This is one of those hard ties to analyse. AEK were no more than a decent team. Certainly not a clear cut above, and for that reason, the tie remains alive. But despite being preseason, they defended impeccably.
They did their homework. Tom Rogic, who was immense on Saturday, was not given a yard. Celtic opened well with Callum McGregor the principle threat, most often when linking with Kieran Tierney. After those two crafted the opening goal, AEK man-marked McGregor out of the game.
James Forrest was effective when used; it was his change of direction which drew the second yellow card for Galanopoulos, but we were overtly left sided, reducing Forrest’s effectiveness. Olivier Ntcham was our creative fulcrum after McGregor was shut down, but the normally incisive balls into the box didn’t quite come off.
A few early mis-steps from Jack Hendry were not punished, but the resulting nervousness throughout the crowd was clear. Central defenders are crucial to how Celtic play. If you inhibit their willingness to step forward or show for a pass, you inhibit the entire team.
I’m not sure what Kris Ajer thought when he let a cross ball bounce inside the box a minute from the break. It was an inexplicable decision which brought AEK level and changed their game plan for the second half. Even tiring with 10 men, they defended their box flawlessly.
We regularly tried to find Odsonne Edouard with a ball over the top, but invariably found the striker dropping off to take a ball to feet. Nothing seemed to work for him.
A word on Scott Brown. Much of what Scott does is understated but I thought he raised the bar last night. He bossed all his personal challenges.
I called AEK favourites when the draw was made and they are more so now, but they are not Barcelona, circa 2010. We have been here before; no throwing of towels just yet.
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Gary67
Would sign him tomorrow- a player like Paddybhoy, would have made a huge difference last night in my opinion
Come home Paddy Bhoy, he would n’t have been long with those Greeks:))
Apologies to all but I thought I’d have a look at the sevco game to see if they were any better than last season. On the 2nd half show so far, the answer would appear to be yes. There’s a high intensity to their play and plenty of quick passing and good running off the ball to suggest they won’t be quite as easy to beat as before. New players look a step up in quality to what they have replaced.
Sorry if that is of no interest to anyone else.
https://enematic.wordpress.com/2018/08/08/frank-frankies-peel-spiel/
Does Slug Dallas have a high level masonic influence in referee influence?
Asking for a friend. :-))))
DENIABHOY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 9:10 PM
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Got to agree, but think that Maribor wiil equalise again.
HH
Deniabhoy
Sorry that will not do …. if you wish to continue postng on CQN, you must only state (i) Celtic are the bestest football team, run by the bestest board ever, and/or (ii) the Huns are rubbish,and will never win another trophy, and are not fit to be on the same park as Celtic … or some variant thereof.
I’ll echo db’s words – there’s a lot of running and pressing and passing by sevco – it’s not great but it’s certainly better than it was – btw db , how was your cycle earlier ?
DENIABHOY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 9:10 PM
Watching the stream for my sins. The Huns are working hard like men possessed and have a decent shape about them. Kent and Morelos look busy up front, the plan seems to be to get the ball to them and then get bodies forward to support. In the 10 mins I’ve watched, they have given the ball away more times than we did in the last 5 matches. They do look better but it will be interesting to see what happens when that work rate slows down as it inevitably will over the course of the season. They get bodies back and forward quickly but it isn’t sustainable. They will beat most SPFL teams though so we need to be on our toes. The key for any team playing against them is to press them and not to allow them to build attacks from simple balls forward, they will give the ball away for fun and then hurt them in the turnover in possession.
DENIABHOY
Posted roughly the same last week, they’re still very fragile at the back though and still prone to teams passing right through their midfield, although they may seem better it’s kinda cosmetic, Candeias still always blooters the ball out the park and Tav still can’t defend, witness Maribor’s goal…
Denia
Mibbes aye; mibees naw.
They are still in that honeymoon period. New players with new strengths.
….and that’s how debate amongst genuine supporters gets obscured thru lumpen polarisation…… not to mention the execrable Bi-polar pish. That’s how the sleekits can jink in an’ oooot under the cover of sloppy an’ lazy generalisations………..
MIT
I think our young genius Tim wee BGFC would make a great lawyer. G has the gift of the intelligent gab for one so young.
Bhoy of the Year 2018.
YNWA
Maribor have done there very best though to hand the huns the game though:)))
Gents,
I do not recall the McGinn family getting stick on here over the signing issue. I remember John McGinn getting stick for choosing a basket case championship club over us.
It’s nothing personal, any player, especially a died in the wool Tim doing similar would be subject to derision .
Extremely disappointed in the whole situation, but if we are happy to accept that we are second best in a two horse race, then count me out.
HH. #Celtic no 1.
DD …
genius… but would make a good lawyer?! seems like a waste of a good brain!
I only went to law school, ’cause they told me there would be no math!
:)
North Cyprus (Baku no more) Bhoy
I saw last 10 mins of first half and Maribor looked like they were going to dominate. 2nd half Sevco have controlled it and looked dangerous several times.
Contorversially, when looking at our own frailties, their defence looks solid considering most of them have just arrived. Katic looks decent and Tavernier has been a real handful going forward. And, don’t laugh now, so has Morelos.
Feck, they have just scored again. 3-1.
ah well
Norriem somebody posted couple of weeks ago that a large part of wage increase
was due to bonus’s for CL qualifacation and winning trebles!
HH
HUN puts it in with his arm goal stands, expect the huns to win th EL this year!!
Morelos has bullied their centre halves, thats where the game has been won and lost.
MIT
On second thoughts. G will do his own thing.
The Kafflik schools are outstripping the non denom schools in Scotland by so much that it’s getting embarrassing for the masons that run Scotland. Wee shame.
YNWA
Paddy has a choice to make. Stay at Citeh and play reserve football, go on loan to the Championship, sign for a foreign team or sign for Celtic. I would suggest it will be one of the latter two. The way things are going i take back my previous criticisms and will welcome him with open ams.
Just watched the second half of the Huns game. They’ve absolutely battered Maribor. Night & day from the past couple of seasons. They’ll take points off us this season for sure. I don’t fancy taking them on with Ajer & Hendry as our defensive pairing. They’ve spent money and it shows. No idea of the source, but someone’s bank rolling them. If we sit on our hands or are complacent at all we’ll be in trouble. Not last because we know they’ll get every assistance from the authorities- as per the scandalous decision to rescind the Morelos red.
Greenpinata
There were posts on here saying that from Jack McGinn down. The McGinn’s are more interested in getting money from Celtic than supporting Celtic.
Shameful
DENIABHOY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 9:30 PM
North Cyprus (Baku no more) Bhoy
I saw last 10 mins of first half and Maribor looked like they were going to dominate. 2nd half Sevco have controlled it and looked dangerous several times.
Contorversially, when looking at our own frailties, their defence looks solid considering most of them have just arrived. Katic looks decent and Tavernier has been a real handful going forward. And, don’t laugh now, so has Morelos.
Feck, they have just scored again. 3-1.
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All a bit frenetic, and Maribor couldn’t find a way to re-establish control of the game. They might get through this round, but their kick & rush style will not get them much further (I hope).
HH
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY
Hope you have your tin hat on! Lots of folk on here who will not want to hear that.
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY
You should have watched the first half – they looked awful. Our forwards running at them should be delighful.
One good second half doesn’t make a season.
i’vehadtochangemymind
I had a good cycle this morning, thanks for asking. Just over 100 kms in the hills inland from Denia. There were 9 of us out so there was some friendly competition on the climbs and then a few ice cold Radlers afterwards. We normally manage around 1000 kms a month to keep the waistlines in check :)
In the European qualifying games, (excluding the extra time in the Burnley – Aberdeen game) the Scottish teams record is Played 17, Won 9, Drawn 8*, Lost 0, Scored 35, Conceded 14.
Best performance in years?
* – all 4 teams have had 2 draws, 1 home and 1 away
Not quite Celtic By Numbers standards but food for thought.
Oot!
NORTH CYPRUS (BAKU NO MORE) BHOY
They will probably get through this plus beat Ufa or Neidercorn (2-1) today. That will put them in the Groiup Stage and recoup their expenditure, which was the aim of their gamble all along.
James Forrest
Keep on keeping on!
You remind me of a woodpecker.
Keep chipping away please.
YNWA
DELANEYS DUNKY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 9:26 PM
MIT
I think our young genius Tim wee BGFC would make a great lawyer. G has the gift of the intelligent gab for one so young.
Bhoy of the Year 2018.
YNWA
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Hello this is WEE BGFC. Thank you very much, you’re some man Delayneys. My Dad told me to say 3 things; 1) He loves you to bits; 2) He didn’t say anything about John McGinn’s family (although he doesn’t think you were talking about him); 3) He is severely pissed off at McGinn for choosing Aston Villa over us – I wont repeat what he said about him last night.
I’ve told him that he’s not aloud to post on the subject matter because he’d get annoyed.
I love you to bits big man.
God Bless.
HH
WEE BGFC
North Cyprus Bhoy
What is Kyrenia like as a holiday spot ? Or anywhere you would recommend? In North Cyprus
Take care James…..
Chic Young is the most fake man out there. The lies he spouts on Radio Scotland is a pure riddy. Wee hun fake fud is Chic.
@ BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 9TH AUGUST 2018 9:01 PM
Thanks for your reply.
I take some of your points, but still think things are dressed up as facts when they are opinion.
I agree no one has spent more on one single player than Celtic on signing Edouard (even if he isn’t £9m up front), however net spend we are in the money. Sevco for example have backed Gerrard a lot more (comparatively) than us (as he has spent more money than they have taken in). They evidently need more work than us, but at the same time, we need work on our team as well, so no excuses.
“The biscuit tin myth was busted a long time ago”. Was it?
“The CL qualifiers wasn’t and never has given the club time to sign enough Euro players, the window ending in England and Scotland prevents signings till near their end.”
I’m sorry, but this is just wrong. Look at Brendan’s big summer signings: Dembele, Ntcham and Edouard were all early in the window. Scott Sinclair signed before and played in the 3rd qualifying round of the CL in Brendan’s first year. All other signings were early as well, aside (as far as I can see), Gamboa and Paddy’s loan.
This is why I’m slightly concerned as there is no precedent for a deluge of quality signings late in the window (notwithstanding the change in the EPL window this year).
“Celtic supporters are spoiled by our success.”
We are spoiled by Brendan. We were not spoiled by Ronny. Our startling success of late is intrinsically linked to Brendan; and dare I say, our continuing success in the future is also linked to him.
Big Wavy – based on what I have seen tonight, and if they continue to play like they did, then you have a good point but so too does PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY. I can see some high scoring games against them again this season but 5-4 may be more likely than 5-0. Morelos was never as bad as we made him out to be, he was good at getting into dangerous positions but always seemed to miss sitters against us. He looks a lot fitter and sharper now. Not sure Ajer or Hendry would be comfortable facing him at present.
Our midfield should have the upper hand but their pace from back to front will cause us more problems than they have done in their short history up until now.
I don’t think they will have trouble finishing second this year.
Maribor are a decent team and may still knock them out, but last season there is no way in hell the huns would have won against them, never mind 3-1.
I imagine BR and his staff will have been watching that too. I wonder if PL was.