Having removed any remaining shred of doubt that the league title would be heading to Celtic Park for an eighth successive time a week earlier, the most important aspect of the game against Livingston was to prepare the team for this Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against our perennial Hampden opponents, Aberdeen.
Neil gave starts to Filip Benkovic, Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie, each still working towards full fitness, while Kieran Tierney got a further 90 minutes under his belt.
Despite the avalanche of chances, there was plenty not right about Sunday’s performance. Three central defenders did not work (again). Neil benefited from this experiment by Brendan Rodgers at Easter Road in December. Livingston played a straight 7-2-1 formation, leaving Dolly Menga drowning in green and white hoops for most of the game, but a consequence was that Celtic were heavily outnumbered in and around the Livingston box.
I think we need a three at the back option; being too predictable has been the downfall of Celtic teams before, so it is worth pursuing this strategy in certain league games between now and the end of the season.
An additional negative consequence of three at the back was the inefficient functioning of midfield. Scott Brown did not drop into his normal deep-lying role, as he, Callum McGregor, Christie and Rogic struggled to maintain a recognisable shape.
This line-up is the most creative we have fielded in months, and while we forced Livingston keeper Liam Kelly into 11 saves, none were outstanding. Our game plan is to pass and move in order to drag defenders out of position and create space. When this does not work, we would normally look to Rogic to shoot from the edge of the box, but Tom is still leggy and never looked likely.
The other alternative, of course, is to have a Hartson-type target man. John was a player of his time who would not fit into the modern game, but with him on the field, you had a devastating goal threat whenever you could launch a ball into the opposition box.
There is a lot of work to do in the summer, but I would like a proper target man added to the list.
211 Comments- Pages:
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LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE ? on 8TH APRIL 2019 12:22 PM
have we really been worse since NL took over than we were for large parts of the season before he arrived?
im not so sure…
LADTH..with respect, yes we have been worse.
Following the winter break, we were 9 wins from 9, goals scored 26, goals conceded 1.
Since Lennon took the role, 5 wins, 2 draws, scored 9, conceded 2.
And this is with players returning from lengthy lay-offs,…
We have been more hesitant, less incisive and cannot seem to pick a settled eleven.
While not doubting NFLs love & passion for the club, it’s clearly too much for him.
6 more games, then time for a change…
ZIGGYDOC1 on 8TH APRIL 2019 1:45 PM
The need for a target man?
Where’s Bayo? I thought be was meant to be more of a physical presence than our other striker(s).
Surely we’ll be able to give him a couple of games once we (finally) win the title.
We’ve also Shved and Morgan to come in to offer more of an attacking threat. I’m optimistic about Shved and I’ve liked the little I’ve seen of Morgan thus far.
___
I like Morgan but I’m not sure he’s going to get the time to develop at Celtic. If Sunderland offer a fee to buy I’d cut our losses.
ZIGGYDOC1 on 8TH APRIL 2019 1:45 PM
And Arzani when he has recovered from his injury
MULLET AND CO 2 on 8TH APRIL 2019 12:09 PM
Re your thoughts on need for an RB and CB. I’d ask our scouts to look at 2 Aussie A League players:
Rhyan Grant; full blooded, forward passing, mulleted 28 yr old Right Back; just called up to Socceroos squad.
Bart Schenkenveld; big, fast, tough ball-playing Dutch Centre Half, schooled at Feyenoord.
And re LB; lets give Gutman a look after his stint w Jim McGuinness.
Have no problem with Nfl becoming manager long term If he can secure the league and scottish cup. i am not sure the preformances have been much worse than when BR was boss.
I dont get all the complete rebuild stuff people are talking about.
We lose ddv after a handful of poor games over a 3 year period.
At right back gamboa and toljan have offered no better than ralston. Lustig will be a loss so first choice needed. We have perez coming in nov 2019 too.
At leftback we have KT and hayes can back up we also have and gutman coming in nov 2019.
At centreback we lose boyata and benkovic who have contributed so at least one new centreback will be needed. We may also needed another one If henry and/ or compper leaves, my preferred option.
In the middle of the pitch we have brown, ntcham, mcgregor, bitton, kuoassi, christie, rogic, malumba and benyu.
In the wide areas we have sinclair, forrest, shved, johnston, arzina, morgan.
Up top we have Eddie, griff and bayo so unless we are going to 2 up we have enough strikers.
We also have a very healthy batch of quality young players like dembele, oxo-flex, hazard, atchison and church etc…. Its important we leaves room in our team to help the develop.
We need 3 first team signings, 4 If we are changing formation next season. Maybe more If boys like ntcham, forrest etc. Want to more on.
we need a massive clearout whch summer 2019/ 2020 will offered.
HH
Hh
hairlikespaghetti
“9” games does not constitute a “large part of the season” in my eyes, albeit it did show we had picked up from a very average first few months
CELTICFOREVER on 8TH APRIL 2019 1:27 PM
https://videocelts.com/2019/04/blogs/latest-news/the-must-see-video-of-celtics-new-winger-in-full-flow/
This Bhoy looks a real player.
Bring it on!
GerryBhoy
While some of the performances have been pretty poor we had a lot of the same under Rodgers as well
Lenny has said on a few occasions he doesnt want to tinker with it too much and he’s stickin to that style as much as he can until we get the season finished.
If that is the case then we cant really judge him yet as such
It also means come the end if the season if the decision makers are still not sure Lenny can turn around and say well that’s not my team and they werent really my tactics so give me a chance to show what i can do
I think it will be him if we win the league and cup
I believe the cry was nose a-rendered
For “NOSE” who havent read the story…LMNO…( Laughing my NOSE Off)
Apologises for Copy & paste from the Hun Rag but I couldn’t resist…..
Nose ‘bitten off’ during violent street brawl outside Nacho Novo’s Glasgow bar
A witness said police set up a cordon around the nose after it was spat on to the pavement outside the NN10 pub.
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ByJohn Dingwall
04:30, 8 APR 2019
Officers set up a cordon around the nose and put a protective box over it outside Nacho Novo’s NN10 bar (
Police were forced to form a cordon around a nose after it was bitten off in a terrifying street brawl at the weekend.
Witnesses watched in horror as three battles raged simultaneously outside ex-footballer Nacho Novo’s NN10 bar in Glasgow.
During the bloody fighting, a man’s nose was severed and spat out on to the pavement by his assailant.
When officers arrived, they set up the cordon around the nose and put a protective box over it, saying it was in “protective custody” while they waited for an ambulance.
An eyewitness said: “I saw the man’s nose bitten off and it is something I would rather not have seen. It was horrible. I ran into the nearby Fake It hair and nail salon to escape because there was nowhere else to go.
“Police came within about 10 minutes and we tried to get the guy’s nose while waiting for an ambulance.
“We had tried to take the nose to keep it safe but the police came and told us nobody could touch it. They said the cordon was to stop people standing on the nose and protecting it until the ambulance got there.
Cops cordoned off an area outside Nacho Novo’s bar in Glasgow and put protective boxes over the body part (Image: Internet Unknown)
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“I had the misfortune of seeing it all happen right in front of me.”
Staff at Fake It had taken the injured man into their salon for protection as the fighting raged on Saturday evening.
The witness added: “Seeing the guy’s face with his nose bitten off is not something I will forget in a hurry.”
Earlier dozens of brawlers had spilled from the pub and battled in the street. As our witness cowered in the salon, staff locked the doors.
She said: “There were a few guys punching each other who banged into the salon window so girls put the shutter down to protect us.”
One local said: “It was just chaos, I couldn’t explain who punched who but there were a few different brawls. It started with a few girls and then guys jumped in. One guy ended up on the ground getting kicked by a few different guys.
“I don’t know if that was the guy who got his nose bitten off. There were just folk trying to stop people fighting all around me. I was scared because I couldn’t get to my flat and I couldn’t go back where I had come from.
“At one point, I ran into the hairdressers and the girls there were panicking. Then we saw the guy sitting on the ground and then saw a bit of his nose lying there. His face was pouring with blood.
The battle took place outside Nacho Novo’s bar, which is 1.5 miles from Ibrox Stadium (Image: SNS Group)
“Generally on match days or marching days, the atmosphere is a bit more rowdy and tends to be singing and raised voices a lot more, which sometimes turn into fights.”
The battle took place the city’s Kinning Park area, 1.5 miles from Ibrox Stadium, where Spaniard Novo, 40, found fame as a Rangers player. The fighting started just hours after the Jimmy Steele Memorial Band had played in the pub.
The man who had his nose bitten off was taken to hospital for surgery. He was in a stable condition yesterday.
Some of those involved in the later fighting were brandishing knives, leading to unconfirmed reports of at least one stabbing. Initial reports that a stabbing had taken place inside the salon proved to be false.
An eyewitness added: “It wasn’t a stabbing in the salon. They took the guy in to protect him from the carnage going on outside.
“It was horrible, makes me feel sick thinking of it. It all started shortly after a flute band arrived in the pub.
“The man who had his nose bitten off said he wouldn’t be giving the police a statement and would deal with it in his own way.” On Facebook, a Faking It spokesman wrote: “Some of you may have read newspaper articles which named the salon as being involved in an incident today.
A witness said the man’s face was “pouring with blood” after the incident outside the NN10 bar (Image: David Johnstone Photography)
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“I’d like to state that the incident did not occur within the salon and no staff in the salon were injured.
“I am not at liberty to discuss the details further, as you can imagine.”
One local, Alan Brown, 56, said: “It’s the downside of living beside a Rangers pub, unfortunately.”
A police spokesman said: “A 48-year-old male was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was treated for severe facial injuries.
“Police are following a definite line on inquiry. Anyone with information should contact us.”
READ MORE
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TheScottishDailyRecord
Cop drama at Nacho Novo’s bar as lounge and neighbouring salon taped off
On Sunday this so called”Newspaper” reported about a Stabbing INSIDE the Salon Nail bar next door to Novos Pub, OBVIOUSLY yet again they didnt bother to find out any facts.
This Brawl and possible stabbings etc, happened soon after Celtic had dropped points against Livingston, wonder what would have happened IF Celtic had WON ?
I know I shouldn’t but, Feck it….I now know where they got the Nmae of the Pub from…it’s not NN10 for Nacho Novo……it’s surely NN for…..NO NOSE !
Wonder IF the Cops will OBJECT when its Licence Renewal comes up, like they did with Bairds Bar ?
Some years ago, there was a Battle inside and out the Hun Rosevale Pub in Partick, Glassess, Chairs, Glass Ashtrays etc etc that spilled onto Dumbarton Rd.
The following day, eye witness’s claimed that it all started when TWO Flute bands fell out with each other, one was from Drumchapel if I remember correctly ?
Yet…the Authorites see nothing wrong with letting these Peepil March on our streets and pass by Catholic Churches ?
HH
Hence why there have been some NOSE Jokes on her and previous Thread…If your Nosey you will read back ?
Her ?……HERE !
Forget LMAO….Its now LMNO…Laughing My NOSE Off !
The poor Hun who lost his Nose….I wonder if he wore Glasses…that could be problematic !
HH
For me, the real test isn’t whether we win the treble or not …. this squad has already shown that it is more than good enough for that.
But, we have done it by simply wearing down SPL teams that are not as fit or as deep as us; given our financial advantage over every other SPL team, that is a given.
I acknowledge that that financial advantage doesn’t necessarily turn into trebles, so credit for BR (and NFL) if they get the treble treble.
However, the football that has been played, while effective in the SPL, simply doesn’t allow us to compete in Europe as well as I think we should, given the talent of some of our players. We have some great players, but aren’t seeing their skiill often enough.
While ball retention is good, movement and telling passing is poor.
So, doing the same as what has been done should ensure should success, but is unilikely to bring success in Europe.
for me, that is where the money and presitige is, so it needs to be our focus. We need to play better football, and we need a coach who can teach players a system that allows us to pass and move, and break down decent European defences.
Needless to say, if we can break down better european defences, this will stand us in good stead when SPL teams play 10 men behind the ball.
I realize that sometimes we will have to be a bit more pragmatic in Europe, and shut up shop a bit… but, that is part of the problem; we seem to only have one system, and cant adapt to games where we are on the back foot, versus games where we need to break down weaker teams that defend in numbers. We need a coach who can teach that to our players, and instill a belief in them that they can do that.
So, I dont see shepherding BR’s team across the line as a real audition for NFL. If he really wanted to audition for the job, he would take a risk, look towards next year, and put his own mark on it. Otherwise, it feels to me like his is just holding the job for someone else.
imo we haven’t had a convincing win in weeks , its been a struggle ,relaying to heavily on goals from midfield or wide players, now that RC is fit give SB a break and play CMcG in the SB role as he is more quicker in thought and mind and can make a defining forward pass.RC must also start if only again for his quicker play and tempo. OE is never a target man centre forward he can’t play with his back to goal , best position is attacking and running at the opposition defence from the left hand side. TW sub at best , give Bayo a run in centre forward position , he is a finisher with both head and feet , let’s see what the bhoy can do.
Hoopslegend Jimmy Steele has a flute band named after him?
THE JOHNATRON on 8TH APRIL 2019 1:16 PM
Heard a rumour a few weeks ago about Martinez (current Belgium coach) and Maloney (his current assistant). Maloney particularly is obviously familiar with Scottish football and I’m pretty sure Martinez still know’s whats going on. I think this would be a great combination to take us to the 10.
*Personally I like this combination, wee Shauno was only supposed tae be part time last summer but that changed in September tae full time, mibbees just mibbees the prospect of clodagh leaving changed this situation.
They could continue with the Belgium gig until the summer of 2020 however the Red Devils schedule is pretty tight for the remainder of 2019, 8 games including 2 against the minnows Scotland lol.
As WGS said the Celtic job has a shelf life of approx 3 years, pity that fraudgers couldnae even fulfill that, so what’s tae stop wee Roberto moving on and Shauno taking the managers job full time.
As for Lenny taking a coaching role, if it was good enough for the late great TB surely its good enough for him.
Celtic’s best midfield is Christie, McGregor & Rogic.
My worry is that Lennon favors Brown the most and changed the whole formation to keep him in the team.
TIMALOY29 on 8TH APRIL 2019 3:24 PM
agree re SB
The cry was nostril ender
BHOYLO83 – Lenny also said from Day One that he would stop the dithering about at the back and get the ball moved forward faster. It hasn’t happened. Too many players still looking to pass the ball square or backwards when playing agains SPFL teams.
Rogers, I think, wanted to have the players playing like better European teams where possession is (was) king. So what we got all too often was a lot of pedestrian passing followed by a mistake, especially once other teams started to press us higher. Lenny’s Hibs were a good example of this the last couple of seasons. Push up and wait for Lustig, Boyata, Ajer, Simunovic, Ralston, Gordon or whoever to make a mistake.
European teams at CP did the same to us. Unforced errors was our trademark.
Lenny knew that was our weakness during the last couple of seasons and he knew how to exploit it. Both at CP and at Easter Road.
What he hasn’t yet shown is how he can fix it.
He picked a terrific team at the weekend, he put on good subs but the overall performance was flat.
We criticised Rogers for playing one forward. Lenny put all of them on. We still couldn’t score.
So is it man-management? Or tactical astuteness?
Are the players not committed?
I feel for him. He desperately wants the job and, on many levels, deserves it.
But is he really a top manager or just a top Celtic man?
If not us, realistically where would his next job be? If BR, at the height of his powers, goes to Leicester and MoN goes to Forrest at what level does Lenny fit in? I think at the moment he would he lucky to get a job in the English League One (third division) with the likes of Sunderland, Luton, Portsmouth or Blackpool.
We don’t have the money to buy players at the top of the game but we do have the money to pay a good, hungry manager who wants/needs trophys on his CV.
THE BATTERED BUNNET @ 2,56 .
To the choon of -While My Catarrh Gently Seeps .?
Sinus up for that – way down south
imo playing KT at left winger against livi was a big mistake if only to get him game time , he could have played on the left of the back 3 if that was the case , we lost a goal threat on the left , better to have played SS or even JH.
https://twitter.com/celticf1rst/status/1114652414320287744?s=12
Early days i know but anyone else slightly concerned Bayo isnt even gettin a place on the subs bench?
Deniabhoy
What is the problem you ask? Is it lack of skill or lack of tactical astuteness?
A bit of both, I believe….
I was having dinner a while ago with some old friends from my tennis days, and we got ’round to discussing the state of Canadian tennis, including the young women players.
Eugeine Bouchard was contrasted with Bianca Andreescu.
the former came out with guns blazing, and, for a period, just overpowered players….
but once players saw her play, they figured out how her weaknesses, and how to play her …
unfortunately, for EB, she has one way of playing. And she thinks and sees the game just a split second slower than the top players…. she sees the ball coming off the opponent’s racquet just a splt second slower, and so she moves a second too slowly, and she thinks the game a bit too slowly … so, because of her power, she gets opporunities, but by the time she sees them and reacts to them, usually, the chance has passed…
At this stage in her career, this sin’t something that can be coached into her …but most of it is a physical things …
that is how I see Celtic …. we often do the ground work, but then, when the chance comes for the ‘killer pass’, no one sees the space, or makes the run in time, or on the times when they do, the pass ins’t made …
unlike EB, this is something that can be coached …. for at least some of the players … others than cant’ learn it, will need to be replaced … but, first we need to find a coach who has a system that emphasise that, and can teach that …
BOURNESSOUPRECIPE,
Very good..I shouldnt stick my NOSE into the Huns affairs.
……………..
BAD BING, 3.46
What was the Tweet, as it won’t Play ?
HH
Ahh Eugenie Bouchard….
While My Catarrh Gently Seeps
Applause
Anytime Broonie was near Halliday he sang the Andy Halliday song?
Old Aberlady Inn faces backlash for calling Rangers fans ‘Them’
By Aftab Ali
Senior Digital Journalist
Pub shuts down Facebook page amid huge backlash for referring to Rangers fans as ‘Them’
Pub shuts down Facebook page amid huge backlash for referring to Rangers fans as ‘Them’
2 comments
AN East Lothian pub looks to have shut down its Facebook page after receiving huge backlash for referring to Rangers fans as “Them” in a post.
To promote Sunday’s Motherwell v Rangers match at Fir Park, The Old Aberlady Inn, in the small village of Aberlady, wrote on Facebook: “Motherwell v Them.”
However, disgruntled Light Blues fans blasted the venue for using the term.
Apologise again for copy & pasting of another Scottish RAG….
Evening Times:
Fan page Rangers Then Now Forever 1872 has been circulating a screenshot of the post online, writing: “The Old Aberlady Inn has now shut down their Facebook page after receiving hundreds if not thousands of reviews after referring Rangers to ‘Them’ earlier on a post !”
Disgruntled fans have said they will now take to the pub’s TripAdvisor page to leave negative reviews.
A memeber of staff stated that it has been a Nightmare over something that was just a bit of Fun by the Bar Manager.
……………………
NO Doubt this Pub will be targeted by that Hun Mob very soon, they really are so easily offended by everything.
Remember the GREAT Spirit that Borussia Munchgladbach FC and their Fans showed when Glasgow Bars couldn’t spell their name correctly when advertising our Match against them ?
Those Huns couldn’t spell “THEM” !
HH
For the Hun that lost his Nose…I suppose the Games a BOGEY ?
hh
to quote one of their Songs…
It’s the Nose that i used to wear………… LMNO.
HH
Hoopslegend Kieran Tierney does not need more ‘game time’.
– he needs a good long break from the game, for the sake of his health and his future career.
For DBBIA –
Who Nose Where The TIme Goes –
https://youtu.be/DeZL2FXkGqI
Who would win in a fight between a blue nose and a nae nose?
in ither news……..
……….scoddlands seem unmoved that the rocket who confronted the hun capo has received death threats……………….
I expect said rocket got a polis escort of anither kind.
BHOYLO83 on 8TH APRIL 2019 3:55 PM
Early days i know but anyone else slightly concerned Bayo isnt even gettin a place on the subs bench?
___
Not particularly. Celtic signed him while he was in his off-season and wasn’t match sharp. We also managed to bring in a couple of short-term loans.
Once the league is settled we might see him get some minutes. But he’s not really going to contribute til next season.
Hopefully we can call upon him, Eddy, Griff and maybe one other next year.
On the epiStAXis label?