Agree, time to be playing the best 11, see exactly where we areHope Ange now regards pre season as complete and goes with his first pick eleven on Saturday v Norwich and names 9 subs, limiting use to 5 (unless there's injuries) and treats the game like a league game. No subs for the sake of it.
Be surprised if Ange did myself Gary, just on the basis of not wanting to show his full hand before he needs to play it.Hope Ange now regards pre season as complete and goes with his first pick eleven on Saturday v Norwich and names 9 subs, limiting use to 5 (unless there's injuries) and treats the game like a league game. No subs for the sake of it.
It certainly looks like it's special when it all clicks in John. Although as you say it appears to be limited to the first 45.Personally I think we gain so much from these types of games, that it will put us in a great place for the season ahead imo.
It's brilliant to be playing with the high intensity and great tempo to our play and able to cut teams to ribbons with creating so many chances like we were able to do in the 1st half so naturally and easy also.
However we can't expect that lovely football can be played for the full 90 minutes of every game either throughout the course of a season, yet this is where we have to be able to achieve for CL football.
So to be able to produce that after a very demanding game on Saturday was a brilliant sight to see.
Yet take our intensity and slowing down our tempo of play which will happen at times during a match and we look the shadow of the team we are capable of being and also many of our players look that bit more uncomfortable also.
Still work to be done on our play without the ball and our counter attacking game just was none existent in the 2nd half.
Pre season also includes aspects of there game players still have to work upon still, and our team still needs work upon our game management still, especially for CL level, but we know 45 minutes isn't a problem now, but we might need to wait for the beginning of the season to start to see the full 90 still, where it will really count and mean far more than at present in only pre season still imo.
End of the day opening post from Lubos was achieved...which is a great state of play at this stage of the season.No injuries please.
I still think he will make more changes than during a normal game as he won't want to risk injuries by overstretching players. But he will play them an extra 10-15 minutes before subbing to get their match fitness levels up.Hope Ange now regards pre season as complete and goes with his first pick eleven on Saturday v Norwich and names 9 subs, limiting use to 5 (unless there's injuries) and treats the game like a league game. No subs for the sake of it.
You would be very surprised if MJ or McCarthy were to make to many if any match day squads, with injuries only there real hope as such now imo.It certainly looks like it's special when it all clicks in John. Although as you say it appears to be limited to the first 45.
Yes we are stronger than our Europa campaign when let's face it we patched a team together due to Injuries last season.
But we now step up to another level and I can't understand continually looking at what Mikey Johstone or James McCarthy can offer....pre season or not.
We are not professional football managers but anybody on the sidelines can see they offer nothing to this particular set up.
I suspect we are gonna be on a roller coaster of high scoring games at Celtic Park in the CL...I only hope we are the benefactors. As it stands I won't put money on that...but something inside me is enjoying what might be against the rich imposters. We are Celtic and anything is possible .
Ange plays his best team for 60 to 70 mins in the serious stuff then does the 3 replacements all at once that make us all look at each other Brim so I wouldn't expect that on Saturday to he honest mate.I think Ange knows by now who his best 11 are or even his best 16. I think he's been fair and given most of the squad a chance to make their mark. For one reason or another some havent been able to prove themselves. They might get a 2nd (or even a 3rd) chance in some cases, but I think a few will go before the window shuts.
One other thing we do need to play the next game with our best team for the whole 90 mins. The serious stuffs just around the corner.
Agreed brim that Ange already has a very good idea on what his starting line up would be.I think Ange knows by now who his best 11 are or even his best 16. I think he's been fair and given most of the squad a chance to make their mark. For one reason or another some havent been able to prove themselves. They might get a 2nd (or even a 3rd) chance in some cases, but I think a few will go before the window shuts.
One other thing we do need to play the next game with our best team for the whole 90 mins. The serious stuffs just around the corner.
Certainly turning into a team that would rather win 5-2 than 3-0 at present StevieBhoy.Not read earlier posts so forgive me if someone has said similar but our defence was howling tonight. When we press and lose possession our "full backs" are exposed and teams easily get behind us. Far too narrow. Even CCV had wobblers but ffs I'll cut him some slack. Going forward was at times a joy to behold. Still quietly confident we can cause a distortion of the force in the CL.
We've still got Starlord to come back but thought Welsh played really well tonight. Mooy, Begbei, Jenz have try and force themselves into the team. As you say we have cover now for injuries although we dont really want that, but we are much stronger.Agreed brim that Ange already has a very good idea on what his starting line up would be.
Our midfield seems to dictate so much about our whole system of play, and hatate, calmac and O'Reilly are nearly undroppable at present in there current positions.
Still we seen just how many injuries were picked up last season with players having to be overused in the type of football Ange wants to play.
Sure Ange is well aware of that now and got a much better and stronger squad to overcome that potential problem this season
Delighted for Welsh and now has made himself a very valuable member of our squad now imo, and pushing very hard to make himself a starter for the start of the season now.We've still got Starlord to come back but thought Welsh played really well tonight. Mooy, Begbei, Jenz have try and force themselves into the team. As you say we have cover now for injuries although we dont really want that, but we are much stronger.
Agreed, JJ wasnt his usual self, but he's just became a father so he's had distractions. Raldo was quiet but very efficient tonight and didnt put a foot wrong. Thier 1st goal came from a route one ball that caught us unawares and we will have to watch out for that tactic as we play very high up the pitch. Still, thats the meaning of these friendlies to find errors and sort them out before the real stuff begins.Even Ralston looks that bit sharper than josip at present imo.
.Agreed, JJ wasnt his usual self, but he's just became a father so he's had distractions. Raldo was quiet but very efficient tonight and didnt put a foot wrong. Thier 1st goal came from a route one ball that caught us unawares and we will have to watch out for that tactic as we play very high up the pitch. Still, thats the meaning of these friendlies to find errors and sort them out before the real stuff begins.
I'm more than pleased with our progression this pre-season