Ambrose swapping with Wanyama now. Not sure why Ambrose came on but I presume weâre trying to restore his confidence and form.
Rocko and Bandage were ridiculing Mickee for his observations on Ambrose, footballing pie all over Rockoâs and Bandageâs faces.
Lennon has switched Ambrose and Wanyama.
Eh that was for saying he wasnât a defender.
Ledley denied from point blank range from a Hooper cross.
Youâre not helping yourself here, Rocko.
Weâve sent Ambrose back out of the way.
The one positive has to be the performance of James Forrest.
Poor performance. No problem with the selection given priorities and needs to get players back from injury but Stokes and Samaras tends not to work as a partnership and that was evident again tonight. Both drop off and they end up just causing congestion in the area Commons wants to exploit.
Weâre defending very deeply too. Not sure if weâre still a bit burned from the Juve game but we were deep which is exactly what they wanted with Higdon just standing at a centre back and giving them a target to play to. Forster should be pushing us out too - he stays on his line and we contest headers at the edge of our box when we could hold a higher line and force them to play more accurate passes if Forster swept more in behind.
Forrest was really the only decent player on show for Celtic.
Iâm coming to the same conclusion as Totti regarding Kayal. Iâd also include Rogne in that bracket. Notwithstanding Ambroseâs tendency for casual play / overplaying it in dangerous areas, I think Lennon needs to take some blame for not giving him a break after the ACON. He hasnât looked mentally tuned in at all - I could understand playing him on the Saturday following the Juve game to âget it out of his systemâ (even though he should never have been selected against Juve) but there was no need to play him last midweek in Perth and again at home to Dundee at the weekend. There were a fair few under par displays - Izzy should have defended the goals better, Matthews was distinctly average, Ambroseâs cameo, have mentioned Rogne and Kayal, Rogic struggled after a bright beginning, Commons / Stokes / Sammy were all mixed. We missed the presence of Wanyama in his usual midfield position and then Ledley and Hooper too. No real issue that they were rested - I actually agree with it - but those on the pitch should have done better. Forrest was indeed the main positive. Iâd consider playing Wilson and Mulgrew together at the back on Saturday, and possibly too in Turin depending on how that goes.
Mulgrewâs best position for me is at centre half. I can see the logic of playing him on the left side of midfield when we play against big sides in Europe as he will add some solidity and physicality to the side as well as his delivery from out wide but in domestic games he should be used as a centre back mainly. Wilson and Mulgrew would also be our best defensive pairing. Ambrose after a bright start is beginning to look increasingly more like a bombscare. We have lost quiet a few goals to individual mistakes from him this season and while he was outstanding against Barcelona in the two games we played them, he has been an embarrassment in the other CL game. As bad as he was against Juventus two weeks ago he was even worse when we played Benfica in Lisbon. Iâd like for Gershon to get fit and see how good he is. Think a clearout is badly needed in the summer, a fair few of our players are beginning to regress - Hooper, Kayal, Commons (although he has shown promise lately) and Rogne are amongst those who have taken major backward steps this year. Forrest would be another one in that regard but in his case he has had an injury-hampered campaign.
Any report on how Jimmy is getting on. Rumors and half truths as well please.
I heard something from a Donegal man over here and was wondering was he talking balls.
[quote=âcaoimhaoin, post: 742210, member: 273â]
I heard something from a Donegal man over here and was wondering was he talking balls.[/quote]
well spit it out kevâŚ
Iâll wait to see what the boys on the inside say. Not sure what knowledge this guy would have, and as a big Jimmy admirer I wouldnât be throwing stuff that may have no Basis whatsoever
just use allegedly and throw it up ta fuckâŚ
Basically, allegedly, one of his football appointments has to go, sooner rather than later.
Commons has been much better this year than last year.
I donât think Wilson and Mulgrew are strong enough aerially to play together long term but they may be the best options at the moment alright.
[B]
Celtic boss Neil Lennon is unhappy at questions over his view on the punishment imposed on oldco Rangers by the SPLâs independent commission.
[/B]
They were fined around ÂŁ250,000 by the Scottish Premier League after being found guilty of failing to correctly register players.
An independent commission, chaired by Lord Nimmo Smith, has ruled the club breached SPL rules by failing to disclose to the league all payments made to players for playing activities during 2000-2011.
Ahead of his clubâs Scottish Cup quarter-final with St Mirren, Lennon said: "I only saw some snippets in the paper today, I believe they were found guilty of paying ÂŁ47m over 11 years in non-disclosed payments.
âAm I surprised at that? No.â
The commissionâs report stated all players were allowed to participate and that no sporting advantage was gained.
On this point, Lennon added: "As regards the competitive advantage they gained or didnât gain, a lot of other people will have a say on that, I have my own views on that but I will keep that to myself for now.
"I donât want to take anything away from what my team and club are doing.
âThe way we behave, the way we do our business has been impeccable and thatâs the reason why we are in the position we are in now.â
When asked about the belief from Ibrox that the club were vindicated by the decision, the former Celtic captain said: "Maybe thatâs because they got their own way.
"It wasnât our fight, it was the SPL, they brought up the tribunal against Rangers, it doesnât affect us.
âWe have the quarter-final to prepare for and we are playing Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League. Weâre not renting out a training ground to them.â
[quote=âBandage, post: 743005, member: 9â]
[/quote]
:rolleyes:
[quote=âRocko, post: 742244, member: 1â]Commons has been much better this year than last year.
I donât think Wilson and Mulgrew are strong enough aerially to play together long term but they may be the best options at the moment alright.[/quote]
I was comparing Commons to when he joined us first of all, hence why I said he had shown signs of improvement this year.