‘No one said it was easy.’ How true. When I heard the Celtic line-up I responded, “Would take a 1-0 right now”. No strikers and a new central defensive pairing is not the way to start an important game.
A couple of years ago, you would have an ominous feeling right now, but with Brendan, there’s a belief that we will be prepared in Trondheim. We need to put the ball in the net. Even if we concede first, subsequently putting the ball in the net resolves a lot of issues.
My expectation is that we saw the best of Rosenborg last night. Celtic were clearly well below their best. When the teams meet again Celtic will be one week fitter, and I expect personnel changes.
For so long we missed the kind of football that knots your stomach. This one is hugely important. Enjoy the tension!
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STARRY PLOUGH on 27TH JULY 2017 3:17 PM
QUONNO
Do you ever listen to the manager when he speaks about the football club??
Regardless of what Brendan says about club, the question was does he control transfers.
BR did say the other day that managing 3 1st team level strikers when you only play 1 at a time can cause more problems in the squad than it solves.
I posted this earlier this morning at 12:50 AM ..
It was interesting that the Aberdeen Manager said after their
recent european tie that he had got it wrong, and said they were
one game short in their pre-season preparation before Europe.
However they were much better and sharper in their second leg ..
The quality of Linfield and moving that game to the Friday,
meant the benefit of having the Lyon game was lost ..
Had our first team played against Lyon for 90 mins, and with
their quality, we may well have been a bit shaper tonight ..
Hopefully we’ll win our away leg the same as the Dons did ..
Interesting piece by Chris McLaughlin.
Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster says the governing body will meet fans with views on their handling of Rangers’ use of Employee Benefit Trusts.
The SPFL says it cannot impose fresh sanctions after seeking legal advice.
“Rod Mackenzie [SPFL lawyer] and I are happy to meet with supporter groups who have concerns,” Doncaster said.
So aul Messers McKenzie and Doncaster Eh!
Thought we were still pretending the SFA Governed Scottish Football or have they come clean on that one.
Hail Hail
TD67, I agree. A bad night is all it was.
Is any decent CL level striker going to ship to be a bench warmer? I don’t think so.
Also, if we had signed a top striker in the last 2 weeks the “Dembele’s Going” brigade would have been out in greater force than the orcs on the 12th!
We had the players on the park last night capable of beating Rosenberg. That we drew 0-0 is down to a poor performance by the team.
The goalie and two centre half’s did OK. Lustig and KT weren’t their usual attacking selves.
Brown tried but had an average game by hist standards; Ntcham was OK.
Armstrong and Sinclair were missing; Jamsie tried but got little support from any runners. Rogic was wearing diving boots.
The 2 subs weren’t on long enough to make any real impact.
The overall team performance was about 60%.
The coaching staff were too slow to change it.
Had 8 or 9 of our players played 10% better we would have beat Rosenberg. I expect us to next week.
KTF
The thing that has exacerbated the striker situation to such a painful degree is the absence of Patrick Roberts.
One quality a goodTeacher has is to instil confidence in pupils by offering praise before making constructive criticism. Although they have other obvious qualities, there are quite a few on CQN who would not make good Teachers.
JJ
DAVIDOPOULOS on 27TH JULY 2017 3:09 PM
NATKNOW on 27TH JULY 2017 2:56 PM
Any club with serious Champions League ambitions need the requisite number of cows and banjos at the training facility to allow the strikers to practice with properly strung and tuned banjos and properly inflated cows. That’s the problem right there…
———————————–
I believe Brendan employs the ‘Barn Door Technique’. I guess it’s a bit like Zonal v Man Marking…
———————————————
Zonal marking?!! Now you’ve done it!! Expect an avalanche of middle-aged opprobrium!
1. Celtic issue a statement calling for a “review” of LNS on 7 July following the Supreme Court ruling EBTs illegal
2. Then the SPFL rearrange the deckchairs on the titanic with Peter Lawwell leaving its board
3. Then the SPFL issue a weasel worded legal opinion framed against a tight and dodgy remit that they saw provides legal finality that they cannot punish any entity calling itself Rangers in respect of their tainted titles
4. In defending this position Neil Doncaster lets slip that the contents of this legal opinion predated the Supreme Court case and were discussed over a number of weeks previous by the SPFL board including Peter Lawwell (isn’t it strange that the SPFL board deliberated over a mere opinion for a number of weeks yet didn’t collectively deliberate over appealing LNS during the generous 5 day appeal window in 2013?)
5. The SPFL then announce there will be a “review” albeit with no powers to punish any club wearing the Rangers name for the EBT cheating and that fans will be involved in this (presumably Sons of Struth, Laurie from Dennistoun who phones up Super Score Board and a couple of Huns from the daily record hotline)
So Celtic get their desired “review” after all.
The Celtic plc board in a cosy polygamous marriage of convenience with SPFL, SFA and Sevco Whatever the feck they’re called this week to lap up the bigoted pound for a standard of football that is plumbing the depths on its way to equivalence with the Maltese, Irish and Moldovan leagues for quality.
We are being shafted here.
People say that the sham nature of Scottish football makes it a form of WWE wrestling. It’s not even that good, or convincing an act, its more like the really Cheap and nasty wrestling that tours the big glamour venues of Airdrie town hall and Fauldhouse Miners Club.
Scottish football brought to its knees by Huns cheating, aided and abetted by active complicit acts by the SFA and SPFL and Celtic plc knowing full well what’s going on, giving tacit approval, in the knowledge that together the corrupt blazers are – flying in the face of company law, integrity and natural justice – restoring the “great club” and “fantastic rivalry” that our majority shareholder loves so much.
Craven weasels the lot of them.
I subscribe to Celtic TV since I do not live in the UK. I have done so since the first variation of this service started, way back as as audio only. Generally, the service has been good over the years but recently it has become poor. I missed the game last night completely. The week before, I lost most of the first half of the Linfield game with similar problems to last night, i.e. not being able to log in and then, when in, receiving no stream. I have forked out a full year of subscriptions and am now looking towards a refund, if possible.
Every business has problems with their product/service at some point. The important thing is how does the business respond to these problems. I sent three communications to Celtic TV last night and have not received a single reply. They could at the least have a blanket apology set up to mail out to their email list, but nothing.
Are others experiencing the same?
I have never used an alternative stream to Celtic TV because I feel it would be stealing revenue from the club. I am sorely tempted now, but I shall resist it and simply cease to view the games. Ultimately what that will do to my support of the club, who knows?
There are also problems in communicating with the fans in other areas. Time to join the 21 st century, Celtic, Undertake a review of the communication function within the club. This should be a priority and an item on the next AGM.
Rebus
Bada
Just read back – I got the link from James Doleman
Need the Trinity back
The preparation for Rosenborg was dreadful.
1) A narrow victory and two draws in Europe.
2) Shamrock Rovers were involved in the Europa League on the 6th of July and consequently played kids against us. We strolled it in a 9 nil kickabout.
3) The Linfield draw was a disaster and the date change to the 14th July nullified much of the value of the Lyon game on the 15th. The ticketing decision was another distraction.
4) The home tie against Linfield was a disaster for the Plc, it’s Security Staff, the GB and the club.
5) The decision to unilaterally ban 900 from a number of home and away matches was a disaster.
6) The handling of the No Further Action by the Plc has been a sell out of the support beyond anything in 129 years.
To read of the decision of the SPFL on Rangers Media and of the collusion of PL and the PLC is a resigning matter in my view.
Given the preparation of the First Team Squad, the incompetence and duplicity of the PLC a score of 0-0 is probably the best result we could hope for.
Quiz Question….
Who said this…????
“There is no room for debate. The safety authorities and the football authorities make the rules. They also enforce the rules. If the rules are broken, Celtic will be punished again and again. There is no hiding place from these realities. Anyone who has Celtic’s interests at heart must surely recognise them and behave accordingly.”
21st July 2017
Good post, Glorious Balance Sheet,
Battered Bunnet 2:59
Was thinking much the same myself. If Dembele and Griffiths can’t play together we would need to get someone in who could play in a one or a two. Maybe someone near the end of their career who doesn’t need to play too often?
REBUS67
I hear you.
The service is actually getting worse.
I got a response the day after Linfield game and no response to yesterday’s debacle.
The treatment of the customer base is breathtaking in it’s arrogance by the custodians.
To put it bluntly they say pay your money and accept whatever scraps we throw at you.
Gene-sorry,didn’t mean to namecheck you there with the scam….
Fridays are for bad news statements.
Still hoping for one today.
Because I like bring disappointed…
;)
Bada
No problem – glad you let me know
Weeminger 3:23
Agree, but are there not times you would want to play two, but because the two we have don’t seem to click then we can’t?
*being
Obvs…
I thought our full backs lacked a bit last night. Also thought the wing support to them in forward positions was poor.
Lustig frequently got the ball in the first half out on the right and wee Forrest was away running into a ruck of Rosenborg players rather than making a run to space. Lustig either played across the park for Brown and Ntcham to recycle it or he hit the first defender. Rosenborg did well to close down Lustig rather than just concede the space. Tierney seemed to be having the same difficulty but saw less of the ball. Kieran and Lustig looked a bit out of sorts in general – trapping and passing seemed a bit off.
Ntcham was good first half but he looks a stage ahead of his team mates in that he looks for the early pass into the areas before the 18 yard line. He tired second half and I don’t think our pushing so far up with the full backs giving away the ball helped him. He looks good at turning the midfield – elements of Paul McStay in that regard.
Rogic is no good with his back to goal and is far better running at defences, trying to get a wee half turn for a shot or playing other folk in. I would like him to try running to the front post when a cross comes in though. We seem to be throwing hopeful balls in with no one there and that’s not just last night.
If Grif isn’t fit next week I’d start with Hayes, Forrest and Sinclair up front.
Any highlights about from last night?
Sitting in my seat in the Sean South stand last night I saw the strangest thing. Fella in his late 40’s early fifties with his laddie recording parts of game on phone. As he panned around his galaxy 8 phone had a beautiful butchers apron cover. Both dad and lad were in hoops tops but the ole fella got a few strange looks from around him. Nothing said obviously.
Can you imagine a similar situation in mirdor except with zombie tops and an Irish tricolour phone cover?
Half expected it was Macjay. :-@)))
MWD
GLORIOUS BALANCE SHEET and CLOGHER CELT
Well said.
Can”t disagree with anything you both wrote.
I actually think Sinclair could play in a two with either Dembele or Griffiths, but not on his own.
Bit like a Rubik’s cube, this!
Rebus67
We have picture quality issues, drop outs, etc as well. We thought it was our issue but several different internet connection methods used but still the same. Can only assume it’s Celtic TV’s upload speed and/or their firewall, but the service needs to improve! In saying that if what we’re watching is corrupt (not the signal), then do we want to watch it???
Dresden
Dembele & Griffiths can’t play together????
I wonder who combined to bury the Zombies in a recent semi final????
JustDoItCSC
Let’s give the team the benefit of the doubt – an off night. The tie is wide open so let’s wait until after the next leg before passing judgement.
On the board though…
Celtic statement yet?
Even if a striker became available , would I be right in thinking he cannot be registered to play in the qualifiers this round .
GlassTwoThirdsFull on 27th July 2017 3:38 pm
Battered Bunnet 2:59
Was thinking much the same myself. If Dembele and Griffiths can’t play together we would need to get someone in who could play in a one or a two. Maybe someone near the end of their career who doesn’t need to play too often?
===========================
Just when we were about to have a transfer window without a Robbie Keane rumour ;)
HH
JIMTIM
I think one could be registered for the play off round.
I think Celtic, should use the January Transfer Window,then the players will have more time ,to get to no the system,and getting to know the players,but back to last night,2 striker’s injured,and not another one,in the squad,that Brendan trust,is unacceptable,tell you about the Development squad,no one good enough to take that role,
Many views being given for the poor performance last night but for the life of me I cannot see beyond the fact that the reason was simply that so many players were below average.
Why they were might be more open to debate but even well paid footballers are humans first and they can have off days. A lot of ours did last night.
Cheerio for now,
JJ
Timbhoy1
` Development` means just that. By definition, they won`t be ready yet.
Definitely off now !
GG
Watched game on a dodgy stream last nite, but from my observation, I dont expect Rosenberg to be much different at home from last night.
They also have the dilemma of 5h!t or get off the pan as they need to score, we can play a long game and if we went a goal up they need 2
In our favour, it is 0:0 at HT and away goals can only favour us.
we need to
-hit the byeline & avoid hitting first man with the cross (Mikel very guilty last night)
-increase fitness
– play for and build upon set pieces
-find a way to attack the ball in the box, rather than constantly recycle
Finally, I think young Ajer got through last night on adrenalin, and I suspect Bedtnar could pull him apart, so I would leave him on the bench.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0727/893338-martin-oneill-and-james-mcclean-reprimanded-by-fifa/
THE GLORIOUS BALANCE SHEET @ 3:29 PM,
Good post, you’ve hit a lot of salient points there.
One that tends to missed, is that the Rangers Placemen are not very good at their other job, their supposedly real job of running Scottish Football.
It’s a sad fact but an accurate one you mention. The standard of Scottish Football is the worst it’s ever been in its history.
When you look at the fact that Celtic are an outlier and take us out of the equation the standard is woeful.
We have some talented boys who get snapped up by English Sides and play the game at a reasonable level. Add to that the Scots that play for Celtic and you have a passable National Side despite the work of the SFA and SPFL.
Even then Wales, The ROI and Northern Ireland are out performing us.
Shameful. The fact that Scotland allows them to get away with it just tells you there is indeed something rotten in Scotland’s state.
Hail Hail
Quonno
Ooops not only do you not listen to the manager you don’t read what you wrote:((
“Is it Colin Nish to expect that a club that is about to issue a very healthy set of figures should have a pro active approach to player acquisition.”
The manager addressed the transfer window and did exactly what he said he was going to do…
the glorious balance sheet on 27th July 2017 3:29 pm
Great post. Saved me trying to find the words but keeping my powder dry until I no longer have to.
Funny thing is in saying RFC cannot be sanctioned nobody in authority has said they cheated even though the evidence exists.
What we need is the evidence of who cheated and why its not mentioned put out in such a way no one can deny it happened.