SPFL Celtic v St Mirren Sunday August 3rd kick off 4:30 Sky Sports football

Agreed.. but I actually think the way the Huns are set up just now is perfect for our 4-3-3.. early days tho.

 

As I already said, haven't seen it yet, but what I'm picking up from chatter and sites it feels like we scraped a 1-0 in a game we should have won by about 3-0, and the Huns scraped a 1-1 in a game it seems Motherwell should have won about 2-1 or even 3-1... I'll watch the highlights later, but that seems like it's not a terrible start to the season, as we'll gel and get stronger, and St. Mirren are the kind of team to give us a scrappy first match anyway

 

St.Mirren are a tough team to play. Robinson has flooded them with tall, aggressive, hard working players and has them very well set up. He had them going unbeaten after the split against the top six last season. I'll take the win and move on, it could have been more but for wasteful decision making. Hopefully we get a few new additions in, in the coming couple of weeks.

 

1 - 0 was a fair result in all honesty.

 

We got into some very good areas and probably should have won by a few more, but Idah is playing like a statue and Yang is well, Yang. That’s our problems. Defensively and in midfield we looked fine.

 

I think people should get used to tough games like that. The league is always improving, not just with quality but more with fitness, speed, strength. Even tactically teams are getting braver, although St Mirren didn’t really pose any threat.

We will still overrun teams. But people don’t have to have a mad panic when games look like they did yesterday.

 

I expected a hard game yesterday. St. Mirren are a decent side and usually have a right go. I was pleased with how little they actually troubled us. Our problem is going forward, and until we get our finger out in the transfer window, we will continue to struggle. Starting to get very worried about the play-off game to be honest, because we look toothless with Idah and Yang.

 

Type of game we saw many times from Dec onwards last season.

Dominate the ball, control the game, but struggle with a lack of quality in the final third. Fail to convert chances. Hit 70-80mins in the game either still chasing the win or up by a goal having failed to put the game to bed.

 

Personally think that handball was bullshit. Should have stood.

 

There is a rule that if the ball rouch under the shirt line on the player that scores the goal it will be disallowed. Which it did. But we all know it would be even if amcGregor passed it to Maeda

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Aye he sounded buzzing. Think he probably just gets excited by controversy and there's more when something doesn't go in a big team's favour but annoying all the same.

 

The glaring thing for me yesterday was the club have just signed yamada and Inamura. Two players Rodgers himself said he didn’t know and would look at. We’ve all seen them look so promising in pre-season but not get any minutes yesterday. Inamura not even on the bench.

however the players Rodgers HAS signed and gone big on. Engels, Trusty, Idah. Engels not good enough to start and came on…couldn’t beat the first man on his corners. Trusty came on and played well but Rodgers couldn’t trust him to be physical enough from the start. Idah, seems to have lost everything he knew how to do in that 6 month loan.

the board do not trust Rodgers to spend money and i agree! If Rodgers can’t even trust his own signings I’m not surprised.

He needs to get over himself. If a player is good enough it doesn’t matter what fee they are signed for or what league. Inamura and yamada are mid season and will be fitter than most of our squad. There’s literally no bedding in period needed

 

I wouldn't say it was a poor performance, just a bit average and unconvincing. Positives were scales and CCV who stood up great to the physical challenge and I thought Johnstone had a good game.

 

Add to that too schmeichel was brilliant in clearing the ball and also his delivery with his volleyed passes out. Forrest changed the game when he came on too.

just couldn’t finish those killer moments in the final third of the pitch.

 

Few of my thoughts on the game yesterday.

Schmeichel - had nothing to do today, a comfortable save in the first half the height of it.
Johnston - defensively fine, only really started to come into the game in an attacking sense when Forrest came on.
CCV - Strolled it
Scales - MOTM for me, won all his defensive duels, did well at left back, kept to the basics all game. Deserves his spot going forward and he is rock solid at domestic level so think the abuse he gets is totally unwarranted. A solid squad option for us.
Tierney - Good first half, some very dangerous deliveries. Will take time to forge an understand with Maeda
Nygren - Underwhelming display, did ok but Engels will probably have the jersey back in Pittodrie
McGregor - Energetic, moved the ball well. Pick of our midfield.
Hatate - Very quiet, passes didn't come off.
Yang - Anonymous, didn't really look for the ball and always wanted to cut inside.
Idah - His movement was good but his finishing and touch not up to it. Still way too passive on attacking things in the box.
Maeda - his usual energetic chance, always looking in behind but as a winger in these type of games, he doesn't offer enough creativity

Forrest had a massive impact off the bench and obviously McCowan too. Trusty slotted in at the back and was defended well.

The lack of quality at the top end is extremely worrying. Idah and Yang are now first choice and the biggest question is are they even reliable enough to be options off the bench for us. Forrest had a good cameo but he's 34 now and extremely injury probe. Maeda is better through the centre for me, domestically at least. When he plays out wide against a side that sit deep and are hard to break down he doesn't have the trickery or technical ability to create chances, everything is about running in behind and it's very difficult to pick his runs out in a packed defence.

Big onus on Nyrgen and Hatate to create openings if our wingers aren't providing us with a creative outlet and neither stepped up to it yesterday.

Plus points for me was our defence who had very little to do but defended very well and kept their concentration throughout. Scales in particular was excellent and used the ball well. Tierney if he can stay fit will be a huge addition, put in a number of dangerous crosses yesterday. Idah should reap the rewards of that IF he can become more aggressive and ruthless in that penalty are - huge IF though.

I really worry for us in Europe with Yang, Maeda and Forrest as our only wingers. It's nowhere near good enough.

 

Also worth bearing mind, teams having competitive LC games, makes them a bit more match ready than just friendlies.

Was always going to be a tough opener, but on another day we still could have won by 2 or 3

 

That is a pretty accurate summary to me, St Mirren are getting a lot of praise but really only created one chance of note. They defended well but with the chances we had and some misfortune 2 or 3-0 to us would have been a fair scoreline. Motherwell should have battered them had they had any quality up top. They recorded over 2.2 xG to Rangers 0.7.

 

I feel like some of the criticism directed at Adam Idah is a bit over the top. Sure, he missed a couple of chances he really should have buried, but he actually did a decent job holding the ball up and linking play. There were some nice touches, and to me, he looked more like a striker struggling with confidence than one lacking ability.

Let’s not forget—he wasn’t brought in to be Celtic’s main striker. It’s not his fault we haven’t strengthened more in that area. Despite the missed chances, he scored 20 goals last season, including three in the Champions League, and he’s come up with some big goals when it mattered.

That kind of contribution deserves recognition—and more respect IMO.