Pre-season games
- Thread starter TicV"Establishment"
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TicV"Establishment"
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Brilliant long range pass from Griff to pick out the run of Sinclair who finishes it off with a sweet finish. 0-6
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Armstrong puts us in 7th heaven with his 2nd of the game. 0-7
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Jonny Hayes opens his Celtic account with the 8th goal. 0-8
Brilliant stuff from Sinclair to set it up.
Brilliant stuff from Sinclair to set it up.
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Tam with the 9th goal. 0-9 :emoticon:10
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FT Shamrock Rovers 0 - 9 Celtic
Tight game...
Dominant doesn't really do it justice. Some wonderful passing, movement and interchanges on display. Will have done the fitness and confidence a power of good.
Some superb goals too.
Bring on the rancid bigots.
Tight game...
Dominant doesn't really do it justice. Some wonderful passing, movement and interchanges on display. Will have done the fitness and confidence a power of good.
Some superb goals too.
Bring on the rancid bigots.
TicV"Establishment"
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Indeed.
Wee_od would've enjoyed that game today.
Wee_od would've enjoyed that game today.
TicV"Establishment"
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Apparently hearts gubbed the linfield bigots 4-1 in their own dump this afternoon.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Hey guys! Really sorry I missed the game but I was at a wedding on Saturday! I've just caught up with the highlights this morning and the only disappointing thing for us in terms of a warm-up for Linfield was that I don't think we really had to do much defending! However, I'd be surprised if Linfield come out much and try to attack either!
I thought I heard that the Shamrock Rovers team was mainly their young players, reserves and fringe players so maybe more of a drubbing than it would have been but from a confidence point of view for us, we couldn't have asked for more! Some good play all round and a game like that has probably just got the spark going again a bit in the team.
Haven't seen what happened with Brown but doesn't seem too good unless it was just very precautionary. I still expect he'll be back in time for the Linfield game......we know what he's like! Haha! If he's not, Bitton will be good enough to cover in his absence, he seemed to do OK yesterday.
I thought I heard that the Shamrock Rovers team was mainly their young players, reserves and fringe players so maybe more of a drubbing than it would have been but from a confidence point of view for us, we couldn't have asked for more! Some good play all round and a game like that has probably just got the spark going again a bit in the team.
Haven't seen what happened with Brown but doesn't seem too good unless it was just very precautionary. I still expect he'll be back in time for the Linfield game......we know what he's like! Haha! If he's not, Bitton will be good enough to cover in his absence, he seemed to do OK yesterday.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Our Development team were also in action over the weekend away to East Kilbride. Those younger players who didn't travel to Dublin to Shamrock Rovers all got about 60 minutes or so of action including new signing Benyu!
CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Doohan; Wardrop, Duffy, Deas, Miller; Hill, Thomson; Hendry, Benyu, Nesbitt; Aitchison
Expect to see a similar team take on Lyon next Saturday at Celtic Park! Add to that maybe some time for Ajer or Eboue if they are fit enough after injury as well as potentially Liam Henderson and GMS unless they are taken with the squad to Linfield on the Friday. Lyon would be a good game for McCart to play in as well but he'll most likely be required with the first team squad in Belfast in case of injury! Maybe if he can travel back over in time then he could get some time. It will be a great experience for the young lads to play against a team like Lyon at Celtic Park!
CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Doohan; Wardrop, Duffy, Deas, Miller; Hill, Thomson; Hendry, Benyu, Nesbitt; Aitchison
Expect to see a similar team take on Lyon next Saturday at Celtic Park! Add to that maybe some time for Ajer or Eboue if they are fit enough after injury as well as potentially Liam Henderson and GMS unless they are taken with the squad to Linfield on the Friday. Lyon would be a good game for McCart to play in as well but he'll most likely be required with the first team squad in Belfast in case of injury! Maybe if he can travel back over in time then he could get some time. It will be a great experience for the young lads to play against a team like Lyon at Celtic Park!
TicV"Establishment"
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Benyu bagged his first goal for the development side and is now training with the first team squad.
Aitchison scored twice yesterday against Elgin (I think)
Aitchison scored twice yesterday against Elgin (I think)
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Yeah Benyu seemed quite impressive on his debut last weekend and I think the plan was always that he'd train with the first team, but he needed game time and the Development Squad game was the best way to give him that. I'm still not convinced we'll see much of him this season but you never know. Depends how hard he works and how well he plays. It seems he's got a mighty free-kick!
I saw we beat Elgin as well. Big season for Aitchison this season. Needs to show he can score in the Irn Bru cup for our Colt team and then keep pushing on toward the first team! BR will give him a chance if he keeps working hard and it looks as though he has the attributes to make it. Fingers crossed!
I saw we beat Elgin as well. Big season for Aitchison this season. Needs to show he can score in the Irn Bru cup for our Colt team and then keep pushing on toward the first team! BR will give him a chance if he keeps working hard and it looks as though he has the attributes to make it. Fingers crossed!
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
The site was down earlier for some reason so couldn't post anything during the Lyon game. I was surprised at how many players started from the ones that traveled to Belfast.
De Vries
Hill - Bitton - Ajer - Izzy
McGregor - Kouassi - Ntcham
Hayes - Benyu
Dembele
Subs: Hazard, Wardrop, McCart, Miller, Aitchison, Hendry, McInroy, Henderson
Not sure why but Ralston wasn't available for the game and Gamboa has been away on international duty but was forced with a possible muscle tear in his hamstring. So with Lustig having played the whole game against Linfield and him being our only fit senior RB, he was sensibly not included. So up stepped Mark Hill, a promising young player who normally plays in midfield but I've read that he has spent some time in defence as well. He's known for being a bit of a powerhouse, particularly for his size. He's not that tall, although not as small as some either but he's just been built like a brick wall even since he was about 16! He did really well today but definitely started to tire and just couldn't cope defensively for some of the goals we conceded. A few of them at least came from their left hand side. Eventually he moved in to midfield and Sam Wardrop came on to RB after one of our midfielders had gone off. Then he was eventually replaced in midfield by Regan Hendry.
De Vries
Hill - Bitton - Ajer - Izzy
McGregor - Kouassi - Ntcham
Hayes - Benyu
Dembele
Subs: Hazard, Wardrop, McCart, Miller, Aitchison, Hendry, McInroy, Henderson
Not sure why but Ralston wasn't available for the game and Gamboa has been away on international duty but was forced with a possible muscle tear in his hamstring. So with Lustig having played the whole game against Linfield and him being our only fit senior RB, he was sensibly not included. So up stepped Mark Hill, a promising young player who normally plays in midfield but I've read that he has spent some time in defence as well. He's known for being a bit of a powerhouse, particularly for his size. He's not that tall, although not as small as some either but he's just been built like a brick wall even since he was about 16! He did really well today but definitely started to tire and just couldn't cope defensively for some of the goals we conceded. A few of them at least came from their left hand side. Eventually he moved in to midfield and Sam Wardrop came on to RB after one of our midfielders had gone off. Then he was eventually replaced in midfield by Regan Hendry.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
A lot of players did an amazing job in the first half. Ajer looked dominant and comfortable on the ball, he's great at winning the ball but then immediately looking to go forward, even if it means knocking it to a team-mate and playing the 1-2 to just start striding up the pitch!
Bitton played at CB all game and captained the side. What that means for his future I'm not sure but he did well enough but at times it was clear to see he was not a CB by trade!
Kouassi was impressive in CM. Ran the show from the deeper position and showed good aerial ability, strength and toughness. Wasn't afraid to get stuck in!
Ntcham; the new bhoy we all wanted to see! He looks a player! Playing in Armstrong's position but he's very different from Armstrong in his style of play. He looks to be creative but with his passing rather than his running with the ball. Loves a shot at goal from distance as well!
Benyu.....WOW! Playing on the left wing which was rather unexpected. Even BR said after the game that he's been surprised at just how well he's playing at the moment. He was just a bundle of energy. Needs to work on his final pass or end product but otherwise a really great showing! I don't think BR would have any worries about playing him in domestic games or potentially even CL qualifiers if he had to!
The young lads who came on all did OK....nobody particularly stood out but it was difficult as Lyon upped the tempo and started scoring the goals. Nobody did badly and I think it's more a case of BR getting an up close look at them and being able to see if they can put into practice what he's telling them, what he's teaching them in training and how well they cope with it.
I was surprised not to see Michael Johnston, can only assume that's a small injury or something and I was also disappointed for Joe Thomson. Thomson played during the week in the friendlies that the development squad played so I thought he might have gotten a shot today but whatever reason he didn't. Starting to look like his time here might be up. Another one of these strange situations where he makes his debut at a young age, gets named on the bench a few times, is very highly rated, send him out loan and then suddenly he's leaving but without really being given a fair chance it seems.
Bitton played at CB all game and captained the side. What that means for his future I'm not sure but he did well enough but at times it was clear to see he was not a CB by trade!
Kouassi was impressive in CM. Ran the show from the deeper position and showed good aerial ability, strength and toughness. Wasn't afraid to get stuck in!
Ntcham; the new bhoy we all wanted to see! He looks a player! Playing in Armstrong's position but he's very different from Armstrong in his style of play. He looks to be creative but with his passing rather than his running with the ball. Loves a shot at goal from distance as well!
Benyu.....WOW! Playing on the left wing which was rather unexpected. Even BR said after the game that he's been surprised at just how well he's playing at the moment. He was just a bundle of energy. Needs to work on his final pass or end product but otherwise a really great showing! I don't think BR would have any worries about playing him in domestic games or potentially even CL qualifiers if he had to!
The young lads who came on all did OK....nobody particularly stood out but it was difficult as Lyon upped the tempo and started scoring the goals. Nobody did badly and I think it's more a case of BR getting an up close look at them and being able to see if they can put into practice what he's telling them, what he's teaching them in training and how well they cope with it.
I was surprised not to see Michael Johnston, can only assume that's a small injury or something and I was also disappointed for Joe Thomson. Thomson played during the week in the friendlies that the development squad played so I thought he might have gotten a shot today but whatever reason he didn't. Starting to look like his time here might be up. Another one of these strange situations where he makes his debut at a young age, gets named on the bench a few times, is very highly rated, send him out loan and then suddenly he's leaving but without really being given a fair chance it seems.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Final pre-season game away down to Sunderland on Saturday! I don't imagine many of those involved last night will be playing though!
I expect it will be a youthful side!
De Vries
Ralston - Bitton - McCart - Miller
Henderson - Kouassi - Benyu
Johnston - Aitchison - Nesbitt
Subs: Hazard, Hill, Wardrop, Thomson, Hendry, Church, Ciftci, and a bunch of other youngsters.
I really can't see, given the result last night, that BR will look to play many/any of the first team players. Regardless of fitness levels, it's just too risky that someone will get injured. Particularly so in the final third of the pitch.
I expect it will be a youthful side!
De Vries
Ralston - Bitton - McCart - Miller
Henderson - Kouassi - Benyu
Johnston - Aitchison - Nesbitt
Subs: Hazard, Hill, Wardrop, Thomson, Hendry, Church, Ciftci, and a bunch of other youngsters.
I really can't see, given the result last night, that BR will look to play many/any of the first team players. Regardless of fitness levels, it's just too risky that someone will get injured. Particularly so in the final third of the pitch.
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