It was all so promising. 35 minutes in, eight Celtic attempts on goal, zero for Valencia. Even when Jeremy Toljan left the field for a second yellow card, there were still positives. We both know that last night’s game was never really about qualification for the next round, so too did Valencia, but it was a useful yardstick for where we are now and where we can hope to be in the summer.
Scott Bain was already established as first choice ‘keeper, but, without seeing much of him before joining Celtic, I think we can say this was the best performance of his career to date. He can play at this level and has been an excellent acquisition to the team.
Brendan Rodgers felt sore about Jeremy Toljan’s second yellow. The full back was pushed before falling into Guedes. It was harsh and the referee probably failed to spot the push, but Toljan was caught in the wrong position and his fall was unnecessary. Jeremy is undoubtedly an upgrade on Mikael Lustig, but small lapses like this is why he’s not at Dortmund right now.
The three central defenders were stand-out successes. Kristoffer Ajer will replay in his head, the header from the free kick and volley from the corner. They were chances to open the scoring but his all round play came close to Man of the Match levels.
I had written off Jozo Simunovic’s usefulness, largely, but not exclusively, on the basis of his fitful availability. However, he showed again last night that he can contribute to the team and deserves a place in the squad. Like Scott Bain, Jonny Hayes had the game of his life. He looked intent to make his mark at the Mestalla and did so.
Callum McGregor was my pick of the midfield players. He was forever tidy under pressure, operating with calm in very tight spaces. Scott Brown was at his best, although a rash tackle brougth an early booking that looked ominous. We got little from the more creative mids, James Forrest and Ryan Christie.
The entire Oliver Burke story was there to see. Great pace and strength, clumsy touch. There is an inverse relationship between speed and control.
Odsonne Eduard made a quick impact when he came on but was eventually subdued. The occasion looked too high a step for Mikey Johnston.
In his post-match interview, Brendan addressed suggestions that he should change his style of play for these matches, citing Leipzig and this game as certification that it can work. Last night had the concession of a third central defender, at the cost of an attack-minded player. We should also caveat that Valencia were two goals up from the game in Glasgow, with little to prove.
The manager is not for changing his high press game, so devastatingly successful domestically, but so open to debate in Europe.
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Kevin Clancy set to take charge verse Motherwell
the token tim CSC
on a lighter subject…..or one to shine some needed light on….
The Scottish Beaver is to become a protected species…
so don,t be caught hiding the scissors ,razors ,hedge trimmers etc .
as that is now a crime..
smiley let it shine ,winky winky thing
Braw
today I have mostly been watching this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8eHxBhzPWg
Great game of egg chasing in Cardiff. England’s Grand Slam ,Slammed.
Land of my Fathers !! great stuff , Wales.
What a clinching try by wales.
And the most astounding national anthem too
HH jg
Sid
Completely forgot about that. Doh!
Think a break might not be bad for him anyway.
talking about crosses, reminded me of a story elaine c smith told, she was in a social club cant remember where, she had a small crucifix round her neck, the club chairman came up to her and said please hide that little man on your cross, think she told him where to go and walked out, how feckin pathetic are they.hh
Parkheadcumsalford on 23rd February 2019 4:24 pm
Just read English’s diatribe against the proposal of employing foreign referees. No attempt whatsoever to deal with the reason for the proposal or how otherwise to combat it. Obviously the Establishment (and BBC Scotland is part) do not wish to address Scotland’s Shame. The matter simply gets worse and worse as long as it is ignored.
———-
I switched on RS at half time on Thursday. He was being a total smart ar$e (more ar$e than smart it would have to be said) about how Celtic wanted foreign refs and this was a foreign ref making a mistake (Toljan sending off).
Funnily enough he didn’t ask if the ref was a referee because his dad was a referee, whether or not the ref went out drinking with Valencia supporters or if he had failed to book a Valencia player because he was “a bit silly”.
Then again this is the guy who did those succulent lamb interviews with the Dutch EBT all-stars and asked them if they would have gone to Rangers without EBTs when the real question would have been would they have joined for half the money?
Perfectly suited to BBT Scotland.
:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Hope we are all well rested and ready for the monsters from ML1 tomorrow. They are on a good roll and although not as physical as last years poor Crazy Gang tribute act, they will be able to stick it about. Looking forward as ever to seeing ourteam tomorrow , show them we are the big dogs in the pound. HH
Jamesgang
You failed to read that I did not vote for Brexit.
As for Jacob Rees Mogg. I have absolutely nothing in common with him ( apart from being the same religion, alibet with differing interpretation) I have more in common with Dennis Skinner.
I could reply that empowering your colleagues like Hammond, Rudd, Tony Blair, etc etc is a vote for the failed status quo of the establishment. But I won’t.
I also fail to realise the difference between Scots voting Brexit and English voting Brexit. I hope and trust that your thought process is non racist
Anyway my friend, pesky work calls again.
M.I.T.
Thanks for the J.S .Ondara link …great singer , enjoy the gig…
£7/8 a ticket is a steal.
CORKCELT on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 4:05 PM
Jamesgang, Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmett, Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas Orr, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Thomas Davis, Charles Stuart Parnell, Sam Maguire etc etc. You are in good company.
*you forgot to mention Ronnie Bunting, a founder member of the INLA whose da was a contemporary of paisley and helped organise the armed attack at Burntollet Bridge.
Clancy referee tomorrow assited by red card red card Ross, McLean for Wednesday night at Tynecastle.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 4:30 PM
RIMTIMTIM Have a look at the penalty that Cardiff were denied against Watford last night. I can see no excuse for a referee not to award that. It beggars belief. And yet no religious or cultural bias was involved.
*Or chicaritos maradonna hand of God goal for the Hammers, the Cottagers hardly protested although the Tinker Man collared the 4th official.
Greenpinata
I absolutely DID see your comment that you didn’t vote. I promise you.
Anyway, kindest regards. Take care.
HH jg
Jmcc
Wont happen
Excellent phosting MEA CULPA on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 8:32 AM
One comment you made “If the others had their way, Celtic would be long gone” I would question, now I know bader tried tae put us out of the game but I have no doubt it was just tae curtail us as we were the only threat tae his avarice and arrogance, we would have been allowed tae come back again in another form.
Whereas regan said their demise could lead tae anarchy on the streets of Scotland, ours would remove a huge amount of money fae the game and that’s the crux of the matter.
Don’t forget that when Sir Bob stood up tae the Park Garden bigots graham and swann, it was deidco that backed us, and not for any great love of us either or a sense of injustice but as I was often told as a wean it was only for the money we brought intae the game.
Also, a year later when the decision tae host a cup for the new monarch’s coronation, 4 top teams from Scotland and England were selected.
Arsenal were the current champions, manure the year before and also the Charity Shield holders, Spurs the season before that as well as the Charity Shield and Newcastle the FA Cup winners the past 2 years.
The home sides included deidco (double winners that season), Hibbees (league runners up and champions the 2 previous seasons), the Sheep (cup runners up) and us finished eighth in the league, eliminated at the group stage from the LC, and knocked out of the SC in the quarters.
No Dundee LC winners that season and LC and SC runners up the season before or Killie LC runners up, even East Fife, a very good side in that era, who has finished 3rd and had already 2 LCs under their belt by then and would win another that season, what about the upcoming calvinists who in that decade would be Champions twice, runners up 3 times, SC winners once and LC winners 3 times with a side that contained the exiting “Terrible Trio” of Conn, Bauld and Wardhaugh who would emulate the Hibbees “Famous Five” as well as the tough as nails Dave Mackay a future double winner for Spurs the first in the 20th century, more than enough in that group tae represent the country.
Not so, they went with a team that finished eighth in the league, was knocked out of the LC at the group stages and lost tae deidco in the quarter-finals of the SC.
Why, well as my oulder family told me we were guaranteed tae bring a crowd, unfortunately for lizzie, philip and big geordie whose durty big nose was the right shade of blue we won the damn thing.
So we are the benchmark as far as money coming intae the game, we leave the whole cabal collapses. We should look for another league tae play in and then give the craftsmen 3 years notice with the caveat that should things change for the better we’ll stay, after all we are founding members of the Scottish Football League and were tasked with running the fledgling competition.
DESSYBHOY on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 7:01 PM
Clancy referee tomorrow assited by red card red card Ross, McLean for Wednesday night at Tynecastle.
Reads like a litany of ‘who’s who’………..sorry , make that ‘huns who’.
FAN-A-TIC on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 4:32 PM
SFTB
Just maybe the ref was an Englishman who disnae like the Welsh?
VG
Earlier i posted about a twitter video that showed Bachman elbowing Kamara.
On originally seeing it i thought it was a fake as unlike the clear tv pics from behind goal it showed two different arms up movements.
Bachman’s card was rescinded yesterday suggesting my instinct was correct.
This is another example of cheating behavior by the huns,.
Considering video will be a big part of the game in future this was sinister and something we have to be aware of.
Surprised no one had anything to say about this.
Starting from MEA CULPA this morning, today has to be the best I have read on CQN for some time, well done everyone.
Now do something positive like stop funding the sectarian charade, you know it makes sense ;-)
HH
A good sporting day continues in Croke Park where Dublin are taking on Mayo in the Gaelic football. Ten minutes into the second half Dubs lead 1-7 to 0-4. Currently on EIRsport1
Up de Dubs.
Just wondering what the odds are tomorrow with huns . Will they get a penalty before a Hamilton player is sent off, or vice versa.
Just a thought
KINGLubO
Did I get this from here?
http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html
Funny as
Played golf with KTs dad yesterday and he gave me a brilliant print done by geo Thompson.
Happy days ?
Not really I got beat,third is the new last?️?
TET-my tickets came through the door for the Hun game this morning ?
can the man …..we are all missing out on Pussy …
smiley no reward thing
Braw
FAN-A-TIC
A stage further than that, is where SKY/BT or whoever, show decisions from their favourite angle only.
Sometimes they’ve even been caught drawing ‘a squinty line’ for Sevco.
All in the game CSC
Fan a tic- there are no depths Level 5 will go to…borderline criminal
Neustadt..,
Some people just can’t let things go :)
Dubs win 1-12 to 0-7.
Tony Rome
The converse of “my life is boring I have nothing to post about” is that my life is so boring that I have all the time to post whatever nonsense flashes across the front of my brain.
HH
Tontine Tim on 23rd February 2019 6:59 pm
CORKCELT on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 4:05 PM
Jamesgang, Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmett, Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas Orr, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Thomas Davis, Charles Stuart Parnell, Sam Maguire etc etc. You are in good company.
==
*you forgot to mention Ronnie Bunting, a founder member of the INLA whose da was a contemporary of paisley and helped organise the armed attack at Burntollet Bridge.
==
Ronnie Bunting was a close friend of my father. I can recall Ronnie spent many nights sleeping in our wee home in North Belfast during the height of the conflict. My Father and a few of Ronnie’s other comrades attended his funeral.
RIP Oglach Ronnie Bunting
That time of year, when the Irish train timetable gets posted…?
Big packy -YouTube or google still you’re poison ???
TET@8:03
Now I’m going to have to go back and see who posted immediately before Mea Culpa?
Better not have been me?