I'd say the last goal he wasn't sure if the striker would shoot or pass ... it was a 4 v1 defender and Mat came out to force the striker to make a decision. The striker put it pass him, but just as easily could have passed it across to 3 open attackers. You'd hope that 9 times out of 10 a striker would score from that position.

I'd say the third goal he was in the right spot (he positioned himself a little to the left of the post even though the ball was on the right ... )

We can debate all we want, the thing is with first choice keepers at a club like valencia - they make unsaveable saves. The fact there is always debate about if he could save it or not could be an indication of where he is at. Hopefully manager keeps the faith as our stocks are thin.

sure...but that the only goal  base on placement of ball into net, and time to react 

I don't know wqhat the final result was for Rogic's Celtic against Happoel, but I was pretty taken with Celtic's style of football.

Unfortunately, I missed Rogic's goal.

Fans not happy either, understandably
https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=ryan%20valencia&src=typd

Not the first few time Ryan came under fire for his shot stopping.

unfortunately I think you're right here. 

Its not the gaffes that concern me with Ryan, its the feeling I get watching those highlights that a taller keeper would get a hand to them. 

Definitely the 3rd goal would have been saved by a taller keeper, agreed.
4th is a tough one. Those goals go in against the best quite often. 4v1 Ryan had to commit unfortunately.

If you finish close to the keepers body in those situations you're a good chance of scoring. Very hard for them to get down. Funny enough, growing up as an outfield player they are the sort of ones (only ones) you feel you'd save as your instinct would be to just stick out a boot instead. 

last goal was a perfect finish pushed across the keeper into the side net. That's always a goal, don't recall too many times that shot is saved at any level
the pen was down the middle but every 2nd gk australia faces gets a pen driven down the middle

this is a different situation to when he played barca and got beaten at the near post. It would be harsh if he was blamed

Alex Cisak named starting  GK in EFL TOTW. 

Goalkeeper: Alex Cisak (Leyton Orient)

Cisak was in imperious form as Orient overcame Grimsby Town 2-1 in Sky Bet League Two. 

A string of fine first-half saves kept out the hosts, and only a cruel deflection in stoppage time prevented a deserved clean sheet for the O's stopper. 

Read more at http://www.efl.com/news/article/2016/sky-bet-efl-team-of-the-week-3264516.aspx#AV7gtuJGu55YXPkF.99
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urkLBJSqO0U (highlights from game)
 


Swansea number 2 keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt seems to be thinking of a loan move which could see Mark Birighitti get some game time. 
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/nordfeldt-line-loan-move-after-signing-fresh-swans-deal

Lots of  League Cup and champions  league action  to come including Irvine vs Liverpool. 

man city are bringing someone in.  if valenthia follow man city maty will be on the bench...

Irvine starting vs Liverpool. Rogic bench tonight. Wright not in squad. Still no Birra at Swansea. 

McGregor is seven shades of shite and keeps getting a start in games like this. Fucking mental

Rogic on

Rogic will get a full half. One more away goal will see celtic out.

I like Irvine for his acceleration. Quick off the mark. Definitely going to be in every squad with his tidy matches. 

Dembele on. Let's see how he and Rogic go together. 

Wonderful turn and go sees Rogic give Dembele a decent chance. 

to think Celtic is so far ahead of every other team in SPL :D

Rogic appears so unfit. He really needs to strengthen up. He looks exhausted from every run.

Celtic survive and are through. 

Everyone looked knackered tbf after chasing the ball all game in the heat. 

Id say when we are confident enough that he won't break into pieces, he will be starting extra conditioning sessions to get his stamina up. He won't make it through the whole season as a starter without it.

Rogic into Champions League proper?

Thats a big deal .

they got a fair thrashing though.  how did he play otherwise?

This will be a big season for him,   off to a good start in the League with a few goals as well, now that basically all of our Socceroos starting midfield is in the same league it will be interesting to see how they perform on an"even playing field" so to speak.  so far Mooy is the standout then you'd have to say Irvine. 

nice job rogic and celtic

look forward to rogic against some of the best teams in the world!

I'm not sure if you saw my post, MT, but after my initial reservations about Rogic and Celtic a few years ago, I loved the style of football Celtic played at home against Happoel. I liked what I saw from them much more than most EPL teams I've seen. Rodgers is an enlightened coach who helped Muscat  a lot.

I saw the game just after Rogic had scored Celtic's first to just after Happoel scored their second.

I was surprised Rogic appears to be playing attacking right mid for Celtic. He often had his body shape facing into the middle of the pitch, playing simple left foot passes to teammates.

For the Socceroos, he often receives  facing forwards. He seems to have licence from Ange to try more adventurous passes and take players on.

From the Championship football I've seen recently, I'm appalled at the style of play. I cannot see any value for any aspiring Socceroo playing Championship football.


With BEIN, I've been able to have a look at the French League, the Spanish League, the Brazilian League, the Italian league, and this year the Portuguese league in Portugal. All these leagues are excellent for developing international footballers.

Technically and tactically players appear to tread water, or go backwards playing Championship football. I know there are exceptions, like Bournemouth, who have looked pretty good in the EPL, but teams spend so little time in possession of the ball in the Championship  where there is a lack of skill under pressure of limited time and space. Probably the best thing is the clinical finishing of the strikers and their goalcraft.


Japan is a far better option than the Championship.


Irvine, Luongo, Mooy and Wright need to leave the Championship ASAP.

You're kidding. Japan has dipped in quality. 

Whenever I've seen Japanese club football it is of a high technical quality.



Tactically the J League is not as good as the HAL, but  technically it is a good Aussie option if players cannot get a gig in Spain, Portugal, France, Holland, Italy, Belgium and Germany, or the anomaly like Rogic at Celtic.

But from a National Team perspective, don't we need players experienced in playing out those types of tactical games? 

Ange plays a possession based pressing style, however the teams we face in Asia and around Europe will be playing more direct styles and counter attacking styles.  Tactics are as much about playing your own style as they are about adapting to the oppositions style,  so playing both using and against the direct style tactics is not a problem  IMO.

The benefits of this league are certainly physicality, mentality and tactical awareness, for those midfielders they would be developing direct attacking tactics as well as defensive tactics such as breaking up play and a setting up against a counter attack (remember how Holland and Jordan counterattacking us showed a potential weakness for your setup?) 

any way you look at it i think we all agree these lads getting 90min a week in this league plus exposure to highly professional set ups is a positive,  rather that then them all riding the pine.