There was a more direct than normal look to Celtic’s play yesterday, perhaps after our display earlier this season on Rugby Park’s artificial surface. At Kilmarnock, we learned that our normal passing game is best suited to grass. At Livingston, we learned that we need more practice at getting the ball forward early against tight SPFL defences.
Referee Kevin Clancy declined to show Livingston striker Menga a red card for head-butting Ryan Christie, almost certainly because Ryan remained on his feet. There are many unwritten rules in football, one is that if a red card offense is committed, the referee will not produce one unless the victim drops to the ground. Even if this reaction is unnecessary.
That incident aside, the game could have had a different outcome it the ref clamped down on repeat offenses early in the proceedings.
Livingston are defensively better than anyone in the league, apart from Celtic, but they have scored only three goals from open play. This was a concern when they caused so much havoc in the Celtic defence at corner kicks, but it was the throw-ins from Alan Lithgow which were the greatest concern. Lithgow can drop a throw-in into the six yard box, where the first touch from either an attacker or defender creates a bun fight in the most dangerous area of the field.
It cannot be beyond Celtic to develop the combination of strength and technique necessary to replicate this ability.
The squad would have left West Lothian in sombre mood after the broken eye socket injury to Kristoffer Ajer that will keep the defender out until after the winter break. Compensating for this disappointment is getting to the top of the league table for the first time this season after Hearts loss to Kilmarnock on Saturday.
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TURKEYBHOY on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 2:06 PM
I watched last night too co-incidentally. Not bad but not as entertaining as Braveheart. About as accurate also by the way. Bruce never fought Edward ll in hand to hand combat and wasn’t even at that battle.
GARY67 on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 1:27 PM
In the first minutes of the game Edouard was tackled from behind and caught studs up on his heel and back leg above. A painful one.
It was at least a yellow card but none given,
It set the tone for the rest of the game and you cannot blame players being careful with their limbs when they know that they will get no protection from the referee.
BTW did anyone notice the second headbutt on Christie by Mega when Bain brought off a great save from a corner but foul awarded against AJer?
Edward ll wasn’t at the Battle of Loudoun Hill i should add, for clarity.
@ TIMALOY29 on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 1:58 PM
I think we should try and sign someone permanently in the position. A loan would be an ok stop-gap, but we managed with three strikers when Moussa was here.
Also, as Eddy can play out left, we could accommodate playing 2 out of 3 strikers at any time.
Why are our board so afraid to call out obvious disparity in rules when we play?
Some say they will be pilloried by mssm and brought to boot by SFA?
Well the mssm have never written anything positive about us so who cares?
And if the SFA do then subsequently refuse to accept any penalties imposed and cite the double standard of sevco’s outbursts in response as they are printed on their official site.
Go down the Kelly flag removal refusal route and bring them to their knees.
AULDHEID on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 2:20 PM
I only got it after you posted this last night. As I said before being ‘brave’ only gets you clobbered a second time.
https://twitter.com/theoldgovanarm1/status/1061600684238356480
Well, that killed the blog didn’t it. ..ski.
Premier Sports got Scottish cup for next 5 years,shambles
Good afternoon everyone, firstly can i say a big thank you to all the cqn’ers at the hoot on saturday for making me so welcome. It was great to put faces to all the names and the craic was mighty. Can i say to any lurkers or occasional posters like myself to get yourselves along to the next one and you won’t regret it. It was my pleasure to meet Delaney’s (awra)…An Tearman, marsapa, sipsini, jim the tim, wee baw bity and his neighbour. Travellerbhoy we will have many a pint again my friend as it was an honour to be in your company. CELTICROLLERCOASTER aka Marc i hope you hace more time at the next one but the sentiments of your flying visit were truly fantastic. I just hope MAH could read the ramblings on his card. With a bit of luck maybe Stephen might make the next one himself.
Oh and how could i forget the father and son pairing…..comedy gold and hearts of gold…….steptoe and son…….only joking BMCUW and hope you are back on here asap.
Thank you all for a fantastic day and hope to meet more of you at the next one…..
Dilligafbhoy,
Yep,a wee bit of historical nonsense,as is normally the way with all historical movies.Basically,they kept to the story though.
I did expect some negativity about Gary Hooper,but a guy that scored 30 goals a season for us,and wasa wonderful Hunskelper,still only 30,would I think,do a good job for us.Funny enough,its that other “Celtic dud”,Pukki,who is rattling the goals in for Norwich now.Strange game,football.
We have better players and a better manager. These two things should be enough to ensure the league. Hell, we even have a better board ( how hard could that be ).
What we don’t have is better referees or a better governing body.
And those two things put our eighth league in a row, our 50th I think, in jeopardy.
T
You know how far ahead we are when on Sunday,the toat of the Kultchur club,was 39 year old,Mc Auley.
Nas Na Ri, Hear Hear ! It was good to meet you and everyone else.
I noticed that we cut short Jack Aitchison’s loan move.
Would that be due to him being fast tracked to the first team panel?
Speny a great few hours in Malone’s in Edinburgh with Tully57 and a couple of his mates last night.
!!BADA BING!! on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 2:58 PM
Premier Sports got Scottish cup for next 5 years,shambles
——–
Along with the BBC. The upside is that SKY are out of the picture.
Jonny Russell might be worth a deal till end of the season, after MLS finishes.
So, how happy are you now having to pay to watch some SFA cup games? Double edged sword. If its us, (and it probably will be us) you have to pay to watch as we will bring the most revenue around the world. If its not us, you dont have to pay so no loss there.
THOMTHETHIM et all
I think Jack Aitchison asked to come back.
Moussa Dembele not only left a massive gap in the playing squad as our only true target player striker , he left an even bigger hole in the wages bill, not to mention the bulging bank balance.
Celtic have no excuse whatsoever not to be looking to a Harrods type shopping list in January, following our summer of discount types.
Richard III CSC
p.s.posting from a phone is nearly impossible on CQN
Ryan Christie signs 3 year deal.
Christie signs new 3 year contract
Ole EuroCamps67 and Bada Bing first with the goodly news.
The hands cant hit what the eyes cant see on 12th November 2018 2:26 pm
@ TIMALOY29 on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 1:58 PM
I think we should try and sign someone permanently in the position. A loan would be an ok stop-gap, but we managed with three strikers when Moussa was here.
Also, as Eddy can play out left, we could accommodate playing 2 out of 3 strikers at any time.
___
I agree a permanent striker would be nice (should the right one be available)
However, January isn’t the greatest time to do business. A loan deal would be more realistic.
DILLIGAFBHOY on 12TH NOVEMBER 2018 1:06 PM
Now heres the question. WHY didnt Christie go down like a ton of bricks the 1st time Manga suck the heed on him? Being brave? Gets you nowhere Ryan. It only gets you another headbutt because he thought ‘well I got away with it the 1st time’. None of us like the ridiculous theatrics of players like Morelos, but you get no medals for ‘bravery’ in Scotland. Learn a lesson son
——-
I hope he continues as is. For the next three years, as signed, and beyond! No plummeting earthwards thanks.
HH jg
Great news on N’Cham and now Christie
We have the majority of this successful team locked down for a couple years. We need to sort out our future at CB though!
‘What light through yonder window breaks.’
Willo Shakespeare Window CSC
Ryan and Oli signed up in the same week, good news abounds:))
We need don’t need Ryan diving about like a hun, no thanks to that idea…
great news about olli and ryan, also on the subject of referees, no ref with a tim sounding name is gonna give celtic anything, what would his bosses say.hh.
The Ryan Christie Window
BSR,
You’re Bard!
Great news about Ryan, following on from Olly’s 4-year deal last week.
I do like us tying up our big players to long-term deals, makes sense every way you look at it.
Totally agree that we need a striker and a right back – if Odsonne had been done by that thug who raked his achilles on Sunday we’d be out of options, and in Europe at least everybody knows we are vulnerable down our right.
I love PC Lustig with a lusty man-love, but I think he is at the stage where he needs haunners. If our right flank was as strong as our left and we had a bit of quality to take the pressure off lonesome Odsonne at the top I’d bet us against anyone.
And if we wound up with a cut-price Paddy Roberts in our Christmas stocking I would be weeping tears of pure gin-scented joy.
Brilliant news about Ryan, coupled with the news that, Ollie has signed an extension as well, two quality players who enhance the quality of the product on the pitch, but, best of all for me, the repositioning of Callum in the midfield, has energized the fluency, within the shape of the team. Brilliant. √
One wee point about, Brendan’s approach to Celtic’s competing strategy on a plastic pitch.
Make a point, by playing the long ball and feeding off the scraps.
Just a thought. HH
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
TTT
LOL
‘If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?’
(The Merchant of Venice Act 3, Scene 1)
Holy Cross Hamilton circa the seventies
BSR,
If you Liquidate us, do we not return?
Copeland Rd. Reformatory 2012.
TTT
‘Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.’
(Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 2)
Turkey Bhoy
Are you sure Gary Hooper was at Louden Hill :-)
Excellent stuff,BSR.
Everyday really is a schoolday!
Kev
Your suggestion about going long ‘retro’ on plastics is not daft – punt and hound for the second phase (as the egg chasers would say)
turkeybhoy
Chris Pine? Not many actors get to play Robert the Bruce and Captain James T. Kirk.