Celtic Banter Archive February 17 2019

17 Feb 2019 21:01:56
Would you play our best available 11 against Valencia or would you rest some players
Bain, Toljan, Ajer, Hayes, Forrest, Macgregor, Christie, Sinclair, and Burke
Play Gordon, Lusnig, Boyata, Simonvic, Issaguire, Johnstone, Brown, Bitton, Weah Ntcham and Edourd. subs made up of bit part players Rogic Griffiths, Hendrey, Commper, Ralston Ganboa, Devries, Allan, Benyu
It would give some players a game and
youngsters experince
The first group stay at home gat some training in.

17 Feb 2019 21:07:10
If people legit believe we don't stand a chance in Europe then technically we should always just use our youths in Europe and see who will sink or swim for SPL.

Also if Europe is an impossibility then clubs should just refuse to take part altogether.

Financially it may hurt but again you don't need extra cash for domestic.

17 Feb 2019 21:14:58
It would be embarrassing for a club of our stature to effectively through in the towel after a 2-0 home defeat in the first leg. Are we likely to go through? No. But we have to play like we believe we can turn it around.

17 Feb 2019 21:28:56
The players will want to make amends for a pretty disappointing display all round and although the damage has been done giving them a two goal start; there is still pride at stake and more valuable experience for younger players.
The priority of domestic dominance remains but a by-product of that is European football and we just can't chuck in the towel or the games a bogey.

17 Feb 2019 21:35:16
Play the strongest team, play the most attacking formation, I think that means leaving Brown on the bench.

17 Feb 2019 23:09:51
on the day who knows?
We will need a wee bit luck but 2 goals is not impossible.
I never believe we can't win but I am realistic enough to accept it is a mountain.

17 Feb 2019 23:51:52
BR has steadfastly refused to resort to a long ball game no matter the situation. Playing a second string would be no difference to playing a long ball game as it would represent a deviation from the plan so I think he’ll put out the strongest 11 and try to build from the back. I know a lot of you think it’s futile because it’s not working but I believe in BR and it might take a few years of this before we get there but I think he will eventually.

18 Feb 2019 10:11:03
Aindoh it's the all out attack that's killed us. Valencia said so themselves.

They said they knew our team would press up high and they just waited to pounce.

LW CAM ST RW that's 4 players attacking. essentially we play a 424 in a sense and for Europe that's wild considering we don't have a superior squad to most of the teams.

18 Feb 2019 12:10:24
I didn't see much of the game and listened to a bit on the radio, but the bits I seen and heard, we weren't doing too much pressing high up, most of it seemed to be passing the ball along the back then giving the ball away, that's because the midfield mix was wrong, that's why I would drop Brown, I wouldn't listen to what Valencia are saying, they didn't have to wait to pick us off, they just needed to wait till a Celtic player passed to them.

18 Feb 2019 13:44:48
Aye because they closed down our passing lanes. Most of the first half we tried to press them. Whether we managed to or not is irrelevant cos that's what we were attempting.

Then we ran out of ideas and they took their opportunities.

We aren't good enough to play like that in Europe unless we invest in the squad.

Valencia are a good side so tactically you need to be spot on.

18 Feb 2019 14:55:38
It's easy for Valencia to speak with hindsight as to how they knew we were going to play to suit them . A it of playmanship . We had plenty of situations where if we found the right ball we could have opened them up and scored .
They scored two goals, as they said later by catching us up field and getting us on break . However despite been better team they never looked like scoring many more
Undoubtedly they have done enough, but if we could manage to score, the cocky spaniards might sweat a bit.

18 Feb 2019 17:42:34
Nah they are far superior. Their game plan was perfect for us.

Same as monchengladbach and Anderlecht

Reminds me of when Lennon's side played against Juventus and we had the ball often enough and people said we just defended poorly or were unlucky.

Juventus and Italian sides do that in general or used to and if sides with that level of quality defend tight in Europe then why don't we?

18 Feb 2019 22:33:21
The better team doesn't always win . I never said that Valencia were not the better team . What I was trying to say that it was easy for their manager to say that the game went the way he knew it would .
He was speaking with hindsight .
The only way we could expect to beat Valencia was have 8-9 men deep in defence and hope to score on break with very few going forward
Or throw the kitchen sink at them, score one or two and break their confidence .
Thankfully B R won't try first way.

17 Feb 2019 20:41:42
Well done Celts hard fought win and that's how leagues are won . No happy with the mini ibvadikn but the difference is it's a last minute winner no the 3rd goal of a game that's won and as for the clown that hit fatso with the coin don't come back you've embarrassed us.

17 Feb 2019 20:08:17
Really pleased for Hayes . His heart is greener than most .

17 Feb 2019 20:18:01
Bang on TTTS.

17 Feb 2019 21:11:35
Position should be his until KT is back.

17 Feb 2019 21:31:27
Brilliant display and hopefully a marker for his future at Celtic as he has had to be patient and deserves a chance.

17 Feb 2019 23:56:49
Could do with working on his crosses but despite that I thought he was superb as well.

17 Feb 2019 19:31:56
Got the result today so well done, but football on plastic is a different game and should be outlawed.

19 Feb 2019 09:17:19
Totally agree col, players body movement changes altogether, they become hesitant, that's why there's so many injuries. The ball plays in a stuttering manner too. Its frustrating to watch as a viewer, the players don't like it either. Its high time for it to go.

17 Feb 2019 17:56:26
Two goals for Broony in a week and a red card. Well worth it. Scrappy 1-0 and last minute goal just brilliant. Clean sheet as well.

17 Feb 2019 18:16:46
Quality way to finish what was looking like a frustrating display. Broony can be forgiven for his emotions getting the better of him there. The mark of champions.

17 Feb 2019 18:23:14
Winning ugly is key to being Champions. No doubt the media will focus on a coin, Brown should have been red carded and a mini pitch invasion endangering everyone! 💪🍀.

17 Feb 2019 18:34:23
Great 3 points today and it means we are one step closer to 8 in a row and another treble.

Far too often this season we have got ourself in a good position in the league only to fluff it, so great to see us turning the screw on our competitiors now, when we get the chance.

17 Feb 2019 18:37:38
How many pitch invasions have we seen this season after goals? 🤔.

17 Feb 2019 19:19:24
A good win but an overall poor performance away from home again. A sign of Champions coming through that but I'm still a bit nervous for the Hearts and Hibs away double header. Come through that and a treble treble is on its way.

17 Feb 2019 19:09:20
I said on the live chat today, there would have been a lot of people watching out for our result today. The last minute goal would have been a sickener for them and the fact that it was Broonie that scored it would have sent them over the edge. All trophy winning teams pull off results when they are having a bad day. COYBIG.

17 Feb 2019 19:36:20
Maybe I'm clutching here but I don't believe broony went in to the crowd today it was more the crowd came to broony so the second yellow was a bit harsh.

17 Feb 2019 20:01:46
I bet all the dafties who celebrated Broonie signing a new contract thinking he was finished are feeling foolish now.

17 Feb 2019 20:38:14
Agree totally RAW. Captain Marvellous to the rescue.

17 Feb 2019 21:51:12
Could've done with him against Murderwell though.

17 Feb 2019 16:49:18
It never pishes wi rain when we play on those bone dry artificial pitches😠.

17 Feb 2019 17:29:59
I really hate their pitch and have played on better ones myself at fives.

They just dry it so the ball sticks and moves slow on it. It is also dangerous to players. The quicker we go back to grass the better.

17 Feb 2019 19:21:12
They moan that it is harder to keep grass in the winter I disagree all year round I’m getting rid of grass out of the slabs and patio.

17 Feb 2019 11:55:40
Having time to consider the last few days plus our season so far.
We have by far the best squad in scotland, we have invested heavily in players given income and the size of the country.
Therefore why such poor performaces in Europe and away games in Scotland.

My conclusion is that our coaching and tactics are lacking in a structure, that allows us to win when we are pressed high up the park.
I have been watching old games on Utube and find teams with a number of tall strong players and when attacking crossing quality balls into the box. Defenders who get in the way of the ball stop goals.

When was the last time we scored from a corner

Watch games from the O'Neil, Strachan and Lennon era

Brendan Rogers might have a game plan for winning against lesser teams and players but you are judges on beating better teams and players.

17 Feb 2019 14:21:44
Jonace our set plays since Brendan came in are awful for all I love the man we just don't ever look like scoring from a set play think the last one was benk a header from a corner but forget who we were playing.

17 Feb 2019 14:33:22
Jonace I think Rodgers needs to get the defenders to do there jobs that is defend not think there maldini and run out. give the ball to someone who can play football. prime example bobo balde terrible footballer but wouldn't let anyone past him. When got ball up the park doesn't matter if the player was going with the ball.

17 Feb 2019 14:36:03
We have been wasting corners and other dead-ball situations for a while and as well as the delivery not being ideal a lot of the time, we severely lack players that attack the ball with any conviction.

17 Feb 2019 15:58:57
Don't think we have scored from a corner since my son was born and that was 5years ago. before everyone comes out with stats it was just an obveservasion.

17 Feb 2019 18:21:13
Last stat I can find is 6 goals from 326 corners!

17 Feb 2019 23:45:49
Big Benko scored with a header for us.

19 Feb 2019 09:15:49
With regards to our set pieces. In my opinion out of 10 deliveries 8 or 9 of them hit the first defender. The 1 or 2 deliveries that are decent, there is no desire from any of our players to get on the end of them. In years gone by we’ve had players who would kick, punch and bite to beat the opposition to get on the end of a cross.

17 Feb 2019 09:03:51
Morning Eds hope all is well?
What team is BR going to put out today cause we will be in for a real tough game Killie in their backyard have not been a happy hunting ground for us lately. I think we need a battling side winning the battles will be key today possibly of changes to the back 4 maybe see Ajer and Hayes maybe? With Edouard coming in up top? What do you think?

{Ed007's Note - I think it'll be the same starting line-up as Thursday with the exception of Hayes for Izaguirre - KT might have got some gametime but I'd be surprised if he does considering the surface we're playing on.}

17 Feb 2019 12:23:17
Edouard supposed to be starting up front.

17 Feb 2019 12:38:15
About time give Burke a run on the wing and let's see what he can do.

17 Feb 2019 13:50:09
Don't fancy risking any player returning from injury on that pitch never mind someone as important as teirney. Hope he doesn't come on.

17 Feb 2019 14:49:14
Mally who do we drop to put Burke wide when Forrest and Sinclair playing so well?

17 Feb 2019 15:03:54
Kev, i'd play Forrest he's doing well at the minute a was meaning if we were going to play Burke at all put him on the wing but I am happy with wee James.

17 Feb 2019 09:51:35
Hard game today but opportunity for Celtic to go and put one hand on the league title.

17 Feb 2019 11:06:43
The wet weather should help us on that sorry excuse for a park as they normally leave it dry when we visit.