A lot of work in margins needed before Malmo

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Malmo’s season started well. They were undefeated in their first eight games, recording wins against current league leaders, Gothenburg, and recent champions, Helsingborg, as well as a 2-2 draw at Elfsborg, but form soon slumped.

They’ve only recorded back to back wins in the league once since. Wednesday’s 3-0 over Salzburg is by some measure their best result of the season. Right now, there will be a lot of football fans in Austria wondering how on earth Salzburg are out of the Champions League. There’s a fair chance there’s just as many fans in Sweden wondering how Malmo remain in the competition, but there are clues.

Salzburg lost narrowly to Rapid Vienna days before the capitulation in Sweden, the second reversal in two league games this season. They beat a team from a regional league in the cup (0-7) but that and the 2-0 win over Malmo is the only positives in an early season full of panic.

Preseason friendlies are not to be regarded as an indication of anything, but home win over a weak-looking Southampton was the only friendly in which they avoided defeat in four attempts. At most this indicates their fitness was behind the curve.

The most telling inferences from all of these stats is that the margins between success and failure for Malmo, Salzburg, and Celtic, are tight. We could and should have beaten Maribor a year ago. Dedryck Boyata’s late goal against Qarabag transpired to be all that separated us from them. We are looking fit, and organised, but you and I both know we’ve yet to spark up front. We have a lot of work to do in the margins before the end of the month.

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  1. Gerryfaethebrig on

    TCR 10.44pm

     

     

    I apologise for my moaning, obviously there is a lot of people suffer a lot worse

  2. Tricoloured Ribbon,

     

     

    40,000 in Derry

     

     

    Wait until you see what happens in Dublin next year.

     

     

    Clogher

  3. What is the Stars on

    Tricoloured

     

    Agreed courtois clearly caught him and it seemed deliberate whereas Gordon contact was less obvious, but leaving that aside the red card was for denying a goal scoring opportunity

  4. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    GORDON64 235

     

     

    Howdy,big fella. Have I interrupted a handbags at dawn shootout?

     

     

    Fifa,take a day aff tae enjoy the finer things in life in darn good company and this is what I come back to.

     

     

    Still,I’ve got a few £2 pints to go and a beer fridge so this might be fun.

     

     

    How you keeping,bud?

  5. MXPRO. quad processor..£40.. buy a remite key board..£10. use genesis. for. films. pheoniix for football.

  6. TCR,

     

    Alright mucker,was starting to think my posts were invisible;-)),

     

    was taking a couple of punters to the hospitality,

     

    already been onto my boss about some freebies at Celtic park,

     

    we get quite a few for each game

  7. Dexter says PAY THE LIVING WAGE CELTIC PLC on

    I’ve been impressed with Alex Neil when I’ve listened to him

  8. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Hamiltontim

     

    if Minx definitely fancied Portugal is it Celtic that stops you or the kids you teach ?

     

     

    My answer is a bit of both, I think you love your teaching as much as the hoops or at least a close call

     

     

    Hail Hail

  9. MXPRO. quad processor..£40.. buy a remite key board..£10. use genesis. for. films. pheoniix for football. use youtube for detailed instructions

  10. Andrew Kerins Green and White Army on

    Dexter correct , never gives the opposition credit

     

    Always someone else’s fault

     

    Dreadful refereeing at the Norwich game

  11. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    gerry,

     

    Not at all pal.

     

    I couldn’t give a toss about them.

     

    Utterly shocking though that Derry city centre is a virtual no-go area on a good few days of the year because of these people.

     

    Bear in mind about 75% of Derry is Catholic.

  12. Dexter says PAY THE LIVING WAGE CELTIC PLC on

    With Ciftci out, if LG is I injured, who is competition for striking positions?? Scepovic is there but who else? Has Stokes not played his last game??

  13. Gerryfaethebrig

     

     

    Ye probably a bit of both. I’ve worked in the same area of North Glasgow for about 17 years and you become attached to the area and the families that live there. I’m now teaching weans of children I taught in the past so there’s a real connection.

     

     

    Celtic would still be the biggest obstacle though :-)

  14. Dexter says PAY THE LIVING WAGE CELTIC PLC on

    Wanted Anya at Parkhead. I fear his playing in EPL prices us out.

  15. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    HAMILTONTIM

     

     

    Cool dude. Jealous as.

     

     

    When are you due back in reality?

  16. BMCUW

     

     

    Had to take a few minutes to calm doon. Lol.

     

     

    Thanks for your support, I now know who to trust now. You are in the minority of ONE. Lucky you. Yes indeed, the blog deserted me when I needed them most. Hahahaha. They are welcome. I have farming to attend to in the morning, the wee tup is no very wee now, feck me, he is enormous. Lol.

     

     

    Talk soon my fhriend.

  17. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    voguepunter,

     

    Must be desperately frustrating for you trying to make a living wae these balloons regularly roaming the streets.

  18. Careful With That Tax, Moonbeams on

    Pity we couldn’t watch, German or Spanish highlights on a Saturday night .. Instead of that keech.

     

     

     

    ..

     

     

    They’re all bigger clubs than Celtic, seemingly!

  19. Tri

     

     

    I see that some buses returning from Derry today were stoned as they passed through Dungiven.

     

     

    Weefra

     

     

    What’s up wee fella?

  20. Gerryfaethebrig on

    HT

     

     

    Not sure if you remember but a wee while back I mentioned my young niece working as a teacher in London and couldn’t get a job back up here but went to Lothian council, she has went from a very poor area in London to a special needs school in the Lothian area, in this day and age a teacher is a social worker more than a teacher…….by the way you should have called your good lady’s bluff the only reason she said it, she knew you wouldn’t leave the hoops (& your kids)

     

     

    Hail Hail

  21. TET,

     

    just you stick to your belts and bracelets,

     

    leave the writing to your good lady ;-)))

  22. Dexter says PAY THE LIVING WAGE CELTIC PLC on

    Did Bournemouth do a huddle?? If so, THG must be responsible!

  23. HT

     

     

    You don’t want to know, and probably not that interested. No offence my fhriend. HH

  24. Gerryfaethebrig

     

     

    No I remember you posting about your niece. Special needs is incredibly rewarding but also very challenging. I did it on a voluntary basis before I went back to study.

     

     

    She’d have called my bluff, the Celtic have just as big a hold on her!! :-)

  25. weefrathe, We have all been criticised here from time to time. Mostly when it happens no one jumps in to defend anyone else. The general rule is we are all adults and can defend ourselves.

     

    A lot of people including myself say positive things about you. The cut and thrust of a blog doesn’t suit everybody, but if you do post not everyone will agree with you and you cannot let that get to you. You are a well liked, well respected man, there is nothing at all to get upset about.

  26. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    Boaby M,

     

    Watched the highlights of the Swindon game earlier on Channel 5.

     

    Wee guy Nathan Byrne looked the biz?

  27. HT

     

     

    Excuse my ignorance, I hope you and the beautiful Minx had a wonderful time. HH

  28. Weefra

     

     

    I haven’t read back so I’m not aware what’s been said but what I will say is that many of us think very highly of you but prefer not to get involved in personal spats between other posters on here.

     

     

    Keep the heid up sir. Hail Hail

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