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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Morning Tims.
David 66, morning mate, spot on there imho, one of the keys to change is educational instruction from parents or guardians, not an overnight solution granted but it would eventually work.
As for bfdj he is just a zombie cheerleader without the much needed brain cells to form an original thought.
As for arresting 50,000 thats been his get out for yrs, go into the crowd and arrest a few that have been seen on camera indulging, and do it again and again with proof, a few each week and thanks to modern technology ie forums etc many will desist until it eventually dies out, I’m not for the 6 am chap at the door style of arrests or grabbing someone when they come back from holiday.
I hope all clubs can try to eradicate this disease,but I have my doubts.
H.H
50 shades -Hail Hail
Whatever it takes, we can fly people to the moon, give face transplants, hand transplants and other marvellous fleets of humanity, but say we can not eradicate religious bigotry. I despair.
HH
D. :)
morning bhoys from a beautiful sunny Cheshire,,just my take on the sectarianism, until the men in bowler hats and orange sashes, and the masonic influence gets eradicated from Scottish society, nothing will change ,feckin sad really hh.
This debate again. As regards the schools, it’s a chicken and egg situation. Everyone pretends to know what came first but it was quite clearly the egg. Catholic schools exist because of anti Catholic bigotry.
So, the joke red card for Killie goalie is rescinded, too little, too late.
The obvious conclusion (apart from the obvious match fixing) is that Kamara is guilty of simulation.
If the keeper isn’t guilty of the red card offence then it Kamara wasn’t pole-axed and he deliberately simulated injury with the sole intention of getting the keeper sent off.
That in itself, should lead to his suspension and also should be referred to the players union.
Going back to the start of the game…. again, if not a penalty and a red card, then surely the Killie player is guilty of simulation. Was he booked?
Way back in the early days of the RFC death throes, I recall a tribunal actually using the term match-fixing with regards to RFC activities.
RFC have been engaged in match fixing for just about their entire history. It has now progressed on to Sevco FC. The fix has many components:
Grooming of referees, this starts at youth level and continues all through to grade 1. The school you attended is still a major factor in your career.
Having carefully groomed and selected referees throughout the system, it is almost impossible not to select officials who aren’t of the Sevconian persuasion. There’s basically no-one else to choose from. Hence the truth behind the call for non-Scottish officials. That will never be allowed to happen as this is the primary method through which Sevco control/fix matches.
Of course, having populated all the top tiers of referees with Sevconian supporters, appointing members of the match review committee with past match officials also leads to a panel of Sevconians.
The SFA itself has always been a conveyor belt of Ibrox leaning ‘brothers’.
As I have said before, it is truly astonishing how RFC died. They had control of every element of the SFA, the referees, the media, police, politicians, the lot. They even had the head of the BOS feeding the an endless stream of cash.
Despite all of this they still went bust.
Just how bad do you have to be to make such a balls-up of things.
As has been said over and over again, the SMSM are a constant source of squirrels to deflect attention away from any sensitive spots to Sevco. In this case, the heat drawn to match fixing, needs some major deflection. Thus we have the sectarian abuse stories, with King telling us all how appalled he is and promising to sort it out. Has this guy ever spoken the truth in his life? Has anyone heard him say anything in his life which even remotely resembled the truth?
The blogs of every other club in Scotland should stop referring to the rampant cheating by the Sevconian brotherhood. It is match-fixing, plain and simple. Cheating doesn’t convey the whole truth. Match-fixing. From the appointment of the match officials, right through to the match review committee.
Sevco would be buried way down the table and out of the cup had they not benefited from a steady stream of match-fixing decisions. Look back through the season and make your own assessment. Time and again, critical decisions against Sevco were overlooked, resulting in a successful outcome for Sevco. When the heat got too much after the 4 penalty match fix, the match review committee ran for cover and actually applied suspensions. Still not the correct suspensions but better than nothing.
The deflection from match fixing is now in full swing, it’s too hot again.
Representations should be made to the SFA, appropriately worded, that no more match fixing will be tolerated. Everyone can see what is going on. It’s time for other clubs to stand and be counted. Oops. I forgot. There’s the brotherhood again.
When Celtic fans attack PL and the club in general for not acting. you have to bear in mind, Scottish football is first and foremost a den of iniquity, a masonic cabal. If the others had their way, Celtic would be long gone.
The authorities from all walks of life in GB must have known about the goings on at Edmiston drive re the policy that was in play about RCs on the payroll.They ( sevco ) were given an easy ride from all and sundry i.e. legal fraternity,churches and media.Was it not Andy Cameron who said in a TV documentary that because of the existing policy di stefano ( real Madrid ) could not a game for the team he followed and a lot more like Willie Morgan ( Aberdeen ) and Danny McGrain for an entirely different reason.
Club 1872:
72 minus 18 = 54 ( don’t let them get 55 )
Silver City
“Everyone pretends to know what came first but it was quite clearly the egg. ”
Are you pretending? Was this a Virgin Birth?
Personally, I’d go with the Big Bang Theory and say that the answer to the question is The Rooster :-)
Mea Culpa, to be fair to refs, they have to be certain that an incident was a penalty to give it. Likewise they have to be certain a booking is a booking to hand one out. There is a grey area in the middle, like the not proven verdict.
Good Morning One and All.
I hope this finds everyone on this fair blog in good fettle.
Following the death of a well known footballer I was moved to write down a relatively little known story and given Scott Bain’s heroics in Spain and the fall out from Steve Clarke’s comments it is worth posting just to remind yerself that football can be a force for good.
M’on the hoops against the well tomorrow.
https://broganrogantrevinoandhogan.wordpress.com/2019/02/16/who-saved-the-derry-man-a-goalkeeping-tale/
HH
BRTH
DBHOY on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 4:18 AM
I think there were other CQNers in Valencia ( Matt Stewart, Bhoylo 83 ) spring to mind . I hope they’re home safe and would like to hear their accounts of going’s on in Spain.
Militarised police response looked way OTT which is probably an understatement.
—
That was not a response. That was a well thought, pre-planned attack on our fans.
Category A Security Risk. Why? I guess they knew well in advance some boisterous Celtic fans were going to be blocking a bus lane.
From there… the fall of mankind
Mea Culpa
As I have said before, it is truly astonishing how RFC died. They had control of every element of the SFA, the referees, the media, police, politicians, the lot. They even had the head of the BOS feeding the an endless stream of cash.
Despite all of this they still went bust.
Just how bad do you have to be to make such a balls-up of things.
—————————-
It was the control and sphere of influence you mention around RFC that killed them imo. They thought they were ‘ too big to fail ‘ . The MSM reinforced that narrative as often as possible. Everything’s hunky dory, the brotherhood won’t let us down etc. Some things can’t be controlled as they were to find out.
They have shown themselves to be completely devoid or capable of any honest introspective analysis, much to their own demise. They have a self given false sense of superiority which will always hinder them unless they wake up to themselves.
HH
CANAMALAR IT LOOKS LIKE OCD OBSESSIONon 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 5:57 AM
Macjay,
“WWI – was all about imperialist empire building zero to do with democracy. Britain never gave a monkeys about democracy in fact were the opposite, using its might to slaughtered millions who wanted democracy for their own “countries”.
—-
Is this not the reason they gave Palestine to the Jews, to bring Democracy to the Middle-East…?!
I’ve no insights into the matter…(natch)….. but a thought occurred to me that some of these policing outrages stem from fitba’ fans being simply used as “Live” training sessions for the plod…………..doubtless bottons perfecting their baton techniques………. and frustrated Sergeant Majors playing out crowd control tactics in real time.
There must be some on-going training for civil unrest and the soccer yahoos would seem excellent fodder?
For those that follow the wrong-shaped baw….Do The Wugby Wallahs get treated similarly on tour? Or is it all 3 Cheers an, Swing – Lo’ ……Jerusalem as Giles, Jules an’ Jonny swig from their jolly tankards???
The sleekitry comes in possibly when the scoddish foodbaw liason is considered. Hmmm.
Anywhere we look there’s a hurtin’ hun somewhere……..
Aye!
…and while I’m on that thought……..
Is there ever any heavy -handed policin’ at the oul’ Tennis???
:)))))
……….I’d pay good money to see a baton charge on Henman Hill……..
:0
HH!
AURORABOREALIS79 on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 9:02 AM
It may well have had an element of pre planning but it’s difficult to prove anything.
There’s a few posters who have mentioned the Spanish police tendencies towards violence with some English fans on the receiving end in recent years.
Like I mentioned before it would be good to know from people that were there and seen exactly what happened.
HH
After our performance in Valencia, I have renewed confidence we can lift our game when the occasion demands.
Subsequently I think we will win the league and have an extremely good chance of achieving the treble treble.
When the league is assured, I do not want us to ease off and deliver games like last year against the Sheepies where Logan was taking centre stage.
Personally I would like to see a different approach to domestic cup games. This is the forum for new players and new ideas to be trialled. Concentrate on the big two; the league and Europe.
HH.
Dbhoy, the category A Security Risk was announced before Celtic fans arrived in Spain. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, it was announced before the teams met at Celtic Park.
With no explanation as to why this was the case I would only assume they had a hidden agenda.
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 9:01 AM
Very timely meeting of his hero for Mullan who found himself at a fork on the road of life.
Good story, thanks for sharing.
HH
Imagine for a moment if some desk-bound brigadier got his events mixed up and sent in the SPG to Glyndebourne?
” Run Camilla, leave the hamper, take the sorbet!”
( Sore back, no parkrun, hence the pish CSC)
AURORABOREALIS79
Given our track record of supporting our team in foreign countries with no trouble and generally making friends in most places we visit, that occurrence is very very odd to say the least.
HH
BRT & H
Enjoyable read as usual. hh
Anyway, anyone any thoughts on team selection for mañana
HH
D. :)
…having visions of blood-spattered Chinos, dazed and confused Tim-Nice-But-Dim’s with brightly-coloured gingham shirts torn asunder………
………….and the odd deck-shoe left forlornly in the wine stained gutter……….
(ThesePainKillersAreStrong CSC)
David66
Bain
Toljan
Jozo
Boyata
Hayes
McGregor
Christie
Forrest
Sinclair
Burke
Edouard
Is my guess at it.
HH
DBhoy- that looks good to me
An exciting, attacking team.
Might have a wee bet on say 4-1 us
HH
D. :)
David66
KT will feature at some point apparently, great to have him back.
Instead of two up front ( Burke and Edouard ) he might give Henderson the nod to replace Broony and go with one striker.
Heaps of attacking options at the moment .
Very confident we’ll slay the mothers in the nicest possible way of course ;)))
HH
AURORABOREALIS79 on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 9:11 AM
Don`t let the facts get in the way of your myopia.
Fyi .
Britain abstained in the UN vote which ” gave Palestine to the Jews “.
That friend of socialism and democracy , Stalin , voted in favour .
Credit where it`s due .
Team furra morra. Imho big Jozo to be rested has his mammy disnae like him playing 3 games in a week.
KT on the bench and Sinky back, with Ryan getting a wee rest also.
So with all that in mind its..
SuperBain…
Toljan Dedryck AJER n Jonny bhoy.
Cal Mac and Broonie
Jamsie, Sinky, Ollie.
Big Ed,
But I’ve been wrang before ?
50 Shades
Broony’s suspended, at least your consistent ;)))
HH
AURORABOREALIS79 on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 9:11 AM,
It was the cover story, the actual reason behind it was the Balfour Deceleration which was the agreed reward for the Rothschilds agreeing to finance the British WWI effort.
You can ignore macjays as usual tangential irrelevant information, he is a one trick pony with little beyond “know your place pleb” propaganda, useful idiots can’t really help themselves, especially when they think they have praetorian rights.
MIKE IN TORONTO on 22ND FEBRUARY 2019 10:02 PM
BGFC
That case was from 2011 or 2010 … I cant find the name of the accused, but here is a link to a scotzine article on it, with some links at the bottom.
http://www.scotzine.com/2011/03/court-ruling-opens-new-can-of-worms-over-old-firm-sectarianism/
—————————————————-
Mike – thanks very much for getting back to me on this – much appreciated.
HH
BGFC
CQN Coupon. Quietly confident that this will be the week with fairly modest odds for the 7 of around 96/1.
Pogmathonyahun – Brentford
Awalkacrosstherooftops – Plymouth
BMCUW- Accrington
The Exiled Tim – Middlesbrough
Jobo – Norwich
Lennybhoy – Newcastle
GFTB – Inverness CT
Hi – technical problem when posting on CQN recently – I wonder if anyone else has this – get it on this site only, both on my own PC and work laptop.
It looks as if some processes are running in the background that interfere when typing – suddenly the text box that you type in loses focus – i.e. definition – focus indicates the component of the graphical user interface which is selected to receive input.
So halfway through typing a word, the text box stops registering what you are typing – as if you have clicked off the text box onto another part of the screen, but you haven’t.
Does anyone else get this?
When it happens, there is a brief flicker of a website address at the foot of the page “cloudsound” or something like that. Done a search and can’t find anything.
HH
BGFC
DBHOY on 23RD FEBRUARY 2019 10:48 AM
50 Shades
Broony’s suspended, at least your consistent ;)))
HH……
Bawrocks,,,I thought because it was a second yellow his suspension didn’t start for 2 weeks..ach well Ryan’s no getting a rest then ???
I’m shocked that Daniel Bachmann’s red card was rescinded. The initial video I saw was, to me, inconclusive. However, there was a video which was subsequently posted that made the elbow look bad and the red justified. However, I think it was Fanatic who suggested that video might have been edited.
In any event, I am still surprised that the red was overturned, as this supports SC’s criticism.
Of course, what I thought were the two worst calls (the failure to call the early penalty, and the Candeais karate tackle) have not been addressed by the beaks ….
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB
Yes. Same ghost text issue here. HH
BGFC
Tried to find the name of the case for you, but couldn’t (my access to Scottish decisions is pretty limited). Sorry I couldn’t be more of a help.
We will have a game on our hands tomorrow . It would help greatly if Christie . Sinclaire ,and Forrest . Stop hiding and Show up for the full 90 minutes , especially with broonie missing