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You're not getting away with a one word first post!
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3rd
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EDB
Just for you
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SOAL
You're far too kind:o)
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Paul
This is an important issue to address. It is possible for teams to slip goals having established a 3 or 4 goal cushion. This is not the case with Celtic who have invariably had to come back from gifting a one goal start to the opposition. Over the piece this says the defence is not right. That could be player skill, tactics or formation. My hunch is it's a bit of all, though a defence lacking in skill elements at Celtic should still be able to turn round several clean sheets a quarter given the standard of opposition sometimes.
Basics are missing. Invariably a defensive header out from the centre of the back 4 goes to the opposition midfield. It seems impossible for our players to find a hooped jersey with out headers.
The tactics of Aidan and Naka turning in for the full backs to overlap leaves large gaps behind which are exploited by opposition out balls. The full backs are often exposed in a one on one in this. Midfield might be able to offer some movement but are stretched. Crucially the two central defenders refuse to surrender ground in the middle and cover the full backs. That means when they are passed the attacker has time and space to move right in.
That's either poor tactics or players who lack confidence to leave the other as a single in the middle (a position which might then be supported by a returning midfielder).
Perhaps we are lacking a defensive coach on the staff?
Gordon is keen to talk about returns to the training ground when things go wrong. Perhaps the team needs to major on defensive plays for a time equal to that needed to deliver clean sheets.
There is a stronger correlation between teams with the lowest goals conceded being successful over the team with the highest scoring record.
Compare our current options with that of MONs. Taking out skill or other comparisons 2 things occur to me:
1. The size and presence of MON defenses favoured big and ugly
2. He played Agathe to clean up after lapses by using his killer pace as the last tackle resort.
Currently we don't have either presence or pace.
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Paul67,
Is Naka free to negotiate a Bosman move this January?
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I think this statistic is in danger of over elaboration and will become a monkey on the back of the defence that we don't need.
But if we want to look at statistics then how about looking at the domestic away form of last year, with narrative skewed by me.
We started with a loss to Hearts following our midweek jaunt to Japan and then we drew 1-1 at Inverness.
This was followed by three consecutive away clean sheets and victories (Aberdeen, Pars and Falkirk)
Following these 3 victories we continue on the form guide in domestic away fixtures:
W
W
W
D (Hibs 2-2 after Man U home CL game)
W
D (1-1 Ibrox, Lennon denied stonewaller)
D (Motherwell)
W
W
W
which takes us to the end of February with the league in the bag.
In each of those "W's" we clearly scored at least 2 goals away from home since we did not keep a clean sheet.
Scroll forward to this year and the domestic away form book reads
W
W
W
L (post CL away game with 2 never-to-be-seen-again blunders)
I am not blind to our faults, but we are the Champions, we are winning, we are scoring goals. Lord help us all when the bad times come along!
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I fear we have now come to the stage where we are all demanding to much of Celtic.
If we are not receiving our usual weekly diet of people such as Neganon going on and on about net spend this and net spend that, we now have something else to moan about.
So what if we have not kept a clean sheet for a year! while it may not be ideal, football matches are not ideal and more often than not things don't go to plan. I for one will be delighted if our 'terrible' rearguard helps to get us to the last 16 of the CL and wins the league again as we did last season while building up a big chunk of this away defensive record.
How does our goals against record compare to the rest of the SPL this season?
I would happily take another year without a clean sheet away from home if it brings the same rewards!
TNBC
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I think it's time to get Bobo back into the team, something that has been lacking of late is the big header out or the big punt out, and Bobo could do both of these.
We all know the old addage "when in doubt get it out"!
It was quite evident that Hib's second goal on Saturday could have been prevented with a good clearance.
When you look at the goals we have been giving up, they are not down necessarily to better opposition, but poor defending and needless mistakes.
BF
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Dumbhoy, indeed.
Bhoy Molloy, no. He is only 15 months into his current 3 year contract.
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Paul67,
Do not still have the 1 year option on him also, making the deal 4 years? (if Celtic wants)
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20 points shipped out of 57, 6 were after the title had been won during this run of away league fixtures since the last shut-out.
separately I believe tomorrow will see one of the smallest away Celtic supports in some time.
We'llbetheretoGivethebhoysacheer.
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WiseGnome
did celtic just give people from the shire tickets?
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Hobbits a grand old team to play for..
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Is the game tomorrow on TV?
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Paul67,
Is he not 15 months into a 24 month contract with an optional 1 year.
I dont know the legalities on all this but his contract expires in June 2008. Celtic have a one year option, which I assume they can exercise whether he likes it or not. Is that correct?
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Its on BBC1 Scotland;except for viewers in Moorrrrrrrrrrrrrrdoorrr.
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Wee Arra Popele
WidgetGem
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Japan's Marinos said to want Nakamura back
Tuesday September 25, 5:38 PM
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's Yokohama Marinos will attempt to re-sign Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura, a report said Tuesday, although they will face a fight from the Scottish champions.
Nakamura, the Scottish Player of the Year, was a young star at the J-League club, which the Sports Hochi newspaper said wanted him back when his contract with Celtic expires in June.
ADVERTISEMENT
And the 29-year-old Japan international is "seriously" considering returning to Japanese football, with the club he left in 2002 to join Italian side Reggina his preferred destination, the newspaper quoted his agent saying.
Yokohama are preparing to make an official offer to the playmaker in December, the sports newspaper said.
"Nakamura has not forgotten a debt of gratitude to the J-League for nurturing him," his agent Robert Takuda told the newspaper.
"He's seriously thinking about eventually wanting to give back to Japan the experience he acquired in Europe. We want to think about the Marinos as our number one option, but if that can't happen, which club he goes to will depend on future offers," Takuda was quoted as saying.
Yokohama Marinos declined to comment on the claim, but their reported interest could spark a bidding war for Nakamura, the most valuable player of the 2004 Asian Cup who was also voted Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year.
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell last month dismissed talk about Nakamura leaving.
"We're used to speculation surrounding Shunsuke," Lawwell told the Sunday Mail.
"He is contracted until summer 2008, then we have a one-year option," he said. "We will sit down with his agent in December or early January and decide what's going to happen."
"We've had interest from other clubs. Approaches have been made to him and us," he said.
Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has called Nakamura a "genius at work" and a "beautiful footballer
au.sports.yahoo.com
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I know people complain about our wide players not playing on the side that corresponds with the foot they kick with but I think we create most of our best chances this way. Certainly Aiden got his goal at the weekend and should have scored a few the week before by coming in off the wing. Naka comes in from the right with great effect also. But the main thing to remember is that they don't spend the whole match stuck on their wings. Naka and Aiden regularly alternate sides throughout the match and if we're going for a winner they're given even more freedom to move which is why we get a lot of goals late in games when we're chasing the winner.
Remember Naka got player of the year by playing on the right side. Aiden has also been playing on the left side for us since he was 16, he's rarely been used on the right by either Martin or Gordon. He doesn't consider himself a right or left winger anyway; he was playing in behind the strikers through the youth systems and he considers this his best position. By playing on the left he has the option of drifting into his preferred position, he would find it harder to do this on the right side. I have been very happy with Aiden so far this season I think he looks very sharp, dangerous, and quick. I want to see him control his shots better though, like McDonald he finds good shooting positions at the edge of the box which they both invariably send into the stand. His goal against Hibs was much more controlled.
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Paul67
The phrase 'planned for clean sheet' does not hold water.
This management clearly does not plan for clean sheets otherwise they would not go into games with the disgraceful inadequate defence that we have. The sheer folly of failing to invest in every area of the team bar the defence will come home to roost.
As you all know I agree with SS and EDB in that I believe Rangers will win the league not because they have great team but they can defend when required.
Mirror that with the fact that my heart is in my mouth every time the opposition get within 30 yards of our goal tells it's own story.
Kano - In reference to only posting after bad results I have deliberately posted my concerns after good results but it makes no difference.
One poster asked if I was still confident about my bet. I am more than confident about it but I wont come on here and defend it every time the leadership at the league changes hands suffice to say that in the long term I believe Rangers will win the league.
If a miracle was to happen in January and we actually bought the defenders we need than my fear is that by that time we will be out of europe completely and possibly behind Rangers by around 10 points.
But I will not worry as because as Brian Quinn has told us 'the money's in the bank'.
So everything is fine.
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we also believe the Wee Jinky statue will need to be bigger than lifesize. Larger than life - suits him perfectly.
NAFOS wants a John Thomson statue.
I want a Stephane Mahe statue.
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At this rate Parkheid will be like the Burrell Collection, full of artefacts and curios......like The Teser.
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Inthedark
as long as its no way Nothern Rock
AbbeyLeicester
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Paul67,
I dont find it wise to follow in the Evening Times´s footsteps. Not saying you have done so knowingly.
The worst away record in Celtic´s history baloney. While we are winning SPL titles, getting further in the CL than ever before and Brian Quinn being happy about the bank balance.
so we now are about to be hit by WGS touchline ban.
Artur Boruc escaping punishment
Nakamura wanting to return to Japan.
Nakamura having a bad knee
Wilson being injured , Naylor being off form and not enough full back cover
etc.
Is a Rangers revival on the cards perchance.
I genuinely believe that the discontent shown over the last few days on the board is not so much two losses in a row or how that was achieved but by WGS enthusing about how fabulous Celtic´s performance was. In fact I think it was a mistake to highlight how rank we have been in Edinburgh since WGS arrival. A fact I didn´t know myself and was left feeling completely unimpressed.
Walter Smith handled the defeat to Hearts by saying any more of these and we can forget about the championship. A fair and honest assessment I thought.
GS is WELL into his third year and while the bank balance looks good. The defence looks decidedly dodgy as your article testifies too.
Mac Donald has yet to find the net in a meaningful fixture.
JVOH looks lacklustre and unprepared to "get stuck in"
Aiden scored his first goal since January.
Naylor and Wilson both look seriously jaded.
Donati doesn´t seem to be able play for 90 minutes.
I found the pre-match comments on a par with the Celtic View circa 1980.
Rangers have spent 10m and are at the top of the table. They have beaten the German champions, the first OF ;-) game is away at Ibrox and they will not be push overs like the were the previous two seasons. On current form the odds must be close. Hearts beat Rangers but Rangers had rested a few. They rely as heavily on Barry Ferguson as we do on Shunsuke Nakamura.
We as a club have to recognise that the threat to our future revenue streams is a very real one.
I would like to see a comparison between a Uefa cup budget and a budget that is designed to cope with not winning the SPL and failing to qaulify for the CL next year. I am not saying that this will happen but these are the margins that we operate within and come next summer if TG returns, JJ stays, BB stays, Mac Donald hasn´t proven to be anything other than an above average SPL player and the defence is still in need of sorting let shope we dont draw Artmedia Bratislavia
For the record I think that we will pip Rangers to the title and that both Glasgow teams will finish 4th in their group.
Hail Hail
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Inthedark - "But I will not worry as because as Brian Quinn has told us 'the money's in the bank'.
So everything is fine."
Big Wavy - As a man hoping for Celtic to fail so that you can boost your bank balance, I would expect everything to be fine with you in that terrible doomsday scenario you come on to paint, after our first league defeat of the season.
Big Wavy
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Big Wavy
It will feel like my heart has been ripped out if Rangers win the league no amount of money will temper this feeling.
However that does not deny me the right to make some money based on my cold factual opinion.
Betting on Rangers to win the league make sense to me although I hope and pray my opinion is completely and utterly wrong.
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awe naw
not to pick holes in your thesis but macdonald scored against spartak moscow, was that not meaningful?
i do however agree that him and killen are JUST spl quality and no better. im also worried about jvohs inability to get in the mix when required. for a big guy who gets "mauled" he certainly rolls about the deck alot rather than getting on with the job. zurawski is a waster of the highest order.
donati, nakamura and mcgeady are all class but my 8 stone sister could shove them about. scott brown really needs now to prove hes worth the investment, not two years from now.
our defence is poor, especially our centre halves and full backs.
yep, you read that right.
our goalkeeper is class but needs to cut out the showboating and concentrate a wee bit more.
gordon strachan wants to get a grip.
the board want to take a reality check on who is paying the wages and being short changed.
stickyergrandaoanthatyanumptie csc
i still think we are better than that lot though and we will prove it in three weeks.
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Last season we kept 4 clean sheets in our CL home games. IMO CL home games are more difficult than SPL away games. This leads me to think we don't really concentrate as fully in the SPL as we do in CL games.
We played a lot of SPL games, from Oct/Nov onwards, where the league was effectively over this could have led to a dip in concentration.
There are issues with the defence with or without this statistic. Does this take us back to why didn't we spend money on sorting the defence out ?
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AwNaw - genuinely believe that the discontent shown over the last few days on the board is not so much two losses in a row or how that was achieved but by WGS enthusing about how fabulous Celtic´s performance was. In fact I think it was a mistake to highlight how rank we have been in Edinburgh since WGS arrival. A fact I didn´t know myself and was left feeling completely unimpressed
Big Wavy - Yeah, you're right. I was mightily happy with things until that pesky post-match conference. Is it just me or does anybody actually think this is what the manager really thinks of things ? Don't care about Walter's press conferences. The pressure is on him as he reigns over a failed team but we are trying to build on two recent championships and Gordon will take any positives to show the outside world we are in control and that positives exist. Listen to most press conferences and you'll get the same punchlines like "there were positives from today" all the time. I would expect (and hope) that he (and the team) are kicking asses, pointing fingers and throttling each other behind closed doors, cos that's what should go on and that's what winning teams do.
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Awe_Naw
I agree with some of what you say, but there are a couple of things I disagree with:
"Mac Donald has yet to find the net in a meaningful fixture."
His contribution has been good and he has set up a few goals. And the one he did score was in a pretty meaningful game!
"Donati doesn´t seem to be able play for 90 minutes."
Physically he can and does play 90 mins. He flits in and out of games at times, but his overall contribution has been good, especially given he is adjusting to a new team in a new country.
Where do we expect the team to be right now? Thats a serious question: what are our expectations? I expected us to qualify for the CL (achieved) and to be top of the league by now (not achieved). There's still a long way to go and I'm still confident we will be on top when it matters.
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Inthedark
Your posts and your bet to me seem absolutely incredible.
Even with our leaky rearguard that helped us to a league title and the last 16 of the champions league for the first time (no doubt costing you a few quid) I fail to see how the even the most negative of Celtic fans would have us possibly behind Rangers by ten points come January.
Maybe your bets on Rangers for the league and your opinions of Celtic seemingly viewed through the same glasses used by such people as Keevins, Broadfoot and Jackson say quite a lot about you.
TNBC
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Right Rev,
I stand corrected. I should have been more precise.
the point I´m making is that Riordhan and Zrawski have bene so marginalised that there is only one way for them to go now. Out of Celtic.
I dont think we can be as patient with Mac Donald as we were with Kenny Miller. As Kenny Miller brought another dimension to the team with his pace and work rate and could argue that he had nothing to prove. If Mac Donald has a similar debut season as Kenny Miller we wont be getting 3m for him come the summer and questions will be getting asked about WGS penchant for 6 duff strikers on the books.
As for proving it against Rangers they have proven that they can defend stubbornly and while playing a first team select whether it was against Red Star or Stuttgart proved that they´ll be no pushovers. With the MIBS and protection racket (SFA) brought firmly into line it´s going to be tough but surely expected. I am absolutely sure however that the mover and shakers at Celtic are well aware of all of this and have this all under control.
"They're great support. They deserve it and we'll do all we can for the support. I'm a cautious man. I'm often criticised for being cautious. It certainly won't be for a lack of trying. We'll try all we can to get to the last 16 and perhaps beyond - who knows?"
Hail Hail
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Why are we so desperate to have Rangers defence?
They've conceded more goals than us this season so far...including 2 at Ibrox (we've yet to concede at Celtic Park) and 4 to Hearts (their only home victory so far).
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Inthedark
I say dat it is faur too SOON, fur
Predictions,
Although, I allow, dat ayewan is entitled tae voice der Convictions...
Howevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvahhh..
Because,Da League an da CL hiv jist started,
It is a bit EARLY, tae become Broken Hearted!
Whit ye ur sayin' withoot a Preamble.....
In da League,Celtic wull LOSE,
'cos tae der Rivals ,they canny Haud a Candle!
An' in Europe,da Die is Cast!
Celtic wull go OOT!... fur dey ur OOT-Classed....an' they canny Last!
Tae mak matters woise...ye ur confident that Celtic Defeats....
WULL ADD A LOATTA SIL'ER TAE YER POISE!
Shame, Shame~...... Hing yer Heid!
DA KIND O'
CELTIC SUPPORTERS LIKE YOU...
WE HIV NAE NEED!
Fur a true Celtic man, wull NEVER SAY DIE!
An'if ye say yer ur WAN, den here is ma reply...
IN A PIG'S EYE!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin',Awaggin'
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awe_naw
i was only teasing ;-)
i think your line
"...6 duff strikers on the books."
says all.
but its the 8 duff defenders and the 3 kack midfielders im worried about ;-)
stickyergrandaoanthatyanumptie csc
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Big Wavy,
lets hope so but I´m getting the impression that WGS thinks the defence is fine and that his attacking line up is exhilirating and that we are playing with "flair" and "imagination" I agree with you but as I posted before he doesn´t need to push the boat out so much and you are just supposing.
Gordon,
I agree with you whole heartedly and haven´t written the seaosn off. I am just concerned that we haven´t managed to beat a team over 90mins this season that could live in the top half of the SPL and I pray that Mc Donald is the new man. I do think that Riordhan and Zurawski are being marginialsed because of it. It would seem that Mc Donald has been given every chance yet after a year Riordhan hasn´t.
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Does anyone else think that BQ quote above was made by someone who was hoping only half expoecting that something big was about to come off in respect to giving us a push to get to the CL qaurter finals ? or was the removal of Lennon and TG what it was based on ?
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bottom line
we should have improved the full backs and centre half positions with at least 2 players in the summer.
we should have improved the quality of striker we have on the books, we didnt.
we did improve the midfield, but that was near impossible not to do.
we are and will still be the champions, of that i am certain.
we will however not spend in january.
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the point I´m making is that Riordhan and Zrawski have bene so marginalised that there is only one way for them to go now. Out of Celtic.
Big Wavy : Are both of them better than what we have as our first pick ? I still think Riordan's impact-ometer hits the heights the more he sits on the bench. When he's on the pitch I've certainly not seen him make a compelling case for a first choice pick.
I dont think we can be as patient with Mac Donald as we were with Kenny Miller. As Kenny Miller brought another dimension to the team with his pace and work rate and could argue that he had nothing to prove.
Big Wavy : In terms of dimension to the team, I'd say Skippy's close control and intelligence far outweighs the lack of control and composure brought to us by Miller. All about opinions I know. The lack of goals is worrying I agree and he's bursting to score. Like Miller I fully expect him to hit his first goals (and hat trick) at Ibrox :)
As for proving it against Rangers they have proven that they can defend stubbornly and while playing a first team select whether it was against Red Star or Stuttgart proved that they´ll be no pushovers.
Big Wavy : Reserving the right to be equally selective they proved to be the keystone cops at Tynecastle with their first choice back four and susceptible to a team who runs at them at pace. Note to the boss - don't start with Killen and JVOH up front at Ibrox.
Still think, that despite all the doom and gloom about, we are a better team than them.
Hold yer nerve csc
Big wavy
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Big Wavy,
my point regarding mibs and the protection racket. Will WGS be missing from Ibrox ? means that we have to be far better, bigger and more intelligent than them. As I said before though our shakers and movers would never gamble on that.
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We're doomed!!
I agree with fragments of lots of people's views.
Paul67, I didn't see your explanation (not that i hold YOU accountable) for how the team were full of confidence, to then displaying a squeeky bum performance in Donesk.
That performance was bad in that we just didn't look hungry enough. I have said that Mick as captain was the wrong choice. Before I get pelters I like the guy and think he has potential. But potential is the key word. He has enough concentrating on his and the defences performance without complicating things further.
Caldwell has never looked a footballer to me. Poor under pressure. Naylor is suffering a confidence crisis and another skelping in europe will finish him, if we dont do the decent thing and give him a rest.
Donati to me looks class. Technically gifted but prone to not tracking back. Im happier with hartley in the middle with him to give us that bit of restraint in the middle of the park.
Big praise to PH who is starting to look the player I hoped he would be. We desp need his disipline.
Hopefully January will see some extra full back options arrive.You look at Pompey with big Sol and Distin at the back at a combined cost of duck eggs, and you realise this "players are not there" argument does not wash.
Defending starts up front. Our defence is not being helped by our attacks failure to keep the ball.
Skippy has to start scoring. We need to know when just to take pressure off and when to pass the ball into the net.
Big Jan has to MAN UP!!!
I would like to see him lose is temper not bloody keep it. Desp needs some fire in the belly that one.
I don't care what happens in Europe one jot this season. I would bite your hand off to finish third. SPL is VITAL and the board will be watched in the transfer window. I have every confidence they will continue to do what is right by the club.
Also, special praise to AMcG. He is the one player who truly excites me and looks sharp. Would like to see what he can do in a "off the front men" role.
Must be worth a try. Put in a Solid left midfielder who does not leave poor old Naylor exposed!!
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Hey Paul,
I heard Kevin McCarra refer to this on the Guardian Football Podcast. From what he said I think he picked up the statistic from this site.
That sums it up for me. A statistic. Statistics don't always reflect the true picture. Stats like this one would suggest we really struggled last season.
TT
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Some people forget the season has only started. We've have been on fire but had a dodgy result at the weekend due to goalkeeping fluffs and one weak result in europe away.
Now the general consensus from the usual suspects is failure , doom , sack the board etc. Same old story , as last year and the year before were exactly the same.
Rangers are now an alleged force , defensive masters , attacking geniuses. Yet nobody can produce any conclusive proof to these somewhat crazy notions.
Deal with the facts gentlemen , as thismancraig says they have conceded more goals than us and we have outscored them. We've played more away games than they have and have the better Goal difference. 2 points ahead of us after 7 games in hardly a crisis in a race to 38 games.
I shall stand by my prediction we will be 5-7 points ahead by the 3rd of January 2008.
A lot of the over-critical bunch demanded a challenge this season. Now they've got a minor challenge and their panicking. If we have been 3-4 points ahead the same people would still complain about no challengers makes us a poorer team?
Honestly you can't win. I think we are playing better football this season , even though I think we are short in the squad. We will play our way out of it.
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You look at Pompey with big Sol and Distin at the back at a combined cost of duck eggs, and you realise this "players are not there" argument does not wash
Jamie - I think you'll find their combined weekly wages would cost a very decent 6 figure sum, or taken another way, the amount of money Inthedark has lost on betting on the Gers in the last few years :)
Big wavy
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Kano:I fully support your right to disagree with my opinions as you did at length on the previous thread.
But where I take issue with you is when you have a go at non-existent statements I have supposedly made.
Could you please tell me when I was haling Le Guen and saying he would show up Strachan?
You wrote: "Seem to recall you,among many others shouting with glee about how Paul Le Guen would show up Gordon Strachan for the inept manager you believe him to be."
That is simply untrue.
Yes, I make no secret of the fact that I don't think Strachan is the greatest tactician in the world, particularly in the Champions League and away from home.
But I never claimed that Le Guen would show him up.
On your point about me banging on about our poor defence since Artmedia - yes, of course, the back four has changed since then.
But collectively it has remained just as ineffective as it was when Strachan took over.
And, while Balde did play in Bratislava, I still firmly believe he is the most effective defender we have on the books.
I would rather go to Ibrox with him at the heart of the defence than Caldwell.
Big Liam and others: I do think Rangers will win the SPL this season if Strachan doesn't finally address the glaring problems in defence.
We have won the SPL title in the last two seasons despite our back four not because of it.
Thos who choose the simple excuse for the Hibs defeat simply blame Boruc's double howler or blame McManus for his boob in the Ukraine.
The problem is far more deep-rooted than individual errors.
Our back four as a unit is disorganised, indecisive and lacking in leadership and confidence.
The individual errors are simply a sympton of a far bigger malaise.
We have got away with a lack of investment in quality defenders for several seasons.
But I think astute managers such as John Collins and Walter Smith are aware of our Achilles heel and like Sunday we will be punished more this season if Strachan does not quickly find a solution.
To point out the bloomimng obvious is not being "anti-Celtic" as the CQN lynch mob imply- it is being pro-Celtic.
With the best balance sheet in living memory and the £10million-plus from the Champions League- not to invest in repairing a defence that is badly broken is criminal in my eyes.
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This is turning into a real topsy-turvy season;I don't think anyone was sharing their anxieties with excellent CQNers on the day we signed SB and MD;or the day we biffed the Muscovites.Or the day the Stills lost 4-2 and we won 5-0.
Since we are stuck for the next few months with the Squad we have I would like us to be more innovative in our choice of tactics,and also at taking a fresh look at the available personnel.
And at times like this this comes to mind-
Brian: Can I... join your group?
Reg: Nah, p### off.
Brian: I didn't want to sell this stuff, it's only a job. I hate the Romans as much as anybody!
Judith: Are you sure?
Brian: Oh, dead sure! I hate the Romans already!
Reg: Listen. If you really wanted to join the P.F.J., you'd have to really hate the Romans.
Brian: I do!
Reg: Oh, yeah, how much?
Brian: A lot!
Reg: [brief pause] Right. You're in. Listen. The only people we hate more than the Romans are the f###ing Judean People's Front.
Stan: Yeah, the Judean People's Front.
Reg: Yeah. Splitters.
Stan: And the Popular Front of Judea.
Reg: Yeah. Splitters.
Stan: And the People's Front of Judea.
Reg: Yea... what?
Stan: The People's Front of Judea. Splitters.
Reg: We're the People's Front of Judea!
Stan: Oh. I thought we were the Popular Front.
Reg: People's Front!
Francis: Whatever happened to the Popular Front, Reg?
Reg: He's over there. [points to a lone man]
Reg, Stan, Francis, Judith: SPLITTER!
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Big Wavy,
I agree, but you either get the quality or you make do with the Netto version and don't complain when things go wrong.
We have to face upto the fact that money will need to be spent if you want different calibre of player.
The biscuit tin mentality is slowly creeping back in. There are full backs out there who have the desired ability but we may have to pay 20-25k p/w for.
Bobo in, Caldwell out. Some good, fairly pricey full backs, with lee, doumbe as cover. Wilson...oooot!
Defence is then sorted. Easy this management business.
When things go well, or you come into some money its only natural to have a little "treat".
The business model is solid but if some flexibility is not allowed we will lose the initiative.
-
Didn't we go on a historically bad run of conceding goals during Gordon Strachan's first season in charge? I seem to remember we went on a run of 10 or 11 games or something similar without a clean sheet at the time.
Think that was when Bobo was last a regular. Come back Bobo, all is forgiven (and forgotten)!!!!
O'Dea would be my preference though I have worries about this 'listen son, you're 20 - come and save our defence' approach so I expect Caldwell and McManus to continue.
-
Jamie,
I believe Sylvain Distain was looking for nigh on £50K a week to sign for Pompey and Sol Campbell famously was on £100k a week at Arsenal. Not a goer as far as I'm concerned.
Sean South and others.
Bobo may have been our best defender a couple of years age but time has marched on. A lot of people thought WGS was wrong to get rid of Agathe because he was the best right back we had, I believe he has since played a couple of halfs of football since his departure.
John Hartson was offloaded and again Gordon took stick for doing so, again how many games has BBJ played and how many goals has he scored in the "diddy league" he went too. There is now talk of him sitting at WBA because he is on good wages and can't afford a drop because of the heavy alimony payments.
Chris Sutton, offloaded and is now retired. One of my favourite players but his legs and desire had gone when he left as shown by some fairly ordinary displays in England.
Alan Thompson, Now plying his trade in the English 3rd Division. A free agent that no one would take at a higher level.
Does anyone see a link? These guys were great for us but their time has past. They are no longer the players they were in 2003.
Does anyone honestly believe that Gordon Strachan would not use a player on our books if he thought that he would do a job for us?
Someone mentioned earlier about wasting money on Pressley. We had at that point 2 fit centre halfs, one of whom had not played first team football up to that point. He was signed in an emergency to cover the fact that we had a CL last 16 game to play and cover had to be bought in. Personally I thought it was the right thing to do at that time and I also thought he played too many games at the end of last season, I suspect as a thank you for signing when Charlton had offered more money.
I don't agree with everything Gordon Strachan does but to beat him for stuff he gets right just annoys the hell out of me.
-
SeanSouth
Whit part o'dis dey ye no unerstaun??...
Ah'll try tae be patient wi'ye ...
So ah'll WALK YE THRO' DIS....
Ahaudin' YER HAUN....
Listen an' Learn...
Ye ur jist like a Bairn.
If a Player disnae WAANT, tae come tae Celtic... or even if he diz ...
His HANDLERS, FUR HIS SERVICES...
WAANT TOO MUCH DOUGH!
HOW IN TH NAME O' THE WEE MAN...
Kin ye MAK HIM COME?
IS DAT NO SO???????
It is NOOS TAE YE, AH KNOW.....
But........
YE CANNY MAK HIM TAE CELTIC GO!!!!!
Durin' da Windae... Pierre bust a Gut....
Ah AM TELLIN' YE DA TRUT'!
AH AM NO MAKIN' IT UP!!!!
Whit ye ur daein,ma friend,in yer Protests ....
IS USING DA BIG "C"..
Yer ur CLINGIN' desperately tae dis SUBJECT....
But, it is Plain dat ye ur only....
PRACTICIN' DA JOURNALISTS' FRIEND....
THE OLE' RELIABLE.....
"STIR UP DA CONTROVERSEEEEEEEE...Ole MUCKER....
AND DAT... WUL BE YER BREAD AND BUTTER!!!!!!!!.."
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
When things go well, or you come into some money its only natural to have a little "treat".
Jamie - No guarantee though that it's a successful recipe. Graveson was our little treat a season ago and now he's sitting outside the charity shop cos he didn't work.
Bobo's wage increase was a 'treat' at the time but he's broken and lies at the bottom of the toy box.
Overegging it but hope you get the message csc
Big Wavy
-
DBBIA,
these were obviously good days proving that we were going in the right direction. I think the SB and MD signings had the throngs excited because this was how we should be doing buisness; Getting in early , embaressing Rangers and getting our men at fair prices. The thinking then amongst everyone on here was "oh goody this is just the start" apart from back tracking for Doumbe acquiring Killen, we lent out a lot of our youth players and TG and sold Kenny Miller, so it was in fact the "end".
Anyway I am hoping that a few good performances tomorrow night from some fringe players will make a few people sit up and think. Especially me ;-) and those first teamers who think that they are doing enough when they aren´t.
I hope tomorrows line up looks something like this
Brown
Doumbe Kennedy Balde O´Dea
Sno
Donati Hartley Brown
Deek Majic
Subs: Ferry , Balde , Cuthbert all getting a game.
Can anyone tell me if Pressley is match fit ?
-
Surely Bjarnsson must start?
-
Jamie
I luv ye like a Brudder..but fur dis time only... I wull talk tae ye like yer Mudder!
"Son, DINNA EVAH LET ME HEAR YE USE DAT TERM... !
Which ah NEVAH USE... BECAUSE AH CA' IT ...
DA COOKIE JAR!
Da term dat ye jist used, wiz INVENTED BY DA PAPERS!...
Tae DENIGRATE CELTIC!!..
An' MAK DEM SEEM LIKE TIGHT WADS, an'MISERABLE, CHEAP SKATERS!!!
So Dinna use it again...or ah'll TALK tae yer DAD...
AN' HE'LL GIE YE DA BIGGEST SKELPIN' ....
DAT YE EVAH HAD!"
Luv,
Yer Ma.
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
awe_naw
I think Pressley is some weeks away from fitness.
I imagine Killen will start against Dundee. If he's the man on the bench we first look to for goals then he needs some first team action.
While on the subject of strikers it is rather depressing. Riordan & Zurawski are clearly not rated by Strachan which leaves JVH, McDonald & Killen. Not really what I'd hope for going into a CL campaign.
-
Awenaw-I think your team[which I have no problem with]may not appear as el Gordo does not want to risk losing 3 games in a row;even if it is only the Diddy Cup.
I think Chewbacca is recovering from an operation on his back[maybe he's been fitted with springs to help him jump!]and will be out for a couple of months.
-
I thought Bjarnnson was injured too
-
can i get a game please please i will no tell embdy
yours
JJ your czech mate
-
Jiri-maybes if you offered to wash the strips.
And give us a lift in your motor.
And hand out the pre-match fags
And buy the post-match drinks.
These were the selection criteria in the old Div3 of the Glasgow Colleges League.
Plus ce change..
-
Awe Naw
Teddy wiz injured...but is noo at da trainin'...
He is a great Prospect, so ah' am maintainin'
However, dinna forget wan who hiz slipped oaf da Pages...
His Name is Cheeky Charlie... an' aboot HIS PROSPECTS....
DA THREE COUSINS...
RAGES!
Charlie, is noo slowly returnin... WAN YEAR LATER!
It's a Shame, fur it Fairly Stoapped His PROGRESS...
Fur he wiz shapin' up, tae bein' a
FOIST CLASS.... FIRST RATER!
Charlie wull turn oot tae be wan o' da best.
No like a loat o' da ithers!...
FUR BESIDES,SKILL an' Lotsa PLUCK... HE HIZ..... ZEST!!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
Does it matter ???
With the worlds best defence we'd still only be sure to get 1 point per game by drawing 0-0. If we scored we'd obviously win the game and get 3 points.
The important statistic is how many MORE goals did we score!
I'd rather a 1-5 away win than a 0-0
Scoring 3 or 4 goals (home or away) quickly and killing off a team means we can rest 3 players if we've got a CL game coming up or play 3 youngsters to see how they look.
By making these subs will mean our team has been weakend. So it's understandable that we might lose a late goal.
I agree that we should probably be able to go away to the 6 worst (some may argue all 11) teams in the SPL and not conceed.
Hail Hail
Pob
-
I don't know if this has already been posted - apologies if so. (There are several CQN posters that I know of that I think should answer this without too much difficulty.)
Three ex Celts with parentage of mixed Scottish and other national background (not Irish although all three may have had Irish blood) played for the club in the same season - and in the same position. What was the other nationality? Who were the players?
-
Disappointment is part of watching football. I should be used to it by now.
However, isn't the sophomore dilemma curious? Zurawski, Jan, Naylor and to a degree Wilson all seem to be experiencing it. Even McManus appears not to score as many goals compared to last season.
Is this a Celtic phenomenon, or is it common in other teams?
What are the reasons for it? Do other teams become familiar with the players and "know" how to play them?
Rebus
-
Scottish Premier Reserve League
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie
CELTIC…7
(Killen 47, 77, O’Brien 49, 57, O’Dea 59, Jarosik 64, McGowan 89)
INVERNESS CT…1
(Hart 9)
Another clean sheet thrown away in the first ten minutes. This is a disgrace !!!!!!!
head explodes
Big Wavy
-
Not sure I really care about how many goals we concede as long as we score more. We are never going to have a side that is perfect in every department. The key thing is that we have a side that can create chances and score goals. Occasionally the defence will play a blinder but most of the time as long as the rest of the team are doing their thing, it doesn't matter if the defence leak a goal or two. I think WGS is getting the balance of our team right.
Until we play in a bigger league with EPL style revenues we cannot afford to have world class players in every department.
-
Scottish Premier Reserve League
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie
CELTIC…7
(Killen 47, 77, O’Brien 49, 57, O’Dea 59, Jarosik 64, McGowan 89)
INVERNESS CT…1
(Hart 9)
CELTIC (4-4-2) M.Brown; Caddis, Cuthbert, O’Dea, Conroy; O’Brien (Millar 70), Grant (McGlinchey 65), Jarosik, Bjarnason; McGowan, Killen
Subs not used: McGovern, Marr, Gaughan, Cahillane, Cawley
INVERNESS CT(3-5-2) McNulty; Inglis, MacDonald, Watt (Woodhouse 31), Kerr; Rennie, Leslie, Gillespie, Hart; Vigurs, Sutherland
Subs not used: Penwright, Ward, Morrison, Park, Cromar
WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH: Charlie Grant
-
Collie,
Who is "Charlie" and what is the nature of his injury?
Sometimes players look great in the reserves in their teens but do not develop enough physically to be able to deliver consistently in the first team.
Rebus
-
And just for the wee dug :
WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH: Charlie Grant
mmmmmmmmmmm
Big Wavy
-
CELTIC…7
(Killen 47, 77, O’Brien 49, 57, O’Dea 59, Jarosik 64, McGowan 89)
INVERNESS CT…1
(Hart 9)
CELTIC (4-4-2) M.Brown; Caddis, Cuthbert, O’Dea, Conroy; O’Brien (Millar 70), Grant (McGlinchey 65), Jarosik, Bjarnason; McGowan, Killen
Subs not used: McGovern, Marr, Gaughan, Cahillane,
-
Sorry, tad slow there :)
-
Awe Naw
Jist read dat Charlie Returned...
He played da day in da Reserves.
Who WHACKED DA INVECUDDYS,
A BIG SEVEN GOALS TAE ONE....
How dae ye like dem AIPPLES?
Ma dear friend and GUID BUDDY?
Chris Killen played wit aplomb and naw a little Flair...
FUR HE SCORED NO JIS WAN GOAL...
HE SCORED A FINE PAIR!!
An' Jist like Kojo done tole ye...
Darren wiz playin'....
Is no jist so obvious.. dat
SOMEBOADY IS DUE FUR DA SACK?
An Darren he also scored wi' a PEACH O' A HEADER...
Dat guy is a HECK O' a PLayer... 'n' tae say dat...
ye dinna need tae be a SOOTHSAYER!
Da match report is oan da Celtic Site...
Read o' aboot it...
DA RESERVES WUR ASCENDANT and INVERCUDDY...
DEY BOWED TAE DER MIGHT!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
can i get a game nooooo
what about my goal
-
Big Wavy
When ah wrote aboot Charlie,ah hidna read today's Match,
It wiz wit ye call Co-incidence..
Or Ma sooth-sayin' ability...jist struck a LUCKY PATCH!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
Until we play in a bigger league with EPL style revenues we cannot afford to have world class players in every department.
MNCELT - Spot on sir. Too often here we have to listen to the unaccountable fan on the terrace give it, "we'll have two full backs at £5m a piece and an experienced centre half on a bosman but who will cost £5m a year in wages……with that goalgetter………now let's see, Bent was £16 million so factor in SPL then we'll spend £7m on that….. And, and, and……….we've got a modest pot of money in relative terms (our wonga went up when the EPL money kicked in unfortunately) and that means a Chris Killen here and there with a wee pressie that may or may not come off……….who'd be a manager eh ???
Big Wavy
-
Sky Sports reporting that Gordon's ban has been reduced to 2 games on appeal. Should be rescinded completely but what do you expect.
Collie,
Agree completely on Charlie Grant, have been talking about him since I saw him play for the youth team around 4-5 years ago. Looks a cert to me.
The only other 3 players I have seen who stood out like he did at the same age were Aiden, Craig Beattie and Craig Gordon for Hearts.
-
Gordon's 4 match touchline ban reduced to 2.
-
Bambi,
You had me encouraged there about Charlie Grant until you done the Craig Beattie comparison !!!!
Anyhow, confession-time, I don't think I've seen the young fella play.
Anybody give me a wee quick two line summary of what I'm missing attribute-wise ? All I have picked up is the comabative piece.
Big Wavy
-
Big Wavy
Da Mair ah read yer Coamments oan whit maks da Celtic Tick.....
Da Mair Ah am Convinced,
yer Heid's well screwed oan...
An' yer Thinkin's pretty SLICK!
Ye goat da Big PICTUR...
No a BIT.....
YE'VE GOAT DA LOAT!
Ah wid be PROOD TAE HIV YE, ANYTIME...
As a ROWER....in ma BOAT!
Keep oan Truckin, pal...like yer daein'
DAT'S REALLY AWE Ah'M SAYIN'!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
MNCELT,
we play in the CL. The biggest and most lucrative league going. Celtic plc are regularly in the top 20 when it comes to turnover.World class player in every position is possibly asking too much though. How about an international player for every position. Is that too much ?
-
Big Wavy,
No comparison at all meant with Beattie, just that I thought he was cert to make it to 1st team level after that anything can happen. Some players just stand out at that level and you know they will make it in the pro game.
-
A two game ban for our manager is a strange one. Suggests that there was some mitigation, but not enogh for the ban to be recinded.
But - two games means Dundee Utd and Gretna. So free for the 20/10 clash.
But - who's betting that the appeal on the suspension from the Aberdeen game will be scheduled before then??
-
Has it been said that Norman Foster is doing the upgrade and additions to the Camp Nou.
They have decided to wait until after the rangers game before beginning work.
-
That´s good I will be back for both those games Dundee Utd and Gretna. I´ll have a wee word with Gordon when he´s in the stands ... ask him if I can have his seat on the bench ;-)
-
Cheers Bambi,
Get yer drift. Would be nice, nay, very nice, that in reviewing this champion-winning season in June, we are talking about a couple of young uns who have emerged and shot onto the scene.
Liked what I seen of Teddy when he broke through last season and likewise Sno although not seeing progress with the latter that I'd have liked. I'm a big O'Dea fan but not as a left back or I fear we'll ruin the guy's confidence from the outset.
Hail Hail
Big wavy
-
Correction to question posed at 16.21. - and I am giving a massive clue here! The three players did appear for Celtic in the same season but one was played out of his normal position. ie. the position he was signed for.
This is a two part question and half the answer won't do.
-
Big Wavy
Fargo hiz 3 COUSINS...who ur within da Celtic Fold...
Da Intel dey gie us frae time tae time...is Fine and Dandy.....
IT'S WIT' YE MAY CA'..... PURE GOLD!
Dey done tole us aboot oor Charlie,when he wiz he jist a Nipper...
Dey said he wiz KID DYNAMITE!...
an' wiz destined tae be,wan day...
DA GLESCA CELTIC'S SKIPPER!
Noo ah nevah saw dis guy....dey said he's like,
BOABBIE EVANS WIZ/IS HIS NAME...
He played fur CELTIC IN DA PAST....
An' Dat's HOO CHARLIE... in HIS MOLD... IS CAST!!
DEY SAY DAT LIKE BOABBIE, CHARLIE IS ..... I KNOW IT'S A CRAZY NOTION!
But Charlie is da nearest approach tae wit' may be ca'ed,
MR.PERPETUAL MOTION!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin',Tail's Awaggin'
-
Cheers Collie,
Who wouldn't want stamina, determination and sheer will-to-win injected into the celtic midfield.
Not sure about the red hair though. Soooooo last year if you ask me :)
Big Wavy
-
aw naw
I too will be in Glasgow for the Dundee Utd. game. So...if you fancy that beer in the city before the gamE? i'm your man.
History reader. If you still have those vids I'll be happy to collect.
Paul I owe you some dosh.
I'm glad I was out of it for a while.
Sean South part of what PPPPPP's people of, is that you do your most passionate writings in defeat.
Often.
Like maybe you wallow in it.
-
Bambi
Och ah luv dat Name!....
It's cute it's tricky...
it's doon richt... NICKY!
Gled ye know aboot oor guid Charlie..
As AH hiv said...
He hiz da OOMPH, o ma big MATE'S ....
HARLEY!
Pinkety, Pinkety oan yer Picks!..
.
Beattie's Potential wiz Guid....
It's A PITY HE JIST DIDNAE CLICK!
Hooevah, his story has still tae be writ.
Fur noo, he's scorin' in the PREMIER..
an' seems tae be makin' a HIT!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
Kitalba,
that sounds like a good idea. Where do you want to meet up and what time? What colour of carnation should I wear and being a proxy-cqner must I have a folded FT under my arm? ;-)
-
If today's hearing was by the SFA disciplinary board and not the SPL then isn't the two-game ban against the two dour dreech Dundonian dumplins? Tomorrow and Saturday?
As for Charlie Grant, I remember watching him in the Scotland youth games last year. Whenever the camera shot had the opposition with posession in midfield this wee red streak of lightning kept appearing to charge in and win it back, or send their man up in the air. Lennon with rockets in his shoes.
-
aw naw
I'm easy; any half decent pub in the city center, with a Celtic slant will do me fine.
You bring the Cardhu and I'll bring the Glasses.
Is Oldtim67 about?
-
Bambi
Ah nearly furgoat... here is a Bright GEM ,playin fur da Yoofs,who's da latest TIP-OAFF dat we goat...
He is a Guy, aboot... frum da Cousins...
We hear an awfy Loat...
Master CAWLEY ,is da NAME!
Pit dat in yer Memory Bank...
His CARD IS MARKED....
FOR FAME!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
Kitalba,
drop me a line at cjc1965@hotmail.com and we can exchange mobile numbers. I leave here on Thursday afternoon and tinternet access afterwards will be down to a minimum. I´ll be in ML2 so it will be bongoes and smoke signals ;-)
Hail Hail
-
Collie - whits it like to be a dug? Only kiddin - nae need to answer - you've posted some good stuff today - very entertaining - good err….bhoy!
-
kitalba and Aw Naw
We found Babbity Bowsters in the Merchant City to be a more than decent meeting place before a recent game.
Gets busy right enough, no shortage of Celtic colours and pleasant food e.g. stovies, haggis neeps etc.
Brian Quinn drops in occasionally, he did the day we were last there.
Hope this helps.
-
Aw-Naw
An international player in every position? Probably too big an ask. Yes we do play in the CL but we don't really compete - we have to punch above our weight because we can't afford the best players. I doubt the CL revenue is enough to give you what you ask.
The bean counters have to balance what we need to be successful in Scotland and thereby qualify for the CL evry year against what we need to put up a good show when we get there. I can't afford to have a Mercedes in the garage for my wife to drive down to the shops twice a week.
-
itz
Well dat Good Stuff FRAE YOU, EETHER... wizn't whit ah'd ca'... too shabby!
Ah think ah'll Celebrate yer Praise....
Wi' a nice..... Cuppa Tea!!!
Tuesday Gal, dear.... Wouldya break oot da CADDY?
Bein' a Dug...insnae sae BAD....
Ah've Played far mair woise Parts...
Especially, when ah wiz a Lad!
Da food's nae sae guid.... it's mainly Kibbles an' Bits...
An' ma wee bum gets kinda cauld, when no OAN da Carpet... ah Sits!
Ither dan dat ah'm as happy as Larry...
An' ah enjoy writin' in dis BLOG....
FUR AH LUV DA THRUST AN' PARRY!
collie.
Tails's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
Don't we have at least one international player for every position at the moment?
Well, apart from left back that is.
-
MNCELT,
I only ask this question because it struck me as strange that our two full backs look so jaded recently. Especially against Shakhtar
C= Capped
NC = Not Capped
Boruc C
Wilson NC McManus C Caldwell C Naylor NC
Donati ? Brown C Nakamura&Mc Geady C Mc Donald ?Killen? JVOH C Zurawski C
If Donati is not capped then I am not going to throw him away and say that he´s not good enough for Celtic but I do believe that their is a bit of a pattern there. I mean our full backs should be even fresher, less injured ???
Btw I agree with you. The wife should get the running shoes on with a lennoxtown shopping list in her hand ;-)
-
EDB:
that suits me. Not too far to walk to the game.
Will you be there yourself and will Estadio by any chance be in the vicinity?
-
EDB,
A pub I know the name of and know where it is. Sounds good to me. Kitalba as long as you promise to give me haunders against Blantyrekev in case he moves on to the shandy ;-)
Hail Hail
-
Kitalba,
I presume that I will not be allowed to bring Alice Cardhu with me in Babbity´s. I´m sure we can rumble something up.
-
kitalba
Ordinarily I would have said yes but I've a night out in Murderwell the previous night, stopping over in Hamilton.
Howevvahhhhhhhh it's not a definite no - looking over my shoulder to see where the other half is!
Doubtless Estadio is looking in as we type - well mibbe no as he was at the reserve game today which may mean a slight detour on the way home.
-
Collie you say: SeanSouth-Whit part o'dis dey ye no unerstaun??..."
The simple answer is none of it.Your ramblings totally pass me by.
Kitalba:My writing may indeed be more passionate and even more prolific when I think Celtic are selling the fans short.
I believe we have been short-changed this season by the scandalous lack of investment in a seriously inefficient defence.
Long before these two defeats came along I was critical of the back four. It was an accident waiting to happen.
I can accept defeat like the next Celtic supporter when I know that we have played to the maximum of our ability.
I cheered and clapped the team off in Seville, at Juventus in 2001 and at Manchester United last year.
I don't blame the players.It is not their fault that the Celtic jersey has shrunk to accommodate them.
The finger of blame should be pointed at the men who control the purse strings and the man who makes the decisions on which players to bring in.
And I have to question the standard of defenders Gordon Strachan has recruited starting with the likes of Du Wei and Virgo right up to Naylor,Caldwell and Pressley.
The players brought in are simply not good enough. We were prepared to let Doumbe go elsewhere at the end of last season, Caldwell was a Newcastle reserve and Darlington loanee who didn't make it in England, Pressley is a journeyman at the end of his career and Naylor was a Championship player who has gone rapidly down hill this term.
Do we really think we can compete with AC Milan and the Champions League elite without making some effort to bring in quality at the back?
Sorry Kitalba, I think what really p##### the CQN clique off is posters who tell it like it actually is and challenge the Celtic love-in mentality that makes any form of criticism or questioning of the club anethema.
-
Sean South,
Can I ask you one genuine question and btw I personally value your posts.
The question is; What defenders could we bring in that would improve the quality of the sqaud and fit into our wage bill. That would I imagine mean earning less than Bobo. So we are talking 20k a week approx ? or do you envisage the wage structure becoming flexible .. they done it with JJ, they done it with TG and I´m sure the last 6m CB we bought still rankles with them
Our present defenders lived with Milan in February. It was up front and in midfield where we were lacking in the San Siro. The goal scored by the most costly player in the world just now was a slip up between Sno and Lennon ?
Caldwell is still relatively young. Is Barry Ferguson a failure because he couldn´t hack the EPL ?
I dont think throwing money at it is the solution. Patience is the key here they all lack experience, but when fit they have proven that they are good enough. With the possible exception of Wilson.
Just my take buddy
Hail Hail
-
SeanSouth
Next time ah'll get Da POOKAH... tae correspond wi' ye...
As it is obvious dat in da SAME LEXICON PATCH...
Ye an' ah could nevah be!
Nevahdamind....
Keep oan writin' tae dis Blog...
fur we kin aye use yer kind....
Ye shake up da SNOOZERS.. an' keep dem frae visitin' da Boozers!
Ye ur entertainin',Ye're pithy,
an' ye nevah kin be accused, o' throwin', a HITHY!
In ma Book yer O.K.
Yer a GUID CELTIC SUPPORTER!....
An' ur entitled tae Yer SAY!
EVEN THOUGH, SOME O' YER FINDIN'S, AH' DINNA AGREE WIT'
NAE WAY!
collie.
Tail's Awaggin', Awaggin'
-
I agree with many of the earlier posts - stats don't amount to a hill'o'beans. If they did, you'd presume that we as fans had been treated to exciting fast flowing football for the past three years. That is not the case. Benfica - was it that long ago ? ICT - this season's cannon fodder. Pretty patterns in the middle of the park but where's the lethal strike force and the "no through road" defence ?
-
Can anyone suggest any names to bring ion the quality defender department.
Most people seem to want a whole new back four.
sean south
'Do we really think we can compete with AC Milan and the Champions League elite without making some effort to bring in quality at the back?'
I think it would take more than a few million and a couple of defenders to really compete with the likes of Milan, or would you have the board take us once again to the brink of collapse by spending cash we don't have as we cannot possibly do everything you and others want with the cash we do have.
The fact is while bringing in SPL income we cannot even to begin to compete with the likes of Milan.
TNBC
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Awe_naw
'How about an international player for every position. Is that too much ?'
We do have international players for most positions.
Boruc - Polish Number one
Wilson - Doesn't have any caps
Caldwell - has plenty of caps and
has played in some big games
McManus - Becoming a mainstay for Scotland.
Naylor - No he doesn't but it would take something special for him to get into the England team.
Naka - Japanese international legend
Donatti - he can't get into the world champions but that's not unreasonable but he is the most capped player for the u21 in their history.
Brown - Becoming a mainstay in the Scotland team
McGeady - Starting to gather up a decent number of caps for Ireland
JVOH - has plenty of dutch caps
McDonald - is regularly in the Australian squad and will be a regular in the future.
Subs
Balde - plenty of caps for Guinea
Pressley - tons of caps for Scotland
Kennedy - would have plenty of caps for Scotland if it wasn't for his injury
Hartley - experiences Scottish internationalist
Sno - got into the Dutch squad last year but suffered from injury but he's still young
Jarosik - Plenty of caps for the Czech Republic
Zurawski - tons of Polish caps
Gravesen (if he still counts) - Loads of Danish caps.
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Sean South
Regarding Gary Caldwell, he wasn't so much Newcastle reserve as trainee who then played in the Championship and was captain of Hibernian and a is a Scotland regular. It's not Ayala's cv, no, but a background doesn't make you current bad player. Pressley was brought in for experience - never my favourite player and I frankly hated Hartley as an opponent, but both have done a decent job - Pressley never meant as first-team first-pick. Why do figuratively cheer Naylor last season and boo him this - I did say figuratively?
Let's go through some of our recent defenders for their credentials versus what they did for us... Tom Boyd? Bobo? Mjallby (a converted midfielder!) Agathe? (Hibernian though) Varga? McNamara? Laursen? Telfer? None with the greatest credentials, but all did a job at their time. And this is without me mentioning a Lubo or a Henrik - my point is simply that it doesn't matter a thing where a player comes from, it's what he does for us. Arguing for quality to sail in when it very seldom does is a strange request. Jersey shrinking to fit inferior players? Sure does, but it depends on your benchmark. Tell me honestly, when were you last 100% satisfied with a full defence - under Martin when he had a bundle to spend? Yup, me too. Actually hold the bus, away to Milan last year, home to Man U, Milan, Copenhagen and Benfica? Funny how 2 of the 3 the players you mention as not being good enough were good enough to keep clean sheets against that calibre. Lack of investment in the defence - if you believe that, do not blame Strachan, blame Quinn and Lawwell.
And just so's you know, I ain't part of any clique or love-in, not that I think there is one. I know no-one on here, I simply tell it as I see it. I get behind the team, think, know and believe we will win the league, progress in the CL and refuse to boo a board which has placed us on a sound financial footing. Come the AGM someone will ask the question on under-investment, and I'll promise you this, I'll be there and if I'm not satisfied by some kind of platitude, I shall retort. That's how I'll play it, I just wonder what your end-game is in your constant criticism of the under-investment and of the players.
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There is Killen as well as a NZ internationalist although that's not that impressive really.
But we have a number of internationalists or players on the fringes of their national teams who are sitting in good positions in the rankings.
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Sean South
I posted a reply to you last night. I normally don't care if my posts are ignored but you're still using phrases like "CQN clique" "love-in mentality" and "tell it like it actually is".
Now, I've long since worked through my teenage years and one of the things I quickly learned was that people who had different opinions to me were not mad or delusional or necessarily badly-informed or brainwashed sheep or mentally deficient. it was simply that they had looked at the same picture I hadd and had a different opinion on it. Only a testable hypothesis can be held up in order to try to disprove it. So far we haven't lost the league and Rangers haven't won it.
Nobody on here said it would be a skoosh case this year. Everyone said it would be hard to do 3 in a row. History shows that. Nobody on here posted that they wouldn't thank you if we signed new defenders; the opposite views were regularly posted. Yet your reading of our views has us as complacent and blind to our failings and complacent about the challenge of Rangers. These are descriptions I don't recognise. Are you sure you've been reading CQN?
For what it's worth, I re-post my reply from last night. Others should scroll by this repetition.
"Sean South
Just back from watching the blood & snotters tie between Linfield and Cliftonville and I've just caught your reply.
I don't buy your argument that kicking lumps is an acceptable paraphrase of the charge WGS made against the Hibs defence. Kicking lumps means over physical tackling. By using that phrase initially, you were implying that WGS was delusional in seeing something that nobody else did. It made your argument easier to sell by using that inaccurate phrase. If you had said "what was Strachan on about complaining of manhandling", most readers would have wondered what you were on about since JVOH was clearly and regularly manhandled by the Hibs defenders. In short you would not have had a point (apart from the one I agreed with that we should not be seen to whinge).
You call it bordering on pedantic. I call it accuracy and perspective. It's just the same as stating later that the posts of The Spanish Inquisition are "typical" of CQN views. That statement again makes it easier for you to claim martyr status as the voice of reason being hounded away by the bleating of Paul's loyal sheep.Unfortunately it is not true.
TSI's views are so typical of CQN views that he finds himself alone in making them. The only responses he has had have been critical. These have come from CQN posters with as diverse views as tiny tim, michael collins and myself.
I don't agree with posters having a go at spelling. I prefer posters on here (and journalists) to be accurate and measured in their views much more than I value accurate spelling. In any case, we all fall foul of misspelling in our haste.
It seems to me that you do come on to this board with a prejudiced view of what you are going to hear. You then filter that view through your default mode that we're all unthinkingly pro-board incapable of listening to the voices of reason and rebellion. You insult a lot of intelligent free thinkers by doing so.
For what it's worth, I welcome the alternative voice that posters like yourself and Neg Anon bring here. I'll defend you both against any attempt to chase you away. But you must be prepared to take your lumps (that's my paraphrase for robust debate BTW not an invite to hit you) in generating disagreement with your views. Any time one of us puts a view out there we accept that risk. I hope most try to disagree with good grace and humour but occasionally our blood boils over. I'll hold my hand up to that offence and, to be honest, I'll be guilty of it again in future.
So, leave the passive aggressive stuff behind and continue to make your points, read the replies carefully and don't filter it through any default prejudiced viewpoint."
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Sean,
Wilson - Doesn't have any caps
Naylor - No he doesn't but it would take something special for him to get into the England team.
Therein lies the problem. Lack of experience and depth at this position.
Pob
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I would say Wilson is still inexperienced but I don't think the same could be applied to Naylor. While he is struggling it is more down to basic errors and poor distribution rather than a lack of knowledge or confidence to do his position. Naylor is in the same position as Donatti in that he'd need to do something incredible to get into their national teams, even if they were performing amazingly well right now they wouldn't get called up because they play in Scotland. Naylor's form last year would have been good enough to get him a game for most national teams so it's not a criticism that he doesn't have a game for England. I don't think he's playing poorly because a lack of experience but simply because of poor form and possibly partly because he's playing with some niggly injuries.
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I see Collie reckons that Charlie Grant can become the new Bobby Evans. If that is even half-ways true,Lhads and Lhassies, we have a future great on our hands. Here's hoping it is true. Bobby Evans was my first hero in a Celtic jersey. He had everything. Sheer class; a sophisticated Scott Brown.
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Busy evening i Celtic cybertim land..4 new posts on LOTW talking aboot Rob McLean, Full Backs, Appeals and Stats...
Thanking you
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Sean South,
I read this site but don't normally post. I draw comfort from other posters who can put things in perspective, learn from those with more knowledge and laugh at the humour of others. I tend not to post as I don't like to enter into the pantomime. The mineshafter vs happy clapper thing makes me cringe and degrades the value of the site.
However, your most recent post has aroused me from my fence sitting due to your selective use of fact.
'We were prepared to let Doumbe go elsewhere at the end of last season'
I'm not sure about this one... I was sure Celtic made him an offer?
'Caldwell was a Newcastle reserve and Darlington loanee who didn't make it in England, Pressley is a journeyman at the end of his career and Naylor was a Championship player who has gone rapidly down hill this term.'
Caldwell is also an established Scotlan international who I have heard we could fetch uperwards of 2 million pounds for. Caldwell cost us nothing and will give us credit for another purchase. (If we choose to sell)
Pressley. Again brought in for 0 pounds, another Scotland International. I am not admirer but I could see the logic in bringing him at a point when we were short.
Naylor. His form has rapidly gone down hill? This guy was absolutely outstanding last term and made a few folk sick because they were desperate for ' a championship player' like him to fail. He was kicked up and down the football parks of Scotland all last season because other teams saw him as a threat. Lee Naylor deserves your support not your inuendo laced comment.
You have a point about the lack of investment in the team if thats what we are calling it. I would have signed a right back another midfielder and another striker and most definelty a centre half. However, I'm not the guy doing the negotaitions. I'm not the guy with the knowledge of the finances...
I don't subscribe to this siege mentality that sporevalent today. Its not working change it. Its no working you hear. Change it. Where is the affection for a player nowadays? Never mind a manager who is quite patently fighting tooth and nail for every scrap he can for Celtic Football Club.
Quite frankly Sean South if you are a man of experience, and you say you are, surely you more than I remember the bad bad old days?
I'm not saying we should sit back and play Hail hail on the grampahone while the hooded claw run away with the league forever and ever... Alls I'm saying is lets not be so fickle and choose random facts to suit your out moded agenda.
Henrik Larsson. Feyenoord reject. Didnt even cost a million pounds
Lubo???
Ronnie Simpson Hibs reject
Chris Sutton. Chelsea flop
I could go on and on.
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It seems that our club is set to appeal the SFA's 2 match touchline ban that WGS "earned" from our last Tynecastle visit.
The official who made the complaint (and delayed the subsequent disciplinary proceedings), one Stuart Dougal, might be set to referee our home game against Dundee United. Can anyone confirm this?
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Somebody mentioned Potential Centre halfs for January transfer window don't have any ideas as I dont watch enough football but i would imagine we would be looking at logic as follows...Anyone from Germany, Holland or Denmark (France?) who is earning a comparatively low wage and isn't part of a team regularly playing Champions League football. Age criteria 23 to 28.
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AweNaw, following the Evening Times? I raised this issue on Wednesday last week, who is following whom?
Jamie, no explanation was offered.
Tintim, I warn above about stats, but eventually, eventually, we should be able to keep one team out away from home.
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Anyone know which broadcasters are showing next week's game against Milan?
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Sean,
I think you missed my earlier post but thanks for replying. Naylor and Wilson imho are good enough for Celtic and both are young enough to improve. It is unfair that they have to play ever game. Which leads to Doumbe.
Doumbe because we had him on loan from Rennes demanded a fee when we offered him a deal, as they were entitled to do so. We said no not at that price to his agent the loveable Willie Mc Kay. Willie Mc Kay then touted him around the EPL and he trialled at Sheffield Utd. Nothing happened from that. As the transfer window was coming to an end the impasse between Doumbe and Celtic had been solved. Either compromises were made to make the deal go through or Celtic paid Rennes the 400k for him which would be an interesting point because if we did it highlights a lack of control during the summer and if Celtic didn´t pay 400k either because of a loop hole or done well playing hard nosed buisnessmen then they should be congratulated as we wanted him and went the right way about getting him.
I´ve only seen him play twice but so far he seems good enough. I was surprised by an earlier comment saying that he doesn´t like the ball to his feet as I thought that in that department he looked better compared to Wilson and his crossing was percentage wise and quality wise better also. I thought he linked up well with the midfield especially Brown and he definitely was less adventurous than Wilson would have been.
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Paul67,
I had just read the headlining article in the evening times and thought it was off the "Nows, the time to pile the pressure on Celtic" variety and then I seen your new CQN article which was following similar in content.
I did qualify that maybe you didn´t and thanks for pointing out that it wasn´t. I´ve been busy and haven´t been keeping up. Sorry !!! but I see why it´s important for you to put that one to bed. Mind you a good way of getting your attention :-)
As I think it´s a point but not a very important one and as I am feeling guilty about myself for having a wee go at my beloved recently it was probably just my instinctive reaction.
Hail Hail
p.s if we win 4.3 every game from now on I wont be complaining. I might enter my final destination a wee bit earlier but it will have been worth it. :-) :-)
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I don't recall Jock Stein ever being taken with the need to keep a clean sheet. I only recall him wanting to score at least one more than the opposition.
That'll do for me.
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Setting Free The Bears-
No -it's not him-
Saturdays refs
I'm away to take my medication......
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I hope your prediction about Artur is correct Paul, that we are able to keep him and that he doesn´t make any howlers for 24 months. However you have always predicted that Jan the Man is a twenty goals a season player. Well he hasn´t done it yet and he should really be aiming for 40 with the players that he has around him.
On the whole your statistics make hard reading Paul but I am reminded of a Billy Crystal / Robert De Niro scenario here, where our superproduction could be called "Overanalyse This and That". I myself had been reclining on the long sofa, feeling that a clean sheet was a necessity at the weekend. Possibly we were taking our eye off the ball. I am now decided that I couldn´t care two hoots about a clean sheet, I will leave that to the boring Premiership teams, the Italians ( not all of them) and the killjoys. I want Celtic to score one goal more than their opponents, full stop. Give me 5-4 over 1-0 any time.
As I predicted the other day, The SFA are suddenly being pro-active this week in meting out punishment to Gordon Strachan, after we have been defeated away from home against one of Scotland´s best teams.
We need to believe in our possibilities but not get complacent, we are sometimes guilty of overestimating how poor Rangers are. The other day I saw their ex-Centre half - Sotirios Kyriagos, who was roundly ridiculed on here many a time and oft, score two goals away from home for Greece against Denmark. Maybe it was playing for Rangers that made him a poorer player ( sorry Ed.) To be honest I couldn´t tell you the current Rangers line up, I am really not that interested in them and as I don´t live in Scotland I don´t get them in my soup, I feel for you guys. However I get Raul Madrid in my soup. Waiter there´s a Robben and a Robinho in my soup.
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Collie Parkhead Cum Salford
If Charlie Grant is half as good as Boby Evans, he willbe some player.. Evans was a human Dynamo, never stopped running and tackling.
First saw him in 1950,, my hero also.
Saw Craig Beattie at Bramall Lane a few weeks ago, not good enough.
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Hamilton beating torn faced Jefferies mob 2-0 at HT.
WBA being gubbed 4-1 at home to Cardiff.
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rimtimtim,
I see Soti in the flesh at least once a month playing for Eintracht and he´s one of those defenders who is better going forward. Two red cards last year and a few suspensions and general all round dirty man-handle-dive-tug-n-cheat play conceals the fact that he´s a poor defender (imho). He left Rangers for money and I have to say that I hope Mc Manus isn´t on his sort of money and O´Dea is a better player than he is. Mind you if Celtic went out and bough his partner Marco Russ I´d be delighted. Frankfurt are 3rd in the Bundesliga but that wont last for long.
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Setting Free The Bears:
Apologies for missing your excellent post last night.
I had a few beers watching Cliftonville on Sky last night and thought trying to spell correctly on my phone might attract even more attention from Spanish Inquisition.
I think you made some valid points although you won't be surprised to hear that I don't agree with some of your analysis.
On reflection I think "kicking lumps" was probably a loose piece of phrasing on my behalf but the thrust of my comment was aimed at our manager needlessly dredging up JVOH's treatment rather than trying to quote his exact words.
I didn't think JVOH was subjected to anything particularly untoward and I believe in the wake of a defeat I think GS sounded as if he was clutching at excuses.
But I will heed your wise counsel on using less inflamatory language.
I have listened closely to your well-argued analysis and totally respect your position- even if does not sit exactly with my own stance on Celtic.
Similarly, Tifin, Bloke 109 and Collie (I am finally starting to get used to your rather unique style)thanks for an interesting debate.
Awe Naw: You ask who we could have got to bolster the defence. Could I just say that Newcastle have signed a vastly-experienced right back Habib Beye from Marseille and an excellent Brazilian centre back Claudio Capaca from Lyon- both on free transfers. Both are earning around £25,000-a-week at Newcastle.
The total outlay for guys with tons of Champions League experience is approx £3 million a season.
Surely we could afford that sort of money given the healthy state of the balance sheet and the CL income?
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,
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Apologies for the triple posting and for wrongly spelling inflammatory.
Blogger was telling me that it couldn't complete the first two posts- but they both went through along with the third.
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what is so difficult to analyse??
if it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck then chances are .... it is a duck ...
we are winning games because we have had a decent midfield and a good forward line.
we are consistently leaking a lot of goals because we have poor players in defense.
its quite simple really!
TELFER, NAYLOR, WILSON, VIRGO, PRESSLEY, WALLACE, CAULDWELL.
If you buy cheap its no great surprise what you end up with!
we have money in the bank so spend it on buying better players for the defense.
its not really hard to see what should be done
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Evenin all.
See the defence debate is still raging.
Some on here are advocating the return of Bobo, as if he is going to bring some stability. Sorry, just don't get that one. How can last years liability become this years talisman, without even kicking a ball?
Bobo never has been and never will be the best defender at this club. When he has played, he has on many occasions failed to even do the basics (Lyon away, Seville, Artmedia and Black Sunday to name but a few). Some have advocated his return as a non nonsense, get rid of it defender. Is that not McManus' job, or is he to return at McManus' expense? I am no fan of McManus, but can at least be depended upon to try.
Bobo has unfortunately demonstrated recently, exactly where his priorities lie and he is obviously not interested in anything resembling professional pride. He is content to sit on his backside, taking his cash without feeling even remotely like proving he could still do a job here or elsewhere.
I would not lose sleep if we never saw him in the Hoops again.
Meanwhile, I would like to see a team of mainly fringe players tomorrow night, e.g
Brown
Doumbe Caldwell Kennedy O'dea
O'Brien Hartley McGeady Riordan
Macdonald Killen
With some of the bigger players on the bench.
Most need playing time at the very least, some have still got things to prove.
Hail hail.
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AweNaw, give your beloved a wee surprise cuddle, but get the timing right. Too soon and I find it is not appreciated.
Rimtimtim, I am not one to be picky with Celtic, nor to overanalyse perceived faults, but do not know what? I believe this particular statistic points to a weakness , one which will cost us points if not addressed.
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Sean South,
Thanks for the reply. I agree that if Celtic could go out and get two guaranteed class defenders of the right age who are prepared to come to the SPL AND maintain their own standards then go for it. I am not so sure that they didn´t. If TG, BB and JJ had all moved on then I think the signings that you and me desire well might have been in place. Hence my question above regarding the BQ quote ?
You might perceive me as clutching at straws but I see Scott Brown as fitting the photo fit and off course Celtic got pelters for it. It was as paying above the odds just to gain brownie points over Watty Smith on an untried player. I see that as how we should go about our buisness. Identify good young players who are hungry for work. prepared to accept the situation the team ethic and harmony.I reckon that after JJ and TG. WGS probably wants to shorten the risks involved. Who can blame him? i think he has improved even while he has been with us in his wheeling and dealing especially in the middle market. Naka, Donati, Boruc. I thought Naylor was a sensation last year but needs an obvious break. Which we can´t give him. I reckon that WGS thinks that Mac Donald is going to be a sensation and that´s why he was prepared to let Kenny Miller go while marginalising Riordhan and Zurawski
I hope that during the summer we were looking to strengthen especially in the full back and 30 goal a season man areas but didn´t pull it off. I hope we assessed actively what was happening south side and acted accordingly to our managers wishes.
We can´t do anything about it until Christmas. We all have our theories and concerns. Which as far as I am concerned are all to a certain extent legitimate. It´s positive to highlight what you think has gone wrong and how to correct it. The team has made massive strides under WGS we were getting the football right. We just need to tighten up concentrate and put away a good team.
Lets hope it´s against AC Milan.I wonder if they´ll remember Artur Boruc? The best way to do that is for us to get over it. Get on with it and do the forensics once the crime has been committed. So far we are just thinking about it.
Hail Hail
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mcgrory
i agree entirely with your sentiments re our defence
it is hardly likely to be any better than mediocre at best if you don`t spend money on it
our first choice defence at the moment , including the goalkeeper cost circa £1.5m
that is simply unacceptable unless you can get in great value ala Henrick or can nuture a great homegrown Mcstay
imo mick is a decent player but he needs some help....the full backs are too inexperienced ,too injury prone and at times don`t look good enough ...as for caldwell ...he plays the odd good game but basically can`t defend and is nowhere near as good a ballplayer as he believes he is
why the defence wasn`t addresed with all this money we have i don`t know
for all those who persistantly call upon others to name potential targets ............that is not the job of a supporter but that of the management ...in this aspect i`m afraid they are failing
ps ...BALDE MUST PLAY
he can`t be any worse
pps he won`t though
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good night so far for mr jim Jeffries(richard) and the pars have just levelled against the jambos
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Happy Days
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soal
couldn`t happen to more miserable/permaraging/HUN BAR STEWARD
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Strachan ban - surely this is a black and white issue. If he is guilty a four match ban if he is not then no ban.
Celtic were not appealing the length of the ban but the reason.
Are the SFA trying to save Dougal coupon again?
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KEVTIC
YOUR SYNPOSIS WOULD APPEAR CORRECT
i thought the rules were 4 match ban fot any second offence in the same season
it`ll be interesting to see how they try to explain this one
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CIS cup or not tomorrow is not the time to make massive changes.
However the inclusion of Balde would make sense.
I do agree that keeping clean sheets can be the difference in winning things or not. Because in an "off night" there's nothing better than winning 1 nil.
However I believe it's not the defence's fault. Our midfield is just not set up to defend. Compare:
Petrov, Lambert, Lennon, Thompson
to
Nakamura, Brown, Donati, McGeady
Night & day folks!
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NIGHTMARE
BLACKPOOL JUST DONE ME UP FOR £150 FOUR TIMER
MAN CITY
SHEFF UTD
PORTSMOUTH
POOL AAAGGGHHH
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pfayr
unlucky mate but i would never take a team who's colours are orange white an blue.
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Ciao Noel, I hope The Priory survived :-)
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Kevtic, can't agree re changes for tomorrow night.
Arsenal defeated Newcastle 2-0 tonight in the Carling Cup.
They made 8 changes from the team that played at the weekend.
Newcastle were virtually full strength.
Tomorrow night we are playing a very average SFL side. We should have a squad that allows us to rest some / play some in a game of this nature, and still be confident of the outcome.
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Wizard of Oz
Team sounds fine. Side issue - who would be your captain?
Re the Strachan two-game ban - when Celtic appeal it will go to 1 game, none if we're lucky, but the SFA were never going to reduce it straight from 4 to 1 or 4 to 0. My money's on 1-game ban.
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Paul67,
http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_250907174159.aspx
You better change the thread. Gordon´s been reading it !!
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Kevtic.
Captain would be Hartley or Caldwell.
I actually like Caldwell.
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Sorry, that should have been to Bloke109.
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Wizard
Crazy world of squad rotation.
Arsenal good example in LC. Wenger picks his reserves as normal.
Liverpool after starting with Torres on the bench for previous two goalless league matches start him in a LC tie at Reading and he scores a hat-trick!
Still think tomorrow we should pick close to our best XI.
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Kevtic
While it's maybe too simplistic to say we should aspire to much of what Arsenal do, given their recent financials and the sheer quality of player they develop and sign, it'd be no bad thing. The rub of course is that they don't win things every season and the LC would be an ideal opportunity. I'm with Wenger though. You bring Almunia through in the LC, give him the odd game in the league then you know you can throw him into a CL final (ok, he may have been at fault for Barca's second, but hey). Our problem of course is that if we played top stuff, did well in the CL and won hee-haw for two years, brought on youngsters, nobody would accept it...
That Arsenal team in full:
Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Eboue (Diaby 64), Senderos, Traore, Diarra, Denilson, Song Billong, Walcott, Bendtner, Eduardo (Perez 90).
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Lansbury, Gavin Hoyte.
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Kevtic.
The debate currently raging on here is about an under-performing defence, with mostly the two full backs getting it in the neck. If Wilson is going to be out for a long time, Doumbe needs playing time to get up to speed. We are virtually all in agreement that Naylor needs a rest and time to rediscover last seasons form.
McManus could also do with a rest. Other players, who are not starters, will be required as and when injuries and suspension affect the first 11. As such, they must get playing time and an opportunity to demonstrate that they are ready and worthy of consideration on a more regular basis.
As professionals, it's up to them to make the most of their opportunities.
Bobo Balde had an opportunity to go out on loan to one of two EPL sides. He could go and prove that he was a player too good to be left out of our team. He could come back with head held high or earn a move to play in what is arguably, one of the best leagues in the world (not my view BTW). He chose to sit on his backside and take the money. He does not deserve a place in the team.
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just read WGS on fishal site
no sweeping changes /doesn`t want to upset the rhythm of team
what price a clean sheet?
looks like two for a victory
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I am on record here as a great admirer of Gordon Strachan, but if he genuinely believes that he cannot afford to make sweeping changes tomorrow night in case it "upsets the rhythm of the team" then he is demonstrating a level of intransigence that does him and the club no good whatsoever.
Do we think a full strength Celtic will beat Dundee any day in the LC and twice on Sundays? Yes we do.
So when do our fringe players get the chance to show if they can step up to the plate?
Up till now, I back the manager 100%.
Playing a full strength team tomorrow night serves no purpose whatsoever. It may bring victory but no long term benefit. Indeed, it may simply serve to sicken players we may one day have to rely on. Now is the time, the ideal opportunity, to let fringe players know that they still have a chance, if they can demonstrate they are good enough.
I will await the team lines with interest.
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WizardofOz,
You must be remarkably well informed to know Balde's thinking behind his decision to remain at Celtic rather than go on loan.
Arguably balde chose to stay and fight for his place in the belief that he was good enough and in the knowledge that the CBs in possession of the jerseys were confirming their inadequacy week in, week out.
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billc.
When the manager announces that the player had the opportunity to go on loan, that suggests to me that the manager has made it clear that he CAN go.It also suggests to me that the manager has placed him way down in the pecking order.
Of course, the player himself said he was not ready to play football.
How exactly does he plan to fight for his place back?
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WizardofOz,
Where does Balde plan to fight for his place?
Where else but the training ground, and whatever second string appearances the manager affords him.
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AweNaw, that was a good answer from Gordon. Even still, I expect him to ask for a clean sheet tomorrow night.
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billc.
Not trying to get into an argument about this, but why did the player say "I'm not ready to play football"? What was his motivation behind that statement.
Let's suppose for a moment Gordon Strachan said "Fine, your in the team next match".
Does Balde then suddenly realise,"Wait a minute, I am ready to play."
Then there is also the alleged quote to Peter Lawell where Bobo allegedly says "I am the Chief Executive of Bobo Balde". What is the motivation behind that statement?
None of us will ever know, but they sound to me like financially motivated statements.
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Sean South @ 20.49
Excellent post and good to see examples provided from Newcastle squad of options and targets who were possible.
Now if you can provide a few more suggestions ahead of the January deadline before Sam Allardyce gets a whiff of them, we'll maybe get some movement.
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Awe_Naw,
Fair comment by the manager, and I do think we are playing entertaining football middle to front, with goals coming from all quarters.
Just wish he would hurry along to Team 6 or Team 7 in which he's sorted the defence!
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WizardofOz,
Wouldn't dream of trying to second guess Balde's thinking. What I do know is his a good professional, a point acknowledged by the manager, and that he is coming back from a serious injury.
Arguably all Balde intended was that he did not yet feel he was back to full match fitness. All I know for certain is that too many people put a spin on their opinion and present it as fact!
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billc.
Not presenting it as fact, merely MY reading of the situation.
Who knows maybe I'm wrong. Or I might be right.
Either way, I don't believe Bobo will improve the team if he does return. Again, just an opinion.
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Paul - did you really mean "its hard to know what should be done".
Thought it was pretty obviously really - buy some decent defenders?
Or am I missing the point....?
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WizardofOz,
My comment about spin was really directed at the media who embellish stories with misquotes, or quotes out of context. Their favourite trick is to ask a loaded question, get an an answer and then spin the answer to support their own agenda. Good examples to found regualrly in the Daily Record and Radio Clyde
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Noel
Welcome back!
Were you in the same ward as Pete Docherty and Kate Moss or are these just scurrilous rumours?
Thank goodness it's not Brother Dougal this weekend. We've got Dougie McDonald instead.The best you can say of him is that he's not Ian Brines.
I see in the St. Mirren:Hearts fixture that John Underhill is back. I thought he was not allowed top-flight matches because of failure to fulfill his penalties to rangers and red cards to their opponents quotas.
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billc.
Fair enough, my bad.
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Neg Anon
Good comeback!
Unfortunately that option is off the table till January.You can keep your wrath warm till then.
I've been thinking about how we can do better with our current options. It seems hard to avoid the charge that some element of complacency is involved here. We achieved a clean sheet in 90 minutes at Milan and came close to that in December at Ibrox.
But, in most away games against lesser teams, we haven't come close to looking watertight. And that's with the best keeper we've ever had (except when he enters Easter Road, the Bermuda triangle for Polish keepers).
Our back four have heard enough abuse and criticism from our own fans and in the press, to provide them with all the motivation they should need to make them want to provide a GIRUY to everybody.
Maybe we need to introduce a clean sheet bonus or a bonus reduction for goals against to invigorate this quest.
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Sean South ,
Something you said earlier about you not predicting Paul Le Guen success made me think , I can clearly remember you predicting him to win the league. So I used the search option on CQN , I only had 10 minutes but the reading of the CQN clan back then was fascinating to say the least.
August 21st last year:
21/08/06 16:29, Sean South said…
It makes me angry to even think of it but I think there is a real danger we will lose the SPL to a transitional Rangers team...
Looking back then its like looking in the mirror , same old , same old. Have a little faith , its been two good years , This current side has earned a little respect for its achievements.
But to show your one of the good guys (happy clapper) I stumbled across this :
At 22/04/07 18:27, Sean South said…
Paul67, Celtic First, Kojo and all the CQN and Celtic Family have one on me the time is now right to toast The Champions!
God Bless Them and here's to may more.
I know I read this statement again next year ;-)
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Big Liam: brilliant and rapid research.
Can't even remember posting either quote.
Methinks drink was involved.
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Sean South... You have been CQN'ed by Big Liam.... And reacted like a Gent.
Glad to see the Wee Man Came Out Swinging today......Removed the grey skies for me anyway....
What did I say recently...
About Optimism and Pessimism being Contagious....Feeling better thanks to the Boss...Sure the Bhoys are on the mend as well.....He Is Protecting Our Future.
All I can say was that at the weekend this Happy Clapper was more akin to Ragin Clap.....Forgive me Artur I have sinned & Broke a Golden Rule.... (but so did You...You are WAY Biigger and Better than That)...... I will control my emotions in future as I am sure you will).
Anyway....The Gaffers Stats said it all.... We are Champions and the Fat Burd has not even opened her mouth...Only walked on Stage.....
Paul67...Genuine Question Time...Have You had any regret about the timing of your published research.....No criticism mind...Just that you led the way where other less Agile Pack Hounds Follow Followed..... It seems to me.....
Roll On The Future (....quickly...)
PJB
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P.S.
To The Holy Goalie....... )
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To continue the 70's Artur Theme
Apologies to u know who......
G'Night Y'all....
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Sean South,in reference to Paul Le Guen.
You stated on more than one occassion last season,and the season before,that we would lose the league,as you have again done this season.
Who did you think was going to show gordon Strachan up?
The two Jimmies?
Obviously,if you stated that Celtic would not win the league,you meant that Rangers,and hence Paul Le Guen,would defeat Celtic.
If you can use "journalistic license" to get your point across.
As you did with Gordon Strachan's remarks after the game.
Surely us mere mortals can be allowed a paraphrase or two,here and there.
As I used when referring to you jumping with glee.
If you can show me any of your posts from pre season,or the first few weeks of last season,or the same time the season before,where you state,you thought Celtic would win the league.
Feel free to post them.
I read all your posts,and whilst making no claim to being able to remember them verbatim.
I am certain that you will not be able to do what I have requested above.
In The Dark,the perception created that the likes of yourself and Sean South post more and longer after defeats,in a manner which makes it look like you are enjoying it,is not one I,or others on this sight have dreamt up in our imagination.
It is in plain black and white for all to see.
I am not saying you shouldn't do it.
I am pointing out this is the case.
If that is how you post,and if you are going to continually refer to our team as "disgraceful",and the like.
You deserve all the "ganging up by CQN cliques" that befalls you.
In fact you deserve worse than that.
But Paul's language rules forbid it.
And some people get upset because their kids always seem to be looking over their shoulder just at the precise moment that someone breaks the language rule.
Uncanny.
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Hi folks,posting here from Miami beach.
Just catching up with what ive been missing.
Watched the the last two games in the home of the Orlando CSC,not the luckiest pub ive ever chosen to watch us in.
Anyway i suppose our keeper was due a blunder or two,still a very sore one to take and it didnt go down too well with the watching tims,i suppose the couple of dozen hibees also watching in the pub didnt make it any easier.
Adios for now and have a nice day
Lynott
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Lynott-
Get the wummins beach volleyball photies up.......
SFTBs-
Kate Moss ?
Do you think I would have left if she was in my cell......ah mean ward ?
Paul-
they are posting the bill to the CQN accounts dept......
Less of this sort of behaviour....
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ok... no-one call the long shot police...
callin all tims in the land of the rising tim.
i've just had my SKYperfectTV installed... looking forward to all SPL, CL & SC games... however the diddy cup isn't on the radar.
Is there a known way to access BBC Scotland with said above satellite box?
please no channel67 suggestions.
cheers
tbdT
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'Scoop' Brennan's away record revelations made it to yesterday's HMDT,so it must be true.Roddy Forsyth's article also mentioned 2 similar spells when JMcgrory was the manager in the early 50s.
Lee Naylor was capped by England at u-21 level,and Mark Wilson captained the Scotland u21s until he got too old,so it could be argued that all the first team have some international experience.
Awenaw/Kitalba-I'd love to meet up with you ghuys before the Arabs game.Unless of course we go on to lose and it turns out to be a jinx!
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Although I appreciate that I have committed the cardinal sin of clicking on the Daily Record link on Newsnow this morning, I do wonder if anyone (certainly the happy clappers among us) would take any issue with Keith Jackson's article on the much mooted return of Bobo Balde. Maybe they're not out to get us all of the time ?!?
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Morning ghuys and ghals and Cosmas and Damian -
If my memory is correct our last trip to Dens Park was disastrous in its longterm effect, a 2-2 draw in November 2004. Camara missed an absolute sitter. Or did I dream it ?
Con - Thorne
WG
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Their skulls are in a reliquary in St Michael's Church,Munich.
Pro-I Am The
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Con - McKellen
think about it....
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thebhoydaveTOKYO,
Try sky CH 971, heard that's BBC Scotland for folk who live outside Scotland......don't know if true or not.
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Pro-Yuri Gagarin
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Pro - New York
Pro - St Peter _
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If this report is true then I give up. When do the fringe players not get a chance. Why not start Riordan, Sno, and O'Dea at least.
Naylor starts again FFS. This is real mineshaft picks and shovels material.
FULL TEAM AHEAD
September 26th 2007
Celtic travel to Dens Park tonight to take on First Division Dundee in the CIS Cup with Bhoys manager Gordon Strachan claiming he won't be making many changes to the team that lost to Hibs on Sunday.
He is happy with the way his team is playing and doesn't want to disrupt that by making unforced changes to the line-up.
He has stated that players will have to wait for injury to or severe loss of form by others before they get their chance.
Gary Caldwell came into the team after an injury to John Kennedy and has done well enough to stay there while Jo Doumbe came in for the injured Mark Wilson against Hibs and will play again tonight.
Strachan revealed he was asked if he would drop Artur Boruc after his blunders at Easter Road and he said "I started laughing then realised it was a serious question".
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Con-Piero de'Medici'the Gouty',
son of Cosimo de Medici the Elder:~)
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Bhoy Molloy,
Won't be making "many changes" suggests to me that changes will be made. Maybe he'll make three changes, which doesn't constitute many, and those three will be -"Riordan, Sno and O'Dea at least"..
But you seem to be in possession of the team sheet, as according to you, Naylor starts, so perhaps you can tell us ?
Big Wavy
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DBBIA & KitAlba,
Do you know what time Babbities opens on a Sunday? Might be a good idea to get some scran in around lunch time.
How does 12:30 sound ?
Is it even open then ?
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gerry
thanks for the reply.
however your information relates to SKY Digital in the UK.
Sorry for not being clearer.
I am in Japan with SKYperfectTV (i'm sure it's still murdoch pah!) but not SKY as 'we' know it.
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Anyone in Asia?
tbdT
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bhoydave,
They are showing it in the Kingdom in Kilburn if that helps :)
Big Wavy
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Sunday?
Is the game not this Saturday?
DBBIA/Jilted John CSC
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DBBIA
talking mince as usual .. game is on Saturday. I meant Saturday no idea where sunday came from ?
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''This is real mineshaft picks and shovels material.''
Maybe that shows why some people have very little time for the mineshafters? If picks and shovels are out based on a comment about a likely team for a first round cup match how can they expect to be taken seriously?
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Watching Celtic TV last night, I got the impression that Davie Hay was suggesting that tonight might be an opportunity to give the likes of Jarosik and Bobo a game. I can't see anything wrong with that masel. Makes sense really.
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Saturday it is then Any time?
This season I am mainly wearing my Jimmy Johnstone scarf.
Anyways,I'm not surprised at the lack of changes in tonight's line-up.I would love to see some fresh faces,or some old faves,pull on the jerseys again.
Pro/Con Albarn
Pro/Con Rough Riders
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We need this clean sheet monkey off our back.
Tonight's team should be pallendromic...
Boruc
O'Dea Cuthbert McManus(c) Kennedy
Caddis Balde Caldwell Doumbe
Naylor *(sweeper / in 'the hole' beside Timlord)
M Brown
*Delete as approriate to direction of teamsheet.
0-0 AET. Take it to penalties.
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Sean South,
You mentioned last nigh about two players Newcastle had picked up from France who had lashing of CL experience and would come at no huge cost (25k a week wages. I did wee bit of research on these two.
Habib Beye is 30 and has played the grand total of 4 CL games for Marseille along with 7 caps for Senegal all won around 2001, less than both the present incumbents at Celtic Park. To be honest I know very little about him and I would assume you know much the same unless you are a keen student of the French game.
Cacapa, undoubtedly has CL experience by the bucket load, unfortunately he is 34 and played a grand total of 6 games last season for Lyon due to injuries, lack of form etc. He had offers from Italy, France, Turkey and Greece but chose England because he wanted to play in teh premiership.
I just want to point out that it's easy to pick a couple of names and say why haven't we signed them? We may have tried, I don't know or our scouts may have warned us off them because they just aren't deemed good enough to justify 25k a week. Newcastle are in the fortunate position of being able to pay players like Michael "injured again" Owen approx 90k a week due to the free money given by Sky they can also take chances on giving guys like Beye a chance at 25k a week and if it goes wrong it's not a huge problem, we are not.
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DBBIA,KItalba
Lets say 12:30 then ?
That should give us ample time for a couple of shandies and a casual stroll to the game.
I´ll try and wear my Nakamura T-shirt ..with a pink carnation;-)
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Bambi,
in addition to your comment
"Newcastle were days away from 'folding like a pack of cards' before Mike Ashley rescued them with a £133m takeover. (Various)" - from the BBC gossip column
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I think you should also consider Sam Allerdyce's role in these transfers.
Look at the list of players Bolton have signed over the years. Some, shall we say, 'interesting' scouting going on there!!!!
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At 26/09/07 10:33, thismancraig said…
''This is real mineshaft picks and shovels material.''
Maybe that shows why some people have very little time for the mineshafters? If picks and shovels are out based on a comment about a likely team for a first round cup match how can they expect to be taken seriously?
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Lets see what team is actually picked. But I would be well peeved if a good handful of reserves did not get vital first team starts tonight.
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that was a low blow wavy
help me put a face to the wave!!!
tbdT
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Caveat emptor-Newcastle,France,WillieMckay-what could possibly go wrong?
Why is that policeman removing my computer?
We have sown the transfer window;we shall reap Stephen Pressley.What we should be doing is making more use of the players we have.Let's look at BB,DR and JJ again.
And lets look at som eof the current incumbents-
JVH?Living on his past reputation.
Scotty2Hotty-the new Gerd Miller.Needs to start converting more of the chances he gets.
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Bhoy Molloy,
I can see a very legitimate reason for the first 60 minutes of the game tonight to have a 'near' first team throttle the living daylights of the dundonians, provide Skippy with his first domestic goal, allow the defence to secure a clean sheet and bringing the midfield game up a level again after two difficult ties.
Sixty minutes, four nil up and bring on Killen, Sno and Riordan. Let's see their hunger and grab another 3 goals.
Full time 7-0.
Winning, goals scored and none conceded and the potential monkey off our backs. Move onto saturday with momentum in mind and a home victory before Milan.
That may not provide you with the wholesale changes you seek by kick off but I think there's a perfect logic to that scenario above without the gnashing of teeth or the accusations of bloodymindedness by the boss.
hail hail
Big Wavy
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I dunno,to paraphrase little Matty Groves
'I'd rather a kiss from a Mineshafter's lips
Than a hug from the Coterie'
Awenaw-ca plane pour moi.
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I think that would just be change for change sake, certainly the introduction of BB and JJ would be.
The manager's comments indicate he wants to ensure continuity with his chosen first team, that's good enough for me. Otherwise it would just be change for change sake and in all honesty we learn nothing from these games. Job is to win and get out of town quick as we can.
Darren O'Dea, Evander Sno and the ilk are at the stage when we need 10 or more games with them in the team before we judge them. A 90 minute run against a team marshalled by Alex Rae isn't going to do the job.
I'd argue Killen should start as he seems to be chosen option b and needs a sight of goal, likewise McDonald has to turn an impressive start into goals, goals, goals before he goes the way of Special K.
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Dave,
We've had the odd drink fuelled conversation in the upstairs bar, the most famous I recall when you tried to convince me that Stephen Pearson was a player :)
We had a chat at the bar the week before you left for Tokyo.
So before this turns into one of those blind date adverts I'll just continue to snipe in anonymity from over here..
Hope all is well with you and yer lady and yer imminent arrival...
Big Wavy
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DBBIA,
or my Plastic Betrand T-Shirt ??
C ya there you king of the divan!! :-)
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TMC-Change is good;~@
Just think of the Clyde game!
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Big Wavy
Thanks for leading me out of the dark & up the garden path!
At least I know you're no Shamus!
I'm still a 'headless chicken' believer btw!
he'd do a job in this current squad.
give my best to the crew of '67
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looks like i'll be burning the 3am oil on here... refreshing like a plum for updates
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Had a Skwatch, swaatch, skwaatch (take your pick and shovel?) at the report on the fishal site re yesterday’s reserve match.
Can’t disagree with any of it although I don’t think they quite got over the grand canyon of a gap between the two teams, nor the outstanding performances of a few of the Celtic Players.
The score could quite easily have been 15-2!
That is not simply based on chances made, but on gilt-edged, open goal, 6-inch off the line, where-have-all-the-defenders-gone, gie-me-a-go, Christmas-come-early opportunities, of which there must have been at least 20 for us and 3 for them.
Trying to work out why it was 0-1 at half time would have required the combined analytical skills of Hercule, Sherlock and Jonathan Creek and even then the butler would have got off scot free!
Having said that, the most mysterious part of the scoreline was the ‘1’.
This came from penalty awarded for handball against Charlie Grant, although for anyone who wasn’t right behind the dug-out to witness the conversations, signals, and convulsed disdain with which the explanation was greeted, the referee’s rationale will remain a secret of the SPL whistler's coven of the black arts.
Simply put, a cross came in and Scott Cuthbert rose above everyone else and headed the ball clear. Celtic broke, Caley raced back, the linesman belted towards the half-way line, only to find that the referee still standing on the edge of the Celtic box whistling like the cappoci man selling ninety-nines, pointing at the penalty spot!
‘Must be off-side’ the crowd murmured in unison.
‘He’s geid a penalty’ said the fourth official tae willie.
‘Whit the **** is that all about?’ enquired Mr McStay
‘I didnae give it’ said the linesman.
‘Whit is it for?’ shouted Willie.
‘handball’ signalled the ref.
‘Against who?’ whispered Darren O’Dea in a gentlemanly enquiry!
And the finger pointed at Charlie Grant!
Now there are a few possibilities here.
Firstly the ref may have mistaken Scott Cuthbert’s head for Charlie Grant’s hand!
Or
Without anyone else noticing it, Charlie had got a backy of Scott (while surreptitiously substituting a lifelike hologram of himself in midfield) and just as the ball came over he had stuck his hand in front Scott’s forehead!
Or
The ref is a T****R with a capital OSSE.
Meanwhile back in the real world, Teddy Bjarnasson was outstanding and Charlie Grant was just excellent in a very understated way.
When Teddy Gets the ball (at this level admittedly) you just know that what follows will be worth watching! Think of Sibelius, think of Finlandia and translate the magnificent cadences and crescendos into their footballing equivalent. That’s Teddy and what a pity he’s Icelandic since it makes the musical metaphor a bit daft, but I couldn’t think of an Icelandic composer!
And then there is Charlie Grant! Charlie is yer Von Karajan, yer Simnon Rattle, yer conductor extraordinaire. When Celtic lose the ball, you know that Charlie will get it back, and find another Celtic Player with a constructive pass while constantly making those little 10 – 20 yard forward runs to get a return pass and take the opposition midfield out of the game. He keeps the music flowing!
End of orchestral comparisons since I have a life to lead, a pound shop to visit, and a car to fill up with petrol for tonight’s soiree in Dundee!
Paul McGowan had another excellent game and with every appearance reminds me of Tourette tongued love-child of Mark Hughes and Brain McClair.
Mark Brown pulled of a couple of outstanding saves, the back four of Paul Caddis, Scot Cuthbert, Darren O’Dea, and Ryan Conroy was never really troubled.
Jiri, (when not rubbing his sore shin - somebody needs to gie him a hug because he has marvellous skills but sad eyes), had a fine game in midfield along with Jim O’Brien (who seems to have developed another yard of pace), Charlie and Teddy; And Chris Killen and Gowser up front caused havoc with the Caley back four.
A few questions however hang in the air.
What is the magic ingredient that kick-starts them up a level?
Why were neither Bobo nor JFK on the bench?
Anyway, as I have said for a few years now, if you want to see uninhibited adventurous football, check out the reserves and U19s fixture list. The players will not all make it at Celtic, but they do put on a show and they would love to see you there!
But even more importantly you will see two teams playing in a way that reflects how Gordon Strachan wants the big Bhoys to be consistently playing, and believe me it is good stuff!
BTW do I detect a rumbling of a Babbity Bowser (I think I’ll make that rhyming slang for Gowser – and vice versa) convention on Saturday?
Hail Hail
Estadio (who thinks that Jiri is still in Gordon's plans)
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dbbia
Exactly, tonight is a mineshafters dream!
Happy Clappers need not apply.
tmchange
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p.s cheeers for the kind regards
Mrs tbdT & the bump are tip top
tbdT
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I dont reaaly think the formation or line up is going to change much i just want a win some confidence back and alex rae out the cup
Anyway have fun and hopefully a clean sheet tonight but i think it will be 3-1
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Awe Naw, DBBIA & Kitalba
This ex-pat will be in Scotland this weekend too, and if he can organise his time properly (I plan to get very drunk in the KSC Coatbridge on Friday) AND get a hold of a ticket, would like to join you in said boozer.
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new article posted.
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did I just see Neil Lennon on Byres Road ?
