Although Celtic created the overwhelming majority of chances last night, they were punished for unforced errors. This is why Malmo are still in the tie.
Lots of positives were evident. Malmo could only foul James Forrest. He is fit and simply unstoppable. Celtic’s least effective periods of the game coincided with when they failed to get James on the ball. When he did get the ball, he often attracted three defenders, which curtailed his options but opened up space for others.
Next week James should find more space. Malmo’s main concern for the return leg will be how to cope with him.
Leigh Griffiths is on fire. He had no right to score his second goal, it was never his ball. The timing of his leap, combined with his reach and finish, were first class. He’ll fancy himself for a goal out there.
Our passing early on was as good as it has been all season but something went wrong, I think Scott Brown and Stefan Johansen’s roles changed. Scott bossed the opening 20 minutes but towards the end of the first half, a tension had crept in.
When our defenders had the ball at their feet, the options they had earlier simply weren’t there. Think back to the early moments when Scott dropped deeper than the two central defenders to give them options in possession. There was one occasion when Brown dropped to collect a forward pass from Boyata, before passing onto Forrest and then Armstrong, who carved an opening, all achieved without resistance. Our movement made Malmo look pedestrian. We lost our way when those options dried up.
We know what we will get from Forrest and Griffiths but the key three Celtic players next week will be Brown, Bitton and Johansen. Hareide criticised Celtic’s fitness, it’s certainly clear that the early pace we set was not maintained, although it could be argued that pace was impossible to maintain. If Brown, Bitton and Johansen have the stamina to cover the acreage they did for parts of the game last night, we will be comfortable in Sweden.
The major concern is the likely absence of Mikael Lustig. Efe and Dedryck both need immediately-available options in possession. It will be absolutely critical that they are not left to play long clearing balls forward. If this happens, we will invariably lose possession and Malmo will be able to build sustained attacks.
Ronny may decide to deploy Saidy Janko instead of Efe. Efe got the nod for the bench last night as we needed cover for both central defence and right back (he’s also convered left on occasion). None of us have enough information on Saidy to offer an informed opinion on this option yet, but he may be asked to step forward.
Malmo got as much out of last night’s game as was possible. They scored two goals and didn’t pass up a good chance. We have the lead and there’s nothing too worrying in what we saw from the visitors. They will play a different game at home, have more possession and create more chances, but Celtic will create lots of chances of their own.
There’s a hard 90 minutes ahead, but it’s in our own hands, and Ronny’s right, we can win out there. This tie has a Blackburn feel about it.
One for the golfers…….
Taggsybhoy is raffling a Round of Golf for 4 at the magnificent Aberdour Golf Course, where our annual CQN Golf Open takes place, to support his Great Scottish Run campaign in aid of the Celtic Foundation. The auction ends next week and you can bid on it here on ebay. Check it out, and check out what YOUR Foundation does as well.
This is a brilliant way to get involved and achieve something significant, well done to Taggsy for taking the initiative.
Thanks to everyone who donated as part of yesterday’s competition to win a Celtic Euro shirt, courtesy of Magners. Special thanks to the winner, Glasgowdave, for allowing us to auction the shirt at a later date. You’re not a bad lot.
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FC Deadclub got put out by Malmo in 2011 (?) with a 1-0 defeat at home and a 1-1 draw away.
I watched a bit of the second leg which was pretty tight but there didn’t seem to be any wonderful atmosphere in the Malmo stadium.
I like the way the are so over confident. We would be biting our nails if we had to overturn a 3-2 deficit at home. Seems easy until the game starts.
Canamalar,
We are better. We must attack. They are average at best. Just keep Cifci away from the pitch.
DEXTER et al
I respect your opinions too,mate. My Dad and I often disagree about Celtic,and even whose round it is,but I respect his too.
Anyway,here’s an edit from me on Thursday morning-just after I realised we had won! (I only watched the first half and then got told at work it was 3-3)
~~~~~~~~~~+*~~~~~~~~~~
Anyway,reading back I see Izzy amongst others getting it in the neck. In the first half,I saw Lustig,Brown,Boyata,van Dijk and even James Forrest covering our right when Malmo attacked.
I didn’t see anyone but Izzy covering our left,though granted he stays upfield too long sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~~
Thoughts?
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 21ST AUGUST 2015 11:36 AM
TD67
Not you.
CQN has been awash with ‘bashing’ since Wednesday.
Boyata bashing in particular It’s just so…….. last year.
Young Belgian hopeful just short of getting a game in the EPL with cash rich Giants.
Get my drift csc
Yes I got it, and I agree.
Re Boyata – The other night I felt sorry for him because he would get the ball, often from VVD, and all his team mates would be 30-40 yards away, so it was hard for him to select a pass that had a decent chance of success. After a few missed ones, his confidence seemed to drop and insecurity build. He’s inexperienced in that situation and needed more support. Brown helped back in the second half an this improved. He has to work on this distribution though – and his team mates need to help more, or better teams than Malmo in the CL or EL will exploit it.
On Tuesday though, we will likely not be so gung-ho, the distance between the back two and midfield should be less and a tighter unit will be harder to penetrate. I definitely think Malmo (who incidentally seem to be massively lacking in class) are for the taking. Salzburg got beat 3 zip, but apparently had 24 chances. Our defence is not as solid as it should be, but it’s better than theirs.
I have to agree on the Izzy thingie, he wasent getting a lot of help fro Armstrong, Masty happened to notice it near the end of the first half, that Armstrong was blowing it out his arse, and I agreed with him, and we both thought he may have caught a bug in Kasicstan, or where ver it was the week before, and how ever it is spelled :)
Abz,
Right you are. Salzburg aren’t very good either. Malmo’s main ‘threat’ was a flop in England. If we can’t beat them, we deserve the EL.
I wonder how our wage bill compares to theirs.
TONYDONNELLY
You and I agreeing?
Ffs,kill me now…
Kidding,bud. Had you hung around a bit longer that Monday,we could have compared notes.
Heyho…
And there will be other days,I can think of one in less than two months!
Beefy,
Celtic park proved we can’t expect games to go to plan with open play and I’m sick of glorious defeats. Control the space and you control the game.
If we qualify we need to prepare to play better teams too.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 21ST AUGUST 2015 11:55 AM
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/result-but-with-a-few-unforced-errors/comment-page-13/#comment-2658159
Yes definitely not true to form, don’t know if I could get used to that :))
Big strong back four on Tuesday,
Janko, Boyata, VVD, Mulgrew
Keep them off the score sheet first and foremost
HH
gsu
TONYDONNELLY
You don’t have to agree with someone to get on well with them. The best part of company is the differences,not the similarities.
I did watch a so called mediocre Danish club team drawing 1-1 in Southampton last night in the Europa Cup, and the Danes where by far the better team, just goes to show now a days, not to many daddy teams around, Southampton will have a tough job over there I think.
Diddy
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 21st August 2015 12:07 pm – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/result-but-with-a-few-unforced-errors/comment-page-13/#comment-2658168
That’s how Masty and I are good pals :))
I noticed the D R are at it this morning with the Stubbsy and Crusty war, Stubbsy will end up getting the blame of that, the pizz strained tracksuit need from bothwell has an article on it, I’m not posting it cause he is a ritchard.
the performance of the new site, patricularly the scrolling, is still pure scants when using IE9
and when using with my android, it takes ages to fully refresh the page, and if i start scrolling to the messages before the refresh is complete, it jumps about all over the place when it eventually does finish
must have been developed on a ZX80
FOGHORNLEGHORN
ZX80s are like wide-mouthed frogs.
You don’t see many of them nowadays…
I see the ole Masterbaker is being called Crusty on various sites.
Like it, but I prefer the traditional Simpsons spelling of Krusty.
It’s particularly apt in his case.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 21st August 2015 12:30 pm
FOGHORNLEGHORN
ZX80s are like wide-mouthed frogs.
You don’t see many of them nowadays…
—–
Paul67 has one of the last remaining to design the new blog :-))))
Wee quiz since it’s quiet- cue new article!
I was closing down redundant browsers and spotted this.
So the question is-which person with loadsa Celtic pals made this statement?
~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~
In my wide circle of Celtic friends and acquaintances, there is not a one who would have us lashing out money that we don’t have.
Peter has overseen a period of success and financial stability that is the envy of the majority of clubs in Europe – out side of the mega-rich.
~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~
Wee clue-he doesn’t accept dissenting opinions very well,and usually says so IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
Ronny saying lustic has good chance of making Tuesday
Via twitter
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 21ST AUGUST 2015 12:43 PM
Wee quiz since it’s quiet- cue new article!
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/result-but-with-a-few-unforced-errors/comment-page-14/#comments
Paul67 :))
BT,
I’ll eat ma trilby if lustig plays on Tuesday.
I bliddy hope he does mind you.
HH
Various opinions on the team for tomorrow…
I’m not sure I like the term – play a weakened team. Sure we need to play our first team picks in a Champions League qualifier, so if we rest fholk who are carryVarious opinions on the team for tomorrow…
I’m not sure I like the term – play a weakened team. Sure we need to play our first team picks in a Champions League qualifiers, so if we rest fholk who are carrying a knock or whose batteries need recharging then obviously the team will be weaker. But that’s not what squad rotation is about.
It should be about maximising performance. Furinstance – Is a hungry Rogic, who seems to be performing at a good level and needs game time, going to be worse than playing a jaded Johansen?
If Lustig is not available for Tuesday’s return fixture, is having a good look at Janko over a game not a good thing? Alternatively is Efe is going to be first choice RB, giving him game time could be important.
For me it’s horses for courses.
Hail Hail
Apologies for my last post, seemed to c&p the post into itself.
Various opinions on the team for tomorrow…
I’m not sure I like the term – play a weakened team. Sure we need to play our first team picks in a Champions League qualifier, so if we rest fholk who are carrying a knock or batteries need recharging then obviously the team will be weaker. But that’s not what squad rotation is about.
If should be about maximising performance. Furinstance – Is a hungry Rogic, who seems to be performing at a good level, and needs game time going to be worse than a jaded Johansen?
If Lustig is not available for Tuesday’s return fixture, is having a good look at Janko over a game not a good thing? Alternatively is Efe is going to be first choice RB, giving him game time could be important.
For me it’s horses for courses.
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy,
I prefer the term a ‘changed side’
It can’t really be weakened as according to some, most of our starting 11 is dreadful from time to time ;)
HH
About that Lustig incident on Wednesday, wtf was it with the stretcher bearers? How daft did they look, it was a benny hill moment, lol. Must have took them five minutes to get to him.
Afternoon Timland from a hot hun free mountain valley.
It will be magic if ML makes it for tuesday.
HH
GEORDIE MUNRO @ 1:05,
That’s very true:-)
A great performance up to 94mins then, half of our side become bomb scares.
It’s a bad goal to concede but a bit of perspective wouldn’t go amiss.
Hail Hail
new article posted.
Why is it ‘being there’ watching Ronny’s press conference – I am always reminded of Chauncey Gardener?
York Ebor 345 Fields of Athenry
Good luck everyone
MR PASRTY
Wish you would make like a tree.
There is something about your posts that tell me that you are not a Tim.
The acid test is to make yourself known at CQN corner.
Do you know Alfie Knoakes, one of the seventy odd percent or any of the other posters with an agenda other than supporting Celtic?
15:45 @ York – Clondaw Warrior – NAP!
Good luck everybody.
Nap for me 2.35 @ York
Hernadoshidaway
Best of luck with the real bets
Should be Hernandoshidaway – 2.35 York
Cheers