Livi pitch an appropriate white flag

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Before we get into the meat of the matter, I would like to record how impactful Kristoffer Ajer is at full back.  He is not a full back, of course, this is not even his second best position, but he can get beyond his man and send a dangerous cross into the heart of the penalty box.  This marks him as unique in our full back options.  Of the many lessons from the season, let one be that we need better full backs at both sides of the field.

Conceding fouls inside your own half is not considered a capital crime at other clubs, so we should temper our annoyance at Shane Duffy (or the absent, but often guilty, Diego Laxalt), but we all know Celtic cannot defend set-pieces.  At Livingston’s first goal, it was the otherwise excellent Kris Ajer who failed to track his man, not Nir Bitton, who stuck like glue to his opponent but was blamed by a scapegoat seeking Sky co-commentator.

When Livingston breached the Celtic defence for a second time, I was not concerned, as we were playing well and I expected a 30-minute onslaught towards the Livingston goal.  Instead, Livingston consolidated their position, aided by four substitutions in 17 minutes either side of the goal, which finished Celtic as a threat.  Credit to David Martindale.

Scott Brown’s ‘Get stuck into them’ cameo might have worked in a different era.  We have seen similar flailing arms go completely unpunished against us, but it was the last thing we needed last night.  By full time, the Livingston pitch resembled a very appropriate white flag.

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457 Comments

  1. An Tearmann

     

     

    I think it requires your head to be stuck in the sand to even contemplate what we are watching is Champions material.

     

     

    Just not realistic, fairy tale stuff, gnomes and pixies.

     

     

    3 points out of 12

     

    7 wins out of 22

     

     

    Up against a challenger who has dropped 6 points in 24 games, we’ve dropped 9 in our last four.

     

     

    Just prefer to live in real world.

  2. I dont know about Eddie Howe and will he not be on gardening leave as well.

     

     

    Can we afford him?

     

     

    There must be a cheaper option out there, come on PL dont change course now. Stick to your excellent flight path and 30 year plan.

     

     

    You know it makes sense.

  3. prestonpans bhoys on

    FAVOURITE UNCLE on 21ST JANUARY 2021 9:24 PM

     

     

    Seen a good few Liverpool games during lockdown, what else to do, they are a poor image of last year. This will be their 10 draw I think.

  4. prestonpans bhoys on

    FAVOURITE UNCLE on 21ST JANUARY 2021 9:24 PM

     

     

    Just got worst 1:0 down, don’t think it was a penalty, they play my English team at the end of next month, Everton👍

  5. PITYMEVIN on 21ST JANUARY 2021 9:37 PM

     

     

    He got relegated with a tiny club that he took to two promotions and five years in the top-flight playing lovely football.

     

     

    Had the goal-line technology not failed in the Villa game, they’d still be a top-flight club.

     

     

    Anyone who doesn’t think Eddie Howe would be a massive step up from Neil Lennon and indeed Steven Gerrard needs to read up more on his career.

  6. I want more, BR last gig was liverpool and these are the types I want at Celtic not some losers

  7. Burnley with full backs and centre halfs in their back 4 stop Liverpool scoring.

     

    Will never catch on

  8. In England 95% of managers are losers, doesn’t make them bad managers.

     

     

    Eddie Howe would be a great fit for a club who buys so many projects, get the coaching right and let all our other in built advantages lead us too many more trophies with CL qualification the main target.

  9. *CQN PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2020-21*

     

    RESULTS FROM GAME #36 – LIVINGSTON 2 CELTIC 2 (Elyounoussi, Bitton)

     

     

    Those of you who were good enough to vote should have received an automatic reply confirming that I’m ditching this wee venture. I no longer have the drive for it in the current climate, with last night’s game just bringing everything into focus. Actually, last night’s performance was far from the worst this season. But there’s a far far bigger picture that needs to be addressed than deciding who this season’s player of the year should be. And calling it the CQN player of the year also troubles me as I find myself less engaged with the lead articles (occasionally) and sub articles (regularly bottom of the barrel drivel, if I’m allowed that opinion).

     

    IF ANYONE (OR TWO) OUT THERE WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF THIS SEASON AND CAN SPARE A COUPLE OF HOURS FOLLOWING EACH GAME PLEASE EMAIL ME ON EITHER cqnpoty@gmail.com OR jobobaldie@yahoo.co.uk AND I’LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THE GMAIL ACCOUNT AND ALSO SEND YOU ALL OF THE CONTROL SHEETS I’VE USED. IT’S NOT THAT DIFFICULT, HONESTLY!

     

     

    Thank you to the 21 who voted following last night’s game. And thank’s to everyone who contributed to the 5,446 votes that have been cast over the past 36 games.

     

     

    The votes cast for each player (no asterisks as I didn’t even vote myself) are as follows –

     

    Barkas: 0

     

    Ajer: 21

     

    Bitton: 6

     

    Duffy: 0

     

    Taylor: 4

     

    Soro: 10

     

    Christie: 0

     

    Turnbull: 8

     

    McGregor: 4

     

    Elyounoussi: 12

     

    Griffiths: 1

     

    Klimala: 0

     

    Brown: 0

     

    Frimpong: 0

     

    Johnston: 0

     

     

    So, the players receiving points for the Livingston game are –

     

    Ajer – 5 points

     

    Elyounoussi – 4 points

     

    Soro – 3 points

     

    Turnbull – 2 points

     

    Bitton – 1 point

     

     

    Here’s the final table showing all 32 players who got onto the park at some point this season. The figure in brackets for the top 9 (in a row) is the number of appearances, including as a substitute –

     

    1st – Ajer – 55 points [30]

     

    2nd – McGregor – 54 points [35]

     

    3rd – Laxalt – 52 points [20]

     

    4th – Christie – 44 points [31]

     

    5th – Frimpong – 43 points [32]

     

    6th – Soro – 36 [14]

     

    7th – Turnbull – 35 points [17]

     

    8th – Brown – 29 points [29]

     

    9th – Elyounoussi – 27 points [30]

     

    10th – Duffy and Rogic – 19 points

     

    12th – Edouard – 18 points

     

    13th – Ntcham – 16 points

     

    14th – Griffiths – 14 points

     

    15th – Bitton– 13 points

     

    16th – Taylor – 11 points

     

    17th – Barkas – 9 points

     

    18th – Ajeti – 8 points

     

    19th – Elhamed and Welsh – 7 points

     

    21st – Forrest, Jullien and Klimala – 5 points

     

    24th – Bain – 4 points

     

    25th – Hazard – 3 points

     

    26th – Ralston – 1 point

     

    27th – Bolingoli, Dembele, Harper, Henderson, Johnston and Okoflex – 0 points

     

     

    Thanks. It’s been a blast!

  10. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    Agree with you SID – the Howe profile seems a good one. Young, driven, focus on player improvement and development, good coaching, has managed at a high level (5 years in EPL), etc.

     

     

    If not him, then someone with a similar profile.

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  11. lets all do the huddle on

    Anyone who doesn’t think Eddie Howe would be a massive step up from Neil Lennon and indeed Steven Gerrard needs to read up more on his career.

     

     

     

    i wouldnt go overboard with the gerrard love in. his managerial stats dont back it up

  12. PITYMEVIN on 21ST JANUARY 2021 9:37 PM

     

    I will say it now,I dont want Eddie Howe.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    In his last role he got relegated, end of

     

     

    He got Bournemouth promoted on a budget of pennies,and kept them in the EPL for 4 seasons, if anything he should have left about 2 years ago,as they hit the ceiling

  13. PITYMEVIN on 21ST JANUARY 2021 9:55 PM

     

     

    No he got sacked because of slippey G

     

    ——————————————————————————————-

     

     

    Let’s not forget the 3-0 lead they squandered against Crystal Palace the week after the Chelsea loss and the fact that the following season was their worst start for 50 years.

     

     

    Not denying he’s a good coach but Rodgers reputation was in dire need of a rebuild after it went horribly wrong at Liverpool.

     

     

    Then you say Thomas Tuchel who has been sacked at the last two clubs he’s been at.

  14. LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE on 21ST JANUARY 2021 10:02 PM

     

     

    Anyone who doesn’t think Eddie Howe would be a massive step up from Neil Lennon and indeed Steven Gerrard needs to read up more on his career.

     

     

    i wouldnt go overboard with the gerrard love in. his managerial stats dont back it up

     

    ———————————————————————————————————————————

     

     

    Not a love-in but it would be churlish to suggest that he hasn’t improved Sevco both domestically and in Europe.

     

     

    I was just making the point that Howe is far better than both Glasgow managers.

  15. BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 21ST JANUARY 2021 9:25 PM

     

    See what I mean?

     

     

    There’s that AN TEARMANN fella casting up to poor Sid, who himself was casting up about young Burnley 78 :-)))

     

     

    Oh crap – and now I’m casting up about them – it’s a virus…

     

     

    HH

     

     

    BGFC

     

     

    Lol.away to put on ma Celtic suit:-)

     

    https://youtu.be/7wRHBLwpASw

     

     

    HH&ss

  16. lets all do the huddle on

    Not a love-in but it would be churlish to suggest that he hasn’t improved Sevco both domestically and in Europe.

     

     

    I was just making the point that Howe is far better than both Glasgow managers.

     

     

     

    🤦🏻‍♂️

     

     

    again i need to read properly!

     

     

    he would definitely be a step up on both

     

     

    but he, or any new manager, will get compared to gerards euro record which stat wise is impressive

     

     

    ae i said on here during the week, i sure dont envy our next managers job

  17. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Klopp got relegated at Mainz. Dortmund obviously looked at his entire body of work and what he could bring to them. Didn’t work out too badly for them!

  18. GENE on 21ST JANUARY 2021 10:07 PM

     

     

    Compare and contrast the financial power of Liverpool and Burnley – it’s not all about the money

     

    —————————————————————————

     

     

    In a one-off game maybe. But the league table would suggest money is one the biggest, if not a definitive factor.

  19. GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 21ST JANUARY 2021 10:21 PM

     

     

    Exactly. Imagine Dortmund Quick News saying they didn’t want Klopp because he was a “loser”

  20. I thought ,3 months ago I wanted Howe. What has changed from then that makes him better now ,!

     

     

    Anyway I don’t believe its him paul67 said as much earlier today.

     

     

    Face the facts it’s NFL to season end !

     

     

    Sadly

  21. Thank You Jobo for all the time & effort you put in to Competition.

     

    I enjoyed it greatly but totally understand your decision to pull the plug.

  22. PITYMEVIN on 21ST JANUARY 2021 10:41 PM

     

     

    Tuchel has been a failure in his last two jobs and would cost way beyond our budget.