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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I get that losing the ball further up the field can put us on the back foot defensively but how does that ever equate to the myriad of mistakes, and fundamental ones at that, from our defenders.
Am I in the minority that thinks we need better defenders?
can anyone explain that every time following a defensive mistake thats causes a goal against us that the individual/players who were at fault will learn from their mistake and make them a better player for it then we are either slow on the uptake or just not intelligent enough to improve as we seen to lose from the same issues and mistakes over and over again.
See the BBC and nosferatu have tried to ambush BR at his presser re: ambition, the usual tabloid headline, id ban him anyway regardless if he told the truth for once last night or not
Btw…was that the ref’s spray that exploded last night?
20 minutes to slamming shut in England :
– KT not at Everton.
– Boyata not at Fulham
– Dembele not at Brighton
Reasons to be slightly cheerful ?
GO TELL THE SPARTIM:
I read it VERY differently. They did their jobs.
His answer is DEEPLY worrying. Deeply worrying. Anyone still in denial here?
@ BIG WAVY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 4:42 PM
Aside from Boyata, have we received offers for the other two?
I also think it’s a mistake not to accept the offer for Boyata. But then again, unless it was re-invested, what would be the point of selling him?
James Forrest
If someone does not agree with you then he is in denial? Hmm…
JJ
HOT SMOKED:
Are you denying that there is a problem – perhaps a very serious problem – between Brendan Rodgers and the board? Because it is practically screaming at us now.
I have just watched their goal again.
At the game, I felt Lustig and Ajer were both at fault. Now, I am less sure. The AEK player was almost over the line when he crossed. That, for me , make Lustig`s inaction more understandable. Ajer had a split second to make a decision. Value of hindsight, he made the wrong one but, again, understandable. Our desperation for success leads us , I feel, to be over critical. I still think, albeit somewhat shakily,we will go through . Interestingly, William Hill makes us slight favourites to win in Athens.
JJ
Go Tell the Spartim…that’s the way they operate. Always looking for a headline. After the presser they get together in a wee huddle, double checking what they think is the ‘line’. That’s why every paper, sports bulletin has basically the same story-line…Speirs and Glenn Gibbons were never part of that huddle…
With all due respect, they can look for headlines as much as they like. Today our manager has knowingly given them one. Their job is to report the news, and without a shadow of a doubt this is news.
James
I think the `problem` is a fairly normal state of affairs between a Manager and a Board. I believe Jose Mourinho is experiencing something similar with the Man Utd Board.
JJ
HOT SMOKED:
The manager has just refused to say that the board matches his ambition for the club. Brendan could have defused this whole issue sitting there today and he’s chosen not to. I refuse to ignore the implications of that, they are enormous.
It’s not terribly difficult to dupe a reporter…well, a football reporter. Real journalists have to verify what they write/say. The only guaranteed facts from footie guys are the football results…
HOT SMOKED on 9TH AUGUST 2018 4:53 PM
The difference is that Mourinho has been backed with vast sums (he has signed 3 first team player this window) and a British record fee for Pogba previously.
You cannot claim that (comparatively) Brendan has been backed.
In UEFA’s mind the qualifiers are to weed out the dross and make up the numbers in pot 4. If we don’t get by AEK do we still need to play a qualifier for the EL?
In PL’s mind Anything in Europe is a bonus. The mainstay of Celtic’s business continuity plans are the Huns and nostalgia. Explains everything the Board do. What’s not to get?
” You cannot claim that (comparatively) Brendan has been backed.”
Edouard £ x millions.
Can`t I?
JJ
WITS,,
With respect I thought that mentally ill comment was disgusting and would urge you to apologise. I hope this finds you in good health.
Hail Hail
The Hands…
An objective at the start of the window, in my opinion, would be to have KT, Dembele, Rogic and Boyata (our best CH) at the club. I’m pleased they aren’t in England although I recognise DB might be an Armstrong-like holding position for a season.
I expect Jozo to go abroad before 31st and like everyone I’d hope we buy quality to replace him. Comperr, we either get off the pot and he finally delivers or we punt him and put it down to experience.
Reasons to be cheerful.
HOT SMOKED on 9TH AUGUST 2018 5:00 PM
So we make £15m in transfers in the last 6 months. We sign one player this summer (i’m excluding Morgan as he is practically a development fee) in Edouard for a fee which could be as high as £9m (although no one has confirmed it was upfront and, realistically, we know it will be a cumulative figure), but yet Brendan has been backed?
Someone posted today that Brendan’s net spend over 6 windows is £5m. Now that’s what I call backing!
If a man has an argument with his wife, does that mean a divorce becomes likely? I think it will take more than a disagreement or two before that happens…too much drama here. Life goes on!
See when I get my hands on that wee git McGinn for causing all this bother… :-)
Rodgers told the press no comment it’s private when asked if the board matched his ambitions.
Wasn’t clear if that was his ambitions or his ambitions for the club but we are now on the road with this.
The knives will be out.
BIG WAVY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 5:00 PM
But if no offers were received you can hardly turn round and make it some sort of coup for the club. I’m not going to interpret that as some sort of show of ambition.
I am resigned to the fact that this guy isn’t going to be here for the next campaign.
Resigned to it.
Those aren’t the words of a guy who’s going to be here for three more years. He will see out this season and then he’s gone, that’s the best outcome we’re going to get here, and we might not even get that. It just depends if the nameless board member decides to counter-brief.
Unbelievable that we’re here after a history making season last year.
Not even going to write about it any further. Totally deflated.
Bipolarism is a disease. The sooner you accept it the quicker the cure.
It’s like climate deniers. The physics is simple. A10 year old can grasp it but if it threatens your belief system ……
The Hands
1. Transfer window is still open for us.
2. Brendan has talked about the opportunity that presents itself after today’s EPL deadline.
3. Keeping key players – Rogic on a new contract for example – can’t be discarded like that. We’re not the huns who build a team each year.
I expect movement between now and 31st as per our strategy and so too early for your claim to stand up.
Saying that and come 1st September we still haven’t invested in the defence then I’ll bring my own pitchfork.
The Hands
I don`t know enough about the goings on re transfers so I will make no more comment on the matter.
JJ
CELTARELLA on 9TH AUGUST 2018 5:09 PM
Bipolarism is a disease. The sooner you accept it the quicker the cure.
There’s no cure for bipolar disorder
JAMES FORREST on 9TH AUGUST 2018 5:09 PM
Brendan’s using all the leverage he has to try and get signings in. Far too early to talk about him moving on
HOT SMOKED on 9TH AUGUST 2018 5:14 PM and BIG WAVY on 9TH AUGUST 2018 5:13 PM
Both of you appear to extol the virtue of patience. The window is still open and we should reserve comment until 1 September. Ok, let’s wait and see.
With all due respect James Forrest you may be geared up to see it differently (not that theres a damn thing wrong with that), though im beginning to come round to the conclusion that PL is having a go at Championship Manager and thinks that we dont need better quality players.
i think if BR walks anytime soon we will have our answer as to whose ambitions were working too. Its abundantly clear that BR’s ambitions are closer to ours than PL’s ever was.
Celtic40Me
Psychotherapy ?
Lithium?
Drugs?
Why does he need to “use leverage”?
The man should have leverage. He has just completed a double treble.
If he doesn’t have the respect inside the club to get what he wants – and he DOES know the position we’re in regarding transfers and finance and has since he arrived so his demands won’t be ridiculous – and what the team needs then we need to consider what that says about those above him.
That man should not need to resort to this kind of tactic … and that he has to will be telling him all that he needs to know. He is not going to stay at a club where he needs to go public with his dissatisfaction just so he gets the resources he is due.
Brendan imho seems unhappy about things, to me that is a worry.
Cover for KT – check.
Come home Emilio.
JAMES FORREST
I agree with your sentiment I love your passion I do not agree with your conclusion
BR is pissed off big time that PL could not get him John McGinn from Hibs and probably one or two others that are not hitting headlines
I posted on here earlier it’s a £700k bridge (Villa paid Hibs £2.7m we offered £2m)
So BR does not get a reasonable footballer because PL cant cross a £700k bridge for him
If I was BR having delivered what I have delivered too right I am pissed off
Up to this point we agree
Will BR walk because he didn’t get one or two players he wanted I’m not sure
BUT he will want the support to know he is trying and he is not happy with the help or lack of from PL
But I do not see BR leaving Celtic because he did not get one or two footballers
Having said all that lets not forget we have 3 weeks before the window closes – plenty f time to recruit the next VVD Wanyama Dembele Ntcham Ajer etc etc
However the annual circus of trying to recruit pre CL Qualifiers continues to cause us problems
67ECW
Tottenham have become the first EPL team to sign nobody in the summer transfer window ever !
politics (with a small t aside) JF’s ‘on yer bike’ comment to vfr (?) earlier has got to be the funniest this year !
I am not saying I am siding with JF
I am not saying I am siding with paul67
I am saying it was very funny.
I am siding with GM – bring on next Tuesday.