The last points Celtic dropped in the season was the 2-0 defeat on 22 March at Tannadice, when the starting line- up included Kelechi Iheanacho and Reo Hatate. Despite being pivotal in the recovery from being two goals down at Ibrox a few weeks earlier, Reo never started another match and played only 51 minutes football across the remainder of the season. Kelechi played in every subsequent game – scoring goals to give Celtic the lead in six of them, but that outing against Dundee United was his last start.
The next two outings (Dundee and St Mirren) saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in instead of Reo, with Tomas Cvancara replacing Kelechi. The St Mirren game saw a substitute appearance from Arne Engels after a long-term injury. Arne started every game from that moment, in a midfield with alongside Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren.
The mobility in the middle of the park from these three was what was missing in earlier weeks. They each do the hard yards, chase back to ensure breakaways are suffocated before they become dangerous, and make darting runs forward to open up space.
138 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- »
Happy MONday
Season saved by MoN
HH
Well done Tbb :-))
HH
Pity no pistols PETE is gone PAUL would have been first on with news
MON first time signed for Celtic 1st June 2000.
MON fourth time signed for Celtic 1st June 2026 ?
Benjamin Nygren chases back in the same sense that Tony Watt scores goals against Barcelona – he did it once.
Monday so soon.
Yup we really missed Engels. Great value signing and along with idah and trusty played their part in our highest ever revenue generating season in 24/25 . Summer 24 will go down as a great transfer window. Idah got us 20 goals for a net cost of 2m quid and trusty and Engels are still contributing plenty as first pics, Hope we can hold on to Arne especially but I fully expect another 25m bid this summer
Alex Ox and Ian Nacho are free again.
Should there be someone at Celtic wanting to sign them up.
Given we like to get our business ahem done early 🇮🇪👌
Probably everyone who posts or lurks on here would have given Reo another game after that DU game.
That’s why I favour keeping MON on for another run at it, the timing of bringing in Nancy was unforgivable.
And we made a profit on transfers in summer 24 as well.
Certainly beat the usual conveyor belt of non contributors
I’d keep Kelechinin a heartbeat.
His presence will make Osmand a better striker.
I wouldn’t keep Ox.
He should be replaced by one of our largest single player investments … and that’s before any notion of replacing Arne.
Happy to concur on the energy output of the individual midfielders Paul.
They all put in an amazing shift … particularly Callum in the last 3 games after a difficult period.
As a coherent midfield unit though?
Well short, IMHO.
During some attack to defence transitions?
… they almost needed maps to locate each other.
Bournesouprecipe
Are you sure re Ihenacho being free ?
Eyal Berkovic really is a scum bag.
Kels was signed on a 1 year deal with an option of a further year. There’s a judgement call to make on whether to exercise the option.
On the upside, he’s the most accomplished forward we’ve had at the club since Bellamy or Keane.
On the downside, he managed to play just 10% of the time, the equivalent of 5 matches in the 52 matches since he signed.
Over to the club’s medical and sports science team to assess his enduring fitness. The sense is that a pay-per-play deal is more pragmatic for us, though doubtless he can get better offers elsewhere.
Hartson didn’t kick him half hard enough.
BURNLEY78
Signed one year, we may have an extension option? But there could well be suitors given his contribution, which we have to balance with his fitness level?
As for the Ox; nice guy, intelligent player, doesn’t seem to have the required athleticism. Shame, that.
Tbb 12.12
What do we do with Nygrens goal contribution?
Pretty material to our double.
I know he’s marmitey type but imo he done no bad for a 1st year under 3 diff managers.some of the players were affected am sure as I was on outside at our erratic form.
I would like to see him settled,in settled team with a settled manager mon I hope,see what happens
HH
The ones who once swung ‘Anti-Semite’ like a truncheon have gone conspicuously silent on that particular war cry.
Not a change of heart. Just a change of weather.
Opportunists.
And there’s nothing more wretched than the kind who slithers where the wind blows, pious when it suits, mute when the mirror turns
There must be something slanderous in what Berkovic said.
Would love to see MON sue him for every New Israeli Shekel the wee rat has.
AnT
I’m not questioning Nygren’s contribution generally, which is considerably more than he’s often given credit for. I’m challenging Paul’s assertion that he “chases back to ensure breakaways are suffocated”. He really doesn’t do that a great deal for us.
To be fair to Nygren, he’s generally played ahead of the other two mids and so typically is on the wrong side when the opposition get the ball. Even accounting for that, he doesn’t bust many guts getting back goal side, perhaps on instruction.
Somewhat relatedly, CelticByNumbers wrote a piece at the weekend showing how our change in approach through a match is reflected in chances created and conceded.
When drawing or behind and therefore pursuing a goal, we create at a rate of 3xG per 90, and concede at a rate of 1xG per 90.
When ahead in the match, we tend to close down and create at a rate of 1xG per 90 but – and here’s the pay off – we concede at a rate of 1xG per 90. In other words, when defending a lead we’re no better at defending than we are when we’re attacking. That’s a problem that might very well have bitten us on the arse last season but which – blessedly – didn’t.
I think Nygren is part of the reason for both attacking and defending stats. It’s a curious thing.
Pat Nevin Celtic youth set up, no professional contract offered.
Go figure CSC
Aipple on 1st June 2026 12:38 pm
Eyal Berkovic really is a scum bag.
____
The Herald scouring the world for a negative Celtic story. Pathetic.
FWIW I think what happened is that DD offered MON the job last week and he said yes. This week they’ll put the younger guys and coaching staff in place.
Aff oot CSC
P.s. I’d sell Nygren & CCV this summer in addition to Maeda Hatate and Engels
Tbb 1.13
Thanks for your considered reply.
I will check out Alans view
Interesting him being the source of attack&defence stats.
Thanks
HH
AnT – here you go: https://www.huddlebreakdown.com/p/states-of-play
So boakavic (sic) was heartbroken when Celtic landed the league title…..GOOD.
Maybe Nygren’s all-round game (it’s difficult to fault his forward play) is ill-suited to playing in a midfield of 3, but would prosper in a different formation.
At this point, I believe that Mon’s best position would be in the Boardroom.
Why?
Because he knows football and how it works. He can challenge positions that the lawyers take on football matters; and positions that accountants take. Not that he would push them to positions that would be against laws or regulations. But the Board needs to understand the consequences of their decisions.
MON has the intellect to disagree with a smile.
He could also bring the Manager’s concerns to the Board while being a buffer between the egos on both sides.
Currently, the Board pretends to have Independent Board Members. They don’t. MON, I am sure, would be independent as feck. Real independence requires a clear time frame, ie 3 years or less. This prevents decisions or behaviour that aim to curry favour and retention in the Board. In fact, I believe that we currently have an ‘Independent’ Board member who is in his 7th year. He didn’t get there by being independent.
Just my 2 cents worth…
Weeron
What Eyal Berkovic said?
Don’t know. Don’t care.
Narrative and editorial line already written before individual name/face approached to bolster it.
“Celtic won”
“Our belief system can’t handle ut”
“Sour the milk as best we can”
Respectfully folks – best ignores
Which, going by that publication’s dwindling circulation?
… is exactly what others are doing.
PS – on that?
A poster mentioned the scotsman yesterday.
Straight up … I’d completely forgotten it was still in existence !
Took a quick look at ABC for its circulation.
The data is a year old but the entire paying readership could fit into Gayfield Park, Forfar comfortably.
Does a superlative form of “irrelevant” exist as a single word in the English language?
Martin O’Neill’s last signing for Celtic as a permanent manager was Craig Bellamy
on loan.
Berkovic is apparently a shock jock in occupied Palestine. His agenda is obvious. Having Celtic on your CV over there is clearly not a good look and so he has to say how much he hated being here and how quickly he wanted to leave. A non story, except for the SMSM who will pick up any dog turd if they can throw it at Celtic.
Some guys you just wish had never played for Celtic.
Agree WeeRon with MON upstairs.
Hatate one of the most frustratingly talented players we’ve had. Sometimes a Type R; too many others a 1.3manual. Civic that is.
But would we even get our money back on him?
Keep Kel; offload Ox.
Oh and Appoint a manager Dermy, would ye?
Will Celtic plc show this close season that the first team is their priority and make the changes and signings necessary that puts the Football Club first?
Celtic plc LON: CCP
230.60 GBX
21.37% +40.60
past month