AEK Athens have played only four friendly fixtures since losing the Greek Cup Final on 12 May. They failed to score in three of those games, beating Galatasaray 3-2 at home in the more recent game. The fixtures have been spread out: with 6 days, 8 days and 10 days between them. There will be a gap of 8 days between the Galatasaray game and their visit to Celtic Park tomorrow, so there has been no intensity to their efforts.
AEK needed to prepare an entire squad, not just a starting 11, during these games. This is not appropriate preparation for one of the most important ties of the season. It feels like an inexplicable oversight, I would be livid if this was Celtic’s preparation for this tie. Such complacency deserves to be punished.
By contrast, Celtic have played five competitive games and five friendlies since our 12 May Cup Final. The fitness strategy contrast between our squad and AEK’s is stark. As a consequence, we have to make tomorrow’s game a multi-ball, unrelenting, occasion.
Even if the game is tight at 80 minutes, how we finish the match could have a significant bearing on who progresses. This is when you would expect AEK’s lack of fitness to be most telling. Players lose concentration and coordination when tired. This is when we should look to push the tie over the edge.
473 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- »
Bring on the Greeks.
Looking forward to a cracking atmosphere in paradise tomorrow
If J McG wants his boyhood heroes he knows where we are and what needs to be done
HH
D. :)
so John Terry ….just noticed he has the same birthday as my good self …..
smiley it is in the stars in the stars thing
Braw
So we have knocked back £12m, a mill more than thems knocked back for El buffalo, tops again.
Embra mike agreed with your comments yesterday on the Champions of what league ?
Just wondering if big Victor would be available on loan, not getting regular first team game in EPL ???
Over on FF they reckon its Lawwell pulling strings in the media to get them to make up stories about 9 and 12 million for Boyatta as he is a dud and it would actually strengthen us if he left for free.
Also Rodgers is feeling the pressure,he knows Stevie Gee express train is coming. Failure to make group stages will see our house of cards come tumbling down. King was right.
All told quite similar to some of the more astute analysis posted on here
see our captain will be the first Scottish player with 100 european ties under his belt ….
when he starts tomorrow…
smiley touch wood thing
hail hail Broonie
Braw
MAHE THE MADMAN. good to see you posting any thoughts on the mood of the blog tonight.hh.
Trust Brendan he has earned it .
Hi Bhoys
UEFA:s stupidy strikes again. You can stab people 400 yards from the main door of your stadium and it’s not their business but you cannot let off a firework.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45104214
KEEP THE FAITH
Did I read right?
Did someone really suggest we pay Hibs whatever they want for McGinn (even if it’s higher than our valuation) cause, at least, it will strengthen other spfl sides against Sevco?
Give me strength!!
Cant remember the last time I was” whelmed” at the transfer window , so if i’m underwhelmed again with the same end of season success ….bring it on :))
can’t see us keeping a clean sheet tomorrow , hoping for a win , fingers crossed ,
DAVID66 hi pal, your right if he wants to come he will come. hope you and cheeko are okay.hh.
Neganon, as always, with respect, you apply your usual logic and come up with a negative regardless of in spite of the evidence.
We must spend, we have to spend
We could spend, we should spend.
We can spend, we will spend.
Different things.
I mean, having a capacity to spend does not mean we have the means to spend on the quality we want/require. w have £60m in the bank, well thats a jump since the last accounts!
We do have money in the bank, this is known, to clubs we intend to buy from, does that affect prices?
It may.
The EPL madness is in full flow, does that affect the market?
Of course it does.
Will the market be different(I didn’t say better quality) on the 10th of August?
I think so.
Does that mean we will have opportunity thereafter, hope so.
Its a market, by nature unpredictable, who wants what, who wants to sell what, and then of the sold, where do they(the sold(vile in itself)) want to end up.
It’s a conundrum mhate.
One I think we actually play rather well.
PS, BR gave some signs he would like signings in, not that he is unhappy with PL, or the Board, not the he is ready to walk away(Copyright Huns). As any manager he is impatient, although I think he is more pragmatic that most. Here for a few more I think.
Anyhoos, only came in to say hello.
Who would win
1. The masonic £49 old firm PLC board ?
Or,….
2. The 53,000 £49 old firm happy clapping scooby-do! pyjama bedecked Celtic supporter base of 2018, with their big flashy motors ?
Asking for a friend.
Thanks.
HH
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
ALBION ROVERS…0
CELTIC…8
(Ewan Henderson 12, Aitchison 23, 28, McInroy 31, Caffrey 67, Savoury 75, Deas 79, Hendry 82)
——-
Heard the lad Savoury was very tasty.
WiTS, to be honest, I’m pure bricking it.
So a um!
DAVID17 on 7TH AUGUST 2018 8:52 PM
BIGBHOY on 7TH AUGUST 2018 8:25 PM
Ultimate power lies with the player, if he wants to move to Celtic that’s what will happen. It doesn’t matter what Hibs do.
*Just like Joe McGoals did 53 year ago when there was NO player power.
Around 40 year ago I was hame for the festive season, I was walking through Alexandria Town Centre when i bumped into a fitba player I knew who was coming tae the end of his professional career.
He had been offered a position with a club complete with job out in Oz and was heading up there and then to ask for his release from his current team.
At that time he wisnae getting his game and his replacement would go on to legendary status with them. As it was he got his free transfer and the family flew out, still there BTW.
He did say he liked the way sports organisations in North America operated where the players had the ability tae control their own career and it was going tae come tae fitba eventually.
It did but it took almost 20 years for it to happen.
£49 7iar
£64 8iar
£81 9iar
£100 10iar
Ya bunch of squares
European fitba Scottish fitba
Apples and pollyannas
Boom
https://twitter.com/Chris67_/status/1026917987964596224
Congrats to my older two kids on a fine set up exam results today in their fifth and sixth year respectively.
Caityrollercoaster is Dundee bound in September for a degree course in Medicine, whilst Deccyrollercoaster moves onto sixth year before making his career choice
We are immensely proud of them both
HH
CRC
up = of
hello Doc ….get to the back of the bricking it Q …
smiley tell the receptionist everything ye ken thing
Braw
So Petrie Is undermining his manager and reducing his team’s European ambition in order to be seen to get one over on PL. And for less money than Celtic have offered.
This is the guy who’s next in line for the top job in Scottish football!
Remember when Lawwell and Desmond conspired to make sure Rangers won the league back around 2010/11 because they needed the champions league money to stay afloat and keep the Old Firm going.
Well those evil cads are at it again trying to pull the rug from under Brendan Rodgers.
Bet they’re sorry they ever gave him the job. Of course that was just a squirrel.
Actually wouldn’t be surprised if Desmond is paying Gerrards salary ( probably giving him transfer funds also)
Well done BGFC fantastic results and we’ll done the parents.
Delaneys,,some pics that might give a hint of the smoke. Seen some wild turkeys and one of the biggest moths ever
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wiR2kf-ZuMhrk_y39_rkBw2forUyYnPWkHPDPhOVeEY/edit?usp=drivesdk
Marspapa
Glad you made that prediction that we will lose a goal. You have a lucky streak of being wrong and Celtic prevail. Mind you, you are a nervous realist concerning Celtic. I am the eternal optimist. Both conditions are healthy. ;)))
Go on the CRC’s. well done to Deccy at Caityrollercoaster
Celticrollercoaster my youngest daughter got 7 A’s today in her nat 5s. Very pleased. Doc where did I say spend spend spend.
Celtic have made one signing which is more than offset by sales.
Is that good enough?
CRC….awfy braw congrats to the weans Caity and Deccy…
Dundee is a braw toon ….and Lochee CSC is a fine fine CSC…
smiley Dundee is also a YES city thing
Braw
If you have a 2 at the end of your name on here do you need to be a moaning greetin
doomsday merchant with impeccable hindsight ?
I want to break ranks and be a happy clapper
: > (
Just to be clear
Celtic have signed 2 players so far this year ( plus a couple of youths)
Odsonne & Lewis
Ok, there are two different scenarios at play here, a while back Pedro told us that we would use the Jan window to strengthen for the CL qualifiers and that we would exit each window stronger than we entered it.
These are facts, he said these things and since he said them he hasn’t unsaid them.
As yet the window is still open so there is no point in bleating about are we stronger cos someone will quite rightly say the window is still open, only going by past deals I for one won’t be holding my breath, I may be surprised yet, here’s hoping.
Me thinks he told a porkie re the Jan window, since those words were uttered I honestly can’t think of one window we have done so.
There is a case for the last window when we brought in the Compper fella, someone needs their gonads toed for that, a total disaster, but as ever we didn’t exit the window stronger than we entered it given the disaster that is Compper.
You either believe what he told us or you don’t, the evidence is staring us in the face, now be truthful to yourself.
CRC
Congrats to your kids. Well done
BGFC
Congrats to the wee man also. He is obviously too clever to be posting on here
Oooops need to add Scott Bain to the signings ?
Exiled
I believe Peter
Neganon, where did I?
What is good enough?
What is acceptable?
But, for me, more importantly, what is achievable?
Very few know the answer to that one, it’s a small market, with more variables than most, importantly the actual commodity has a say in where it is sold!
My point, again, is we are not in a position to control this market, we can hardly even influence it!
It’s easy to sling arrows than to support sometimes.
As always, resting your opinion, however wrong you are:-)
WhowillselltouswhowillsignforuswhoisgoodenoughCSC
And onward we travel.
THE EXILED TIM
There ye have the whole transfer conundrum, Marvellous Marvin was welcomed with open arms on here, me included, just we needed we thought, an older head to bring on our young bhoys and on paper he looked a very decent signing.
Who could have possibly predicted it would go so far South??? No one I reckon.
Charly M also hailed on here as an astute answer to Paddy Bhoy returning to City and where did he end up again on paper looked the buisness.
Just always looking round for someone to blame doesn’t change the fact that sometimes shit goes bad..
HH mi Amigo
CRC
A coupla kids to be very proud of. Good job Mr and Mrs CRC. Magic