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Result gives platform for progress

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Last night’s win didn’t look on the cards until the opening goal; Astra were passing the ball better and creating as many chances as Celtic.  It looked like the game we expected – without Commons or Guidetti. However, we find ourselves top of the group with 7 points from 9 at the halfway point, having recorded a draw away to top seed Salzburg.

There’s still a lot of work to do, a win away at Astra next time out in no way guarantees qualification, but we stand an excellent chance of progressing and a decent chance of topping the group.

Having thumped Ross County at the weekend there was a notion we’d turned a corner, which fed some of the frustration last night, despite the result.  What we saw was very poor passing from a disjointed team.  Players were receiving the ball in too little space, where options were already closed.  This impacted the effectiveness on Callum McGregor and Mikael Lustig in particular, but it seemed when every Celtic player looked up there wasn’t a good pass on.

This is all a consequence of change.  We look disjointed because we are disjointed.  We’re disjointed because we’re rebuilding.

The relevant questions are:

Do we need to rebuild?
Are we making progress?

Yes, we need to rebuild.  The squad, tactics, training and other processes are all going through change.  For so long we watched Celtic squads remain constant and grow old (under Martin O’Neill), or out tactics become rigid (under Martin and Gordon Strachan), to the point that we were crying out for some experimentation.

The above is seldom disputed but the question of progress is more important.  Right now Celtic need results.  They need to survive in the Europa League long enough to test and improve their passing, movement, instincts and, where necessary, squad.

Last night’s win wasn’t pretty but it was vitally important.  The next challenge for this team is also important; we need to go to Romania and put on the kind of performance we did in Salzburg.  If we can do that, we’ll have earned a platform to build on.

Caesar & the Assassin, the accounts of Billy McNeill and Davie Hay as Celtic managers, is available below.

Billy and Davie will both sign the early orders we get to them, more here.

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  5. WeefratheTim on

    Ok ghuys, cot calling..

     

     

    Marspapa

     

     

    Calm doon buddy, give me a ring tomorrow and we’ll talk about this. I know exactly how you feel. Keep your chin up kiddo. You are always in my thoughts. Take care. You are a Celtic Mhan. KTF.

     

     

    Night Night Timland.

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

  8. Delaneys Dunky on

    Gordy

     

     

    Agree. Paul Simonen at his best. What about The Guns of Brixton bassline that Beats International stole fae Paul?

  15. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    bgx

     

     

    20:54 on 24 October, 2014

     

    Ok on the HUN….what if it was us?..what would we do?…serious question…

     

     

    ……………………………………….

     

     

    Personally I would abseil into the stadium from a Black Hawk helicopter belting out the theme from Mission Impossible and exact summary justice upon the miscreants :-))

  18. sipsini on

    DD,

     

     

    TIOCHFAIDH AR LA is written on the side of my fridge freezer by my daughter on her eighteenth, acgr can testify to that…if not jtt can.

     

     

    Btw, it is discreet.

  20. Sandman on

    The Spirit of Arthur Lee

     

     

    23:00 on 24 October, 2014

     

     

    The bears are now going to let off stink bombs in some sports direct shops

     

     

    LOL LOL LOL

     

     

    ===================================

     

     

    :))

     

     

    Not only that – someone’s going to sneak into Newcastle’s directors’ box and put a whoopee cushion on Ashley’s seat.

     

     

    And the Sons Of Struth are arming up with custard pies for the next home game.

     

     

    Ah, the Orcs and their merry japes…

     

     

    —–

     

    Now, here’s ‘A Scattish band that the kids just love…’

     

     

    And a girl with a voice from heaven…

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HunSzO-ECko

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHEyeLwf5EA

  26. Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way on

    Good night out tonight in memory of St John Doyle with some fine CQNers

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  27. beatbhoy on

    Cheers, remember that well.

     

     

    ‘tired of doin’ day jobs,

     

    With no thanks for what I do. . ‘

  33. petec on

    @ night you hear, Bazookas ROAR, Armalites are Heard across our Lan party @ CSGO.

     

     

    And the old fella said, Sure it couldn’t do any harm.

     

     

    I maybe right, I maybe WRONG, of that there is no Doubt, Whatsoever.

     

     

    Yucan dance if you want to

     

     

    Who is removing this fantastic expression of HAPPINESS?

  35. ger57 on

    BGX

     

     

    You have to accept that some folk disagree with you. I’m a bit disappointed to find out Ceasar and Bertie supported any of the recent wars but they are still Heroes and Legends for me.

     

    Two of the greatest ever Celts.

     

    BTW this blog is called Celtic Quick News.

  37. Delaneys Dunky on

    Petec

     

     

    Was telling the pool players in The Horse & Barge tonight that a pool shark fae The Rock is coming up to win tomorrow. ;))

  40. petec on

    Aidan is not playing Sunday so I might get to meet Weefra and all the likely Lads. Aidan will, IMO, likely be uncomfortable me talking to all these Mad Celtic fans. And I mean that in the best posssible way.

  42. skyisalandfill on

    Haven’t commented on last night yet.

     

    We got quite lucky in the EL again. The performance was in the main awful. VVD is a good defender but needs to wise up. Why does he have to shimmy and pause every time he brings the ball out of defence, allowing opposition to get back. I wondered at times if Celtic knew which direction they were playing, so many back passes. At times in the second half I was beginning to doubt the appetite and desire of this team. I am prepared to stand behind RD and his vision but again last night there were only scant examples of the fast, pressing game we were led to expect. Too much ponderous, rabbit in the headlights, run out of ideas performances. The next three games are crucial. Only victory in each will do. Positives are Scovic getting his goal. Craig Gordon. Wakasos pace. We must improve our passing.

     

     

    Roadworks meant I didn’t make the BV last night but good to catch up briefly at least with a few good CQNrs at the corner before the game.

     

     

    Celtic must pay the living wage. I give not an airborne fornication what any other business does, it would be the right thing to do for our club. End of story.

     

     

    Here’s a lovely tune by a lovely singer.

     

     

    Goodnight and HH timdom.

     

     

    http://youtu.be/UuBdNLxYZwI

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