Cometh The Hour…
Morning,all.
What a weird game football can be at times. Bruges went in at half time a well-deserved goal up from precisely zero shots on target, and we went off at full time with a well-deserved draw from our only shot on target in the second period. It was an exciting and at times breathtaking game, played throughout at almost breakneck speed, yet neither team looked particularly comfortable on the ball. Quite honestly, it was impossible to take my eyes off it.
But I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed every minute! Did any of us get any pleasure at all from the first 45 minutes? If so, you really need to see a medical professional. We were bloody awful, could barely string two passes together and quite frankly looked like a bunch of strangers flung together at the last minute. It might even have been worse than that first half in Dortmund, just without the clinical incision and finishing. I know I was glad to hear the whistle, glad that BR could get the players into the dressing room and sort things out.
Bruges started the game on their toes, and we had to be on ours to keep them out. I think it took till the fifteenth minute for us even to carve out a half chance, which was the first time we troubled them in the box. Later in the half, Kühn went on one of his mazy runs but got the ball caught under his feet as he ran into a sea of defenders about eight yards out. Inbetween came…
Disaster. Only word for it.
CCV strayed up the pitch and had the chance to play a fairly easy ball in behind the left back for Kühn to run onto. That’s not his forte,not really. Easy pass only-which he screwed up. Bruges hit us on the break, we battled to get it back. Then the fun began. Kühn got the ball facing his own goal while tightly marked. He took it back towards goal and passed it to CCV,who passed it to the waiting Schmeichel. Except our keeper was waiting about fifteen yards away to the right, having also freed himself up for the pass from Kühn. He got to the ball about a yard too late as it crept in slo-mo at the far post. That will be on YouTube forever, and launch a thousand memes and gifs. It was certainly a gift for Bruges.
In fairness, it was little more than they deserved, little more than we deserved. They had dominated without really posing much threat, while we had done the square root of sod all. The midfield just weren’t at the races, and neither was Kyogo. Our entire right side, in fact, were brutal in the first half. CalMac wasn’t close to his usual controlling game, while Hatate could do absolutely nothing right. It wasn’t for the want of trying,I have to say. Everyone put in a shift, but too often we were chasing shadows. By half time,only Maeda and Trusty had (scant) pass marks from me, and improvements were desperately needed.
While many of us were by then screaming for the introduction of Bernardo and McCowan, BR had a problem to face up to. On a bench of twelve, they were the only two midfielders! Definitely too risky to put them both on, and in the end he decided to leave things as they were, in the hope that the pep talk would do the trick. It didn’t, and just before the hour, he brought on Bernardo and Valle for Engels and Taylor.
And cometh the hour…
Maeda picked the ball up on the left of the box, cut back on to his right foot and curled the most impossible shot in off the far post! I say impossible, and it bloody was!!! The gap for the ball to be threaded through just wasn’t there, and a thousand players could try it a thousand times and not find it. But HE did, and the stands erupted as much in relief and disbelief as in joy. Or maybe that was just me!
Celtic definitely had the better of the game from then on, Kühn started to get on the ball more, but without really threatening. In fact, it was Bruges who created the better chances to win it, and even looked to have done so, but their scorer was-literally-a foot offside.
At this stage in the competition, I think we are ahead on points of where most of us only really hoped to be. And we shouldn’t really be too disappointed at the draw with a club who are only a point behind us and certainly no mugs. Given how poor we were in the first half, I can’t believe that I AM disappointed that we didn’t win, because I thought we just did enough to get over the line. But when I look back, Bruges definitely deserved a draw. Even if they were as toothless up front as we were, that goal excepted.
Zagreb and Villa away now, with Young Boys at home. Eight points from five has us in 20th place,but the win would have put us in joint 6th! I think we can say that the new format is more exciting and unpredictable, and anything can happen from now on. Well, almost anything. One thing that MUST NOT happen again is that first half performance, which was as poor as I’ve seen at home in a European tie since we got hammered off PSG.
But I’ll take the point and hope for the best in the next three games. There’s a lot of football for us between now and Birmingham.
<><><><><><>
Above article by BMCUWP
POTY competition
sencelpoty@gmail.com
As you will all know,the site finally nominated a charity to be the recipient of the generosity and largesse of yourselves,and I think you all deserve huge applause for raising just short of £2k.
⭐️👏☘️👍🍾
That period has passed,and a new charity has been chosen to take us through to the end of the year. A landslide vote in favour of
Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust.
Once again,CHALMERSBHOY has done the spadework via JustGiving.
Here is the link for the Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust,our new charity which we will support.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/sentinel-celts-1722588284471?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fsentinel-celts-1722588284471&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share
This drive has already raised approaching another £2000,so join in. The more,the merrier.
Default payment method seems to be ApplePay,which won’t suit everyone. There is an option on the page to change that to your preferred option.
I couldn’t work this into the article,but a special mention merited for Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov. It’s becoming a pattern in European games to see referees do a proper job, and I wish ours would at least try to emulate them.
They were a very well coached team,and when you stand off them,that’s what happens, they must be wondering why they never won that game. Bernardo needs to start games now, Valle is a player, I did find Maeda and Kuhn getting subbed strange, I know they weren’t great but can give you a wee bit of magic.
This might be controversial, but one thing I would consider is opting to kick off when we win the toss in home European games. Opposition teams tend to do that, then use possession to settle themselves into the game and attempt to quiet the crowd. If they are good, it is often 2 or 3 minutes before we touch the ball.
We tend to pick ends rather than preventing the opposition doing exactly that, when we could be revving up crowd noise by getting a shot in on goal before the opposition even touch the ball. ( Of course our typical slow start with mind numbing sideways and backwards passing could obviate against that, but I think it’s worth a shot ). It wouldn’t have mattered tonight anyway, as Brugge won the toss, but we should consider it in future.
I watched some brief Brendan interviews, and am always frustrated by journalists not asking more incisive questions like, “Did you consider putting Bernardo and Valle on earlier, because they definitely influenced the game?” It is always pap, meaning Brendan’s responses are equally generic mishmash.
Highlights of PSV overhauling a 2-0 Shakhtar lead. Scroll to 9:15 to see the stunning equalizer from Malik Tillman ( who as BMCUWP has stated was the subject of Bayern paying Sevco mullions for the privilege of the Bundesliga team loaning him to them.🤣😅 )
https://youtu.be/NWIPUAJ4te0
Just saw the villa highlights, including the foul on the keeper ruled out Villa’s last second goal. The sort of foul, if its your keeper, its a clear foul, but if you are Villa, the sort of call only the big clubs get
Looking at the table after the games today, you realize just how big those two points dropped could be. 10 points would likely guarantee safety, but with teams like Real and PSG lurking just below, and likely to pick up points, even though it is only two points less, 8 points now seems much more precarious.
Trusty has been an excellent signing
Watched our game again. Just before Taylor got taken off, he was fast asleep as the winger behind him blasted an easy chance over the bar.
2 minutes later, Valle plays the perfect pass for Maeda to score.
Valle is by far the superior player.
Mike in Toronto.
HI Mike:
Unai Emery acknowledged that it is a foul anywhere in Europe outside the UK. Keepers just get more protection from referees, and British clubs just have to be aware of that when they play in Europe.
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
Only 9 of the 36 teams have scored more goals than Celtic. I think we will finish on 11 points, Real Madrid will get 15, PSG 13 and Stuttgart 10. We should scrape in. The PSG -Stuttgart game will be crucial. Getting a point in Zagreb would be a huge benefit.
Some cracking games in the Europa League tomorrow. Unfortunately, it is Thanksgiving Day in the US ( bigger than Christmas, and way bigger than New Year ) so I will unfortunately not catch these ties.
Yet again, Sevco meet a team severely depleted by injuries and suspensions. Uncanny.
Watched the Liverpool – Madrid highlights. Liverpool went after them like starving dogs.
Could have been more than 2-0.
Liverpool – Madrid highlights.
Scary stuff. Look at the sheer speed of Liverpool attacks by 8 players at a time. One touch football, constant movement with umpteen players running into space.
It’s night and day from the dross we just watched. I want us to qualify, but I really hope we don’t get drawn against this irresistible goal machine.
https://youtu.be/7fS04X3Qy4Y
Celtic are unbeaten in their last five Champions League home games (W3 D2), having lost eight of their previous nine at Celtic Park before this (D1).
Happy Thanksgiving from this side of the pond.
So far so good
Happy Thanksgiving to the good fholk of the USofA – Happy Holidays!!
Interesting game last night, got to say, Brugge had done their homework, had very good players and were very well organised.
It proved again we must be on top form to compete at this level.
Winging it’s way to SENCELPOTY@GMAIL.COM
1. Trusty
2. Schmeichel
3. Meada
Have A Grand Day Sentinels, that league is now taking shape, two more points from three games should keep us competing after January, doable!?
Hail Hail
INIQUITOUS IV 1228
Funnily enough,I was about to comment that we needed to get our foot on the ball and slow things down. Then I realised the game was only three minutes gone!
Delighted at the point given that awful first half. Delighted to have 8 points at this stage. Gone are thoughts of top 8 but one more win will see us comfortably in the playoff.
Disappointed at not getting the three points? Absolutely but that is because our expectations have gone up a notch and that is down to Brendan and the bhoys. We are competing rather than attending in the champions league. All good in the hood.!
Auldheid @ 12:35 pm,
“What triggered my response was the use of the word ” partial”.
That suggested to me that I wasn’t impartial
treating all rivals or disputants equally.
Which I try very hard to be.
I value being impartial and being trusted as a result, hence my reaction.”
Okay, so maybe you did not see you were not impartial…
“Auldheid @ November 26, 5:10 pm
So the fact PL drew the attention to SFA AND UEFA in May 2012 to Rangers use of ebts and side letters is not admissible evidence under to refute your suggestion Celtic went along with the lie?
Were Celtic told by UEFA to back off?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C8BvxddEbtQKL-rAa1yWZ6X5SOSNcdUk/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107947982974245186134&rtpof=true&sd=true
That letter was part of a bundle released with agreement between SFA and Celtic in 2017 after the Supreme Court ruled Rangers used EBTS unlawfully when Celtic asked SFA to reopen LNS and investigate the UEFA Licence 2011. SFA refused the former and ran the latter into the long grass of SFA’s own Judicial Panel Disciplinary Tribunal process after R2ngers made the case the matter should go to CAS. The SFA decided against.”
When Peter Lawwell wrote (with Neil Doncaster doing similar with megaphone diplomacy) to Stewart Regan to reopen LNS, The SFA Chief pointed out in his response that the SFA were the appellate body for the appeals process.*
The SPL could have followed due process and appealed the LNS findings to the SFA and choose not to.
For me that was a very fair point by Stewart Regan and one wonders why Neil Doncaster and Peter Lawwell, were making a song and dance about it, when it was always within their power to mount an official appeal.
*How can your comment be impartial when you didn’t link the “letters” bundle or detail any of Stewart Regan’s responses?
Have A Good Day Aff oot…
Hail Hail
After 25 mins I mentioned on here that the MF was all wrong. We were a man down and the other two were struggling to make up his absence. As a result our defenders were being put under enormous pressure and eventually, a mistake was made. Inevitable?
Well no, Bernardo should have started and his dig and speed of thought would have made a huge difference in that opening half. We would have gotten a foothold on the game.
However, I’m a retiree, and BR is a world renowned coach, so what do I know?
Chairbhoy
How can your comment be impartial when you didn’t link the “letters” bundle or detail any of Stewart Regan’s responses?
===/
Because I had easy access to the 20th May letter which was all I needed in order to respond to BPs post to bring impartiality into play. I did not have the full letter chain at hand. Simple as that.
I had to look for the rest which is buried on Celtic Web site but found it in that DR report that I posted soon after as I said I would in my response to your post.
I cannot recall BPs words but it was on lines Celtic allowed Rangers cheating.
The letter I posted challenges that but am I supposed not to be impartial because it looks to you that I am defending PL?
Sorry Chairbhoy but I am not responsible for how you see things and I don’t want to have to spend time on replying to unfounded accusations.
San Luis.
I simply do not understand why Engles is getting game time ahead of Bernardo and possibly McCowan.
I struggle to recall any performance by him that deserves the accolades given.
The Emperors New Clothes springs to mind.
IQ IV
2 minutes later, Valle plays the perfect pass for Maeda to score.
Valle is by far the superior player.
==
Valle’s pass was one Taylor seems afraid to attempt.
It was angled just right for Maeda to take on the full back I noticed.
Lots to be learned by BR last night.
Off topic,mainly for our Irish contingent and horse racing fans. A familiar name in this article
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/28/irish-fishing-brexit-fishers-ireland-general-election
Nina Carberry,former leading amateur jockey,seven Festival wins,is now a member of The European Parliament. Can’t quite imagine any British former jockeys in politics,somehow. Though I’m sure there will be one somewhere.
AULDHEID
Engels closes down the options for the opposition,but he has to bring a lot more. I reckon that he will probably get the next three games,but if he hasn’t improved he will be benched in favour of Bernardo.
As for Hatate last night. Although he did well against Hearts,it was crazy to play him for the full ninety. And probably would have been better served with a day off.
The only reason I can think of for playing Taylor instead of Valle is the rumoured January recall by Barcelona. Either way,with Taylor still refusing to sign a new contract,we need to get game time into young Frame in the second half of the season. We will need him to be up to speed for next season if we lose those two.
Our only other two midfielders in the squad,I might add,are the injured Holm and untested 18yo Turley. Which should settle any arguments about whether we should sign Lennon Miller in January.
Chairbhoy
The SPL could have followed due process and appealed the LNS findings to the SFA and choose not to.
For me that was a very fair point by Stewart Regan and one wonders why Neil Doncaster and Peter Lawwell, were making a song and dance about it, when it was always within their power to mount an official appeal.
===
I think that is where Regan was being cunning.
The LNS Commision was a sham and I think Regan knew that.
The SPL decision not to appeal LNS when Eric Riley absented himself from the process is an interesting one.
The minutes of that meeting are around somewhere but I don’t have time now to link to them. The decision was not unanimous and Ross Harper the SPL lawyer was not exactly for an appeal.
If I recall properly the SFA argued that the SPL should conduct the Commision leaving SFA as appelant body.
I always thought that suspicious as the SFA had a rule about clubs acting in upmost good faith to fellow members that should have been the basis of of the LNS ToRs not player misregistration.
LNS Commission was a sham and SFA played a part in it so Regan used that knowing why SPL did not appeal.
I posted after Hearts game how they allowed CCV to have the ball as he couldn’t find an outlet.
60% possession last night and about50% of the time CCV and Trusty passed side to side to each other.
If our opponents can easily see that CCV hampers our forward movement so allow him the ball why can’t the coaches?
I’ve just realised the 2 sides we have beaten are on 0 points.
Young Boys are the 3rd team on 0.
I hope that continues although a win against them would still suggest we have a way to go.
A win at Zagreb (on 7 points) would be a step up and underline our improvement.
I thought we were standing too far off them for around 35mins, and were making it easy for them to lift their heads and play through us.
From then on I thought we were good without being spectacular. Still think we should have been more direct in the last 15mins ..the game was there to be won.
We are getting big results again in Europe and I have absolutely no fear of going to Zagreb or Birmingham. I can see us ending with 12-14pts.
Well done to Brendan and the boys 👍
Hopefully YB are concentrating on other things by the time we meet them.
Fan@9:24
Absolutely correct, CCV suffers from tunnel vision, so does Scales tbh. They fail to see the forward movement of Kyogo in particular. Kyogo makes the run, knows it’s not being followed, then stops and shakes his head!
Moreover that’s the third game in a row where the first half has been dreadful. A trait that needs to stop, you make it more difficult to win games when you only play 45 minutes.
Morning all,
My 3 for Jobo
Trusty
Maeda
Kasper ( For that save at 1-0 )
HH 🍀 🍀 🍀
Ps
Hope to see a few of you at The Shipbank tomorrow 👍
The lack of midfield options is a concern.
We had 2 midfielders in the bench and 3 centre halfs.
It actually wasn’t a strong looking bench , when you look at the options available.
As for the left back issue. I would try and move Taylor on in January, if anyone will buy him and bring someone else in.
Bmcuw
The Miller capture should be a priority.
Holm isn’t even in the Euro squad. One to move on I expect.
LM will give us another homegrown for the Euro quota.
We should be seriously looking at left back options in January.
With our 8 points so far we can’t fall below 24th after round 6. Not that we should look at Zagreb as a “free hit”. A point should be our minimum aspiration.
Dortmund have played us, Brugge and Zagreb. Beat both 0-3. Using that as a some sort of guide we appear to be of similar status, as last night showed and the fact we are grouped close together in the table.
For once we are being competitive at this level.
A home win v YB should mean a top 24 finish. The higher the better financially and in terms of our next opponent in the ko round.
An up an at ‘em battle in Birmingham to finish will be one to relish as it will settle placings in the 9-24.
The leadership displayed by Schmeichel after the OG was first class. Let’s hope he is still with us next season.
Brugge’s quick and decisive passing in the middle of the park was very impressive. Fortunately for us, they didn’t know the way to our net. The step up in quality of opponent, from the SPFL to Champions League, is one that our squad are still finding challenging.
My expectation after round 5 would have been five points, a win and two draws at best. Eight points keeps us right in the mix, and hopefully, we can play our joker against Young Boys.
Brendan said after the AGM that the run of games up to the next international break will allow plenty of game time for the entire squad. It’s up to those fringe players to step up to the plate, when called upon.
For me, both Hatate and Taylor have run their Celtic race. The January window is the ideal opportunity to inject some fresh talent into the squad. Let’s hope the recruitment people are on the same page as Brendan. There are some very good players out there.
The direction of travel is positive, need to maintain it and strengthen from a position of strength.
Thank the gods for one moment of individual brilliance. Still at the races.
What next in game 6?
Thanks to Jobo’s excellent charts we see Teams in our immediate vicinity with a realistic chance of leapfrogging Hoops:
20 Celtic 8pts (GD 0) @Zagreb can leapfrog us if we lose
21 Feyenoord 7pts (GD -3) @Home v Sparta can leapfrog us
22 Brugge 7pts (GD -3) @Home v Sporting can leapfrog us
23 Zagreb 7pts (GD -5) @Home v Celtic can leapfrog us
24 Real Madrid 6 pts (GD -0) @Atalanta can leapfrog us
===================
25 PSG 4 pts (GD -3) @Salzburg cannot leapfrog us
26 Shaktar 4pts (GD -4) Home v Bayern M cannot leapfrog us
27 Stuttgart 4pts (GD -7) Home v Young Boys cannot leapfrog us
28 Sparta Prague 4pts (GD-9) @ Feyenoord cannot leapfrog us
Arithmetically possible ( if Celtic lose @Zagreb) the following can leapfrog:
Feyenoord; Brugge; Zagreb; Real.
We could drop to 24 but still remain in a strong position to progress to play-offs.
If we beat Young Boys…will 11 points be sufficient?
As ever, GD looms large and bad defeats in our two remaining Away days remains a threat. Doubt we can score enough v Young Boys to retain an Even Balance (0)
Realistic outcomes?
Celtic draw v Zagreb 9 pts (22nd)
Feyenoord beat Sparta 10 pts (20th depending on win margin)
Brugge beat Sporting 10 pts (21st depending on win margin)
Zagreb draw Celtic 8pts (23rd)
Real Madrid draw v Atalanta 7pts (24th)
I’d take that right now, of course.
Anyhoo on a more positive note…
We win in Zagreb ( ahem..) moving to 11 points, then a realistic 14 points on board and we have a free hit v Villa.
Could we win 2 away on bounce…17pts…😳
Toffee
Want to add, that overall, I’m happy with the progress we are making, 8 points at this stage is good. We are a work in progress and hopefully BR and the Board recognise this and adopt a strategy to keep us moving in the right direction.
Engels just needs time to settle, but he can’t be a guaranteed starter just because of his fee. Bernardo and Luke have shown much more with less game time.
We need to utilise the squad much better.Thats my only criticism.
FAN. 924
Trusty is far better with the ball at his feet than CCV,but neither is suited to a role as a ball-playing centre back. That’s why CalMac comes so deep so often,and why Bruges clamped on him all night.
Chairbhoy
You can read the minutes of SPL Board Meeting that decided not to appeal LNS at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6uWzxhblAt9TGt2bjZ6VHBmdWM/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-boQD5kC591oXJD61R1qOMw
Fill yer boots.
PRESTONPANSBHOY 935
More often than not this season,we’ve been really poor in one half or other of the game. Even WEEFRA commented on it to me the other day.
BMCUWP
Too many excuses made for Callum.
Problem is to often he hides behind opponent pointing for the pass to go to others.
Last night he gave a masterclass in this and the odd time he received ball he immediately returned it back to centre half’s to continue their side to side passing.
Neither centre backs are great moving ball upfield thigh Trusty is slightly better.
But I believe Callum is the biggest issue here as he is not the link required in that position as he often avoids responsibility .
Brugge did not need to clamp on him as he did to himself last night.
BMCUW
Did any of us get any pleasure at all from the first 45 minutes? If so, you really need to see a medical professional.
==
That was a coffee spiller line so glad I wasn’t having coffee.
That was an enjoyable and entertaining summary of the game.
Yer wasted on here. 🙂
Daizen’s goal just gets better every time you see it. That first touch is sublime!
BAD
I take it you’re aware that it was an attempted cross to the head of Kyogo – which is why it went nowhere near him and ended up in the back of the net!
😂
We met a good team last night and they gave us a proper contest.
I just wish we would have been more direct at the end, just to see if they’d have been comfortable facing a few high balls aimed at their box.
Happy enough with the point but would have been over the moon with 3.
The manager and the subs deserve much credit too.
The team STILL needs a specialist defensive mid.