Last night’s performance was a vast improvement on the horrible displays against Legia and gave us our second insight (after United) into how Ronny Deila is changing the way Celtic play football.
Key to the performance was the movement of his two Norwegians, Stefan Johansen and Jo Inge Berget, Callum McGregor and Beram Kayal. Johansen, who closed down space high up the field, pressurising defenders, played his best game for Celtic. Less said about his clearance of a Virgil van Dijk header the better.
Watching Kayal was like meeting an old friend again. The player, who in 2011 kept Victor Wanyama out of the team, has been a shadow of his former self since returning from injury two years ago. He is another player who enjoys closing space.
I’m an acknowledged cynic when it comes to even remotely hyped young players breaking through the ranks, but Callum McGregor has now delivered repeatedly. There is a long hard season ahead of him, and let’s remember, form fluctuates, but he has looked like one of the best players in the team so far. I doubt any Celtic player has opened the scoring in three consecutive European away games.
The first 35 minutes saw Maribor sit deep, which allowed Celtic to build patiently. Movement was good during this period, players in possession always had options, so we were able to switch play, force opponents to chase the ball, and penetrate with purpose.
Play was bound to change when Maribor started to close down higher up field, but Celtic reacted by playing low-percentage balls forward, which invariably resulted in possession being lost. I would like to see us look for less-ambitious passes more often.
There were several concerns, not least of all at the back. A defence which was impregnable for much of last season is now being cut open with regularity. I don’t subscribe to the view that players suddenly lose instinct and awareness over the summer, so it’s likely that a change in the midfield shape is exposing frailties in defence.
Maribor players found themselves clean through on a couple of occasions last night, echoing what happened in Warsaw and at Murrayfield. Ronny needs to find a fix.
Despite clearly being the better team, there is still a big job ahead for Celtic next week, better teams don’t always win, but a disciplined performance, no red cards, no mistakes at the back, should see us through.
Take no chances at Inverness on Saturday, make sure players are rested and fit.
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TD67 fair enough , we all have different journeys. Fine by me too.
Philbhoy start another topic mate. Maybe something about Celtic and how we might be facing Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the near future. Glasgow is green and white.
Gordon,J well put sir
Sorry if this has been posted already.
Auldheid says:
August 22, 2014 at 12:44 am
85 0 Rate This
Torquemada says:
August 21, 2014 at 10:07 pm
The absurdity of the position taken by Sevco fans over the state aid issue and the age of the club they profess to support tells me that everything they say should be taken under advisement. But I have to remark that my eyes widened at their claim that Regan signed his consent to whatever might be agreed and buggered off to a family engagement on the most critical night in Scottish football history.
If this is true, then the door should not be allowed to hit his useless Yorkshire arse on the way out. That is an utterly incredible allegation and I’m astounded at the lack of attention it has received on the part of regular posters on here. As a union official at both local and national level for roughly half of my working life, I can state that no agreement concluded in such circumstances would ever have been accepted by either side. It is a jaw-dropping claim.
I have long since despaired of Scottish journalism so I know that any such claim made by Celtic fans would be quietly ignored by the SMSM, but maybe, just maybe, the fact that it has been made by “them” might just evoke a hack to ask Mr Regan to confirm our deny. TSFM should be all over this like a rash.
======================
I can well believe the VB’s assertions about Regan.
He was disingenuous in his replies to Celtic re the UEFA 2011 Licence.
He was disingenuous or ignorant of the UEFA FFP rules the SFA had agreed to uphold and made an inaccurate statement re SFA monitoring responsibilities to Richard Gordon on air BBC Sportsound last autumn.
It is no wonder Rangers licence submission of July 2011 was not at least questioned by the SFA if their CEO did not know the SFA’s responsibilities and rules at best. The alternative, as yet unknown, is if the SFA colluded with Rangers in circumventing the rules.
As a consequence of either the SFA put Scottish football at great risk internationally because had Rangers got through the qualifying rounds for the CL or EL, Malmo and then Maribor would have been asking the same question that Resolution 12 will get an answer to, which is how come Sherriff Officers called on 10th August 2011 to collect an unpaid and so clearly overdue tax bill, especially since Rangers signed FIVE players in July and August to play against them?
Juanma Ortiz (6 July) , Dorin Goian (25th July) , Lee Wallace ( 21st July) all in time to play v Malmo – although Goian did not.
Bocanegra (17 Aug) and Bedoya.(17 Aug) in time to play v Maribor.
Imagine you are Malmo and have been put out of the CL by Rangers playing Lee Wallace with Ortiz on the bench and you see the news of Sherrif Officers calling to collect. Is the question how is it possible that a club with unpaid social tax can buy players that beat us not going to be raised? The same would have applied to Maribor although they played after the 10th August and might asked the question before their game. Perhaps their victory played a part in not asking.
The VBBs should be careful what they wish for because HMRC definitely and the SFA almost certainly, either through ignorance of the rules they were supposed to apply or by design, did everything in their power to help Rangers avoid administration by keeping the door to CL money open and there is evidence to support this. As is evidence of how Rangers lied in trying to keep HMRC on side.
With regard to the guarantee of no title stripping that could only be given on the basis that the ebts and registration issue only applied to the big tax case ebts which were “not irregular”.
As we now know not all ebts were “not irregular” and two titles for 1999 and 2003 should be removed because the corollary of LNS’s decision is that if “not irregular” ebts gave no sporting advantage then irregular ones must have.
Regan may not have known about the distinction between both types, but the SFA President as the guy who launched the irregular ebts and benefitted from the regular ones most certainly knew there were two types, so questions have to be asked of his competency in not briefing his CEO and those involved in bringing together the 5 way agreement.
There has been too much deceit at play from 1999 and it has to stop for everyone’s sake including the VBs and all Rangers supporters who were let down by the folk whose job it is to keep football on the straight and narrow. (and I include the silent journalists in this)
Gordon J A fine post good luck to you.
Gordon J. 11.24.
Good post. Well said.
Gazza was a naughty 5 year old child in a man’s body. It is wrong to judge him as we would a mature adult.
Sadly for him, he was also a prodigously talented & inevitably overpaid footballer who found himself at the centre of people’s attention & adulation, able to surround himself with self-seeking & sycophantic ‘friends’.
The Fates dealt him a hand that was sure to destroy him.
He deserves all the help & sympathy that can be given to him.
Captain Beefheart @11 47 .
The Last Man In Russia
Yes -a very good book -as is his -Let Our Fame Be Great ..
Old Fart At Play CSC-Way down south
TD67
Let those without sin, cast the first stone.
HH
Off oot
the green man
11:56 on 22 August, 2014
TD67
I can only judge from your words.
And I think clearly, there is hatred and bitterness in your soul.
To wish ill on those less fortunate than yourself…says it all.
I wouldnt need to know you, to understand what you are saying.
You make it plain.
Hatred and bitterness with a lack of compassion….not nice traits.
HH
___________________________
Your assuming again if you knew me and how I Amon the subject and I told you a couple of stories ( of which I am not) right now you would be embarrassed about this post, so you go ahead down the road your going, doesent bother me, as I done even know you or want to, I haven’t had hatered for any one, it’s a bad bad word to accuse some one of being that you don’t know,
drambowiecelt
11:09 on 22 August, 2014
Bobby M
One of my lurker mates said you mentioned the “Shammy”
recently were you a member?
~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~~
Don’t recall that one,mate.
Been in many a Shamrock Club-the Greenock one will always have a place in my heart-but never a member of them.
Tony Donnelly 1123
Your original post about Gascoigne lacked class and had the whiff of the Hun about it.
You have gone off on a whataboutery tangent about domestic abuse. No more to be said by me on this.
Livibhoy
Thanks for the tip earlier
Threw a couple of pound on it
I might aswel throw my money away on this as on the football
B-)
Moonbeams it has certainly been a day for reflections. On the bright side how many blogs do you get that on. Looking in mirrors. In a funny way shows how much we are all alike. We are all Celtic. All of us. I am 100% certain that if we were all in a pub right now, looking each other in the eye we would get it, and still disagree. C’mon the hoops.
i can slice a banana without opening it…
.
The Georgious Samaras Story Part..1888..The Number 9 Enigma Epilogue..
Samaras signs two-year deal at West Brom
West Brom have confirmed the signing of striker Georgios Samaras on a two-year deal.
The 29-year-old has joined on a free transfer and is the club’s ninth signing under new head coach Alan Irvine.
Samaras – who has represented Greece at two World Cups – has spent the last six years at Scottish giants Celtic, but sought a new challenge.
And West Brom, who claimed they had “beaten off competition from a host of clubs across Europe” to sign the forward, are delighted with the acquisition.
“We’ve signed a player with vast experience and I’m delighted to welcome ‘Sami’ to the club,” Irvine told the club’s official website.
“He has played a lot of football at the highest levels – Champions League, European Championships and World Cups – and the feedback we’ve got on him, from people like Neil Lennon, states he thrives on the big occasion.
“He will certainly play in plenty of those in the Barclays Premier League.
“Georgios has played in big games for a Celtic team that have often had a lot of the ball and have had to work hard to break the opposition down.
“But he has also shown another side to his game in other matches when they haven’t seen as much of the ball.”
The signing of Samaras gives Irvine four forward options, joining fellow new signing Brown Ideye, young striker Saido Berahino and Victor Anichebe.
And Irvine is excited by his versatility in attack, adding: “We have now got four strikers with different qualities, who can be used in different ways.
“That’s great for us, because we need to have flexibility, the option to approach games in different ways and cover for injuries.
“I’m absolutely delighted with the four strikers we have.”
West Brom added that Samaras will not be involved in the team to face Southampton on Saturday.
Samaras scored 11 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions for Celtic last term.
..
Guid Luck..My Bhoy Georgious..Jeezo Am Gonnae Greet..;-(
Summa of DisiplesOfTheProphetSamarasCSC
That’s nice
TonyDonnelly walk away from this one mate. It obviously means more to you on a personal level than others , take some time oot as KevJ would say. Hail Hail.
Two very wise and telling posts from Gordon J and The Long Wait is Over. Perhaps today could be a defining moment in recovering the soul of this great blog. Several posts have displayed wisdom, compassion and humanity. Qualities which have defined most Celtic supporters in my lifetime.
I come on here principally to read about my team. However, down the years I’ve learnt so much about so many subjects, thanks to the contributions of our cyber-community. Crucially, I’ve also tempered and improved my outlook on my fellow man, as I’ve been made to re-think some long held views which reflected poorly on me
I’ve also made new friends and, they too, have broadened my outlook.
Recently we’ve lost some fine posters. Jimbo67 comes to mind. I’ve rarely met such an intelligent, passionate Celtic fan in my life. I’ve known James most of his life and can attest to his strength of character. He won’t have been bullied off the blog, his was a matter of principle. Now we risk losing NegAnon2, one of my favourite Malcontents. I do hope he stays.
The common denominator in these and other departures surrounds disagreements with some of our more strident, constant posters. Perhaps we could return the blog to its former glory if we recognised we have so much more in common than what divides us.
And, crucially, we keep our mind open to learning and developing our views and attitudes.
31003
De ye take the skin aff furst?
Bhoylo83,
If you don’t mind, what is the tip?
HH
Yogi
the glorious balance sheet
12:05 on 22 August, 2014
Tony Donnelly 1123
Your original post about Gascoigne lacked class and had the whiff of the Hun about it.
You have gone off on a whataboutery tangent about domestic abuse. No more to be said by me on this.
_______________________________
Nor me on this rant.
Philbhoy
No….
Summa I always take an EPL team at the beginning of a season for a laff. Looks like the Bromies are my 2014 team. Show them your class Sammi.
31003
De ye slice it wi the skin oan then?
31003
“i can slice a banana without opening it…”
—————————————–
Wow, did you get a pair of slippers?
HH.
31003
You can peel an orange in yer pocket too!
(Cowardly caveat-kidding!)
BMCUWP
Happy birthday to your Mum!
Celtic should offer to buy Murray park and sell Lennoxtown to them.
God knows why Celtic decided to build up there. The access alone should have put anyone off. That situation has been made worse by the locals thwarting access by the direct route from Campsie Glen. The current route is along a potholed,rutted track and if I’m honest is pretty embarrassing.
taurangabhoy
12:11 on 22 August, 2014
TonyDonnelly walk away from this one mate. It obviously means more to you on a personal level than others , take some time oot as KevJ would say. Hail Hail.
____________________
Oh I can handle it that’s not a problem, it’s just that some in here think they know me, someone even said they where talking about me at a golf tournament? Why? They don’t know me, it’s a blog Ffs, get real.
YogiHughes
28/1 Tiger Twenty Two 16.55 @ York
It wasnt even Livibhoy’s tip
He just metioned some guy at work mentioned it…
So dont blame me…. or livibhoy… or his mate!!
B-)
new article posted.
Bobby…… oh ok mate wrong info csc lol.
I got my first membership for Greenock Shammy in 73,In fact I had my engagement party in there feb 74.One of my fondest memories of that time now I recall
was one particular G.M ,when Arthur D. took to the stage and addressed the crowd
with a passionate speech……The reason for his passion?
He vehemently opposed a ruling to curb the singing of erm… certain songs
on the buses…… cue the crowd giving it a lusty rendering of The Merry Ploughboy
Ha HA, good times. H.H.
Thanks, Bhoylo83 and thanks Livibhoy.
I’ve been betting long enough not to blame the messenger.
HH
Yogi
Gordon J
Excellent contribution to what was managing to become a cruel and banal exchange of views on a difficult topic.
Summa
It is a difficult trick to manage to retain sympathy for those suffering from the affliction of alcoholism and being seen to be too sympathetic to the “poor”, “can’t help himself” alcoholic.
And sometimes it does not matter too much what attitude you have or behaviour you adopt because you are not important enough, at that point in the grip of the addiction, to actually achieve the change that you want to see. But then, as you never know what might be the right time to be around and be helpful, you might as well have some empathy, if not sympathy, through the whole journey.
Bit like life, I suppose.
P.S. Should I put Sammi in my fantasy team for the EPL?
31003
Did you use a needle
HH
I picked up an interesting snippet from Danny Kellly on TalkSport Radio; the Europa League winners are to receive a pass into next season’s Champions League.
Haven’t heard that before and I don’t know what stage they’re admitted into, qualifiers or group stage, but it changes the significance of the tournament markedly.
With luck and good play, Celtic won’t need to care about this next week.
DK is a sound broadcaster who, I think, shows respect to the opinions of ordinary fans who call his shows whether he agrees or not with the points being expressed.
Often he offers a coherent summary of an incoherent ramble which the fan is happy to clutch as his/her own. One of the too few good’uns on that station.
TonyDonnelly I saw that one. Holier than though. Many posters met Neganon and liked the man, I am sure I would , and you would. It would be the same for all of us. I like your style mate don’t get to bogged down with what others prefer. Words on a blog are much greyer than face to face. Keep on telling it , in your way mate.
Should I be so unfortunate as to run Ito the ‘gentleman’ from Kilwinnig (where I actually am) I might remind him that his lot never won the Empire Exhibition,St Mungo Trophy or the Coronation Cup (that must have been a sad blow) unless he thinks they were competed for in another country…
Morning CQN Napsters.
Out most of the morning so early pick for me.
Glenalmond. 3 15 York currently 16/1. Hopefully it will have come on for its debut, when it won very well. Can’t ignore the 16/1 on an unbeaten horse! GL all.