 and would quote just as you have said. If I remember the rest of that team was Thompson (the great John) Cook and McGonigle, Geatons, Lyons and Patterson.
He also said “there never was a good but there was a better”. We must live in hope that we see better in our lifetime.
I never thought that Pele would be surpassed but Messi has laid claim to be the best ever. Each generation will through up it great players. Hope some of the come from Lennoxtown.
Weeminger
What was that Hun apologist saying now ?
bazzabhoy @ 20:32
Thanks for your support in my Skydive. I’m getting close to my target now.
I believe BT sports is free-to-air on ESPN just now but you have to register to continue watching for future games: https://t.co/Odip2tbMwF
The Virgin users among you register here (No jokes The Spirit of Arthur Lee): https://customer.virginmedia.com/forms/btsport/2?buspart=Tickles_18
TBJ
That Goa twice a rear craic is a real hardship :-))
Listening to some of the Motherwell game on shortbread. I am certain that some of the pundits actually believe that they are playing a team from Cuba.
It’s the schools to blame !
….PFayr
Graham Spiers @GrahamSpiers 21m
The SFA ‘anomalies’ in punishing Hearts/Rangers for Rule14 breach does look odd. Answer maybe: a totally different 3-man Disciplinary Panel.
Morrissey –
Donation errr….donated.
EDB
To put last night’s 40K in perspective – commentator has just announced that Swansea’s attendance is just over 16K for their first ever appearance in the Europa League.
Weeminger
No enough wee Huns on the Hearts panel
What an embarrassing statement …his mask has well and truly slipped
PFayr
I’ve no interest in the EL and have no idea who won it last time round.
ELDB .. It’s summer
Lots on Holliday . We will prevail hh
embramike
I think they outlawed that interpretation in Scotland when Bobby Lennox started playing for Celtic!
I see from Twitter that Spiers is supporting Craig Mather’s call for the Sevconians to once more reach for their pitchforks, all we need is for McCoist to demand to know the names and then the hunt can begin.
EDB
Last year I’d no interest either
If CFC are in it ill have a lot of interest
0-2 Murderwell
I wonder if big balde- stokes will work out, can’t see stokes as the main striker though I’d definitely have in the squad
Hrvatski Jim
My Dad also said Jimmy McGrory was the most loved & worshipped player ever to don the jersey.
(PS I don’t recall him ever referring to Celtic as The Hoops… come to think of it neither did I as a youngster. Must be a recent innovation lol)
Murderwell 2nd best team in Scotland my erse…….5 games no goals….taking over the zombies mantle in lifting the co-efficient.
Joke that one away Cowan ya clown.
And relax
motherwell were actually doing ok, 2 down and out