It was a strange game. Celtic were so far ahead in the opening 20 minutes it was hard to comprehend how Shakhtar Donetsk managed to win so impressively in Leipzig last week. Our ‘hosts’ soon edged their way into proceedings, scored, and for the remainder of the first half, made Celtic look second best.
At halftime I suspect both teams would have settled for a point. The second half was significantly less open than the first. Shakhtar seldom threw men forward and Celtic cut down opportunities for a counterattack.
Had Shakhtar won, our chances of progressing in the competition would have been effectively wiped out. A draw means we remain very much in control of our own destiny. The disappointing aspect is, that a win, which should have been achieved, would have almost certainly guaranteed European football of one type after Christmas.
There is also the dirty little subject. A win was worth £1.5m more than the draw; our potential income pot shrank a little in the Warsaw air.
It is remarkable how Greg Taylor has grown this season. Repeatedly last night he dragged his body up and down the field, often accepting possession in tight spaces, before mining a way out. The courage he showed in possession is enormously encouraging.
Sead Haksabanovic was thrown in for his first start; a brave decision by Ange Postecoglou. The manager will feel justified as Sead played an important part in Celtic’s goal. Still, Celtic steadied when Daizen Maeda replaced Sead at halftime. He mitigated the risk from Shakhtar’s left flank; had he started, with Haksabanovic making a late cameo, Shakhtar would have found it more difficult to exploit the space they scored from.
Celtic improved again when Liel Abada replaced the exhausted Jota near the end. Perhaps bringing Abada on 10 minutes earlier would have made a difference.
Shakhtar’s goal was a consequence of the gameplan, not just a misjudgement in midfield. Callum McGregor tried to nick an opposition pass 40 yards from goal and missed. He was out of position and the orange and black shirts snapped up a gear. Celtic’s play is all about trying to nick a pass in midfield. It works domestically, (remarkably) worked for a period against Real Madrid and was very effective during the opening 20 minutes last night.
This plan is also energy sapping. At 25 minutes, the tank needed filled and we suffered until the break. We need to manage our tempo more carefully.
Later, there was concern until Real opened the scoring on the 80th minute in Madrid. That win may be just as important as Celtic’s point, come the end of the group.
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Majesty and Highness when will we cease to address another human being in those terms.
PHILBHOY
Thanks for your sentiments, you will be genuinely missed tomorrow, however as you say there will be other occasions.
Enjoy your time up North, you and your family deserve it.
Can you give me any advice how to keep this motley crew in check? Feels like it will be like herding Cats. :)
Brian
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 15th September 2022 8:47 pm
Sadly the Club and support have recently missed the opportunity to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of one of our greatest servants who was killed in a motorbike accident on 4th September 1922 aged 40. The great Jim ‘Sunny Jim’ Young, a Protestant from Kilmarnock who we signed after he was released by Bristol City in 1903. He captained the club for 10 seasons and won 10 League titles and 5 Scottish Cups. Sunny Jim loved the club and was adored by the Celtic fans in return. It’s a shame we missed a chance to mark this in some way.
I decided to look him up because my Dad told me about him when I was young. My Dad would have been too young to have seen him play but had heard the stories about him. Our history is rich with great heroes from the past.
……………………………………………
Magical
I’ll be asking my Dad if he recalls him when we visit him the morra. His Mind is tattie scone but some things trigger things. His own Dad possibly went on about James Young.
Ange is the Man!!!
The Green Brigade ( if responsible) need disciplined.
Reduce the numbers in that section of the ground to gain control.
Limit away tickets – same.reason .
The Club needs to act NOW.
BELMONTBRIAN
Thanks Buddy!
If BRRB and THELURKINTIM AND GFTB are there tomorrow I feel you will be farting into the wind to control the Mhob!
But, it sounds like a great day!
Enjoy and give the ghuys a hug from me!
We are getting better by the game, we don’t have a superstar squad so these things will take time to come to fruition, parking the bus as some would have us do is patently stupid and hun like, for a start we don’t have the players to park the bus, the goals will come with practice, we are a year into a massive rebuild and some folks are complaining FFS, we are still in with a shout, trust me had we parked the bus we wouldn’t be, any fool can see that.
Win the league again and get more money into the coffers to bolster the squad with better players, it takes time and money and we are on the road, we have players who many were unknown to most on here and anywhere else in the Celtic world and we have a manager who transforming them, give him time FFS and get off his back, if we were going backwards I could understand it, but give the carp a rest.
Oh and I do not recommend having an epidural, horrible feeling so it is >:)
Bada Bing
Doubt UEFA will take such drastic action over a banner.
Unless there’s a precedent, I doubt they’ll make a new one.
The scum responsible will hopefully be identified and banned for life from anything Celtic.
THE EXILED TIM
Agree with all you say there.
Not on here all the time and hope you are ok.
Only catching up now but was made aware this morning of ConeyBhoy’s posts last night.
Fair play to CB coming on here today to assure us he is ok despite the dark clouds.
Lots of support offered to him here and I hope he takes up at least some of the offers. What a great place this is.
I’ve been in touch with him today and offered my own support.
He’s a great Tim who helped me out earlier this year in my time of need so, Mark, Keep the faith agus tiocfaidh do lá💪🏿 (With a cheeky grin on my face.
Today I said goodbye to a great friend , wullie Jameson , Hamilton man , Bognor man , introduced me to this guy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lxr2vKtiUKE
My wife did like you 💞💞
PHILBHOY
Will do. :)
Your friend.
Brian
And mcphailbhoy scores..:-)
It is really interesting the nuances of it all in civic govt today,the nuances are acknowledged by all political parties and all countries in the union.
it is peculiar to nowhere but acute to some.so the union can be multicultural,open and tolerant at best and a dark beating cushion if your culture does not submit to the civilising process be they Irish,Asian,black in the UK it feels the wrath and full weight of the unions schizophrenia at their wim.
HH
Anyone read Jacksons report on the Napoli game.I just read it on James Forrest Blog.
I don’t have words to describe it.Please read it and weep.
Hilarious.Thought it was a wind up.A brilliant one.
EC67: being a bit pedantic here but the leader of Sinn Féin is a woman, Mary Lou McDonald. As is the deputy leader, and the North’s First Minister in waiting, Michelle O Neill.
MARKIEBHOY
Fine thanks, but sore, but hey, this getting old has it’s drawbacks at times, trying to do things as if I was a young fella disny work >:)
BOGNORBHOY
May your friend Wullie rest in peace.
Prayers said for those who remain.
It’s a standard fine for ‘obscene’ language on a banner – same as the F*** UEFA banner which got us fined.
To my knowledge, racism or serious acts of disorder are the offences which draw more serious penalties in terms of fan attendance.
That said, the guys that wrote the banner could have expressed their opinion without the use of the F word and saved the club 10K.
Hard to escape the conclusion that they’ve a bit of growing up to do.
TET
Good post!
We are doing great in Scotland but CL is a learning curve.
Against the world champions and Shaktar we we played some great stuff.
Still a way to go, but I no longer hide behind the settee when we play in Europe.
For me, that IS progress.
In ANGE I trust!
Hope all is well with your good lady and you!
MCPHAIL BHOY on 15TH SEPTEMBER 2022 8:41 PM
‘I, Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of My other Realms and Territories, King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion as established by the Laws made in Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right and particularly by an Act intituled “An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government” and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdom for Union of the two Kingdoms, together with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights and Privileges of the Church of Scotland. So help me God’
####
And how exactly is he going to ‘inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion’? What’s he going to do? Kick the Pope next time they meet?
It’s all stuff and nonsense and no one takes it seriously.
THE EXILED TIM
Glad to hear that. I know what you mean.Getting old is totally minging. Just look after yourself and grow old disgracefully.
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 15TH SEPTEMBER 2022 5:59 PM
SAINT STIVS
Used to play GSTQ in cinema at the end of films . People would stand but I couldn’t GAF so would just walk out . What has the Queen got to do with the feckin pictures??
*no in the Vale of Leven, if you stood for it you would have been locked in
Cheers PB, it’s reciprocated
Markie
I will try for sure >:)
Right that’s me for the night.
Sleep well Timland
We are on the one road
HH
Sionnaigh- If we’ve reached fine limit,then as AT is saying, it could be a closed stand at Celtic Park…..
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Nite all
Brian
Nite BB!
You’ve got a busy, ahem, day ahead!
Corkcelt if you’re on-
I’m off to a stag in the Cork this weekend 🤞. Travelling across tomorrow night,a night in Blanch, then train down Saturday.
Current good Guinness pubs list is
Oval
Mutton Lane
Sin é
Castle Inn
Subs
Dan Lowrys on Mccurtain Street
Do you concur?
#hashtaqdubsmurphysanxietycsc
SUPERANNUATED FENIAN on 15TH SEPTEMBER 2022 7:30 PM
Sorry for late reply – but I would like a pint with you
We are on the same page
67ECW
That said, the guys that wrote the banner could have expressed their opinion without the use of the F word and saved the club 10K.
—
a fair shout
so ‘down with the crown” instead?
and it rhymes
like it
ALMORE on 15TH SEPTEMBER 2022 9:15 PM
Apologies – but I am sure you knew what I meant
HailHail
67ECW
so ‘down with that sort of thing” instead?
so father i hear your a royalist now
One of the many James Connolly quotes on the Royals would have done the job.
‘We serve neither King nor Kaiser’ would have been a touch of class.
Been avoiding mainstream for a week now so missed this. The monarchy is making people crszy
https://twitter.com/ainemagu/status/1569964140042637312
67ECW: I did😂
sweet mother, Hearts are winning
Hearts 2-0