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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Watching the game, it occurred to me that the one good thing about the red card was we’d get a good practice session for the next crucial game we play in Scotland.
MARADOMINIC@1-21
The loathsome mssm of the best wee country are far to busy with whataboutery to actual listen.
Even seething got in on the act.
Until the bigoted best wee nation admits it has a problem nothing will change.
WATP is not limited to a slogan on the ibrox walls.
QUADROPHENIAN on 22ND FEBRUARY 2019 1:20 PM
embdy else mildly puzzled by Mikey and not Timo??
Yeah me too. Maybe a wee message from Brendan?
MM – ;P
DAVID 17
I think there is some substance to the Celtic Park thing, we do struggle with expectations especially if things go against us. We’ve seen it a few times now. The opposition also rise to the occasion.
Or it could be said our cautious approach dampens the expectation early and gives our opponents confidence?
We seem to lack the knowhow to capitalise on the momentum our support create.
How many times do we talk about weathering an early onslaught away from home?
And how often do our opponents at Celtic park have to account for this?
Our rigidity to our one style of play limits us.
So it’s ok for clubs like Celtic to advertise political parties but wrong for supporters to have freedom of expression. Some on here would not be out of place supporting Franco’s Spain. The hypo racy reeks.
NEIL LENNON & –
Was one needed? And what would it be?
Weah Jr gets wired in every game, to my eyes.
GREENPINATA on 22ND FEBRUARY 2019 1:31 PM
On the Facing Book we had a discussion about a flag some supporters were carrying going to Valencia. It contained the flag of the 2nd Spanish republic and the Catelonian flag. Spanish politics is volatile we should keep well clear. Red rag to a bull.
Make no mistake this does not justify the brutish behaviour of the Spanish police, however some of us must use common sense, accept personal responsibility and keep politics out of football.
HH.
==========
Wait a minute… applied to this case, accept personal responsibility for what exactly? I thought you said the brutish behaviour of the Spanish police was unjustified?
Clearly, yes, it was unjustified. So on this occasion I don’t see why anyone should admit personal responsibility for what happened other than the Spanish police, hiding behind their riot gear and indiscriminately battering defenseless people with truncheons, including those who were only trying to vacate the scene.
HH
Big Judith must be oan the panel..
Spanish Police are notorious in their Brutality. The treatment of the Catalonian voters during the recent Referendum, a good example. They also are the Police who deal with the English Hooligans in Benidorm.
The fire at the Rangers bar a few days ago seems to being put down to Celtic fans setting fire to Rangers flags outside which then spread. Ex pats seemed to think that it was more likely an Insurance job ahead of Brexit
This would be the touchpaper that set the Police’s fire and the result was heavy handed policing where Celtic fans were targets just for wearing the colours. You didn’t need to do anything, these guys love their job beating people up
Timo will be an important player for us on Sunday, which I reckon is a more important game than last night’s, in the scheme of things.
In my post above, I said I saw fans mixing well before, during and after the game. There was a moment, an hour or so before kick off, when a large group of Cetic fans wre letting off green smoke bombs right outside the entrance to the main stand, when I thought it could kick off.
Why? Because they started chanting Barca/Catalonia stuff at the Valencian fans.
Nothing happened. No police moved in and we moved on to take our seats.
From my observation, those singing this stuff were bevvied up youths looking to provoke their hosts. Why? No idea. Valencia, like Cataluña, is an autonomous region and fiercely proud of their own language and culture.
Deniabhoy- we have an element who need sorted out.
QUADROPHENIAN
I don’t think Brendan likes his players to vent their spleen at the end of a game. Just a thought, probably wrong!
TRADITIONALIST88 on 22ND FEBRUARY 2019 1:43 PM
You will note of course that I do not condone the brutish disgusting behaviour of the Spanish police. They have previous for these kind of actions.
What I am saying is that I hope innocent Celtic supporters did not suffer due to an ill advised banner. Personal responsibility is of course related to the persons flying such a flag.
Another poster has quoted freedom of expression. Really, some Spanish locals and police may feel that such political flags from visitors in that part of Spain is insulting.
I could also add : Why would any sane person want to stay in a political union with such fascists, however that is a debate for another day.
My thoughts are concerned with hoping that none of our fans were seriously injured.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56968/speech-friends-romans-countrymen-lend-me-your-ears
The email address to which I have sent my complaints re police behaviour last night.
JJ
https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/contact
HOT SMOKED
Would be interesting to find out wether intel from Police Scotland shaped the Spanish police tactics?
JJ- Email sent,well done.
With regards to Mikey Johnson getting the nod over Weah.
I reckon this was Brendan schooling / educating young Mikey.
Brendan will feel obliged to develop all players at Celtic Park. But Mikey Johnson is ours, and Weah isn’t.
And after his stint up top at Ibrox, I think Brendan was wanting to see if Mikey had listened, understood, and learned from that day.
RUGGYMAN
It’s Brendan not Mikey who needs to take a long hard look and learn from their ibrox performance.
In the run up to the game hun players and their presstitutes stated exactly what type of game they would play that day.
SS scores a hat trick on the wednesday as the striker but finds himself on the left with Mikey a slight youngster thrown into a new position against two big centre half’s with zero support from midfield as our best midfielder was played at left back.
The capitulation and shambles had nothing to do with Mikey.
Hi all,
Advice on taxis, etc.
Bit off topic, sorry. But my son and I are up at the Motherwell game on Sunday (we live in York and don’t get to many games). He’s 15 and has chronic fatique syndrome/ME and the whole match day experience is a struggle for him. He loves it but the main problem is getting to and from the ground as it’s too far to walk (from and to the city centre) – and obviously traffic make taxis difficult before and almost impossible afterwards.
To get around this, we’ve done Club Celtic lounges (which was great) and Kerrydale Suite (not good – too overwhelming/lack of seating/etc.) but it meant we had somewhere to go before and after the game, so we could get taxis both ways without too many traffic problems.
Obviously we can’t afford to do corporate every visit, so this time we haven’t. However my question is do you guys have any tips on how best to get around this? I think getting a cab per-match early-ish will be okay as we can just take our seats early – but it’s afterwards that’s the main problem. With nowhere to go, how long before the traffic dies down and we can get a cab back do you think? I’m aware that many cabs won’t come to Parkhead after a match anyway. Or perhaps there’s somewhere nearby we can go – I’m aware Scotland is a bit funny about letting pre-16 year olds in pubs??
BTW I’ve asked the disibilty team at Celtic to see if they have anywhere we could go, and they’d said they’d get back to me; but nothing yet.
No bother if there’s no answer to this, just thought it would be good to ask those in the know.
BTW His first ever game was a 0-2 defeat by Kilmarnock that was possibly the worst game of football I’ve witnessed by any team in any league, ever. lol. Can’t believe he still wants to keep going! (but I’m so glad he does!) :-)
Thanks all, HH.
Al
In ither news, how does emptying Hampden, and then paying £49 to prop up the Rangers lie, fix Scottish football ?
Asking for a friend.
HH
BTW Further to my last post – Celtic Disability team just this minute got back to me to make arrrangements to help. We could be moving our seats and they’re hopefully allowing us to use a cafe lounge before and after. Have to say, they seem fantastic! What a club Celtic is!
THISBHOYWONDERS@3-32
Fantastic news.
Hope you and your son have a wonderful day.
Hail Hail
Fan-a-tic
There’s no disputing that Brendan called it all wrong that day.
And let it be known I’m not saying anything was Mikey Johnson’s fault.
I just feel Valencia away, was a good learning environment / exposure for young Mikey. A player we will hopefully have around for many years to come
RUGGYMAN
I agree on it being a good learning environment and happy he got to savor the moment.
I think Mikey is a wonderful young footballer and still mad that his development was stalled by the ibrox debacle.
He was on a high and scoring before but has rarely featured since.
Bada
Thanks. I hope many others decide to contact Visit Valencia to voice their disapproval of the police behaviour.
JJ
CELT70
Your “friend” wouldn’t be called Kev by any chance? Asking for all my friends ;-)
THISBHOYWONDERS on 22ND FEBRUARY 2019 3:32 PM
BTW Further to my last post – Celtic Disability team just this minute got back to me to make arrrangements to help. We could be moving our seats and they’re hopefully allowing us to use a cafe lounge before and after. Have to say, they seem fantastic! What a club Celtic is!
_________
That is brilliant, just brilliant news!
Hail! Hail!
Not long back from a heartbreaking funeral of one of Motherwell greastest fans 22year old Lyoldo Welsh RIP wee man you will be sadly missed HH
JOBO BALDIE on 22ND FEBRUARY 2019 4:09 PM
CELT70
Your “friend” wouldn’t be called Kev by any chance? Asking for all my friends ;-)
_________
I don’t know of a Kev, but if your friends know him, well I hope he’ll post if he reads this. ;
Hail! Hail!
Life has called.
Take care Celts.
HH
I disagree to an extent with the conclusion to your article Paul.
It was evident in the game against Valencia at Celtic Park that our shape was ill-suited to deal with the Valencia game plan. Our selection & shape last night reflected what lessons we learned at Celtic Park. I know you alluded to that in the 3 CBs at the cost of a midfielder but that was only half the story.
Our “fullbacks” operated at halfbacks so that they could reinforce our midfield. This freed up James Forrest to play where he saw an opening. e lost the midfield battle at Celtic Park but, at least until the sending off, we controlled the midfield at the Mestalla last night.
Brendan changed his shape & his tactics to try to win the game last night & for me at least showed that he is prepared to change his style of high press. In the first game we didn’t see any real change in the shape or tactics from what we witness in domestic games – and we paid the price by not scoring & worse hardly creating a decent chance all night. He caught their manager out last night with his bolder tactics & we had 8 chances in the first 35 minutes. I don’t believe for one minute that Valencia were happy to coast because they were 2-0 up – the whistles from their fans after 25 minutes of being given the runarond by Celtic were testament to what their fans demanded.
Going back to our fullbacks as half backs though, our shape and tactics left both fullbacks as exposed as ever last night. It was an unusual system for the 3 CBs, but it was very clear that their job was to cover the flanks when the FBs pushed up in case of a quick counter attack. Bothe goal we conceded & the sending off were as a result of the brief for the fullbacks to push on & support the midfield/attack. Setting aside whether the 2nd yellow was even a foul – Toljan’s 2 cards were as a result of being caught on the wrong side of their man. He tugged a jersey for the first & was adjudged by the ref to have fouled his man for the second. But we had 3 CBs, one of whom (Ajer) was right sided to cover for any such breakaways, so was his jersey tug necessary? We’ll never know but I think that the defence was not that familiar with the system last night & experience would have told Toljan that once his guy got past him, Celtic’s goal was at risk. His default was to stop the guy getting any further and take the risk of a card.
For the goal, it was Hayes who was caught out pushing to far ahead and too far inside his man that did for us. Our 3 CBs had been lured to the right side of our defence and as Jonny shifted over with them to the right, the Valencia pinged one in behind him. Boyata & Simunovic had moved to the left to cover for any cross but had their back to the danger. Their man had a shinned tap in from 5 yards. I know we were under the cosh with our 10 v their 11 but their goal was avoidable even so.
We were braver & more organised last night and I was delighted that we restored some pride in ourselves, but Brendan has to maintain the attitude that he took into the preparations for this game for future fixtures in Europe.
Our players were immense to a man & I mean every one of them. We sometimes come over as a little naive – witness the way the guy fell at the Toljan 2nd yellow card incident – and we often feel frustrated that referees in Europe don’t see what we think are dives by our opponents. These opposition players draw fouls or what looks like fouls by us on them regularly & we don’t even think of that it seems.
Two examples, the first involving Ollie Burke (who I think is a good footballer but his brief last night was to use his pace to stretch them as opposed to hanging around to play little triangles in a more measured buildup). He outsripped them & his own colleagues but it never once seemed to occur to him to try & draw a foul. He fell a couple of times but they were as a result of losing his balance on being tackled.
The second example is Ajer. He had his great left foot volley from the corner which was blocked and came back to him. He took a touch past one player but then the ball was moving away from him towards the byline. He decided to stretch to get a shot off & we know where it ended up. He took the decision to shoot for the second time because he could see one of their players closing in on the ball. If he had taken a touch as this player tackled him it is very likely, in my opinion, that he would have been fouled. He would simply have done what Jimmy Johnstone did for years – show the ball to your opponent and lure him into going for a ball that you will be first to – and get ready to be fouled.
Anyway, still feeling good this morning and onwards to Sunday against a rejuvenated ‘Well. 3 pts please.
HH
I think the CO will be pleased at this statement from the SFA CEO in response to heavy criticism of her in our beloved media. I expect the media will ignore the “meat” in the statement & focus on the views on the preservation of our precious Scottish referees !!
https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/scottish-fa-statement-referees-and-disciplinary-system/?rid=13929
Can anyone tell me why it is the SFA’s remit to appoint referees, foreign or not, for the SPFL. Could the latter not demand the right to choose for themselves in their own competition?
HOTSMOKED
My complaint has been sent to Visit Valencia mhate , hope you are well and clocking up a few miles on the bike ! HH !!
Parkheadcumsalford on 22nd February 2019 5:01 pm
Can anyone tell me why it is the SFA’s remit to appoint referees, foreign or not, for the SPFL. Could the latter not demand the right to choose for themselves in their own competition?
——–
Funnily enough I was wondering the exact same thing myself!
Sorry I don’t have an answer for you btw…