JAMESY – 5/10 – Takes a lot to stifle Jamesy and they usually come in pairs with perky nipples. Today there were flashes of the flash as we were treated to some exploratory wingplay first half; foiled by the save of the game from putting us ahead. But you have to credit their defence for the way they managed to close down our right channel well enough that by the hour Jamesy was running up cul-de-sacs or turning into traffic.
DUNCAN IDAHO – 6.5/10 – All that time spent bumbling about the park, looking just happy to be there. Then he remembered: he was Celtic’s number 9 and his number was about up. So he stepped it up. Bang, bang! And no chitty for The Bairns. Timed on the edge of perfection for his first tap-in, touch of grace (meant it?) to glide between defenders seconds later and slot home the roof-raising third.
Around that scintillating awakening… Meh, really. But those quality inputs define price tag arguments. So… does he now deserve a start? Clue: the answer’s similar to the one for, ‘Does your average Zombie understand that bestiality is not recognised as civilised behaviour?’
BRIAN DE – 3.5/10 – Appeared bright enough early on with his usual guile embossed with a will to chase back and aid young Uncanny, albeit in the style of a Honduran market stall bootleg Daizen. Then his terminal fault kicked-in and it was back to Main Character Syndrome Palma, swanning around with the movie-star rueful grins and ‘sonofabitch’ hand-smacking shtick. This time last year we had a player in there, eager to dazzle on the big stage.
Now we’ve got a happy-go-lucky drifter, skipping along on the coat-tails of the main acts. Doubt we’ll see him back in the limelight for a while…
Incredible game and also well done to Falkirk and their fans. They played and excellent part in it which was so refreshing. They are better than any of the sides we have played so far in the league.
Two points that have been missed, although it may be a bit churlish to mention them.
One – notice the Falkirk wingers pull on Celtic’s LB at their 1st goal. This foul prevents him from attempting to block the shot. May he could have blocked, but maybe not. Nevertheless, it was a foul which the ref and linesman missed.
Secondly, for the VAR analysis at their 2nd goal, the winger again fouled a Celtic player, play went on and they scored. We all thought (including the commentator) that the VAR check was for the foul, however, in a clever distraction VAR checked for offside instead, thus allowing the goal to be awarded. SUBTLE!
CCV cannot be rested! Simple as that. Why BR didnae debut Trusty beside CCV is VERY strange .. unless slight niggle. Welsh & Palma shouldnae play for us again.
Felt sorry for young Valle as he was def held at the first goal & that is exactly what VAR is SUPPOSED to be for. Having Palma, Trusty & fuckin Welsh beside young Valle .. & a Hatate who needs dropped was no easy debut for the kid. Deserves a 2nd chance
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Hatate needs tae ask himself why the Japan manager won’t play him & not blame the league he’s playin in. Engels, Bernardo & Calmac best midfield at the moment imho.
Shame McCowan was cup-tied.