There was only a minute between Celtic’s second and third goals against Partick Thistle on Friday evening but for that moment, a remarkable statistic had currency. Stuart Armstrong scored three and assisted two of Celtic’s six previous goals in the league. This is a level beyond an incredible upgrade in form.
Watching Stuart’s blossoming in recent weeks, you still get he’s been playing within himself for much of the last two years. It could be that the inverted-left-winger role didn’t suit him, or that the step up to the pressures of playing for Celtic inhibited him to the extent that the levels of confidence necessary to perform were not to be found.
Even now, watching his body language on the field, and in interview, he looks like he’s still finding his way. I’m pretty sure there’s more to come from him, given the necessary support.
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GFTB 3.30pm
“Higuain might notch the winner ”
Not like me to get something right !!!!!!!
St Stivs/Art of War
Thanks for the suggestions to get me through the ordeal.
Unfortunately, I missed them before I left, but they’ll come in handy tomorrow, when I get sent back for a’ the stuff I forgot!
Tell ye how bad it was, as I was heading for the drinks aisle a check-out opened up, I knocked a couple of women wi’ prams out the way, and got in first!
So ‘enjoying’ a Snow White special wi’ my late lunch.
Final score. Man Utd 1 Spurs 0. 11 corners and 6 cards. Ho hum.
madmitch,
whit a dik….are u tryin to blame my nephew for trying to do his best n get his degree whilst being paid…..or is it a general scotching of the arms industry n it’s tendering processes….
keepitconciseCSC
FTSFA
H.H.
Anyway, score update from the important match this afternoon.
West London CSC 2 – 2 Borussia Dortmund London.
Dortmund win on penalties, no surprise there My own lhad , and I quote ” scored a left foot screamer to equalise in last minute, did the Broony celebration! “. Dortmund lads all first class.
Spurs have gone backwards this season.
Have teams sussed them?
Kane and Ali looked poor.
Commentator says Pogba is growing into his role.At 100 million he bloody should be.
Spurs with 60% possession but std get stat that counts.
These coaches have to learn to separate types of possession.
Possession on it’s own is worthless.
Until coaches start understanding the difference between defensive, neutral and positive possession we will be subjected to lots of pedestrian football.
Conte understands possession thats why he will win the league.
Spurs 2 full backs cheating divers as is Ali( must have learned from Hutton)
Kane is English hence the big talk about him…
Boring football, glad I don’t pay to watch it…
Awe sheet! The attention seeker is refereeing the Liverpool game, I hate that 5 card trick.
lallana makes it 1….pressure pays
“Watching Stuart’s blossoming in recent weeks, you still get he’s been playing within himself for much of the last two years. It could be that the inverted-left-winger role didn’t suit him, or that the step up to the pressures of playing for Celtic inhibited him to the extent that the levels of confidence necessary to perform were not to be found.”
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Stuart played well in that role in his first half season with us. I think he just totally lost confidence last season. Maybe the overall environment wasn’t the best.
He now has confidence in spades. To the extent that you can throw him at right-back and he can excel.
More to come for sure.
TD67
Do you not mean 5 knuckle shuff
The speed of Liverpools attack is excellent.
Mane is fantastic.
If only Klopp could organize a defense?
The modern is all about efficiency.
That is why Brendan prefers JF over Paddy.
le. To finish it off. Oh, er , Matron etc..
mon the sa
TD67
I think Clattenburg is quite a good ref, not watching the EPL shoite, the Schalke fans are singing the Kieran Tierney song so good enough for me (hope that’s ok with the song police)
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL
Armstrong is now playing in his correct position in a properly implemented system.
He now has options to pass and can attack the space knowing that someone will fill the position he vacated.
The first goal against Thistle was a good example of this.Last year that run from a central mid would have left us vulnerable to a counter attack.
When the team’s spacing is good players can change positions and pass easier as everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
I don’t see what James McCarthy will bring to the team. I don’t consider him to be particularly creative. He’s not the quickest and he doesn’t score goals. He won’t come back up here for buttons.
FAN A TIC
I think the new style is all about defending from the front.Klopp Pochetinno, and Rodgers do not look to the old “start with a solid defence “model.
They prefer to keep the ball as far away from the danger area at all times. Press the opposition high and force defenders to face their own goal.
It can and does work. As ever the opposition can look to combat this and will either match you up, man to man as we did to Man City or will defend deep and bring your back 4 up to the half way line and hit you long, like Leicester did to Man City yesterday.
The Judy is out as to what is the best system, results will tell what the most successful system is.
The Judy? Sorry jury.
BEATBHOY on 11TH DECEMBER 2016 3:43 PM
The responses to the media questions should be up this evening or tomorrow. You can give me your critique when you read it!
KTF
Is Stuart Armstrong not playing the way he did at DUFC and in the same position when he came to Celtic Park , scored, and made our midfield players look like statues ?
JMCCORMICK on 11TH DECEMBER 2016 4:52 PM
FAN A TIC
I think the new style is all about defending from the front.Klopp Pochetinno, and Rodgers do not look to the old “start with a solid defence “model.
_______________________________________
I remember watching this new style of defending from the front on May 25th 1967. We beat some Italian mob doing it!
KTF
jmccormick on 11th December 2016 4:56 pm
Is Stuart Armstrong not playing the way he did at DUFC and in the same position when he came to Celtic Park , scored, and made our midfield players look like statues ?
————
I don’t remember Armstrong having a great/good game against us??
I’m sure at Utd he played on the right most of the time.
Cifti was the one that caused us the most issues, we should’ve signed him :O)
Wouldve put big bucks on Liverpool skelping the hammers today but somehow it’s 2-1 West Ham
MadMitch on 11th December 2016 2:10 pm
Biggest weakness in the MF is the lack of a true defensive mid.
SB has played the runner / harrier role for most of his career.
However SA is now the man plus he can finish.
Unfortunately SB can be 90% excellent and control the game better than anyone else — he still can be pulled out of position all too easily and dive into unwinnable challenges to leave us wide open at the back.
Still work to do in the MF
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Agree with that. Much as I like Scott I’m not sure he’ll ever be a true DM. Certainly not CL quality. Don’t think McCarthy is the answer either.
JMCCORMICK
It’s a lot easier to press when you have a strong defense behind you.
Conte has the most complete system in EPL and thats why he will win the league.
We now play more freely as confidence in the defense has improved.
Also the system is more cohesive and makes the defenses job a lot easier than last season.
I get the possession thing but you have to know what to do with it to gain the benefit.
I’m sure Bitton has great passing stats but how effective is he?
Ki at one time had highest passing stats in EPL yet has never really cemented a starting spot
there.Why?
Klopp would be a great attacking coach but his defensive frailties are again on show today.
Ponchettino has struggled this season and failed at the end of last season as he is to one dimensional and lacks creativity.He would be a great defensive coach.
Brendan has a few transfer windows to go before he can fully implement his system and be judged.
THE HUDDLE
Disagree about SA , as for Ciftci I think any physical centre forward caused us problems. We had no need to buy him though as I am sure you have indicated.
Don’t loan or sell Liam Henderson,i would like to see him get more first team action,punt NirBitton.Citic,Allan,Commons,and if we get 20 million for Dembele grab it,also I didn’t like Big Sutton’s comments about G M S ,I had a feeling throughout the Thistle game,he doesn’t rate him,but the Bhoy has just come back from a serious injury,so he at least,has to be given till the end of the season.
jmccormick on 11th December 2016 5:15 pm
Disagree about SA , as for Ciftci I think any physical centre forward caused us problems. We had no need to buy him though as I am sure you have indicated.
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I’ve used up my quota of memory cells for the week, but didn’t we hammer Dundee Utd 4 or 5 times in that season when Jackie Mac was manager and SA & GMS were playing for them?? Or am I getting the season mixed up??
timbhoy3 on 11th December 2016 5:16 pm
Don’t loan or sell Liam Henderson,i would like to see him get more first team action,punt NirBitton.Citic,Allan,Commons,and if we get 20 million for Dembele grab it,also I didn’t like Big Sutton’s comments about G M S ,I had a feeling throughout the Thistle game,he doesn’t rate him,but the Bhoy has just come back from a serious injury,so he at least,has to be given till the end of the season.
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Problem with your scenario is that even if we sold all those player Henderson would be no nearing a first team place, so what’s the point of him sticking around. We are stunting his progress.
Fan-a-tic
Agree about spacing. See Man City last night for how NOT to do it!
THE_HUDDLE on 11TH DECEMBER 2016 5:19 PM
We signed SA and GMS at end of January window then played Dundee Utd in 4 successive games in March (drew cup tie away then won LC final, replay and league game). Beat them later in season as well.
The game before we signed them in the December we lost with SA scoring the winner (Ciftci also scored)
GFTB 4:45 clatternburg is nothing but a poser a terrible ref imo HH
FAN-A-TIC.
I agree that it is easier to press high when you have a great defence.
So far, Conte has the right approach. However after 10 EPL games, Pep was the man.
There is along way to go and I am sure that there will be no “one vision” as to what is the correct method. To my untrained eye, Klopp, Pochetino and Rodgers have taken the Pep method and applied it to their own league, i.e. their own leagues.
Brendan almost succeeds at Liverpool, call it another way and you see that he failed, Klopp almost wins the CL with Dortmund, Pochetino is a winner at Southampton and Spurs despite winning a trophy?
They all fell victim to other clubs having better players who knew how to win tough games.
Systems do not win games, players do. If you have the better systems and better players you will win. We have better players than the rest of the SPFL, we will win more games. If we are challenged on the SPFL , as we were at Motherwell last week and at Ipox in 3 weeks, then we will need our better system and coaching to take charge.
HUDDLE
I agree on Henderson.
He is talented but don’t see where he fits at present.
I posted earlier that we could do what Barca do and sell with buy back option.
I think he has the tools to be a top class player.
Gary67 on 11th December 2016 5:25 pm
We signed SA and GMS at end of January window then played Dundee Utd in 4 successive games in March (drew cup tie away then won LC final, replay and league game). Beat them later in season as well.
The game before we signed them in the December we lost with SA scoring the winner (Ciftci also scored)
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:o) That’s why I threw in the caveat, knew I’d have the dates/games wrong , cheers
Still sticking with Ciftci being the most impressive player against us out of the trio
JMCCORMICK
I don’t expect you to know but i have said Peps system and methods have been sussed for years.
He lacks the ability to adapt so City will struggle to win EPL.
I said when Bayern appointed him it was a mistake.
He took a Bayern team who crushed everyone including Peps Barca in the Champions league and turned them into European sand dancers.
PARK ROAD 67-looking at las Americas at end of January,looking at las piramides hotel,never been before.Hope the weather stays good mhate:-))))