THE NOTAPRODDYGAL – 6.5/10 – Too may changes or the wrong changes? His gallows were being constructed by the central defence, ironically about the only thing they were capable of constructing. That fulcrum of the team were too ponderous on the ball and too placid off it; we couldn’t get Calmac into the game quick or often enough and their attacking forays were finding too much traction too high up the pitch, eventually leading to the concession of two first-half goals.
Creditable response, however, as BR didn’t crack and go all Mowbray on them. Sure, he frustrated all by keeping his pet rock on and refusing Kyogo a crack at heroics, but his tweaks in the middle, bolstering the midfield to four, setting us up like a Roman legion on the offensive, broke their resistance and led to the overwhelming last quarter when we finished them off.
MIBBERY – 4/10 – It must have been getting hot and sticky in VAR until young Damien had the angst ripped out of him at Idah’s equaliser – on by a proverbial-bawhair. Meanwhile, on the Paradise surface baby-face- two-first-names finally lost the rag and sent off a Falkirk player for spoiling his afternoon. All looked so exciting for them for so long. Still, they’ll always have that first half…
OVERALL – PHEW (7)/10 – Phew. Well, that was a comfortable afternoon. Nnnnot. The sheer temerity of Falkirk to come here and play like… A football team, must be commended. They went down swinging and John McGlynn gets plaudits for the bravery he instilled in his players to properly have a go. We looked as surprised as anyone that this cannon-fodder from a region twinned with Transylvania would prove an obstacle requiring more than a cuff around the ear to shift. Enough Celtic lessons were learned, I hope – the value of centre-backs capable of shifting the ball with alacrity and accuracy; the cost of multiple changes and less than 100% focus.
What was expected run-of-the-mill fare became cliffhanging drama. The heroes faced getting wiped out by the furious demonic entities zipping about and there were moments where you might have thought you’d seen this screenplay before somewhere, knew it ended in a hollow pit of the stomach, sour-tasting crestfallen anti-climax.
But those old pages have been turned and edited now; rebooted melodrama is scintillating, swashbuckling, momentarily breathtaking spectacle this season. The party crashers were swept away in a merciless tide of green and white in the final stages; threats extinguished, executed by quality, great relief delivered like a sugar rush by flurries of beautiful, inventive football, like the great mhan said.
And you knew it would ultimately happen, didn’t you? Didn’t I? Didn’t we all? Through gritted teeth… Surely? After all, like another great man told us – in the words of Willy Wonka – ‘You should never, never doubt something that no one is sure of.’
Phew.
Go Away Now
Sandman
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
.
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.