Jablonec are not a great team, but we faced a few who fall into that category since our last away win in February without scoring four goals and creating enough chances to easily double that. Ange Postecoglou continues to learn about his squad and unlike away to Mitjylland a week earlier, we were well prepared.
Yesterday I asked to “see more of [Liel Abada’s] timed runs into the box”. The evidence continues to arrive; Liel is a player who will score and create goals at a rate we have missed in recent seasons. This knack of arriving in the box and the right time, in the right place, before a cross arrives is golden. Think Alan Thompson at his lethal best.
Kyogo Furuhashi made the most of his full debut. The movement of the front three caused Joblonec problems and it was Kyogo’s movement that created the goal opportunity. Nir Bitton picked him out with a 30-yard pass, a pristine first touch and the deftest dink did the rest. As I heard from a teenager at the time, “That goal is a solid 9 out of 10”.
As anyone who watched the game, or caught John Hartson’s remarkable reaction, will know, the defence is still not right. We lost two dreadful goals. You will have noticed Carl Starfelt was the closest defender to both goalscorers when the ball went into the net. He did not start that way when the key forward passes were made.
For the first, Bitton was on his heels, body shape was wrong and Starfelt was left the impossible task of making up ground. The second goal was more of a structural problem.
Starfelt and Bitton were both marking strikers in the middle of the field and the full backs were in advanced positions when Celtic lost the ball. Ismaila Soro has covering duties but he was ball watching when the scorer made a run from deep.
We cannot leave two at the back against two attackers or we will see a lot more damage from similar deep runs. Although we can blame Soro for ball watching, we need to shape the team to accommodate what will inevitably happen during a game. Ismaila’s starting position was all wrong, he cannot get drawn into the role of supporting the player in possession at the cost of loitering deep.
It was great to see Joe Hart between the sticks and John Hartson was right, if a little hysterical, we still need defenders. Perhaps a few.
Would we have won so comfortably if Odsonne Edouard started? I’m not convinced.
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I have just purchased my own seat for Thursday night do I just use my existing season ticket or do I need to do something else. Canny wait for Thursday not had any tickets so far.
Hail Hail stpatricksbhoy.
ten thirty in 55.
I wouldnt mess with him.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8DKJQ5XMAM92AH?format=jpg&name=medium
While game management and closing games out are things we’d like to see more of at least last night we didn’t seem to be blowing out of our bahookies at the end of the game for a change
Wishful thinking perhaps but maybe the feeling among the players that we’re going to concede any minute is being replaced with a feeling that we’ll concede but we’re also able to score if we do. Might not work against better opposition but it’s an improvement – in the last 14 games in Europe we had only scored once in the last 15 minutes of games and conceded 9
STPATRICKSBHOY
My email confirmation said that tickets would be sent to my address.
HH.
The Full backs are being instructed by Ange to position themselves, They have to push into midfield.
Eduoard will not leave. He is seeking a Bosman like N’tcham. He will turn down any move and will remain mostly sitting in the stand with a mystery injury. It shows all the signs,
Christie also, he is now playing to impress potential clubs.
Celtic will not bring any large Transfer fees unless Turnball is sold. Turnball form has dipped. has he been tapped up?
A green jersey is hard to pick out.
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Scottish Football Souvenirs from the Golden Years
@ScottishFrom
·
4 Aug
Willie Wallace of Celtic in action v Airdrie. The keeper in the classic all black strip.
@Stephen4_2
https://twitter.com/ScottishFrom/status/1422988762225725453/photo/1
Other things learned from last night: we’re going to struggle against a high press with Hart in goal and central defenders who aren’t comfortable taking the ball under pressure.
If we want to play a good keeper who is not great passing the ball out then we might have to compromise with defenders defensive ability in order to get footballers in
The Huns will have watched the second half last night and be encouraged by how cheaply we turned the ball over when faced with a very basic high press
Did anyone else hear a couple of guys singing the Celtic Song just after the first goal yesterday? Or was I hallicinating with the drnk?
VALE BHOY on 6TH AUGUST 2021 2:30 PM
STPATRICKSBHOY
My email confirmation said that tickets would be sent to my address.
VALEBHOY thanks, my email as follows and there is no ticket activation detailed below all a bit confusing.
Tickets will be posted to the following address, unless you have chosen Print at Home. Depending on date purchased, please check posting information detailed below. If you are a Season Ticket holders purchasing your season seat for a home Cup/European away match, please refer to the information on Season Ticket Activation detailed below.
Ntcham has not done a bosman, he hasnt joined another club, he just let his contract run down.
At least it is a wage freed up.
BiGBHOY – I don’t think there is any chance of Edouard leaving on a Bosman. The problem at the moment is that there is a lack of suitors due to his lousy last 12 months or so. In the EPL, 20 million buys you a decent prospect which he still is. I can’t see him turning down any move to the EPL, be that Brighton or whoever.
If we had sold him at end of 2019-2020 season, he was a red hot prospect and 30-35 million was realistic. No one imagined his form would drop off a cliff by holding onto him for 10iar.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 6TH AUGUST 2021 2:41 PM
It sounded like a single Tim to me 👍
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 6TH AUGUST 2021 2:41 PM
Did anyone else hear a couple of guys singing the Celtic Song just after the first goal yesterday? Or was I hallicinating with the drnk?
I didnt notice it, and watching the match I found it a bit surreal that I couldnt pick out any celtic supporters in the stands.
Any goodwill Edouard had towards us dissapeared last summer. He hasn’t done a single bit of promo work or even an interview in that time.
Real Madrid could bid for him today but Eddie will stay and see out his contract.
Financially one of the worst decisions we’ve ever made.
Why would it be in his interests to stay ?
No he wouldn’t
SAINTSTIVS
Hi Saint!
Yep. At least one Tim belting out the song after the first goal. I thing Abada ran towards him. Didn’t hear him after the later goals. May have been the lad who runs the Vienna CSC, who cannae carry a tune in a bucket. I’m going to check with him later.
https://mobile.twitter.com/CelticTV/status/1423576338334617601
Has there been any actual bids received for Eddy….it’s all paper talk just now….If and when a bid comes in from EPL…he will be away.
Think, not ‘thing.’ DOH!
STPATRICKSBHOY on 6TH AUGUST 2021 2:17 PM
I have just purchased my own seat for Thursday night do I just use my existing season ticket or do I need to do something else. Canny wait for Thursday not had any tickets so far.
Hail Hail stpatricksbhoy.
———————
if you bought your own seat – ST activated
If you were re-located – e-ticket sent to you
The T/Cs on the receipt email are generic and not applicable to this game. The info on the ‘invite ‘ email is relevant to this game. See below
————
Please note the Home Cup Ticket Scheme is not currently in operation for this game, meaning all STH wishing to attend the match must purchase their seat before the deadline at 5pm on Monday, August 9.
By securing your ticket before the deadline, your Season Ticket card will be activated for entry on the day.
After this deadline has passed any remaining tickets will be released on General Sale.
The easiest way to secure a ticket is online now, however, you can also purchase in person at the Ticket Office, open Monday to Friday, 11am until 2pm.
Eddy coming in for a lot of hate now.
He has been very poor this season. Last season he scored 22 goals (I think), which bears wee cheeky Leigh’s in all but one of his seasons at the club.
As for Christie ‘trying’ now because he is trying to be sold…competent coaching, anyone?
@Laxalt – re-hiring NL was financially one of the worst decisions we ever made.
maybe it was big John from the studio.
STPATRICKSBHOY
Tickets will be posted to the following address, unless you have chosen Print at Home. Depending on date purchased, please check posting information detailed below. If you are a Season Ticket holders purchasing your season seat for a home Cup/European away match, please refer to the information on Season Ticket Activation detailed below.
I am now also confused.
celtic tv unique angle has me thinking some things.
we are faster than it appeared on tv. great movement
and we are mostly small guys
https://mobile.twitter.com/CelticTV/status/1423576338334617601
Refreshing change for me in that I find myself in almost full agreement with our venerable host today.
Did not comment after the game, partly due to the bed-wetting histrionics of a not inconsiderable number of posters on last night.
Nothing surprised us last night. Before kick-off, we knew our defence would struggle and we knew we are still 3 or 4 starters short.
But we won, and won comfortably.
Starfelt will perform better once he has actual real-life defenders to defend with.
Hart is an upgrade on B&B, and also better than Forster. He would have trained once for a couple of hours with that back line before kick-off…give him time.
Edouard moving on will be in everyone’s best interests now, which will help fund the 2 FBs. CB, winger & CF we need.
What i dont get is the criticism, both on here and from so-called true Celtic men on TV.
Last night, the usual whingers were on here, telling us all that Ralston, Taylor, Bitton & Turnbull should be dropped. Agreed, but does it not make sense to wait until we have their upgrades/replacements in the door first? Who else should be picked if not them?
And before you all start up with Welsh over Bitton, thats a 50/50 call at best.
But what was worse was Hartsons meltdown on the BBC. This clown will say whatever he thinks will help keep him relevant, a prick of the highest order. I stopped taking this idiot seriously after his ‘Dens Park Riot’ attack in ‘The S#n’ on the Celtic support 9 years ago, a hatchet-piece on a disturbance he was several hundred miles away from at the time, but still felt compelled to demand that anyone involved should be banned from Celtic games and should also lose their jobs. Last nights foaming rant played right into the hands of the ‘impartial’ BEEB. Give me Charlie Mulgrew ahead of this a#$e any day….
If we are to sell Eddie then get it done quick. Very worst case scenario here so to see a repeat of Moussa’s last minute exit leaving us short. Re-invest every penny of our fee – two full backs, CB and striker.
Agreed
I slowed down the unique angle and there were Hoops to be seen in most of the stands! I also heard the fella singing after the first goal, por cierto.
CONEYBHOY on 6TH AUGUST 2021 12:02 PM
Sevco will pay their senior staff in shares to avoid the ban on bonuses
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I’d prefer Weimar Republic currency 😂
HAIRLIKESPAGHETTI on 6TH AUGUST 2021 3:01 PM
BBJ has obviously hit a raw nerve with you and other suspects.
It’s interesting that your criticism of him is no more that hunlike personal abuse.
Chris Sutton got the same treatment when he had the temerity to suggest that Ronnie Deila wasn’t up to the job.
Chris Sutton was right then, and BBJ was right last night.
It’s difficult to account for lack of form with any certainty unless you know about fitness level and something of the player’s psychology but still we speculate based on limited information. Two players who have definitely lost form are Edouard and Turnbull. The former had Covid and was expecting to be away after the NIAR. Turnbull’s more recent dip is probably because of the new demands put on him by Ange – he just doesn’t at the moment have those energy levels that Ange’s style of playing demands. I don’t think Rogic will ever contribute much so probably he has to go along with Edouard. I hope Brighton come back in for Eddie and I somehow the Saudi team or wherever it was in ME revives their interest in Rogic. Many of the players are still suffering from lack of team spirit as they don’t know each other yet and they will eventually cohere as a unit, especially when fitness levels improve. But Ange’s policy is get the right players then bring in the people to make them better.
John Hartson turns up at the studio takes a seat then speaks forever on something that wasn’t what he was asked or even relevant. He said something before the game that was so wrong, I can’t for the life of me remember what it was, it may have been about the stadium capacity, but it was fairly obvious he had done no homework on the game whatsoever. I went into the kitchen after the final whistle, when I came back to the TV Big J was giving it pelters and it was about 3 minutes before it became apparent that it was the goals we lost that he was talking about :))) por cierto
ILJASB on 6TH AUGUST 2021 3:18 PM
“But Ange’s policy is get the right players then bring in the people to make them better.”
That’s a great point, por cierto.
CONEYBHOY on 6TH AUGUST 2021 2:56 PM
STPATRICKSBHOY on 6TH AUGUST 2021 2:17 PM
CONEYBHOY & VALEBHOY,
Thanks,
stpatricksbhoy.
STPATRICKSBHOY
This just arrived from JP Taylor. A response to an email from me asking for help when we couldn’t access the Jablonec tickets online, yesterday.
“In respect of the HCTS this will be active for the match against Hearts but not for the forthcoming European Tie/s unfortunately due to timescales involved in gathering the data and submitting files whilst complying with the Direct Debit Guarantee. If you are on the HCTS you will need to buy your ticket online or directly from the Club’s Ticket Office.
If you have purchased your own seat within the deadline period for the forthcoming Cup Ties your Season Card will be activated.
For Season Ticket matches you should use your existing Season Card unless you are seated in the Rail Seat Section where you will receive a new card which has been posted to you.
We hope this response helps provide some context and background and may address the issues that you have raised, if not please let us know and we will try to respond as quickly as possible.
Thank you as always for your continued support and patience while we try to get back to standard operations.”
Best regards,
John Paul & Alexis
I thought Ntcham was still under contract and it was terminated.
Eduoard would make much more money on a Bosman. With a transfer of say £20m then he would only get £2m. With a Bosman he would get the bulk of the £20m as a signing on fee.