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Ominous sign despite the win

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

I always support a manager who wants to freshen the team up and keep his squad motivated, as Neil Lennon did last night.  Some of you will remember how Martin O’Neill steadfastly refused to utilise his squad, sticking to the tried and tested 13-or-so players.  Patryk Klimala needed to start a game and last night was as good a time as any.  We saw good things from Hatem Elhamed last season, enough to suggest this term’s performances can be improved upon.

Better to try things when you have options on the bench against St Mirren, than when you are out of alternatives and need a performance, so I have no complaints about the line-up.

The St Mirren goal was another dark moment defensively.  Shaughnessy lost his fellow Irish central defender, Shane Duffy.  Shaughnessy’s near-post header fell at the feet of Erwin, whose attempt to trap the ball ended in the net.  Including the keeper, Celtic had a 7 v 4 player overload, but still lost the first and second balls.

This is an ominous sign.  Three of the four non-penalty goals we have conceded this season have been from set-pieces into the box, on each occasion we lost the first and second balls.  We are out of the Champions League as a consequence and will continue to pay a price until this is sorted.

You can expect every team in the Premiership to play for free kicks and corners until this is resolved.

Attacking set-pieces, we look as imperious as we look weak defending.  You could be forgiven for concluding that we attack the ball more effectively than we block opponents, so should therefore consider a zonal strategy…..  Just a thought.

Shane Duffy saw off the challenge from St Mirren’s other Irish central defender, McCarthy, before heading his second goal in consecutive matches.  This could be the season of set-pieces.  If so, we had better improve penalty kick taking.  Odsonne Edouard’s effort was underpowered and nowhere near the post.  It is another area for the practice fields.

While James Forrest rightly gets credit for his excellent headed goal, the game was won on the back of two Ryan Christie crosses that fell between defenders and the goalkeeper.  Neither Duffy nor Forrest needed to jump to make connection with an inch-perfect ball.  If delivery from our wide players was as good, we would be significantly more effective.  But it’s not….

Happy, though I was, to see the starting line-up shuffled, I was crying out for Jeremie Frimpong to come on well before his 80th minute appearance.  Frimpong is alone in his ability in this squad to run at people.  This tribute is not crucial to every game, but when he came on, he turned the St Mirren defenders, often resulting in a free kick high up the field.

Lots to ponder in the three weeks ahead.

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  1. Hrvatski Jim on

    Celtic’s next opponent’s in the Europa League qualifiers are either Riga FC of Latvia or Tre Fiori of San Marino. Some fans took the plunge and booked cheap flights to Riga when the draw was made with the Latvian team heavy favourites. This would also give the hardcore European away fans a potential chance of getting into the ground. However, those who did so may now be regretting that decision…

     

     

    Heavy rainfall has led to glass falling from the roof of Riga’s stadium and has disrupted play throughout the first half. The score was 0-0 at the break when the match was abandoned due to the weather and safety concerns.

     

     

    Riga’s manager has said that the tie will “99% not continue,” as the match must be played by tomorrow night or else the tie is forfeited and Tre Fiori will be awarded the victory!

  3. Malorbhoy on

    Connaire12

     

    All the best MC , hope you had positive results today, miss our wee chats in the lounge on mach days, thoughts and prayers are with you at 4his time🙏

  4. Neustadt-Braw on

    BATEEN BHOY on 17TH SEPTEMBER 2020 6:21 PM

     

    Neustadt, Teuchter,

     

     

     

     

    Marc and I have both been trying to contact Andy, with no success. Even messaged him via Facebook, but no response. We’ve heard nothing since last year, and we fear the worst, as he was keeping in regular touch during his various procedures.

     

     

    ……………….

     

     

    thankyou….

     

     

    NB

     

     

     

    NB

  13. excathedra44 on

    Cant say I enjoyed the game,however 3 points is what mattered.

     

    I hope NL.is not sacrificing stability of selection in order to placate a large squad,I hope it is a genuine attempt to get everyone up to match sharpness.

     

    That said,Patrick.was poor,Eddie was poor running into players rather than pass,and his penalty was more about him than the team in my view,Taylor and Forrest,are developing a game strategy of keep ball,which is fine but effectively curtails attacking threat,we cannot afford this.

     

    Eddie should have been moved out left for space,Taylor and Forrest and Patrick should have been off sooner,if it not working change soon as possible.We cannot afford to play anyone not contributing positively as opposed to running about,busy but non threatening.

  14. embramike on

    Latest on Riga v Are Fiori

     

    Match suspended due to strong winds

     

    Match rescheduled for 09:00 CET on Friday

     

    So match takes place at 8 am (CP time) as PO draw is scheduled for lunchtime

  18. Jobo Baldie on

    *** CQN PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2020-21 ***

     

    RESULTS FROM GAME #8 – ST MIRREN 1 CELTIC 2 (DUFFY, FORREST)

     

     

    A pretty disappointing result against a very well organised (i.e. boring!) home side. Not often, when playing 3 at the back that those 3 are regularly strung across 40 yards from the opposition goal, but having 21 players crammed into that limited space resulted in a fairly horrible watch. However, a win is a win and we are now 3 points off the top, with a better goal difference and a game in hand.

     

    Before I detail the results, special mention to the voter who donated one of his votes to Mr Beaton, feeling that awarding a penalty was as close as anyone came to an outstanding performance!

     

    Glad that so many are now regularly voting without much reminders. Especially given that access to the game wasn’t straightforward. And for last night, whilst there was a clear winner it could have hardly been tighter for 2nd, 3rd and 4th places.

     

    So a big thank you to the 55 who voted and the numbers cast for each player are as follows (with my own choices asterisked) –

     

     

    Barkas: 1

     

    Elhamed: 2

     

    Duffy: 37

     

    Ajer*: 27

     

    Forrest: 19

     

    Brown*: 8

     

    McGregor*: 30

     

    Christie: 29

     

    Taylor: 3

     

    Edouard: 1

     

    Klimala: 0

     

    Ajeti: 0

     

    Frimpong: 6

     

    Ntcham: 0

     

     

    So, the players receiving points for the St Mirren game are –

     

     

    Duffy – 5 points

     

    McGregor – 4 points

     

    Christie – 3 points

     

    Ajer – 2 points

     

    Forrest – 1 point

     

     

     

    And the overall points table is now as follows –

     

    1st – Christie – 18 points

     

    2nd – McGregor – 17 points

     

    3rd – Ntcham – 12 points

     

    4th – Elyounoussi and Frimpong – 10 points

     

    6th – Barkas and Duffy – 9 points

     

    8th – Ajer and Taylor – 7 points

     

    10th – Edouard – 6 points

     

    11th – Forrest – 5 points

     

    12th – Ajeti and Elhamed– 4 points

     

    14th – Bitton – 3 points

     

    15th – Jullien – 2 points

     

    16th – Bain, Bolingoli, Brown, Dembele, Klimala, Soro and Turnbull – 0 points

     

     

    Our next game is on Saturday 19th at home to Livingston. Whilst I wouldn’t fancy watching another 1 goal victory, ANY win does put us on top of the league before our closest rivals take to the field on Sunday lunchtime.

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  21. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on

    Spurs result looks dodgy. They were 1:0 down to the Bulgarians, Plovdiv with 12 minutes to go. Cue ref sending off a bulgarian in the 78th for deliberate hand ball and conceding a pen. Another Bulgar was sent off in the protests and Spurs scored with the pen to equalise on 80minutes and scored the winner on 85. The ref was German

  24. Neustadt-Braw on

    through a braw glow ….

     

     

    smiley beware my Gaels of the ultracrepidarian thing

     

     

    Braw

     

     

    they are here in abundance

     

     

    Braw

  25. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    The UK is in safe hands with Dido Harding in charge of track and trace.

     

     

    Just look at her CV.

     

     

    Thomas Cook

     

     

    Woolworths

     

     

    Kingfisher

     

     

    Talk Talk

     

     

    Amazing what doors open when your Daddy is a baron and David Cameron is one of your university chums.

  26. Neustadt-Braw on

    My glass at the moment is brimming

     

    Back to the Base …

     

    smiley there is also a verb ‘ultracrepidate’.: to venture far beyond your understanding thing

     

     

    Braw

     

     

    I do it often….Gin is a tricky choice nowadays….

     

     

    Braw

  27. An Tearmann on

    Hope has two beautiful daughters; Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to ensure that things don’t stay the same. – Saint Augustine.

     

     

    HH

  29. Neustadt-Braw on

    Tall man…well said

     

     

    smiley I think Auldheid @ co must be blessed with Patience is the companion of wisdom. thing

     

     

    Braw

  32. Neustadt-Braw on

    Back to Basics…

     

     

    my post was in no way directed at your premise …the Westminster cabal….and unfortunately oor very own here in Scotland is about to be opened up like a fresh wee Herring by the edge of truth and consequence…..

     

     

    smiley I hope you and yours are doing brawily thing

     

     

    Braw

  33. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    NB – cheers.

     

     

    Re DH (MM’s habits are catching), as I get older I’ve come to accept a certain level of patronage and cronyism in public life.

     

     

    It’s unsurprising that those in power think they are talented … and readily employ people they know ….. on the assumption that they too are talented.

     

     

    But this lady is a special case.

     

     

    An absolutely abject failure in just about everything she has done in her professional life.

     

     

    If the government must – stick her into a figurehead type sinecure role where she can’t do any more harm.

     

     

    Hail hail

     

     

    Keep The Faith

  34. SydneyTim on

    paul67 should really proof read his headers too many contradictions .

     

     

    1. praise of james forrest headed goal while criticising us not crossing into box!!!!! lol

     

    a) its Forrest job as a winger to beat players and get behind defences and cross, he does neither

     

    b) Paul talks about Frimpong running at defences, he replaced Forrest who cant run at defenses!!!

     

    c) praising james forrest for his headed goal is the same as praising a crap goalkeeper who goes up at corner kicks and scores a goal.

     

     

     

    2. so this was not a critical game ???? 6 points behind sevco and sevco game in 4 weeks !!

     

     

     

    one this good did come out of it. need Griffith back asap loan for Kilmala to another scottish club

  35. Neustadt-Braw on

    hahahahahahahahahahaha

     

     

    fish on ……

     

     

    smiley beware my Gaels of the ultracrepidarian thing

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Braw

  36. Neustadt-Braw on

    this cold be the full bushy wushy typoabo..

     

     

    so feel free to jump in ….

     

     

    smiley obviously has this wan wintered badly under the rock thing

     

     

    but let him loose wind

     

     

    Braw

  40. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    From a reasonably happy Melbourne, with our beautiful city slowly

     

    opening up.

     

    Whaur’s the Garngad Gre(e)nadiers and Calton Cavaliers? yous Bhoys

     

    still bedded down?

     

    David66/Big Jimmy hope you’re good, had a wee sabbatical, Mr Rid Biddy

     

    was keeping me busy 8-))

     

    Quite glad really, some of these whiners on here would drive you to drink.

     

    Obviously everybody is entitled to a wee moan now and again, but

     

    honestly a few on here could make a feckin career out of it.

     

    Oh! wait?

     

    Hopefully we are nearly out of lockdown now with the regional areas opening

     

    up, so glad for our multitude of little CSC’s dotted all along the peninsula and

     

    up into Bendigo, Geelong etc.

     

    Maybe only 6-to a dozen Bhoys in some of them , but vital to keeping our

     

    Celtic ethos continue here in Oz.

     

    And the other good news is elective surgery will start again, a great relief for

     

    the likes of PADDYMAC and others in our club waiting on procedures.

     

    Meanwhile our president is busy planning our first meet up after we open

     

    up, think it might be our Christmas BBQ you lurking Paddy?

     

    Right, another good win on Sat. top of the league and Der hun will implode,

     

    explode, or just blow up he, he.

     

    Stay safe ghuys and ghals the big Celtic world over.

     

    H.H. Mick

  42. David66 on

    Goooooood Friday morning all from a dry and mild Garngad

     

     

    Another wee sunny evening and I might catch a beer after work in the Garden.

     

     

    MM – glad to see you are ok and posting away.

     

     

    So we move onto Paradise manana against another team that would get football banned.

     

     

    I take it we can use our VST ?

     

     

    Bring home Paddy Robert’s. Come on Lenny.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    D :)

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