There was much to love in yesterday’s win at St Johnstone, so many lessons played out, it was a clear opportunity to learn a bit about the game.
On Tuesday last week, before Leigh Griffiths had kicked a competitive ball this season, I wrote, “Leigh is one of the most natural goal scorers we have seen at Celtic this century. He has natural pace, confidence and an attitude that will not easily be subverted”, and that his campaign “could start as early as Thursday, if we need a goal late in the game.”
In July, after he was left at home while the squad travelled to France, I wrote, “My money is on him scoring the goal that seals the 10.” He is that good a striker you can hang yourself out there and know he will perform.
The header was a dream; watch how he arced his back before thundering the ball inches inside the post. It was an exceptional finish, from an exceptional goal scorer. If you think he is the only player in the squad with baggage, you were not watching carefully enough yesterday, but he has the talent that could be the difference between first and second in the league, and he wants to be here.
I don’t think I have seen a player play on after being scythed in two, as Patryk Klimala was yesterday. Mark him up as another with talent, who wants to be here. Tom Rogic did his part too, but how consequential was Scott Brown’s arrival?
Without Brown on the field, Kristopher Ajer would not have been advanced enough to do a jink on the edge of the St Johnstone area, making space for Hatem Elhamed’s cross. Nor would Shane Duffy be as high up the field to play a short pass to Klimala on the edge of the area.
After the game, Neil Lennon spoke about those throwing stats at his captain, you can see he’s been affected. Suggestions that the manager does not see what tens of thousands of fans see is ludicrous. Stats are a great tool, but they need to be interpreted correctly; some of the best defenders hardly ever touch the ball or tackle, but they can still control a game, while some captains impose a gameplan. Neither attribute shows up well on the stats.
Maybe see you later.
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Welcome to the new bhoy!
HH Laxalt!
The big bhoys are in the butchers
👏👏👏
A very good window, plus Patrick lookin’ very good AND the Griff on his way back.
Now if Soro could get a wee run too.
Who knows?
Scaniel…didn’t know JSB, so just checked. Well done to your daughter. She’ll be well chuffed…It can be a great industry if you work with the right people…I wish her well.
Welcome Diego – now remember the rules. No beating your man, once over the halfway line turn back and pass that way, oh and don’t upset the clique :-)
Bien venido al Sr Laxalt!
Is he on international duty this week?
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS on 5TH OCTOBER 2020 9:38 PM
Scaniel…glad you enjoyed it…I’m sure your daughter will enjoy it too. If you get an opportunity, check out my wife’s last film, it’s a cracker too…
https://m.youtube.com/
***********
Looks absolutely breathtaking!
Are the Huns “taking a knee” before games ?
Do they understand it’s everyone they can’t discriminate against ?
WBC – Just seen your last post. Many Thanks. I’ll pass on your best wishes……if I can get her off the phone!
Cheers.
First English(?) lesson for Diego…’Gerrintarum’
Scaniel…👍🏻
Diego Laxalt , is a Uruguayan International and has come to us from AC Milan.
The BBC immediately followed that piece of news by telling us that some `Rangers` youngster was going to St Mirren (?) and that the `Rangers` fans would be happy that their Club had managed to hold on to Morelos !!!!
Many predicted ( accurately IMO) that the Ref`s would be in full Stop the Ten mode. The BBC is obviously also on song. Truly dreadful.
Had a look on Transfermarkt at Diego’s international games. He played vast majority of games in 2018 and 2019 and is first choice left back. This is despite some concern that he wasn’t playing a lot of first team football in 2019 in Italy.
Now consider this, Uruguay are currently ranked 6th in the FIFA rankings (one above Spain). Scotland are ranked 49th.
This guy is used to playing at an international level that Scotland has never, ever been close to.
I am excited, hope you all are too.
Is Diego Celtic’s first Uruguayan player?
***CQN PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2020-21***
RESULTS FROM GAME #13 – ST JOHNSTONE 0 CELTIC 2 (GRIFFITHS, KLIMALA)
Another far from impressive performance but one that will be long remembered for those final 4 minutes. There I was trying to prepare myself for what would have been a very, very long Sunday afternoon when Griffandor rose and absolutely battered that header with precision into the bottom corner. Cue running round my empty house like a man possessed! Just got back in front of the screen in time to see Polish Paddy being halved in two but then rising in a flash to hammer home the second. Interesting that only 6 of our outfield starting players received any votes while 4 of our 5 subs did.
So, top of the “after 9 games league” and a quite stunning domestic league record throughout 2020 – we have now played 19, won 17 and drawn 2 (a 2-2 draw at Livingston in March and our 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock in August).
Thanks to the 69 who voted. The numbers cast for each player are as follows (with my own choices asterisked) –
Barkas: 6
Elhamed: 0
Duffy*: 34
Ajer: 17
Frimpong: 12
McGregor*: 7
Turnbull: 1
Ntcham: 0
Taylor: 5
Elyounoussi: 0
Edouard: 0
Christie: 0
Klimala: 46
Griffiths: 64
Rogic: 2
Brown: 11
So, the players receiving points for the St Johnstone game are –
Griffiths – 5 points
Klimala – 4 points
Duffy – 3 points
Ajer – 2 points
Frimpong – 1 point
So, we have a new leader clear at the top with the overall points table being as follows –
1st – Frimpong – 26 points
2nd – Christie and McGregor – 25 points
4th – Duffy and Ntcham – 14 points
6th – Elyounoussi – 13 points
7th – Bitton and Taylor – 10 points
9th – Ajer, Barkas and Brown – 9 points
12th – Ajeti – 8 points
13th – Edouard – 6 points
14th – Forrest and Griffiths – 5 points
16th – Elhamed and Klimala – 4 points
18th – Jullien – 2 points
19th – Turnbull – 1 point
20th – Bain, Bolingoli, Dembele, Rogic and Soro – 0 points
So, we now take a breather as it’s everybody’s favourite ‘International Break’ (COYBIB). Our next scheduled game is 12.30pm kick off on Saturday 17 October at home to Triggers Broom FC. A chance to go 2 points clear at the top and with a game in hand.
Hail Hail!
Hot Smoked…the beeb have their own hun language which is quite easy to interpret…
Hard to believe that they are banned from their big hoose!
Laxalt will pepper the box with crosses …
Welcome to paradise
At the 2018 Russia World Cup he played in the team that beat Russia 3-0 and beat Portugal 2-1. He was also in the team that lost in the last 16 to France 0-2.
No doubt the bookies will be giving odds on Diego’s first yellow/red.
Brilliant Jobo
Thanks
Top work jobo
Good to see that we brought in a new seasoned LB and not another project.
However regarding squad development we are in a pretty poor shape.
We could be starting games with 3 loan players which will bring its challenges next June / July.
Plus we still have no recognised DM in the team with IS reduced to cameos and time on the bench.
Hopefully NL has managed to get his head around the concept of the bomb squad.
Egg chasing term — changing the team early in the second half if things are not going well.
If the SMSM Ludge is up in arms about us having a bench that can change the direction of games then we need to use it.
Plus we now seem to have a bloated squad that will need to be worked hard to keep everybody happy plus offer opportunities to the reserves / U20’s / youths.
JA heading off would suggest that we are not developing players between the ages of 17 and 20.
Too many have lost focus or stagnated at this time and it needs to be sorted.
Any names on who could breakthrough into the first team squad — and please no KD as he is 21/22?
MJ was last years name joined by Young JF who was special in that he hit the ground running and kept on going.
Finally we desperately need to bulk up on the coaching staff.
If NL is an old school manager then fine but please more coaching quality on the park.
Happy to bring in old boys — DO’D and the like — if there was a boot room to school them.
However we do not have that level of coaching ballast so who do they learn from?
So great that TR is still with us.
Great to have a GK that can watch Dracula films.
Hoping AA comes back quickly as he could be the main man this season.
Even better if he puts a rocket up LG’s erse and shows him how easy it can be if you have focus.
SB leading the bomb squad would be a good way of working the transition.
Other things on the wish list are CMcG learns how to tackle and RC shuns the spotlight.
PK kicks on from his assault yesterday and we play to his strengths.
The main thing to hope for is CL football in 21/22.
Hopefully once we get all this SPL pot hunting tripe out of our system we can mature as a team / squad / support.
Oops, my 3rd vote went to Griffiths
DB @ 9.58
Regarding our new LB — he cannot get a game for Milan.
Milan 19/20 — mid table Serie A team — who have two players better than him in their squad.
Consequently he has a lot to prove — failing that it should be RC back to LB.
He is a quick fix — in contrast AH went to Italy to develop his career.
Great that we now have some choice at LB as GT was getting worse by the game and desperately needs a rest / coaching / support.
Here’s hoping DL finds his 2018 form.
We cannot afford another DB or MC level failure in this position.
“MADMITCH on 5TH OCTOBER 2020 10:10 PM
Good to see that we brought in a new seasoned LB and not another project.
However regarding squad development we are in a pretty poor shape.”
Possibly not a Member of The Greatest Fans in the World group.
Laxalt was in the 2018 World Cup Team of the Tournament
Quickly followed by
” Regarding our new LB — he cannot get a game for MilanMilan 19/20 — mid table Serie A team — who have two players better than him in their squad.
Consequently he has a lot to prove…”
…and I criticise the BBC ?
WBC
Oooops – meant this
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SDCmNx22AF8
Still breathtaking
Have no fear.
The government have a robust approach to Track and Trace data analysis.
An Excel spreadsheet.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/05/how-excel-may-have-caused-loss-of-16000-covid-tests-in-england
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqt2DbwpeNg&ab_channel=IrishMick
Ghuys, If we sell no one, which looks almost a certainty at this stage and we have brought in Barkas, Duffy, Laxalt , Turnbull, Elyounoussi & Ajeti.
Even the most cynical Supporters must surely agree that the Board has backed Lenny to the hilt in this crucial 1o in a row year.
Personally I’m buzzing right now, I reckon the Huns will be sick as a parrot.
I know the rags have them chasing up some guys today, I don’t know whether they have signed anyone or not and I care less.
We did our job, we have a great squad, now Let’s Go & win this League.
HS @ 10.20
Please learn to read faster.
Or failing that put some vaseline on your finger so that you can move it quicker.
We have a huge gap to make up if we want to achieve our goals this season.
So far this season our form suggests that we are not going to win the league unless others give it away.
Some our play has been so bad that I am now checking the SPL odds.
The gap between talent and performance is now a chasm.
Corkcelt
You are obviously not paying attention. The mighty `Gers have shown great resolve and fought off 20 million pound bids for Alfredo whilst making a statement of confidence concerning their current (!) squad by showing that they did not need to strengthen .
MADMITCH – Only time will tell. I imagine Uruguay are not short of options and they continued to play him in games in 2019. Perhaps his style does not fit the Milan set up. But they did pay 14 million for him so they must think there is a good player there.
If he can play against Russia and Portugal and come out on top and make the tournament’s best XI then I think we should maybe be prepared to accept he’s a better LB than we were expecting to sign.
If we win the league with his help and get the automatic CL group stage spot, then maybe we’ll get him for another year . . . .
Here’s hoping.
MM
I am not sure how reading faster will change the content of your posts but I will give it a go anyway.
“So far this season our form suggests that we are not going to win the league unless others give it away.”
I read that as quickly as I could but it remains the case that we have dropped TWO points whilst our only real rivals have dropped FOUR.
“Some our play has been so bad that I am now checking the SPL odds.”
William Hilll has us as odds on (Edouard) favourites.
Nothing like a good positive post to boost the feel good factor after a pretty decent transfer window, eh?
🤔🤔