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Substitutions were not wrong

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

I see Ange getting a bit of grief for making the wrong substitutions in Leverkusen last night.  His first decision, on 72 minutes, was to swap James Forrest and Jota for Liel Abada and Mikey Johnston.  Four minutes later, he hooked Nir Bitton and Kyogo for James McCarthy and Albian Ajeti.  There were mitigating factors.

That 72 minutes was James’ longest outing in 14 weeks.  His race was run and keeping the player on would only have led to different negative events.

Until this point in the game there were several potential man of the match candidates, all of them in Celtic colours, but mine was unequivocally Nir Bitton.  He had a knack of making the important interception around the edge of the box.  Composed in possession, he carried the ball out of the Celtic defensive third and brought others into play.  Of course, he also made the lung-bursting run to support the break that resulted in Jota’s goal.

Losing Nir was in itself the major change to affect Celtic’s play, but he was injured, as with James, there was no decision to be made.

Callum McGregor was moved back to the 6 position when James McCarthy replaced Bitton.  It didn’t work, but even with this knowledge, is anyone offering an alternative suggestion?  In the circumstances, it was the right decision.

Liel Abada is not known for his defensive duties.  He is a player with huge potential who I suspect is more of a striker than winger and who has already delivered for us in his short time at the club.  Granted, he is not an ideal sub to take on when you need to defend a lead away from home in Europe, but the alternative would be to break and remould the team shape – something that feels OK for the final few minutes when you can hoof the ball forward, but not for longer.

Like you, I think Kyogo can do anything and everything, I see no limits to his energy or abilities.  No player has reminded me of the Great Swede as much in the last 17 years, he too seemed to be physically without limits.  This faith is possibly overstated.

While I am burdening our current talent with unhelpful comparisons, Jota’s impact on Celtic is comparable to that of Scott Sinclair, when he arrived in 2016.   Two transformational players who lifted Celtic to a level higher.

Ange is not a man who lives in the moment.  He knows the stamina levels of Kyogo and Jota.  He also knows what he wants from the players on Sunday.  Yesterday I wrote that our priority was the forthcoming Aberdeen game.  If you are not ruthless to the plan, do not bother planning at all.  Be in no doubt, Jota and Kyogo were substituted to give them every chance of performing fully on Sunday.  I like a manager who is strong enough to make difficult decisions like this, as do you, really.

The material change on the game was the injury to Nit Bitton, without which, there is a chance we would have won the game.  Everything else is just noise, a distraction from what actually happened.  Nir’s injury was not the only reason we lost last night, but the substitutions, if not right, were not entirely wrong.

Our thoughts to Bertie Auld’s family and friends as they gather to say goodbye to his mortal remains today.  The rest of us have many memories of Bertie, those are immortal.  What a gift he was.

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  4. Fritzsong on

    SAINT STIVS on 26TH NOVEMBER 2021 5:38 PM

     

    Celtic Football Club

     

    Thank you for the link to Jim Craig et al talking about Bertie. I was really pleased that Jim stressed Bertie’s ability. He was exceptional and fearless – well before he left for Birmingham. The two goals he scored in the 1965 cup final were testament to just how critical his contribution was. Had we not won that very close game Celtic’s subsequent history might have been quite different.

  5. prestonpans bhoys on

    Bada

     

     

    Kenny left 10 August 77 and the first arrival was

     

     

    John Dowie – 6th September ’77, £25,000 from Fulham, full back or midfield.

  7. Fritzsong on

    PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 26TH NOVEMBER 2021 8:50 PM

     

    Bada

     

     

    Next up was Filippi from Ayr (possibly).

     

    I think Frank Munro was also signed that season.

  8. Chairbhoy on

    Tam McAdam!?

     

     

    He was known as KDs replacement don’t know about first signing though…

     

     

    Hail Hail

  10. IniquitousIV on

    Our defensive record in last season’s Europa Cup – dead last out of 32 teams. The third (equal) worst ever since the tournament’s inception.

     

     

    Our defensive record in this season’s Europa Cup – dead last out of 32 teams.

     

     

    So the European Champions of 1967 drop down to the third tier Conference, the Euro version of the Petrovac Cup.

     

     

    Contrast this with the attitude of Cristiano Ronaldo, scorer of 140 goals ( yes,140 goals ) in the Champions League. He has informed Man United that if they fail to get into the EPL top four, he will NOT be playing in the second tier Europa League, a competition he considers beneath him. Failure to reach the Champions League by Man U will see Ronaldo move to another Club who have reached it.

     

     

    If the insipid, lacklustre nodding dogs on the Celtic Board were not so focused on title sharing in an attempt to keep a cheating bankrupt club afloat, and instead had a tiny fraction of Ronaldo’s gumption, attitude, ambition, steely determination and total professionalism, we would be up there competing with Ajax in the Champions League. P5 W5 D0 L0 F16 A3 Pts 15.

     

     

    Cue up the “If only my granny had ba’s” comments.

  11. Philbhoy on

    Contrast this with the attitude of Cristiano Ronaldo, scorer of 140 goals ( yes,140 goals ) in the Champions League. He has informed Man United that if they fail to get into the EPL top four, he will NOT be playing in the second tier Europa League, a competition he considers beneath him. Failure to reach the Champions League by Man U will see Ronaldo move to another Club who have reached it.

     

     

    =======================

     

     

    Self centred stuck up prick.

     

     

    I hope someone breaks his leg asap.

  12. BelmontBrian on

    !!BADA BING!! on 26TH NOVEMBER 2021 8:30 PM

     

    Embdae know who our first signing was after Dalglish was sold,a wee pub argument

     

     

    —————————————————————————–

     

     

    As a wee sideway question.

     

     

    Who replaced Sir Kenny at Cumbernauld Utd and beat his goal scoring record?

  15. Wishaw tim on

    Ernie lynch , patricia ferns brilliant singer , seen her in KOSC Blantyre years ago ,, Fairhillbhoy Bhoy , hope your ok bud , haven’t seen you on recently!

  16. excathedra44 on

    First class coverage of Berties service,and a terrific turnout.RIP.

     

     

    Reading back,some interesting comments about the game.

     

     

    I do not think we should have signed Mccarthy,was always my view since his Hamilton days.

     

    Last night needed mobility and strength, Soro should have came on,maybe even Scales at LB,move Juranovic MF.

     

    Mikey and Abada too light to bring on as a strengthening measure.

     

    JF should not have started,1st half no better than average,plus when he plays Ralston has more to.do.as he does chase back.

     

    Their first goal was a foul on.Welch who was held and shoved as he went to intercept the scorer.

     

    Mccarthy slow for second goal,but at 2 1 up and 10 to go we should have shut the shop.

     

    In my view wrong subs were used,bottom line we were weak from kick off with Forrest off the pace and Turnbull being average culminating with a last minute miss.

     

    Once again no energy.

     

    All that said doing well but some decisions like subs ast night are not logical.

     

    Bringing on Brown with 15 to go we would have won.

     

    Why did he go.

  18. BelmontBrian on

    Apols for replying to my own question, as I said ‘I’m off to ma cot’

     

     

    Sir Kenny was replaced at Cumbernauld Utd by Jimmy MacIntyre.

     

     

    I worked with Jimmy who was from Kirkintilloch, known in the we workplace as ‘The screamin’ skull.

     

     

    A lovely man.

     

     

    Our work played against a ‘ Celeb team’ Pukla Pumpherston and Tannery’ by this time was not his physical peak ( 25 years earlier) but what a player, he sat middle of the park and pinged balls left right and central, a joy to watch.

     

     

    Jimmy told me, ‘Brian I was a good Junior player, I was not a good full time player.

     

     

    Jimmy MacIntyre, played at senior level at Greenock Morton.

     

     

    One of life’s good ghuys

     

     

    Brian

  19. 31003 on

    Classic film lines

     

    2 points for the line and 2 points for the character that said it

     

    1) “Billy, you’re in here voluntarily? You should be out there bird doggin chicks and bangin beaver”

     

    2) “No man can be friends with a woman he finds attractive cos he’ll always want to have sex with her”

  21. David17 on

    Arguments to be made either way about last night but whats fairly easy to understand is that this team amounts to a lot less when Kyogo isn’t on the field. Ange has bought well and deserves further backing in January. Any more of the same ilk as Kyogo & Jota and we are going places. Both are stupendously good.

     

     

    As for Michael Johnston, it takes a hell of a player to turn it around when 90% of the support have written you off and turned their back on you. He needs a loan away at a school of hard knocks.

  23. David17 on

    PHILBHOY on 26TH NOVEMBER 2021 9:16 PM

     

    Contrast this with the attitude of Cristiano Ronaldo, scorer of 140 goals ( yes,140 goals ) in the Champions League. He has informed Man United that if they fail to get into the EPL top four, he will NOT be playing in the second tier Europa League, a competition he considers beneath him. Failure to reach the Champions League by Man U will see Ronaldo move to another Club who have reached it.

     

     

     

    =======================

     

     

     

    Self centred stuck up prick.

     

     

     

    I hope someone breaks his leg asap.

     

     

     

    ———

     

     

    Ronaldo is probably the greatest athlete and player who’s gotten the most out of his talents in the history of football. Behave yourself.

  32. What is the Stars on

    Ronaldo.

     

    Fantastic player and a decent human being.

     

    I wouldn’t wish a broken leg on any footballer…including Morelos

  34. rimtimtim on

    As an avid reader of CQN I can definitely detect a raft of bogus Celtic fans on here who are stirring it up. Thankfully the great contributions today from the likes of the always erudite Settingfreethebears and TontineTim , Jimdom 1:19, Peterlatchfordsbelly 1:26, Hotsmoked 2:38, Notthebus 2:57, Kinglubo 3:50 CelticMac 6:35 show we shall not be moved!! Good healthy critical debate. Differences of opinion expressed with respect. And a bit of a laugh.

  36. a long time ago & stuff on

    Ronaldo might just be giving ManU the much needed boot in the ass that they’ve long needed?

     

    If ManU don’t listen to Ronaldo, who will they listen to?

  37. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Thanks for all the replies Bhoys, i thought it was Edvaldsson,pal maintains it was Tom McAdam ,i thought him and Dowie were signed on the same day?

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