This is how it feels (Celtic 20/10/2018

[Jonnyboy]

I’m going to start off with an apology because my take on today’s game may have glaring gaps due to the fact that I was behind the main stand pillar which obscures a large part of one goalmouth. Celtic really take the mickey selling tickets for these seats and compound that by stating on the ticket that the purchaser qualifies for a restricted view discount.

On to the game now and there was a surprise when Hibs lined up with a back three of Ambrose, McGregor and Stevenson whilst deploying Slivka, Mallan, Milligan, Hyndman and Horgan in midfield with Boyle playing off Kamberi up front. With SDG out injured, Lenny had little choice but to adjust the set up and whilst three at the back has served us well in recent times, it quickly became clear that by instructing Slivka and Horgan to sit wide, our other three were overwhelmed by Celtic in midfield.

Things had started brightly with an early chance arriving after Brown had hacked down Mallan as the Hibs player looked set to break into the box. Brown was booked but Mallan’s effort from the resultant free kick whistled past Gordon’s right hand post. The bright start didn’t last long with Celtic playing quick one touch football to get in behind our midfield and in the eighth minute they opened the scoring. Horgan failed in his attempt to dispossess Forrest out wide on the Hibs left. Forrest quickly shuttled the ball to Rogic who played a quick one two and shot beyond the reach of the diving Bogdan. Celtic then rattled the woodwork and generally pinned Hibs back until they doubled their lead ten minutes after the first. Again, quick passing and a failure to track runners gave Ntcham the easiest of chances to fire the ball home.

It seemed obvious that the three at the back wasn’t working and after Celtic had threatened again on more than one occasion, Lenny moved Milligan into the back three, making it a traditional four. Hibs looked more comfortable now and started to mount some attacks of their own but Celtic still looked dangerous on the break and Bogdan denied them twice before the woodwork doubled that number. Although showing better form, poor decision making and some wayward shots had us going in at the break 2-0 down.

No doubt lifted by the half time team talk, Hibs started the second half well and managed to put the home defence under pressure. That pressure paid off when, just after the hour mark, some fine play led to the ball reaching Kamberi on the left side of the Celtic box. The big striker wasted no time in selling Lustig a dummy before rifling a left footed drive past Gordon and into the far corner of the net. For a few minutes after that, Hibs dominated but their willingness to push on looking for an equaliser cost them dear when Forrest broke free on the left, hotly pursued by Milligan. In truth the Aussie should have brought him down but he didn’t and that allowed Forrest to reach the byeline before cutting the ball back to Edouard who had an easy tap in to make it 3-1.

Hibs were stunned but it only took them three minutes to cut the deficit again as Boyle rushed on to a ball through the middle, outpaced his marker and cleverly dinked his finish over the diving Gordon. Played like a cup tie the game was flowing from end to end but it would be the hosts that claimed the final goal when poor tackling in the Hibs box allowed the ball to reach Edouard who fired home his second and Celtic’s fourth.

My immediate reaction to the game was that Hibs had been set up wrongly with Slivka and Horgan on the periphery by being deployed in wide areas whilst Hyndman and Mallan didn’t do enough physically in supporting Milligan. This gave Celtic the freedom to just play through us and I wished Lenny had gone to a back four after the opening goal and we might have avoided conceding the second. Having said all of that I heard Lenny’s post-match interview and he was explaining that he had set his team up to attack, rather than go with one up top and sit deep only to lose 1-0. That makes a lot of sense to me and tempered my initial views somewhat. I was also pleased to hear him take responsibility for the team formation in the earlier stages of the first half not working as he’d hoped.

The players

Adam – I felt so sorry for him today as he was hung out to dry for all four goals. Indeed, had he not saved two one on ones and two stunning diving stops the final score would have been hugely embarrassing.

Efe – Made captain for the day I feel he struggled at times with the waves of attackers coming at him but hey, who wouldn’t? It disappointed me that he seemed to make no effort at all to cut out the pass for their second goal as the ball passed inches from his foot.

Daz – The big fella’s selection caught me totally by surprise but after a kinda shaky start, during which he picked up what I consider a harsh booking, he grew into the game and looked like his old self. It’s guesswork on my part but would a more settled Porteous have helped us lose fewer goals?

Lewis – He played this role really well at Ibrox last season but didn’t get to grips with it at all today. On numerous occasions he faced two Celtic players after Horgan was caught wrong side of the ball.

Slivka – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he is wasted when played wide. After we moved to a back four he became more central, influenced the play and got more involved. It shocked me when they lined up to start the second half and he’d been pushed wide right again.

Emerson – After coming on to a game in the last two outings I felt much of today’s play simply passed him by.

Mark – The midfield role was difficult for him with so little support and he looked far better in the back four. As I’ve said, he should have brought Forrest down and when he didn’t it cost us a goal. When he was immediately replaced by Whitty I hoped that wasn’t Lenny punishing him but as my brother pointed out, Whitty was stripped and ready to come on before that incident took place.

Stevie – A disappointing day all round with a few chances to score not being taken. Perhaps I’ve fallen into the trap of thinking every free kick in the twenty yards from goal category is as good as in the net. Today, two were not and a couple from open play sailed high and wide.

Daryl – The wee man buzzes about and is always busy but I felt he let Lewis down a few times today by not being where he should be.

Boyler – Had a half decent chance late in the first half but blazed his shot high and wide. Had a much better second half and his goal had a mark of quality about it.

Flo – Ploughed a lone furrow a lot and irritatingly kept getting caught offside but he took his goal really well and would no doubt be pleased to see that Jamie Mac is fit and ready to play again.

Whitty – Replaced Milligan for the last twenty minutes or so and slotted in at right back with Efe moving in to the middle. He has his detractors but did well enough today although he may have been in the group of Hibs defenders trying and failing to prevent the fourth goal.

Jamie – Only got a few minutes and had no time to show us he’s back to full fitness.

Lenny – As I’ve said, I felt the change to a back four could have come after the first goal but I’ve now bought in to his view that it’s better to go for a win by playing expansively than getting everyone behind the ball and losing 1-0. The expansiveness never showed itself much today but it’s clearly something this team is capable of.

The fans – Treated poorly as ever by Celtic with seats that had a chronic view and failure on one occasion to take on board the needs of an elderly supporter with a walking stick. One thing I didn’t like was the frequent belting out of the ‘new’ Mercer song and it didn’t help that the drummer drummed along as it was sung. I thought the singing section had distanced itself from it.

The ref – It’s always easy to have a go when you’ve lost but Don Robertson doesn’t qualify for the full blast of ‘incompetent’ more irritating by blowing his whistle every ten seconds and usually in favour of Celtic.

Man of the Match (Given the recent decision by Kleenex, maybe it should be player of the game) goes to Adam Bogdan who saved us from a real pasting.

[Diclonius]

Thanks for this, as comprehensive as ever.

Did pick up on one alarming point though - a "new" Mercer song really beggars belief.

[Jamesie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Thanks for this, as comprehensive as ever.

Did pick up on one alarming point though - a "new" Mercer song really beggars belief.

I picked up on this song in Greece in August and I really do wish we would concentrate on songs that spur the players on - this does nothing other than show the support in a poor light.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Thanks for this, as comprehensive as ever.

Did pick up on one alarming point though - a "new" Mercer song really beggars belief.

Not new unfortunately.

[JimBHibees]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I picked up on this song in Greece in August and I really do wish we would concentrate on songs that spur the players on - this does nothing other than show the support in a poor light.

Totally agree brutal song.

[Iggy Pope]

If the elderly fellah with the stick was the gent who got seated to the single seat on the left of the gangway, I think they handled that pretty well in the end?

[BS44]

Goalie kept us in it.

Game was over at 2 0

[BS44]

Sgould add rabbits in headlights

[Hermit Crab]

I noticed Milligan had an exchange with Lennon when he was subbed and according to the Sky Sports App we only won 2 fouls in the whole game while Celtic won 17 fouls. Something not right with that.

[Jonnyboy]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

If the elderly fellah with the stick was the gent who got seated to the single seat on the left of the gangway, I think they handled that pretty well in the end?

Not sure if it was the same guy. Was the row behind me, BB I think and he was about three or four seats in from the aisle

[Iggy Pope]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Not sure if it was the same guy. Was the row behind me, BB I think and he was about three or four seats in from the aisle

Nah. This boy was in the lower section along from me, round about F-G right behind the disabled area “decking”....they did get him seated ok though.

[Jonnyboy]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nah. This boy was in the lower section along from me, round about F-G right behind the disabled area “decking”....they did get him seated ok though.

[Jack Hackett]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Sgould add rabbits in headlights

I've had a few myself tonight. Cheers!

[CMurdoch]

Thanks for the report Johnny.
The game was enjoyable to watch online apart from the result.
Think we were on a hiding to nothing with all our missing players at the back and the way the defence was laid out allowed the back line to be breached with ease.

I agree with you about Slivka, play him in the centre, that way he is more effective and can help Milligan out.
On the upside Adam Bogdan really has his **** together now. Looks so confident and in the groove.
Great to have MacLaren almost ready to reform his electric partnership with Kamberi.
Mallan looks to be getting fitter and stronger and was getting stuck in, making tackles and fighting for the ball.
Both Hibs goals were very good, Kamberi's was very classy and it was good to see Boyle keep his nerve and dink it over the keeper.
Efe didn't make any glaring mistakes at Parkhead which is a good thing for his continued confidence.

3 points gone but against a resurgent Celtic team is no great problem.
The lost points to Livingston and St Johnstone were more of an issue.
Hope we can get our injured defenders back quickly.
Does anyone know the situation with Hanlon's injury?

[Cod Boy]

Let’s be honest here 4.2 was a good result.

[Jamesie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I noticed Milligan had an exchange with Lennon when he was subbed and according to the Sky Sports App we only won 2 fouls in the whole game while Celtic won 17 fouls. Something not right with that.

Interesting - didn’t notice that myself but Lennon singles Milligan out in his Hibs TV interview in terms of what he should have done at their third goal and I get the feeling he wasn’t too impressed by his performance.

Also noticed Lennon having a go at the 4th official on the stroke of half time - was worried for a moment that it was going to get him into bother but thankfully he seemed to snap out of it and head down the tunnel.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Let’s be honest here 4.2 was a good result.

No defeat can be described as a good result, no matter who it's against.

It's just not as bad as it might have been after going 2-0 down after 20 minutes.

[Greenbeard]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

No defeat can be described as a good result, no matter who it's against.

It's just not as bad as it might have been after going 2-0 down after 20 minutes.

A 1-0 defeat away from home in a first leg Euro tie v. higher ranked opposition would be a "good" result. I was also going to say that psychologically 2-4 was a good result y'day based on the chances the Tic had, but you are right; "good" is not the right terminology for any league match defeat unless it is a match in which goal difference was going to be a major factor.
Everyone will agree that it could have been a far worse defeat given the Tic had four on the woodwork, 2 or 3 goal-bound blocks and 2 or 3 good saves from Bogdan. On another day, and I admit this is based on the audio and Hibs TV highlights, it looks like it could have been a humiliating and damaging result. Does that make a 2-4 defeat a "good" result? No, but it was a hell of a lot better and way less damaging psychologically than it could have been. Going into the derby we can put a positive spin on being competitive against a resurgent Tic rather than on the back of an absolute trouncing.

[Smartie]

Funnily enough I've spoken to a few Celtic fans since yesterday and they have all enthused about how well we played.

They seem to have held our performance in higher regard than we have.

I suppose some of our attaching play was very good, and they won't be attacked much at Celtic Park.

Some of that defending though........

[JXM73]

Which one is this mercer song? Words or tune would be a help 🤔

[marinello59]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Which one is this mercer song? Words or tune would be a help 🤔

THey won’t be appearing on here.

[JXM73]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

THey won’t be appearing on here.

Fair enough, just so i recognise it... maybe a pm?

[Hermit Crab]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Which one is this mercer song? Words or tune would be a help 🤔

If you have been to any of our away games this season you will have heard it.

[JXM73]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

If you have been to any of our away games this season you will have heard it.

Aye, and yet still have no idea which song it is... dont want to take up anymore space on this thread, if you could pm me so i know...

[Hermit Crab]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Aye, and yet still have no idea which song it is... dont want to take up anymore space on this thread, if you could pm me so i know...

I don't know the full lyrics, its not something I particularly listen to at games, no doubt you'll hear it at Tynecastle if you're gong

[Kojock]

Just before half time Gordon made a great save down to his left from a header I think by Kamberi ? If that had gone in who knows how the second half might have panned out.

[Allant1981]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Just before half time Gordon made a great save down to his left from a header I think by Kamberi ? If that had gone in who knows how the second half might have panned out.

header was from boyle, cracking save to be fair

[Hermit Crab]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

header was from boyle, cracking save to be fair

Not shown on the highlights strangely enough.

[Kojock]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

header was from boyle, cracking save to be fair

I actually thought it was Boyle at the time but it was such a good header I assumed it must've been Kamberi lol

[ancient hibee]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Not shown on the highlights strangely enough.

On Sportscene ok.