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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“Celtic legend wee Owny Archdeacon was known as Mr Bean amongst the players.”
—
im assumin this is a pish take (not cos you used the word legend to describe him, any hoops player that scored and mportant goal against the now defunct outfit is a legend)
but just cos he had left celtic before mr bean was first shown
150% support for wee Gordon Strachan. A good Edinburger.
now theres a good question to rack our brains
ex-players who were pretty pish
but scored important goals againt the hun
cascarino
byrne
rogan
payton
for starters
!!BADA BING!! on 8TH APRIL 2019 10:13 PM
AVB rumour….
———
Apparently been seen playing golf with Desmondo.
The four bookies front runners to take over as Celtic boss for the beginning of the 19/20 season.
* Neil Lennon – @CelticFC
* Roberto Martinez – @BelRedDevils
* Andre Villas-Boas – Unemployed
* Marco Rose – @RedBullSalzburg
Anyone else notice one apparent new tactic under NL’s reign…
Our backs pushing forward (mainly Jozo + Kris) kept their overlapping run going wing side, prob to try and spring a fwd surprise on Livi. It didnt work but neither left us exposed v a team that didnt counterattack well.
If u were manager, would you let loanees like Jerry T and Olli B get more game time to encourage them to stay. Or do u send a signal that fulltimers get preference?
Rose to Borussia Monchengladbach apparently.
Auldheid
Yeah, but…
Excellent stuff, as always.
Masses of detail for those who have a keen interest, myself included. It only took a couple of hours to read the information. And that is my point, not exactly concise. The average supporter will not take the time to read it, thus the aim of widening dissemination will be more difficult.
No criticism implied or intended. I don’t have a magic solution, but hope that someone much cleverer than me might have. Thanks again.
HH
??Oor Neil LENNON,
Oor Neil LENNON
You heard us calling in the night
Oor Neil LENNON
Oor Neil LENNON
You came home..
To lead the….. Green & White??
??This is how it feels to be Celtic
Champions again as you know
Neil Francis LENNON
Is here for
10 in a row….
10 in a row…
10 in a row..
10 in a row.
This is how it feels….. ???
Seems much more apposite (??to a top blogger) than singing songs about someone who ditched you at the alter…
Lenny really has come home… to lead the green & white
He also feels,…. “this is how it feels….”
Sing the song for that man… Or sing Something inside so Strong…. Cos jeeeeesht…. He’s got it
\o/ and Lenny… Dream combo?????
Hail Hail ??
Paul67
I couldn’t agree more that we need a big target man goalscorer.
What is the deal with Bayo?
Amido Balde,Carlton Cole and Bangura spring to mind.
TT
BTW… Jobo especially but a few others too..
I don’t (or didn’t) like the hubris of 10 or whatever.. I think it’s now time to sing it and get fully committed.
We’re here for the 10… So is KT, CMcG, JF, RC, SB, SB 2, hopefully ML as PC deserves to be around for that, the Norwegian Rock, Simunovic (still hope – depends how committed you are big guy.. Do you wanna be a ghuy…? Step on in, the waters lovely)
Where the fowk am I going with this… ??
Hail Hail ??
BIG G on 8TH APRIL 2019 9:43 PM
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
spot on
Hail Hail ??
David17…. I question your credentials? Always on here trying to break some news.. Most of it anti Celtic. You may be a Tim, I know many Tim’s in the branch of Lenny ‘brings it on himself camp’… That’s not a Tim in my eyes.
I’ll apologise in advance if I’m wrong… And then debate with you for hours… ???
FRIESDORFER on 8TH APRIL 2019 11:08 PM
Auldheid
Agree totally. The take time to read and ingest.
Hail Hail ??
LETS ALL DO THE HUDDLE ? on 8TH APRIL 2019 10:28 PM
Big centre half…. New Year’s day geme
Hail Hail ??
JIMTIM on 8TH APRIL 2019 9:28 PM
Absolute tosh.. Oor Captain has a natural progression in Oor Cal.
Players that want to be with us. Players that are here for 10 and beyond. Players that know they are privileged financially but who place trophies won on sporting merit as paramount.
That’s the Celtic way…
Hail Hail
Look to the future.
Nite all. XI In Ordine. Fidem servate. Capitalism is modern day slavery.
David Bowie – Five Years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bcnO3VQ_fc
Not shocked about the nose chewing!.
Just zombies doing whit zombies do!!.
Larssonse7en.
Naw canny see it myself , cal Mac excellent player as he is , is and never will be a straight replacement for broonie ,cal Mac would never in a hundred years enter the battles broonie enters , Christie. And rogic the same . We are to easily bullied in midfield , in my post I called it the way I see things ,me I would love to see a young Scott Brown in our midfield ,bet I’m not alone .
Good morning CQN from a rather chilly but dry Garngad
JimTim – you are not alone, I agree with your last post.
Now how many days Jobo to we see the Bhoys???
D. :)
5 more sleeps ;-)
Thanks Jobo.
I see Shinnie is banned for the semi. He is one of their more busier players and like to leave the boot in, so I’m glad he is out, although he would not make much of a difference, in my opinion.
This will be my wee season ticket holding 7 year old grandsons first visit to Hampdump and in his on words he is “buzzing”.
This young bhoys passion for footy both playing and supporting the Celtic is incredible. He reminds me of myself when my auld man used to put me down at the wall at the front of the jungle whilst he had a wally with his pals, and the passion for playing footy. My own bhoy never really played for a team although he loved to play and watch the Celtic.
The wee man (Grandson) was in the Standing section at Sevco game holding a big inflatable number 8. Brilliant.
Hail Hail
D. :)
Swally not a wally, ffs what is a wally, I used to play a game of wally. ???
D. :)
DAVID17 7.58PM.
You forgot to mention the other Woman Beater that played on Sunday v Well…John Flanagan. He ADMITTED in Court last year of beating up his Burd.
For a long time Ive often wondered about some of these Women, who run around with these Lowlifes, and getting beaten up. Some may not Report them to the Cops etc and their own Families, cos they crave the Glamour Lifestyle that well off Footballers can provide, which can sometimes come at a cost.
However, whenever these stories finally break in the Press, or from a Court of Law etc, I do wonder how a Father/Brother/Uncle etc of these Women feel about Chumps like Gasquione, Flanagan etc, assaulting/abusing their Female Family Members ? Sometime ago , a Hun player was going out with a Woman ( I cant remember who the Hun Player was ?), but the female allegedly was the Daughter of a well known Glasgow Gangster, ( who was allegedly a Hun supporter), the story goes that the Hun player was “Warned Off” by the Father and/or his Associates, as the Father didn’t want his daughter running around with this Hun Chump due to his “Reputation” as a Womaniser ?
Most of us on here in Scotland are somewhat aware of the Nickname/Reputation of the present Hun Goalie McGregor when it comes to “Dating” Females ? The Hun support have no hesitation in using his “Nickname” whenever they see the Hun Goalie, and apparently, he ” Laps it Up” ?
Even IF you are a Hun Fan, you are supposed to be be a Father firstly, what kind of Father are you IF you allow your Daughter to be assaulted/abused and do nothing about it ? In the case of the present Hun Goalie, as far as I am aware, (he hasn’t been accused of anything of that nature… yet), but given his “Reputation” alone, what kind of Fathers allow their Daughters to viewed at being “Loose / easy” etc, by running around with such lowlife characters, no matter how much Money they may have ?
I must admit that I don’t have any Daughters, so maybe I shouldn’t comment, but due to my being a “Divorcee”, in the past when I have started Dating certain Females, one or two Fathers have had a quiet word with Me at the outset, and incidently, BOTH those Fathers were RC’s and Celtic Men, and were fully aware of my RC upbringing and my love of Celtic.
I did have some words of my own to the 1st Father after he quizzed me about my upcoming Divorce and my intentions towards his Daughter, who I had just started dating etc. He reminded ME that Divorce is TABOO within the Catholic faith. I was then FORCED to remind him that as my Wife ( who I had left) BEFORE dating his Daughter, was in fact a Protestant and we had been Married 4 years earlier in a Glasgow Register Office, technically speaking I was NOT about to become a “Divorcee”, as technically speaking i hadn’t been Married in the first place due to NOT being Married in a Church/Chapel………..According to my Parish priest ?
Needless to say, that particular Father was rather lost for words at that point !
I respected the Guy for raising Five Daughters, as that wouldn’t have been easy obviously, but I also called him a Hypocrite, as he hadn’t been in a Chapel for Years anyway, except for weddings etc.
Please NOTE…It’s NOT advisable to call your new Girlfriends Father a Hypocrite…but I couldn’t stand by and be feckin “Lectured” by this “Hypocrite”, and a Guy who was completely unaware of the circumstances of my Marriage in a Register Office, which in the eyes of the Catholic Church ( at that time), was deemed to be a “NON- Marriage”, but here he was trying to preach to Me about the Catholic Church.
Through My new Girlfriend ( His Daughter), and some of her sisters and Brother, I was advised that their Father now had the utmost respect for Me, because I stood my Ground against him etc ?
Over the next 3 years or so, he and I got on well, playing Golf, watching Celtic etc….but he was one of the most miserable Bassa’s in any Pub…..He hated putting his hand in his pocket…..I was eventually forced to have a quiet word with HIM about his reluctance to go to a Bar. Funny enough, his only Son was also a miserable Bassa when it came to buying drink ( All the Daughters were fine)…so I also had a “Quiet Word” with the Brother after Months of waiting for at least ONE of them to buy the 1st round when entering a Bar.
Oddly enough, both the Father and the Son ( There was NO Holy Ghost on this occasion), really liked Me throughout the 3 years that I dated that particular Woman, and even after I had left her suddenly….for another Woman !
Maybe the Father and The Brother were glad to see the back of Me after all ?
It’s Life….what can you do ?
HH
At the time of Posting, I have since become a TWICE Non Married, Divorcee ??
I am still confused though, as how can I be Classed as a “Divorcee” be it Twice, and yet in the eyes of the Catholic Church….I have NEVER been Married due to both “Marriages” being to Two Protestant Females, and BOTH “Marriages” were conducted in separate Register Offices in Glasgow, some 22 Years apart ?
Does the Catholic Church STILL view Me as NEVER being Married, or have the Rules changed and no one has told Me ?
LOL
HH
BIG JIMMY on 9TH APRIL 2019 7:45 AM
HOLYWOOD CALLING.
morning bhoys from a partly sunny Cheshire, COYBIG.hh.
BIG JIMMY: Are you sure you’re no an undercover missionary??
…….Oh, oh………
FAVOURITE UNCLE & COSY CORNER BHOY,
Yes, I must admit to “Spreading Myself” thinly when it’s came to Women over the years…whether thats my being an “Undercover Missionary”….I couldn’t say, but others can draw their own conclusions ?
Not so much “Hollywood” maybe…More like Glesca Galivanting i suspect ?
Many Woman have entered MY Field of Play over the Years, and as My old Da would say ” Jimmy son, Yer Brains are in Your Baws” !
Suffice to say…….” I am Feart of Hitting a Wean Up the Toon….in case it’s wan of my own” ?
LOL.
That was a wee Joke…I do NOT go around hitting any wean !
HH
TRUE STORY….
I never knew My Mother as she left Me and my Da when I was only 16 Months old, however she came from a Protestant/Orange Family. Her Father was a right Orange Bassa, and one of the Heid ones in Glasgow’s CID.
He objected to his Daughter Marrying my Da, due to him being a Catholic.
As a wee Bhoy in the 1960’s, My da bought me some records, Celtic Songs etc.
There was one Song/Record called ” THE ORANGE and THE GREEN” ( I cant remember who sang the Original on the record, but I do know that there are Cover Versions on you Tube, including The Irish Rovers in 1995.
i always loved that Song/Record, and I became aware soon after that, although that particular song described My own situation…to some extent, I was also aware that my situation was in fact, the OTHER WAY round, My Mother being Orange, and My Father being Green ? LOL
In one of the Verses the Song goes……”They got Married in TWO Churches, and lived Happily enough….UNTIL the Day that I was Born…and things got rather TOUGH” !
Great Stuff, and still Funny to this Day…IMHO.
For those that don’t know it, check it out on you Tube ?
HH
What do you call a Red Indian Virgin ?
CHEYANNE !
HH
UNTRUE STORY……
Some Years ago, I had an Uncle who had a False Eye.
Whenever he was at the Dinner table, he would take it out and place it among his mash Potatoes….I would ask…”Uncle, why do you do that” ?
He would reply….” I need to watch what I eat” !
HH
To whoever it was some Days ago on here..I WILL check out my Charlie Tully Record Label…I havent forgotten.
HH
I had forgotten Shinnie was unavailable for the semi. That certainly jhelps our cause and lessens my normal lack of confidence before a big Celtic game.
JJ
Misty morning, cloud in the sky… in the aul Chilterns this morning…
Interesting, if not awe inspiring point regarding the target man.
When you take in context with the three at the back then we are firmly back in Sutty territory.
He can play the target man when required then slot in at the back as an extra CH…
So, we’ll have one of those then;)
Yet in all seriousness, some five years ago a decision was made at Parkhead. A huge decision that had implications for football teams at all levels at Celtic…
Why was the decision made? Who knows?
Who made the decision? Who knows?
Yet for me it was an excellent decision….
4-2-3-1 modern formations and tactics throughout Celtic Football Club, from the boys team through the development team to the first team playing UCL.
Now problem is our Manager at that time had little experience and expertise in these systems and approaches.
It would mean a huge upheaval in the set up of Football performance… tactics, training, fitness, technique – team ethic and work rate, also the type of players needed for the coaches, the type of coaches needed to develop the players.
However, after five years flaffing about… we need a target man!? No disrespect to the many who see the gapping hole that the loss of Dembele created…
But allow me some self indulgent despair.
AULDHEID @ 12:51 PM,
“For succinct reasoning why Resolution 12 matters (if you care about dishonesty and about restoring some semblance of integrity for a so called sport many pay large sums to follow) have a read at the 200% article.”
http://twohundredpercent.net/resolution-12-the-archive/
Great piece in 200%, it is vital that without the football authorities producing a defence, the evidence against is damning.
Hail Hail
I had never really considered the youthful nature of a decent chunk of our squad:
“Ewan Henderson has come into the equation, Michael Johnston has been around it and we have young boys in the team.
“Kris Ajer is only 20, Kieran Tierney is still 21, Odsonne Edouard is 21.”
From the Lennie…upheaval article.
Going for a wee bike ride which will include a visit to ACGR.
Cheerio for now
JJ
so pukki get POTY in the english championship…….moreloss next year???? i’d bite yer nose aff fur that :)
Paul 67.
You think that John Hartson would not fit the modern game.
I sooooooo wish we had an equivalent of big bad John right now.