They just cant get enough!
Relentless.
Machine-like.
Supreme.
Entertaining.
Unstoppable.
Take your pick or add your own, I think all of the above could summarize this particular Celtic team.
There’s only one word missing, Winners, but on this trajectory it won’t be long.
That’s 15 games without defeat now, a magnificent 7 wins straight, it seems so long ago when we lost by a single goal to the team currently sitting third in the Bundesliga.
Many strong teams tried, many strong teams failed.
When it comes to winning, this team just can’t get enough.
We called Martin ‘Midas’ but currently everything Ange touches is turning to gold, while spending a hell of a lot less. How he spots a player I’ll never know, that knack shall earn the club plenty in the long run.
One day, in the future, for right now we must be one of Europe’s most exciting football teams. Players don’t want to jump off, they wish to jump on!
Why would anyone want to leave our own
‘something special here’ mk2?
This experience is of much benefit to all our players, recent arrivals or not.
Liel needs game time in order to discover consistency, and is repaying Anges faith in spades by going on a hot streak.
He would have been benched in the EPL.
Tom Rogic needs a system that suits him in order to shine, that much is apparent.
Done. He’s another that wouldn’t cut it down South.
Anthony Ralston, Greg Taylor, Carl Starfelt could be added to that list.
Some aren’t especially good football players, but understand and can implement this Manager’s instructions well enough to look good.
That’s never a given and all the above should be smart enough to realize this is as good as it gets.
Big John and Master Strachan also have a great opportunity to learn from a master, they should be smart enough to watch and listen closely.
Tims everywhere just can’t get enough of this new look side that thrills more with every passing 90 minutes, finding potential heroes everywhere they look.
Witnessing the team is thrilling enough, but the ‘new’ lighting has really raised the bar. Evening games have become real spectacles, I thought the buildup to last Wednesdays clash was outstanding and actually world class.
The board have used that old cliche so many times, that they aim to be world class in everything they do, but on the entertainment/lighting front they have actually pulled it off. I gladly give Peter the credit, money well spent indeed and surely eyes perked up across the continent at those spine tingling scenes.
That atmosphere and effort calls for big games, and big performances.
Plus of course, big supporter involvement.
Season tickets will be getting snapped up quickly no doubt.
These are truly exciting times, our Greek Australian has invited us all aboard his green and white rollercoaster and floored it. Martin was ‘invited’ to the slow lane but if this board are smart and have actually learned from the past, Midas Mk2 needn’t be ordered to ease off the throttle.
Given everyone just can’t enough, he could instead be told to prepare for more passengers.
By Mahe
Has Crawford Allan released his statement about this yet…………..
https://twitter.com/chooblivesok/status/1490419268114075652
Good morning everyone and a cracking article full of positivity to kickstart the new week Mahe.
I can’t remember being this excited about the potential of our squad. We have a top goalkeeper, our much maligned defence are plying brilliantly and conceding fewer goals than anyone else, we have great options up front and our midfield players are sensational.
Bring on Aberdeen on Wednesday and enjoy the trip up north anyone who is lucky enough to have a ticket.
Good morning, friends. Good, positive leader, Mahe. Cant wait to be entertained again on Wednesday evening, even though I’ll be relying on a dodgy stream as no TV coverage of ANY of the 6 SPL games. Grrrrrrr…
Nothing like a good hunskelping to set the tone for yesterday. It was important to consolidate the derby win with a good win at Fir Park. And we did! Super performance by an ever improving team. The rest of the league will be shitting themselves.
I love Ange!
Morning all & Packy.
“Big John and Master Strachan also have a great opportunity to learn from a master, they should be smart enough to watch and listen closely.”
I was thinking about that when I listened to Ange’s interview after the match. He pointed out that all the coaching staff are singing from the same book. Hence everyone in the squad knowing their job on the field of play and the role of others in the team. Consistency. It seems that the coaches are expected to carry out his plan and don’t deviate. He’s the boss.
I admit I was a bit worried when he didn’t replace JK & ‘Master Strachan’. But it didn’t worry him. As long as they do as they are told they will be fine. Looks like they have responded well!
It would be easy to get carried away with the current form of the team. Good patches, just like bad patches, can be temporary.
However, there are good reasons to believe that the team is changing its fundamentals under Ange. Firstly, this looks like a genuinely happy group of players with a sense that they are on the threshold of something big. Secondly, the one touch football on display against M’well and Sevco illustrates that this is now a real team, not a collection of mercenaries. Each player seems to know where a teammate is without looking. Its effect can be devastating. Thirdly, the nature of the passing movements has changed for the better. Specifically, Hatate can hit crossfield passes with both length and accuracy. This allows us to break quickly and also to change the focus of our attack. Others in the team are inspired to try the same. In addition, O’Riley, Hatate and Maeda know how to use vertical passes through a defence…..something for a player to run onto rather than a pass to feet. Once we perfect this Maeda will score a ton of goals because nobody can live with his pace.
Sadly, these changes will leave some players behind. Forrest’s style of holding the ball too long and moving slowly will become obsolete in this team. Ewan Henderson is already a casuality.
These are fundamental changes in the way Celtic play …all of it is grounds for optimism.
Rebus
GER57
REBUS67
Howdy,old bean!
I watched thehighlights of the game again while I was writing tomorrow’s article. I watched the game itself chez SOLKITTS,and discussed it later with ATHINGOFBEAUTY,but I always like to be sure that my memory isn’t playing me badly when I write these.
It’s an age thing,I reckon. Can remember forty years ago-when I first met SOLKITTS!-but five minutes ago is a mystery…
The pace of our game at the moment is relentless,and it is something I feature in that article to come. And it occurs to me that we know that we have sometimes signed players,especially strikers,who just could not fit into how we played-or were forced to play by virtue of packed defences.
Jorge and Henrik,for example,somehow overcame those problems,and could play to any style. But one of our previous players-a legend nevertheless!-who did not and never could play to the style demanded,would have been perfect in our current set up. Not that I have any problems with the current squad,as you might have noticed.
Blinkin’ flip,I’m in danger of becoming a happy clapper!
Anyway,Harald Brattbakk was intrinsically unsuited for the Celtic team that he joined. He was a player who relied on his pace to get in behind defenders,and put the finishing touch to a move. He would revel in the service being provided currently. But then,so too are the current forwards,so what do I know?
Bobby,
I agree. Another player from the past who was wasted in his version of Celtic was Zurawski. He ran the channels but frequently did not receive a pass. He even asked for a fellow Polish midfielder to be signed that understood his game….to no avail. Eventually he became frustrated and faded away.
I also think that Scottish football is changing Ange’s style. He is learning to have his team manage a game once they are ahead instead of running their guts out for 90 minutes.
Yesterday there were several prolonged periods in the second half when the team just moved the ball continuously for around 20 passes. M’well were left chasing shadows.
In a way, I was saddened to see the current M’well team. Many are honest triers but several are simply thugs. I include the Dutch CF, Van something, Cornelius, and Tierney in that group. Gone are the days of Willie Hunter, Pat Quinn, and Ian St John! Even Willie Pettigrew was worth a watch as he usually scored.
Rebus
REBUS67
Aye,scored a bloody hattrick and put us out of the cup!
Reminds me of-spoiler alert,name dropping!-when I was at Glasgow Uni about 82. Would meet up with some friends before lectures,have a coffee and if we could afford it,a piece of iced treacle sponge. That was a rare treat for us,for some reason! Anyway,Brian McClair was one of our happy band. We never socialised together apart from the early hours,btw,so he was an acquaintance rather than a friend,as we all were.
He walked in first day after New Year. I told him to sit down,allow me,and I’ll even get you an iced treacle sponge.
What,you won the pools? Grant cheque in?
Naw,ye scored a hat trick against the huns over the holidays! I want to know what it was like! And what Jock Wallace-Motherwell manager at the time-said about it.
Brian shrugged it off,said that scoring hat-tricks was what a striker should be doing every game. And there was a game in midweek against Celtic.
Aye,I said. None of that hat trick nonsense on Wednesday,son!
Brian had to buy his own coffee and cake on Thursday. I wasn’t talking to him. Scored twice,including the winner. And you know how much we lost the league by that season,82-83!
For all you Unique angle enthusiasts
Celtic TV (@CelticTV) Tweeted: #MOTCEL 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 📽️
👻 Liel Abada ghosting in at the back post 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣…
🎯 @Tom_Rogic with a trademark screamer™️
💥 The Wizard finishing off another team move
⤴️⤵️ @M_daizen_1020 completes the scoring
#cinchPrem | #COYBIG🍀 https://t.co/ETCCQP30al https://twitter.com/CelticTV/status/1490644259866923012?s=20&t=7-TdoobnkX-V0-FS0a6-XA
Last time I was at a game in Motherwell, we had nearly half the main stand and the whole of the one behind the goals, no buffer zone.
It appears we only get behind the goals and a large buffer zone so we are not next to their teenage ultra weans.
Commentator says the have one of the smallest budgets in the league, I wonder why😵😱
Prestonpans bhoys
I noticed the empty seats, but think that’s because the away team access the changing room at that point and health n safety and all that
Tam sellic son (@TamsellicsonIII) Tweeted: https://t.co/fjbdeJ4Jgp https://twitter.com/TamsellicsonIII/status/1490378070087327746?s=20&t=MQAISlrg8M_dQOTsmyM5vw
Unbelievable from Ange Postecoglu and his team. We have a squad who want to play for each other and the manager, we’re scoring goals for fun, the support has bought into his philosophy which epitomises the way Celtic plays its football. Its fecking brilliant to watch. I’ve not seen a better style of football at Celtic Park for a long time including during the BR era. Too think we were in such disarray at the start of the season to where we are now is off the scale. Ange is a winner, no doubt. I can’t wait for Wednesday.
Rebus67
The Neil Lennon style of pass and stand still has been consigned to the dustbin where it always belonged.
Off ball movement is key by giving multiple options to passer and forces defensive adjustments which make it more difficult for opponents.
Having guys like Hatate and Rogic who can score from distance makes it harder for opposition to just hold position in the final third.
Also Hatate, O’Riley and to a degree Rogic all possess the ability to thread forward diagonals for forwards to attack.
With the return of Kyogo combined with Jota.Abada and Maeda it could be devastating with their speed and ability to attack space.
The cheats with whistles are going to have to ramp up their game even more to stop us.
Beaton and Madden did everything they could to halt Giomakis with awarding imaginary fouls against him forgetting we have an abundance of goalscorer’s.
AFTERNOON ALL and JIM, craig76 thanks for the unique angle shots ,looking at fir park from that angle reminded me of going there for the first time in 1965/66, nothing has changed,,another true story.😎
Noel Skytrot
BR’s first season the team were excellent with great skill and movement.
But half way through second season we became obsessed with possession and our potency started to decline.
When he left in 3rd season we were often pedestrian.
Fan that’s the way I was thinking yesterday when it was shown we had 69% possession. It wasn’t for negative reasons, as you say like half way through BR’s term and Lennon’s second stint. Our possession is now more purposeful. And I’m not saying there isn’t a place in our game for a holding position later on in a match when we are defending a lead. Especially in Europe?
Mahe
A fine article This positivity stuff is definitely catching. 😀😀
The standouts for me yesterday were Rogic, G-Mak, Maeda and Abada. Abada had absolutely no right to win that ball that led to the 3rd goal. His pace, like Maeda’s, is phenomenal.
My only concern with yesterday was the starting defence. Against a better team than Motherwell we could have lost a goal or two. Ange would do me ould heart a lot of good, if he started with the A-team in defence, i. e. Taylor, CCV, Starfelt and Juranovic. Rotation is all well and good for the midfield and forward line, but certainly not the defence. Get the goals first then rotate players in defence. I know rotation worked yesterday. That will not always be the case. Adaba always looks more likely to work his magic if Juranovic is playing, as last Wednesday had proven all too well.
Craig76
Cheers for that post. Had not noticed the Motherwell player’s handball till now. As for Crawford Allen, this guy is too busy with goat-bothering down at his local Masonic hall to take an interest in fitba. Unless a decision benefits Celtic, of course. Fecker.
BMCUW
I too can remember events from over 40 years ago, but struggle to recall what I got up to a couple of days ago. Very strange.
Hail Hail.
Sevco get Walsh yet again on Wednesday, their go to red card guy,how many times this season has he helped them in a game?
We have Gollum
Fan,
totally agree, some of the football under BR was serious but I prefer Ange’s style.
must admit ange has got a bit of jock stein about him.lang may his lum reek,👍
Naming referees days before the games.
Is there a reason for this I’m missing??
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2022/february/07/condolences-after-the-passing-of-former-celt–davie-cattanach/
BAD- names usually available on SFA website, a couple of days before games
Craig67@1:24
Ok that would make sense, only started watching at kick off. Wanted to miss Boyd’s technical analysis😱
RIP davie cattenach ,seen him play for celtic a couple of times.,H.H.
I see Stephen Welsh never made the Conference League squad with Chris J preferred.
Kyogo and DT included!
https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferenceleague/clubs/50050–celtic//squad/
Sevco obviously hand picking referees, Collum replaced by Madhun last week, and red card poster boy Walsh to help them out on Wednesday, Clancy won’t be near them until further notice
MAGUA/BIG Packy 👍
Prestonpans bhoys 🤣😃
Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) Tweeted: Liel Abada for Celtic this season:
✅38 games
⚽️14 goals
🅰️11 assists
📊directly involved in a goal every 104 minutes
20 years of age. What a transfer this was for The Bhoys! ☘️ https://t.co/iDkenLGzP6 https://twitter.com/FTalentScout/status/1490358175626895371?s=20&t=clRJ4O61TK-12Siscaoygw
Over the last two games I’ve shouted Wow first rather than Yess.
The last Yess was at Abadas late winner v Dundee Utd but when is the last time Wow became part of the match watching lexicon?
I was thinking on same lines as Rebus iro James Forrest in terms of speed and energy but he has a great touch and accurate passing ability that will see him feature this season.
When Abada ran on to a superb Ralston pass, when I watched the replay Abada’s running style reminded me of Bobby Lennox. Can we be that lucky again?
Standing back as I do, whilst Ange deserves all the praise coming his way, without a change in Board policy it would not be possible.
The change has been giving football decisions higher priority than financial ones to bring a much needed levelling.
The policy Celtic adopt at Board level ALWAYS causes rise or fall of performance on the field of play. So please drop supporting the team but not the Board. It harms the team, it harms those adopting it and it harms Celtic as a whole. There is no separation.
Hopefully one of the lessons learned by The Board is the support at large can get disenchanted (I.e the magic of Wow gets lost) and the Board start to share some of their thinking going forward. Transparency stops lies and deceitful behaviour and the painful consequences of them.
It is no accident the change of policy arrived with departure of PL who got the financial balance wrong but benefitted from it regardless of football results.
I think Res12 has helped in his removal and thanks for all who supported it.
Infinite patience produces immediate results.
BIGPACKY 306
Haha,that’s a good point!
Particularly at Hampden,all we could see as kids when we were sent to the front was the players’ ankles!!!
Emusanorphan
Welsh is eligible to play in Europe as he came through the Academy and is listed in the B squad apparently.
Superbru update:-
This week’s yellow cap winner was our own big Steve Conroy fan 😀 Bada Bing with 8.5 points. Half a point behind was Call me Gerry and Cosy Corner Bhoy was a further half point away in 3rd.
7 fans got the 4:0 prediction in the Celtic match right, including two of the above named.
The wooden spoon this week went to Quadrophenian with 1 point but Tirconnel, wee BGFC, Knoxy and Jonny the Tim shared that total too.
In the overall race Call me Gerry has extended his lead to 4.5 over Hopeful Hoops with Big Archie a further 6 points back in 3rd.
Next predictions are due in by Wednesday at 19.45 when we have a full 6 matches to predict so a chance to beat our winning weekly total of 15.5 held by Bhoyfromthevillage.
Good Luck to you all.
AULDHEID
Tomorrow’s article obliquely compares Maeda to Bobby Lennox,so we canny have TWO buzz-bombs! Or can we?
As for the change in direction since the departure of Lawwell,that is also referenced. That it took a monumental failure for him to depart when it had been obvious for years that his focus was hardly football-related is a failure of everyone involved in that. And yes,I agree that Res 12 helped considerably,as a noose awaiting the inevitable verdict which on-field results would decide.
He could survive one or the other,but not both.
Rebus
God you are going back a bit. An in law of my upstairs neighbour was a good pal of Pat Quinn and those other Motherwell players in the 60s.
He was a great football man himself and many years later surfaced on the EK amateur football scene coaching with the same enthusiasm in his late 60s as his late 20s.
I met Wullie Pettigew at a Motherwell Supporters event. My £5 signed note won me a prize and Wullie was giving out the prizes. I reminded him of his 2 touch goal v Celtic in a cup tie. He took one touch at half way line to direct a goalie punt into Celtic half, chased it and his next touch was to score past the advancing keeper.
I asked how his good lady was doing and he made the connection to her working days in NSB when I was her boss. Her nickname was ” Pelmet” on account of the length of her mini skirt.
He might even have worked at NSB that over the years employed many thousands with workers in the hundreds. Joking, NSB had a perfect balance between work and play and I made sure I did both.
Peter Lawwell? His lasting legacy? The new lighting system at Parkhead. Nothing else positive for supporters. That was his limits. Perhaps even the new lighting was a suggestion from one of his pals in the media! He certainly didn’t challenge the media or the refereeing, or the SFA, or UEFA, or ………….Dermot Desmond. Perish the thought!
Does anyone think Peter Lawwell or Desmond Desmond actually pop on to Celtic blogs to see what fans are thinking? No me neither! As far as Bankier goes – I’m not quite sure if he can read nor write!
haw you, leave dessy alone, he gives me half a crown for carrying his golf clubs, which to us pensioners is a lot of money, compare that to solkitts. i carry sols golf clubs and he hands me a tetleys tea bag and says have a drink on me, another not true story,👍🤩🤩
BIGPACKY
Bad news,mate. Looks like Tetley’s is out and ASDA Basics is back.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/feb/07/asda-to-make-cheapest-food-ranges-more-widely-available-jack-monroe
BOBBY i prefer yorkshire tea bags, lovely cup of tea,👍
Packy I wouldn’t spit on him if he was on fire. That is a man who goes to bed dreaming ££££££s. I’m from Irish stock, and he’s as much Irish and Celtic minded as King Billy. I loathe the man. Can’t wait until he has gone from any connection to Celtic.
Barkas named in Euro Squad:
Discuss 😁
MondayClubCSC
JIM, i have a strong feeling you dont like mr desmond, who said the rainjurs are one of the great football clubs🤩
You can tell from that stupid moustache, it’s all about me me me! It’s like a comedian or an actor or a singer might wear for an ‘image’. ME! ME! ME! Look at me!
Packy, aye and that he missed them in the top league in Scotland! Despite the fact that they were a new club!
Imagine any Catholic esp from an Irish background saying that Rangers had a great heritage! They were infamous for not signing Catholics!
How EUFA tolerated their policy about signing Catholics for so long mystifies me. So many countries in EUFA are Catholic minded.
JIM, yes if graham souness had not come along at that time, im sure their anti catholic policy would still be in place,👍