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Some Perspective

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Negatives out of the way first: we’re not good enough, this is a low achievement by a Celtic team who have reached a group stage. There’s no disputing that, but amid the predictable ‘Throw them all overboard’ reaction, I know I’m not the only one who is not panicking right now.

When I heard we were playing three wingers (Forrest, Mackay-Steven, McGregor) I anticipated a thrashing. Gordon Strachan would often drop all his craft players for the more industrial types in European football, with good reason.

As it turned out, we had the majority of the chances, and all the better ones, as we spent most of the second half pushing for a winner.

No arguments with Leigh Griffiths assessment immediately after the game, that was his worst performance in a Celtic shirt. Nor is there dispute in Ronny Deila’s retort that he’s scored plenty for us before and will continue to do so. Even the greats have days like that, including the Swede.

The midfield formation was fluid throughout the game. Tom Rogic initially played as a defensive mid, before moving in front of Stuart Armstrong (who moved everywhere) and Callum McGregor. The defensive mid role Rogic played isn’t one carried out by either Nir Bitton or Scott Brown. We’ve not had anyone in this role since the departure of Victor Wanyama (still pining) and it remains a large gap in the offering.

Lesson: we need a defensive mid. The deep lying playmaker + box-to-box player isn’t robust enough in Europe.

Callum McGregor carried possibly the lowest expectations of everyone in a Celtic shirt but he put in an excellent shift. His goal was outstanding, losing possession immediately before Ajax equalised took the shine off things a bit, but it was still a strong performance.

Do you know the last time McGregor started a game? October 2014. Under those circumstances that was a remarkable performance.

General consensus is that the defence played well. Kieran Tierney is as good a left back as we’ve had in years. Had he not gone off with an injury the result might have been different.

Jozo Simunovic is clearly out best central defender. I know I’m not setting the bar too high with that statement, but he’s a move in the right direction. He’s also young, still working on his fitness, and will continue to progress.

A week ago Celtic Underground’s Harry Brady suggested Dedryck Boyata plays better alongside Simunovic than without him. Dedryck still has a long way to go but the evidence suggests partnered with a game-reader like Jozo has helped him. Let’s see where he is at the end of the season.

And Craig Gordon? He could have stopped both Ajax goals. That’s not to say he was to blame for either, he wasn’t, but these were the kind of stops he was making in last season’s Europa League.

Ronny is 18 months into the job and has contributed to the situation we find ourselves in (tactical mistakes in both Molde games), but this is not the time to lurch off plan. We’re not good enough largely because we’ve recruited too few players since 2012 who have improved the team.

We need to continue to develop players like Tierney and we need to recruit better. Get this right in January, and again in the summer, and we will be vastly better. The alternative is likely to be to pick up a best from the SPFL pool, or someone from the English circuit who cannot get a better paid gig. And then it would take until November 2017 before we could assess them properly.

Return of the Bampots

Tonight, for one night onlyt, Phil Mac Giolla Bháin, John Fallon and myself are in the Hibs Club, Carfin, for a Q&A in aid of Mary’s Meals, with Phil Agnew hosting. The event starts at 7:30, £5 entry, can pay at the door.

Looking forward to seeing you there.
Windstrailer4

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  3. petec on

    Alasdair MacLean on 28th November 2015 1:25 am

     

     

    Wanted to say something but realised it’s all been said.

     

     

    A hundred times.

     

     

    It’s no Celtic’s fault…..where we are….Scottish football.

     

     

    Celtic’s doing, and as far as I’m concerned, always has done.. good for Scottish football.

     

     

    Case closed for me.

     

     

    Ross County forever.

     

     

    ________________________________________________________________________

     

     

    One of the Greatest ever comments on CQN, IMO.

     

     

    Ye got a dude that lives, breathes and Loves fitba and the way it should be played.

  4. Saint Stivs on

    HERBO on 28TH NOVEMBER 2015 1:40 AM

     

    St Stivs

     

     

     

     

     

     

    It’s maybe an urban legend in these parts but it’s said a Drum Bhoy threw the first punch :-)

     

     

    —————————

     

     

     

    drumchapel bhoy ws the guy who slapped down the ajax supporter in 142,

     

     

    bit of a rammy, quite funny.

  11. Gordon64 on

    Celtic is not McGrory, Thomson, Tully, Johnstone or Larssson. As much as those great players are our heroes it is the thousands who follow Celtic home and away every week who are Celtic. For me one of the true Celtic greats is Brian Commerford who followed our team home and away regardless everywhere they played. The greatest Celtic supporter I have known with a giant heart and an unconditional love for his team. HH pal.

  12. Herbo on

    If ye know Kev ask him who’s the best singer on the bus. He’ll tell ye it’s me

     

     

    LongKeshCSC

  16. Herbo on

    Oh Drumchapel

     

     

    Is wonderful

     

     

    Oh Drumchapel is wonderful. It’s full of taigs, Fenians and the IRA

     

     

    Drumchapel is wonderful

  19. petec on

    Gordon64 on 28th November 2015 2:03 am

     

     

    Celtic is not McGrory, Thomson, Tully, Johnstone or Larssson. As much as those great players are our heroes it is the thousands who follow Celtic home and away every week who are Celtic. For me one of the true Celtic greats is Brian Commerford who followed our team home and away regardless everywhere they played. The greatest Celtic supporter I have known with a giant heart and an unconditional love for his team. HH pal.

     

     

    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

     

     

    Brian is with the Lord now.

     

     

    Tremendous comment about someone you Respected so much.

  20. Herbo on

    If ye want to go to heaven when you die

     

    You’ve got to wear a Celtic Bunnet and a tie

     

    You’ve got to wear a Celtic bunnet

     

    With Fk the Rangers on it

     

    If you want to go to heaven when you die

     

     

    Singin aye aye yippee yippee aye

  29. petec on

    the_huddle on 28th November 2015 2:22 am

     

     

    The Doors – People Are Strange – 45 RPM Original Mono Mix

     

     

    https://youtu.be/a_eYXEjQC9E

     

    ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

     

     

    Brilliant start to the video.

     

     

    I’m likely to put a video later on about a guy wearing a bow tie, talking about Golden Ages, Dark Ages, Liquorice All Sorts.

     

     

    I’d hope the CQN Historians would pick Holes in the Arguments, as he says he is Speculating at Times.

  34. Herbo on

    On easter Monday in 1916. The angelus bell was the call to arms as our brave ancestors began the uprising. 100 years later. The diaspora remember. Meon na saoirse

  36. petec on

    The layers of deception, they are deep.

     

     

    The Paganism of the UN underpins what is happening in this World right now.

     

     

    Sabbatean, Zionist…. FFS Vladimir is positioning himself as the Great Christian Leader.

     

     

    FFS….. wakey wakey.

     

     

    “You Can’t afford to Live without Christ as your King.”

     

     

    Evolve or die

  42. petec on

    Global Socialism……..

     

     

    From the mixing of Capitalism and Communism, Francis ????

     

     

    Getting a global populace dependant, I think, is a key objective for the Globalists.

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