Well that was pretty decent, and the result puts the tie in our hands.
Brilliant.
You couldn’t really ask for better considering the situation we found ourselves in before the game.
Tonight belonged to three players and a manager.
Let’s start with the players. Kieran Tierney … you could watch this boy play all day. He plays with maturity, composure and class well beyond his years. Other clubs will be circling this kid like vultures above a killing field. He could play anywhere. We need to make this guy an offer he can’t refuse, the chance to become a Celtic legend. I love him. Watching him is a pleasure.
Leigh Griffiths once again proves to be the indispensable cog in the big wheel. He picked his moment superbly. His goal was typical of many he’s scored in the Hoops but it was a hugely important one. He is a fantastic striker and would be an asset to any team. Argue whether or not he should be played out wide to accommodate Dembele – we’ve not seen enough of that partnership to know how it will work out – but he’ll score goals and make space anyway.
And then there’s Patrick Roberts. Make the most of this kid whilst you can. Our chances of keeping him beyond the current loan deal stand somewhere between slim and none. It will be genuinely pleasing to see him develop into a top, top class footballer and know that he gave us two years and enjoyed every second of them. He will be a Celtic fan when he leaves and that always gives us a chance of getting him back somewhere down the line, but before that he’s going to play at the very highest level. Of that there is no doubt whatsoever.
But the real credit here belongs to Brendan Rodgers, who’s approach to the game is a night and day difference from what we were used to watching under Ronny Deila. Tactically flexible, he made courageous choices from the start and his tactical changes – not like for like swaps but genuine efforts to alter the course of the game – were insightful and excellent. This is more like it. Had Ronny been willing to adapt to circumstances he could have been a top boss and he might be yet in his career, but Brendan showed us tonight what makes him one.
There were disappointments; of course there were. Gordon was woeful when it came to the goal, and although he made up for it with some good saves there are concerns which linger long in the mind. Callum McGregor looked like a lost boy. His passing was poor to say the least. Armstrong (who everyone knows I like a tremendous lot) was very disappointing.
On the other hand, Efe Ambrose was steady. He kept it simple. It’s only when he tried to elaborate that the collective Celtic Family holds its breath. He won’t do long term, but tonight he did what he had to do, and in fairness he did it well.
Young O’Connell had a slow start, and looked a little shaky. But he grew into the game and by the second half he was reading it perfectly, timing his tackles with precision and passing the ball out of defence with the composure of a veteran. This kid has played little more than half a dozen first team games. He deserves enormous credit for coping with this pressure.
That was very different from the meek surrenders and wilful acceptance of failure we saw under Ronny on too many occasions at this level. When this manager makes changes he does it with a specific point in mind. He was willing to sacrifice Dembele, a forward, at a moment when we were chasing a goal, but it wasn’t damage limitation. It was to offer steel to the midfield and give the wide players attacking options coming from deep. I thought it was first rate.
Before the game I said my faith in our ability to get a result was based on Brendan’s approach to the game.
He lived up to the promise tonight.
Astana aren’t a world beating team. They are hard working, and far ahead of us in their fitness and match sharpness, being some way into their domestic season. By next week our own footballers will be much more ready, and on the green grass of Celtic Park (which will hopefully cut out some of the sillier mistakes) in front of a huge, vocal support, I wholly expect us to bury this team and move purposefully forward.
Tonight the credit belongs to the manager and a handful of players who gave their all. If other people at Celtic want to do their own bit for the cause they can bring in the two or three players the manager needs without further delay. He might just have gotten them off the hook for now but their conduct thus far has been colossally detrimental to what the manager is trying to do. They owe him big time. They owe all of us.
Time for them to deliver.
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