With Celtic a goal up midway through the second half yesterday, we tried something new. The back four became a back three, with three sitting in front of them. Adam Matthews pushed into right midfield leaving Izaguirre, Denayer and van Dijk across the back. To the left of Matthews was Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew. It was a useful game to experiment tactically as Inverness asked questions throughout.
The most striking feature of this three at the back with three sitters was that Matthews didn’t bomb forward when Celtic were in possession, as he usually does. He kept in line with Brown and Mulgrew. On occasion, they were 25 yards behind their nearest team-mate, which was a bit jarring to see, as it’s so rare.
This was almost certainly a dry-run for Astra on Thursday. Getting it right defensively in Romania is going to be key to the outcome. On their showing at Celtic Park, Astra are a decent passing team who enjoy being on the ball. They were less impressive in attack, as the Celtic defence and Craig Gordon did enjoy to stifle them, apart from one slip, and when we asked questions of their keeper and defence, they looked vulnerable.
I’m not sure Ronny Deila will be overly convinced that his experiments yesterday should be repeated on Thursday. Inverness carved us open several times late in the game, but at least we’ll hopefully not be trying something out there for the first time.
You can get copies of Caesar & the Assassin, Billy McNeill and Davie Hay’s accounts of managing Celtic from Jock Stein’s departure until the appointment of Liam Brady, signed by both Billy and Davie here. I’d a great chat with Billy today, he’s a man who knows how to enjoy his football.
709 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- »
tonydonnelly67 @ 9:19…
That is disturbing news about the policing at Bridgeton Cross.
As you will know it is an infamous danger area for Celtic supporters and there have been countless violent attacks over very many years.
The most tragic of course being that which cost young Mark Scott his life.
My very first recollection of trouble there was after the Celtic v Real Madrid game, the 1962 “Blue and White” testimonial game, when Celtic supporters were attacked with all sorts of missiles as they passed through the cross.
I have had quite a number of bad experiences there myself.
On one occasion, in 1968 (I was a youngster then), I was heading back home through the cross when I was attacked by a grown man. The culprit made his way into the Mermaid bar – as you will know, a notorious joint.
I got hold of a policeman who was on the beat and he summoned some recruits.
Some time later, I was being accompanied by a possee of policemen into the Mermaid and was able to identify the attacker who was sitting playing dominoes and having a drink.
He was “lifted” and both of us found ourselves in the police van (a “black maria”) heading to Tobago Street police station.
As I had been at the game, I was wearing a Celtic scarf and I laid it on the counter at the station. The desk sergeant picked it up and said…
“What do you expect son if you were wearing that”
I heard nothing more of the incident.
You may have already done so but it may be worth reporting your recent experience to the London Road police station. There should be a police presence at Bridgeton Cross at every one of our home games given the history of attacks there.
The lesson is that all Celtic supporters need to have their radar switched on when passing through that area.
Gordon_J
email Lennybhoy
HH
sipsini-from last night, i will be at the Semi Final supporting Celtic.I have posted before,that i fully understand bhoys refusing to attend ,for many different reasons.Only 3 months til kick off…….this will get like the Referendum debate on here :((.I hope views on both ,going/not going ,are respected and doesn’t become a recurring squabble.HH
weeminger
9.57
also heard the horn tooting
reminded me of when 1873-2012
had an early kick off on match day
and things weren’t going too plan for them
walking up westmuir st the old horns
would be going big time.
hail hail
Gordon
I will be attending the meeting tonight, and will be bringing it up there to JPT.
HAPPY HOOPY BIRTHDAY
to
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN!!!!!
Off to raise a few glasses to the birthday bhoy.
AnyexcuseCSC
Morning Timland from a warm hun free mountain valley.
Feliz Cumpleanos Brogan…..
Just back from the post office, where Pedro the postie, he gets everywhere does oor Pedro, commented on teh upcoming OF game, in my pidgon Spanish I tried to correct him, but they tend to believe the newspapers here, they don’t have the same level of lies and shite in them.
Oh well, 3 months to convince him, should manage that me thinks >}
HH
” Watch it and you are validating their existence “
South of Tunis
I’d argue that the exact opposite is true.
Brth,
Many happy returns neebs.
joe_joe_john_bobby_teddy
09:46 on
3 November, 2014
I have 2 spare for Sunday if anyone needs 2
———–
I’m sorted but would take them for two mates please.
Weeminger @0957
Our bus went mental at the draw. Mental in an excited way.
Me? I won’t be there but that’s an sfa/hampden issue. Nothing to do with the opposition.
All yours h/t
As an edit to my post….
I was gutted at the draw. I wanted to sheep to destroy them in the semis :)
I wasn’t too bothered with the draw – there was always going to be a media reaction. If we had been drawn apart all they would have talked about was the potential final. And of they were put out in the semis the final would have been full of talk of them too. We’re as well to get this out of the way as soon as we can,
chicharc
Welcome aboard the mad ship CQN :))
BRTH
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPY BIRTHDAY ,
Much will be written about Celtic v Sevco 5088 on these precious pages but if ever there was a game for boycott, here we have it. Of course we know it’s a non starter because there’s going to be a show and all that, but what an inevitable footballing tragedy, that decent Celtic fans will once again share a stadium with the parasites who deserted the former Rangers club, to play make believe with the stolen assets.
The have their wish and the plans were hatched as soon as NFL departed, and Celtic seemed vulnerable, weakened, by Europe and ripe for a cup shock, by a wee team..
By the time we’ve had three months of ‘old firm’ which will go UK viral, PL and Co will have had plenty of time as to how Celtic feel. and will address this match, in terms of presentation and Celtic fans who don’t care, will be heavily outnumbered by many, many more who await precisely how this inaugural game will be anticipated, and marketed to our support.
Unlike the board bashers of which there are many, some with good well articulated reasons, I believe that the Celtic hierarchy will be dissappointed that the draw has paired Celtic with their newest rivals, and would have preferred like most Celtic fans to have postponed this game, for as long as humanly possible.
With regard to the football the Sevco helpers, are probably a big bit late, because by January Celtic will be flying and a glance a both playing squads, should leave even the die hard hun hack cringe, but it won’t halt mythology if Sevco get through the expensive months of November and December, with enough to face
January.
The sad part is not in the draw, the sad part was that the draw was still possible.
Mark Scott CSC
neil canamalar lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
08:16 on 3 November, 2014
Correct…….a disgraceful state of affairs
Very Happy Birthday, BRTH…..
Has any of the SMSM followed up on Donald Findlay’s assertion yesterday that OLDCO is deed, and sevco is not the same team…..no, didn’t think so….!!
joe_joe_john_bobby_teddy
Magic mate how will I get them from you?
Send me an email, kkearney10@icloud.com
“We wish the new Rangers Football Club every good fortune.”
Walter Smith 19/06/12
On the subject of the semi-final draw, I do not think that any official Celtic outlet has used the “Old Firm” term for some time. “Derby” seems to be the word of choice.
I think we alreday have Celtic’s official position …
On page 315 of the updated Official History of Celtic Football Club (published in 2103) it reads…
“Celtic had been acutley aware of being outgunned in financial firepower by Rangers. Indeed the Rangers owner, David Murray, had made the notorious boast that “for every five pounds Celtic spend, we will spend ten”. This had become a fact of life which had to be contended with, though it was never quite clear where the ten pounds was coming from. The whole question of Rangers’ finances, their borrowings and relationship with the tax authorities started to unravel following the banking crisis of 2008 which led to the takeover of the Bank of Scotland by Lloyds and an entirely different approach to lending and borrowing.
It is not the role of his book to describe in detail the remarkable events which transpired at Ibrox in this period Suffice to say that Rangers, under pressure from both the bank and from HMRC, first went into administration on 14 February 2012, and then liquidation when no deal could be made with the creditors on 14 June 2012. The immediate impact of administration was to cost them a ten point penalty in accordance with the SFA rules but the ramifications went much further that that. Following liquidaton, the assets of the former company were sold to a new entity called Sevco Scotland Ltd which sought and obtained a transfer of Rangers’ SFA membership. The club thus became eligible to play in the lowest tier of the Scottish Football League and on 31 July changed its name to The Rangers International Football Club Ltd. For several seasons to come there would be no top-flight Scottish League games in which they were involved.
Celtic maintained a dignified silence throughout the period of these events, allowing the proper authorities, both inside and outside football, to pursue their responsibilities. When pressed to talk about the affairs of Rangers, Chief Executive Peter Lawwell replied succinctly: “I don’t want to talk about other clubs. We are not defined by other clubs. We have our own brand, our own values and our own traditions”. Asked if he “pined” for the Rangers fixture, he replied. “You miss the pros and not the cons so it balances itself out, but you definitely wouldn’t want to swap it for the Champions League.”
Each Celtic supporter will have their own views on whether to attend this fixture and those views should be respected.
For me, I will be going to the game knowing full well that we are playing a new club but which carries the same old baggage and enjoys the same old patronage as its predecessor.
BRTH
Many Happy Returns.
“One day Rangers will be back. They will wear light blue and play at Ibrox Stadium. But it won’t be the same club I played for. Instead Rangers have died”
Richard Gough 16/06/12
Been busy this past wee while and haven’t had a chance to scroll back to read CQN match reports and comments …
Has there been much comment on Ross Draper’s stamping on John Guidetti’s hand (or arm) at the penalty claim incident during the 2nd half? (see c. 2 mins 20 secs into the BBC highlights: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/29872725).
The BBC pictures seem pretty damning: for me, it was an outrageous act, worthy of retrospective action.
Anyone … ?
FF
Robert88 08:07 on 3 November, 2014
Celtic wont make a statement, this game will be televised worldwide and theres a huge amount of cash at stake for a future TV deal etc etc, when sevco I assume get promoted through the playoffs!
—————-
Would Celtic making a statement convince the TV companies that Sevco aren’t Rangers? I think not.
Folly Folly
I think Draper was booked for that after the whistle was blown for a FK to ICT,
Didn’t understand it then but didn’t see stamp at the time.
But been wrong on a regular basis before :)))
tonydonnelly67 @ 10:17…
Good decision.
I would be interested to know the outcome.
Thanks.
TD67/Gordon
I often drive back through Bridgeton X after home games. It’s been noticeable that there is a far smaller police presence this season than there has been in recent years.
HAMILTONTIM
Play The Rebs. The place will be crawling with them then.
lefty: I noticed JG’s reaction it at the time (from my seat in the Jock Stein stand) but hadn’t seen the stamping until viewing the highlights.
For me Draper very clearly get himself close to JG then swiftly and deliberately puts his weight on his (own) left heel while standing over JG’s arm. All in a few moments; perhaps a wee moment of madness on his part.
JG leaps to his feet, incensed (not at the ‘no penalty’ decision) at the violent act. Far from acting surprised at JG’s reaction, Draper instantly squares up to JG, then swiftly walks away as the players crows around the scene.
Drapers actions were not those of someone puzzled at JG’s reaction
(which could have got JG booked, or worse) …
FF
BRTH
Happy Birthday my bhoy…..and thanks for the info on Charles Patrick at the Lola Commons bash.
Bournesouprecipe
Well said – I agree 100%.
Add this to the list as well from old hairy whiskers….
‘It is a different club,’ he tells Sportsmail bluntly. ‘They may play at Ibrox and they may play sometimes in royal blue jerseys.
‘But you cannot pass on that which is undefinable. And that is spirit and tradition and all the rest of it.
‘To me this is a new Rangers which has to establish its own history and tradition.
But it’s not the Rangers I know. To me, genuinely, it is a new entity.’
With a shooftie at the calendar
it must surely be time for the annual appearance of “ParaBhoy”, “Regimentim” ,”SquaddiePlaya ’67” or somesuch other bhlog panto concoktion………?
OhYesHe Is! CSC
I see the sleekit one is back to his manipulative tricks again.
First his cheap jibe at John Guidetti for scoring his first hat trick against ten men
Then another pop at Craig Gordon for saying he was not offered a deal at Sevco.
Swally says he had been offered a deal. So is someone telling porkies ?
Now upon hearing the semi final draw he said unlike the Celtic dressing room with whooping and hollering and high fives his players gave just an assured nod and a look of steely determination
Sounds like your players bricked themselves swally if we are to believe you
A sleekit man
good morning ghuys
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
If you need to contact lennybhoy he says you have to email him at
lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
My cousin bid for and won at a Charity Sports Dinner, a Corporate Hospitality package for 4 at Celtic Park and Saturday was the day he chose.
It was top class and made special by the fact that no less than 6 ex-players popped into our room after the game…we were about to get a photo taken when the draw came on…..it was clear who we’d be playing after DU/Aberdeen were drawn out. Celtic were next out and just before the commentator announced the Sevconian name, one of the Celtic legends shouted out “Zombies”.
He’d only be speaking for himself but my own feeling is that there is no one at the club that don’t recognise their true status.
After years of our neighbourhood watch being vigilant yet ignored by the local constabulary when their help was most needed I have resigned and planted the Pakistan flag in one corner of my garden, Iranian flag at another corner, the Syrian flag on another corner and Libyan flag in the other corner above my door I have the ISIS Banner flying, to date my house is being watched by the local constabulary, Special Branch, MI5 & MI6, I’ve never felt safer :)