Before we get into some proper reflections on yesterday’s game, can we pay a moment’s respect to the passing of the careers of Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe, who respectively spent 15 and 20 years in professional football. I know we will all wish them the very best on their lives after football – starting today.
Without a word of a lie, when I sat down to write this, I had to go back and confirm that Glen Kamara started the game. Scott Brown has seen them come and go in his 12 years at Celtic. When any of them win against the champions, he’s often the man opponents delight at getting the better off. Kamara did just that on social media in May after the Ibrox club’s win over Celtic. You could set your watch for Scott dominating the former Dundee player. Yesterday, Kamara looked like what he is, a £50k signing who cannot cast a shadow on the Celtic captain.
On Friday we talked about the bedwetters who were worried about the challenge from Newco this season. They added a load of duds, mostly free transfers, to a squad that won nothing and they had people, who should have known better, worried about the Treble Treble winners facing them. Newco signed 10 players this summer, 10 PLAYERS!! Nine of them were not good enough to get into that pathetic starting line up. Gerrard has not signed playing assets, he’s added financial liabilities!
I don’t remember the last time we saw such a makeshift Celtic defence start a big game. Jozo Simunovic and Kris Ajer both failed late fitness tests. Hatem Elhamed missed the previous three games through injury, and had only made five appearances for Celtic, but he was patched up and played at right back. His fellow Israeli, Nir Bitton (new contract please), was asked to fill in at central defence alongside Christopher Jullien. The latter is beginning to look like a £7m euro bargain.
Newco fans thought they would rip Boli Bolingoli apart (perhaps they had CQN comments pages). Boli absolutely bossed the left flank. On several occasions, he took an extra touch under pressure, showing the kind of composure you get from someone who turns up ‘ready’, as Oldco were fond of saying. He and Christopher Jullien are yet to experience defeat at Celtic.
Defending well will get you a point, but if you want to win a game, you need to put the ball in the net. With 32 minutes gone, Celtic were well on top, but the game needed a chance. Fortunately, Newco defender Connor Goldson (soon to be found playing golf at the weekend with Davis and Defoe) was in possession to play an immaculate pass onto the toe of Mikey Johnston. Mikey took the ball from the halfway line before releasing Odsonne Edouard. From that moment, the whole of Ibrox knew the outcome. The French striker closed in on goal before slipping the ball below the keeper. We have so many match winners just waiting for an opening.
You, me and just about everyone else criticised Neil Lennon for his tactics against Cluj, but what a masterclass from the Lurgan Lion yesterday. He sent players into a hostile environment with a coolness not seen in Glasgow, since Barry White last crooned into the microphone around these parts. We dominated the game, could easily have scored more, and did not concede a chance worthy of the name.
The front four: Odsonne Edouard, James Forrest, Ryan Christie and Mikey Johnston were scintillating. Olivier Ntcham was at his incisive best when he replaced James. He linked with Odsonne and Johnny Hayes to create the clinching second goal. I have been critical of Olivier, but when he turns up, he is unplayable.
All that was left was for Jordan Jones, Ryan Jack and Alfredo Morelos to demonstrate that Steven Gerrard’s talk about improving discipline is a mirage. It is disingenuous of Gerrard to criticise Jones, but overlook Morelos stamping on Jullien, and elbowing and kicking Scott Brown, and Jack’s studs-to-the-knee lunge at Bolingoli. Referee Bobby Madden did not see Morelos’ attacks, so you would assume the SFA Compliance Officer will be involved. Surely? The tifo display, showing a Celtic fan on the ground with a figure holding a bloodied sword over him is more sinister than I can remember at any football game. Is this acceptable to Newco, never mind the SFA?
They remain loyal thugs, but now they know the reality. This is the 9-in-a-row season and there’s nothing they can do about it.
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Looking like we need a Je Suis Paul movement to counteract the recent expert analysts of text.
Jordan Jones out for season
Sevco Media
From Kieran Devlin
Sources tell The Athletic Jeremie Frimpong to Celtic very, very close to being done. En route to Glasgow now. Four year deal.
Looks like Taylor is coming without any players going the other way.
Bolton in for Hendry rumour…
Deniabhoy@4.39pm
Those bra-like things under the players’ shirts are GPS trackers. Well, they are for most teams. The ones the Huns wear are made by Hun-loving lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone, the purpose of which – like her Ultimo bras – is to make average tits look good.
Jordan Jones more likely to be found on the back of a milk carton than any football field.
Missing! Last seen wandering around a field, looking lost at, Ibrox early last Sunday morning. Please call…
hahahah
If im correct, Frimpong is a Right Back im so I’m assuming Hatem will be used more as a Centre Half this season should he sign him
BOURNSOUPRECIPE
If true would be excellent Karma for WATP Jones.
Never relished or celebrated a serious injury to any player.
But we now have a new footballing phrase where it is more than acceptable to laugh at such events.
You have just done a ‘jordan jones’………
Who would win in a fight between a loan Rainjurz deal and a £7M Rainjurz deal?
Level5
Sheesh,…………. we’ve got millions of right backs
We all know the hun logic is one of life’s pleasures.
They spend all of their transfer budget to date on cheap acquisitions and freebies then splash a whole £7m (doubt it’ll be anywhere near that) on one average player, go figure
‘ a momentous deal for Sevco ‘
Al Lamont radio Shortbread
ROBINBHOY @ 6.24
If there is one thing that will get you into trouble at Sevco, its not being able to kick Celtic players
properly.
https://youtu.be/YojgpKQLlo0
Jermaine Frimpong is a very good… Rapper(?)
Liverpool have announced they have accepted Rangers 7 million pound Kent bid.
I wonder when Liverpool will be able to announce they have received the 7 million pound Kent money?
Talk about trust?…..how much pence in the pound will they get in a couple of years?
He can do my xmas presents for me….
Graham Dorrans another contract torn up.
I don’t care if Taylor doesn’t sign. I had never heard of him before Clarke picked him for Scotland. he had never been noticed by me in any of the Celtic Kilmarnock games. He must have played against Celtic at least 8 times, maybe more.
I don’t think we should be signing players from the SPFL, I don’t think they are good enough. Even Ryan Christie wasn’t good enough until we brought him back after his Aberdeen loan and began an exercise in building him up to be able to play for Celtic.
Hendry, Hayes, Morgan don’t make the grade for me. Maybe not Bain either.
£3m would be in the top 10 fees we have spent. Not value for me.
Don’t get me wrong we do need another LB, just not Taylor at this price.
Ryan Kent had a mediocre game or 2 against us last season because Lustigs legs were gone and KT hardly played and if he did he was playing with an injury. So am I worried about them signing Kent? Not in the feckin least.
We know what he can do and it’s not very much in my opinion.
Regarding Taylor Kilmasonic know we have cash and of course they are going to want what they feel is the correct fee for a 22year old international who can develop his career further. Is it £3mil ? If so pay the feckin fee.
D. :)
I can’t wait until the auditions for the cheerleading squad begins
Kent is nothing more than a prospect. £7m for a prospect? Another nail in their rotten coffin.
Bigbhoy,
Arsenal fans saying the same thing about KT?
:-)
Chucklescsc
Morelos off to Fort Wiiliam just before deadline Still celebrating in ML5 , the old Roman settlement of Toga Ponte.
GFTB nearly bought me a pint today after his school run !
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2019 6:16 PM
Jordan Jones out for season
Sevco Media
That would make my day
Great article Paul, encouraging to see the crop of our young players coming through, like McGregor and Johnston and Forrest and standing up for the club in the tough games and avoiding injury.🍀🍀
If Jones is out for the season, I for one will be delighted. The wee coward deliberately set out to hurt our player. Karma is a great thing is it not?
Do we still have a man at Bothwell services?
TheGoodOleDeadlineDays CSC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49551353
I would love Celtic fans to stop using pyrotechnics if just for health and safety reasons alone.
Greg Taylor: Celtic agree fee with Kilmarnock for transfer
LAZYDYNAMITE on2ND SEPTEMBER 2019 6:36 PM
“Liverpool have announced they have accepted Rangers 7 million pound Kent bid.
I wonder when Liverpool will be able to announce they have received the 7 million pound Kent.”
I wasn’t sure earlier but I am now in doubt that earlier when dave king was leaving Ibrox (in his chauffeur driven hearse) I couldnt help but notice he had stevie g’s liverpool supporters store card clenched tightly in his fist.
No doubt he will on his way down there, with the card to close any deal for kent. Not to mention he will be looking 10% loyalty discount… probably has alfredo moreloss in the boot aswell with the hope that he can flog him along the way to some unsuspecting circus.
On the lead article
Did Paul67 not say a few years back that he didn’t write all the articles?
Could be wrong, but i thought he did
BBC airbrush the game from the news…….oh but managed to show Kent scoring against us…
Kent is a decent player , pains me to say it but true.
He also however fits the Sevco template of an indisciplined thug and that will prevent him doing any real damage to us.
What is it with that lot that makes their players think that playing the nutter card to the gallery is professional?
It’s the absolute epitome of unprofessionalism and SG must be utterly bewildered by it.
As Chris Sutton said of Jordan Jones – Karma.
What an absolute fool Jones is. Toss a whole season away to show the punters what a hard man you are with one blood and snotters tackle that meant nothing.
I’d be genuinely embarrassed if any Celtic player did that.
Anyways – on a positive note.
Watched that second goal again loads of times. It is – by any football standard – a beautiful goal to watch and an absolute textbook breakaway goal.
Gets better every time I watch it.
CELTIC in for MAN U’s Lee O’connor ??
Bigshuggy
I have this vision of a bunch of guys outside the Big Tree discussing Julius Caesar’s tactics and complaining the senate aren’t giving him enough denari to finish off the Pictae.