The champions dominated and won their opening game of the season, made a shed-load of chances and we all spent the final 10 minutes on edge, fretting every time a Celtic player lost possession, which was frequent, or failed to clear their lines.
I am assured every Norwegian would expect Kasper Hogh to score several goals from the chances he got on his Celtic debut. Instead, he passed up most of the aforementioned shed-load and left frustrated. The old adage about strikers holds, at least he was there to miss them. He will score plenty for Celtic.
Isn’t it good we’ve got a proper target man up front? The lack of familiarity between Kasper and his more established team-mates was evidenced by the frequence balls were played short when Kasper pushed long, or vice-versa. Less than a week at the club, this will hopefully resolve, expect improvements for Sunday.
Camilio Duran had hands on knees, a sign of exhaustion, long before he left the action on 78 minutes. I did not see him preseason, when he played and scored on each occasion as the main striker. He looked less suited to the winger role. Options up top were lacking last term, at least that issue has been resolved.
As was the case so often last term, Benjamin Nygren was the man with the plan to win the game. The timing of his run to meet Kieran Tierney’s cross was worthy of the points, he made impressive work with the finish too.
Dundee, playing their fifth competitive and ninth game overall in five weeks, were clearly fitter and it is no surprise Celtic struggled to dominate the closing stages of the game. These early season tests against lesser but energetic Premiership opponents are valuable. As long as we get the result, of course.
214 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- »
I don’t think Hogh ever got the service required, apart from the one early on when he shot wide he was never through on goal just had some half chances.
Johnny Kenny has been left off Celtic’s squad numbers list amid interest from Bolton Wanderers, who had the striker on loan last season. (The Herald)
Sky Sports this morning, Hogh yet to score for Celtic was the narrative. Off button pressed if thats what they are peddling to the masses.
During the off-season, concourse areas and the seating bowl have undergone annual maintenance and cleaning. Beyond this we have also been developing a plan to enhance the overall stadium environment…”
=================
anyone see anything noticeable,
If he scoref 3 he would be a target for every PL team , ignore it’s a spoken tabloid
Good players required at Celtic get them in.
McPhail Bhoy & Kelvinbhoy, Høgh hasn’t had time to work out how best to organise his clothes in his hotel room yet, never mind where his new teammates’ runs or quick passes are going to go. And he’s barely had a full training session since arriving in Scotland.
Ignore the meeja and rest assured he will be the top SPL scorer this season… unless he is outscored by Duran. This assertion is echoed by Paddy Power’s odds, and they tend to know what they’re doing.
BigChipsUK on 4th August 2026 2:16 pm
“Ignore the meeja and rest assured he will be the top SPL scorer this season… unless he is outscored by Duran.” or Nygren, :) por cierto
PP currently have Celtic reduced to 1/2 (from 8/11 before the weekend) to win the SPL, with the Huns extended to 7/4 (from 11/8) and the Minis at 14/1 (from 7/1). Make of that what you will.
Top scorer odds have Høgh (13/5) and Duran (10/3) ahead of Shankland (7/2).
Nah, Nygren will have the opposition keeper, Høgh and Duran all getting in the way of his shots this season. Last season there was just the opposing keeper in the way, and even he wasn’t always in position! I suspect he’ll be like Maeda and Commons, who both had a stellar season of goalscoring before calming down a bit in the subsequent campaign.
…Por Cierto.
Board not learning lessons of the past. We are not strong enough for champ league qualifier. Too late to sign players , integrate them in time for upcoming matches. How many weeks is MON been saying we are making progress, really really good progress , genuine progress. Blah blah blah Martin – call them out – demand we change our signing policy! As it stands we are weaker than the team that ended last season. That is shocking!!
As it stands we are weaker than the team that ended last season.
————-
how /
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head. I’m still celebrating 3 points. 🍻
borgo67 on 4th August 2026 12:36 pm
In a few weeks there could be as many as four or five different starters from last nights team.
Borgo, I admire your confidence/belief. I just wonder where your notion comes from that we could possibly sign four or five new players after the length of time the transfer window has been opened and we’ve signed two.
Ave Ave
The stairs leading to main stand rear were filthy ,the stink from the toilet near the turnstiles was disgusting
the Bada Bing on 4th August 2026 2:58 pm
“The stairs leading to main stand rear were filthy ,the stink from the toilet near the turnstiles was disgusting”
The most expensive seats outwith hospitality, and not a lick of paint, tidy up, nothing! :( por cierto
The Battered Bunnet
“Perhaps the price of ambition is not worth the risk so Celtic are ok with EL level of competition. I have yet to see a price of ambition quoted that does not start with a £40m CL reward as the start line and no mention of cost.”
TBB, I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that, in the event our playing around with the CL/EL level of progress backfires and, hell mend, us the Forces of Darkness sneak a SPL win, then they will go all out to get the progress and the money. There is little doubt that they would spend every single penny, and more (?), to have the best possible chance to get the £40m. And most of that would be spent in the first week or two of the window.
Ave Ave
I’d love to see us go for Fadinger and Said from Motherwell.
Both excellent young players and would give us a bit of depth in the squad.
/DB
EmeraldBee \o/ A Double Niner!!
They did just that in the season just passed. A record amount spent in the summer, the most money spent assembling a team in Scottish football history. Then, with the prospect of automatic UCL qualification as league winners while Celtic disintegrated, followed that up with another serious splurge on Skov Olsen, Chukwuani, Rommens and Naderi in January.
Poor dears are now in a bit of a pickle as it was money they didn’t have. They went back onto the shareholders’ nipple in the summer.
We aren’t in that situation and can choose to spend our cash or not. Seems procrastination is running the show – we’re prepared to spend money but not that! much.
Ross Desmond told us what level the football club , owned by his daddy ,will be designed to operate at .
Not much we the fans can do about it … financial trumps spiritual in the world of the billionaire . Cash is real , dreams are not.
The football structure , recruitment, stadium …exhibits A,B and C m’lud .
Falling into the EL will be right on track. Steady as she goes Petty officer Nicholson ,steer a course for mediocrity !
Worth noting that across 5 seasons, Martin O’Neill averaged 2.56 points per match in his first spell at Celtic, a nominal target of 97.2 points each season.
Last season between his two spells at Celtic with a broken down team he managed 59 points from 23 matches. That’s… 2.56 points per match .
That’s remarkable consistency.
The man knows how to win matches in this league.
My best XI today (might well change tomorrow): Simpson, McGrain and Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeil and Connolly, Jimmy Johnstone, Kenny Dalglish, Joe McBride, Paul McStay and Big Yogi. On his day, John Hughes was unplayable. I witnessed it once or twice.
EMERALDBEE
I’m sure we’ll replace Arne when he goes, MON has said he wants a goalie, almost certain to sign a winger.
Less convinced we’ll replace AJ especially if we don’t qualify for CL so Colby or AR will be at right back. Hopefully Jota will return although that could still be months.
I wasn’t suggesting we’ll make four signings with no one leaving. It was more an observation that over analysing last night is almost pointless as the team will change.
only one club in Scotland has not published their match attendance.
some make a big deal of it by announcing during the actual game on the big screen and tannoy to thank those who made the effort to support their team.
by not doing this is it just
laziness.
nobodys job.
not that important
not a metric worth measuring
maybe just a lack of professionalism.
who is that club ?
Been saying for years that I don’t hold with the lack of fitness at the start of the season.
We are talking about top class athletes, supposedly, a couple of weeks off and they have lost their fitness and need weeks to regain it, bollix, if they can’t keep themselves in tip top condition get rid, they are paid 000’s of £ a week FFS.
My cynical thought process
The playoff game is irrelevant win or lose and their is no point getting excited by it
The reward for winning is £40/50m
But it simply sits in the bank
Its not as if we go out and buy top players
So it’s irrelevant if we win or lose
67ECW
agree with you exiled tim 3 weeks off shouldnt affect your fitness
Yesterday was a game of two halves. Going forward, I hope we continue to play more like we did in second half.
Good to see the Green Brigade and Bhoys joining forces to sing the same songs. I wonder if their was a noticeable increase in their sound within the stadium or on tv?
67 European Cup Winners on 4th August 2026 4:42 pm
My cynical thought process
I can see your logic and how it might act as an emotional safety net .
But I will probably be raging either way …. get through , don’t improve the team and get embarrassed in the CL
…. or …..don’t get through , get slightly less embarrassed in the EL
Knowing we are in a Desmond trap with no quick or obvious way out .
borgo67 on 4th August 2026 3:52 pm
Borgo, thanks for the reply. I wasn’t having a go at you, by the way, about your remark regarding the number of players coming in. I agree with you about the types (and positions) of players who SHOULD be coming in, it’s just that Martin has been very clear, and public, about what he wants/needs and so far he is still largely waiting. The two, absolutely obvious, ones were Iheanacho and Saracchi – Martin publicly named them as players he wanted, but despite the best efforts of our custodians things fell through there. (??!!)
So it’s me that just does not have the confident feeling that the relevant officials at the Club will do what the manager wants/hopes for in terms of bringing in the players for positions that he has identified. Here’s hoping I am totally wrong.
Ave Ave
Isn’t it strange that when Celtic have bids rejected, they’re accused of low-balling in an attempt to get players on the cheap, yet when English clubs like Everton and West Ham have bids rejected by Celtic, it’s completely acceptable and all part of the transfer system.
Board are notninterestednin the the team or the supporters. They simply want paid.
Almore on 4th August 2026 5:03 pm
Yesterday was a game of two halves. Going forward, I hope we continue to play more like we did in second half.
Good to see the Green Brigade and Bhoys joining forces to sing the same songs. I wonder if their was a noticeable increase in their sound within the stadium or on tv?
_____
At the stadium, yes that area did sound a bit louder, at times. Not so, the rest of the stadium. Felt very similar to last season with an air of disgruntlement not too far away. Didn’t notice much in the way of a makeover, then again I’m not the most observant (as my wife keeps telling me). I feel very pessimistic about our chance of beating LASK. I just wish TF that we could have a total clearout of DD and the nodding dogs. Becoming a bit apathetic and considering not going to the playoff.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 4TH AUGUST 2026 4:42 PM
My cynical thought process
The playoff game is irrelevant win or lose and their is no point getting excited by it
The reward for winning is £40/50m
Not wishing to undermine the general principles, because they hold. But being really accurate, the difference for us is actually £25-30m probably (as we will get EL entry and money).
That’s this year though.
Next year it could be much more as we will have to negotiate 3 players off ties to get to CL (and likely lower seeded certainly in last round, but possibly middle round too).
Tansbell
It seems to me that it’s an excuse for failure, we are well in the minority mind you.
If the boards wages/bonuses were dependant on CL or at a reduced rate EL football, I would wager my life that we wouldn’t be scrambling about for players ten days to register players for the CL
Almore
Delighted with my new toy, can do stuff I could only dream about >:)
HH