So yesterday we got to see the gradual improvements which have been gathering pace during this pre-season build up delivered to full effect. We are clearly becoming a fitter, stronger and more cohesive unit game by game, which is what this time of the year is all about. Brendan will have us hitting our peak just in time for next weekends season opener against Ross County.
I thought we looked terrific in the first quarter of the match and it took that long for a shell shocked Wolves team to match our intensity. In all honesty we could have been 4 up within that time. Fair play to our opponents who managed to drag themselves up to our level and make a proper game of it. They had quite a few chances themselves but like some of our own forwards, they didn’t seem to have brought their shooting boots with them.
Even in these early stages of his second stint in charge, it is easy to see that Brendan is already putting his stamp on the team. Some thought he would try to keep the team playing similar to Ange’s but he is obviously doing things his own way which was always going to happen when you bring a top manager like Rodgers in. It’s also abundantly clear that he hasn’t fully decided yet what way we will set up this season. He will have a clear philosophy yes, but how the players will fit in to that is still getting decided I think.
Unlike Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic, I think Rodgers will be willing to change tactics to suit different situations. I loved watching Celtic over the past two seasons and thoroughly enjoyed watching the team stick to Ange’s attack minded philosophy but I’m also looking forward to seeing if Rodgers can tinker with his own system when needed, and I think we will definitely see him try out a few different ideas, especially in Europe. Unfortunately these days it’s practically impossible to try and play the same way we do in Scotland in European fixtures as the gulf in class of the opposition is colossal.
Our attacking players yesterday looked really sharp. Kyogo and Maeda were almost unplayable in the opening period and had the Wolves defence chasing shadows. They really should have added more goals to our tally. Once again Hatate looked like he’s going to be a huge candidate for player of the season if he can stay injury free in the upcoming campaign. He just seems to be continually improving and I really do think the sky’s the limit for him in the future.
Abada impressed once again and McGregor was his usual influential self. The one player I’ve really been hoping to see improvement in under our new manager is Matt O’Riley. For me he’s still not having the kind of impact I think he’s capable of and he will need to improve if he wants to nail down a starting position when the season starts proper.
It was slightly galling seeing our starting back line yesterday and we certainly wouldn’t want to start a competitive game with that defence but they actually done better than I anticipated. Scales and Welsh did their best and were steady enough but it’s not a partnership anyone wants to see in the future.
I like Iwata as a player but worried that he would get shown up at right back yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised at the shift he put in, especially in a position he isn’t used to playing in. Taylor was steady as usual and I have no doubt he’ll be out first choice left back this season.
Unfortunately we saw yet again both the best and worst of Joe Hart as the former England international had an up and down performance. He was exposed once again for his weakness in the ‘sweeper keeper’ role, being caught out on a few occasions with the ball at his feet. Yet he also pulled off a cracking save near the end proving he’s up there with the best of the shot stoppers.
It’s going to be interesting to see if Rodgers will be looking at bringing another goalkeeper in. If he doesn’t and Hart makes mistakes in big matches people will certainly be asking questions. That penalty was never a penalty however so no blame can be put on him for that one.
It was great to get an early glimpse of our two new Korean recruits and although their time on the pitch was limited to the last third of the game, I’m sure I’m not the only one who was impressed. In my mind these two signings were perhaps ones for the future who would be given the first half of the season at least to get up to scratch with their new environs but in what we saw yesterday I have a feeling they will definitely be keeping our regular first time starters in their positions on their toes.
As I say we didn’t have a lot of time to make a realistic judgement on them but I was definitely happy with what I saw in the short period in which they played.
On anyway to our last pre-season fixture before the real stuff kicks off on Saturday, a potentially tough test against a good Athletic Club side. Not only is this the last opportunity for our players to stake a claim for a starting spot in the season opener against Ross County, it’s also a chance for us all to celebrate the tremendous career James Forrest has had during his time at Celtic Park.
I’ve always been a big fan of James and having met him before can attest to the fact that he’s a top man who was about as far away from the stereotypical arrogant type footballer many modern players are perceived as. He was as down to earth as they come.
In this day and age of ‘badge kissers’ who only use the club as a stepping stone with little actual affection for the club or it’s fans, it’s refreshing to be able to show our appreciation to someone who does actually care. A man who has gave his whole career to Celtic and never rocked the boat whatsoever. A massively undervalued part of what has been a decade of absolute dominance for the club’
James Forrest when he does leave Celtic will remain in the record books for eternity. What he has achieved during his time at the club is something we as fans could only dream about. I’m glad someone like him got to live it. His loyalty has been unwavering, something almost non existent in modern football. I hope we can give him a day to remember on Tuesday, as he has so often gave us.
Conall McGinty
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