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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When Xmas comes around will the ‘casualty’ be known as;
????? the no nosed rainjur.
His favourite box of chocolates …. Noses
D :)
See all them nose puns …someone needs to philtrum
Vakoun Issouf Vakoun Issouf Vakoun Issouf f@@@in Bayo
the damage to the game the crying would make sick, what damage did old rangers to the integrity of the game and hardly a word
Right guys, nae picking on the nose puns.
D. :)
Getting a wee bit ahead of myself and it’s a big IF, I note that both the Scottish Cup final and the Pro14 cup final are due to take place on the 25th of May. IF we win the cup and therefore the Treble Treble there will be no repeat of the open top bus parade to Celtic Park as it’s hosting the Pro14 final.
Parade on the Sunday?
Broony again not acting in the best interests of Association Football, but he may not get cited for this offence, and you wont see the Media highlighting it either.
https://twitter.com/Scotlandshero15/status/1114839280956903424
HH
ASUPPORTERWHOGOTLUCKY,, thanks for posting that a club like no other.hh.
Asupporterwho gotlucky, brings tears to eyes!
A POSSIBLE reason for those who don`t want Lennie as our pemanent manager is that we have seen what happened ( the good bits) when we employed a manager of proven quality at a high level. It is only natural to want more of the same. Natural to want but not easy to get.
JJ
Celtic is, in many ways, a much bigger club than Leicester but the EPL is a massively more attractive proposition than is the SPL. That, I fear, is the reason it will be difficult for us to get anothe Brendan. For all the apparent falseness, I am sure he did have at least an interest in Celtic from a supporting point of view. Are there any others around like that? ie top managers with a soft spot for Celtic.
JJ
JJ
Pedro Caxinha has a soft spot for us ;-)
A better record than slippy
HH
The Huns despise Brown because he snubbed them, went on to be successful and has never let them forget it. On the other hand they idolise Gascoigne and Novo, wife beaters, racists, sex fiends and all round jakey low lifes. Basically if you’re one of them anything goes. If you’re not they are programmed to hate you.
D17
It’s quite an eye opener that they hate us more than they like their own team, as you say, programmed to hate.
I recall many moons ago when I lived back in scotland in the NE, a really good bloke, the most intelligent I have ever come across, a hun but not a bad bone in his body till he was in the company of other huns, it was like someone had switched him on, I was told about him and didn’t believe it till I saw it with my own eyes, the term night and day doesn’t come close, it was astonishing how he changed.
HH
The bogey bogey bugle boys of new company B.
Still Doing Nose Puns CSC
” I can guarantee Gers supporters that Scott Brown will sign for Rainjurz ”
BFSDJ sometime ages ago in 2010
Dontbrattbakkinanger on 8th April 2019 3:16 pm
Hoopslegend Jimmy Steele has a flute band named after him?
________________________________________
No. You’re thinking of a Caribbean Steel Band. Quite a different thing. But an easy mistake to make.
He’ll be sold when Davey King
Comes for pearly dewdrop’s drops
Weeks in our company
Cups of pearly dewdrops’ drops
okay I will give you some real rainjurs men ,some of the dirtiest bassas ever to play in Scotland, mr john greig who took great delight in knockin wee jinky into the straw in the old jungle, not forgetting ron mckinnons efforts to reduce wee jinkys size even more,.the list is endless real rainjurs men.,makes me vomit feck them all.hh.
BIG PACKY 1,
I have always thought it hilarious and sad that the deid team voted Greig as their greatest ever player…….Speaks volumes about them.
Pedro fell for the Hoops
Ich lieb’ dich celtic, du liebst mich nicht
Ich lieb’ dich celtic, du liebst mich nicht
bognorbhoy on 8th April 2019 6:43 pm
See all them nose puns …someone needs to philtrum
_____________________________________
Reminds me of 50 year old story.’ It is a dismal time for Celtic – early ’60s. Two bhoys in the Jungle. Bitterly cold February Saturday. Celtic down 0-1 to Raith. Fan#1 looks at Fan#2, whips out a razor, cuts Fan#2’s nose clean off.
The now nasally challenged Fan#2 asks, ‘Whidyedae tha’ fur?’ Fan#1 explains, ‘Yur nose was turning blue.’ Now that he understands his pal’s concern, Fan#2 acknowledges his friends kindness with a nasal,’Thanks very much then.’
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD, nail on head.hh.
Hope b’s ok Seán- believe’s she’s outta hospital – don’t feel like you have to run the bus up on Sunday – people will get it. I spoke to little E today – I’ll make sure she pops in and sees me each day ! You’re family’s well loved. Helluva shock.
Anyone hear from Gordon64
The big man hasn’t been on in ages.
Stars
He posts on that upstart site at the weekends :-)
HH
So, Chelsea have a Loftus-Cheek and the Huns have a Lostis-Nose.
WITS- Was chatting to G64,and VP last Sunday, both in fine form.
?
WHAT IS THE STARS on 8TH APRIL 2019 9:02 PM
Anyone hear from Gordon64
The big man hasn’t been on in ages.
————————-
WITS
Big G is brand new …in a 50 summit kind of way,he and I will be sauntering down hampden way on Sunday
fae the Ruggy vogue.
Hail hail bhuddy take care,
Cheers Bada see you Sunday.hh
We are making a job of getting this title wrapped up .
I feel the playing cast at the moment need a right good red out ,or freshen up . Whoever is in charge of Finding and signing players , should have been on the ball looking since the start of the season . It was well known that Boyata was for the off , that berkovic would be going back to his club , we have joso who we just can’t depend on ,plastic pitch wise and injury
Wise , in ntcham i feel we have a player ,who wouldn,t need much encouragement to move on , we have rogic , Christie, cal Mac, grand players , but too often fail to show . James Forrest, on form a match winner ,but inconsistent, sinclair not for me , sinky of a few seasons ago , without a doubt , striking dept we don’t have a lot at the moment do we. Now onto our captain , what a celt , love the guy , but he is getting on , I see guys queuing up now to have a pop , cowards who a few years ago would have been looking to be as far out the action as possible.
Our captain needs a bit of help in midfield , as does our midfield mentioned above , we need toughened up . To push us on to the magic 9 and then the holy grail , money must be spent .the gauntlet has been flung down to our money men , let’s see how much they really want that ok TIAR.
.HH
Have to say don’t get the Scott Sinclair out the door stuff, 3 seasons 60 gaols from a winger and he comes across as a good guy, no complaining just gets on with it
Celtic legend wee Owny Archdeacon was known as Mr Bean amongst the players.
Exiled
Bloody splitters…if CQN had an armed wing !!!!
Bada/Vogue
Thanks for that, so many people disappear from the blog
I blame Scott Brown
AVB rumour….