When Braga lined up for kick-off I thought, “Three at the back against a front three away from home in Europe, we should be OK here.” And so we should have been. Braga were average-to-poor during the opening 20 minutes, as Celtic settled into a pattern of attack, primarily down the left flank (we’ll come to that later).
There is always a temptation to scapegoat after a poor result and it would be unnecessarily harsh to single out Kasper Schmeichel for not stopping a shot from 33 yards which went directly above his frame. Kasper’s decline is clear to see, but the team in front of him last night were not any better.
Once the goal went in, Braga players seemed to grow a few inches, while Celtic’s shrunk in stature. The visitors went man-for-man when out of possession and Celtic were – yet again – unable to pass through the press. The possession horseshoe of doom was in full swing and midfielders, facing their own goal, only passed sideways or back to Cameron Carter-Vickers or Liam Scales. Or, of course, Kasper.
The entire support could not wait until halftime in the hope that Brendan Rodgers would sort things out. The change was a surprise. Celtic went three at the back to match up to Braga (note, match up to Braga, who are seventh in the Portuguese league). This created a bit more opportunity in the middle of the park, although the personnel change, which saw Marcelo Saracchi play an advanced role on the left had a lot to do with the improvement.
Changing to an untested formation was a risk. Twice Celtic rode their luck as Braga exploited the space where a right back would normally be, but the chances were not taken. Kelechi Ịheanachọ again stepped up, won a loose ball and smacked his shot below the keeper into the net. To the incredulity of the majority inside Celtic Park, the referee disallowed the goal and VAR did not see enough of an error to overrule the official.
Some sides grow with a sense of injustice, but that did not happen. One man’s thing to fight against is another’s excuse.
Braga’s second goal was a classic of the pressing genre. They pressed a poorly structured team all night and got their reward by forcing Celtic so far back a clearance took a ricochet and flew into the net. Fair play to them. A team who are midtable in Portugal, who could not afford our players or their wages, and a manager who is under severe pressure, tactically out-thought Celtic. Our left flank, with Seb, Kieran and Marcelo, were bossed by a Swedish defender Gus Lagerbielke.
We are like the kid who turns up at the board to play draughts when everyone else is playing chess. Motherwell come to Celtic Park on Sunday undefeated in all competitions this season. Whisper it, they have a good manager. Jens Berthel Askou is like the chess-playing kid and is not keen on excuses.
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CELTIC: Schmeichel, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Saracchi, McGregor, Hatate, McCowan, Maeda, Iheanacho, Tounekti.
Subs: Sinisalo, Nygren, Balikwisha, Kenny, Engels, Bernardo, Murray, Forrest, Tierney
I watched the Wrexham v Birmingham game yesterday. Iwata was good, not exceptional, but very solid. We should not have let him go. Don’t understand why we did.
C.O.Y.B.I.G.
CELTIC: Schmeichel, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Saracchi, McGregor, Hatate, McCowan, Maeda, Iheanacho, Tounekti.
Subs: Sinisalo, Nygren, Balikwisha, Kenny, Engels, Bernardo, Murray, Forrest, Tierney
B78
And What did Sir Geoffrey say bout being left at stump?
HH
An Tearmann on 5th October 2025 12:34 pm
Changes are afoot and are horrendously overdue on our board at all levels.new ideas new thinking to reinvigorate
A victory today.
………..
The board have 3 years worth of season ticket monies lying under the table in the boardroom.
Do you think the board even notice a bunch idiots throwing paper aeroplanes at them?
A few years ago the Celtic Trust were going to propose boycotting season tickets BEFORE the 10 season was thrown under the bus by Celtc`s own old firm operatives, Lawwell, Lennon, Broony, etc.
How much did the board Bung/TimmyEBT/ their slimey operative, David Low, as they parachuted DL into the CST, to nudge the “season ticket boycott proposal” off of the CST`s voting agenda?
Agent Low. lol
Protests don`t work!
If you want to regime change the Celtic Tory old firm shills executve, you first of all have to put the share price valuation into negative figures, then project PLC will have failed.
Then if the executive won`t do the honourable thing and resign, and drag Celtic FC into a dangerous place, then it is the duty of those who claim to be “Celtic fans” to set a precedent for going forward as to, what the consequences will be if you fk around in the boardroom putting Celtic FC`s very existence at stake.
If that means fans invading the directors box, or boardroom, to physically remove the parasitic PLC, then so be it.
My preference would be to chuck them all out of the boardroom windows.
But todays version of Tim would just write an unhappy letter, with some crying emogis and send it to “Whom it may concern” 1888 Kerryballoon Street Glesga.
Conclusion:
No Jungle = No balls/backbone/integrity/ethics/etc.
No Jungle = A board who will not take you seriously.
No Jungle = Celtic will die as fans throw paper aeroplanes.
It was all part of the sleekit Thatcher long game plan.
Failing all of that, the Lobby which controls the Scottish Parliament will order their puppets, Swinney, etc, to shut Parkhead down for anti-semitism.
How to avoid that?
Throw the PLC oot the boardroom windaes and immediately appoint GEORGE GALLOWAY as caretaker of Celtic FC, and he`ll be like Peter Cushing was when he stuck his cross in the face of all of his Transylvanian aggressors!
Or you can have scribbled on your gravestone:
“I MADE PAPER AEROPLANES AS CELTIC DIED!”
What will Timmy do?
cmon the cal mac.
Team
https://x.com/antearmann1967/status/1974819680410841375?t=frqwkEzn6aMpXVh2vRrbkw&s=19
HH
To work Celtic
Looks like Callum wil be playing in his usual deep position and Maeda on the right wing.
live updates up