I’ve heard a lot about Patrick Roberts. He’s burdened by enormous expectations, compared to the greats since shortly after his 17th birthday. Manchester City moved 2 starts and 17 substitute appearances into his Fulham career – £12m on the basis of 399 minutes football.
He’s here to force his way into the team between now and the end of the season, and be ready for the European challenges ahead. I think we’re going to enjoy watching this lad.
We saw around 80 minutes of Erik Sviatchenko on Sunday. As I said yesterday, he’s probably our best defender, not that that is taking enormous liberties. In Virgin van Dijk we managed to recruit a dependable defender who wasn’t scared of the ball, and was first to organise those around him. If Erik’s near that standard, he’ll do well.
Ryan Christie (20) is a No. 10. We need a No. 10. He’s 12 years younger than Kris Commons, the only comparable player in the first team squad. Kris has been our MVP for more seasons than anyone else currently on the books, but we’ve been far too dependent on him, which has become acutely evident recently, when he’s out injured.
There’s an argument that we could have done with another No. 10 during our European campaign but it’s far from clear Ryan would have got his chance. We’ll see a good bit of him before the end of the season.
Many of the things I could say about Colin Kazim-Richards I alluded about Carlton Cole when he signed. He’s a physical presence, not easily intimidated, should be an effective foil for Leigh Griffiths.
Colin joins with an actual rap sheet. Online comments yesterday recalled the reaction the day Griffiths signed. At the time I wrote that it’s important for Celtic to affirm positive values in Leigh’s life. The player hasn’t looked back, he’s every inch a positive role model. It’s now important the club and Colin work to ensure a similar result.
Aidan Nesbitt (18) is also a No. 10. He’s the player you’re most likely to hear development and youth coaches talk about. The next stage of his development required him to play against men. Four months in the Premiership playing for Partick will achieve this.
Farewall Nadir Ciftci, who is off to Turkey until the end of the season. I described Nadir as less like a Ronny Deila player than any other I’ve watched and known Celtic to be interested in. He has a touch and is a better player than we’ve seen, but he was built from different material than practically all other Deila signings.
Last month’s business will hopefully mean we have a settled and secure defence for the qualifiers, something missing at the beginning of this season, something missing on Sunday afternoon. The Kazim-Richards signing could go a number of different ways. The player will get his chance to live up to his own expectations.
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WHATISTHESTARS
We blew a seven point lead at this stage in 2009. And I think an even bigger one in 87,but could be wrong.
I still expect us to win every individual match,but my confidence is shot!
Shameless repost from last night
WE ARE WATCHING YOU, McLEAN
——-
BETTING ALERT
Paddy Power offers the following betting (among others) on cards tomorrow night
For those unfamiliar you get 10 pts for yellow card, 25 for straight red, max 35 per player for 2 yellows/red
4/9 Celtic over 10 points,
11/8 Celtic over 20 points
6/5 Celtic more card pts than Aberdeen
6/1 Celtic red card
13/5 penalty awarded either side
7/2 either side to score a pen.
WE ARE WATCHING YOU, McLEAN
kevj..,
sometimes I agree with what you have to say, I can argue with you and you don’t go crying to Paul67, your a bit extreme sometimes IMO your a bigger and better mhan than any lock tugging board sycophant that knows his place.
I also know no one is paying you to come on here and vent your frustrations, the same cant’ be said about those who defend the status quo.
Mr. Pastry
“I just see the signs and I don’t like what I see ”
Here are the recent signs you see (Celtic scores first) :-
1-3
3-1
8-1
4-1
3-0
1-0
2-2
1-2
3-0
1-1 (away in Turkey)
3-1
1-2 (v Ajax)
The recent “signs” you have witnessed was a strong recovery from our Euro hangover, followed by a Ross County blip. And, yes, there may or may not be dropped points tonight but that is always a possibility when you play your nearest league rivals on their pitch.
More dropped points tonight means more rarely spotted mineshafters on here. A win and we won’t hear a peep from them. A draw and they’ll be here to call it a disgrace. Such is the life of an anhedonist miserabilist.
SQUIRE DANAHER
The whole world was watching at Hampden last year. Didnae make a blind bit of difference.
Neither did Celtic’s vociferous complaints about his performance.
Erm,ignore that last bit…
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 8:35 AM
WHATISTHESTARS
We blew a seven point lead at this stage in 2009. And I think an even bigger one in 87,but could be wrong.
I still expect us to win every individual match,but my confidence is shot!
-=====================================================================
Billy Mc Neil,I think.
12 points at the turn of the year?
There are posters being paid for this mince??
Shurely not??
Time for James Forrest to step up to the plate tonight,another disappointing season from him up till now….
Rarely spotted mineshafters have been removed from the WWF ‘At risk’ list due to a recent flurry of activity.
No doubt,if they continue to proliferate in this manner,they will be culled.
Why was the league sponsors ladbrokes putting out tweets that the Celtic manager was about to lose his job ? Will the SPFL respond? If not Celtic certainly should
BMCUW
The only effective cull is a win for Celtic- then they self-cull
MACJAY
To be 100% honest,my memory said 12 points too. But I thought I must,shirley,be wrong. Maybe a 12- point turnaround.
Davie Hay,btw. Going great guns until the board told him,and the players,that contract negotiations were halted till the end of the season.
SFTB
When life gives you lemmings…
SFTB,
I think there are a few on the books at Celtic Park and a few on promises, plus there are many sitting at work getting paid, regardless if its for defending the status quo or just getting paid anyway :)
I know I’m getting paid for my time :)
It’s a monumental chance for some of the Celtic players to redeem themselves tonight.
Was quite surprised to see Celtic are clear favourites,thought the betting would have been closer.Wouldn’t have Johansen anywhere near the team,not even on the bench.
We’ll see what happens.I’ll go for a 2-2 draw.
Unbelievable article from Jackson today. Gist is that Aberdeen discovered the buy-out clause for Tansey at IiCT,and attempted to trigger it. No condemnation of such dirty dealings,no no no…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Midway through yesterday afternoon, hours after it emerged that a deal was in the offing, we received a tip off that all was not running smoothly as McInnes might have hoped. The word seeping out of Inverness was of anger over the way in which Aberdeen had gone about the business of discovering the key contractual details of Tansey’s arrangement. It all sounded slightly covert and implied some sort of inappropriate activity on Aberdeen’s behalf.
Unfortunately, despite repeated attempts to make contact, both with manager John Hughes and chairman Kenny Cameron, no one from Inverness Caley Thistle had the courtesy to so much as respond to our enquiries never mind clear them up.
This appears to be the way of things for a club which used to be so good at winning friends but which now seems determined to alienate each and every one them. For no apparent reason, Inverness Caley Thistle have morphed into the hermit of Scottish football. Often, it feels as if those in charge of making decisions view the outside world through a self-made haze of hostility and suspicion all of which is absurd and unnecessary.
But McInnes can also be a prickly handful when his back is up and as Monday afternoon lapsed into evening, with Tansey still nowhere to be seen, his temper will have been fraying considerably. Tansey’s too for that matter. After all the player was being stopped from at least doubling his weekly wage and joining a team which stands on the shoulder of potential legend.”
Kevjungle
Yup Wee maws fine, thanks for asking, I see your pal who blocks my posts (thank you Jesus) still swinging in my coat tails, …….he really misses me you know, ……….anyway him and his pals make Level 5 PR look like amateurs When it comes to all things negative with Celtic, and of course yourself. :)
Wee football question:
If Deila reverted to, lets say 4-4-2 and wherever possible (he’s been really unluckywith injuries) played his best 11, putting aside grievances etc. How do you think we’d be fairing: better, worse or the same ?
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on 3rd February 2016 8:39 am
________________________________________________________________________
Sorry for delay mate….had to take phone-call
Keep the Green Flag flying high.
Ach,….it’s no the same anymore without the Jungle roof with awe Mr Stein’s league flags on the top.
Sack the forelock tuggers – CSC
HH
Tonydonnelly67 on 3rd February 2016 8:59 am
________________________________________________
There must always be balance….not hostility but, balance, all inclusive balance…C’mon the Trust :)
HH
Bent refs. Are busy on all fronts these days.
http://videocelts.com/2016/02/blogs/latest-news/raiths-ref-fury-over-disallowed-goal
BCW,
I don’t believe the formation makes any difference, playing with too many sparrorhearted players is our problem, I do not think its a coincidence that the return of Bitton has seen our performances drop.
For me drop Bitton and Johansen and its problem solved.
Tonydonnelly67
________________
Yer wee Mammy knows that, nobody will care for her the way that you do.
That’s the Celticness in you….shining through.
Btw, did ye hear that. one of the top bhoys in the ‘Trust’ has put a bid in for the Brazen ?
HH
Kevijungle
I posted, then you posted to me, and then your dummy posted, how’d yi do that?
My post wasent at anyone, and he got personal with me me, called me a fascist, …..The Castlemilk fascist, a suppose it’s better than baby eater :))
Kevjungle
The CT running The Brazen? Hahahahahahaha, I wonder who will be first to get barred? :))
Tonydonnelly67
_________________
Ha ya eeejit :)))
Btw, am only kidding about yon yin fae the ‘Trust’ putting a bid in for the Brazen :)
Thought a better tell ye in case ye drive awe yer tanks up ma front lawn :)
Hail Hail….n….keep the heid.
Have to leave……guid luck to all Celts tonight.
…..off oot……
Bmcuw
Has that article not been aw_nawed ?
I like Erik
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3429458/It-s-not-Wayne-Rooney-m-clued-Aberdeen-hitman-Adam-says-Celtic-new-boy-Erik-Sviatchenko.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
My friends in Celtic,
Although most of us had a broad view of Celtic’s finances, it is sobering to read Auldheid’s link @ 11.24 last night. It is a overview of Celtic’ finances over the last 10 years or so and gives a comparison in a way that reading individual balance sheets do not.
Our situation in 2016 playing in Scotland can not be remotely compared to the MON years. The economic realities cannot be ignored or contrasted with what has happened in the past.,to do so is ludicrous. I urge you all to read the figures and dispute this. No amount of rambling on here can or will change it.
If I had to summarise, we have some harsh realities to contemplate.:-
No manager will get the money to spend that MON got.
PL’ s remuneration is too great.
To speculate to accumulate is a gamble too far for our future fiscal viability.
We must develope and actually play our youth.
Scotland has virtually no appeal to outsiders from a footballing perspective.
We did lose money, exposure , attractiness and branding from the demise of our once city rivals.
Smaller clubs in our neighbouring country that were on a par, or below us in 2007 now economically dwarf us.
The gap will only get bigger.
If we are to continue playing in Scotland, we must have all our biggest teams competing.
The only sure way we can boost revenue is to turn our armchair supporters into real ones. Fill our ground.
To maximise our Potential we must play in a different environment.
We as supporters must understand our position, take heads out the sand in some cases.
Yes Celtic supporters still have some control over our destiny, but the only way we can meaningfully influence that is to pack out Parkhead for every home league game. Physically support our club or face the inevitable consequences.
I urge you all again, read the link.
Hail, Hail and COYBIG.
Greenpinata on 3rd February 2016 9:32 am
Or ensure armchair supporters are able to access our own PayTV. I’d happily pay to watch our away games if the money was going more directly to Celtic.
Who was looking for a spare for tonight
Someone tweeted that they have a spare
Bloke 109 who used to post on here re tweeted it
‘Scotland has virtually no appeal to outsiders from a footballing perspective’
– and not much more for the ole Insiders, either.
DBBIA/TomPettyCSC
A lovely spring like morning here in Central Scotland.Someone posted yesterday that Celtic had a first team squad of 40 players now if that is correct it is ridiculous as it means we have nearly enough players to play four different first teams . Now that is just like burning money and shows very poor management indeed better if we had a squad of say 28 players of a better quality than the current ones and that would be entirely possible mind you if the plan is to play them all at the same time say at Aberdeen tonight I could understand why we have so many and I would take Celtic for a narrow win. H.H.
Maidin mhaith daoibh.
Árd Macha
Potentially this could be Aberdeens last throw of the dice tonight. Hopefully they fail and the Hoops go on to a convincing win.
I dont think the league’s over if we win the night but we’ll be in a good position for the remaining games.
We need a display from all the 1st team picks tonight and plenty fight for the full 90 min’s.
Good luck to all the Hoops heading up to sheep-land and bring us home a result.
HH
WEEMINGER on 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 9:41 AM
Greenpinata on 3rd February 2016 9:32 am
Or ensure armchair supporters are able to access our own PayTV. I’d happily pay to watch our away games if the money was going more directly to Celtic.
_________________
Nice idea but the other clubs and the SPFL would oppose it
It would be undercutting the TV deal we all share.
BLANTYRETIM
Believe it or not,no.
Mailed it to you.