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Managers are keen to use record transfer players

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Football is all about the creation and utilisation of space.  The first thing Leigh Griffiths did to create the goal last night was leave space in the box for him to exploit.  If Leigh occupied the traditional centre forward position, there would have been no space for him to leave his marker and the goal would not have happened.  This is a striking example of football intelligence.

Until that moment, Celtic were disarmingly impotent.  Too often this season we have been dependent on opponents making a defensive mistake, and, if like St Mirren they don’t, we look laboured.

It was difficult to assess Filip Benkovic against St Mirren on Friday, he was never pressed and was skinned once, but you could see what all the fuss was about last night.  The Croat looks the real deal: fast, good in the air and comfortable on the ball.  He will take more responsibility in the weeks to come.

Celtic improved when Brendan Rodgers abandoned his initial plan on 57 mins, replacing Tom Rogic and Forrest with Scott Sinclair and Mikey Johnston.  Almost immediately, Callum McGregor burst into newly available space (my word of the day) in the box.  From then on Rosenborg were under pressure.  The entire stadium knew the game was there to be won, we just needed our chief goal-scorer on the field.

When managers break transfer records for a player they are keen to play him, but leaving Odsonne alone inside the box isn’t working.  We have options for Rugby Park on Sunday, but our treble goes on the line at the League Cup quarter-final at McDiarmid on Wednesday.  We need to be ready for it.

I’m nine days from the Great Scottish Run half marathon, which I’m totally unprepared for.  The ‘Why did I say I’d do this?’ thought has occurred, but you know why.  If you and I cannot do our best for the Celtic FC Foundation, we are missing a whole lot of what it means to be Celtic.

The Foundation means we can connect right back to that hall in Calton in November 1887, when Bro Walfrid said, “Let’s form a football team to help feed the poor.”  This is where we came from and, if you and I have any say in the matter, it remains a central part of where we are going.

If you can help sponsor me for the Foundation, please do so here.

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  3. Delaneys Dunky on

    BP

     

    Good morning from a sunny Clydebank

     

    Beautiful morning here.

     

    Just had 2 Morton’s rolls wi skwerr slice and 2 totty scones. Gift from God breakfast ?

     

    YNWA

  4. big packy 1 on

    Delaneys Dunky morning garry thanks for making me hungry, what id give for a well fired roll and square sausage.jealous.com.hh.

  7. Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on

    Good morning CQN from an overcast Harrogate. There’s a 1pm Mass at St Robert’s Cave in Knaresborough to celebrate the 800th anniversary of St Robert which I think I will attend.

     

    C’mon the Forres Mechanics, in the Cup, v Civil Service Strollers.

     

    I think I was the first to say, last Friday, that Mulumbu must start tomorrow and I stand by that statement. I wonder if Benkovic can play on the right because young Ajer most certainly struggles there? If so here’s a novel idea – play big Dedryck up front as a target man with the Griffalo playing off him ???.

     

    Anybody dobbed in the DOBs yet for their wardrobe malfunction on Thursday night? After all rules are rules and every other team is governed by them.

  10. David66 on

    Good morning CQN from a dry and tearful Garngad .

     

    Tearful because we have just watched the Tommy Burns documentary on catch up.

     

     

    What a fantastic human being

     

     

    YNWA Tommy Bhoy

     

     

    D :)

  11. mullet and co 2 on

    I see Chris Sutton is supportive of Rodgers stance on Griffiths. Good. Hopefully a few people take notice and realise it’s just not acceptable to take a step back to a pre 90s era consisting of a few half arsed sprints chips for lunch and a few pints in the afternoon. There are still some folk denying the laws of physics that an athelete maximising their power to weight ratio is worse than the same body with an extra layer of fat.

     

     

    Celtic as we are constantly told are required to maximise every facet and turn any positive to its ceiling of potential. If you accept 6 out of 10 from Leigh you accept that from others who will quickly let standards drop.

  12. jimtim on

    In my opinion we carry to many passengers at times . We have a few guys although being good players , don’t show up often enough , rogic ,Forrest, and McGregor, sinclaire who drift in and out of games too often . We need more guys with the get into them attitude like broonie and kt , I’ve noticed on many occasions if the going is tough ,we have some who don’t get going , yet Brendan continues to stick with them , don’t think he has heard of horses for courses. This is not a dig at BR or the players I have mentioned , when a game suits there style they are great , but we can’t depend on a few of them , and this season we can’t see off our challengers with two to three guys not getting involved . Tomorrow I hope Brendan plays malumba (sp) he is a tough character, just the help broonie needs beside him right now .

     

    Wee also need go at them wide men who can go at defences , and provide an out ball for the defence . Brenda came here ,has given us great times , and will give us more ,but he must get left alone to do his job managing the football side of things , and let the suits get on with whatever it is they actually do , that includes Dermot ,who i feel interferes too much . Just my opinion though .

  13. mullet and co 2 on

    We need to constantly challenge the narrative on this blog.

     

     

    Managers play the players they see as giving them the best chance of success. Before Edouard Scott Sinclair and then Ntcham were Rodgers highest priced signings. Sinclair has been dropped and at times Ntcham too. Kouassi also binned.

     

    So do managers … Celtic managers… Brendan Rodgers specifically play his high cost recruits? No he doesn’t.

  16. mullet and co 2 on

    There’s a running theme on this blog. An undertone that supports a Presbyterian pre disposition that there’s just no point in spending money.

     

     

    Paul’s reaction to the money spent on Edouard for example is reminiscent of the reaction to Mowbrays signing of Fortune.

     

     

    The words of Strachan echo here – there’s no point in spending £4m of £5m cos those players just don’t get you close to the real value of players in the top bracket.

     

     

    By the way Mowbray wanted more than MAF and was looking for a central striker to compliment him and Samaras- who was the guy Lawwell refused to shell out the extra for?

     

     

    Olivier Giroud

  18. david17 on

    It’s been noticeable that Paul’s recent articles are focusing on the Manager. I wonder if this is a concerted effort to put him out there to be shot at and then say well look what happened. The Board have failed the Manager and the support, nothing will change that. Pushing any other agenda is poor. How long before an ‘our esteemed manager’ Brian Quinn type comment? ‘The Belgian’ comment and some other arrogant statements were of concern. We all come on here for updates, news and to share our views and opinions, for that we should be grateful to Paul. However until this site starts calling out the Board for their numerous failings, then it’s a busted flush imo. Maybe it already is.

  20. Gutenberg on

    Gerry

     

    Tried to post last night re TB but the iPad was playing up.

     

    He epitomises everything I believe is Celtic. A wonderful player and person.

  21. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Gutenberg 10.34am

     

     

    Totally agree…

     

     

    I bet you Tommy would be a definite happy clapper these days :-)

  22. bamboo on

    Our “record” signing Eduard is peanuts compared to what clubs all over Europe are paying out.

     

    Moussa gone to Lyon where he is on the bench and judging by their showing v M City he will not find it easy to be a first team regular.

     

    Villareal are a small Spanish team but they pay much than us for new players.

     

    And I imagine Salzburg and Leipzig will be splashing out far more millions. We are only rich by Scottish standards.

     

    So Eddie doesn’t have to be given special status because he’s the biggest buy. Hes young and should be managed accordingly.

  29. Delaneys Dunky on

    Listening to James new album. Dynamite.

     

    So glad I got tickets for them and The Charlatans gig at Hydro in December. Cannae wait

     

    YNWA

  30. Saint Stivs on

    DD.

     

     

    Random question. for today.

     

     

    On my ambulance trip from jubilee to paisley couple of weeks ago the ambulance woman talked about her son being good friend s with John McGinni. The Bhoy had been working in Brazil or Argentina or something. And was going to Italy. She mentioned duntocher connection.

     

     

    Do you know them ?

  32. jimthetim53 on

    When I was a teenager, many years ago, I worked with a woman called Christine. She was beautiful. I suppose if she were still alive she would be about 80 or 90. And yet she is still beautiful in my mind’s eye. This was her favourite song. God bless her.

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qit_HikDGxU

     

     

    Jim Reeves.

     

     

    I’m moody today.

  33. NorrieM on

    Goooood Morning CQN – ???????

     

     

    Yip still morning time

     

    Mullet & Co 2 @ 09.58 – bang on, Griffiths ofetns plays for Griffiths, with often poor work rate

     

    – look at last minute last week against St Mirren, still offside when ball came through, yes finished exce, but no good if offside

     

    My frustration, also the poor mobility ( moving into space to receive the ball) of several regulars, who receive praise on here.

     

    Fanatic also points out body position in receiving the ball, watch James Forrest, 95% time he is facing the wrong way, which forces us back

     

     

    Now one thing on Sinclair, you will always get effort and an outball – change to front 3 of Sinclair Odsonne and Griff ??

     

     

    I see it now Good Afternoon CQN ???????

     

     

    Finally FtSFA

  34. Delaneys Dunky on

    Saint Stivs

     

    Sorry pal I don’t. My nephews and nieces who went to Saint Peter the Apostle with the McGinn mob will know him though.

     

    YNWA

  38. Delaneys Dunky on

    JTT53

     

    You have just brought a tear to my eyes.

     

    My father God rest his soul, would sing that to my mammy when he had a few whiskies

     

    YNWA

  40. jimthetim53 on

    DD, I have three loves in my life.

     

    Music

     

    Celtic

     

    Our Lord Jesus Christ

     

     

    Not in any particular order. Depends on the situation. But behind everything is Our Lord.

     

     

    It’s brilliant to know that our mammies and daddies are in his loving arms.

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