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Leigh at the margin, irony is finished

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Football is often about the margins.  Virgil van Dijk’s header, when Celtic were 0-1 up away to Maribor, beat the keeper and defence, but struck Stefan Johansen on the line.  A year later, with Celtic 2-0 and rocking Malmo to their core, Stefan came close to putting us 3-0 and clear, but both Champions League playoff ties turned and a chapter in our history changed.

Trailing 1-0, yesterday’s tie against Astana could have tipped out of control but sublime play by both Patrick Roberts and Leigh Griffiths turned the game on its head.  It was a ballsy play.  Patrick wouldn’t give up, Leigh used all of his experience to despatch the ball into the net from the edge of the box.  It went exactly as I predicted in yesterday’s blog, “A great deal of responsibility will lie with Leigh Griffiths. He’ll have space to receive the ball from Roberts”.  Astana were stunned.

Not so stunned they think they’re out of it, in fact, after the game their manager and players were talking about winning at Celtic Park.  See Maribor, above, if you think that’s not credible.  They reckon the tie is “50/50”.  None of them were impressed by Celtic, the sentiment it they let us off the hook.  We will have work to do next week.

Kolo, is there anything you can do to sort us out at corner kicks?  Eoghan O’Connell lost his man, but we lose too many goals from corners inside the six yard box, or on the line, for me to ask no questions of Craig Gordon.  Is his starting position right?  Maybe if he started a pace off his line he’d get a fist on a corner before the striker.  It feels like there’s more going wrong than just the defenders losing their men.  If a goalkeeper comes for a ball in his six yard box but doesn’t get it, he’s responsible.

Irony is finished.

Care to guess which club issued this statement after the Scottish Cup final two months ago?

“Any attempts to attach blame to our supporters for the disgraceful and violent behaviour will not be accepted or tolerated by this club”.

Yesterday, the same club, Newco, not only accepted and tolerated those same supporters being blamed, they led the charge by banning them indefinitely and telling them they would lose their season ticket for the coming season without a refund!

“Any club’s supporters would have done the same”

Here’s the thing, after the cup final, Newco’s statement not only tolerated fans’ behaviour they made unprecedented attempts to justify it:

“We acknowledge that a tiny minority of Rangers fans also encroached on the pitch but only after having been faced with prolonged and severe provocation and in order to protect our players and officials who were being visibly attacked in front of them. Any club’s supporters would have done the same”.

If Celtic did this we would be mocked on every front page for a week. Unfortunately, Scotland does not have appropriate oversight in any walk of life, or the post-final reporting and political reaction would have been entirely different.

Thanks to all who are involved in the eBay auction for this incredible prize:

Courtesy of Celtic sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, we have an outstanding auction prize, as the centrepiece of our summer good causes. For the Kilmarnock game at Celtic Park, on 24 September 2016, you can win:

2 seats in the directors’ box
Champagne reception
5 course meal in the Walfrid Suite
Fully expenses bar (pre and post-match)
Half time snacks and refreshments
Car Parking
And a match programme.

The auction is open for only ONE MORE DAY.  This is a fabulous opportunity to indulge yourself in some high living while watching Celtic and contributing towards the construction of a school kitchen in Malawi for Mary’s Meals.  You can get involved here.

Thanks again to Intelligent Car Leasing.

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  7. BABASONICOS71 on

    The pass attempted by JF was overhit and was never going to be caught by LG.The fact LG altered his run wasn’t what caused the attack to break down but,rather,the poor quality of the pass.

     

    I also believe even though LG began a run which he checked the preferred ball would have been to his feet rather than in behind the defender.When I was watching it I was urging JF to play it into LG’s feet as I assessed the run made to be a dummy as LG looked as though he was trying to make a yard of space,to enable a touch then shot,rather than go in behind.Not anticipating this shows poor decision making on JF’s part IMHO.He did show some good forward runs yesterday,as he did last week against the wee devils,but on this occasion I would say his choice of and execution of pass was poor.

  8. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Macjay, now you have, going by previous posts whether tongue in cheek or not, educated me on this matter, no more comment from me to you nor on further posts you make .

     

     

    You call the Green Brigade and the Celtic Trust divisive but I find you one of the most divisive posters on this blog.

     

     

    You want posts about our team yet your responses initiate more non Celtic talk . You have educated me in just scrolling by you now.

  9. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on

    The_ Huddle

     

     

    “I never said I agreed that LG stopped for the ball”

     

     

    And you were never accused of that- which is why I posed it in the form of a question which you were good enough to answer.

     

     

    So, we have now reached the position where you are in partial agreement with me, in that, you agree the direction of the pass was perfectly understandable but the execution of it was hefty, and you are in partial agreement with Auld Tam in saying it was a poor pass, albeit not at all mysterious.

     

     

    Three different views but yet only one of us is “spinning” our view apparently.

     

     

    BTW- Leigh is speedy and I reckon could have overtaken the cumbersome defender if he had continued his run onto Jamesie’s slip pass.

     

     

    Anyways, the point was also about highlighting one of the rare things that could be perceived as an error from James last night on a night where, even, his critics admit he played well.

     

     

    My last word on the subject today.

  10. Tambourine Bhoy of 1967 on

    ROBERTTRESSELL on 28TH JULY 2016 6:24 PM

     

     

    Henrik was a brilliant header of the ball! Not sure how tall he was (guessing 5ft 8) but you’re right…. his timing and spring was outstanding. His spring was bettered only by Martin O’Neill when he was with us :)

     

     

    -Tambo

  14. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    DALLAS DALLAS WHERE THE HECK IS DALLAS on 28TH JULY 2016 9:17 PM

     

    Macjay, now you have, going by previous posts whether tongue in cheek or not, educated me on this matter, no more comment from me to you nor on further posts you make .

     

     

     

    You call the Green Brigade and the Celtic Trust divisive but I find you one of the most divisive posters on this blog.

     

     

     

    You want posts about our team yet your responses initiate more non Celtic talk . You have educated me in just scrolling by you now.

     

     

    ===============================================================================

     

     

    Two facts for you.

     

     

    I initiated nothing .

     

     

    You find a fact divisive.

  18. Neustadt-Braw on

    Natknow……there is always a catch….

     

     

    But could he dae it we a coop pie is his moo…..

     

     

     

    Braw

  21. the_huddle on

    setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 28th July 2016 9:18 pm

     

     

     

    My point was pretty simple it was a poor pass, my comment about spin was you saying that it wasn’t really a poor pass, LG could’ve got there. He couldn’t

     

     

    Full game is here.

     

     

    Pass was 91 minute (1hr 30 into the vid)

     

    https://youtu.be/_GKIBOPqQHg?t=1h30m7s

  25. NatKnow on

    NEUSTADT-BRAW on 28TH JULY 2016 9:26 PM

     

    Natknow……there is always a catch….

     

     

    But could he dae it we a coop pie is his moo…..

     

     

    Braw

     

    ———————

     

    I notice that Fox are screening the event live…..on taped delay. So not live. :-)

  29. Neustadt-Braw on

    AyeNat lad ….words are Oor bane….funny wit 26 wee squiggles can get up to…..I am a multi verse sort of braw lad…

     

     

     

    Braw.

  30. leftclicktic on

    The sheep played weel,

     

    Commentators full of praise imagine if we drew at home in the 1st leg hmmmmmmmm

  32. THE EXILED TIM on

    The sheep could-should have been at least 3-4 up at haf time, they were all over them like a rash, but bad finishing, a bit like we were at times last season done for them, I want them to get to the group stages, more co- ef points, more money for them to keep ahead of the hun etc.

  33. owen on

    Borrocks

     

     

    Was watching a fascinating documentary about Dundalks European run in 79/80 season and some “good walk spoiler”, © Mark Twain, gets the TV changed to watch the Mickey mouse rounds of the open. Grrrrr.

  36. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    TERJE VIGEN

     

     

    Excellent, sir .. Thank you for posting … HH

  37. Jobo Baldie on

    Having watched the USPGA for the past hour or so I now see where I’ve been going wrong and fully expect to burn up the course at Aberdour tomorrow. The game’s so easy ;-)

  40. Tambourine Bhoy of 1967 on

    NEGANON2 on 28TH JULY 2016 9:44 PM

     

     

    You answered your own question with a wrong answer. But you already knew that ;-)

     

     

    -Tambo

  41. THE EXILED TIM on

    Jobo

     

    Every round of golf I play I will have a handful of shots as good as the blokes on the tele will do, problem is the rest :-)

     

    It shouldn’t be a problem cos if it can be done for a few…

     

    Best of and enjoy the morra.

     

    HH

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