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I would trade a first post for some goals and wins, easily!
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foist!
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Totally agree on McDonald.
Would love to see Samaras and VoH get a run together.
It seems that GS tries to keep all 3 happy irrespective of how they are playing. Scott should have been withdrawn last night. He was having a nightmare and this adds to the detriment of the team -as he desperately tries to break his duck the team suffers!
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Saturday will bew a real test, the longer it stays at 0 - 0. we need an early goal to settle us I think.
I agree that Scott McDonald looks like he needs a rest. Samaras and JVoH for me.
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donati is a liability
robson is not a central midfielder
i suppose darren o,dea should be played right back again?
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Paul,
See you made the Etims quotes of the week on 'Hunlines'.
Very droll!
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Agree.
Herein lies another worrying sign: at such a vital time in the season we still have no idea who to partner in midfield or upfront.
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Posted my preferred midfield on the last thread, it's different but the point remains - that's where our problems lie.
Funny that on here so much has been said about the defence, I think that misses the point - it's in the midfield where Rangers strength lies.
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Cant agree on Donatti Paul.
To be back to his best I would suggest he would have had to have shown consistently good form at some point in the past year. He hasnt apart from a few cameo 20 mins here and there. If we play him at Ibrox we're toast.
I believe we have to go with a midfield four of Robson, Hartley,Brown and McGeady. We need people in there prepared to dig and fight for the right to play football. Naka doesnt fall into this category and he should be an impact substitute.
Its also imperative now we bring back Bobo. For all his failings he's the one player we have who opposition strikers fear including der hun.
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To those of us who are unconcerned about whether the cardigan/ hoodie and his rancid mob progress any further in Europe, it’s worth remembering the financial windfall that will accrue from further progression in the UEFA Cup. Given minty’s current financial state which has been worsened by the inability to punt Cousin before the summer, it’s vital for next season that they get a doing tonight (sorry EU!) Starving them of revenue will weaken them even further so here’s hoping the huns in the Donegal colours can do us a favour!!
KTF
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"Dambusters" theme tune rings out from Rangers end.
What a classy bunch.
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Sorry, Paul - can't agree about Donati, especially when it comes to playing our nearest and dearest.
He doesn't have the courage or mental strength required to defeat TFOD.
Anyone watching Beeb1 where a team in green and white are all over Wattie's boys, but are struggling to break them down at the back? It's just a throw back to the 90's, where we would win corner after corner and have then hemmed in, but come up short.
The quandry for our manager is strength versus guile. We could put out a team with Bobo and a midfield of Hartley/Sno/Brown/Robson, but would there be enough flair to overcome their defence.
It's like the old days, where we always went into Glasgow derbies needing to win...and that was our downfall.
It's the only way the Cardigan knows how to play.
TTTTdepressedCSC
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I agree with your thoughts paul...
I have never claimed to be a tactician but i really think we need a settled midfield all this chopping and changing... I think makes the forwards and defenders inconsistent...
I also think we should be playing 3 up front their not Larsson Sutton and Hartson but i think they could do a job especially v TFOD...
o1bhoy
tacticallyopinionatedCSC
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From previous thread as blogger wouldn't post it.
Harry hood
All good strikers miss chances. I think he should have scored that one too but thats football. He knows his way to the goal, his scoring ratio is very good and I believe he would have scored last night if on from the start, just like he did on Sunday.
fanatic
I am not pointing the finger at SB. Just pointing out what I think from last night. Well for a few games now. He hasn't been making enough runs with the ball. When he does it always seems to get stuck in his feet, his passing has been poor and he's not scoring enough.
Sure he is young and has potential and I think he will go on to be a great player. I also think this of Sno. The difference between the two is £4.4 million to £90,000.
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Bremen hit the bar from 4 yards with an open goal!
5 minutes left.
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Paul Hartley is our best central midfileder by a long way.
Donati back to his best? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
Can anyone honestly say,hand on heart that they beleive we would win a game against rangers with Massimo in the centre of the park.
I for one cannot.
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Apologies for the blog failing (again).
Pete, indeed.
Glasgowsellick, revenue is revenue :-)
Michael Collins, TTTT, you could be right, but I am out of conviction for anyone else.
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McGregor flaps & misses - 4th time he has failed to connect when under pressure
Sanogo hits underside of bar from 3 yds with Werder's 33rd shot of the evening (14 on target)
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Italiabhoy,
re Dambusters, unsurpassed dignity.....
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Only 2 additional minutes in Bremen! Can you believe this mob?
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I agree with Robson Paul, not Donati.
Come on Werder some energy sapping extra time is what they need. And Werder deseve it.
Also to knock them out re revenue as fabrizio says
And to burst their bubble. They play like scotland!!!
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1 - 0 Bremen FT.
Bremen dominated but a combination of good goalkeeping, bad finishing and plain luck got them through.
The Bremen keeper sold the jersies in the first leg.
I can't print what I think of that Rangers performance without being deleted. Lucky doesn't begin to describe it.
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Good result for us tonight bring on MUNCHEN...
o1bhoy
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How can someone who has played a handful of games in 18 months be imperative?
I genuinely think Rangers would be delighted to see Bobo in our side at Ibrox, it would be a show of weakness. They do not play a game of aerial bombardment that Bobo would enjoy.
Our problems are elsewhere, have been all season.
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FT 1-0 in Germany. Rangers absolutely played off the park by a team that played fast slick passes out wide and through the middle.
However, defensively they are very solid. The tend not to panic and they just soaked up the pressure, rode their luck, and ran down the clock.
Terrible result which will boost their confidence and coffers...
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Just caught the last 25 mins of the Rangers game on some random german channel. How Rangers survived that, I will never know. Reminded me a bit of Celtic pummeling an SPL team's defence but not making the breakthrough.
Great save from McGregor, though.
Happy they went through, though: we need them to take their eye off the league.
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Their luck has to run out at some stage. Paul67, how much do you think the result tonight is wirth to them?
KTF
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scott brown and barry robson shone in a middle 3
4-5-1 would accomadate this and would give us the defensive cover we require
maybe the manager could cosider playing people in there correct positions - just for a change
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Could anyone see us standing up to that pressure for 90 minutes?
We would have lost 3 by half time.
Football to stun pigs with, but effective.
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roybainestache,
You're right, there is a resolve there which we seem to lack. Also Ferguson and Davies look several times better than any midfielder we currently have on our books...
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Donati & Robson as our midfield duo???
Not buying into that one.
You'll be telling me next that Scott Brown is worth £4.5m
Donati is possibly one of the worse players I've seen at CP in a long time.
With the exception of his goal against Shaktar, he's been extremely disappointing.
Ok, he can maybe make a few 40 yard passes in a match but he cant tackle and make a simple 10 yard pass
Donati & Robson - I DESPAIR!!
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In fact, when you think about it, the best midfielder on our books is probably Tommy Gravesen...
Go figure.
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They were extremely lucky tonight. When I said they played like Scotland earlier, I meant under Wattie and Eck. Hard to beat and got themselves into good positions with the odd lucky goal. In the end though, they failed at the last because they didn't have enough class and the luck ran out.
The same will happen to them. When we play at death star we have to get an early goal and their game plan will be in disarray.
I’m off to bed now GNGB my fellow Tims.
HAIL HAIL
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Pual,
You're having a laugh, or maybe you have shares in Donati.com.
Boruc
Henkile Balde McMannus Wilson
Heartly Brown Robson
McGeadie JVOH Riorden
4-3-3 might win the leauge, but WGS has fallen out with too many players. If only the Celtic directors had the same will to win as the their Rangers conterparts.
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Fabrizio...
If you want our club to be more financial than them...
It's better to lose the league and play a qualifier to get to the CL group stages...
Me thinks not...
Panicus Noticus...
3 in a row we run the show...
o1bhoy
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That’s about the first time I’ve seen the Fod in action for nearly a whole game, and what they did was pack their penalty box, and made it very frustrating for Werder. Indeed, this is negative football, but it has produced a result. Ok, they were gifted the goals in Glasgow, and they got lucky that Werder couldn’t convert their chances tonight; they had 17 corners and couldn’t score. The Fod were 80 mins under pressure and survived. McGregor was their best man. It will be interesting to see what Dundee United do to beat them.
HHBhoy
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Guys
Forget about them..
We still have it in our own hands.
It's about what we can do, and I have to agree 7 months into a season, and we do not have a recognised or settled midfield.
It is crucial that Gordon gets it right over the next few week, for it is here that the Championship will be won or lost.
Wednesday night dented our confidence a bit. Therefore, we need a couple of decent wins against Motherwell and Aberdeen, to build us up again.
I'm sure we'll get them
Stand up for the Champions
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my god paul.
"Celtic must find the capability to fight for 90 minutes in each game"
and your wanting to play donati. he is 6ft 2 inch and he couldnt take a ball off my grandson. you see him as much as me. what in the name of god made you write that, as i posted in the last thread .imho one of our big problems lies in the fact we are too soft. i am not going to say anymore. 29th march will tell us who is right and who is wrong .
donati dear oh dear .
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Paul,
I can't disagree more with re Donati. If we were drawing up a list of the most talented midfielder amongst Sno, Donati, Brown, Hartley, Robson, I think Donati would be at the top but that is not the important question (imo).
To retain the Championship, Celtic are going to have to show as much fight as they do skill. If the crucial games are the ones against Rangers then a study of Werder Bremen to-night would only highlight what I mean.
The best midfield performance that I have seen this season was the one produced by Brown & Hartley against Aberdeen. They deserves a run before Robson & Donati.
Take care.
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To say that I am 'glad' that the Huns won through tonight would be to lie.
However, I can see the positives.
They do not have a hope in hell of winning it and the more games the better.
Although they are a better team that some on here give them credit for, they have also enjoyed enormous good fortune to date.
There is a long, long way to go.
Pick a Central midfield pairing and stick with it GS!! KEEP THE FAITH!
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21:26, roybainestache - Werder had 37 shots on goal tonight - 15 on target. They missed 3 sitters in the first half and another couple in the second - including hitting the crossbar from 3 yds.
RFC 'standing up to the pressure' - don't think so - RFC went through because Werder's keeper blew it at Ibrox and tonight Werder's finishing was woeful.
21:29, ItaliaBhoy - 'Ferguson and Davies look several times better than any midfielder we currently have on our books...' - I'll take Naka & Aiden any day.
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I’m sorry to hear that this year championship is much difficult to achieve for Celtic. I’m also very sorry to see my Legia worse play this year. Last week we lost against the poorest team. We are third now.
I say about that, because I wanted to tell you what Artur said about Legia.
“There are to many foreigners playing for the club. They don’t have emotional relations to Legia. For many of them Legia is only the stop on their way to the bigger club. They don’t know the club they are playing for. Legia will always be Legia. It will always be the club which is fighting for the greatest results. Due to the lack of the proper relations, the magic name of the club has been devaluated.”
We have good players, good coach but poor results.I don't say Celtic has poor results. I needed to tell you that because I see some similarities between our clubs now. I don’t want to blame somebody for that in Celtic or Legia. It’s really difficult to arrange good team. If we talk about Celtic, the specific one, THE SPECIFIC ONE…well, you know it better. There’s no Lennon, no Hartson. You can name the players who are really emotionally related to Celtic. In my opinion they are not enough to enliven the spirit.
Finally I would say: it is not the club that must salute (honor ) to the players, the players must salute to the club Celtic. They must work hard to keep up the fame of Celtic.They must know the club they are playing for. Money have not to much to do with that.
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o1bhoy,
My comment about the huns losing tonight was simply in response to those who were unconcerned about whether the huns won or lost tonight. Personally, I want them to be starved of every possible penny of revenue which could be used to strengthen their squad.
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Donati Paul, your on something. He won't even go for a 60/40 yet alone a 50/50. Also, can't belive there are still some who think this guy Sno could be a Celtic class player.
On Rangers, they defended exceptionaly well tonight, in Papac and Quelar they have two very good defenders, and their keeper aint bad. We can't score against average defences, what chance against a good one. As Kojo say's the party's over, hopefully so is the managers time.
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Donati is a proven spineless, lackadaisical under achiever
if we play him from the start again then we can forget it
back to basics
play
Balde
M Wilson
Hartley
Robson
drop
Caldwell/Mick
Naylor
Brown
Sno
never play
Donati
Killen
M Brown
our life in your hands WGS
failure will not be tolerated , especially to a shower of hammer throwers whose only advantage is to try harder
ps
i was in sorrento on holiday and was chatting to the hotel manager about Donati just as we were signing him he said ...talent but no heart ,,,,,,,,,,,,,how right he was
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Cubist,
OK, central midfielder...
this is where the OF games, and hence the league, will be won.
Paul, I'm sorry Donati is just another poor poor Strachan signing. I know you always want to talk up the decisions of the board and manager, but really if we are relying on Donati to win us the league then we really ar ein trouble...
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Paul,
Donati,explain ?
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Watching the Bremen game, it occured to me that the FOD are a team of zombies- devoid of skill, nuance and brain.
But like zombies, they are relentless. Get too close and you lose.
But if you keep calm (in defence especially), and force them wide, force them to try skillful play, they are rapidly exposed.
If we are to win the league (and we are), beating Them 3 times is required. We must slow the game down, move intelligently off the ball, and above all play calmly.
We play two different games, us and them- Let's not attempt to beat them at theirs.
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glasgowsellick .21.37 how you doing m8. as you can see still hooked up .
agree, they are a better team than we give them credit for.and yes they rode their luck on many occassions tonight, and in other rounds as well.but they are still there .still top of the league.still in the scottish cup and in sundays cup final. still pulling in money haw raw some guy walter eh !
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No No Massimo
there is no urgency in the guy. He doesnt get the time & space that he needs in the SPL
THERE IS NO URGENCY ABOUT THE GUY
If we persevered with Massimo I truly think we will throw away the league
The midfield must be Robson(left), PH, SB and Aiden with Naka benched
We will win the league
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I hope WGS and others were watching that tonight because that is exactly how they will play/line up against us...
Even at the thunderdome...
And in Donati what he has got is composure under pressure... Take note Brown gun ho,mcgeady back chat,McDonald his little tissy/kick at the start at ipox really got them ''up for it''...
As i say we will need composure to beat them...
panicus noticus
o1bhoy
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There are two components to beating this Rangers team.
Get the first goal and force them to come out.
Play calm, intelligent, passing football with quality low balls into the box and midfielders coming on to the second balls if the strikers don't get there first.
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Unusually, I watched the Bremen v Rangers match.
Rangers kept their shape and held on. Bremen only have themselves to blame. It`s no use saying words like, `jammy` they are in the last eight on merit. `Bit of a scunner!
Donati has good qualities but is leadership one of them? We need a midfield leader. Bring in Lambert or Lennon to coach our midfielders.
Keep the faith.
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I was thinking about Murray tonight. While we all know he has faults, one of the things he does is gamble. He gambled in the summer with £10m that Ranger's didn't have, but it paid off as he has it back and some, and look like doing very well this season. Our board decided not to gamble with money we did have.! We could have finished them for a long time, instead they are back.........
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Paul67 - Have to disagree regarding the midfield.
It is the system that is the problem, not the personnel.
Many here have listed the quality of midfielder we have bought and how well they played at previous clubs.
At Celtic, midfielders are asked to do an impossible job - carry out their midfield duties and protect (to the Nth degree) our two centre backs.
Given that remit any midfielder in the world would struggle.
For the midfield to function, our defence has to take more responsibilty in both defending AND starting the build up of play.
Hail Hail.
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rankers are mince.
strachan's brill.
we will win all 3 games against the rankers this season.
(the 3 strach lost against wattie didnae count for anything)
celtic will win the league this year.
i am strachan (?)
we should play caldwell not balde.
its not strachs fault , its mccurry's.
anyone that disnae agree is a fud and a hun and a mineshafter.
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I think we may have a conflict between the mental state required for control (Gordon's preference) and that required to take the game to the opposition.
Gordon's preference is perfect for away games - quiten the crowd - draw the opponents' sting etc
However, at home it's holding us back - all this composure is counter productive, it's quietening OUR crowd and allowing our opponenets to warm to the game. We should burst out of the blocks at home - have them gasping for air - crowd wound up. Man Utd do it to great effect - we should shock our opponenets in the first 15 mins at Parkhead. Plenty of time for composure when we are 2-0 up at HT.
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a king`s ransom for Cuellar
he was derided as a Spanish dud who no one wanted
a defender who can defend , is not shy , not too fancy, doesn`t think he can hit a 40 yard pass and can put the boot in when required
i can`t remember when we last had a defender like that
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paul67
on the midfield, permutation are we
rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic?
your call for donati and robson is yet
another untried permutation, and wgs has tried a few.
i was at the game last night and thought sno a much better bet than hartley, warts and all, but the one constant has been scott brown who after last night underperformed once to often for me.
if the season ended tomorrow and we got a big english bid to recoup, i think we should take it.
if wgs does try another shuffle he should rest mcgeady or naka keep one of them till the second half.
i agree with someone who said wgs got the subs wrong last night he should haven taken skippy off
and left sundays winning combination of voh and samaras.
sadly i also think we could be undercoached and rely far too much on aidens trickery.
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The modern day Helenio Hererra-
aka Wattie Smith-
his version of "Wattanachio" held out tonight to grab an amazing 1-0 gubbing despite setting out his stall in a 10-0-0 formation.
Surely this "anti- football"(copyright Leonel Messi)
has to be the way ahead ?
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Tontine Tim - from last thread - I missed your earlier post which covered most of what I was trying to say.
Hail Hail
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This blog is extremely addictive!
This really is my last post before bed - I will read the rest of the comments tomorrow.
Zybzsek - well said.
When we play Naka and Aiden we need ball winners in the middle of the park. I thought Scott Brown would be the man but he hasn't shown it so far. Therefore I would go with Hartley and Robson. Both of them can play, defend, win the ball, have dig, are proven in the league AND can score goals. They also both have an affinity with the club and are both determined and hungry for success. I think that’s enough reasons…. Why not give them a try?
I am sure the rest would do SB good too and maybe give him a kick up the backside. Was I the only one who was annoyed at yet another needless booking late on in the game? One more now and he's missing the 29th anyway.
Bhoydell and kojo
I've tried hard but nope - I can't hear that fat lady singing.
KEEP THE FAITH
REMEMBER LOVE STREET
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bhoydell 21.57
that is what scunners me as well. we had them on their knees . but let them back up .really beginning to make me wonder what the script is at celtic HQ. could it possibly be that our biggest problems are OFF the park.
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Jimtim,
Good to see you still online. Hows the Audio problem??
A war on 4 fronts- the only positives I take from this is that we will need all the help we can get to retain our title this year.
I really believe we can do it and I think Paul Hartley is the key. He is one player who can and will step up to the plate.
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bourne
if Samaras was not on the field on Sunday we would not have saved the match
if the ball had been passed to SMcD then he would have shot, and most probably not scored
the subbing of Samaras last night was crass supidity......imo Samaras` footballing ability is well above the other two...he has also showed some tenacity to come back from the mare he had at St Mirren
the huns camaraderie carried them tonight ...a bit like us in the famous Barca 0-0 ....high time we started showing some of it now ..
HAIL HAIL
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I was sick after last night's match, and it hasn't got any better today. The rallying cries on here are nice to read, but I'd feel a lot more secure & confident if I thought that the same emotion was on display in the dressing room. Gordon Strachan has received a season-long demonstration on just how hated Celtic are by the powers-that-be in this league - they have gunned for him and his players in a personal and cynical way. The determination must be there - surely he can transmit it to his players?
The topic of controversy this evening seems to be our Italian friend. Donati's first season in Paradise has been hit & miss: some of his passing is lovely, some has been woeful; he drifts in and out of games in a way we simply cannot afford from a central midfielder; he has sometimes seemed taken aback by the ferocity of the spl, and the shocking conditions he's expected to play in. It may all come good for him yet in season 2, and I would hope we retain him.
But. Next up is Fir Park, and we know what that means. It's a tattie field, it's hostile, they'll be in our faces. We desperately need to impose ourselves from the kick-off, and win. We need to win in such a manner that we're not searching for a late goal, or clinging on in the face of a late onslaught.
I'd go with the midfield suggested by Michael Collins @ 21:08...
Robson, Hartley, Brown, McGeady.
The importance of this game can't be overstated. And now that we've stumbled, and shown weakness, what's the betting the game goes ahead - regardless of the weather & pitch conditions?
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How about going 3-5-2
Lambert Lennon and Petrov in the mid, and maybe Larson and Sutton up front?
Then we might have a chance.
Yoshimisgreenandwhite, living in 2003
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Would make no difference what central mid pairings.Our tactics and shape are fundamentally flawed.There is to great a burden on the centre mids and comes as no surprise that under GS no central midfielder has played to his potential.
Until our coach learns that the whole team has to be a cohesive fluid unit we will always struggle.To frustrate us you only have to doubleteam our wide players.The centre mids have to big an area to cover to support forwards properly and even then they are reluctant to go full tilt knowing if they lose possession there is acres of space behind them for opponents to exploit.As soon as posssession is surrendered GC and AMcM retreat deep into our half and give our opponents half the field to exploit.
We are not a team but a talented fragmented bunch of individuals.
Our coach needs to learn that positive possession is what matters,20 nice passes in your own half will not worry opposition as it just allows them to set defensively.To force opponents to play you need to attack from all areas not just in the wide areas.
-
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RADICAL THINKER
At Love St we had true ,die for the jersey ,celtic players
in our squad one of the few is hartley and he never gets played
BTW Lenny is as old as me , playing in the English 4th Div( cannae go this new brand name guff) but wouls waltz it the malaise that is our midfield
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pfayr
agreed, i was being reserved
strangely skippy has lost his confidence and your dead right he would have shot at pittodrie.
conversely voh will never be a good sub because he takes to long to get his big stiff self to get going, two sitters last night, as a sub.
to me, he is a law of averages striker i.e. he'll score eventually.
but then again you and i want balde but we ain't
gonna get him.
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:(
craigbeattieforrightbackcsc
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Ulster-Celt
he's injured
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Fabrizio, net of vat the result will be worth £1m + TV money. If they get Bayern, that will be another £1m, less if it is a lesser team.
Viewfrom, celticlover, (everyone else on the blog, it seems) I have been critical of Massimo, more so than most on here, but I think he has turned a corner.
Jimtim, I am not your god. :-) just another guy desperately seeking a central midfield combination that will work.
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Paul
Hopefully that corner leads directly to the departures lounge at Glasgow Airport.
Frank
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paul67
Donati has turned that many corners he`s on a roundabout
i don`t usualy disagree with you about team selection other than our BB
but the remainder of the season is about passion and heart niether of which Donati posesses
-
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Good result for Celtic tonight - at least two more games to add to our city rival's tally - I make that 6 more then Celtic they will have played going into the split - the extra 12% or so played should take it's toll in the last 5 games
VertWolf
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no no no Paul.
If you go with that central midfield pairing, i assume you are dropping either Naka??
Because by playing Naka we need a central midfielder who can hold back and cover the right side of central midfield to cover for what Naka doesnt do, retrieve the ball.
A midfield of Robson and Donati would leave us hopelessly exposed on either flank, and with our shocking marking at cross balls in the centre of our defence we could be crucified (see Dundee Utd's only cross ball in the 1st half)
Cant got along with that.
Anyway, we seen how we can batter a very poor, but extremely well organised and disiplined (positionally and tactically!) Rangers team....
play at a fast tempo...
(only thing is, the last time we did that was under a different manager!)
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Paul67,
You havin a laugh? Robson and Jerome would be a better central midfield pairing than Robson and Donati.
If that's our best combination to take on der hun then we may as well join Kojo in raising the white flag.
Donati is spineless and not up for the battle. Give the jersey to someone who is. Robson is much more effective played wide and IMO should be played in place of Naka at Ipox.
Bobo in and Caldwell out.
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donati has been subbed 13 times from a starting position
we need a five in there
taxifor........csc
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Let's not kid ourselves our city rivals could be eyeing up Manchester if this draw is kind to them on Friday. Hope its B Munich.
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disarray.
Not sure about the spelling.
Nobody on here agrees on what our select eleven should be.
Why is that?
I almost said that this is the poorest managerial team I've witnessed in recent years.
Darn, I just said it.
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EDB
Well i`ve seen it all
we must be in trouble
the most indefatigable of Celtic fans
hells teeth
who`s next WG
he`ll be having a go at St Jude right now
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EDB
disarray - Donati.
-
we possibly do need a 5 in there ...we certainly don't need Robson and Donati as our main 2 midfielders - we'll get roasted. How do you qualify such a statement? Let me answer that! You can't!
Certainly need Brown, certainly need Hartley, certainly need Aiden, possibly need BRobson, maybe need Naka.
Play the off-colour McDonald up front!
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edb
the nemesis of the mineshafter?
rankers to win by 13 points indeed
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I'm St Jude and so's my wife.
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WDH
donuti
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the head honcho in the razor-blade brigade? Ulster Celt!
Positive thinking necessary.
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WDH
Trust you!
How was your trip?
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Guys,
I agree with EDB.
This is the worst managerial team in recent times.
I mean the "CQN selectorial/ Champ Managing/ I could have got us the first 2 titles Strachan got us" managerial team.
Thank god, WGS is in charge instead of us.
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Does that mean Scott Brown is the latest in a long list of players to be chalked up as a big-money Strachan dud then?
Donati doesn't have the requisite heart or desire to be worthy of a jersey long-tern, and Robson is a winger. It sums up Strachan's dire signing policy though that three years into his tenure we still don't have a settled central midfield partnership of any real note.
I'd say that the real problem is the manager himself.
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EDB,
Very good point that no one on here knows/agrees on who should be the central midfield pairing. More may agree who should not play?
Donati it seems has most votes to sit on the bench.(Preferably on an Italian one???)
Most would also agree that S Brown deserves to sit a few out.
That leaves Hartley,Robson and Sno.
Playing a tricky away cup tie to Aberdeen with Sno and Hartley last week and we created numerous great chances and should have been out of sight. Surely they should have been allowed a second consecutive game together!I don't understand why Scott Brown is an automatic first pick when available.
I would try the Hartley/Sno combo again and, against der Hun, draft in Robson for Naka.
Need to find the winning combo soon or it will all be irrelevant!
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WDH
Even St Jude couldn`t save you
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I think PQuinn should consider the application (OR LACK OF) the so-called players!
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bri,
Manchester must be quaking at the thought.
Bayern would be the best draw, although Sporting Lisbon would be fun - give them five games against the hoops!
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Paul
Like you I think Donati and Sno will be players for us in the future. I don't think Robson will be though and any success he will have will be wide right or left.
However I think we need 3 different teams. One for home, one for away and one for the huns.
For all games I would play Boruc, Hinkel, Balde, McManus and Naylor although I would accept Caldwell in front of McManus. Personally I would prefer O'Dea and Balde but think it is too dangerous at this stage in the season to take out both centre halfs. Bobo is a must though.
At home my midfield would be Naka, Donati, Brown and Aiden the most creative midfield we have had this year. Away from home I would bring in Hartley for Donati and play Robson wide left and Aiden wide right. Against the huns I would play Sno in the middle with Brown wide instead of Robson. Therefore against the huns my midfield would be Brown-Hartley-Sno-Aiden. Up front I would be tempted to change it to form with Samaras and Jan this weekend but I definitely would not start Samaras versus the huns. A new game to him and he would be better as an impact player later on in the game.
There is another possibility for centre midfield and I think Mark Wilson could turn out to be an excellent player in that position. I have watched him have a man of the match performance v the huns for Utd in the centre of midfield.
However no matter the selection or the individuals it is not the defence that is the problem like many suggest and it is not the midfield that some are now latching on to and it is not the forwards who have not been firing the last couple of games.
It is the system that is flawed.
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glasgowsellick
Brown is a first pick for the same reason as Caldwell and Naylor
find the answer to that particular conundrum and you have your answer re S Brown
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"Bobo is a must though."
The above comment just beggars belief ... time bomb waiting to go off!!!
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declan1
as opposed to consistent crap fom the current incumbents
get real man
our 2 centre halfs would have made the training squad in recent times
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Declan1
Bobo makes mistakes every few games, Gary Cladwell makes mistakes every game.
Bobo wins headers and physically intimidates strikers. Gary Caldwell doesnt.
Bobo has never had a bad game against Rangers.
Its not rocket science.
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the benefits of Bobo are ... 1)good in the air. 2) ummm 3) ehhh 4) good in the air, sorry said that already!
help me out please?
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Bri / Gordon_J:
there is surely no way on earth that a team as ugly, negative, limited, cynical & ugly as Walter's Wattenaccio Wonders could fluke their way through to the Manchester final.
Their innovative 9-1-0 formation tonight got them through by the skin of Charlie Adam's tooth, thanks to the comical WB goalie in the home leg, and the woeful finishing tonight - they will not encounter such generosity again.
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Balde is our best defender by a country mile, but Strachan prefers clowns like Caldwell instead for some reason. Incredulous decisions like that will ultimately be his probable downfall come the end of the season.
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couldn't believe anyone could use Bobo and rocket science in the same sentence.
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WGS
not stupid ignorance
but arrogance
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Caldwell one one of our best players last night.
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Paul67,
You missed Bobo. Don't care what anybody says but Bobo should be reinstated with Mick till season ends. We need presence and a fighter for the up and coming games.
If GS goes with Caldwell and Mick at Ibrox then he deserves what he gets. I call it stupidy and ignorance with regard this problem.
Agree with Robson. Should have played last night. Sno not kicked a ball all season and all of a sudeen comes in to play?? Strange decision. Pay 1 million quid to aquire a player who was in the running for player of the year and don't use him.
I hate to admit and i have been behind WGS since day 1 but i'm starting to think that just maybe. No i'm not going to say it as i like the wee man. Some of his decisions though are weird. Also agree with Sammy and JVOH. Think Jan would be playing his role that he took up at PSV with Sammy in the team. Two of them looked good together at Aberdeen. McDonald has went of the boil.
Can you tell PL to have a word in the ear of our young captain. Sick to the back teeth of picking up papers and seeing him and GC spouting off. Tell them concentrate more on there game.
Gerry McNee called it right in his coloumn. He's a rent a quote. Pity doesn't show some leadership on the park. Badly lacking a leader in our team.
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EDB
Many lovely moments and nice memories which as you know with the damage to my heid I will forget in a week or two.
Dancing with Barca fans singing King of Kings ,showing the bhoys how to eat snails, or just buying a flight for the wee guy who turned up a day too late at the airport with ten euros left.
My Lady and I had tickets both for the Celtic and Barcelona end when we left Glasgow.
It was our option to choose when we arrived.
A simple twist of fate denied us both.
On the Evening of the game we ambled into a small tavern by the flame that burns eternal in El Born to the Siege of Barcelona.
Swedish chap behind the bar told me to keep it down but we soon made friends.
Talked to some/many idiots as well makes me wonder.
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so you'll disown WGS if he doesn't win the league this year?
How far have Celtic come if we can sack a manager for not winning the league? Surely long-term takes precedence over short-term?
Not in your book son!
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"Bobo is a must though."
The above comment just beggars belief ... time bomb waiting to go off!!!
Declan I can understand why you might disagree with Bobo as he does have his limitations but to say it beggars belief then I find that a tad excessive.
As opposed to the time bomb that has already exploded in Caldwell and McManus
Balde is a commanding defender that opposition players are afraid of. He creates more space for forwards at corners and he has pace at the back unlike the other two. He does not get brushed off the ball as well. Contrary to what some believe he can actually read the game quite well.
I haven't even mentioned the fact that he is good in the air yet.
Bobo is a must.
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so WGS blogger quotes Gerry McNee ... you'll go far m8, I don't think! No original thoughts then?
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so WGS blogger quotes Gerry McNee ... you'll go far m8, I don't think! No original thoughts then?
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declan1
WGS for the longterm
god bless us and save us
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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN...
What would you rather have...
This time 12months ago Milan had just knocked us out of EUROPE...
The League was over... me, you, WGS, new it, The Players new it, The Bookies new it, Even ma German dug new it...
Season over...
Oh apart from playin a wee diddy team in the other wee diddy cup...
A wouldn't swap our position just now for... well mabye a would...
But you know wat i'm gettin at...
This is what it's all about,lookin forward to every game... day... argument... who scores... who dosen't... who's keek... who's No...
Jings crivvens i'm even lookin forward to the yoofaa cup draw in the mornin...
Right i'll stop...
Aintnostoppinusnowmcfadden'n'whitehead...
o1bhoy
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declan1
have you any original thoughts? or do you just wait to react to other bloggers?
i am ripe for conversion
enlighten me
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A midfield 4 of Aiden, Naka, Evander and Massimo. We shall win the league playing stylish soccer. But I am not the manager, neither do I possess the crystal ball that some do. They could see Scott McDonald shooting on Sunday (had he been playing) and not only that, they could also see him missing the goal. The same space he has successfully pierced more than anyone in Scotland this season. Tiredness now cited. Can`t possibly be cited for Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, so what excuse is there for the woeful sitter he missed last night, culminating in an en-masse uncovering of doomsday predictors. Why, it even caused Kojo to throw in the towel. (Surrender, capitulate, keech it, relinquish, desert, abandon all hope) Does that mean we won`t be hearing from him, well not until pre season when he starts dropping hints as to who our targets are. (after PL has flown to Vegas to enlighten him) One can hope. Remember you need new towels, Kojo. Perhaps you could nick them from a fancy posh Las Vegas hotel, save you spending any of your easy earned. I`m away for a beer.
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My dear,dear,dear friend, Mr.Z.
I agree,Mr.Z.
"It's the Players, Dummy... It's the Players!"
Pardon the expression ,pal... it is merely a twist on a figure of speech!
I said the very same thing, after the horrendous display of our team, after our last game, when Celtic Played against Dundee Unted.
I said....
"Na! It's not the Manager's, fault....
It is not Tactics employed by the Manager at Fault...
No, siree, Boab!
It in no one else's fault...
Because, it is the Players' Fault."
Yes, pal... Arthur got it right.
A team needs to worshipped by at least 70 per cent of it's personnel.
This Celtic outfit is suffering from the exact same condition that yours and Arthur's is...
The composite members of Both of our teams are no longer representitive of our Teams' Traditions, therefore there is no longer a connection to the past.
A Team can get away with filling it's playing ranks with Total Strangers... with Mercenaries.. and still be successful... but here is the catch.....
The Mercenaries must be Players of Outstanding Skill... and Intelligence.... these kind of guys do not come cheaply..
Celtic has now filled up it's Tank with Regular Gas... so we cannot expect Premium Performance from the Engine!
If Celtic's present Inferior and unskilled playing staff... was composed of mostly hand reared players born locally, and well aware of it's past and the great fighting traditions etc of our great club... We could enjoy much more success, as we could get by on the mere vapors of the will to win, as the players would also be Dyed in the wool Celtic Fans, as well a members of the Foist Eleven!
Yes,my friend...
You have noticed what is at the crux of both of our Teams' troubles.
To put it plainly ...A complete Lack of Interest....
Kojo.
yer pal....who likes ye.
Gooden Nacht!( I think that's the right spelling... if not...too bad!)
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Tonybhoy you didn't elaborate on Bobo's limitations ... an oversight or not enough room to list them all?
I believe there is a place for Bobo's strengths in our team right now, just not sure if there's a place for his weaknesses amongst our at present very obvious weaknesses.
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When is the golf tournement at Aberdour,I want to book a room at the inn.
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Bobo's reading of the game appears better than it is, because he is extremely fast over the ground. I wouldn't be surprised if he is the quickest player at CP, even at his age, after his various injuries, etc.
He is fantastic in the air - he can head the ball further than our other CBs can kick it.
He is intimidating. We are in a dog fight, although I'm still not sure that we've realised it.
He has yet to have a poor game vs. them.
But is he fit after his ANC injury?
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Declan
It,s not about sacking him for not winning league.
The declining crowds would be all the motivation Celtic need.As this site often states Celtic are a plc and profits must be protected!
Realistically even you must see that he cannot take us forward.He is tactically lacking and now that the opposition has sussed this he has been short of standard required.We have the best squad in SPL but are lacking any semblance of team tactics or spirit.These are the responsibilities of our coaching staff.
Not to have a settled midfield or adequate defense after almost 3 years is down to coaching flaws.
We are a collection of talented individuals but sadly not a team.That is a good reason for managerial change.
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Declan 1,
If you have been reading my blogs for a while now you would know what my thoughts and opinions are. Can't seem to remember seeing you blog before. Hmmmm.....
Let's just say that although i'm not one of McNee's favoutite fans, (Actually think he's nasty piece of work who holds grudges and is very bitter towards certain people who have had the balls to stand up to him). He has however called it right about our captain being not good enough and always chomping at the bit for media attention.
Out all my time watching Celtic i don't think i seen any of our previous captains appear so many times in papers with storys.
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i didn't get to see last nights game but reading the updates was a grim affair.
as for paul67's suggestion of donati and robson as a central midfield partnership, well, i think that's just hope rather than anything based on merit.
i appreciate that donati can spray some lovely passes but he is often ineffective for large parts of the game.
robson played well at dundee utd but has yet to do anything at celtic that suggests he should start in the centre.
i believe the first picks in midfield should be mcgeady and hartely, for skill and fight. besides , hartely is the only central midfielder who knows who to tackle.the other central midfield berth should be shared between brown, sno and donati based on who is playing best. all have their good points and faults. i'm not sure what brown adds to our game but i know he is a nuisance to the opposition. donati can pick the occasional wonder pass but often picks out an opponent. sno has got a great football brain and is calm in possesion but can seem slow. none of them know how to tackle.
what naka contributes is often overlooked due to his obvious defensive flaws (which he has worked on). he is a class player but can be lost in a game when little football is being played. i'd be intrested in starting robson on the left this weekend to see how he does in his natural position. we can always bring on naka when others have tired.
up front i'd play samaras and one other (probably jvoh) and change the other (not samaras unless having a st. mirren like mare) on 60 mins if it's not happening.
for me the only change in defence could be wilson for naylor but one of naylor's strong points is that he has a lot of fight in him. i can't see Bobo adding anything to the defence at this point in his career.
one of our biggest problems is that we are very predictable. when we play well it's because 2 or 3 of our flair players have a great game, not because of our system.
i like gordon and he's got a lot of credits with me but i worry about the lack of flexibility in his system.
this is why i haven't bothered suggesting a set up for 3 up front and in midfield. i just don't think it'll happen.
it's still in our hands but are we capable of grasping this opportunity?
we clearly lack a leader, or indeed leaders in different areas of the pitch. artur and aiden lead by example but not in the classic captains driving way. mick doesn't seem to have that command unfortunately.
i'd like someone to tell paul hartely that now is his moment, that he can lead this celtic team like he led a great hearts team a few years ago. i just can't see anyone else with the ability to do it.
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Time will tell if tonights result was agood one us.
Personally im always concerned when the huns progress in any competion.
Lucky you bet they are, just like they were in the early nineties under Wattie when they came far too close for comfort to the scarily unthinkable.
Terrible to watch, yes but still in for 4 trophies unlike us.
Worrying times ahead.
Lynott67
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Been trying to post for ages, but Blogger has been playing silly beggars - again!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++
From last thread:-
Tonybhoy (19:34)
see, that's the problem with statistics.....they can
be selective. I CAN put down your argument by quoting
FINAL league standings as it ain't over till it's
over....in the same way you CAN put down my argument
since we are second spot currently.
Yip I will throw that stat at you. If they win more
games than us, they will be champs. I BELIEVE we
will win the league, but I'm not foolish enough to try
and tell any man what they should think or say.
However, I will plead with you, them, everyone, to KEEP THE FAITH and back the team.
This is getting old now.
Hail hail
G.
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touche Ulster Celt, I do tend to be reactive rather than proactive, but in my defence (bad choice of word) that's because I do not start the thread ... so am always reacting to other people's thought of what was originally commented on.
I believe a back 4 of Wilson, Caldwell, McManus and Naylor - a midfield of Robson, Brown,Sno and Aiden with Hartley operating behind them, and McDonald (although I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise)up front, could and should be our starting 11 at Snake Mountain. [Samaras, JVOH, Naka, O'Dea, Hinkel and MBrown subs.]
Whether someone else has said that already I don't know.
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touche Ulster Celt, I do tend to be reactive rather than proactive, but in my defence (bad choice of word) that's because I do not start the thread ... so am always reacting to other people's thought of what was originally commented on.
I believe a back 4 of Wilson, Caldwell, McManus and Naylor - a midfield of Robson, Brown,Sno and Aiden with Hartley operating behind them, and McDonald (although I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise)up front, could and should be our starting 11 at Snake Mountain. [Samaras, JVOH, Naka, O'Dea, Hinkel and MBrown subs.]
Whether someone else has said that already I don't know.
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GordonJ :-After Panatheniakos in the last round and Bremmen tonight I would love to get Sporting in the next round as we seem to be doing OK against teams in green and white :-)
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TheGreenTrumpet
stop posting.
I've had a few beers and somebody I know cannot play football you are now making me think might be useful.
chin chin.
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ojo,
My old mate with riddles. I seem to remember think it was December that you mentioned a riddle about a call from Portugal etc.... towards CP. What was the outcome?
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İnteresting idea paul ! why ? is it because it is the only combination that hasnt been tried yet ?
ive always felt that consistency in mid field was crucial! İn fact, that is what has been lacking recently. Do you really feel that another change in personel will solve the problem ? as we have seen recently,these sporadic changes have seemed to cause a lack of cohesion with certain players seemingly not being assured of their roles.
shouldnt we be working on ironing out the problems with our most prominent and successful centre mid partnership rather than throwing another two together time after time ?
As has been stated many times here by various contributors, where is our shape or system in the engine room at this late stage of the league? why would we want to be throwing players together therenow ?
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Kojo,
My old mate with riddles. I seem to remember think it was December that you mentioned a riddle about a call from Portugal etc.... towards CP. What was the outcome?
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wgs
the transfer window doesnt open until the summer - don't start :)
declan1 - hinkel and samaras for wilson and mcdonald and i will agree with your other selections
sky 120 arnie and the predator
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Not sure what to make of tonight. On the one hand the extra games for them should benefit us but on the other they benefit from the extra (and unbudgeted) income and are one round closer to the Final. I wasn't unhappy in the slightest to see them beat the Greeks thinking that Bremen would turn them over easily, which but for their idiot of a keeper they would have.
I was working, so this is my excuse, but did anyone else listen to the commentary on Clyde? Absolutely ridiculous. You had that wee **** (insert your own combination of letters) Darryl 'Hello Hello' King banging a table or something every time MacGregor saved or Rangers broke up the Park. I couldn't beleive my ears. I would love to meet that guy down a dark alley. I do not know what he looks like but I know I would not tire of kicking him.
Anyways, the centre of our midfield is for me where our problems this season have stemmed from. Is it a coincidence that when Brown and Donati started the season in the middle and they looked the real deal we were gubbing teams every week. For a while every game was 5 goals. What has happened for those two to lose their form so dramatically that we are now in March and we do not know our best combination? I bet you would get at least 8 combinations if every poster on here put down their preference. Me, I said earlier today I don't have a clue, but for Saturday it has to be Hartley and Brown, with Robson and Mcgeady on the wings. I fear the pitch will render Naka a passenger, though he could be a dangerous sub later on if only for his set-piece skill. It's going to be blood and snotters and you don't want Naka in a game like that. For the rest of the season I hope to see Hartley play a prominent role with the real Scott Brown beside him, if he ever shows up again!
Win here and Ibrox and I will be very optimistic about us retaining our title.
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Ulster-Celtic,
Who says i was on about a player:)
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WGS
:)
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Edward...
Yes Sporting... Bolton left 10 first choice players in Bolton and still only lost 1-0...
I think you will miss Adam in the next round especially against MUNCHEN...
o1bhoy
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I meant to say also on Bobo Balde. Most of our players save their worst performances of the season for Ibrox, but in Bobo we have a guy who has almost always played his BEST games there. For me he is a must pick for Ibrox if fit.
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I'm no expert, but what the hell, here's the team I think we should be fielding from now until the end of the season.
A CELTIC player
a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player,
a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player, a CELTIC player and a CELTIC player
I would have the CELTIC manager in charge and I would have 50,000+ CELTIC SUPPORTERS in the crowd.
I'd be prepared to support that team to the hilt until the final whistle of the final game.
And for those who have thrown in the towel - see you at the end of the season....
faithfulthroughandthrough CSC
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PS don't know what happened with the formatting, but I'm not advocating a 5-1-4 formation!!
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porridge&bananas:
no disagreement here about what an odious little hun nyaff Darryl King is, but think yourself lucky you were listening to Clyde rather than watching the beeb.
Once again Paul Mitchell and Craig Paterson proved themselves to be the most odious double-act since Fred & Rose West. Craig Paterson's moronic opinions are bad enough, but his voice is so nasal, so irritating, that it drives me absolutely crazy. And the weirdest thing is - I can't help but listen, I end up sitting watching incredulously, and texting my mates "are you listening to these (language violation)".
How do they get employed by a national broadcaster?!
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Gerry...
BUT...
Who would you have CAPTAIN?...
o1bhoy
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o'lbhoy - you got me there!! :)
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maybe we should play
Brown
O'Dea Pressley McManus Naylor
Brown Caldwell Sno Donati
Killen JVOH
as this is the team that annoys most posters.
Well, at least there'd be noise.
And all the towels that get thrown in might help to dry out the Fir Park pitch.
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sftb - like it! :))) What's Regi Blinker up to these days, surely he's a free agent?
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My favourite BBC moment was when they cut back to the studio at full time to Dougie Donnelly. He started by saying "What a great performance.." then obviously realised what a pr*** he sounded, and backtracked with "Well it wasn't really a great performance but..."
Patterson adds nothing to the commentary. Just states the obvious or repeats what Mitchell has said. Why do we need two of them anyway> In the old days one commentator would do the job.
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Team selection first,
If we had a confident team firing on all cylinders I would agree with Paul on Donati, but I'm afraid that's not the case (not right now at any rate).
I'm going against something I posted here some months ago but I would now be inclined to have Paul Hartley in the side. From here-on in every game is likely to be a blood-and-snotters battle & I think that Hartley would come to the fore in that type of game. A tough call who to play alongside him but I think I would go for Brown, Robson & McGeady with Naka waiting in the wings as & when required.
If Bobo is fit I would pick him to play alongside McManus & I would start with JVOH & Samaras up-front & McDonald on the bench until he gets over his current lapse in form. I still believe that Scott is our most potent goal threat & have every confidence that he'll be back on the goal trail soon enough.
It seems to me that some fans (& indeed some CQNers) are more interested in the demise of Gordon Strachan than they are in our title chances. Deep down (even if they won't admit it) I believe that some of these people would be prepared to forego success this season if it meant that they could get rid of the Manager. If that's the case, then fair enough; they're entitled to their opinion and who knows, they may be right.
For the rest of us, however,(even those who are starting to doubt the Manager) we have two choices. We can either give up now or we can get 100% behind everyone at the club, players & coaches alike, from now until the end of the season.
If we do the former then there's every chance that our worst fears will come to fruition. If we do the latter...well, who knows?
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Gordon_J
Big fat Derek Johnstone piped up right after the game 'well that's Rangers now gone something like 21 games unbeaten'! honest to god, apart from eating vast amounts of food and verbal diarrhoea, what is the purpose of this fat tube?
Is there anyone up here whose opinions are worth listening to now? Makes me wonder why I listen! I'm even finding myself angry with Ian Crocker who used to be excellent as he is being dragged down by that weasel Booth and agreeing with almost everything he spouts.
I need to get to my bed!
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Craig Paterson's Comedy Gold moment was at the start of last season when he was asked who would win the SPL title.
'Rangers', came the automatic response.
'Why do you think Rangers will win the title ?',he was asked.
'New Manager, (PLG)...a new manager ALWAYS gives a club & it's players a lift.', says CP.
' Who did you tip last year ?', he was asked.
' I tipped Rangers last year as well.'says CP.
'And can you remember why you said you were tipping Rangers at the time ?', asks Murdo McLeod.
' No, I can't remember.', says CP.
'Well, I can.',says Murdo.'You said it was because Celtic had a new manager, ( GS )...& it always takes a good while for a club to get used to a new manager.'
End of conversation.
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for me one of the most puzzling things this season has been the selection / non-selection of paul hartley. whenever he plays the team looks coherent and believable. without him, almost every time, shambles. why use him in the 'difficult' games only when without him everything looks difficult? i think he could have had a great season if he'd played every week and had a chance to properly learn his position.
for me the brown / donati partnership has been a false dawn and i think too many people (including myself) bought into the hype.
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Our thoroughbreds to play their horses!!
Boruc
Wilson Caldwell McManus Naylor
Hinkel Hartley Brown Robson McGeady
Samaras
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The shame of living in the USA and posting late at night, my time, is that probably no one will read this post... yet I feel compelled to make it anyway.
Despite Wattie starting with a 4-5-1 and later shifting to a 4-6-0, ie: 11 behind the ball, Werder was still able to score against then and WIN the game. Yes, Werder did go out on goal aggregate, but they did WIN the game. They would have picked up 3 points if this had been a league game.
We are in a league battle against the huns, not a head-to-head. We don't have to win in aggregate, only each game, and 1-0 will do, and Artur will not ship the goals that Werder's keeper did.
The huns luck will start to run out, it is inevitable, and if there is a G.A./divine figure/God/higher power/Thetans (for you Scientologists), it will start to run out Sunday/the Sabbath/the day of our Lord/the 7th day, and the first wheel will fall off of Wattie’s wagon. It happened to us in 2003, and there is no reason to doubt it will happen to them.
Keep the Faith,
-Jersey Mike
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Lets all get the rosary beads out and pray for Sunday being the start of the demise or was that it beginning tonight??
-
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN...
What would you rather have...
This time 12months ago Milan had just knocked us out of EUROPE...
The League was over... me, you, WGS, new it, The Players new it, The Bookies new it, Even ma German dug new it...
Season over...
Oh apart from playin a wee diddy team in the other wee diddy cup...
A wouldn't swap our position just now for... well mabye a would...
But you know wat i'm gettin at...
This is what it's all about,lookin forward to every game... day... argument... who scores... who dosen't... who's keek... who's No...
Jings crivvens i'm even lookin forward to the yoofaa cup draw in the mornin...
Right i'll stop...
No a won't...
Yes you will...
3 inthetrot...
PANICUS NOTICUS
Aintnostoppinusnowmcfadden'n'whitehead...
o1bhoy
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We MUST play Bobo at centre forward.
There-
I've just said what we were all thinking but were too scared to say for fear of looking stupid...........
scaredofnothingCSC.
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Yea a can just see him in big georgios big Orange Boots...
Hans yoo might be onto sometin...
o1bhoy
yooaremyBOBOmygreatBIGBOBOumakeme...
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Here is my tip for the
Cheltenham Gold Cup
Get yer hoose on it.
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The progression of Walter Smiths anti-football takes a another massive bound backwards towards its climax with the
new 1st team pitch laid at Murray Park
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Tell Narrowbhoattim...
Narrowhorsetip...
He will put his Boat on it...
o1bhoy
slimchancehorsecsc...
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I have been looking at the SPL fixture list for both Celtic and Rangers between now and the end of the season.
Already scheduled up to the split is as follows:
CELTIC
Motherwell – Away
Gretna – Away
Rangers – Away
Motherwell – Home
Still to be scheduled:
Rangers – Home
RANGERS
Hibernian – Away
Celtic – Home
Dundee United – Away
Still to be scheduled:
Celtic – Away
St. Mirren – Away
Motherwell – Away
As of today, Celtic have played 14 home and 14 away while Rangers have played 15 home and 12 away.
After the official day of the split, when the other games will need to be scheduled, Celtic will have played 16 home and 17 away. Rangers will have completed 17 home and 16 away. This means that the post-split games will see Celtic play 3 home games and 2 away. Rangers will play 2 home and 3 away, ensuring that both clubs end up with a total of 19 home and 19 away.
All of which means that:
a) Celtic’s last 7 SPL games of this season will be 5 home games and 2 away games, ie the 2 home games against Motherwell and Rangers followed by the 3 home and 2 away games after the split.
b) Rangers’ final 9 SPL games will be made up of no fewer than 7 away games and 2 home games. The 7 away games being the last 4 pre-split games plus 3 away post-split games.
I know a lot of us complained about having only 1 solitary home SPL game in the whole of March, but if we can stay in touch with Rangers over the next couple of weeks, we will definitely have a big home advantage over them in the run-in.
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I've been accused of negativity more than once by others on CQN and so have deliberately kept away from the blog since Wednesday night in order to mull things over. I will also post first and catch up later so have no idea what the general feeling on CQN is, assuming there is one.
Firstly it would be a little harsh to be too critical of a side who have dropped points in an SPL match for the first time in a couple of months. There has been a good response from the team since December, but unfortunately Rangers have matched it.
Secondly the destiny of the title remains in our own hands. Indeed two wins and a draw in the three remaining Rangers matches would still put us level on points, assuming results against other clubs match up, but would mean a minimum goal difference swing in our favour of four (two one goal victories). Seven points from the three Rangers games probably remain enough.
Thirdly the damage was done earlier in the season in my opinion. The underestimation of our rivals and the underinvestment in our team last summer were shocking errors of judgement which do not require any benefit of hindsight. The results in December, and the home draw with St Mirren and the defeat to Inverness after leading 2-0 in particular, which followed are the reason we find ourselves in this predicament.
I am conceding nothing, but two wins and a draw (nevermind three wins) against Rangers is going to be a very tall order. Why? I won't win a popularity vote for what I'm about to say, but from what I've seen this season Rangers are playing more effective (ie better) football than us and deserve their virtual six point lead. They may not be pretty, but they are more consistent, resilient and organised and have a formation that works. Central midfield is our main problem, but I think the problem is with formation rather than individual players. Aiden and Naka are superb talents, but playing both is a real luxury as when we don't have the ball they stay wide and we get outnumbered in the middle. The problem is exacerbated by a back line who sit relatively deep. There is a big space and we have very few bodies there.
I have believed for several weeks that if the four point gap was to change before our match against Rangers, it would need to narrow rather than widen if we were to maintain a good chance of keeping our title.
What about our manager. I have said very little on CQN about Gordon Strachan mostly, if I'm being honest, because I simply can't make my mind up. Let me say immediately he is not a poor coach. The question in my mind is whether he is good or merely average, and in particular has he got the beating of Walter Smith? I'm not sure. I was ambivalent about his appointment and absolve him of the vast majority of the blame for Artmedia, a tie we should never even have been playing. Successive Champions League last sixteens are unquestionably the feathers in his cap. There has also been considerable domestic success. I have always maintained, however, that winning the league when there is no realistic competition should count for little. Rangers were always going to improve at some point, and the minute they did we started to struggle. In Europe I do not believe our performances have improved. Gordon Strachan, in my opinion, has simply had the good fortune which his predecessor lacked. Indeed I would maintain our best six group stage matches was 2003-04. I am proud of the way we competed against Milan last year, but cannot recall seeing Celtic so comprehensively outclassed as they were over 180 minutes against Barcelona this year, a side who are not the best in their own league and their league is not the best in Europe. There is no discernable sense of progress. He inherited a mess and did outstandingly well to turn things around quickly, but we have not moved on since about October or November of his first season in charge. I have no idea what type of side he is trying to mould. I am sometimes not 100% convinced he does either. I like the guy and the way he treats our cretinous sports media in particular, but there is a stubborness and inflexibility about formation and team selection which I think lets him down. There is never a plan B.
Five titles out of eight, three out of the last six, assuming the worst, will be very depressing returns from a period of supposed domination.
bryce
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Bryce,if i was trying to articulate my exact feelings about GS,i could not have put it any better than your post.
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Bryce Bryce Bryce...
I have just... in the last 40mins wrote my longest eva eva eva post in reply to your composed positve post...
I agreed with you i even think i made sense and a couple o good points myself...
''and yoo guessed it my long...composed...agreeable...witty...contrived...supportive...positive...speltrightli...longest eva... post...is somewhere...between...downunder...and whereeva...yoo are''...
nothappiblogger...nhotCSC
It's also 41C outside and 35C inside...
wheresthegreetinroom?CSC...
o1bhoy
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Bryce- well said. That is the most worrying thing about this season- it provides further evidence that the team is not progressing, and indeed may be going backwards. The manager's role in this is that the areas where he has some control- player purchases, team selection, tactics, are exacerbating the decline.
The role of the supporter in changing it round is important, but limited. It's like being a passenger on a plane. Yiu may be convinced we're going in the wrong direction, and concerned at the amount of smoke coming from the engines, but you have to trust the pilot knows what he's doing. Unfortunately Capt Strachan has told us not to worry; because at the end of the day they'll fish the black box out of the wreckage and that'll tell him where he went wrong.
Anyways -before tomorrow's game- anyone meeting up in the King Flud?
The Teser?
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Paul,
I have to agree with you, especially after the Dundee Und game. It will be interesting to see what team the manager puts out against Motherwell.
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Paul 67
Are you at the wnd up - DONATI!
DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THIS GUY WILL HAVE SOMETHING +VE TO CONRIBUTE IN THE KIND OF GAME YOU AND I KNOW WE CAN EXPECT AT FIR PARK LET A LOAN ibrox IN A COUPLE OF WEEK. PH REQUIRED FOR THESE KIND OF GAMES. HIS PRESENCE BADLY MISSED IN THE (PHYSICAL) CAPITULTION LAST TIME @ ibrox.
BEST FOR ALL CONCERNED IF DONATI GOES BACK TO ITALY AS MOOTED RECENTLY.
VERY SADLY SCOTT BROWN ALSO STARTING TO LOOK NOT UP TO IT.
PERSONNALY BELIVE THAT IT IS REASONABLE TO GIVE PLAYERS 2ND SEASON BEFORE MAKING JUDGEMENTS.
BUT HIS PERFORMANCE ON WED PLUMETTED MY OPINION ANYWAY TO ANOTHER LOW.
AT THE VERY BEST HE HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT
MAYBE DAVID MURRAY WAS CORRECT WITH HIM.
WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY THINK IF KEEGAN WAS AGAIN TO COME IN WITH £8MILL OFFER FOR SB?
ANYWAY AS WGS SAYS OUR VIEWS AND THOUGHTS DON'T MATTER.
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Nacho J Reilly,
The only problem I have with hanging our hats on the benefits of "more home games left to play than the baddies" is that our home performances this season have been less than spectacular. They have been the most disappointing part of our season IMO.
Dropped points to St Mirren, Dundee Utd, Killie, Hearts and Hibs all at home.
vclxi
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new article posted.
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Paul
already a number of different suggestions for the team which would suggest that nobody really knows whats best. I must admit playing away from home in a swimming pool/ sandcastle is unlikely Naka's forte and I would have him only as special team player as per Love St.
I would have Robson on left and McGeady on right with probably Hartley and Donati in middle.
Without doubt leave MacDonald kicking his heels.
At least with all the chat on central midfiled we have not had a bring back Bobo campaign for a few weeks.
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Bryce
I predicted previously and I stand by it.
Both Celtic and Rangers will drop points outwith the 3 fixtures we have yet to play between ourselves.
We blinked first against Dundee united. They will blink shortly, hopefully in the league rather than in the CIS final (Uefa Cup will take care of itself- too many good teams left).
We hit our bad spell with injuries (remember the full back crisis?) and suspensions in December. They are in this period now and their run of wins will end, I'm sure.
As I've always believed, it will depend entirely on how many we drop between now and then. I still believe 2 home wins and a draw at Ibrox will see us champs. Bobo is only helpful if Cousin plays and Wattie won't use him (maybe McCullough will get that gig, though); we mainly need defenders who can play against Darcheville, Novo and Boyd
BTW- I saw on Celtic TV earlier this week, a Celtic side draw 2:2 at home to Airdie in 1969(?) thanks to a soft penalty awarded to us. Imagine the Lions dropping points to the KKK works team?? They should be sacked, shouldn't they?
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Coming on the back of the cup matches the result on Tuesday has us all feeling down. Remember though it`s been 25 out of the last 27 points in the league. :-)
I think Donati is suspended for the game tomorrow. Motherwell away is always hard but not impossible.
Watching Rangers I was taken by how deep they can defend but playing five central defenders certainly helps that. That`s a lot of ball winners. They had a very lenient ref, the jump by McCulloch near the end was a neck breaker!
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I cant understand where you guys think Donati merits a first team place, any midfielder/professional footballer who can pass a 60 yarder straight to someones foot, but cant pass to someone 5 yards from him should be an FBI Sniper - not a footballer!
I like Barry Robson, but he is definately not a central midfielder - never has been - never will be - he played well against Barca but his form all season has been coming from wide positions - dont fiz what isnt broken!
I am a Strachan fan, but i cant see what he was thinking starting Sno, he has improved in recent months but is nowhere near what we need to win a vital game.
It was evident after 30 minutes both Naka and McDonald were having nightmares, so why not straight swaps for Robson and JVoH? And for me Hartley should have started in place of Sno.
And I find it bizarre that no one has found it necessary to point out that Scott Brown has been nothing short of disappointing this season - disappointing with flashes of brilliance! This guy has the ability and now the platform to be the best player in the league, so why does it take Celtic to go at least one up, him to get kicked, or the last 5 minutes of a match where we're gettin beat for him to perform?? its so frustrating and if we had brought in a foreigner for 4.4 million and had performed like Brown everyone would be flying off the handle! I've no doubt Scott Brown has the potential to be one of the greatest signings we have made in recent times, but Broony needs to start living up to the hype surrounding him and realise his potential before we truly gift the league to the huns!
Oh and i cant understand why we would keep big Mick on the pitch when he is injured then play him up front instead of biting the bullet, goin to 3 at the back and bringing on a forward ie Riordan "the most natural finisher at the club" apparently - if so why is he not brought on when we cant buy a goal??
My team selection for Motherwell would be:
Boruc, Naylor, McManus, Caldwell, Hinkel, McGeady, Hartley, Brown, Robson, McDonald, JVoH
In my opinion, O'Dea is very unlucky not to be put in partnership with McManus, I even thought he done a great job at left back in place of Naylor - I think even Naylor noticed this by his performance on Wed, and lets face it, as good as Samaras appears to be comin on off the bench, he hasnt contributed more than 1 goal in his 3 starts - non existent throughout the game - although i do feel he shouldnt have been taken off against Aberdeen, it just wasnt Scotty's night and it would be good to see JVoH partner Sammy up front!
Rant over!
Basically we need to win all remaining 10 games, including 3 against the dark side, so lets get behind the boys and make sure we bring this league trophy back where it belongs....PARADISE!!!
C'Mon the hoops!!
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HI SETTING FREE THE BEARS – YIP YOUR’E DEAD RIGHT SHOULD BE CESAR (AS IN ROMERO). BUT THIS NICKNAME WAS TAKEN.
I CAN UNDERSTAND THE MANAGER PUBLICALLY TRYING TO MAINTAIN WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY FRAGILE CONFIDENCE AT THE MOMENT THROUGHOUT THE TEAM.
I BELIEVE PERSONALLY AND CONTEST THAT THE SUPPORT WHO CONTRIBUTE TO PAYING HIS AND THE PLAYERS EXALTED WAGES EVERY WEEK OPINION DOES MATTER.
HAVE NEVER AUDIBLY CASTIGATED ANY PLAYER IN THE HOOPS PERSONNALY AT ANY MATCH IN MY PUFF. SAVE THESE VIEWS FOR FORUMS LIKE THIS ONE WITH LIKE MINDED PERSONS.
TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT WRT BOO BHOYS HAVIN HATE FIGURES. STILL AGHAST AT THE TREATMENT GIVE TO DIDIER AGATHE NOT THAT LONG AGO WHO WAS ALSO A FAVOURITE TARGET. BHOY WISH WE STILL HAS HIM JUST NOW.
ALMOST GET THE SENSE SITTING THERE EVERY WEEK THAT ELEMENTS ARE WILLING ERROR FROM CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO GIVE THEM A CHANNEL FOR VENTING THERE FEELINGS. EG CALDWELL.
NICE 2 TALK AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR RUN.
HAIL HAIL
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Erm... bit of a problem lads... i think Donati is suspended for tomorrow's game!
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From the Evening Times: "Massimo Donati is already banned for the Motherwell game, the Italian having incurred a one-game suspension when he was booked for the seventh time in the league this season during the game against Hibs two weeks ago."
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tomorrow is a tight bumpy muddy pitch.
I'd go with a midfield of
Hinkel, Robson, Hartley and Mcgeady.
Wilson can play right back.
Samaras and McDonald up front
Naka on the bench for later if needed.
