Oli, Odsonne, Moussa and James, your Celts are on fire!

Absolutely tons of positives and one negative, from last night.  I’ll leave the negative until tomorrow as the other ten players were just so good and I might have calmed down a bit by then.

Despite allowances made for the calibre of Alashkert, Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard were unplayable last night.  Moussa got the Man of the Match award, probably for his two goals, but Odsonne was more deserving.  His ability to create space by drawing players towards him by running with the ball was the most significant aspect of the game.

The no. 7 role at Celtic has never been an easy shift, even Jinky learned this in his early days, but James Forrest pace and stamina make him the archetype modern version of the wide right player.  James is a player you cannot get too close too.  His speed forces defenders to stand off.  Get too close and he will be away from you before you know he has moved.

Defenders need to double up on him. Again, creating space elsewhere.  And then there’s his goals.

Olivier Ntcham is unrecognisable from the player he was a year ago.  The next challenge will be to get him kick on from here.  The window of opportunity with French youth players will a little tighter than in previous years, but we have an attractive story to tell to talent swimming in that pool.  I hope we continue to fish there.

Loved the new LED floodlights, although we will not get their full effect until the entertainment pack is loaded and games take place in darkness.  The new speakers are loud.  Not Fir Park stairwell loud, but clearly audible in the North Stand Upper.