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.
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Was wakened this morning by the sound of the rain battering off the house windows, here in outer East Kilbride, and I’m pleasantly surprised to find that there is going to be a show.
Anthony Stokes not a Happy Bhoy this morning
Buzzing to be brought all the way up to inverness with the team to sit in the stands today, lovely weather for it too.
Anthony Stokes @stoksey10 24m24 minutes ago
Who gives a fuck about wages when your not playing games! It’s all about playing and contributing not picking up a wage.
quonno
You another qualified CQN teacher?
We are not worthy.
Auld Bertie. The time has to be right before we act. I would be very happy to get involved etc but we are not ready. The board destroy anyone who rises. Their attacks on the GB are firm evidence of that.
However that time is soon.
I understand that the sfa and SPFL, including Celtic, are going to go down the “there is no legal ways to strip titles” route. In other words we allow the Huns to act in a criminal way and to cheat with impunity.
This will be a watershed not just for Celtic but for other Scottish clubs. They will hope that they can ride out the storm but this storm will have no end. I believe that Celtic will begin to unraveling and perhaps that is our chance to act.
Or we slowly die.
JOE FILIPPIS HAIRCUT on 29TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:23 AM
Kev J. What love has to do with it is the question you need to answer ? Well off to mass bye for now. H.H.
________________________________________________________________________________
Aye,….well…we’ll win hee-haw with a team of holy-Joe’s :)
Enjoy mass….up until recently, I forgot / didn’t realise how good it was myself.
I found myself sitting there saying into myself…”…so this is what yon Auldheid’s been oan aboot.”
HH
Nurse nurse nurse nurse……..
To cut a long story short….. Jeanette Findlay and her ilk should get the keys of Celtic Football Club. – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/some-perspective/comment-page-36/#comment-2728157
I’m with stokes on that – but the ralstons and waddells of this world will be rubbing their hands
NegAnon2 on 29th November 2015 10:40 am
___________________________________
Hail Hail fella.
The time to strike is when we’re at the point were the board need us most….season book renewal time when they pull their historical trick…ye know yon one were…they take all yer money and, then….they lock you out again….imho
Some perspective indeed
@paul87traynor: @stoksey10 getting paid to go watch Celtic, when the fans are spending their hard earned to go, must be tough.
@paul87traynor: Up at 6, spending my last to go watch @celticfc whilst one of the players moans about having to go, and pick up thousands for the privilege
Morning all.
Well, if the weather in Inverness is anything like here, the game cannot go on.
KevJ
KEVJUNGLE on 29TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:06 AM
This one.
What’s love got to do with it?
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/some-perspective/comment-page-35/#comments
No chance of that game today being called off, pissing wet, high winds, perfect for hammer throwers,gonny be a hard one up there believe you me.
Auldheid on 29th November 2015 10:46 am
_____________________________________________
Ah, that one….
It’s like this….if I didn’t love the Celtic as much as I do for as long as I have done,do you think that they’d still be able to hurt me so deeply?
HH
i feel sorry for TD67
he has clearly got an unhealthy obsession with an organisation called the celtic trust which seems to be taking over his life
Paul67,
can you give him my email address
fortunately i am in a position where i can arrange professional help for him free of charge
full confidentiality guaranteed.
Stokes widny get a game with any other team in the SPFL but, dont rule out him ending up at Ross County and, the genius that is Jim McIntyre Ar La…turns him into a net buster.
Kevjungle yes withholding our money is the key. Over the next few weeks we will see the boards true colours. The schism will grow and we will all have a choice to make.
Corkcelt cqn is fractured and splintered because of the boards so Called strategy. It is killing us.
Neganon2
Don’t fall into the title stripping trap.
It’s about establishing what really took place, including the covering up that still is.
Put the truth out there and those titles like the club that won them will die of shame.
Where you are right is it is a line in the sand moment but for the game not just Celtic.
The legal argument won’t work. It’s a media invention to lead us down the title stripping culture de sacred.
Not to investigate will be to sign Scottish football’s death warrant because the alternative is creating a cheats charter.
Get an investigation and then make decisions that will clean up the game.
I’d leave those titles – like the mark of Cain.
Culture de sac.
Frigging predicter
Cul de frigging sac.
Auldheid I largely agree with you. Title stripping should be a consequence not the initial act.
Let me ask you a question. Should Celtic not act here what would your personal decision be?
Auldheid on 29th November 2015 10:55 am
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I smell ‘fudge’ from that post….only saying.
Ye can never be paranoid enough – CSC
Is that no an indian summer up there in that inverness place?
KevJ
That isn’t love. Whatever it is it isn’t love.
Check Corinthians 13. Best description I’ve found.
in the howling wind
comes a stinging rain
c’mon the hoooooops
oh dear and there we have it the greatest Celtic supporter in the world cant be bothered going to Inverness to support the team, would much rather sit at home troll the internet and argue about the colour of his shite.
Any teams news? Have we got any hammer throwers to go like with like
Auldheid,
whats love got to do got to do with it ?
Reminds me of the Simpsons skit, when the scientists fill up a super computer with the parameters to find the answer to their question and the answer to the missing ingredient was, “who put love in here”
As said before Feral capitalists don’t do love so why be so naive ?
I mean really do you honestly believe someone like DD is not going to laugh you out of any discussion that uses love as a motive for him to recommend spending money on the poor ?
I recall one time when Yogi was the manager of Falkirk and, Celtic were visiting and the game was starting at 5:30pm on a Sat…
Anyway, Shortbread or, SSB canny remember which one but, a re-run of Yogi’s interview was being played…it went something like this….
Interviewer – “John, have you prepared yer team as to, what to expect with the visit of Celtic?”
Yogi – “I’ve tried my best to clue-up my players but, nothing prepares you for the sight of, that team walking down the tunnel in their, beautiful Celtic strips and….”
Interuption – over to open all mics….”Well there’s been a goal for Alloa, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah……..”
Yogi’s love of the hoops was too much for them to stomach, eh.
I think we can take it as a safe bet that Anthony will be offski in January window. Personally I prefer a player to come out like Stokes and publicly express his frustration rather then just pocket the wage & grin like Derk.
OVERSEASBHOY on 29TH NOVEMBER 2015 11:05 AM
Any teams news? Have we got any hammer throwers to go like with like
Stokes is sitting in the stand according to his twatter thingy.
Auldheid on 29th November 2015 11:00 am
_____________________________________________
Ok.
Hail Hail
Canamalar on 29th November 2015 5:34 am
TET,
your definition of a troll is far more accurate than The_Huddle’s in fact he simply made his version up, have a look, here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
here
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Internet%20Troll
and here
http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/weirdwebculture/f/what-is-an-internet-troll.htm
I’ve got to say I’m surprised at you letting yourself be brow beaten without checking up on the bullshit you are being fed.
————-
Come on now, you really think Id just make up definition for trolls or trolling, I know how it is used now even said that the meaning used now was different to what it used to be. Your links sort of suggest that as well.
But here’s a couple of links (you love a link)
http://www.thomasvan.com/random-philosophy/internet-slang-where-did-the-word-troll-come-from
The comments in this one are great.
http://kotaku.com/10-former-internet-trolls-explain-why-they-quit-being-j-1722649439
FOGHORN LEGHORN on 29TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:52 AM
i feel sorry for TD67
he has clearly got an unhealthy obsession with an organisation called the celtic trust which seems to be taking over his life
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/some-perspective/comment-page-36/#comment-2728167
Naaaa, you’ve got it wrong baw heed, it’s the CT storm troopers obsession to take over this site and spew all there crap about my team I object to, they keep up the crap, I continue with mine, simple as that, but nice try, you see your supposed to agree with the storm troopers, or thay will call you names, and scare you off from posting, pphhffffttttt, aye right.
Celtic team v ICT KO 12:15 Sky Sports 2
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 10s10 seconds ago
Celtic v @ICTFC Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Tierney; Bitton, Johansen; McGregor, Rogic, Armstrong; Griffiths
they dont scare me from posting
obviously
or i wouldnt have posted
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 17s17 seconds ago
Celtic subs: Bailly, Izaguirre, Ambrose, Ciftci, Mackay-Steven, Allan, Cole
Team
Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Tierney; Bitton, Johansen; McGregor, Rogic, Armstrong; Griffiths