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Celtic beat Basel with Kenny Miller strike to get first win of season 2007-2008 and give new signings first taste of life in the Hopps.
Pre-season friendlies - not much can be read into them in relation to what lies in store for season 2007-2008 but the first chance to see the new Bhoys in action and those that should be fighting tooth and nail for their place at both the club and the team for the coming season; should be enough incentive for players to give a good showing. The team took an unfamiliar look but started with the usual 4-4-2 formation with Mark Brown playing behind fullbacks Naylor and Wilson; and Kennedy and Pressley in the centre at the back. The central midfield pairing was Gravesen and new Italian signing Donati, with McGeady and Bjarnasson flanking them. Up front was Miller and Zurawski. The game started brightly with Zurawski hitting the bar in the opening minutes and McGeady fizzing a shot narrowly wide. As the half wore on there were a few glimpses of Donatis ability, pinging a few accurate cross field passes to the feet of McGeady and Bjarnasson, but generally the half lacked someone to take control and create genuine openings for the forwards. Indeed the strikers became isolated and too many stray passes and moves breaking down illustrated the fact that the Bhoys had only returned from their holidays. Donati and Gravesen both gifted possession to Basel players in dangerous positions but these came to nothing as the defence and Mark Brown stood firm. Kennedy looked composed and comfortable at the back in one of the positives and Mark Brown also showed ability and justification that WGS was right to offload Marshall to Norwich. Just as the half looked as though it would finish scoreless a pass out of the Basel defence was intercepted by Bjarnasson who took a few touches, rode a challenge then planted a perfectly weighted pass through the Basel defence for Miller to run onto and slot home. Credit to both for creating the goal and tucking it away. The second half saw 8 changes in total - Virgo and McManus filled the fullback berths of Naylor & Wilson, Pressley partnered Bobo in central defence; Riordan and Mark Wilson played on the flanks, with Scott Brown and Jarosik in the middle. Up front was new signing McDonald and JVoH. This half again was typical preseason stuff but the highlight for me personally was the attitude, workrate and ability of Scott Brown. Covering every blade of grass and posing an attacking threat as much as defensive cover, he convince me that he is going to be a significant factor in our charge for 3 in a row. Of the others there was no-one in the second period that really done anything to merit comment. Jarosik again was ineffective, a display of a player surely with one foot out the door. Riordan huffed and puffed down the left flank without too much joy, McDonald made a few runs but nowt worth talking about, JVoH was annonymous, Wilson busied himself but without significant fruition, and Virgo was neither here nor there. So what did we learn - a) We have an abundance of centre halves - we played the 2nd half with 4 centre halves, 2 playing fullback - and still had Caldwell and O'Dea not featuring, in addition to Kennedy who played first half. b) We have a load of central midfielders - one or two need to be shown the door here - Jarosik, with Gravesen needing to increase his showings. c) We have signed a gem in Scott Brown. d) We have a capable keeper in Mark Brown, more than able to back up Boruc. e) We need cover at fullback - Doumbe? But if his agent will play silly beggars then on yer bike. f) We need right midfield cover when we have to go without Naka - Bjarnasson & Wilson - neither are right wingers / midfielders or pose significant attacking threat. g) We need to find our numebr 1 striking partnership and get them gelling and scoring goals. All that said we have started season 2007-2008 with a win, Kenny Miller has done in 41minutes what took him 2 months to do last season, and I'd rather have our team than that shower across the city!! Hail Hail |
