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.
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On the ole Olfactory Record, natch.
THE NOSEBLEEDS
https://youtu.be/8Jb-RzpubkQ
You make me wanna snout
Another old classic song…
“If You don’t NOSE Me by now” ?
cover version by Simply Red….at least the Hun wont have to worry about colds and Nose bleeds any more.
HH
That awkward moment when you leave the house a big bluenose, then completely out of the blue……….
Red Nose Day’s gonna take on a whole different meanin’ for wan currant……………..
:0
To the hun who lost his Nose…
Think of all the money you will save on hankies ?
” Always look on the Bright Side of Life” !
Over the years, Ive ALWAYS LOVED it when that Manky Mob fight among themselves..its Magic !
Surely the Polis will object to Novo’s pub getting a licence Renewal ?
HH
…………he’d just popped in for a snifter as well!
The Hun Chump must have “NOSED Up” the wrong Guy in the Pub ?
HH
CQN for sweet delicious nose gold!
As I posted on the previous Thread…..rumour has it that the cops used SNIFFER DOGS to locate the nose ?
HH
Sevco fans due up court before the beak.
….they’ve always had a nose for trouble anyway…………
other songs,
i’ll Pick a Nose for my Nose…Marv Johnson 1968.
Crackling Nosie..Neil Diamond.
My FAV…….SEAL…” A Kiss from a Glesca NOSE”.
HH
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 8TH APRIL 2019 5:01 PM
Sevco fans due up court before the beak.
…………
Superb !
hh
Big Jimmy on 8th April 2019 1:21 pm
AULDHEID on 8TH APRIL 2019 1:17 PM
…………………….
Probably a Daft question…but cant the SFA also be held to account thru The Freedom of information Act ( FIA) ?
HH
===============
No they are a private set up and are not covered by it.
However what they are not free from is the law of the land and having had been presented evidence of possible criminality, which they had the power to confirm under the UEFA FFP Declaration signed by RFC in 2011, then there might be a case of aiding and abetting to be explored.
Our advice is based on the evidence that licence obtained under false pretence but check SFA’s behaviour from 2015.
Give it time for the consequences of their inaction to be realised and The Board might have to consider their policy of passivity and justify it to shareholders.
It shouldn’t have to come to that.
gritty coke reddens the nose……..so i heard anyway……..
We nose, that they nose that we nose.
How is that poor chap meant to show his feelings of disdainful superiority now?
Rangers defender Joe Worrall could find himself in hot water after a foul mouthed clip of him saying “f*** the Celtic” appeared online.
ADVERTISING
inRead invented by Teads
The on-loan Nottingham Forest defender joined his team mates at the club’s player of the year awards evening on Sunday.
And the clip shows the 22-year-old in the back of a vehicle with a young lady who says “no surrender” before he leans in towards the camera and takes a pop at his side’s arch rivals.
Worrall has just five games for Rangers left before he returns to his parent club.
………………….
Apparently Ex Celt John Guidetti was served a notice of complaint, for singing about the Huns going Bust ?
i dont remember that.
HH
AULDHEID 5.11.
Cheers for clearing that up. Your right of course it should never have to come down to Celtic FC having to justify/answer to our Share Holders IF that ever happens ?
HH
Mullett and Co………….Your suggestion that James Forrest is for the off is bizarre to say the least. James has been in brilliant form for the Hoops and quite likely to get Player Of The Year and deservedly so. Great to see a player who as a youngster has come from the academy and has signed a new long -term contract with the club. Forrest on form is a joy to watch and is scoring and creating goals regularly.
Neil Lennon may have some critics regarding a couple of shared results since he came in but let’s not forget Brendan Rodgers was not exactly setting the heather alight with some of the team’s performances recently during his tenure. Neil is getting us there after negotiating some really difficult fixtures and will have the team ready for the big one at the weekend.
SLADE….
Come On Feel The NOSE !
HH
It will be even better if the Hun Chump who lost his nose works with the Public etc, and is SACKED….Even better IF he was due to get married etc soon…what will his Bride say in Church….” Naw, I DON’T” ?
HH
Some good posts on here today. This is my fab of the jokes….
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 8TH APRIL 2019 2:56 PM
I believe the cry was nose a-rendered
?????
Even better if the Hun who lost his nose is unemployed….what chance will he ever have of getting a Job ?
Magic !
HH
rather ironic when the Tart with Joe Worrell is described in the Press as ” A young Lady”…when she shouts…No surrender ?
HH
MiT about an hour ago
I agree with your post. We manufacture good positions to open up defenses but lack of movement from our front players means that we don’t make that killer pass very often as the player in possession of the ball does not see the space to play it into and hesitates and, as we know, he who hesitates is lost – just like the slow thinking of EB.
Andy Murray often fell behind (sometimes by 2 sets) to players who were able to beat him in their strongest aspect of the game but, many times, he mixed up his game (short returns/long returns/lobs/angles) and broke their rhythm and had them legless by the end of the match. He was never a one-tick-pony. He was always very tactically aware from the very first time I saw him which was why i did believe that he could make in into the top echelons of tennis although i never forecast number 1 in the world.
Often, we do succeed by constant probing at the opponent from different angels and do get late winners by grinding them down but most games i think that our goal return is low compared to our control of the game.
Whilst players have to be strong enough to compete, the modern game is about movement and dexterity to be able to switch play to a teammate running into space. Tom Rogic, Ryan Christie or Callum McGregor in forward roles does seem to improve that but Brown/Bitton combination does not.
We are good on the break when 4 will race upfield but we are not moving the packed defenses about enough to open them up. This is where we have to improve or games such as Saturday will be more common.
The usual blood and snotters after a klan celebration.
Nacho no nose.
Drew1967 – from previous thread, Cheers Drew. I hope you are well.
Also to everyone for their kind words, thank you so much.
D. :)
Big Jimmy – the guy was heard shouting Nose surrender, sorry if already done.?
D. :)
And I honestly think I was watching a different game from most of you on *Saturday*!!
We created enough chances to win 2 games…
1) Oor Ryan – half chance after good link up play
2) Oor Tom close after good ball into the box – should have scored and probably would have with more games under his belt
3) Jamesiebhoy – terrific run and shot great save by keeper
4) Oor Tom again after delicious footwork set him free
5) Eddy – after great ball inside from Jamesiebhoy – should have burst the net
6) Tim O’Weah and Eddy – half chance neither could get down properly
7) it’s what Champions do and Olly Burke should have burst the net with another last minute goal
On another day we win 4 or 5 nil – that’s fitba.
Now the Scott Brown debate – I agree to a point, that our best creative midfield is Oor Cal, Oor Ryan and Oor Tom. Only when all fully fit.
Broony \o/ is needed in all games in the run in and was essential in the tough away games and the game against them. We would not have taken the points we have without Oor Captain battling in the middle of the park.
James Forrest – Oor Jamesiebhoy, imo, is going nowhere. I think hell be a Celtic player for his whole career… And still be told by some that he’s not good enough!!!
And finally… I might have said this before…
It a huge Yes and 100% Neil Francis LENNON for me.
Hail Hail ??
Why a contract only until the end of the season? For me, giving Neil a short term contract guaranteed there would be mounting speculation about who our next manager would be, inevitable really. Maybe someone already lined up? That’s the obvious conclusion.
Then you have Neil saying the credit for (when) winning the league should go to Brendan as all he is doing is seeing out the season with Brendan’s team and JK coaching, nothing was broken and nothing needing to be fixed, he’s said it a few times now, very humble. However it does seems that an awful lot of our supporters are looking for reasons NOT to give Neil the job – push him out – get someone better in – that says more about our support than it does about Neil. Faithful thru and thru……until we draw at home against Livingston.
Comparing Neil’s record with Brendan’s record to give us some sort of guidance as to the possible best way ahead is not safe, domestically Brendan was the man but in Europe – of dear, I think Neil’s record in Europe was better – but clearly worse domestically. If it was up to me I would be telling Neil win the Scottish Cup and the job is yours. He would then have beaten Hibs, Aberdeen and probably Hearts – and we all know he knows how to beat sevco.
T29
Bayo was bought in January, in the middle of the Slovakian season, he was and is up to speed fitness wise, according to rumour, he is another Amido Balde.
HH
It must have been some size of a nose if they threw a cordon around it.
Logged on to get result of Reserves Game. Silly me.
Hrvatski
Thought the tennis reference might draw you out!
If I could have figured out how to add in Jim Croce, it would have been a slam dunk!
:)
I’m sure I saw somewhere that the guy getting his nose bitten off was predicted by nostril damus.