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Alistair Johnston


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1 hour ago, The Real Marc said:

I get the view form the UK is that him not falling was noble but the cultural bias there could have cost us. He needs to play the game that's on the pitch and fallen.

I think in the headbutt case he didn't need to do it, the ref failed. 

In the flow of play, however, Scotland or not, you don't have to take fouls and play through all the time, it's smarter IMO to keep the defender doubting and get him to lay off. Otherwise the boot tacklers win the day and football loses that way too.

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7 hours ago, The Real Marc said:

I get the view form the UK is that him not falling was noble but the cultural bias there could have cost us. He needs to play the game that's on the pitch and fallen.

It's an interesting debate that I was initially torn on what he should have done....but we ended up winning that day so the universe rewarded his behaviour. 

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3 hours ago, The Real Marc said:

Maybe. I'm not really into the universe but I get that its is other people's jam. Regardless, I think though there is a difference between falling and the I just got shot dead fish in the bottom of a bottom spastic near seizure flopping.

Yeah.  I used to tell the nephews that they shouldn't be afraid to help sell a foul to the ref., if they felt they'd been fouled.  That's no worse then playing for a foul, if you follow my meaning.  There's nothing dishonest about it, sometimes it's the right play in the moment.  No different then setting traps when the opposition is working a press or hiding that extra gear you have until it really matters.  That's just smart football.  And in footie not playing smart, being brain-lazy, is just as bad as being physically lazy.  Not acceptable. 

(That said, you are who you are and just like Ali I grew up with two brothers, one either side of me.  I know exactly where he's coming from.  It really does, as it were, get into your DNA. 

Can't say that's hurt his career any now.  Can you?)  

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13 hours ago, Shway said:

With all the news of our guys getting moves this summer, I was hoping Celtic was going to be a nice pit stop to something bigger. Looks line he'll be there for the long term. 

Celtic are saying out loud that they recognize the value he's brought to the club and want to make sure the man is getting fair market value for his services, here and now, so he doesn't feel aggrieved later.  That's good business by a notoriously budget conscious organization.

What Celtic isn't saying out loud, but is sure filing the space, is that somebody, or bodies, have been sniffing around.

 

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Celtic’s old timers are phasing out and most of their good players are young and have or will get moved in the short term. They kinda have to keep *some* guys to show their fans they’re not a pure selling club. AJ makes perfect sense to toss an absolute bag at. He clearly loves being there, they wouldn’t make too much on selling him, and he’s young enough to become a club legend and eventually become their captain. 

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4 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

Celtic’s old timers are phasing out and most of their good players are young and have or will get moved in the short term. They kinda have to keep *some* guys to show their fans they’re not a pure selling club. AJ makes perfect sense to toss an absolute bag at. He clearly loves being there, they wouldn’t make too much on selling him, and he’s young enough to become a club legend and eventually become their captain. 

Umm, isnt the majority of Celtic's starting XI 24-26, putting Johnston smack in the middle of that?

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6 hours ago, Aird25 said:

Umm, isnt the majority of Celtic's starting XI 24-26, putting Johnston smack in the middle of that?

LOL.  It feels like Schmeichel skews the average upwards all on his own,.

Quite right.  McGregor and Forrest (who's more sub than anything these days) are getting up there but not an old (or young) squad by my measure.  Kyogo too, is maybe a young 30.  That's what I have in my head anyway because there was talk he might be this or that's transfer target. 

There was a lot of gossip during the last window about half the squad but that's just "silly season".  Always lose someone it feels like so maybe that's understandable and kind of the point.  Too much squad churn isn't desirable.  Especially on a winning team.

Some of that O'Riley money looks like it was put to fair use.  If we're talking about age we picked up that Belgian kid and I think the American, Trusty, is 25ish so the club average couldn't have changed much.

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3 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

Ummm yes? I’m not sure I understand your point. 

I was just responding to your statement that their roster is mostly old-timers phasing out, or young players. More so than most teams that I'm aware of, their core is very much entering their primes still, and Johnston is just one example of that.

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57 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

I was just responding to your statement that their roster is mostly old-timers phasing out, or young players. More so than most teams that I'm aware of, their core is very much entering their primes still, and Johnston is just one example of that.

What I meant was that their legacy players like Forrest and McGregor are passed their prime, Furuhashi will be 30 this year and some fans think his best days are behind him. Kuhn and Bernardo have brighter days beyond Celtic ahead of them too. Guys like Hatate and Maeda could always go back to Japan before they’re completely washed. I think most of their players’ future is away from Celtic, either because they’ve peaked or because they can be sold for a nice profit. Celtic fans expect ambition and success beyond what the realities of the footballing economy permit them, so for the sake of showing their fans they can keep their good players long term while not sacrificing a potential strong return, that they’re still a club with some sway in the market, it makes sense to prioritize AJ as the guy they want to lock in long term. Similar things could be said about Scales and CCV too. 

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7 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

What I meant was that their legacy players like Forrest and McGregor are passed their prime, Furuhashi will be 30 this year and some fans think his best days are behind him. Kuhn and Bernardo have brighter days beyond Celtic ahead of them too. Guys like Hatate and Maeda could always go back to Japan before they’re completely washed. I think most of their players’ future is away from Celtic, either because they’ve peaked or because they can be sold for a nice profit. Celtic fans expect ambition and success beyond what the realities of the footballing economy permit them, so for the sake of showing their fans they can keep their good players long term while not sacrificing a potential strong return, that they’re still a club with some sway in the market, it makes sense to prioritize AJ as the guy they want to lock in long term. Similar things could be said about Scales and CCV too. 

Admittedly, I don't watch or follow Celtic. I just found it odd that you singled out Johnston, when he seems to be of a similar age and profile to most of their starting XI (CCV, Scales, Taylor, Kuhn, Maeda, Furuhashi, Palma etc.).

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Just drew a penalty in the Champions League.  Was converted and his side are up 3-0.

 

(Not my favourite kind of penalty, both players going for a high ball and the other player kicked the underside of his foot.  But a decent reward to Johnston for being very active and making good runs.)

Edited by WestHamCanadianinOxford
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