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Winning by organisational plan

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Yesterday we discussed that title credentials “are established on plastic pitches and cold nights in places like Falkirk”.  Celtic were far from polished but had enough in the tank to win a game in which they withstood a first half onslaught.  The credentials are intact.

Martin O’Neill is not a miracle worker, but he knows how to set teams up in order to get results.  Confidence, so lacking in the squad in recent weeks, is back in sufficient quantities to see them through challenging pressure.

Across his two tenures this season, Martin has taken charge of seven league games, in which Celtic have conceded only one goal – a penalty kick, awarded by VAR after an incident which passed without on-field concern.  That might sound like working miracles, but it is just good old organisation.

When Kyrell Wilson skinned Kieran Tierney and rounded Kasper Schmeichel, he was rushed into the shot by Liam Scales, who arrived to prevent Falkirk taking the lead.  Later, when Auston Trusty and Callum McGregor failed to control the ball, green and white shirts arrived on the scene mob-handed, forcing a rushed shot from Williams which Kasper saved.  Both were goals prevented by plan.

There is an alternative history for Celtic this season which is even worse than it has been.  Can you imagine where we would be had Benjamin Nygren not arrived in the summer?  His goals and progressive play are the reason we are still in the title race.  Yesterday’s effort was a perfect example of his ability to get into the right place.

He is the best finisher and the most-aware penalty box player we have available right now.  A rose by another name is still a rose.

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  1. bigrailroadblues on

    People going nowhere, taken for a ride

     

    Looking for the answers that they know inside

     

    Searching for a reason, looking for a rhyme

     

    Snow white parasite, partners in crime

     

    Don’t they ever have to worry?

     

    Don’t you ever wonder why?

     

    It’s a part of me that tells you

     

    Oh, don’t you ever, don’t ever say die

     

    Never, never, never say die again.

     

     

    Iommi/Ward/Osbourne/Butler. 1978

  3. quadrophenian on

    Tontine Tim on 15th January 2026 2:36 pm

     

     

    ———-

     

     

    Cheers TT. I trust Mrs TT’s physicians are delivering the treatment and support that’s improving her everyday living situ.

     

     

     

     

     

    PeterLatchfordsBelly on 15th January 2026 4:36 pm

     

     

    I also know Martin O’Neill named two players currently at a Scottish club who he said last week he would like to bring to Celtic. Yet so far there hasn’t even been a bid put in.

     

     

    ———-

     

    Was it Raskin and Chermiti ??

  4. celtic40me on

    TONTINE TIM on 15TH JANUARY 2026 7:40 PM

     

     

    Despite Paul67’s efforts it’s certainly not a place to discuss football.

     

     

    It’s all politics

  7. Parkheadcumsalford on

    Tontine Tim,

     

     

    There seem to be a number of bloggers on here, who hog the blog and who seem to detest CQN. It baffles me that they spend so much time on here, as all they seem to do repeatedly is deplore Paul67. the Board and anyone who doesn’t agree with them.

     

     

    Oh for the days when we could respectfully discuss the football itself, bearing in mind Paul67’s regular reminder, children read the blog.

  9. An Tearmann on

    From jobo

     

     

    *SENTINEL CELTS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2025-26*

     

    *RESULTS FROM GAME #35 FALKIRK 0 CELTIC 1 (NYGREN)*

     

     

    Good evening, friends.

     

    A big win last night against very decent opponents who passed up as many chances as Celtic usually do!

     

     

    Celtic have now played 35 games, and have won 18, drawn 6 and lost 10. We have scored 58 goals and conceded 37. We are back up to 2nd in the league, bettering Sevco’s goal difference by 1. Hearts still have a 6 point lead at the top with a goal difference that is 7 better than Celtic. We could do with a couple of goalscorers!

     

    As for the voting numbers, another close but no cigar turnout just falling short of the charity donation barrier. But my sincere thanks to the 95 who did vote, including a first time voter who just happened to be an ex captain of Celtic – I am humbled indeed!

     

    The total votes cast for each player are as follows, with my own nominations asterisked.

     

     

    Schmeichel: 75

     

    Araujo*: 54

     

    Trusty: 2

     

    Scales: 32

     

    Tierney*: 45

     

    McGregor: 6

     

    Engels*: 10

     

    Nygren: 52

     

    Yang: 3

     

    Maeda: 3

     

    Tounekti: 1

     

    McCowan: 0

     

    Hatate: 0

     

    Kenny: 0

     

    Unused substitutes: Bernardo, Donovan, Forrest, Murray, Ralston, Sinisalo

     

     

    And so, the POINTS earned by each player for the game against Falkirk are as follows –

     

    25 points: Schmeichel

     

    22 points: Araujo

     

    19 points: Nygren

     

    16 points: Tierney

     

    14 points: Scales

     

    12 points: Engels

     

    11 points: McGregor

     

    10 points each: Maeda and Yang

     

    8 points: Trusty

     

    7 points: Tounekti

     

    5 points each: Hatate, Kenny, McCowan

     

    1 point each: Bernardo, Donovan, Forrest, Murray, Ralston, Sinisalo

     

    The cumulative points achieved after 35 games played are now –

     

    477: McGregor

     

    476: Scales

     

    421: Tierney

     

    376: Engels

     

    332: Hatate

     

    329: Maeda

     

    326: Trusty

     

    317: Nygren

     

    298: Yang

     

    275: Tounekti

     

    274: Schmeichel

     

    251: McCowan

     

    241: Forrest

     

    225: Donovan

     

    188: Iheanacho

     

    177: Ralston

     

    166: Kenny

     

    158: Carter-Vickers and Saracchi

     

    126: Bernardo

     

    89: Murray

     

    74: Yamada

     

    70: Balikwisha

     

    60: Johnston

     

    55: Sinisalo

     

    42: Araujo

     

    40: Osmand

     

    23: Inamura

     

    19: Idah

     

    14: Simpson-Pusey

     

    6: Doohan

     

    1: Hale and Isiguso

     

    0: All the other players who’ve not yet made a matchday squad!

     

    Our next game sees us play our first tie in this season’s Scottish Cup, away to Auchinleck Talbot. Our opponents decided to shift the game to Rugby Park so it’s another battle on the plastic carpet. The game kicks off at 5.30pm on Sunday and is live on Premier Sports.

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  12. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Quite like Bowie, but I’m not sure how well he would work as the central striker in a front three. You need somebody who is going to score a lot, unless you have goalscoring wingers, which we don’t now.

  13. Turkeybhoy on

    Think our chances of signing anyone in this window have been dashed.Seems the clubs are actually wanting money !!!!!!!!!.EG,The Celje boss is looking for around £5 million for his striker.

     

    Whoever heard of such a thing? Adding insult to injury ,Basle are looking for,around £6 million for their winger.A disgrace.

     

    £11 million for striker and winger.Unheard off.

     

    £17 million for Kuhn,and £10 million for Kyogo ????????

     

    .

  14. PeterLatchfordsBelly on

    Peter Maguire saying the Tisdale transfer list has been ripped up because it was total garbage.

     

     

    Desmond gave us this one. GTF.

  16. fanadpatriot on

    I don’t know how these directors of our great club can sleep at night.

     

    The displays this season,not counting Martins contributions,are dreadful

     

    Nicolson is the worse ever ,a friend of a friend told me months ago he was a wimp.,

     

    Motherwell and Falkirk played us off the park ,what an embarrassment

  18. Maolmuire O Muirgheasa on

    He looks like a startled meerkat every time i see him, like someone who has wandered onto the wrong set.

     

     

    I could do the startled meerkat for 800k too.

  21. Tontine Tim on

    quadrophenian on 15th January 2026 8:26 pm

     

    Tontine Tim on 15th January 2026 2:36 pm

     

     

    Cheers TT. I trust Mrs TT’s physicians are delivering the treatment and support that’s improving her everyday living situ.

     

     

    *they are absolutely brilliant and so is the Ontario Hospitalisation Programme, our version of the NHS

  23. Drambowiecelt on

    Regarding our Club…….

     

    Breaks my heart the way we are divided just now.We have shone the light on

     

    Scottish football forever….Every division …”with us” opens a door for the dark side to advance.

     

    Sneaky .upbeat reprots T.V negative updates?? on us…From Hun bartsewards.

     

    We have in history books who we are …despite the barricade always placed in front of us.

     

    Faithful?? you bet to my dying grave….

  24. PeterLatchfordsBelly on

    If Channel 5 ever commissions a show titled the World’s Weakest Man I reckon wee Micky Nicholson is a shoo-in.

     

     

    Dermot likes ‘em weak as piss.

  26. Moisey17 on

    ☝️

     

     

    I disagree with above.

     

    All we do is talk about the football. Sadly the football is poor, the team is poor and the means to bring about change or a plan to improve that are non existent.

     

    Can you tell me how this is not talking about the football and what parts of that comment are not correct.

     

    Thanks

  27. Moisey17 on

    If Celtic are not seriously looking at Maswanishe at Motherwell 5 miles down the road I just don’t get it.

     

    He is the top scorer in the league we play in, he currently lives here and knows the landscape and opponents, he plays off the RW and scores goals, he is fast and direct, he is young (23?), he will be on a very meagre wage at Motherwell so affordable on fee and wages. What am I missing?

  29. KevJungle on

    PeterLatchfordsBelly on 16th January 2026 2:07 am

     

    If Channel 5 ever commissions a show titled the World’s Weakest Man I reckon wee Micky Nicholson is a shoo-in.

     

    Dermot likes ‘em weak as piss.

     

    …………..

     

     

    If the fanbase wasn’t weak as piss then Dermot would have been hunted years ago.

     

    But here we are.

     

    HH

     

    oot.

  31. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    PCS @9.09pm – a fair observation, particularly your point on “Oh for the days when we could respectfully discuss the football itself”.

     

     

    If memory serves the blog has/had 3 rules:

     

     

    1. No personal abuse

     

    2. No swearing

     

    3. No politics

     

     

    Even for the hardest of thinking these rules aren’t difficult to understand so you’ve got to ponder the motives of those who deliberately go out of their way to flout them.

     

     

    I wrote a good few years ago that the evolution of CQN since its inception was like watching the blog equivalent of ‘Gresham’s law’ play out. Unfortunately it’s only gotten worse, something that I’m sure is to the immense satisfaction of some so it’s to Paul’s credit that he keeps it going.

     

     

    Keep posting, don’t be discouraged and always pay attention 👍

  32. Turkeybhoy on

    Eratic,

     

    Wilson would be good.

     

     

    Who for?The Board?Kick the can down the road a wee bit.Your comment would be. Music to their ears.

     

    ” Put your purse away Michael,he is free”.

  34. Turkeybhoy on

    The Blogger,

     

    Yes,because that’s the way normal people discuss football when talking in the Pub.No politics,aye right,because who cares about that rubbish?

     

    You forgot about no bad talking the Board.

     

    ” Hello old chap,just back from the Footie?”Did those rattling,battling,jaunty boys in Green put on a show at the Palace of the gallus today?

  35. Turkeybhoy on

    Moisey,

     

    Exactly.Top scorer,SpL,from the wing.Another Kuhn.A good striker is all that’s required.

     

    He is not free or a loan right enough.The winger from Basel at £6 million probably no better.

     

    No idea what the thought process is.

  36. spikeysauldman on

    no politics ?

     

    so only focus on the 90+ minutes on the pitch.

     

     

    ignore the fans in the stadium

     

    ignore the employees in the comfy seats

     

    ignore the accounts/running of the club

     

    ignore the football authorities – local and continental

     

    ignore the policing of football

     

    ignore the referees association

     

    ignore the referees’ affiliations

     

    ignore the media and their agendas

     

     

    fussball anyone ?

  37. DeniaBhoy on

    TurkeyBhoy and Moisey – spot on. The baffling things is, MoN, Shaun and co. have seen this player up close. The players have played against him. Do they not talk? Does Calmac not say “hey boss, for what it’s worth that Motherwell player would do us a turn” (=r Hibs player, or Kilmarnock player . . . .). Or KT say, “boss, that guy had me on toast tonight, get him in, he’s top drawer”.

     

     

    Do they not put their heads together and discuss these things rather than relying on agents calling them up and a computer database of possible projects?

     

     

    Is it too naive to hope that such discussions take place?

  38. quadrophenian on

    Wee Lachie Brooks, Adelaide born ex-Brentford yoof, ripping it up for Auckland FC.

     

    Scores again. Playing alongside Big Sam Cosgrove.

     

    Brooks (24) is a cheaper, grittier, high energy version of Nic ‘Half-interested’ Kuhn.

  41. the long wait is over on

    PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY on 16TH JANUARY 2026 2:07 AM

     

     

    Dermot likes ‘em weak as piss.

     

     

    —————-

     

    Exactly – because it allows him to act as a majority shareholder when he is no such thing.

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