Relying, perforce, on the BBC – radio at the time, TV afterwards – for this one, we are sometimes unduly influenced by what the commentators say about players. In this case, the radio commentators, Steven Thomson and Paddy Bonner “persecuted” two players in particular namely Klimala and Ajer.
In Klimala’s case, the persecution was justified for he was simply not there for so much of the game. He has been a disappointment, so far, has Patryk. I have always clamoured for him to get a game, because I felt he was was not getting a chance, but it is difficult to argue his case on this game.
Ajer, I am not so sure about. Reputed to be one of the off the field trouble makers who is wanting a transfer. Ajer didn’t seem to have too bad a game last night, and we have certainly had worse centre halves than this fellow. Having said that, he must take at least a share in the blame for that dreadful St Mirren goal. It should not have happened.
But let us think of the positives. Ryan Christie’s crosses were absolutely superb. Shane Duffy, a man clearly living the dream these days, took another great goal as did James Forrest who claimed that that was only his second for the club! He took it like an expert. We really should have scored more – and have you ever seen a worse penalty than Odsonne Edouard’s?
These funny run ups seem to confuse the taker as well as the goalkeeper sometimes, the shot was straight and had no power in it. My favourite penalty taker was always Tommy Gemmell who always said that the trick was “Don’t think about it”. Just belt it into the corner!
The last ten minutes were a tense “listen”, St Mirren did play some good football, and might just have earned an equaliser, simply because Celtic failed to kill them off, but Celtic were always more likely to score than the spirited Buddies and their Manager whose handsome features always make me think that he would play a good part in a film of a successful middle-aged man suffering from an identity crisis.
I suspect that the Buddies won’t be the relegated team this year, so Jim’s identity crisus might be delayed.
ALSO READ...Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic win at Gangsta’s Paradise
I loved Celtic’s strip. I still think that green and white hoops are the best in the world, but this one is the best of the rest, and brings back happy memories of a great game against Sporting Lisbon in 1983, and the fabulous football played by Celtic in the demolition of St Mirren on Albert Kidd Day on 3 May 1986.They didn’t DEMOLISH the Saints last night, but they beat them and that was enough to give us three points.
Livingston on Saturday when we have the chance to go to the top of the league. They are not doing so well this season, but they gave us a heck of a bother last season!
Here are the SPFL’s Highlights from last night…
David Potter
READ THIS…Middlesborough look to other targets as door opens for Celtic’s Paddy Roberts approach
