Hoary old phrases like, “Trophies are not awarded in February” will be heard today. While this is technically true, let me add another, last night’s performance was Season Defining.
I worried before the game that our midfield would be too new for the occasion and too lightweight for the ‘robust’ opponents. As it transpired, anyone in blue who intended to offer a robust and in-your-face derby baptism, were like statues, compared to Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and Callum McGregor. For the majority of the game, Callum played the Masked Virtuoso No. 6 role, before moving to the No. 8 position, then ending at No. 10. Quite a shift for a man carrying an injury.
Throughout the first half I continually said, “It’s all about the movement”, but then I watched Josip Juranovic and thought, “When did I last see a Celtic right back put in a performance like this?” Yes, movement was the masterplan, but the reality is, Celtic have far better players.
Metrics detailing the effectiveness of shots from outside the box give you a sniff of what might happen when a player pulls the trigger from distance, nothing more. Outcomes depend on your survey population. If I shoot from 20 yards, one outcome will occur. If Reo Hatate shoots from the same distance, another. Reo’s conversion ratio from distance will surly drop, but goodness, what an outstanding threat he is.
With Cameron Carter-Vickers in front of you, a goalkeeper should put in a calm performance. Joe Hart had a relatively easy evening, but with the score at 1-0, he raced from goal to smother a through ball which evaded the Celtic back line. It was a crucial intervention, within minutes Celtic were 2-0 ahead and there was no way back. Across a pulsating 90 minutes, this detail could be overlooked. That would be an error.
The only goal I have seen back on video (so far) is the third. Before watching, the question was, Where did he come from? When Reo Hatate crossed from the left, Liel Abada was standing at Springfield Cross – believe me, I’ve watched it repeatedly.
You’ll hear people talk about having a change of pace. Liel started his run at a sprint, then, when it was too late for his defending full back to react, he dropped a gear and exploded forward. Barisic, the full back in question, dropped to the ground, knowing the horrors he was about to witness. It was too late to do anything else. That change of pace brought Liel into the heart of the box unmarked.
The finish looked easy. I remember Kenny Dalglish, who watched on from the stands, made the same thing look easy at Celtic Park. It was not easy, it was masterly. Leil met the ball on the drop volley and allowed the pace of his run to apply the necessary force to tuck it away.
At halftime, one of my sons held up his fingers in a ‘5’ gesture? Oh, to be brought up in an era when we expect to score so many against the other side of the city. Ange is too clever for that. Four days earlier, Matt O’Riley got cramp during a game, Callum McGregor has been out with a serious face injury, Reo Hatate is still going through his preseason regime. We started the second half intent on maintaining our winning lead, an objective delivered with comfort.
As we discussed, trophies are not handed out in February. But to paraphrase that old antifascist, this is not the end of the Ange Postecoglou development plan for Celtic. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.
Enjoy your day.
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I think maybe the cup game against Raith could be the game Jullien makes his comeback game.
A lot of “Game” in that sentence.
Although our CB pairing are terrific,the big man is a threat in opposition box.No harm having three fit.
Turkeybhoy
Just watched the first half again on Celtic tv.
One thing which I noticed at the time but forgot in all the excitement after the first goal there’s pictures of Madden talking to someone through his ear/microphone with the near side linesman standing beside him. There’s no VAR in Scotland so was he talking to the 4th official about his take on something on field, that’s not allowed is it? Anyone know, has there been any comments on it anywhere?
I was speaking to a Hearts supporter in my local today. He said our first goal should have been ruled out because of the Gers player’s head knock. He claimed the referee consulting his assistant showed that he was considering disallowing the goal.
How can a referee retrospectively cancel a goal because he should have stopped the game for a head injury. A referee wbo hasn’t stopped the game can’t go back and stop it before the goal was scored.
Having watched the replay several times, it’s clear that as the ball nestled in the net, Allan McGregor told the referee that a Celtic player had flattened Bassey.
As Madden spoke to his assistant, he clearly says – I thought he was injured by his own player. The assistant speaks but he had his back to the camera. Madden then says – Yes that’s what I thought. It’s a goal.
McGregor was at it and well done Madden for not falling for it. He was well within his rights to check with his assistant.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 3RD FEBRUARY 2022 5:57 PM
TURKEYBHOY
The stadium announcer must have read your recent comments on CQN. ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was saved for before, during and after the Huddle as you suggested it should be.
What a wonderful spectacle last night’s game was, both from the players and the support. Exhilerating.
—-
One of the best games ever for atmosphere and I include the ten men won the league and the 6-2 games. Probably the loudest the stadium has ever been, aided by a totally full stadium of our own supporters.
Between Saturday and last night, Giakoumakis was very unlucky not to score 3 or 4.
Tom McLaughlin
Which official was he talking to through his headset? The near side linesman was standing beside him, so it couldn’t be him the off side linesman was miles away so was he talking to the 4th official about an on field decision so surely that can’t be right, can it?
Anyone else notice how similar last night’s first half was to the 1969 Cup Final?
McNeill puts Celtic ahead in first few minutes.
Lennox scores a second a few minutes before half-time.
While Celtic fans are still celebrating that goal, big George Connelly slots home to make it 3-0 HT.
there a shock
0-0 in the AFCoN
have there been any goals in this tourny at all?
MCPHAIL BHOY
He was definitely talking to his assistant standing beside him. The assistant was clearly having a discussion with the referee.
If the referee was also talking to the 4th official, that is perfectly acceptable. It is not against the rules. 4th officials regularly pass on information to the referee. Nothing wrong with that.
Referee: Bobby Madden
AR1 : David McGeachie
AR2 : Daniel McFarlane
Fourth Official : David Munro
Munro calling Bobby, Bobby Bobby copy
aye wit is it davie
Trouble on the touchline, need you over here now,
how bad is it, can it wait, I am trying to referee a game here just in case you didnt notice.
Aye Bobby its serious,
ffs man, just tell me what it is
Well Geo wants to know if you can tell the ball bhoys to stop tormenting greegs and tell the celtic staff to make them hurry up
SS
You mean this
https://twitter.com/WAFCNathan/status/1488965293976260618?t=i1y9SyLh8jzFxPi6HDIA4A&s=08
I hope them ball bhoys go on to be celtic players.
Video
Assisting
Rangers
VAR
O’Riley has Celtic hair
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2022 10:15 PM
SS
You mean this
https://twitter.com/WAFCNathan/status/1488965293976260618?t=i1y9SyLh8jzFxPi6HDIA4A&s=08
========
thanks for posting that. Utterly brilliant.
I can’t think of a game where my opinion of so many players has skyrocketed in a single 90 minutes.
Not saying they were poor in any way before but my opinion of
Callum mcgregor
Giakoumakis
Abada
Greg Taylor
Juranovic
And Ccv
Was transformed last night.
Didn’t think some of them had that level of performance in them.
And that’s , of course, not mentioning the new guys who played like derby veterans and
, last but not least, the ball boys and their shithousery.
A night and a game for the ages.
Sky 403 showing highlights now
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 3RD FEBRUARY 2022 8:58 PM
__________________
Ange was naive in….
All of our European games coz of Ange we’re in European pub league?
The first £52 oldfirm game at Ibrox tippy tappy Kyogo as a winger vs a parked bus 0-1?
Our 1st home game v DundeeUtd 1-1
Our 2nd home game v DundeeUtd last week saved by a 96 min scrapped winner.
Our away game v St Mirren tippy tappy for 96 mins v parked bus 0-0?
I’m sure there were other times as well.
Yeah he was up against it through no fault of his own, but being cavalier when he wasn’t sure of his own footing costing £10’s of millions?
Surely better to screw the nut until he familiarised himself no?
Was anybody talking to him that was worth listening to?
All we heard from happy clappy apologists is his “vast experience” and in Europe he was knocked onto his ass with virtually every punch?
hh
…… CELTIC…….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52EPhY8xYuc
U2 stuck in a moment a troll can’t get out of.
Get it right up ye
https://youtu.be/R-BT2yzXP8w
HH
Of course Madden had every right to speak with his assistant just to confirm that there had been no foul on the defender – we would have expected no less. No foul was committed and so the goal stood. For anyone to suggest that it could have been ‘chalked off’ because the game wasn’t stopped, is either mischief-making, or, hasn’t a clue about the rules of the game. If we had VAR it would have been checked, but only for any infringement leading up to the goal.
Read interesting post on another forum earlier.
Hun line up for Slippy’s first Glasgow Derby included – McGregor, Tav pen, Goldson, Barisic, Kent, Airfied, Jack and Morelos.
Their team is stale.
Forrest and CalMac are the only Celtic players still here from that day.
The huns haven’t been able to move players on and replace them.
Special citizen
I was going to go into detail about why I think your comments are way off the mark, about the lack of time Ange had to get any kind of a squad together etc., but the tone of your post makes me think that your mind is made up and that no amount of reasoning could dissuade you. I actually feel sorry for any ‘supporter’ who seeks to generate any negativity from last nights performance.
Watching Newsnight on delay tonight.
Is there a crappier group of politicians on the planet than Ulster Unionists?
Armed with that toxic combination of staunch, stupid and in-yir-face honest they stumble from political blunder to political blunder.
This idiot first minister resigns in order to (quote) force London and Europe to restart discussions to resolve the border in the Irish sea issue.
Have these clowns been in on a remote island without internet for the past month?
Do they honestly think anyone in London currently gives a hoot about N.I. ?
If they phone Downing Street to get a meeting with the EU arranged … who do they think is going to answer the phone?
Imbeciles.
SCEPTICAL CITIZEN
You do spew some bile. More so on a day like today.
AIPPLE on 3RD FEBRUARY 2022 11:39 PM
Don’t give the half wit any response ,he will go away eventually and the reinvent himself under another name, probably a hun.
Hail Hail
D9
What makes you think you were conversing with a Celtic supporter.
Possibly a former supporter but never a current supporter
Cause you know why. Supporters support and he doesn’t. He is not worth the effort to engage with.
Kev J,
Shut up ya Trumpet.
Clinko,
The man with the 5 names is Kev J.An absolute walloper.
In the last year or so i think we have lost about 6 youngster,i was thinking why bother with an academy
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 3RD FEBRUARY 2022 9:06 PM
Enjoyed that read, cheers!
Watched the highlights at work maybe 6 times then the game when I came home. Nothing to fault.
Always bigged up GT, nice to see others do the same.
Ice storms here in Louisville tonight. -23 in your money next week. Just cleared sidewalk and garden path for myself and neighbour. Went inside and grabbed a beer (West 6th IPA) came back out to admire my work, stepped, slipped, cussed.
Ice storms, you can’t beat them.
What the .. is an ice storm?
Check this chap explain it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfzm1M_iSos
Clinko 11.46.
Correct.
Tom mclaughlin earlier you mentioned
4 -0 69 cup final.first final.
Little bit of internecine violence broke out among those who follow the symbol of the union in Scotland at half time if I recall,her majesty saw an end to that pretence in 2012,when Sir Hunner of Pence,tax avoider like his da before him toileted that club and a new club,not newco,was ‘accepted into’ scotlands lowest tier of senior football,
:-)
HH
Turkeybhoy 11.51.
Incorrect.lol.
HH
Aipple.
You mentioned the blogs polish correspondent,i hope he is well and tell him juranovic is improving all the time,ask him if there are any potential Lewandowskis about Poland,I recall he was pushing for us to sign him years ago.
Hope your well and wrapping up in that weather your describing.keep safe mate.
HH
a man with many names has no name
but I wonder
who tells a manager-” no, you play this way” ?
or as we say downunder
‘look at the scoreboard’ mate
So the Dup have brought down the N.Ireland legislative assembly……………….and all because of a football match, lol.
HH
Phil
maybe Madden couldnt hear what the linesman was saying and was just blocking his ear or perhaps PL was telling him to “stick to the plan.
or as they say in Thailand
‘you tink to mutt’
I too used to think 5 names was Kevj but now I am not so sure. To be honest I couldn’t care less who it is.
They must be a pretty pathetic individual though to go to all that trouble to keep up this facade.
And for what. To try and pull the wool over a crowd of old guys posting on a football forum.
Guys who you have never met and are unlikely to ever meet. Just to get a reaction. One identity talking to another identity as if there were 2 separate posters is pretty sad if you think about it.
Jesus, I hope I never end up like that