17 Sep 2015 22:41:11
Well, that was pleasing-ish.

Thought we may have won the game had we kept the 11 men on the pitch, they didn't get the chances(Hitting post and free kick goal)until we went down to ten men. Seemed like we could have held on to the three points so a bit gutted but would have taken that before the game. Same result as last season away in the opening game against Salzburg and again it was a free kick we conceded at the 2-2 equaliser, spooky sometimes how football works.

Don't want to blow my own trumpet but as I said in my previous posts, Bitton and Lustig(If only he could last 90 mins)are our best players above the rest and both came up with the goods tonight getting the goals. But Bitton, what a player this guy is, his passing, shooting, technical ability, goal threat, reading and positioning of the game. We're really going to struggle to hold on to this lad and need to get him signed up to a new contract asap, that's now 4 goals he's got for us so far this season and it should be five as his goal was wrongly disallowed against Malmo. He also scored for his country as well so he's now adding goals to his game as well which for me was the only thing lacking in his game but now he's brought it he's almost the complete midfielder.

Now to assess some of the other players performances.

Gordon - Should do better for the second goal for me, flapping a bit although it was a tremendous delivery. Apart from that didn't have much to do but collected balls when needed and couldn't do anything with the first goal.

Simunovic - Was an OK debut, still only 21 and seemed nervous but that's understandable so will leave it at that.

Boyata - Performed better than usual but still a few stray passes and caught out of position a few times. Made a good few interceptions. But still for me Ambrose should be playing ahead of Boyata.

Izzy - Played well enough and showed why he should still be first choice LB and makes the decision for Ronny to drop him for Mulgrew against Malmo even more baffling. He was really silly right enough in giving away so many stupid fouls and let his team down in the end. But still first choice LB.

Brown - He played ok tonight and a lot better than his usual standard for me in Europe. Again though his passing at times can be poor and his stamp on the Ajax player at the corner flag confirms he will never learn, you can't do that as a player never mind Celtic captain and was lucky ref and linesman both missed it. His comments on Mowbray last night irked me lacks class but cba commenting further on them.

Forrest - Was ok but not great, better than GMS anyway. Done well to set up Griffiths first half and won ball back a few times. Largely invisible though.

Johansen - Time he was dropped, passing was poor again and he's lost whatever he had in stages last season. Always works hard but football wise poor again and is guilty of getting robbed whilst in possession a few times.

Commons - Well I said he should start and a few shot me down on here telling me he was ageing and was too slow, well two assists and I thought he worked really hard for the team making a good few blocks at crosses, brilliant delivery for Griffiths as well who should have hit the target and that was disappointing from him he's got to take his chances at this level. GMS needs to watch and learn there's no chance he should be playing ahead of Commons. The only thing I'd say about Commons was he looked a bit unfit and was slow to react at times when players skipped past him, still should be playing ahead of Johansen, Forrest and GMS for me when fit.

Griffiths - No harm to the wee man, works hard but he just can't cut it at this level. He had two really good chances tonight and you've got to take those for Celtic in Europe. Decent domestically, but not got it in Europe. Still though, for sure the best option ahead of both Ciftci and Stokes.

Subs:

Janko - Can't really comment.

Blackett - Again can't really comment.

Ambrose - Well, well, well. Fantastic, won every header in the air and even drew a foul and got one of their players booked. I don't care what anyone says he's reliable and a better CB than Boyata and Mulgrew as I keep telling everyone. He's not a RB, that much I agree with and he did have a slight wee blip when he came on but recovered the rest of the game wonderfully. A lot of folk have got this guy wrong, it's Boyata and Mulgrew who are the bombscares. Ambrose is a very decent CB who should be partnering Simunovic and I don't think it will be long before we see it as Boyata can't be trusted and him and Mulgrew are far worse than Ambrose at CB.

1.) 17 Sep 2015
17 Sep 2015 23:23:07
Foresst- a waste of a Jersey. Johansen-Seems a 1 season wonder!( or he's fecked). Big Effe gets Pelter's always but done well ( I think it's a confidence issue,as everytime at Home he gets it though it is justified but there's a good player in there somewhere). Biton-NL never gave the boy much game time. Under RD he's 1 of the first team picks. CG- A worse Bombscare than Effe & I don't want to go there!!.For a Forward Line well we know we have none!

2.) 18 Sep 2015
18 Sep 2015 00:44:58
[points):
Simunovic:Why did'nt Ronnie play him against Aberdeen ,to get him match fit and match tuned.
Boyatta :did'nt watch the game,listened on radio ,so not sure
how he played,but think Ambrose's bestposition is either right back,that he plays,played for nigeria,or in a creative midfield position,I think he might suprise a lot of people how he'd perform in that.Should maybe try Mulgrew with Simunovic as a central pairing
Forrest think GMS should have played instead of him
Johansen,an enigma wrapped in a puzzle,don't know what the answer is.
Commons,should be a first pick for the team every week,untill Scot Allans ready,Commons is the biggest reflection on how bad Ronnies team selection has been.
Griffiths should be a first choice in every domestic game and european game,the people saying that he's not european class are for want of a better word idiots,,the people disagreeing are the clueless ones wanting big Sammi back just because he scored a few crucial goal and forgetting all the dead ends he ran into

3.) 18 Sep 2015
18 Sep 2015 07:20:50
Celticforever well fair assessment. Ambrose for me did a great job when he came on. He has been an easy scapegoat for a lot of people. Izzy after the first booking looked as if he was going to get sent off got taken in by the Ajax winger who was loking to get him a red card silly.Blackett watched him twice now ''top class defender highly rated'' can't see it. Biton big man growing in class new contract quickly. For me I would take a point anytime at Ajax so job done. don't worry about MSM comments we are Celtic one together through thick and thin.

4.) 18 Sep 2015
18 Sep 2015 13:41:07
Fair assessments.

Great result but I really am getting a bit sick of this knock it up to Griffiths BS at times. It just doesn't work. He either can't win it, can't hold it up or doesn't have enough about him to take it on himself. It was late in the game and just one instance but he had the ball on the break one on one with his man and it lead to nothing. He was a bit unlucky not to score last night though. Forrest was abysmal but KC had his best game in a long time and that's coming from one of his critics.