Celtic (3) v Hearts (2)

Terrific first half performance. I honestly don’t know how you guys can read and type while watching that first half. I was totally glued to the game, didn’t want to miss a touch of that brilliant performance.

Second half just seemed like an energy conserving exercise. Would have been nice to finish them earlier with being more clinical, but that’s football.

 

IMO, no.

At Brisbane the league itself was just 5 years old. As revolutionary as he was then, fact is there wasn't the quality in the league to expose his defensive coaching weaknesses.

At Yokohama, in his first season he scored the most and conceded the third most in the league. In the following championship winning season, they conceded the most goals in the top 6.

For Australia, the defense was fragile.

Postecoglou needs an assistant to help him organize a defense. But he won't get one.

 

Highlights for the match, in less than 24 hours, is the fourth most watched video on Premier Sports YouTube channel with 120,000 views.

It is also the most watched Scottish football video on the Premier Sports YouTube channel.

The three videos ahead of the Celtic-Hearts highlights are a few weeks old:

1) Joshua Zirkzee with an INCREDIBLE miss in Bayern vs Ajax (574,000 views)
2) Betis score with handball (156,000 views)
3) Gareth Bale wins and then MISSES a penalty in Real Madrid's friendly v AC Milan (135,000 views)

It will only be a matter of time until its the second most viewed video on the Premier Sports YouTube Channel.

It also comes as the match highlights of Celtic vs Dundee (Kyogos hat-trick) is the second most viewed video on the SPFL's YouTube channel, with 3.2 million views. The only other video with more views is Van Dijk's solo goal, which was uploaded over 7 years ago.

This new Celtic team is dominating social media. People, including neutrals, are loving the goals.

 

What did everyone else think about Beaton's performance yesterday? He was definitely correct in awarding the penalty and I don't think anyone could have any complaints about it however, I fail to see why he didn't award us a penalty when the hearts played blocked a shot with his hand outstretched, why he booked big Eddy for diving (which was correct) yet ignored the hearts player for doing practically the exact same and why he continuously gets in the road of Celtic players when we are on the attack. ? As I've been saying for ages, the club really need to call these cheating hun supporting feckers out or it will never change.

 

I came on to point out aswell our game relies on our pressing and winning ball back higher in the pitch as much as it does with quick passing movement as you have already said he tried to get in the way of it at every opportunity but he also blew anytime our forward players made an attempt at the ball to try stop. Our pressing it’s gonna be like this now that they are out cl and badly need next years money


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Australians and Japanese tuning in I’m sure has something to do with it also


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Also back to the penalty was the heart player in front of star felt and did he win the ball and have possession answer to both is no he ran into Stargell and claimed and got it


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Cecil Beaton would have reffed that game better and he's been dead 40 year

 

It was a penalty everyday of the week and twice on Sundays. Starfelt kicked the Hearts player in the achilles.

 

I totally agree with you. He was right to book Edouard but then he didn't book their lad for his dive in the second half and again he as right for their pk but for sure that was a hand ball for us. Thats 3 domestic games and the honest mistakes are already pilling up.

 

I sort of thought they wouldn't have been up to the usual cheating as much this season after helping the huns stop the ten however, I was wrong, and their blatant cheating is still there for all to see.

 

That first half was as relentless as I’ve seen us in so long, as was shown in the stats.I don’t think they * even got out their half. If that’s a sign of things to come then I cannot wait. The first goal was fantastic.

Only overall gripe is not putting teams to the sword. Granted we done it to Dundee but we need to start killing games when we are on top.

I’m still unsure on Starfelt to be honest. He seems a bit nervous and the fact he always lets the ball bounce gives me the fear. Need to attack the ball when it’s at its highest point.

Onwards to the next round!

 

No question the honest mistakes brigade are already in full on mid season form only 3 games in domestically.

 

I remember we got one in a European qualifier 4 or so year ago at home, Tierney did it. Guy was ready to kick it clear and Tierney jumped in between him and the ball and took the kick and got us the penalty, surprising you don't see it more.

 

He's come to the right club then, our Board don't seem to think one is needed at Celtic.

Think big Johan was our last person who done that job.


If he doesn't want a defensive coach then get that Big Belgian striker signed and tell us all to strap in for the Rollercoaster Ride

 

Had the chance to watch back the game. The first half was even better than I thought when watching live yesterday. Total domination. And despite the suggestion of the 2nd half of Hearts going "toe to toe" with us. Absolute fantasy. They were better than their first-half showing, but it really wasn't hard to achieve given the low barrier.

I had worried about teams sitting in and defending the box for 90mins. My concerns about that have diminished massively. There will be off days in the coming months but even with that drop, teams like Ross County et al won't get the same joy as last season. And teams who want to have a go, well Exhibit A is our first goal yesterday. The speed and quality of the play was class. Trunbull with the initial ball taken out 3 Jambos and into the stride of Kyogo, as Hearts tried to adjust, the ball was moved on again to Forrest. Another ball into the path of the team-mate, who had space and the option to play the next pass quickly. Forrest then found Eddie and Eddie the back of the net. Meanwhile, Halkett was 5 yards away from Eddie, after pulling what looked like the equivalent of Craig Tara's Caravan Community to get there.

The whole half we moved the ball with a purpose. Welsh progressing the ball from the defence and continuing to step into the midfield and overloading. As appealing and eye-catching as the expansive passes that stretch the opposition far and wide. The importance of the short interchanges, which often look needless. Are vital in the whole process. That wee lowering of the pace in play reeled in a few against Dundee and done so again on Sunday.

Full-time score is as flattering and deceiving as you will ever see. Hearts should have been at least 4 or 5 down at halftime. Eddie missed an easy chance from about 8 yards oot and also took on a shot instead of playing Forrest in on goal. We had a couple of opportunities that were blocked by Hearts and our own players. The 100 odd Hearts passes in the stats at half-time is questionable. They couldn't get out. They couldn't pass it out. And when they did, it was towards isolated players. And the ball just kept coming back. Unless John Beaton dished out the sympathy free-kicks. Cluggers like Peter Haring and Andy "hooked at halftime"Halliday, couldn't live with it.

Onto the "toe to toe" 2nd half from the gospel according to Neilson. We lower the pace but were still threatening all the time. Eddie utilised his habit of dropping deep at times, which opened up the space for the higher placed Forrest and Kyogo. Hearts did look to squeeze the game and the introduction of Ginnelly caused issues. Unlike the 1st half, Ginnelly through his pace and ability in 1v1 situations. Allowed Hearts to escape the pressure at times and also got them up the park. He won his battle with Greg Taylor and caused Starfelt problems as well. It was like Kabamba on Julien at Rugby Park last season. While we had to defend a bit more, it wasn't overly worrying. However, the manner of goals conceded were really poor. Starfelt was slightly unlucky, but sloppy for the penalty. Welsh made a poor decision trying to anticipate, as opposed to holding his position to defend the low cross.

We still created really good chances. Kyogo got his goal again from clever individual play. After the poor clearance from Gordon, Kyogo held his position as the Hearts defence retreated towards him. He positioned himself in space and side on ready for the through ball, before finishing. This was one example of many throughout the game of how intelligent and game aware the guy is. The other more explicit instance was the opportunity he almost created for himself after the Turnbull free-kick. Other chances came the way of Eddie, Welsh, Montgomery, Turnbull and Gordon pulled off a very good stop from McGregor to keep it a close scoreline at full time.

Falsehoods from Neilson at full time, won't wash with those who witnessed the game. And hasn't washed with many of his own clubs fans.

Wednesday night will be a big test. And the best guide so far, on how well we have progressed.

On the domestic front, especially at home. Teams are going to struggle, if they don't have a plan for keeping the ball from us. Would be surprised if the Dundee result isn't replicated a few more times.