Ryan Christie

Thought he played very well today, has a great range of passing, good movement and always wanted the ball. Needs to stay on his feet longer, but I'm sure he'll have it cracked in no time.

Hopefully he continues to get a run in the team next season!

 

Thought he did really well as the lone striker today. Brought his teammates into the game really well with his touch and movement.

 

He was brilliant today!

 

He was surprisingly effective up front on his own. His movement in particular cause their defence all sorts of problems. Looks promising.

That miss though. SEBOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

He actually linked the game very well today up top, an area Griffiths needs to improve.

Certainly have high hopes for him going forward.

 

Very impressed with his performance. Knew he had lots of talent but wasn't sure how he would perform up front. His movement, passing and link up play was very impressive. Good finish as well. Wouldn't hesitate in playing him up front again if Griff was unavailable.
Really hope the new manager coming in gives Christie a chance. Definitely is good enough for a starting place imo.

 

Like him a lot, very good today, delighted he got a goal

 

Very clever player which is what you need when you're playing with the likes of Rogic and Roberts. I'm not sure on his best position but he'll definitely be knocking on the door for a place next season.

Got a fine set of nashers on him too.

 

Was great yesterday, the way he dropped back into midfield allowed Rogic to go beyond him and made it hard for them to defend against. Could be an option as a back-up striker as his movement was excellent and he got a couple of chances and managed to score.

 

RYAN Christie says he can’t wait for the start of pre-season after scoring his first Celtic goal in the 7-0 trouncing of Motherwell on the day Hoops were presented with the Scottish Premiership trophy.
The 21-year-old has had to bide his time for top-team chances since signing from Inverness Caley Thistle but he was handed his first start for the club last week against St Johnstone.
Having retained his spot for Sunday's showdown with the Steelmen, he shone in a central striking role in the absence of the suspended Leigh Griffiths, linking up to good effect with the likes of Stuart Armstrong, Tom Rogic and Patrick Roberts.
The Scotland U21 internationalist came close to scoring several times in the first half as the champions raced into a three-goal lead at the interval.
After Armstrong and Roberts had found the net in the second period, Christie finally got the goal he so desperately desired. Following a sublime piece of skill, Rogic threaded a pass through to Christie and this time he made no mistake, burying a shot into the corner.
Opening his account for the Hoops was a moment to savour for the lifelong Celtic fan and his joy was palpable as he celebrated the goal in front of the home support.
Speaking exclusively to the Celtic View, he said: “I was a bit disappointed at half-time as, although we went in cruising in the game, I was annoyed that I hadn’t found the back of the net but thankfully it came in the second-half.
"I was just delighted but it was more relief as I would be frustrated if I didn’t score after missing that easy chance in the first half. My whole family were down for the game so it was nice for them to be here and see it.
“I’m delighted that I managed to get a run-out towards the end of the season. It’s been brilliant and to play up front was terrific. I already can’t wait for pre-season to begin and hopefully we can have more successful days like this.”
After Christie had bagged his goal, 16-year-old Jack Aitchison made history by becoming the youngest-ever Celt to play a competitive match for the club when he replaced Rogic for the closing stages.
And there was to be a fairytale moment for the Celtic Youth Academy player as he drilled home number seven with his first touch of the ball, capping off a memorable day in Paradise as the Bhoys celebrated five-in-a-row.
It was also a fitting finale for manager Ronny Deila who received a rousing reception from the home crowd in his last game in charge of the club.
“The atmosphere was unbelievable,” said Christie. “From the moment we walked out the tunnel it was incredible and I really enjoyed it.
“The way we played the whole game was absolutely brilliant. We wanted to make it a nice occasion for the manager.
“It’s easy to go into party mode as soon as you win the league but by performing like we did on Sunday, we showed that we are the best team in the league.”

 

VERSATLITY could be the ace in the pack for Ryan Christie this season as the 21-year-old bids to cement his place in Brendan Rodgers’ starting XI.
The former Inverness playmaker has shown his positional flexibility at the champions in his first six months by playing on the wings, in attack and even up front for the Celts in the absence of Leigh Griffiths.
Leading the line against Motherwell on trophy day saw Christie find the net for the first time for the champions, scoring the final goal in a 7-0 demolition of the Steelmen as the Bhoys finished the season in style.
And with a new season now on the horizon under new manager Brendan Rodgers, the forward said he hopes his diverse ability will increase his chances of winning a place in the team.
“I’d say my natural position is like a No.10, attacking midfielder, but I really enjoyed playing up front in the last game of the season,” Christie said. “With such high quality we have in midfield I feel it’d be no problem to play up front as we have so many players that could play behind me.
“Also, I don’t mind playing out wide as well but I don’t mind where I play. I’ve played up front before but I’ve never enjoyed it as much as I did in that last game of the season and that’s probably because we tend to have a lot of possession.
“Tom (Rogic) played behind me in the last game of the season and he’s brilliant at taking the ball on the half-turn and he likes to thread people through straight away. He set me up for the goal but we have quality in all areas of the pitch so I wouldn’t find it a problem to play up front.”
Finding a place in Brendan Rodgers’ team no matter where he plays will be the priority for Christie and the rest of the Celtic players as they report to Lennoxtown on Monday for the start of pre-season.
The announcement of the SPFL Premiership fixtures for the new season revealed a busy start to the domestic campaign for the Hoops, with a season-opening away trip to Tynecastle first up before a further trip to St Johnstone is proceeded by the first meeting with Aberdeen on August 27 at Paradise.
Before all that, however, the Celts will get their European adventure underway in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers and Christie said he is desperate to play his part in such important games.
“I’m very excited,” he added. “I’ve played in early European games before but the pressure of these big games means it will be very good to be part of it.
“The games coming up even before the domestic season starts means that if you play well in them, you manage to put yourself in the gaffer’s thoughts straight away. That’s what I will be looking to do and I’m sure every other player will too, to stake their claim for a place in the team for the season.”

 

Some set o gnashers on this lad

 

Really hope so! I think he can be a special player for us and the national team. Plus he's a Celtic fan, like KT and will give more for the shirt by default.

 

I've no doubt in my mind he'll be a regular next season. You can see there's something special about him.

 

That's the bonus of a good manager coming in with no preconceptions. But with his lack of experience and the amount of competition, he'll really need to stand out to play. I think he'll be largely bit part. Loan wouldn't be a bad idea if that's going to be the case but we'll see. Talented lad.

 

picked up today's Celtic Website Man Of The Match