The honorable members of the Lennon CSC have asked me to stay in the pub on Thursday, and not to go into the ground until half time. They’re serious as well.<\/p>\n
I missed the first half on Saturday , and although I wasn’t at the game, there seems to be a recurring link bewtween outstanding performances on the field from the team, and me not looking at them while they do it.<\/p>\n
As Thursday approaches, I’ll give this theory complete respect and consideration. Lights or no lights.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kilmarnock left Glasgow on Saturday evening with their tails well and truly between their legs. during the first half it is said by some the only time they got anywhere near the ball was to pick it up out of the net and restart the game.<\/p>\n
Four first half goals meant that the game was out of their reach before it started to go dark, and in the second half, if I hadn’t have been watching, Celtic would have scored at least another four.<\/p>\n
Instead, having heard I’d found a stream, the players hit the woodwork, got tripped up in the box and once or twice made the wrong passes at the wrong time. Kilmarnock were also awarded a penalty, which I’m not convinced was a penalty, but as recent weeks have shown,\u00a0 the SFA appear have conducted an internal review of the Laws of the Game and decided to quietly alter them.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the players had been stung by the managers words after the Motherwell game.<\/p>\n
Perhaps not.<\/p>\n
Its more likely that as Kilmarnock became the latest team to throw down the gauntlet, Celtic decided to simply pick it up and slap them about a bit with it.<\/p>\n
Salzburg, beware.<\/p>\n
The general opinion online seems to be that Celtic were outstanding in every department, despite having a crucial European tie at the back of their minds.<\/p>\n
This against a team where the manager could have brought into play the man who is Scotlands greatest ever goalscorer, and who has an in depth knowledge of the workings of the Celtic dressing room. Surely a game changer ?<\/p>\n
Apparently, manager Clarke told Boyd The Brilliant that he wasn’t going to bring him on as he “never fucking scores against Celtic anyway ”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Last week, the fringe players came in for a bit of stick after they failed to hit the ground running at Fir Park, and perhaps rightly so.<\/p>\n On Saturday, Emilio Izaguirre showed all of those who sit on the sidelines exactly how to respond when you are called into action.<\/p>\n Frankly, on his peformance, he can count himself unlucky not to be in the list of Celtic greats, and thats only because of the emergence of Keiran Tierney.<\/p>\n Next time Lustig is injured, may I suggest that tierney goes to right back, and Izzy fills in on the left ?<\/p>\n There were other outstanding performances from the usual outstanders…MacGregor, Forrest and Benkovic caught the eye for most, but if you look at the bigger picture, I might well not bother with the first half on Thursday after all.<\/p>\n I’ll come in for the nerve wracking second now that i know the plan…<\/p>\n Start as we did against Kilmarnock, with the same players-except Tierney in for Izaguiire-and get ourselves one, maybe even two goals in front.<\/p>\n Then, shortly after half time, introduce Brown and Ntcham into central roles, and remove Sinclair and Rogic.<\/p>\n Tow different styles, which i’m convinced will secure the point needed to proceed beyond christmas with European football to look forward to.<\/p>\n Piece of piss this management lark.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Celtic are now back at the top of the table, after an enforced absence due to winning a trophy.<\/p>\n Before yesterdays tv event-note again the biggest game wasn’t on the telly this weekend, the BBC were confident that their favourites would assert themselves in Dundee, and return to the summit they felt they deserved<\/p>\n