Chris Sutton went through all of the emotions as Celtic put in another epic 90 minutes in the Champions League.
Defeats home and away to RB Leipzig could be put down to ‘What might have been’ nights with tonight’s 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk the ‘One that got away’.
There wasn’t the same glut of chances tonight that there has been in previous Champions League matches but there a certain something missing as the hoops had to settle for a draw.
Well done to Shakhtar Donetsk. Celtic out of Europe. Missed opportunities did for Celtic in the Champions League this season. Some good performances. Good chances created but bang average finishing. But I like what Ange Postecoglou is building?
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) October 25, 2022
Giorgos Giakoumakis, or Big George, as Sutton calls the striker showed the way to goal when he buried a half chance in the 35th minute to open the scoring.
Celtic had plenty of possession but were unable to cut out many clear chances with their short passing not quite penetrating the Shakhtar defence.
Just before the hour mark Mykhaylo Mudryk broke with purpose down the left, cut inside and buried a shot high beyond Joe Hart.
Both teams had chances to win, Celtic pressed and pressed but there was no happy ending as the Shakhtar defence held firm.
Another champion’s league game for Celtic another proving that Ange has not got a clue at this level.
Plays a centre forward in midfield (what an idiot when you only have 2 centre forwards) then Giakoumakis pulls up and you cannot replace him because Ange the idiot started with both forwards on the park then takes on off after 70 mins. I said weeks ago, the only guy at Celtic not learning at champion’s league level is Ange.
He stated at the beginning of the summer that he wanted a quality holding midfielder (for the champion’s league I suspected) but he buys one on the last day of the window, that hasn’t played in 6 months, not even trained with a team! FFS! Here we are 2 months later and he is still not up to speed. Wow! Ange is quoted as saying this week that we will see the best of Abildgaard after the world cup, great management! We have the holding midfielder after Christmas when we are playing Partick Thistle is the Scottish cup 4th round and out of Europe. Then this week he says that this January window he is going for a top-quality holding midfielder of significant money and the club have put money aside for this. Well Ange I have news for you, you are 6 months too late and had one who is a Danish international and after 2 months at being at the club it sounds like you are keeping him for Partick thistle in the Scottish cup after January. WTF!
He signs Ideguchi (holding midfielder) doesn’t register him in the Champion’s league squad. Why? I’ll tell you why coz he is pish! James McCarthy isn’t great (and still not up to speed either) but Ideguchi is worse. My proof of this is he signs Abildgaard then says he is making signing another his January signing priority! Seriously? He has signed 3 holding midfielders and yet his signing priority in January is signing another. Clueless? Definitely!!
I have also said here on numerous occasions that Maeda is not good enough. Well watch the team after he comes on the park tonight. Many times, since he came on the ball went to Greg Taylor who went straight back to Jenz. I totally get this because I only played with Eastercraigs, under 18 professionals(Juvenile) but if he was in my team I wouldn’t pass to him either. Why? He has a first touch like a donkey! On one of the 3 times it is played to him his donkey touch allows it to be stollen and Shakhtar steal the ball and nearly score. Why is Ange the only guy who can’t see the guy isn’t good enough, even the press are asking him why he is playing him!
Celtic broke 3 times and 3 times a Shakhtar player brought our player down stopping an attack. Now when Shahktar broke multiple times during the game why didn’t a Celtic player do this, why did we just let them play? In one case they scored! Callum McGregor done it against Motherwell after a bad pass by Reo Hatate. Taking one for the team they say. I call doing what you need to do to win. Why is Ange not teaching others to do this? Why is Callum McGregor more tactically astute and the Shakhtar manger the same, but Ange is oblivious to this? Could it be that Ange isn’t learning, not tactically astute and also wasn’t as good a player as both these guys? The answer is most definitely yes to all!
So, in conclusion, Ange is playing players out of position. Signing holding midfielders that are not even good enough to play or even be registered for the Champion’s league and now needs to sign another as a priority. Signing players in the summer and not making sure they are up to speed for Europe a month later. Playing guys that the rest of the team do not even pass to because they know they are pish (Maeda)!
As I said a couple of weeks ago, let Wolves sign him and go and sign the Shakhtar manager. Celtic have a young team but Shakhtar’s is far younger, yet their manager has them better prepared, tactically more aware, can get them results against teams who are better and have a bigger budget (Leipzig & Real). Most of our supporters think Ange is a God. Christ I would take the Shakhtar manager before Ange any day of the week!!!