Despite the slenderest margins between the teams over two legs, Rosenborg failed to lay a glove in earnest on Celtic in Trondheim last night. James Forrest, who likes a goal in the qualifiers, connected wonderfully with a shot from a right angle which was visible only on rebounding off the back of the net.
In a sign of things to come, Celtic were composed in possession, even deep inside their own box. This desire to take a touch and find a pass wasn’t entirely successful. Rosenborg pressed high regularly, forcing Craig Gordon into unmeasured passes to the wing.
Kieran Tierney was magnificent, especially in the first half, when he maintained a high position on the left. This gave Celtic their most reliable route to attack.
Rosenborg sprung forward at halftime, causing Celtic some consternation for a period, although Gordon was never stretched. Brendan Rodgers had the luxury of bringing Leigh Griffiths off the bench; Celtic didn’t look back.
Don’t think things are going to ease up. That 1-0 aggregate score saw us enter the final minutes able to concede once without the threat of elimination. That wasn’t the case in either the third or fourth qualifying rounds last season. I hope we’re back in the afternoons for penalty practice.
While we are one tie away from the Champions League group stage, we are also on the brink of making it out of Pot 4. If Sevilla, Napoli, Liverpool or Olympiacos exit the competition and Celtic progress, we will be in Pot 3 for the group stage. Olympiacos are in the champions section of the draw alongside Celtic, but they went out of the competition to Haopel Be’re Shiva last season, who lie in wait again this term.
Sevilla, Napoli and Liverpool are all in the non-champions group, where tasty opponents Nice and Hoffenheim await in the non-seeded section. Sevilla make a Gaudi-esque art form of going out of the Champions League in the qualifiers, to let them concentrate on their main purpose in life – dominating the Europa League. If we take care of our own business there’s a decent chance we’ll move up the rankings.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to our Mary’s Meals appeal yesterday, and to Intelligent Car Leasing, who made the magnificent offer of 4 hospitality tickets for Saturday’s league opener against Hearts. The winner was informed by email a few minutes ago – so check!
505 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 14
- »
Sorry missed out Bhoy
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Has anyone posted the press conference?
Don’t you just love the mad man from Portugal??
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/rangers/pedro-caixinha-i-still-believe-rangers-have-best-squad-in-scotland-1-4521453
Turkey Bhoy
I always like Nir as you say good football brain. He went from hero to zero on here but that’s nothing new!!
I think he’s still a bit raw but under Brendan I can see him improving and being a valuable member of our CL squad.
HH
Leave Johnny Hayes,alone,he is in the door ,2minutes,and he is getting stick,also don’t seem to remember Paddy Roberts, getting the same treatment,and believe me he had a few stinkers,so lay of Hayes,in fact lay off the lot of them,
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 3RD AUGUST 2017 1:39 PM
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Has Miller came down yet?
I heard that the next time we play them, Pedro’s gonny let miller wear a parachute.
If you haven’t already done so do have a listen to the podcast at the top of this article. The first 15/20 minutes in particular are very good, reminding us how our media used to do their ‘job’ properly (even if some were doing it with a bit of gusto). How far we have come!!
Rumor has reached me that Celtic are looking at an Italian striker, Luigi Moultini, who plays for Madrebene, who I presume are in Seria C…
like the sound of him… sign him up!
Football wise, I think we could do a lot worse than have Stokes as a back up striker …. but, rightly or wrongly, I think a decision was made some time ago that his face doesn’t fit … but I hope he scores a boat load for Hibs!
MIKE IN TORONTO on 3RD AUGUST 2017 2:48 PM
Rumor has reached me that Celtic are looking at an Italian striker, Luigi Moultini, who plays for Madrebene, who I presume are in Seria C…
Wrong Guy ,MIT,
The player I am on about,his father has a chip shop in Milngavie.
Leave Tony where he is with Lenny.Nothing would give me greater pleasure,than seeing these two come away from Poundland with a victory in a few weeks.
Could anyone tell me, in the simplest language possible, why i cannot visit certain site ( videocelts being one ) because `Safari cannot open a secure connection ` ?
JJ
Theres a couple of exotic sounding strikers Pedro would have been onto if he had heard,
Luigi Moultino,and Antonio Stoksio.
MICKEY1888: Many thanks for the information regarding lifts at CP.
My seat is in Section106 Row CC and the last twenty steps have no support rail. However, I can access from 206 without any problem but it means coming through the bars ( as if I would stop for a quick pint ! ) and jobsworth last week said ‘ never again ‘.
I have emailed JP as per the address given here (Thanks Bhoys) and await a reply.
DESSYBHOY on 3RD AUGUST 2017 2:25 PM
Tony
I’m sure I heard BR say he was not injured but didn’t want to risk him due to inexperience, I may be wrong though
You could have, that piece was from the Herald.
Jonny Hayes has in my opinion made a great start. In fact the season hasn’t even started and he is already a regular feature.
I thought he was a good out ball last night. I suspect on the occasions he looked like he could have taken on the defender but chose instead to retain possession that he was acting to orders.
He’s not as high quality as James Forest but I’ll wager he is more consistent and likely to challenge for plenty of pitch time. He can play. Left or right, full back or winger..even through the middle.
It’s a bit early to write him off.
Turkeybhoy…. wasnt too impressed with the food around Celtic Park last time I was there …. so, see if we can also sign the father up to help in the kitchen!
:)
Stuart Armstrong ?
IF SA is suffering a wee bit loss of form ( or a big bit ? ), then at the risk of stating the obvious, maybe the contract talks and possible obstacles are affecting his heid ?
Of course, many will say that IF thats the case then SA has brought it on himself ?
I am not “Privvy” to any players contract talks, and its very easy for someone like myself who loves the Celtic to slag off any player who appears to wish to leave Celtic, or is hesitating on wages that I could only dream about, so I will refrain from doing so.
However, SA is obviously a bright Bhoy on and off the pitch and hopefully he will remain a Celt for several years to come, but both parties need to get it sorted soon, because IF his heid is messed up and it is affecting his performances, no doubt he will find himself on the bench and even the stand come matchdays /
That is when an “Asset” ceases to be an “Asset” !
Hopefully it doesn’t get to that stage with Stuart.
HH
MiT
” wasnt too impressed with the food around Celtic Park last time I was there “.
Well I wasn`t too impressed with the football in Brothers Food & Wine last time I was in Toronto !
JJ
PS I have never been there; I just used it for my witty repartee :-)
Gary67 on 3rd August 2017 2:43 pm
Don’t you just love the mad man from Portugal??
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/rangers/pedro-caixinha-i-still-believe-rangers-have-best-squad-in-scotland-1-4521453
———————————————————————–
LOL. Surely the more rational thing to say, and ethos to instill, is that your team should strive and work hard until they are the best!!!
The WATP attitude will be his undoing….but hopefully not for a while yet…
:)
Bitton should be signed up as Centre Half cover.
MWD
CULTSBHOY
Johnny Hayes is a good player who impressed with Aberdeen. He’ll take time to bed in at Celtic though, as it’s a different kettle of fish altogether.
Apart from far higher expectations, he has to get used to playing against the ‘parked bus’ every week, something he would rarely have experienced at Aberdeen.
I believe Pedro caxhisknickers has the best squad possible in Eurovision.
MWD
Hot Smoked … looks like I may be over for a few days in September. If so, I will let you take me out for dinner to prove me wrong!
That’ll teach you to be cheeky!
:)
CROPPYBHOY
Those 15 minutes were definitely down to the off the ball frailties of the midfield.
Brown was the only one putting up any resistance at that point.
We seemed unsure of who had the responsibility of certain areas.
We have the mentality of getting stuck in and often overcommit and leave ourselves out of position.
Probably the reason Eboue and Ntcham were bought in an already overcrowded midfield as both seem to have a little more patience.
Last night Rosenberg with their tight line between midfield and defense showed patience which made them difficult to breakdown.
Their midfield did not so much tackle but forced us into crowded areas were we lost the ball or pushed towards non threatening areas where a hopeful cross or backward pass were only options,
This is something that has needed addressing.
I also hate to say it but Erik’s injury was down to him making a rash tackle when he should have held position in a high non threatening area.
There is an assumption that because Stuart Armstrong is well educated ie to degree level, that he is an intelligent fellow. Such is not necessarily the case. I would need to hear/read what he has to say on any given matter before giving an opinion on the matter.
As a Celtic player, I think he is pretty good in an all-action kind of way and, importantly, he also chips in with quite a few goals.
Overall, though, I would not be distraught if he left — especially if the transfer fee , along with any van Djik money, led to the return of the Prodigal Paddy.
On another note. If he receives the backing of the support ( unlikely, I know) I feel Nir Biton could be an excellent centre-half in a footballing side like Celtic. One of the problems for defenders in a team which wants to pass the ball, of course, is that mistakes are magnified because of where they happen on the pitch.
JJ
MiT
You started it !
It would be excellent to meet you in September. ACGR and I usually go to an Italian place before the games ( Torotony (?) has been there) and you would be more than welcome to join in. My paying for your dinner is another matter altogether !!
JJ
Hot Smoked
Hey, it was worth a shot!
:)
Mike great timing La Lanterna West End will have just opened
As others have posted, BR will look for an additional attacker, one that can play various positions across the top, however, id be a lot more comfortable if he got in a good defender, given the amount of goals in our midfield (potentially) keeping it tight in the next round would serve us better i suspect.
Lennybhoy/Catman CSC
Fan a tic- The time i was worried was just after HT and Rosenborg were moving quicker all over the park, until we scored.We couldn’t get close enough to them when they had the ball, and we didn’t retain possession for 2 passes.Like a few Bhoys, i think Kouassi will be in the team by the time we have play off games.We need to retain the ball better in European games .IMO HH
I like Armstrong.In saying that,the talks have dragged on far too long.If he was going to sign,he would have done so.If he thinks holding out will get him an extra few bucks from “Pistol Pete”,he is not as intelligent as some make out.He is not playing with the strongest hand.There are a host of midfield players,very good players,looking for that spot.If no deal done by next week,I would put him up for sale.8 million plus would be great money.We need a big commanding CH,more than we need a guy,who looks as though his head is not in it.
Perhaps its Celtic thats holding up his transfer, hoping for the mad EPL scramble for players near the end of the window??????
SA expenses have increased since GMS went to AFC..and he’s broken hearted
CULTSBHOY
I was critical of Hayes last night.
And so far to be honest i have yet to be impressed.
I couched my criticism by saying he seems to be following coaching instructions to the letter and subsequently seems timid and cautious.
Last night he was an asset to them by giving the full back who JF roasted for the goal a night off.
He continually returned the ball straight back to where the pass came from.
I understand he has been briefed to retain possession but all he did was remove any threat from us on his side and allowed them time to defensively set.
I admit i have no great knowledge of his Aberdeen days but seems providing assists was his forte and he had a respectable goal tally.
I do remember a screamer he scored against us in a midweek game .
But if he plays like last night with zero crossing and no pressure on his opponent then his attributes will be nullified.
It is still early days so hopefully his confidence will grow and we will see the guy we hoped we signed.
Due to unforeseen issues I only caught the last half and hour last night or so. By which time Griffiths had come on for Hayes so can’t comment on anything that went before.
Radio Scotland commentary in the car suggested that Hayes was timid in his approach, Packy Bonner was urging him to knock the ball past his direct opponent and use his pace to beat him. Wee Jamesie did that to good effect as the game went on on that side of the pitch by the time I finally got to see the game.
Far too early to be critical of Hayes but he needs to realise that he has to perform every week at Celtic, big step up for him.
Bitton and Jozo were excellent from the moment I started watching, center half might well be a good option for Bitton, he’s six foot five for a start!
Delighted for the team and the management team last night and for the support who made the trip, hope they had a great if expensive night oot in Trondheim last night (is that no’ where Thor comes from? ;-0) )
Guaranteed European football till Christmas, lets see what the UEFA gods of the draw bring us tomorrow. Please god not Astana with their plastic pitch and goat murdering!
what a brammer last night – couldn’t see what jf was doing and didn’t even see it going in the net – took a while to sink in – reminded me of – was it hartley who got a header away from home in russia ?
anyway – well done jf and the subs by br putting him out in his normal position
For the past couple of seasons I have said wee need to buy a def middy, one who will take no prisoners, we have one in Eboue imo, we also needed a playmaker, one who can make that killer pass and put his foot in if needed, we bought that in Olivier imo.
We now need a commanding CB, with DB having a ligament problem, he will have to be nursed back to full fitness, also with Erik having the same problem we are struggling for europe imo, unless Brendan sees that Bitton can do the job, fine with me.
I honestly thot we were sorted for the spl, but since the govan galicitos have the best squad on the planet, Brendan may well need to rethink and get a whean of top class players in else we may well end up as also rans.
Get the finger oot Pedro.
CULTSBHOY SAYS HAIL HAIL TO HECTOR AND BRENDAN on 3RD AUGUST 2017 3:40 PM
SA expenses have increased since GMS went to AFC..and he’s broken hearted
———————————————————–
“He was the Zig to my Zag….or is it the other way around..?”
The bhoy is confused!