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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Rasmussen is playing Southampton and has Duncan on the back of his shirt because he looks like Duncan Ferguson!
Games gone mad
LB
Ellbhoy
They stated on radio earlier it was his hamstring (Dalziell on Radio Clyde as I was driving home)
It was Not his hamstring I seen him struggling with at the park
He tried to walk after the injury, could Not walk – looked like his ankle to me
Not heard anything either though ?
Hail Hail
Paul67 et al
Well we threw away a good advantage and left ourselves with a lesser one. One goal over there threatens their away goals, especially the first one which hopefully we will get from a set piece. It is all up to the team now. If I was a player, I’d be thinking, you enjoy celebrating getting beat, don’t worry, you can keep celebrating on Tuesday!
Clougher Celt
Congratulations on your anniversary!
Sharp thinking for that time of the night/morning after all the travelling and it may go a long way to ensuring no.23!
Cowiebhoy
Definitely his hamstring.
Not be much room on the dressing room wall with all the quotes coming from this Swedish mob. Battle stations on Tuesday.
LB
COWIEBHOY
He definitely grabbed his hamstring when he first went down but sitting on the turf his leg was extended fully, like he’d broken or done a ligament. Maybe as you suggest his dodgy ankle gave way. Strange there hasn’t been any update, fingers crossed it wasn’t as bad as he thought it was.
Nir seems ok for next week from his interviews, not sure what the situation is with Armstrong but he looked in good health. Some have suggested he was also feeling his hamstring but from TV pictures he looked fit enough seconds before when celebrating Griffiths header.
Qarabag lead 1-0 in Switzerland against Young Boys.
LB
We cannot play for a draw next Tuesday. We have to go out there and attack them, we are capable of scoring twice over there and negating their away goals.
I would feel a lot better at 2-2 with 10 minutes left then 0-0.
On the evidence of last night we are a better team then them,however in fairness that perception could be deceptive, they might well up their game big time at home and take us to the cleaners. They do have a good home record. If that happens it happens and we just go with the Europa League.
The tie is in the melting pot, if last night was a true reflection of what they have, I believe we will go through, if they are materially better at home, they will probably go through. Either way we need to concentrate on our own strengths and play the game that suits us, imo we are a better team when we go for goals.
Sevco fans have been scratching their brain cell to try to come up with something to match the celtic support “doing the huddle in the champions’ league.
The best they can muster is “we’re doing the bouncy in the petrofac cup”
Thunder Road,
22 years of practice and a great partner.
I think she was just happy that Jnr, got to the match.
It was some trip.
Clogher
livibhoy,
looking at the Malmo players and management after the final whistle,
and going by their comments they think its job done,
I really hope we shut them up next week
I see people are still referring to defenders banging into each other for the second goal last night.
For the record – and it was not immediately obvious at the game -it was highlighted by Lee Dixon on ITV highlights that VVD was blatantly body checked when the corner was taken.
He was a split second late and that caused him to clash with colleague.
Had he not been blocked he would have had every chance to win the aerial challenge.
Physical fitness not the issue IMO
I thought we froze at 2-0 and didn’t know whether to stick or twist.
From my seat in 405 I saw Lustig having strapping applied up above his knee. He looked in particular distress and seemed to know the injury was a bad one.
I would be surprised if it was an ankle problem.
clogher celt
looked out for you on the boat home last night but didnt spot you
glad you had a good night
you must have been doing some speed to get home for 4
I only had to go to lurgan and didnt get in until 3:15 and you had a fair bit further to travel than me :-))
hope you make it to more games soon
HH
By all accounts the Swedes are a completely different outfit at home and are confident that Celtic are there for the taking. I think we need to keep the game tight and hit them on the break and Griffiths should start we can win this tie Malmo need to come out to win the game I also loved WGS take on the game last night hes is a true Celt. H.H.
ibleedgreenandwhite1-Art of War of this parish is yer man.
Squire,
Who blocked Vvd?
Izzy or efe?
My money is on Forest :))
HH
Squire, You are totally correct, in many ways getting our 2 goals early told against us. If Joe had slotted the third , I believe we would have gone on and blitzed them but as the half moved on the attractiveness of seeing out the game at two nil increased. Certainly at half time I chatted with my Celtic mate and we both thought that we shouldn’t go chasing the third goal. In fact at 10 minutes when the second when in, I said immediately I’d take the final whistle now.
I think we were in control for most of the game last night.
I also think we would be (rightly) confident of finishing the job next week
The final goal was a ‘boot in the heehaws’
But I thought Quarabag would score againt us & they didn’t.
We will score next week.
RB a slight concern but we have had loads of heroic performances when it matters.
KTF
Every team is different on their own patch, especially Quarabeg who were set up to be better away from home. The Swedes aren’t as good as us, but their home advantage will even it up. We can score there and they can also score against us. The game there is in the balance but we are a goal ahead.
Has anyone noticed who is top of the CQN Fantasy Premier League?
Do we go after them early in the second leg like last night or do we try to close the game off. I remember Wim Jansen once stated, when it’s 2-0 the games finished. He was tactically savvy and was able kill most games off by defending. It was boring at times but it was effective & winning football, could have done with him last night.
Salzburg went to Malmo with a 2 goal lead expecting to give them a hammering & left themselves wide open. Despite the concensous of Malmo having to attack us in the second leg, I’d be surprised if they played any differently than they did last night. They’ll pack the midfield, close the play and wait for errors. Hopefully we can combat this by keeping better posession of the ball and starving them of anything to feed off. Be great to score the first goal which will effectively make the score 2-0 again if that happens, then I hope RD can take a leaf out of Jansens book.
HH!
Cloghercelt/Dena
As others have said, we often don’t appreciate the lengths that some of our supporters go just to see the team play.
corkcelt-said when we went 3-1, take Izzy off and put Mulgrew on and defend what we had.
Squire D
From my view in 406 that was how I saw it too.
SD-LG done the same to their keeper for Bitton’s goal HH
I often give it tight to Forest but I thought he was excellent last night.
Some of our attacking play was excellent.
I don’t blame Efe alone for either goal (some on here would BLF him for the first cos he did nothing to prevent it – from the bench!) but that’s not to say I’d want him to start next week.
Fisher and Janko are both more dependable and should have had more game time before now. I’d be happy to see both play together at some point as I think they’d link up well up and down the right wing.
I love Efe the bloke. That doesn’t mean I want him to start in the back 4 next week.
The loss of Lustig is huge. He galvanises and settles the whole defence.
I feel more confident and less down now than I did in the immediate aftermath of Berget’s Revenge. That’s not to say I’ve calmed down to a frenzy yet!
Sorry I missed cqn corner. Traffic coming down from dunblane was murder and we had to run the last mile to the ground.
Made it in a minute 2 to see Griff’s goal a minute later.
HH jamesgang
Bada Bing, My mate said same thing at half time.
Joe Filippi, Gordon puts born and bred Celtic fans, Nicholas and Walker, to shame.
Gordon could be excused for any ill feeling towards due to our attitude towards him in the early eighties and being attacked twice.
I loathed him as an Aberdeen player . His views on us are very welcome t.
His grief when Tommy passed away echoed our feelings at the time.
For anyone concerned about the return leg.
http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2016/matches/round=2000632/match=2015639/index.html
Check the stats. Malmö scored from 3 out of the 4 attempts they had on goal.
Salzburg utterly dominated them but were unable to grab the vital away goal.
I wasn’t too impressed with their attacking prowess last.
Apart from their two goals, we confined them mainly to long range efforts.
Our defensive record last season was exemplary.
What has happened this season? 6 goals lost in three games.
And one last night from a corner where we are usually so good.
After the 2nd went in the tele and computer were turned aff and the term FFS was aired. I also thought that after being called a dud, breest, mince, waste of space like his manager at the time this was karma at its finest.
I was up at 4:00 and refrained from going online, just winae intae the usual mona lisas, alternated between CNN and MSNBC as the “donald” comedy show continues. His mothers fae the Isle of Lewis BTW.
We are in the midst of our own election campaign up here with the added spectacle of a tory senator taking on his own party in court over expenses fraud. Still cannae beat the circus down south.
Anyway finally logged on and the usual suspects were there, Mr. Lawwell as usual was getting it, but the best comment was big DB who had the Man City fans groaning whenever his name was read out. that must have been the whole 13 times he played for them, he had more games for Bolton on loan.
Reminded me of a Celtic supporter who stated that if big amaposeur didnae get the player of the year award there should be a stewards enquiry. Henke won it and he was still bleating about that. Some people like tae be contrary.
All is not lost, as WGS said we won.
HAMILTONTIM on 20TH AUGUST 2015 8:50 PM
Cloghercelt/Dena
ahh but they are worth it. no matter what the doubters say KTF
HH
Delany’s Dunky: enjoy your daughter’s big day tomorrow.
Raman Bawbag said earlier it was a hamstring injury lustig had.HH.
He must have snapped his hamstring then
When he tried to get up and walk after physio, he couldn’t put his foot down
How about the 5, 4, 1 for away leg ? A draw and we’re through, just tightening up across midfield and giving full backs more freedom to hit wings ?
Hail Hail
Good evening friends.
Interesting developments in EL playoffs
Qarabag won 1-0 at Young Boys
Salzburg, having been put out by Malmo, have lost 2-0 at Dinamo Minsk
Maybe we’re not such a bunch a’ haddies after all
Dortmund comeback on – now 3-2
HAMILTONTIM on 20TH AUGUST 2015 8:50 PM
Cloghercelt/Dena
As others have said, we often don’t appreciate the lengths that some of our supporters go just to see the team play.
———————————–
Don’t I know it mhate….Cambuslang taxi to vogue Ruglen couple of hundred yard
hike to ruggy train station,try to avoid ticket collector(no payin for wan stoap) long
walk to Paradise up the Clyde gateway ..phew ….and after game a walk back to Chapmans.
ThatweeDena’sgotiteasyC.S.C