Celtic Banter Archive August 22 2017

22 Aug 2017 22:58:06
Qualification excellent, although with a few hiccups, before we spend more, when are boyata, szvechenko ( spelling ) dembele etc due back, before / after next cl game?, may be totally different team for next one.

22 Aug 2017 23:30:20
We were missing our three best central defenders, and because Biton was exposed as not being able, or maybe not experienced enough playing that position, to cope with the Astana forwards in the second half, there is an outcry to buy an experienced centrehalf, so if we buy one and Boyata and Jozo are available, one of those three are going to be not playing, and Eric, if the rumours prove to be true is ofski, I don't know if it would be a better idea to give Ajer a lot of game time playing with Jozo, to give him more experience of playing that position, what I am trying to say is there really a need to buy a centre half?, when VVD was playing at centre back, we still got hammered in Europe, but then Ronnie was in charge, but now we have a proper manager in Brendan, tonight's game, because of the score Inthe first leg, tonight's game was a statistical blip, the whole mindset of the team would have been wrong because all the players knew they had a five goal cushion, it made them complacent, I know Brendan said he and the players were treating it like the first game had finished 0-0,but you can't unbreak an egg, the players heads knew it was 5-0,and that, I think accounted for the wee errors that crept in, anyway, I think it is a great achievement to qualify missing so many important players.

23 Aug 2017 00:12:37
agreed, it is human nature to be a little complacent, given the commanding lead and the fact the hoops got the equaliser. might be a wee kick uop the backside that the team has to focus at all times, but not too bad given the usual centre halves were missing.

23 Aug 2017 04:10:51
Astana had a go at us in second half as they had to do something. It was too little too late for them. We made it with loads to spare. Brendan changed it when he had to. Good skills from the hoops.

22 Aug 2017 21:40:31
The width of a post away from pot 3. Seville were lucky tonight, but the team they put out were no mugs either. Adebayor, Gael Cliche, Gokhan Inler as well as a few more recognisable players. Shows just how well we've done to qualify!

22 Aug 2017 20:37:46
Now that my bum has stopped squeeking and my temporarily excited Airdrie neighbours are tucked up safely in their bed and I'm able to eat ma dinner it's time for a reality check. Getting past Rosenberg and Astana was no mean feat so credit to Rodgers and the team. However It is a dangerous game we doth play though me protesteth each year this let's qualify then spend. Lucky last year with the Happy Bear Shavers and lucky again tonight. Could very easily have become the biggest you know whit in the nest ever. Bottom line though is that we're through, the Huns are shining bright, their manager is single fish and a TIM and the gap that was already a chasm between Parkhead and Govan has just got £40m wider. Not that I'm bragging just saying like. ☘️.

22 Aug 2017 20:59:13
yep

squeak - at the hairy beer shandies - we should have learned from that, maybe we did.
rosencrown - I was genuinely concerned - praise jeebuz their strikers were mince
astauner - I personally was never in doubt after the lucky first leg - but please for the love of crunchies - let's not play midfielders in defence - gonnae no dae that.

22 Aug 2017 21:20:54
JFP- I didn't know you followed Shakespeare mate! Or was it Macbeth? And top quality too. Aye it's s good night to be a Tim. We've got a party going in Ibiza. HH.

22 Aug 2017 21:51:42
Enjoy your holiday VT! It is indeed good TO BE a Tim and not TO BE a Hun that is not in question! I'm off to ma bed to hopefully sleep perchance to dream I played for Celtic. Take Care and God Bless VT! jfp ☘️.

22 Aug 2017 20:00:33
We are punching a mile above our weight, never mind giving out about this or that possition, or who we need to bring in to compete. We are there, in the big time again, roll on another treble, and closer to 10.

22 Aug 2017 20:26:01
Spot on Malika. Growing up with the huns 9 in a row was pure shite. We need to appreciate what we have right now.

22 Aug 2017 21:02:43
How are we punching above our weight? linfield . rosenburg . astana . spl. If that's punching above our weight then we are in serious trouble.

22 Aug 2017 19:49:21
Bit of a wake up call tonight:

Wasteful in midfield (brown especially)
Keeper beaten near post (again)
Wasteful of chances (griff for Europe? )
Young guys inexperienced at this level but will benefit from this game
Teams who press us high up the park will either get slaughtered on the counter or will reap the rewards.

Great job to qualify delighted for us all, this team is building and learning every game.

Imagine this draw:

Real Madrid
PSG
Liverpool
Celtic

Regardless of the draw it's great to be back in the group stages.

22 Aug 2017 20:05:34
Definitely a wake up call ralston ajer out of their depth. I know biton only covering but hurry back all our cbs. Needing cb with pace. overall good experience for the young guys tonight. Let's. Get a good draw for a change .

22 Aug 2017 20:10:56
id much rather something along the lines of spartak Porto and Liverpool.

22 Aug 2017 20:25:21
Spartan Moscow Porto Basel then I would be looking for top of section. As long as all players are back including PR.

22 Aug 2017 21:06:21
Can't say I thought either ajer or Ralston looked out of their depth tonight . biton yes.

22 Aug 2017 22:01:35
DRB - I know you champion the youth but the pair of them where well of it tonight.

Bitton did as well as he could in that position. I personally at one point thought Rodgers had made an arse of it tonight. But . I should never doubt the man as he hasn't let us down once.

22 Aug 2017 22:39:29
Kev I watched game again there and the two worst performers in defence imo where lustig and biton . thought ajer was the best of the 2/ 3 at cb and remember he too has only in the last season converted to cb. same with Ralston lustig was really bad at rb ( not much better at cb ) when moved in and i thought Ralston coming on shored it up . i don't know what you seen to think ajer or ralston done wrong . But everyone sees things slightly different i know.

{Ed007's Note - And Ajer is more used to playing on that kind of surface after spending a season at Kilmarnock.}

23 Aug 2017 08:28:58
Thought ajer did ok tbh, unlucky own goal, just hope he stops the bombing forward, got caught out a few times, reminded me of kolo last yr, im old school, as in a defender should defend first and foremost.

23 Aug 2017 12:06:03
Think your being a bit harsh lsland celt, yes we made a bit of hard work but 4-3 (8-4 on agg) is not bad result for going there, hearing there was some trouble from Astana fans too.

23 Aug 2017 12:14:37
Minto

Ralston in 18 years old, and Ajer 19. Give the kids a fecking break!

We gurn about youngsters not getting a chance and then slaughter them when they do. We won the tie, qualified and that experience will be invaluable to their development. The manager believes in their ability and has shown a great deal of faith pitching them into recent games. That may have been a bit of necessity, but I certainly don't think he done it out of sentiment.

23 Aug 2017 12:11:50
I would go with this draw.

22 Aug 2017 19:28:44
Who of our central defenders should be fit by first week of champions league and who do we want to see brought in as striker.

22 Aug 2017 18:46:53
Definitely need an experienced centre half brought in. I know we're signing this south African centre half but no sure he's the answer yet especially at champions league level. Must say a big well done to the bhoys to qualify yet again playing 3 qualifiers just to get into the groups as domestic league champions. Now it's concluded let's go get 2 or 3 quality players in.

22 Aug 2017 18:51:39
I'd be happy enough with Boyata and Jozo. One of them being out though and we've got a bit of a problem.

22 Aug 2017 18:51:55
don't get me started on having to qualify for the "champions" league. UEFA and their pals have ruined it, it used to be a pure cup competition, but has not been for many years . some teams that win it are not even domestic champions, money and greed have put paid to the integrity of it, they should have left the euro cups alone and we would still have 3.

22 Aug 2017 18:56:34
Agree. Hopefully the Board back Brendan and sign an experienced CH. With the riches from the Champions league another 2 or 3 quality players along with Paddy Roberts. Would love to get Real Madrid in the group (no doubt be Barca! ) & any English team.

22 Aug 2017 19:29:49
I am delighted to be through, I began to wonder if it was all going to go wrong when they scored 3 times early in the second half, but thankfully we pulled it round.
I don't know what was wrong with Jozo, but we are getting an awful lot of injuries in that position lately, it's asking a lot of a young player who is very raw at this level, and for a midfield player playing out of position, to play in a match of this importance, hopefully we will get it sorted before the group stages.
I'm sorry we lost our unbeaten run, but overall if you'd offered me these 2 results when the draw was made I would have bitten your hand off, so I'm certainly not going to worry about it too much.

22 Aug 2017 19:33:41
Disagree with the Boyata shout JimTim. Hats off to the boy for working hard and getting back in the team however I feel he would be a real weak link in the CL. Really poor distribution and looks a nervous wreck on the ball. Def require a centre half partner for big Jozo in my opinion.

22 Aug 2017 19:43:19
I'd give him a chance Ice Man. Still think he can be good for us. If a top drawer CB was brought in, fair enough. But with Rivaldo coming in we have a few CBs when fit.

22 Aug 2017 20:05:40
I'd no doubt have him as a squad player Jim Tim and happy for him to play SPL but have my doubts at CL level. No doubt the guy has attributes. I think his biggest attribute is his airiel power in the opposition box. Great attitude as well as I remember BR mentioning he was trading in the early hours of the morning when he wasn't in the team.

22 Aug 2017 18:39:25
chances missed in the first half caused a little anxiety in the 2nd but we're there. A few defenders missing so well done bhoys.

22 Aug 2017 18:12:19
No pants please!

We need a new centre half - end of.

{Ed007's Note - Do you think a 20-years old from South Africa is the answer at CL level - I certainly don't.}

22 Aug 2017 18:19:15
Not for me Ed, on the positive side Ncham has looked incredible at times tonight. Composure, power, control. Can turn on a sixpence (whatever that is) always seems to have space.

{Ed007's Note - Ntcham's Celtic career has got off to a flier, he looks as if he's played in there for years and he can only get better.}

22 Aug 2017 18:19:49
And that should have said new pants. No pants is of course only a Saturday.

{Ed007's Note - :-D

22 Aug 2017 18:39:16
Come on, a dislike on the no pants on a Saturday? 😂😂😂😂😂😂.

22 Aug 2017 19:01:12
Ntcham cost £4.5 mill. That is what we need to spend on a player who can make a difference. Rather than buying £1mill players buy better players who will not can make a difference. 2 more Ntchams needed not £1mill South African centre halfs.

22 Aug 2017 19:01:20
Captain Fecking underpants! oooft.

22 Aug 2017 19:53:46
spot on ed and Johnny, totally agree it reeks of the cheap option, i can't believe he is BR's first choice. i always wondering what happens to that CL money, at least 60m now from last and present years, our board say they don't budget for CL so where does this money go? once again our have taken great risks, even a blind man could see we needed a new CB. that second have performance was ficking terrible but what do you except from a makeshift defence.

over the moon to be through but raging at that performance.

22 Aug 2017 20:03:36
Give the guy a chance.

22 Aug 2017 20:14:14
None of us have even seen this cb play yet let's give him a chance could be a new vvd.

{Ed007's Note - Van Dijk came from Holland which is a big step up from South African league level.}

22 Aug 2017 21:29:42
In fairness, as good as van Dijk was, he never really shone on the European stage for us.

22 Aug 2017 14:54:32
Mally: was thinking the same myself mate, a lot of things he does looks like how VVD played, looks very cool under pressure, and yes we know its youtube but he does look a player.