 Sunday, November 27, 2005
Old-Celtic fails one more time
Was I the only one who went from being supremely confident to being somewhat apprehensive after hearing the team yesterday?
The midfield of Lennon, Petrov, Thompson and McGeady were completely void of creativity and pace last season, and were no better yesterday; in fact, they performed as most of us would have predicted.
Add the mono-paced, mono-styled Hartson and Sutton up front, and it was clear that it was going to be a long afternoon.
The absence of Shunsuke Nakamura, Celtic’s best player and only true match winner, together with his most able accomplice, Shaun Maloney, brought the ghost-of-season-past thundering back.
The January sales brought us a match winner last season, another one this January would be most welcome.
Under normal circumstances, losing at home to the worst team in the league would bring us to the edge of distress; but in truth, the expectation of a poor performance tells its own story.
This was old-Celtic, and it tells us nothing about new-Celtic. It just gave those who are ready to boo Celtic an opportunity to do so.
We watched this team grind out so many performances last season, and it is maybe only after results like yesterdays that we can appreciate the job Martin O’Neill done to fire them up for the task at hand.
I have a nagging regret that I have not shared with you yet.
Though this will correctly be referred to as Martin O’Neill’s team, Martin knew only too well its limitations – and the need to rebuild with new players and a new style. ‘Football by attrition’ will be the last memory some will take from the Martin O’Neill era, but this was not the way O’Neill was planning the future of the team.
He was aware of the need for change; indeed, the sheer scale of change needed over the summer and during this season, contributed to him realising that he would be unable to commit the necessary time.
Looking back, I wish he had gone in the summer of 2004 after such a wonderful season. His reputation unblemished by the decay of last season. Fate robbed him of the opportunity to build another great team, which I am sure he would have.
Last week I though it would be churlish to criticise the defence, after all, they had kept back-to-back clean sheets against Rangers. The warning signs were there, though, and a less profligate team (like Dunfermline, perhaps) would have scored.
This defence has done superbly well since its inauspicious start, however, their effectiveness is slipping. It is maybe time to rest some players Gordon.
748 Comments:
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http://s64.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3O3QR3N4D0WQM1QMCMGPRRELWV
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what a first comment.
get it up you noel.
a classic,
even when we lost 1 game .
Paul come on if ever there was a first post that deserved an award that is it?
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http://x100.putfile.com/videos/b5-9906583912.wmv
anyone like king kenny?
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Spot on Paul,
as you've said on many posts before, we're a side in transition! Today wasn't good, but it answered questions we've all been asking regading the so called old guard!
To listen to some of the fans in the pub I saw the game in today, you'd think we were the team in 4th place! A Fergus reality check is required by one or two of the posters on this site!
Hail! Hail!
SC
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It may be the drink, but sometimes I just can’t be bothered with the narrow minded short term vision that exists among our support.
Perhaps it takes someone to shout and not just pay lip service to the title of the greatest fans in the world!
Well here I am I and this is my shout.
All of you great Celtic Supporters who have on the basis of one bad day at the office decided that Strachan is a waste of time, that we should take everyone out and put them in front of the firing squad and that Thomson, Sutton, Hartson, Petrov, and Lennon are no more than we deserve, should look at there own souls and then say that next week against the Dons that no one will sing louder at Pittodrie than me, no one will carry our dignity better than me, and most of all no one will ever dream of booing those lads who whatever their failings, wear that magical set of colours known as the hoops.
Otherwise what are we?
Just another football club?
Your choice!
Hail Hail
Estadio
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Today's result reinforces my long held(and previuosly stated) view that we are now in the position of considering 'who from our available forward line can partner Shaun |Maloney'?.
I've also cast my vote in favour of Beattie and Macij. Time to wave goodbay to Sutton because he's a spent force and also Hartson because he is worth more financially than his contribution on the park.I feel a bit odd saying that due to his goal tally of late but nonetheless he is worth quite a bit of ££ and can be replaced from existing resources.
Thommo - cheerio and take Camara with you so you can argue outside Parkhead. Telfer - goodbye - you nust consider yourself a very lucky guy. How many people at 34 with his talent get to feature regularly in the hoops? Not many which is why we are a great team with real pedigree. If we had allowed more Telfers and Camaras we'd be a Motherwell or a Kilmarnock.
Which is why I think the fans have a right to boo at the end of defeats against the Dunfermlines of this world. The team did not deliver the required performance that our history dictates is acceptable.
No castigation for WGS - I see this as a lesson to be learned.The lesson is OLD CELTIC FAIL AGAIN - spot on Paul.
As far as I'm concerned we may be top of the league but we've had nothing much to beat - we need to win and improve this season as winning alone will be poor preparation for some of the real tests we will face next year in Europe.
Tomorrow will be a draw - I hope although the outcome is really quite irrelevant.
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Estadio, i will not be there,
if there is one man that i would give my voice to, then you r that man.
Will be watching on setanta but i know that you and the rest of the bhoys will show how to support the hoops.
'IN ESTADIO WE TRUST!'
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how much would you pay for this man right now?
10 mil at least.
Thank ghod for wee shaun & aiden.
http://media.putfile.com/lubo
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Can anyone help? Created my own blog1 and since then the font size for all blogger sites has increased to john merrick preportions! Help Me, startin to wonder whether I need these glasses or not....
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I preferred CQN when it was in size 10 font, now that its in size 20....Im not so sure.......
Did we become as compacent as last season when we beat TFOD and then took a doing from Hibs? Just asking!
Peat
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"Looking back, I wish he had gone in the summer of 2004 after such a wonderful season. His reputation unblemished by the decay of last season. Fate robbed him of the opportunity to build another great team, which I am sure he would have"
Spot on P.
Speaking to a man tonight who has experience first hand of working under both MON and WGS the words were "if MON was given 10 years with Celtic he would have won the European Cup"
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Complacent by the way. not even sure if compacent is a word.
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When I saw the team... disappointed yes...Frustrated that Channel 67 did not provide the substitutes either...Wonder what Leishman thought when he saw the teamsheet...?
A "Team" must possess among other things.. Understanding and Confidence.....It seems to me that was lacking, particularly on the left...Sorry but Alan Thompson does not seem to inspire confidence in Camara...I watched Camara making some wonderful defensive tackles recently ...He has been enjoying his work....Today he played like a man deferring to a senior and more experienced pro....He was at sixes and sevens and I put that down to Thompson...
I believe that this was exploited by Dunfermline who were clearly up for it and had no fear......Why? Cause Leishman saw the team sheet and thought what many of us felt...
Nevertheless....Still top...and I know that in GS we have an intelligent manager who learns from experience..
I was very disappointed by the 'apparent' remarks by Pearson earlier in the week...His absence suggests this was true...Shame that he could have made a difference...Has the bhoy nae sense...? Or just one of importance...
KTF
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Like many I thought this would be a walk in the park. Then you hear the team sheet...
It was like a bad flash back to last year.
If this doesn't emphasise that the Old Guard are unable and/or unwilling - I don't know what will.
Also, WGS please give us full backs that are worthy of the Hoops.
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Paul,
Strong words yes, but lack of commitment from the Bhoys in the Hoops I cannot take.
Having calmed down now I will have a better perspective on things. The manager has had it confirmed that the old team just cant be put together, not even for a supposedly easy game. He will continue his January and summer player change out game plan with even more fervour.
I have never booed the team and never will. I have never roasted a player at a game and never will.
The silver lining is that this will be a wakeup call for the team and certain players in particular.
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Estadio, while you were talking on CQN, I was talking on Rhyme and Reason.
Not wired for sound at the moment Supercelt.
A large broadcaster has been in touch regarding people posting links to match videos. Anyone posting and/or hosting video is being watched, possibly not worth the lawyers fees (which get to £20k before you even get to court).
A good friend, indeed, more than that, a paying customer, has a Hibs blog, if you have a moment, send him best wishes for tomorrow.
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Evolve or DIE
Paul67 well put. As I watched the game I commented you can't teach old dogs new tricks.
Thinking it through I considered two possibilities for the poor performance. Either the combination of these players are able to appear to play the quick game in training therefore WGS set out the plan to such. OR, they don’t play the fast game well in training either - So a different approach was needed but not applied - perhaps the long ball (would have been more likely to score from that, this is based on we could not be less likely). It was oil and water, the old guard and the new plan did not mix.
Based on such a poor, poor display could we not have brought in a couple of reservists to play the beautiful game rather than trying to make a silk purse from the proverbial sow ear. Were we the only people to see they would not play the ‘New Celtic’ way?
Probably the worse aspect was the lack of desire. I could see from the line up creativity and pace were not options. The question in my mind was ‘what was it creativity and pace traded for’? Passion?..….No, Warm bodies?..…Yes.
Anyway in my mind strategy and capabilities were incongruous, SIMPLE. So did the players let the manger down or did he not see in training that the game plan needed to be adapted to the resources available?
Evolve or DIE ………….and that applies to both sides of the equation
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Paul,
agree with your sentiments. Before the game couldn't work out whether it was a good or bad thing to be missing the young lhads- Maloney, Beattie- it's disappointing they weren't able to play, but this season, as opposed to last, at least we have alternatives to the old guard.
Unfortunately the new guys were also missing, and that just compounded the misery.
However, we seem to have "got away with it" as Hearts dropped points too, but as already commented by others, it MUST have answered a whole number of questions, and some of them very hard questions.
All in all, so disappointing after the last few weeks, but there are positives to be taken from this. Let's hope they're taken!!!
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Lets not be too disrepectful of the old guard, after all tbey have done for us!
This is merely (correct spelling?) a hiccup on our way to the golden fleece! Every team has to lose, just ask Arsene Wenger. The bhoys, especially the new bhoys, will learn from this defeat and make amends in the next game!
Call me an optimist, well ok, just call me a fool, but I do believe that we are still on the cusp of "something wonderful", to quote an old Shamen track from back in the day!
Keep the peace!
Peat
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SuperCelt.
You are a special supporter!
I will sing a verse of 'to play football the Glasgow Celtic way' in your honour!
Could some of the more depressed among us, please remind me of why all of a sudden being top of the league is such a terrible slight on the our gladiatorae extraordinaire (Latin and French all in one phrase - obviously the Catholic School upbringing).
My memory may be clouded by the fog of senility but didn't we blow 3 times a lead last year of 7, 12, and 8 points and then on the last day of the season squandor a title which by all accounts none of the critics on here give any credence to!
But here we are after a terrible start (a Draw at Motherwewll and a loss at the home of of Glasgow Stunted Intellects)
Give me a break!
Today was bad, but there will be a thousand great days and then in your hearts, your souls and probably in your DNA will be found the formula for why we are Celtic Supporters.
Spread not only the word but also the dream and that sudden urge of adrenaline that moistens our eyes, and shouts from the rooftops
'we are indeed not only special, but also privileged'.
Hail Hail
Estadio
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Paul I think everyone will agree this
Not wired for sound at the moment Supercelt.
is a sad excuse for not giving out prizes.
Loving the blog as always.
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Please help me. Its all getting too much!
Down font size, down bhoy....
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Hi all
Today's performance had all the hallmarks of the worst of last season.
Players without either the inclination or desire to help out their team mates and therefore do what they are meant to do win games.
I really thought GS had turned this attitude around but clearly he has not.They know who they are but why are they still there?Big contracts that are cripiling us with performances that are useless and if they are honest they will recognise that as being fact.
My advice to GS dont take a chance on chancers who you know are not part of your plans.
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Dessyhhoy,
have faith, its what we've got in abundance!
Peat
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Very diplomatic, Paul. Words can't express how I feel after watching this afternoon's performance. It was a very serile experience; a mixture of shock and horror.
I've just joined the thread and have no idea of what has been written since the final whistle this afternon; but all I will say is that today's performance was abject in the extreme.
The (and foremost) law of the jungle is never, NEVER, give your adversory a second chance.
Today was sloppy, amateurish and totally unprofessional. Unfortunately, somebody has to carry the can for this.....................
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Peat Blog
This tests your faith to the limit.
They have a seriously hard game tomorrow on paper and we again fail to deliver.Seen it to many times with these faces.
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p.s. would a team that included Roy Keane have gone down one nil to Dunfermline Athletic???
Errrrr.... where on earth would we play him in our team of world-beaters????????????????????
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Dessy,
keep the faith. No point in gettin twitchy when 12 points ahead!
Ever the optimist
Your friend
Peat
P.S - Hibs 1, TFOD 1
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Peat
Hibs 2 TFOD 0
Thats my point.
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12 points ahead of the forth threat...
We have to believe that BIG positives will out of this BIG negative. Has it given things a bit of perspective?
Of course it has.
With this team at the mo, and the asperations that you, and me, have > can we possibly do without RK and his Euro exp.
Crystal Ball!?
Mines no workin'
Its Metal
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Paul,
I have a different take on MON. I think he was human, and like ALL coaches, had limitations. He brought us some of the best days of our lives, and I thank him for that. I don't think, however, that he could have built us another great team.
He was successful with a certain type of player. Our youth system was not producing that type of player. We could no longer afford to buy that type of player. Nor did he have the skills to develop what he had into that type of player.
No, it was time to move on.....
My regret from his time with us, is that he did not win 5 in a row. He deserved to, and by a finger nail, he would have.
I travelled from Canada to Seville, ticket in hand and spent one of the finest weeks of my life in that fair city. Martin will always be special.
But his time had passed, and I have no regrets that we are building something new. I doubt it will be as successful as his team. But it is our team, and it will lead us down an interesting path.
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couldnt agree more paul
I hate to see my team celtic lose but its in the manner we lost it that pisses me off the most
I was looking at celtic two seasons ago and now they are slower and cant get the ball in the net!!!
Was anyone else just trying to find the words to describe what mistakes were going own. It was like watching a really slow car crash, We went 1 down, I actually thought about the united game and felt quite relaxed because I knew dumfer would close shop and I knew our fast passing play would open them up.
So I waited .................................... and waited........
But no after 20 mins it became clear that we had all traveled on a time machine to 2 seasons ago with thomo Booting it in to the Box, He looked like he was looking for Larsson!!
So why didnt it work, OK lets say strachan looked at the players he had and thought this team got to the Uefa cup final lets try and play Martins style of football
Are the pars a new team?
founded yesterday?
Any fan of football not even Spl teams knows that celtic spent a season battering the ball into the box to big bad john so as you could guess I wasnt to shocked that He and Sutton were manned by most of the team.
Not putting blame on Hartson who had for him not a really bad game, I can remember at least 4 times the ball was given to suttons head and hartson pulled away from his defender looking for a head down and a tap in but sutton went for the net everytime.
I was so pissed off because flairs of the team style we have been playing under strachan were there, and everytime we did play 2 mins of it we were passing rings round them! then McGeady passes to Thomo who lobs it yet again to hartson who is now wearing Three players
Hartson is worth a goal at least and he has pulled it out of the hat for us so many times but its when it looks like the only way to score thats when we know we have a problem.
All credit to the pars they played exactly how they planned too(get an early goal and close shop).
IMHO Strachan did try and play the old style with an unfit Sutton and no Larsson, everyone was lobbing it into the box AND NOT PLAYING F***ing football, which they showed they can do, Naka shows he is the needle to our thread with his absense today.
Strachan at Half time knew that the Long ball Martin style wasnt working so he tried to get more direct footy going, subs Zurawski(direct player) Pearson (Direct player) but it was too late. This style should have been shouted to the players after the first goal.
Petrov and McGeady should have played much more central and ran at the defence + BBJ should have been off for Zurawski just to take the long ball out cause it didnt even slighty look like working.
Celtic will lose games in a season we will have days like today were passes dont match up balls dont get to the player they are aimed and shots at goal dont hit target.
My point is IF celtic played the STYLE we were playing and played with the slightist of direct passing football and we lost fair enough we wont win every game we should but lets not lose games to poor tactics and bad style.
Badger
Ps motm for me Boruc great save,was up in the box trying to score himself,good will to win
we were robbed for that pen.
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Should we win every game then?
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Peat Blog, away and hug some trees. You really don't get it.
If we really have desires to challenge in Europe, you don't wilt to a one nil home defeat against DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC.
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PG - what is your question?
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10:50 PM, tinytim said…
Mr Strachan spent £7million in the summer to obtain todays standard.
Fast flowing football? Me thinks not.
Mr. Tinytim - what are you talking about?!?! Of the reputed £7m how much was spent on the players who were playing today? £1m max!
And Wallace wasn't on the bench, I can only imagine that he is unfit to play.
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Fair enough, we should win every gane then........
No room for error!
Supporting football and playing football is a thin line.
I want Celtic to win every game, but its the recovery that makes you a true supporter!
Peat
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gane=game
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GM - Anger is Anger is ANGER. The only person u wisl pis off is yourself...
Not getting to PhyscOloIgal aboot it - what are WE going to do about it?
gET Behind the light
Who are these boo'ers that boo their team??????
Anyhow
Cap is doff'd to everyone in CP tonight that had the ache'y shoodrs whilst clapping for a minute to the Georgie B
Rest In Peace George
Peace
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NIFF,
correct.
Support your team through thick and thin, Good and bad decisions.....
So what, we got beat of Dunfermilne today, would you rather we got beaten last weekend?
Get a grip!
Peat
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HeHe - whats yer gane share
Sorry
I asked the Q about your Q because we should of course have the attitude that we should win every game.
Thin line with a thick wedge i fear!
Big Johnny H is away at the end of this season by the way!
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NIFF,
you were not the target of my hostility!
apologies
Peat
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Peat
No apologies required!
Neither is hostility ~ to yir fellow tim (whoever ir was)!
MTH
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Still dont think we should be arrogant enough to think we should win every game....
Lets leave that to wee Barry....
"the next game is our most important of the season".......
Fill in the dates......
Peat
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Pride comes before a fall.....
I.ll hold off on the knee jerks right now though.
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My point is that we have to gout with the attitude that we are going to win every game.....
as you should..
whether it be barcelona, real madrid...
da dar a
you know the rest
fk wee barry
dont worry about them - their shhee'ite gorillas
where r we going?
on and up!
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Hi Paul,
While I understand your sentiment with reference to Mr O'Neil, the possible repercussions of such a move may well have had a negative effect on the club. Who would have taken over, would the new manager be able to motivate the team of last year, or if deciding to go down the present route would the young players now staking their place be capable of this last year, I don't meant to cast any disparagement on the younger players, my lack of knowledge of them makes that a genuine enquiry, I'm not disagreeing with you as I lack the knowledge of how Celtic were prepared for such circumstances last year but thought it an angle I hadn't seen mentioned.
On your 1.16 post I hope you don't mind if I don't acquiesce to your request :-)
If I may make an observation on the booing debate, many of you say it isn't the Celtic way, from the number of complaints I would say it is, not only the Celtic way but the way of the football crowd, it will put up with many things but when enough begin to feel that the players aren't putting in the effort the boos start
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Firstly
I would like to say the his name is Martin O'Neill (Mr).
Secondly
I would like to ask - What?
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I just watched the highlights on Fox Soccer TV. Wish I had not seen it. I had just about calmed down. Now I am off to bed in a strop.
Read my earlier posting for my thoughts on todays game >>>'Evolve or DIE'>>>>
Reading elsewhere that we may skate by till the end of the season with no new additions......Virgo to Livi on loan?
Kojo, Virgo to Livi? Did Lambert also see 'The Video'? Any whispers audible enough? Is the parabolic mic directed such that you can tip a wink?
Kojo did you ever hear what was in that envelope? Hope you had a good Thanksgiving and la familia es buena.
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Nighty night Kights of Celtica. See you round the round table Sunday - I seek refuge now in my kip. Hope to awake to great howling from Easter Road. I think a draw will do.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
Time for the Lil' Admiral to slap some chains on those mutineers, toss ‘em in the brig. Keel-hauling would be too good for them. Also that sextant may need to be recalibrated Admiral.
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After 44 seconds of yesterday's match, Alan Thompson lost possession in the middle of the park and Dunfermline moved upfield. Two Celtic players broke up the attack at the expense of a corner. Alan managed to amble back into defence just in time for the corner to be taken.
One minute later, Neil Lennon was kicked off the ball by Ian Ross at the touchline in front of the referee. In other games I have watched in the past this has resulted in a very soft but legitimate red card. The overweight shiny official asked Ross to calm down.
After these two incidents, just two minutes into the game, I knew we were in trouble.
Last Saturday night our so-called greatest rivals were lying in a very deep open grave. All that was required was for someone to pick up a shovel and start the burial
On Wednesday our so-called greatest rivals only sat up in their grave. Yesterday we threw down a rope ladder. Today I think they will climb out.
Once again our club has failed to hammer home its opportunities to establish clear distance between ourselves and all other scottish clubs (and I am not talking about points in the SPL here). If the roles were reversed, Celtic would be dead and buried - no way would we have won 2 leagues from 4.
Celtic lost at home to an injury ravaged Dunfermline yesterday. We failed our easiest test of the season. As a result Celtic have just made ALL of our remaining fixtures 25% harder. Teams now know they have a chance against us again.
I have the misfortune to sit near some people who (probably by reading the rags) think Nakamura "doesn't do enough" in matches. I let rip into them yesterday. Yesterday's events prove our creative focus is based on two fast men - Maloney (legs) and Nakamura (brain). What are the chances that these two guys will be very tightly marked from now on?
Finally to WGS - I was a critic at the start of the season, but have been impressed by his conduct since. However he showed his limitations yesterday with three classic cliches from the British Football Manual of Managerial Bollocks:
- The notebook. Copious notes written as if this is going to make a difference during game time
- Give it an hour. Zurawski started warming up at 59 minutes 30 seconds. If things are not working why wait an hour?
- My personal favourite. If Plan A fails try Plan A with different people. Zurawski for Thompson was the correct substitution if he played up front with CS & JH. Instead, Chris drops into midfield and the shape of the team remains unchanged
Perhaps we are all over-reacting here, but I remember reading ternar's words last week about how carried away we were getting (myself included). Events dear boy .... Events.
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MIH results out. 565 mill debt according to The Scotsman newspaper.
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Paul,
You have put rather more eoquently what I posted immediately after the game yesterday. We cannot allow Thompson, Sutton and Hartson in the team together. Not just do they badly affect the way the team plays, it even puts off Petrov, Lennon and MacGeady. Stan was back to outside right at times. I thought last season was a bad memory. It jumped up and bit us yesterday.
My only question: why did Mr Strachan field those 3 together? Surely it wasn't the injury situation?
By the way, waht are your thoughts on MIH's accounts?
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Peat Blog
if you still have size 20 font problems then:
If you use firefox browser go to 'view' on the top menu and decrease the text size or hold down the 'Ctrl' key and the '-' key.
If you are using internet explorer then go to 'view' on the top menu and under the 'text size' option select 'medium'
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Ok ladies and gentleman. In the cold light of morn, I see no need to change the opinions I formed after ten minutes of the game yesterday.
The good news is that we lost for reasons that are specific to the personnel we used. There is no point debating the fact that MON and his way of playing has gone for good. Equally WGS is the man now and he has gone down a totally different road.
It is no surprise to see Sutton, Hartson, Lennon and Thompson struggling. For Hartson - yes he scores a lot, but then so would anyone in a WGS team. Unfortunately EVERY player has to be mobile. Sorry John - you aint. Sutton - maybe it's a combination of age, injuries, being played in the wrong position with the wrong front man alongside, but he is now supernumerary. His character makes him look disinterested. His actions show he is a man for another team or partner.
Lennon - this team is not his team. He has none of the attributes we need for a WGS fast paced attacking team. Thompson - sad. Very sad. I think back to Stuttgart away when his loss through injury gutted the team. Now he is an alien in an environment of WGS's making. Again - sorry Thommo - sic transit gloria mundi.
The future lies with inter alia Boruc, Magic, Beattie, Naka, Maloney, Petrov, McGeady, Du Wei, McManus, Virgo, O'Brien, Wallace and a host of youngsters chapping at the door. The plan is for clear mobility and quickness of thought.
Watch the U19s and hug yourself with glee at those who will bless our Stadium in years to come. They won't all make it, but enough will, to give Celtic a golden future.
Many players yesterday were dragged back to a level we had not seen for a while. Petrov and McGeady in particular. When the players around you have a slowness of thought that is stultifying, you do not have the wherewithal on a whole team basis to drag them up to your level.
On the one hand I was raging yesterday, but it was the anger of impotence. I could not make four immediate changes to the team, so the 90 minutes had to be endured. At the end it was plain for all to see that the illness was acute, the symptoms horrifying, but the cure at hand. A look at the pages on the Celtic website for players evidences that.
In the coming months we will quickly forget this game. It showed a failure in personnel rather than philosophy or system. WGS plays his cards close to his chest but he is not stupid or blind. We move closer to the farewell party for the old guard.
I was privileged to have seen them in their pomp, but new leading men wait in the wings.
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Edward, you are correct, if we appointed a new manager a year ago he would have faced a huge task – but we lost the league anyway, and endured watching some awful football.
If we had started the rebuild a season earlier we would have been further down the line now.
Scanbhoy. I told you the would be “spectacular” didn’t I?
Parkheadcomesalford, I have not had time to digest the MIH accounts yet, and I and ‘being godfather’ today to new member of the family Aiden, so will not have time today, but this is smack bang in the middle of my ‘worst case scenario’ figure.
As I have also said all season, by looking at Rangers we see all we need to know about the finances at the holding company.
A generation of domination is on the cards, you mark my words.
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Paul67
Agree with you 100% on your post, the only thing I would blame WGS for yesterday was keeping Sutton on the park for 90 minutes, I think it is the worst game he has ever played for us, topped off by his sitter of a header! I am sure WGs will not hesitate in future to play the younger guys in the squad. 1 blip does not spoil a season, as long as we learn from it.
davybhoy
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http://www.sundayherald.com/53042
Sunday Herald seem to think MIH results are good news?
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BBC to screen CIS Cup semis live
BBC Scotland will screen both CIS Insurance Cup semi-finals live.
Favourites Celtic face Motherwell at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on Wednesday 1 February, with a 1945GMT kick-off.
Dunfermline Athletic have a chance to avenge Saturday's league defeat when they play Livingston at Easter Road, Edinburgh, on Wednesday 25 January.
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My fear is WGS failed to learn from his previous mistake against Hearts. He dropped Maloney for Thommo and left us with similar problems to yesterday. I realise this time we had the need for a change forced on us due to injury, but I'd rather have Pearson or Wallace instead of Thommo and anything other than the two big guys up front. I'm of the opinion that Thommo is finished. He seems to be at war with himself, unable to pull out any kind of performance. However, the abuse he took from the stands yesterday was nothing short of a scandal, and how is that going to help someone find some form? I personally thought Telfer was our worst man and although he suffered a lot of moaning, didn't get anywhere near the abuse dished out as Thommo had.
The other thing about WGS that bothered me was his use of subs. Someone has already touched on the fact that he was late in making the first one, but I felt Agathe would surely have made a difference as Telfer was terrible yesterday. We now know that Agathe is out in January or the summer. If he can't be trusted to come on in a performance like that, he never will be.
The referee's refusal of the penalty (looked one where I was sitting - want to see it on TV tho as Mick didn't argue much), plus only 3 minutes of added time, despite the trainer being on 5 times and the use of 5 subs (which is 2:30 alone) was just what you'd expect, but no excuse whatsoever.
In the earlier post, I wasn't having a go Paul, just annoyed about the clear complacency and apathy amongst the support yesterday, which meant when the team really needed something, nobody could be arsed to sing or shout (other than abuse at selected players and boos at the end). The result we'll get over. It adds a bit of pressure for Pittodrie on Sunday, but that's all. It'll take me longer to get over the supposed great "support" we have's lack of heart.
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I think the die is cast for the old guard, contemptious and complacent.
Buy/persuade/kidnap Roy Keane, Celtic lost through "state of mind" as each player fielded was above and beyond their Dunfermline counterparts regards skill and guile.
More pacey minded players in in Jan? Hope so.......
Hail Hail
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Roy Keane is not the answer...pacey players yes, Roy Keane no.
Alan Thompson seems to be a common denominator in every recent poor display and result, surely his time must be up. We are crying out for one more decent midfield player. It's unrealistic to expect Nakamura to carry the only creative threat for an entire season, but that's where we are at the moment. Rudi Skacel, Paul Hartley, Kevin Thompson?
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HamptonTim
Roy Keane IS the answer. I fail completely to understand the mentality that denies that RK is world class. Here's an open secret that people may not quite be grasping when they think with their heart and not their head. RK could walk into any top class club in the world but according to some of my Celtic brethren he's past it and not good enough for Celtic..........wakey wakey, get him signed up now and if he's as "crap" as some think/know/wish dump him (doh!).
Imagine the dressing room chit chat that would be going on if he were in the team and that performance occured?? All posters on here have a valid opinion however, the heroic athletes that are the Celtic FC players don't listen to you, they are inspired from within.
If ever there was a case for RK's appointment then this was it. If he is not signed he is not signed so be it, its not the end of the world but at least don't be accused of shortsightedness.
Celtic, regardless of success or failure shall prevail......
Hail Hail
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Only occasional poster but avid readers of this blog; love the optimism but of late so many contributors are getting carried away. Some of the recent stuff, i.e. pre yesterday, borders on triumphallism IMHO. Anyway, to yesterday. Leave off work 5:15, intention is to make my way home to change and then onto Dubliner’s for the 7:00 (local time) kick off. Stuck in traffic on the Sheikh Zayed Rd, (no time to change to don the emerald garb, so tell cab driver straight to Dub’s. OK so it’s just Celtic Telly but hey, adds to the atmosphere), make it with minutes to spare and you know when the portends are not right, well that was the feeling yesterday, 1hr 45mins to get 45Km, predictions of 7-0 – get real, team selection, hardly any colours in the pub and less than 20 turned up to watch, pitiful, when considering we had +150 for each of the games v TFOD…………expats at their worst!……………Rambling now…….back to the main point about how good we really are……some might not like this cold water being poured on the flames but really it is not just about the Old Guard! Again, in IMHO, the majority of the new signings just do not cut mustard and are not good enough to be wearing the hoops. Sure, they are 'tryers' and I really do not like to slaughter/single out individuals playing for the Tic but have to agree in the main with an earlier poster. Of the new signings, only Shunske, Majic and Artur are of the desired quality.
Present squad is certainly good enough to win SPL but if we really do have ambitions to achieve in Europe then unfortunately we do not have the class of extended personnel to support Messrs Maloney, Nakamura, Zurawski, Petrov, and Boruc. Mind you, we’ve never had the good fortune to be in a low level group such as ‘they’ are in and probably poised to qualify from but that then raises the issue……..wait and see the humbling defeats to follow (follow) and I feel that a similar fate would befall our present crop. Not a pessimist ……..a realist……..good job I don’t post too often eh!
Appreciation to (nearly) all contributors to this blog……...some of the stuff is humorous, knowledgeable, entertaining and spirited. Wonder how much work doesn’t get done because of CQN…….Know that if I was to post equivalent time as I read, there would be little point in leaving or even going to work. Really is addictive! Regards & Hail Hail…….TBM.
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I've gone right off that teddy sheringham, did you read what he said about us? The ignorant disrespectful ****.
Keane no Keane no.
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Yesterday was a total shocker with absolutely nothing new learned.
IMO we already knew that AT is not up to the job of keeping the ball moving.
We knew Sutton and Hartson do not go together
We have played a style of football recently about possession and movement.Yesterday there was nothing.
Prior to the game against a team with a small squad , many injuries and bottom of the league I thought a comfortable win was on the cards.
When I heard the team ,I ( and my fellow 4 Tims in the car)all changed the 4-0 predictions to a 2-0 slog.
How wrong we were about the score but not the performance.
This may look like typical doom and gloom after a bad home defeat but in a way it could work out to be a blessing in disguise.
The complaceny of the fans ( including myself)and players alike will surely be banished for a time.
In saying that I still think we will win the league by about 10 points.
Does anyone else out there think the goal we lost has been coming recently?I don't think we defend set pieces well at all.
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Ardoch
"Keane no Keane no" why-o why-o? What reason do you say no? Remember a thoughtful answer not an empassioned answer I need to understand your objective reasoning and not you subjective reasoning. The man is legend and still capable of a year or two so why not. Please don't refer to the "he's always injured" nonsense, even injured I think he is inspirational and that is what we lack........in spades!
Hail Hail
PS Teddy Sheringham is only playing the old reverse psychology card. I would hae if I were he!
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I have posted my reasons on here several times baba, and really cannot be bothered going into them again. Lets just say even legends lose their gloss eventually, and true legends are not thugs.
Sorry Noel! :o)
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Ardoch
I strongly disagree with you, especially the "thug" part however, as a "brother" I respect your opinion.
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No Bread, No Cakes
you are a legend and I am a fool!
Peat
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It was bad. No question about it.
Sutton & Thompson, barely going through the motions,surprises me. I would have thought they had a lot to be grateful to Celtic for, as we have to them. The two full backs are Gordon's version of the Emperor's New Clothes. The funny thing is that some supporters have been telling us that they can ACTUALLY SEE THEM. In a way I am not unhappy at yesterday's rude awakening. There is nothing worse than self delusion.And it could not have happened at a better time.Our title hopes are the same today as yesterday.
Can anyone tell me DEFINITIVELY why Didier Agathe is not being used, whatever his long term future
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A big heartfelt congratulations to supercelt on popping his 1st post cherry.
He didn,t half pop it-with four entertaining posts on the trot-even if he had to resort to cheap jibes at one of the more intelligent posters on here....
I think Dermot Desmond should sell his shareholding to Roy.
Then "Roy The Bhoy" could be owner,chief executive,and captain.
I am also putting forward my nomination for his beatification as the 1st steps on the way to becoming Saint Roy of The Celtic.
The man deserves
the title......
:P
noel.
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