ICT 1-1 CELTIC (20/08/06)

[Govan Jaggie]

Far better second half.  Well done CC for getting them going.  Bayne made a huge difference.  We just have to make sure we are better in the first half next week.

[ymip]

Watched the game in the auld alliance on Italian Sky Calcio 2 with Italian commentary.

Very bizarre experience with the commentator giving us several, "Charleeee Chreeetsteee" and "Caleeeey, Caleeey..." shouts throughout the game.

Thought we came back into the game later in the first half and more than held our own in the second half.

Forza Caleeeeey......

:clapping04:

[Guest Sandy Cromarty]

Awful first half with not much improvement in the second to be honest, having said that Broon didn't have much to do overall as they did dominate but their finishing was woeful, Petrov would have made the difference for them. However we got a point and Bayne was unlucky not to score in the dying minutes. Even Richard Gordon mentioned on the radio that this was not the Caley team he has seen in the past.

My MOM was Tommy Cummings, great pitch today Tommy and the kit was sparkling!

[IcyTea]

Munro was outstanding even before the goal. Dods again was a rock, covering well went Rossco went walk about up front. Agree with putting Bayne on from the start, he gives us a better aerial presence and blends well with Dargo.

[DJS]

Actually I was a bit surprised to see Denzil get hooked as I thought he looked more likely to score today that Dargo did. 

Actually I like Bayne coming on in the later stages of games.  I think he can be a real handful for a tiring defence as was shown today.  Munro's goal was a special moment.  I saw the ball coming through a ruck of players and hit the back of the net but did not know who had struck it.  Might just be worth watching Scotsport for.....but only just.  :015:

[tm4tj]

Just back from A&E, walking over Kessock Bridge after game and stood on a rusty screw, entered foot about one inch. Anyway, we were well worth the draw, despite the posession Celtic had in the first half. Great strike from Grantie, the Innes bar sponsored player, and with a run of the ball, Bayne might just have got more contact on the ball and nicked a goal for us.

I like Bayners style, get fing stuck into them, well done that man. Brown never really tested apart from shot creeping wide. Good defensive display again, well done Dodsy & co. Midfield looked lost in the first half, and dare I say it, I thought Rankin was again woeful. Denzil just does not mix it, not his type of game. Hart worth a shot and who has hidden Morgan?

Overall, we deserved the point and almost won all three. Good gutsy performance especially second half, well done team. Yes we were totally outsung off the park, but hey, we still got the same points as them :003:

[kencar]

Rankin woeful??  :006:

Amazing how opinions differ - I thought he played better than Black and certainly outshone McBain & Keogh who didn't look comfortable wide right but then again he's probably never played there before.

Although not a fan of Hart I would have thought he would have been a better option in that position.

First half we were dire and lucky to go in only 1 behind. Why do we continue to punt the ball up to Dargo & Wyness? Marked improvement in the second half though which was pleasing to see.

Fantastic strike by Grant Munro and it was great to silence the Celtic support

[tm4tj]

:006:

sorry ken, I have seen him a number of times, including games for County, but for me, he has yet to start his ICT career.

I know he is a decent player, but for me he has yet to sparkle for us.

[gordyfromsneck]

The secondhalf was our by a country mile, in fact the last 10mminutes of the first things looked up. Apart from their goal, which was a wee bit special, they didnt look like scoring - Marshall was every bit as busy as Brown. Bayne was much much better than I have seen him recently, though I would give pass marks to evryone. Though Keogh made the best out of a bad job, and Rankine was better tracking back than going forward. Ace goal silenced the Bhoys! Brill.

Compared to last week, this looked like a team that could get a top 6 place.

Finally a special mention for the ref. Where did you hide your dog collar? Card happy eejit.

[kencar]

I agree he can play a lot better and I'm sure he will but he's played OK since arriving without setting the heather on fire.

I'm just not sure him and Black work together in the middle - they seem to be very similar players and the balance isn't right. What worried me more today was how much we missed Barry Wilson on the right. Nothing against Keogh, who is probably one of my favourite players but he looked so out of place. Despite having an abundance of midfielders we still don't have real options on the left or the right (without Wilson) which has to be a worry

[tm4tj]

Agree, we needed someone to hold the ball for a few seconds, Bazza gives us that if not the darting winger of old.

All too often today the ball was cleared and came straight back at us, no one to hold and create and defending very deep.

Still, settle for the deserved point.

Great strike by Grantie ...........Stuart will be pleased......... :003:

[Harry Chibber]

Was visiting my cousin in hospital so couldn't make the game and only managed to hear the first half on the radio...... delighted!!

Good on ya Granty!!

[CaleyD]

We gave Celtic far too much respect in the first half and I think we looked scared of them to be honest.  Long punts up the park just to clear the ball out of our own half and our midfield were sitting in the pockets of our own back 4 despite constant calls from Parky for them to push forward.  Black had a chance early on but with acres of space in front of him decided to have a punt from just outside the 18 yeard box which went woefuly wide of target.  Lennon seemed to have far too much space in the middle of the park and was picking up the ball and knocking it off with barely a challenge, I doubt he moved outside the centre circle for the first 35 minutes of the game.  Last 10 minutes of the first half we seemed to switch on to a game and started playing the ball on the deck.  Rankin had a couple of decent shots from distance and if he can continue to get off efforts like that I don't think it will be too long before he proves his worth.

Whatever CC said to the team at half-time seemed to work as they came out all guns blazing, despite that though I thought Wyness was having to spend far too much time dropping back into midfield to collect the ball, we need players in the midfield to give him some service before we will see him play like we know he can.  Think CC must have told Rossco at half time that he could play football because in the second half he was back to his old self with lung busting runs up the wing.  Feck knows how he ever makes it as far as he does, it's not pretty but it works and long may it continue.

Bayne won the game for us today IMO, he came on and he chased everything, he pressured the Celtic defense and was winning us balls in the last third of the pitch.  People reckon his work rate alone is not enough, bollocks to that, it was his work rate that got the Celtic defense flustered and as Celtic started to drop players back to cover the ball broke to Munro who hit it as sweet as you like.  Until that moment it was a toss up between him and Rossco for my MotM.

Don't think we will see Rankin on Wednesday, after the "comedy moment" where him and Hastings decided to stick the nut in each other you could tell he wasn't 100% - he then took another knock and was substituted.  As he came off the park he could hardly tell where he was and the eyes were glazed so I would very suprised if he wasn't diagnosed with a concusion.

Over the 90 minutes the draw was probably a fair result, but I thought we were going to sneak it at then end and I don't think it would have been an unjustified win given the 2nd half performance.  If they can learn to play like that for the 90 minutes we have no relegation worries and will be once again pushing the top 6.

[tm4tj]

Hey Don, you recorded me at half time.............pretty much how I witnessed and assessed the whole affair :015:

[buckett]

Did nobody notice Hastings today? I thought he had an excellent game - good solid performance.

Bayne certainly posed a threat when he came on, unlike Wyness, and could have nicked it at the end, although that would have been a little unjust.

All in all, I don't think our 1st half performance was nearly as bad as the Radio Scotland commentary team made out, although we were pretty poor. Much better in the second half and a draw was a fair result, although, to be honest, not as fair as 2-1 to Celtic would have been, if you get my meaning!

And good to see the drum section back!

[Guest Sandy Cromarty]

The following post lifted from the Celtic Forum tonight, I think the poster has ideas above his station or do I detect some slight resentment on his part, silly sod can't even get our name right.

I'm with you Caven, playing 1 up front against Inverness Cally or any team in Scotland for that matter is just totaly beyond the pale. It's Macari esque negativity and it's the last thing Glasgow Celtic needs. The players should be made to believe in their ability to fart and knock over teams like Calley ******* Thistle..

If theres one thing all great managers do it's install self belief in their players - what message does WGS send by telling his players that they need to adapt to cope with Inverness Calley Thistle?

[Harry Chibber]

cheers tm4tj

we looked decent... granty's goal was a cracker and Broonie looked on top form as always

[Guest aussie_lad]

Wooohooooo!!  :clapping04:

What a result. I've been giving it to my Celtic-supporting mates and for some reason they are a little testy about the subject.

Next time - 3 points :)

What I found most interesting was the change in the stats from 1st and 2nd half; it really tells the story of how much better Caley must have played in the 2nd half.

Good on you boys!

[Johnboy]

CC deserves a big 10 out of 10 for making some very significant tactical changes for the second half, plus sensible & timely substitutions.  Would Brewster have had the vision to do the same..?? I think not....

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Considering that was our worst performance at home this season I am sure the most positive aspect of it is that the players know that they can all improve in the next few games. We definitely showed Celtic far too much respect for most of the first half. Credit to the players and management for pulling off a fantastic result and easing our current problem in the lower part of the table.

[Yngwie]

Re Buckett's praise of Hastings. I agree he played very well, but I'm wondering why he was away from his usual position for the Celtic goal?

The ball was played to Miller when he was in Hastings usual territory, but Hastings seemed to be about 30 yards up the pitch, leaving Dods (I think) to go wide to the attacker and allow space in the middle. I just can't remember the build up prior to that, did an ICT attack break down and allow Celtic a quick break?

[Joonya]

I disagree with Harry regarding Brown's top-notch performance...

I recall a pass back in the first half where he decided to show off some 'skills'... he fluffed a flick-up with his left foot, then sliced it out for a throw in with his right. Why he didn't just control it normally then clear, or simply pelt it up field, i don't know.

even so, it still wasnae as comical as the hastings versus rankin headbut.... quite clearly a call from hastings for the clearence, but nooooooooo, ranking came flyin in for a headbutt.

Black had a good game, and seemed eager to win the ball at ever opertunity. I recall the ball heading out for a throw it, and in comes Ian with a superb flying header. don couldnae stop laughing and said 'is it a bird, is it a plane - no, it's ian black'

[Guest Gerrit]

watched it in a pub, as you can guess (it's Northern Ireland after all) I was the only one shouting for Inverness while all the other pub visitors were there to see the Hoops. Me being the only one hooraying in the end made it all the sweeter  :001: What a top class goal to equalise! Well deserved draw: Celtic outplayed ICT in the first half but after half-time the tides have turned and ICT was the better side. Well done and a truely well-deserved point. The surroundings of the ground, even on TV, still stun me every time and this great perfomance was inspiring ; I can't wait for my first ICT live game.

[maimie]

watched it in a pub, as you can guess (it's Northern Ireland after all) I was the only one shouting for Inverness while all the other pub visitors were there to see the Hoops. Me being the only one hooraying in the end made it all the sweeter  :001: What a top class goal to equalise! Well deserved draw: Celtic outplayed ICT in the first half but after half-time the tides have turned and ICT was the better side. Well done and a truely well-deserved point. The surroundings of the ground, even on TV, still stun me every time and this great perfomance was inspiring ; I can't wait for my first ICT live game.

what a brave man!!