A Game Of Two Halves (!)
Morning,all.
Quite often when MAHE and I do a match review after the night before, we have that proverbial game of two halves to report on. How many times this season have we all moaned about only turning up for one of the 45s but being bloody awful in the other?
So it was last night too, but this time it had nothing to do with the players or the manager. Nope,they did the job they are meant to do-right till the end, I might add-the pity was that my access to the game was minimal in the first half.
Saw very little of it,no point in lying. I’ve seen potted highlights since, but it’s not the same. And just to prove the point, I saw the entire second half. In all its beauty and splendour. Six on the night, with the four in the second 45 running their own Goal Of The Season Competition.
Bear with me for the first two. We had the latest apprentice boy for a MIB last night-how many newbies have we seen this season?-but no problem, he would be ably assisted on VAR by Alan Muir. No great surprise then that the youngster “missed” a clear foul on Trusty at a corner. So obvious that even Muir had to lick the nettle and shout him over for a review. Arne Engels converted.
How often have we complained that when players go down in the box at a corner that it is ours who are penalised? This time MIB Steven saw fit to award a foul AGAINST Trusty instead of to him when he was rugby tackled. As he can only penalise what he has seen, one wonders what his excuse is for that decision when he had a clear view from five yards away!
Our second came on the stroke of half time, just to settle the nerves going into the break. The surprise is that it was necessary, as endless possession and little threat from the opposition should have seen us a few ahead (I’m reliably informed.) Anyway, Idah and Jota combined for them both to have shots saved by the keeper, but third time lucky as our on-form striker lashed home the second rebound.
My left index finger and the refresh button on my device were damn near worn out by this time, but normal service was resumed for the second half. And how! It’s hard to decide which of our forward six plus subs was putting on the style the most. They certainly piled on the agony for Dundee on the back of a 0-6 at home to Hearts. It isn’t the number of goals that’s the problem in this review, it’s the sheer quality of them.
I’m certainly not a sufficient wordsmith to do them justice. The greatest wordsmith in the English language is credited with the invention of over 400 words, simply because he couldn’t find the right ones for “the moment”. Honestly, they were a joy to behold. But no made-up words here, just watch the unique angle when it is posted later.
You won’t be sorry!
Briefly…
3-Jota on the (left) wing twists defenders blood and crosses for Maeda to come flying in from the opposite side after 55 minutes. Peach of a cross, impeccable finish to match.
4-On the hour mark, Maeda latches on to a through ball from Engels and casually dinks it from the edge of the box. Like it’s easy,you know?
5-Ten minutes later, Engels decides that twelve yards is toffee and lets fly from the edge of the area. Leaves the keeper with no chance. Are these goals actually getting better and better?
6-Well, maybe not. A few minutes from the end, Kühn does what he does. Cuts in from the right and across the 18 yard box and onto his left foot. We all know what he wants to do next. The keeper knows too. So what-knowing what is coming and stopping it are two different things. Carson has no chance of stopping this one. Goal of the match standard in most games, but a lowly 5/6 last night!
I hope I’ve given you enough of a taste of the game if, like me, you struggled to see the first half-and worse if you missed the second half. I recommend finding any source possible for highlights or even a full match replay. Because while the goals were outstanding, there were some periods of play which were on a par but unrewarded.
When we look this good, we really look the part. A thoroughly impressive performance even if against maybe the most inconsistent side in the league. That’s not to damn with faint praise though-on this display, who knows who we could beat? Well, let’s get the prayer mats, the beads and the juju looked out for next Wednesday,huh? After all, last night was only a practice session…
<><><><><>
Above article by BMCUWP
Last year,our charity drives raised over £4000 for deserving causes. You are truly a wonderful collective, giving selflessly to others in need.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The bulk of the money was split fairly evenly between our two nominated causes, which were
Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust and Blood Cancer UK.
New Year, New Cause! From 1st January till 30th June, we will switch our attentions to raising funds for another source of wonderful work on behalf of those who need it most.
MacMillan Cancer Care
Once again, the donations page has been set up for us by CHALMERSBHOY, and my grateful thanks to him for doing this and so much more.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/3x3g3-sentinel-celts?attribution_id=sl:0cefe851-42bd-443e-8cdb-345070949a04&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
Please continue to give generously, which I know you will!
POTY competition
sencelpoty@gmail.com
INIQUITOUS IV
No idea why your 1621 comment got lost in the filters. Reinstated,with apologies
To save people trying to find it…
February 5, 2025 4:21 pm
Can’t understand The Gombeen Man’s relentless undermining of Brendan. I was severely critical of our manager’s tactics and lack of flexibility during the Bigotdome fiasco. I am also aware that he made mistakes at Liverpool and Leicester, and I believe he is smart enough to have learned from these experiences
But my bottom line is – we are highly unlikely to find a better manager if Brendan leaves, voluntarily or otherwise. Doubly so, if responsibility for recruitment of a new manager is the remit of the present Board!
BMCUW
The greatest wordsmith in the English language is credited with the invention of over 400 words, simply because he couldn’t find the right ones for “the momen.
Sorry but this is too good to miss.
The title he would have given to the transfer window would be
Much Ado About Nothing. 😀
AULDHEID
Touché.
Oops. Lingua sbaliata
I’ve been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man’s soul and faith
MAGS
From possibly my favourite Stones album,and one of the first things INIQUITOUS IV and I discussed by e-mail over a decade ago now. The first of a run of classics from them,sadly too brief.
Bit like Stevie Wonder,who hit the mother lode every time in the 70s-until The Secret Life Of Plants. Hotter Than July made us think he was back, then he Just Called To Say I Love You.
HTJ was the last Stevie album I ever bought. Doubt I missed much.
Early days, but I like Kenny’s movement and pace,hopefully starts on Saturday
One explanation for holding onto cash can be found in this excellent ACSOM podcast
https://youtu.be/dLprevWQbcY?si=zWEm20e3amBSp5rS
where the impact of FSR on the slow moving market is given due credence.
It also explores the factors that influenced recruitment in the window including the lack of due professional process at Celtic which is a major factor.
It is very enlightening and worth listening to in the interest of balanced dialogue as it takes account of market changes since the days that influenced policy in the past.
Worth a blog on its own.
Further to the ACSOM podcast that focuses on value the guideline should be ” He gets on first base.”
https://youtu.be/PlKDQqKh03Y?si=AAnFrHCOLWD_iQbw
All dependent on data to identify players who do the football equivalent in their position.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
February 6, 2025 12:08 am
INIQUITOUS IV
No idea why your 1621 comment got lost in the filters. Reinstated,with apologies.
—————————
Hi Bobby:
No idea it got lost. ( maybe you filter is just smart? 😊). No apology necessary.
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
Game highlights.
https://youtu.be/yo7zH6z7Gbo?si=5f4JhpMIMua98T0p
Fantastic display and result.
Yet was starting to get frustrated just before our vital second, with all the good work getting done, and final ball and finishing was missing, within our play.
And what a way to put right in the second half, with the quality of the goals produced.
Brilliant workout for next week against bayern, and a similar display would certainly keep the dream alive.
Certainly showed how 2 totally different displays against the same opposition can be produced in a short time span apart.
We won’t get such a luxury against bayern, but able to produce that second half for longer periods, will give ourselves a great opportunity of going deeper into the CL imo.
Auldheid
February 6, 2025 12:13 am
BMCUW
The greatest wordsmith in the English language is credited with the invention of over 400 words, simply because he couldn’t find the right ones for “the momen.
Sorry but this is too good to miss.
The title he would have given to the transfer window would be
Much Ado About Nothing. 😀
—————————————-
Hi Auldheid:
I think you’ve left me an open goal here, mate!
I think the bold William would have entitled the window as:
Comedy Of Errors🤣
But let’s hope he would rename it later as:
All’s Well That Ends Well.😅
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
Something for everyone in this ACSOM podcast with David Low.
Operation Strawberry?
Listen.
https://youtu.be/BRYaKR2Yufs?si=gWML-4cUXtT84wsN
Morning all.
Excellent performance last night and some tremendous goals.
My 3 for Jobo,
Maeda
Engels
Jota
Have a great day everyone 💚
HH 🍀🍀🍀
Good Morning Sentinels – Grand Day To Be A Tim…
Last night, as I wasn’t getting home until eight at the earliest, spending funds on the ppv seemed wasteful when I could have ignored the score for a bit, and watched the aul’ Celtic TV delayed live from ten….
Looked at the team when it was announced and thought, pay the money tightwad and get home in jig time…
So that’s what I did – best £9.99 I’ve spent in the longest time.
Phenomenal display from the Celtic Glasgow…
No disrespect to the wee mhan, but who needs a Kyogo, when you’ve got back your mojo…
Brilliant goals, from four different scorers, and it’s not any sort of fluke, we know each of the players are capable of that – it was as if Nic Kuhn came on, watching the Jota circus from the sidelines and said – hey ghuys, remember these!?
In fact, on another night, we could easily have signature goals from Calmac, Jota, Bernardo, Hatate, that’s without the new bhoys, who almost got in on the act, and the defence who are more than capable of adding to the goals.
There’s a lot of Tit~For~Tat nonsense on recruitment and on player and team development, but maybe consider this…
For many a long season we have moaned about our; set plays, penalty takers, “shooting boots”, taking our chances, passing etc, etc, etc
There has been major improvement in all of the above…
Of course, here’s the problemo, how do we pick three for JoBo!? No easy task, so let’s give a well done to all the team who contributed hugely to a man.
Jeffrey Schlupp made a very impressive debut, our Captain, fantastic, who could get some well deserved bench time, our rock solid defence, Idah who held the line, scored a great goal – as is his wont, Hatate, back to his purring best…
Looks like you got it right again Leggy:)) ’cause winging it’s way to SENCELPOTY@GMAIL.COM
1. Meada
2. Engels
3. Jota
Fabulous night of football, well done Brendan and the bhoys…
Hail Hail
BMCUWPS @ 12:09 am,
That’s an interesting point, INIQUITOUSIV’s negativity has me wearing out my thumb as I scroll through Sentinels these days.
Yet he seems unaware it’s exactly this negativity from the good ghuys that gives the agenda merchants fertile ground to plant their seeds.
Read your point about the John McGinn fiasco being the catalyst for starting the blog in August 2018 – a very necessary and serendipitous course of action imo.
I’m not expecting blind faith and BR to be treated as the messiah, however the level of negativity about him since his return on the site has been baffling to me.
Hopefully a corner has been turned…
On the renumeration committee.
Tom Allison and Peter Lawwell go back a long, long way, way before Celtic…
Tom Allison was on the renumeration committee that devised Peter Lawwell’s, 2019 bonus.
A while back I detailed on here for The Gombeen Man, how the recruitment finances over the three years previous was a major component in that eye watering bonus.
He didn’t except it, though I’m sticking to my guns on this, it’s my opinion that selling the likes of Dembele and not buying the likes of John McGinn added greatly to the then CEO’s bonus pot.
For Tom Allison, Peter Lawwell, chasing Brendan Rodgers out the door was just the icing on the cake for them.
A more resilient BR, who, like Jota, knows he’s home – won’t be so easily budged this time.
HailHail
Awe Naw @ 6:49 pm,
Great post, hope you have a great time in Munich…
Hail Hail
Kasper – Has become a regular spectator.
AJ – our physical enforcer ..rest looks to have been good for him
Carpet slippers – One of our best signings ..a real rock in defence.
Trusty – More assured last night.
Taylor – Had a great game. Fed the ball to Jota all night.
Calmac – Running out of things to say about this bhoy. Joins the greats who’ve played 500 games for the Tic.
Engels – Now we know why we were sure about spending all that money on him. Last few games his passing has been top drawer.
Hatate – Having Bernie and Luke has made Reo up his game. Game intelligence is off the charts.
Jota – If that’s him unfit 🤔 ball to Maeda for his header 👀
Adam – Becoming a real handful for defenders. The more responsibility he’s given, the more he seems to impress
Daizen – We’re at the WOW stage with our bullet train! If he was just a little bit better technically, he would be a £50m player.
Subs ….
Schlupp dog – We appear to have unearthed a multi-talented addition. Very assured with the ball.
Kuhn – That’s one way to make an entrance! Nearing 20 goals for the season already. Deadly left foot!
Bernie – Smooth as silk. Always looks like he has time because he makes that space for himself.
Kenny – Lively and almost scored. If he had managed to get his shot inside the post, there a chance the roof might have came off, as that’s all the game was lacking.
_——————————
More evidence (Not that I needed it) that we have a special team. Last night was just an absolute carnival of football!
Motm – Brendan Rodgers.
The manager is building something really special here, so i hope people can now see that and show a bit more positivity towards the team.
13 clear.
Good Old Glasgow Celtic,
As good for you today as they’ve always been.
“an here’s looking forward to a good performance and a handsome win tonight”
Well, we got what I wished for, and some!!
All the discussions over the last few days got put on the back burner last night, and some of the football was a joy to behold…more of the same on Saturday and maybe we can go into the Bayern game with a bit of hope….maybe!!
Have a good day folks.
Great performance again last night from the whole team . 2nd half we looked like scoring every other attack. 81pc possession but still managed 9 fouls to their 6. Baffling.
35 goals from two wingers and its only Feb 6th. Anybody remember that scoring rate before. Lions excluded BP of course. Its my sons birthday today and a hun lives either side of him. Visit later. It would be rude not to wear the hoops in some form just in case we meet.
B A D
Aye, but we only did as well as Hearts, and at home too. Get real, as some might say!
Only being mischievous- too much jollity on the blog today 😉
Absolutely outstanding last night.
I think Jobo should just give everyone who played 3 points and let the caravan roll on.
But if I must pick then its Maeda, Engels and Taylor – which is a first for me this season.
Stolen from X:
PL has docked £600 from Kasper’s wage ( the price of a ST) last night on the basis that he shouldn’t get to watch Celtic for free.
😀
Kyogo going in January seems to have benefited Adam.
He can take a few hits and keep going too.
Looks like this run of being the main man has broken the shackles.
Lots there for a great manager like Brendan to help blossom.
Not absolutely imperative he scores every game as we spread the goals throughout the team.
Just sayin’,
Oh I know how positive you are when talking about our team …I never scroll by 😉
How good was that last night?
Absolutely buzzing at how good this team is and can’t wait to see what they can become!
B A D
So much to be excited about by that display.
Taking account of the opposition I’d say it ranks behind Leipzig and the Aberdeen 6-0. But what a joy.
As we approach the business end of the season, what a signal it sends out.
Four games before the Huns arrive to help us celebrate St Patrick’s weekend.
Lots to look forward to.
I’m hoping my self discipline allows me to take a backseat now on financials, Machiavellian Board shenanigans and remuneration and recruitment recriminations until this league is won.
Then we start the moaning process again.
Football first.
Just sayin’,
I tend to separate the team from the club.
I’m determined to enjoy every moment of this quarter century run that the team is on.
There are goals coming from every area of the pitch, and that is making it easier to deal with not having lots of no9’s
Our record since 2000 is nothing short of phenomenal.
Wish everyone would just enjoy the ride, instead of literally searching for things to be negative about.
Is the club perfect? No! But you and I are lucky to support the greatest team on the planet ..
Absolutely lovvin it!
HH.🍀
It’s the frustration that we know we can be better.
In European terms we are a top 16 team in the making.
No reason we can’t establish ourselves in Pot2 company in CL terms.
We are currently lowly Pot3 behind the likes of Feyenoord, Sporting, PSV, Zagreb.
The first three are in the play off.
We are as capable as them and Brugge/ Shakhtar who sit in Pot2.
That’s our target.
Aspire to be the best we can be.
We represent the most modest country, on any metric, left in the CL.
An excellent achievement that we should build upon and better.
Unique angle.
https://x.com/celticfc/status/1887444119791841461?s=48
Thought the second half performance was magnificent. I’d watched the first half half asleep as it was a midnight kick off, and seriously considered going to bed as I’d to be up at 5am. Decided I’d stick out the second half for as long as I could fight sleep. Am I glad I did. I get greedy though. I want 5. Then 6. Cmon get a 7th!! Never happy eh.
Jota – hadn’t lost that knack of drifting inside or out with relative ease.
Daizen. – Has he changed the make of shooting boots he’s wearing? Brilliant.
Engels. – Last few games he’s thankfully started to prove me wrong in my assessment he was never with the transfer fee. Not just his goal(s) lady might but last few games he has displayed some sublime passes, disguised and otherwise.
Big Adam – growing in confidence with every game. Perhaps being numero uno is what he required to bring out the best.
NK – what a talent. You know exactly what he’s gonna do but can’t stop him.
Thought the new full back looked a bit cumbersome but still managed to play some decent through balls and connected the game ( as Brendan likes to call it) quite well. Few lbs off and improved fitness could see him become a decent asset.
Very impressive. Don’t get me wrong I still think Bayern will be a bridge too far but perhaps we can cause them some serious problems over the two games.
More than happy today ( albeit knackered!)
Apologies for the typos. Can’t edit for whatever reason .
A wee test question. Indulge me please.
We all know UEFA refused Sevco a license to play in Europe in 2012.
Why?
Auldheid…was it because they were a new entity and as such had no accounts for 3 previous years?
Twisty
Whilst not dismissing Engles as a poor signing , eg Rangers goal at NY, I had yet to see anything that deserved MoM plaudits.
However he has toughened up a bit and will further but in the last 2 games he played World Cup passes to Maeda as well as dispatching the penalty and scoring that had me thinking ” now yer talking son”. Delighted for him but perhaps too early to make De Bruyne comparisons but he could become that good.
I thought Bernardo when he came prowled the midfield like a lion savaging hyenas and look forward to him repeating that performance where it will matter.
Lots of positivity to come from last night to address the fears of what might happen as result of not replacing Kyogo.
I hope we give Bayern a game too.
David Low had some interesting things to say about our performance v Villa. I posted a link to the podcast earlier.
That and ACSOM podcast on the transfer window offers a sanguine perspective on events.
McCaff
Auldheid…was it because they were a new entity and as such had no accounts for 3 previous years?
===
Wrong even though many believe that to be the case as it took life from social media.
Anyone else share the 3 years accounts idea?
Auldheid…the UEFA 3 year rule, in relation to membership of the National organisation, ie the SFA, was/is a prerequisite of entry into UEFA competition. It could be argued that to be a member of the SFA certified accounts have to be submitted regularly!
Anyhoo, what’s the real answer?
Quite a dilemma forming for Rodgers to solve, as to who are strongest front 3 going to be?
No doubt Maeda is going to be a massive miss for bayern.
So jota, idah and kuhn is an easy enough decision, but could be without any subs available for a game of such huge magnitude.
Could be only yang, Cummings and Kenny available from the bench by the looks of things.
With that in mind with our front 3 for bayern, along with having to play as many minutes as possible.
Then should Rodgers wrap up all 3 this weekend in the cup match?
Still could have a starting front line of Maeda, Kenny and yang all the same available.
Makes it even more baffling why the potential issue wasn’t addressed sufficiently, when the dilemma was always in play, at the back end of the window?
Another wide option or striker would have helped hugely with such a dilemma in play for our club imo
We’re having some season in the league.
Our goal difference is almost double Sevco’s.
BAD…last night was one of those superb performances that stay in the mind for loads of reasons. So many players on form, hitting great passes, audacious goals, and generally speaking, like that one shot in golf that keeps you interested and brings you back!
Maeda was unbelievable. Jota looks happy to be back and some of his showboating flicks and passes were a joy to witness, probably more because it really does feel like he belongs, for him and us! Reo was back to his best and a goal from him would have capped what I felt was his best performance in ages. Trusty and CCV were as good as each other, and that doesn’t happen too often. Taylor, especially in the first half, was linking beautifully with Reo, Joya and Maeda (and he only gave away the ba’ once that I can remember). AJ was as strong as feck! Calmac kept the whole thing ticking over, smoothly! Big Adam has improved immensely and looks ready to step up to be the main man. All of the subs played their part but I thought Schlupp looked off it although I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. Kuhn coming on was dynamite, it could be that Jota has fired a shot across the bows of all our forwards, letting them know there’s a new standard to reach. I hope so, I’ll never tire of watching Celtic play with that freedom!
MCCAFF 1256
Nicely put,well said.
Incidentally…I never mentioned Engles! He has been superb the last few games but last night he seemed to revel in our unselfish running and spaces we created. He’s now beginning to look like the money we paid for him!
I’ve seen various highlights of the goals this morning but I’ve yet to see Maeda’s chip from the start of the move. Jota caught in ossession at our left hand corner flag playing to Reo and Taylor then across to Trusty I think, onto Engles for a ba’ into the channel for Maeda! That has got to be goal of the season for me! Absolutely brilliant!
Great performances all round last night.
Hard to pick just one MOTM.
However, here goes
Engels
Maeda
Idah
Jota
Kuhn
https://x.com/greedypete11/status/1887432390580084872?s=48
Maeda’s goals so far this season
McCaff,
Love to see my fellow Tic supporters praising the team to high heaven when it’s deserved, and oh boy was it deserved for that display! Even taking everything into account (Only Dundee) that’s as much enjoyment as I have gotten from one game of football in a good while …we were devastatingly good.
Been a fan of Engels since I watched his YT vids with the wee guy before he arrived. Arne is doing exactly what we both predicted ..spraying classy passes around. I fully believe Arne’s range of passing will end up alongside the best.
Under little pressure but I thought the midfield functioned perfectly throughout the match. Callum has to take a lot of the credit for that, as he is the one who is conducting the band.
Btw, I was over the moon before the last couple of games, you can imagine how i feel now watching us play like that while going up through the gears. The beautiful game right enough!
We need to do EVERYTHING in our power to get Brendan on the best contract we can afford (whatever he asked for, I’d give him) and allow the man to take us as far as he possibly can! Next step has to be establishing ourselves in the champions league.
I love any Celtic manager that wins, it’s really that simple for me. We know only too well how quickly things can change it you hire the wrong manager. Let’s recognise what we have.
Right now we have a boss who comes with a guarantee of success, so it is vital that his contract becomes the no1 priority of the club
As ever KTF!
Enjoyed the game last night, great team performance with some individual brilliance on display BUT i am also fully cognisant that we were playing Dundee. A team that Hearts had also put 6 past at Dens park a few days earlier. I thought Dundee were very poor. Tougher challenges await us bhoys.