Matthews master of discipline

1000

Few Celtic players have glided through four seasons with scarcely a critical comment directed his way but Adam Matthews can make this claim.  I didn’t expect him to make it as a first team player as a 19-year-old when he arrived from Cardiff City, but he so comprehensively made the position his own, you’ll struggle to name the two right backs at the club when Adam arrived………….?

The limiting factor in his Celtic career arrived in the form of a tall Swede.  Mikael Lustig has had plenty of injury problems but when fit, he’s first choice, with Adam playing backup.

Adam’s most memorable performance came against Barcelona in that game.  With Lustig at right back and Emilio Izaguirre unavailable, Adam was asked to play left back.  Tony Watt and Victor grabbed the headlines that night but Adam’s performance was remarkable.

He didn’t miss an angle all night, no matter how fast Barca pinged the ball, Adam was there.  We faced so many balls on the wing that night but the discipline in defence was remarkable.  He was clearly asked to give the Barca players space outside the box and drop to the 18 yard line, I remember yelling “Close him down” all night, but Neil Lennon had done his homework, the tactics were sound.  That game is recalled so often, for so many great reasons, but while the tactical discipline deployed was not as sexy as the goals or the atmosphere, it was genuinely world class.  We analyse games through different perspectives: when Celtic win like that all you hear about is the atmosphere, but if a German team had won that way, UK pundits would wax lyrical about their discipline.  Adam was a big part of that success, and if he goes to Sunderland, he’ll flourish.

Those two right backs were Mark Wilson and shampoo hero Cha Du-Ri, b.t.w.  But you knew that anyway, didn’t you?  If you can remember the left back we signed that summer you’re doing very well.  So many miss the target for every Adam Matthews.

Well done to Celtic, who have improved the look of two stadiums this week.

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  1. Lennon n Mc....Mjallby on

    So the government planned putting the population of Hong Kong in the north of Ireland?

     

     

    Fleg Fly Rice?

  2. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    Good Luck to Adam Matthews at his new club Sunderland like Izzy I always though he was better going forward than he was at defending I think 1.5 to 2 million pounds is a good deal for Celtic.Now to sort out the left back position as we go about strengthening our defence. H.H.

  3. Eyes Wide Open on

    Lennon n Mc….Mjallby

     

    16:02 on

     

    3 July, 2015

     

     

    The best part I took out of the story was that the suggestion this would appease the most supremacist and racist group of people by confirming their long term commitment!!

     

     

    Oh that one is funny.

     

     

    Right now I am imagining those poor same bunch of folk are feeling like a rather old frizby which is constantly being thrown about for fun when it suits the interests of others.

  4. Kevjungle

     

    Great news. Keep on keeping on, although I don’t always agree with your points!

     

    HH

  5. Always rated Matthews, sad to see him go. However players do go stale and maybe its time for him to take on a new challenge.

     

    Was iffy about Ciftci, I like a big bustling forward but a bit worried by his discipline. However I like guys who want to come to Celtic as compared to guys who only come when their preferred moves break down. Looks like Ciftci wants to come. I think Pedro should give United an extra 100k & close out the deal.

  6. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    RobertTressell

     

     

    Was watching an money lenders advert on TV last night:

     

     

    Young waitress who has missed a shift and needs cash to make-up the lost earnings (no sick pay) …….turn to a money lender.

     

     

    Our politicians are robbing us.

  7. corkcelt

     

    16:13 on

     

    3 July, 2015

     

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

     

    We get him for nowt at Christmas……….nae rush and that would really upset the Arabs.

  8. Greenpinata

     

    Agree with a lot of what you say but the point I was trying to make was about double standards.

     

    If you can make allowances for killing your enemys civilian population then your enemy has every right to make allowances for killing yours.

     

    In WWII both Coventry and Dresden were destroyed. Yet in Britain only one is seen as a war crime. The victors get to decide

  9. Lennon n Mc….Mjallby

     

    16:02 on

     

    3 July, 2015

     

     

    So the government planned putting the population of Hong Kong in the north of Ireland?

     

     

    Fleg Fly Rice?

     

    —————————————————–

     

    Was a spoof mate – the diplomat involved in writing one of the original letters was on Radio 4 this morning talking about it. He was surprised the archivists had kept the letters.

  10. Just catching up with recent news -currently hiding from the sun in the very scorching south of France!

     

    Best news is that from KevJ -hope that things go well from now on!

     

    On Matthews – neat and tidy player -decent going forward but too often allowed crosses in to the box that caused problems. His good turn of pace covered up a lot in Scotlandshire fitba!

     

    Hope he does well in sunny Sunderland!

     

    On Bomber Harris -some people on here need a real reality check -the Second World War remained in the balance until the last few months in 1945

     

    As others have pointed out it was the Red Army that bore the brunt of allied casualties and that really won the war!

     

    However Bomber Command and the guys who flew all those missions deserve everyone’s

     

    respect for the part they played. Over 50,000 of them gave their lives so that we can debate about them today. Harris was badly let down by Churchill over Dresden and it was a national disgrace these guys and Harris had no memorial for so long!

     

    In the same way the PIRA made some terrible mistakes but overall they were a force for good in their situation – most were ordinary people faced with difficult decisions. Most did their best out of concern for their fellow citizens. They have my respect as much as the guys in Bomber Command!

     

     

    HH

  11. South Of Tunis on

    Looking forward to tomorrow . Celtic v Dukla and the first day of the Tour De France . Dukla have a Pavlonian hook in my brain .Think Dukla think Celtic winning the European Cup.They were the last team I wanted in the Semis – I wanted CSKA and then Inter. CSKA had struggled to beat Linfield and Inter ( IMO ) were inferior to Dukla. Usual Celtic luck saw Celtic getting Dukla. –

     

     

    Memories CSC – way down south .Off oot to the beach..Cool down in the sea and then have a Mohito or two.

  12. BIG-CUP-WINNERS

     

     

    15:27 on 3 July, 2015

     

     

    ‘Why are they being prosecuted under the OBAF ?’

     

     

    ###

     

     

     

    To allow COPFS to ingratiate themselves with their paymasters by making the stats look good.

  13. …Happy Birthday Jobo……..

     

    Your daily happy-hearted contributions lift the spirits of

     

    …..guid Tims everywhere……..

     

     

    Hail, hail, rain or shine!

  14. Kevjungle

     

     

    In order to try and make sense of reality (aka Life) I cling to a theory that it’s purpose is to teach love.

     

     

    Your post in isolation, on its own, literally proves my theory.

     

     

    You must feel top of the world.

     

     

    Enjoy. :)

  15. My friends in Celtic,

     

     

    Many good points, civilly made. Has the time of posting got anything to do with that.?

     

     

    Re Coventry : it has been suggested that Coventry was deliberately sacrificed to protect knowledge of the Enigma codes. I bet it’s residents were happy knowing it was for the greater good.

     

     

    HH.

  16. Jobo Balde

     

     

    21 again eh?

     

     

    In another 20 years no one will believe you. :) :)

     

     

    Happy birthday.

  17. Glad to see Adam Matthews getting a fond farewell.

     

     

    He played some right decent football for us.

  18. Croppy @ 16.35

     

     

    I think you are getting the basics wrong.

     

    It was never “Bomber” it was “Butcher”.

     

    Butcher because of the casualties that he inflicted on his own and then Butcher because of the casualties he inflicted on the civilian population of Germany.

     

     

    You are right in that Churchill was most to blame.

     

    He was just a journalist who got lucky — given the job because CA couldn’t stomach another appeaser getting the top job.

     

    The appeasers were happy for him to get it as it was supposed to be his signature on the armistice document.

     

     

    Returning to the RAF bombing campaign.

     

    Waste of men, material and morality.

     

    So much effort wasted on angle iron engineering delivering nothing but misery.

     

    The technology was there but the intelligence was missing.

     

     

    Huge industrial complex developed to the God of wanton destruction.

     

    Pity it was in the main civilian not industrial or military.

  19. Jobo

     

     

    It’s 97° here any suggestions what to do if it goes up the other Three Degrees??

     

     

    Happy Birthday Jobo EK’s Top Bhoy:))

  20. glendalystonsils on

    Have scrolled right back to the start of page 1 but can’t find what Kev J’s news is?

     

     

    On Paul McMullan, I hope he sticks a few in the back of the Sevco net and helps to keep them down where they belong. Then he can come back to Celtic next season, not just as an improved player, but as a hero!

  21. Nye Bevans' rebel soldier on

    CQN HOUSEKEEPING.

     

     

    Kevj…..well done son,don’t really have any other words

     

    fur you pal.

     

     

    Jobo…..happy birthday.

     

     

    Will try and drop in laters tae see whit yees ur bitchin aboot.

  22. leftclicktic on

    glendalystonsils

     

    It was near the end of last article.

     

    KevJ

     

    Braw news.

  23. Green @ 17.06

     

     

    The enigma angle is rubbish.

     

    Just reversed engineered nonsense to re-invent history.

     

     

    Please remember we are just getting the Ealing Studios version of history.

     

    We are not getting the full unvarnished truth.

     

     

    Ever read about the German code breaking effort or its successes?

     

    Any thoughts on how Monty got his big break?

     

     

    We keep hearing about Enigma because the establishment need a success to publicise.

     

    All you have to consider is the silence surrounding Singapore.

     

     

    With Iraq — 78 till 2007, Afganistan, Libya and Syria it is rinse and repeat.

  24. Jobo Happy Birthday mate,

     

    Lennybhoy when it comes to players in and out, I attach a lot of importance to your posts.

     

    When you say Ciftci next week then, are you telling us something or just making a general observation based on MSM.

  25. South Of Tunis on

    The Bombing War : Europe 1939 – 1945

     

     

    Richard Overy ( Allen Lane )

     

     

    Highly recommended !

  26. corkcelt

     

     

    What I hear my friend and not a general observation from the MSM.

     

     

    Trust you are well.

     

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  27. Happy Birthday to Jobo.

     

     

    Kev J, keep on fighting, delighted to see your news.

     

     

    HH

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