There’s been a palpable sense of relief among all of us since Leigh Griffiths scored in Astana last midweek, but as Wednesday’s second leg draws nearer, the reality that our Champions League hopes are very much on the line is dawning.
Astana’s natural game in Europe is to defend and play on the break. They kept a clear sheet in Vilnius in the last round and conceded only twice on the road in last season’s three away qualifiers against Maribor, HJK Helsinki and APOEL Nicosia – decent qualifier opponents by any measure.
They will put two men on both Patrick Roberts and Leigh Griffiths, and sit deep, hoping to draw Celtic into leaving space at the back. This is the exact scenario we lost out to otherwise inferior teams in Europe over the last two seasons. We enjoyed possession and territorial advantage (home and away) but were ripped open on the break.
Progress to the playoff round will be all about how well we defend.
The bulk of tomorrow’s training session should be set aside for the practice of penalty kicks. Celtic lose far too many penalty competitions, and despite legacy notions which persist in British football, penalties can be practiced. 10 players should hit at least 10 penalties each.
Dreadful news that Tommy Gemmell was hospitalised over the weekend. He’s been a great friend to CQN in recent years and I know we all send him our best wishes.
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As low as it gets IMO.
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/08/blogs/daily-record-finds-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-with-a-story-about-a-thieving-ex-celtic-midfielder/
Tony Donnelly 67
I have emailed John Paul Taylor ( Supporters Liaison) and asked him to pass on congratulations to Scott and to encourage our other spokespeople to behave in a like manner when dealing with ” Old Firm ” questions
MacJay
Could that dance catch on in our new Standing Section ( led by Jobo) ?
Parkheadcumsalford
I am much more surprised that Radio Scotland have not jumped on the band-waggon than taht they found it ridiculous. Hope springs eternal.
JJ
JJ
That’s a good shout, hopefully JPT passes it oh.
HH
Oh….on.
Any Celtic bars in Montreal? A pal is over next week and wants to see Motherwell game ? Thanks
Happy birthday big Jamesgang ☘
Bands
NAFCSC website will help
Tony D 67
Sadly, a lot of our supporters still read that anti-Celtic rag and , as far as I know,they are still made welcome at Celtic Park .
JJ
Oh! And I keep getting distracted , happy birthday Jamesgang, my teachers used to put that on every report card….Easely Distracted……… I’d add on,….willing to learn :))
Joe Kennaway CSC Montreal
Right, that is my morning excursion into CQN over for now. Quite pleasant so far !
Cheerio for now,
JJ
Happy birthday to the Gentle Giant (Jamesgang, not John Charles!)
JJ
I concur.
Tony
` Easily distracted and willing to learn` ? You are still one of those 0:-)))
Definitely offsky now.
JJ
http://www.angelfire.com/mt/montrealcsc/
Might help?
Yip
A very very Hoooooopy Birthday
Jamesgang
J I will drop you a text later Bhud, can’t do Wed though
Hail Hail
Astana will be afforded the luxury of training at Hampden and will be shown videos of Celtic’s recent games. The SFA have set up a committee of current SPL players and managers to assist Astana plan their tactics for the match.
The referee and his assistants are being wined and dined by the Astana directors and will have free holidays to Kazakhstan for the next 10 years.
( I might have made all of that up, but can you be sure I did)?
HAPPY HOOOOOOOOPY BIRTHDAY to
JAMESGANG!!!!!!!!!!
JG
Many happy returns
Ok. I confess. The bit about the holidays isn’t true. It’s only 5 years free hols.
Sorry
Good article.
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/08/blogs/celtic/the-media-coverage-of-sevco-celtics-friendlies-was-biased-and-ridiculous/
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPY Birthday JamesGang
one of CQN & lifes finest Bhoys.
HOT SMOKED on 2ND AUGUST 2016 8:54 AM
MacJay
Could that dance catch on in our new Standing Section ( led by Jobo) ?
============================================================
Wee bit reminiscent of the bouncy and we couldnae be having that.
Jobo a bit of a hoofer ?
Happy Birthday , Seamus.
Happy Birthday to Jamesgang, Cletic through and through, have a cracking day mate:)
SP
Morning Bhoys. The Sinclair transfer rumbles on it is a bit like the fishing you have the fished hooked and you are reeling it in but at the last minute you lose it .H.H.
Celtic of course Jamesgang…must get the coffee on!
Happy Birthday JAMESGANG. Hope you have Great Day! por cierto
If you’re in the habit of reading Richard Wilson’s material on the BBC, save yourself 10 minutes today.
A snivelling, wretched piece that attempts to borrow Brendan Rodger’s professional credibility and lend it to “Warbo”, and appropriates Celtic’s status to validate Sevco, all wrapped up in used “Old Firm” toilet paper.
Asinine, straw-grasping pish.
Apart from that, it’s a great piece.
Mr Dunblane….have a braaaaaw braaaaaaw day….
Braw.
I see our media are trying to sow discord by claiming Brendan wasn’t first choice and Moyes snubbed Celtic.
Expertly timed before our important game.
At least they have dropped the pretence of wanting what’s best for Scottish Football, we all know exactly where we stand.
Cmon the hoops.
A very big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the big mhan , Jamesgang, Haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you in person but from your posts you are a pure gent and a great example to all. Have a good one. HH
Can we find out which hotel the Astana team are staying in and make sure they don’t get a good nights rest!
HH
Celtic v motherwell league cup game
Those in the home ticket scheme
Ticket money will be taken from your account
On Mon 08th Aug
Season ticket holders NOT IN SCHEME
Deadline for getting your own seat
Is Fri 05th Aug 5pm
Then General sale
Thank you all
Feeling humbled and only a wee bit older!
HH jamesgang
THE BATTERED BUNNET
In terms of sheer desperation and very poor journalistic style it’s todays Rich Tea Biscuit Winner…
Made a post criticizing Effe yesterday and was roundly accused of being a hun by several posters. I had to go out & couldn’t reply to all, but here’s the thing…most of the replies seem to be from folk who hadn’t read and/or understood what I said but suppose no point dragging it out. What I will say though is that people hinting that I must be a hun because I have ’67’ in my name or simply because they don’t agree seriously need to get a grip.
For what it’s worth, I don’t care who plays well & scores tomorrow, as long as someone does it. If I could choose, it wouldn’t be Effe to ‘get it right up folk’ as many have suggested, he’s 5th choice CB as some pointed out and will therefore probably be phased out and moved on as others become fit or sign, so for me all I want from him is no mistakes…for me, I’d love to see big Moussa grab a hat-trick & give himself the boost he needs to go on a run of form.
I apologise in advance for whatever some will find in the above to call me a hun…although we all know I shouldn’t have to…
Here is the article referred to by TBB ( I don`t want to encourage Wilson by giving his nonsense hits):
“For seven months, Brendan Rodgers and Mark Warburton forged an alliance.
Their work together, mostly at Watford’s London Colney training ground, was based on shared views on how football should be played.
When Rodgers left Chelsea’s youth set-up to become Watford manager in November 2008, Warburton was already academy manager at the club. The working environment was collegiate and open, leading to relationships that have endured.
Now, Rangers boss Warburton and new Celtic manager Rodgers are preparing to be drawn together by a different dynamic: the Old Firm rivalry and a Scottish Premiership season in which promoted Rangers will be striving to challenge champions Celtic for the title.
Tactics and philosophy
There is no mistaking teams coached by Rodgers and Warburton. Details can change but the foundation is possession, circulating the ball while working space for attacks based on wide players coming infield to play between the lines and support a central striker.
It is contemporary football, well organised and well coached, with trigger points during build-up play that inform the movement of players in the final third. The two men come from different backgrounds, but there was a meeting of minds when they worked together.
“The format of the play is similar, definitely on the tactical side,” said Sean Dyche, the Burnley manager who was a youth coach at Watford and a contemporary of both.
“Brendan came in and put his own mark on what he wanted Watford to do. But he was quite flexible because of the quality of the player against what he’d had previously at Chelsea and he did play a more mixed style.
“Since he’s gone on to Swansea and Liverpool particularly, he’s mainly trying to build on possession-based games. We had loads of open discussions and they are ongoing.”
Rodgers is aiming to steer Celtic to a sixth consecutive title
Rodgers’ tactical flexibility was evident at Anfield, as he switched formations – often during games – to maximise the work of Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez.
Warburton has been less pragmatic, although he may have to consider tweaking his 4-3-3 to accommodate Jordan Rossiter, an accomplished ball-winner and reader of the game, and Joey Barton, who also tends to sit deep.
Rangers also found their tactics picked apart last season by St Johnstone, whose manager Tommy Wright devised a strategy that took advantage of the space behind the attacking full-backs in a League Cup win at Ibrox.
Scottish Premiership dates – fixtures are subject to change
10 Sept: Celtic v Rangers 11 March: Celtic v Rangers
31 Dec: Rangers v Celtic Post-split meeting?
“Warbo has spoken openly of his idea of if it’s not quite working, do it better, which suggests that he’d stick mainly to his beliefs on how the team should play,” Dyche said.
“Brendan has shown that he is willing to change shape, but I don’t think he’ll go far away from a possession-based game.
“For Rangers it’s a different challenge from last season when everybody knew how strong they were going to be and they proved that on a weekly basis.
Dyche knows both managers well
“It’s a higher level of football now – can they take that strength and consistency into the higher level and do they need to change things?
“It’s quite clear from Warbo’s signings that he’s felt there’s a need for experience. That’s one thing he’s been pragmatic with; he’s maybe looked and thought: high level of football, a bigger demand in handling the occasions and delivering performances.”
Scottish Premiership ins and outs
Warburton completes Rangers extension
Different personalities
Rodgers and Warburton both felt a calling towards coaching, although at different stages of their lives. The impetus was the same since neither achieved their ambitions of a top-flight playing career.
Injuries played a part in halting their progress, and Rodgers moved immediately into youth coaching. Warburton spent several years working as a city trader but decided to devote himself to football again when he found himself sketching out passing drills for an under-13 team rather than focusing on a major currency trade.
Brendan Rodgers Mark Warburton
Played for: Ballymena United, Reading, Newport, Witney, Newbury Played for: Enfield, Boreham Wood
Managed: Watford, Reading, Swansea, Liverpool, Celtic Managed: Brentford, Rangers
Dyche on Rodgers: “He is willing to change shape, but I don’t think he’ll go far away from a possession-based game.” Dyche on Warburton: “He’d stick mainly to his beliefs on how the team should play.”
Both owe some of their initial progress to relationships forged in the past – Steve Clarke recommended Rodgers as a potential youth coach to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea while Warburton’s time at Brentford was enabled by his relationship with the owner, Matt Benham, who was also involved in the NextGen European youth tournament that Warburton helped to devise.
Warburton has made nine summer signings and wants two more new players
“Having seen them work, even though the thoughts on how they want to format a team may be similar, how they coach is different because they’re different personalities,” Dyche said.
“Both their lifestyles to where they are now will have formed them into what they are. Warbo has his business background and some of the processes he used there, how they cross over into football, and Brendan has more of a pure football background and has been coaching from a young age all the way through the system.
“They’ll both put their stamp on their different groups. As people, they’re different characters.”
A good relationship
When Warburton was appointed Rangers manager last summer he received a message from Rodgers. They have spoken since the latter took over at Celtic in May. There is a deep mutual respect.
Warburton engaged in a few verbal jousts with former Hibernian head coach Alan Stubbs last season and Rodgers knows what it is to operate in the scrutiny of the top flight of English football.
The managers will come face to face again on 10 September when Rangers visit Celtic Park
Separating their relationship from the demands of this campaign will be a challenge in itself. There is unlikely, though, to be a spikiness in the way they deal with the rivalry and the pressure in their media appearances.
“There’s a lot of respect as football people and as friends but I don’t think there’s that kind of intimate friendship between Warbo and Brendan,” Dyche added.
“When the whistle blows, the competitive nature comes out and most people in football have a very high thirst and drive to win. When it’s game time, they’ll both be making sure their players are on top form to win a game.
“Away from that, even with the rivalry between the two clubs, there will be that respect between the two men.”
Lol, I noticed that on line in one of the arse wipe headlines…Moyes snubs Celtic to manage in England …….. Pathetic actually.