After a competitive first half Celtic stepped up a gear in the second to swamp Kilmarnock. The back four, aided by the protection of Ismaila Soro, contributed to our first clean sheet in nine outings. David Turnbull picked up where he left off on Thursday with another assist from a corner kick, this time converted by the renewed Shane Duffy.
Celtic’s run of form extends to only two games but if any innocuous effort encapsulated it more it was the run Patryk Klimala made deep into his own half to pick up a throw-in that ultimately led to the second goal. The movement of Turnbull, Soro and Klimala (when he replaced Odsonne Edouard) has transformed Celtic into a team easy to play against into a solid operation that looks confident.
I never expected our play to right itself by moving Kristofer Ajer to right back and adding Soro and Turnbull to the midfield. After St Johnstone, I didn’t expect Neil Lennon to find a workable formula so quickly, I doubt he did either.
After demonstrations against Neil, the players and the running of the club (which I assumed was a metaphor for not sacking Neil), the appetite to demonstrate against Neil and the players has dissipated, although I am unsure if the lack of a sacking still counts as a demonstrate-able event.
I did not back Neil Lennon to get the job in 2010 or in 2019 and as recently as a week ago, I didn’t think he had a hope of getting a decent 90 minutes out of this squad. It would have been easier to have a bloodletting than for the board to tell us their man has the best chance of turning things around.
I still don’t think we will win the league this season, but it would be a Celtic fans with a heart of stone, or at least a tendancy to overreaction, who would campaign to tear our infrastructure asunder right now. Get results for the next three weeks and see what happens next.
Our Annual General Meeting was held by videoconference this afternoon. The highlight, not for the first time, was Celtic FC Foundation’s chief exec, Tony Hamilton, who explained that the Christmas Appeal in 2019 was our best ever and that our Football for Good campaing this year now topped the £1m mark.
Peter Lawwell gave a robust defence of strategy. The year between summer 2019 and summer 2020 saw the largest spend in the club’s history, £35m across the transfer windows. He affirmed his manager’s credentials and made it clear the board remain committed to the title fight this season. It is difficult to do rallying calls by recorded AGM videolink, but this was as close as we are likely to see.
Some of us have juices flowing at the prospect of a fourth consecutive treble. We won the fourth treble in our history in 2017. Yes, this clearly is pitchfork time.
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Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 15th December 2020 12:33 am
Aipple
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Say my name.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 15th December 2020 12:33 am
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Its shocking.
AIPPLE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 12:23 AM
Excellent stuff.
Electoral college awards 305 votes to Biden
Barr gone.
DeSantis saying one vaccination will be enough.
GOP electors turning up in Lansing Michigan capital building demanding to be let in knowing that they’re not an elector since Biden won.
But Barr’s replacement Rosen will be under pressure to do what Barr wouldn’t.
Not over yet…
I remember Aldo from the old days on CQN
So sorry to hear of hos current illness- lots of people here will be hoping and praying for you.
Cornelius on 15th December 2020 1:10 am
I hear you.
Electoral College news tonight is great but also a little crazy we have to celebrate it weeks after the election.
Sigh of relief.
That said, the notifications I got tonight on my phone made me smile repeatedly, maybe even popped a beer, ssshhh! Monday is beer free night!
Then Barr!! Think I may have eluded to him doing that on here in a wee attempt to save face a week ago then I got to wondering………. Rosen………what can he do? Is another fix in?
Too late.
Is watching the rat try and climb out of the barrel of water he helped fill fun? No. But a smile still lingers.
Not over yet, no. But I think the “sink” is favorite against the “swim” on their side.
Then again you are right, it isn’t over yet. More folks being killed in death row, land rights being stolen etc but the days remaining are becoming fewer.
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SFTB on 15th December 2020 1:17 am
I remember Aldo from the old days on CQN
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Agreed, yes.
HH!
Nottingham Forest v Brentford
Ivan Toney ex Peterborough has a great volley on the full on 57 secs & scores the decisive goal for Brentford in the 2nd half.
He wont stay at Brentford long…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4CnV8kMxjQ
Official SPFL highlights from Sunday.
In case you haven’t seen them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoTAFnVcLRM
Ismaila Wafougossani Soro is the future
He is1.73 m tall. Size is not everything!
Good morning cqn from a dry, dark but cold Garngad
What a read back. This place amazes me at times🙏
Aldo god bless I will say a wee prayer, keep fighting buddy.
Hamiltontim – Your post to DanDan, that is such a lovely post sir. 👍
Hail Hail
D :)
Big Jimmy – I hope you are feeling better.
Soro must start on Sunday, let’s get the game won early and bring Broonie on to lift the cup.
Broonie will also be lifting the League trophy anyway this season.
We are on the road again, positive mental energy ghuys COYBIG
D :)
Keep fighting god bless Aldo
HOT SMOKED…
A Belated Happy Birthday mate, I have been Offline since yesterday….I hope that you got as drunk as you wanted to ?
LOL
……………………………………
MELBOURNE MICK…
Cheers MICK and PADDY also. I am still a bit unwell, I am just hoping that I dont end up in hospital at this time…or any time ? LOL.
………………….
By Best Wishes to you ALDO….I hope things improve asap .
HH Bhoys.
DAVID66…
Cheers Mate. I just have a Bad Stomach upset…but given my health history from the last Year or so, I hope that I am NOT losing blood again.
Ive already had 14/15 blood Transfusions since a year ago.
Its a BEER TRANSFUSION that I really need !
Anything between 12/18 Pints should do the trick ?
LOL.
HH and stay safe.
One of our biggest problems in the last couple of years has been complacency….from board level right down to some of the fans. I can’t believe I’m still reading that Sevco have been “lucky” at home and in Europe.
Did they have an easier group? Probably but that argument would hold more water had we come close and not been thumped 8-2 overall by S.Prague.
Their record in the league as it stands so far is comparable to our invincible season. They’ve reached the knock-out stage in Europe two successive seasons after losing to Neiderkorn. The fact that most on here are calling Royal Antwerp a “given” speaks volumes. Does anybody on here think it’d be a “given” if we played Antwerp?
Look, I’m not saying Sevco are a top team but they’re a decent Europa League level side and are currently looking hot domestically.
We need to realise we have a real challenge. Calling every opponent they play “pish” and calling every result they have “lucky” is the kind of complacency that has let them back in.
I really hope this isn’t the attitude at board level because if it is, it would answer a lot of questions.
The only fact that the Board will understand is when it affects the bottom line. Everything else is just noise.
HH
Crossword:
`Head off with girl` (4)
H – o –
Seems so simple but I can`t see it !!
HOT SMOKED on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 8:43 AM
Hoot .When is next one.
No wonder I couldn`t see it…..I was looking at the wrong clue !!
`Hoo`t, appropriately, was the answer to that one.
The `head off` one is:
– – – l –
No apostrophe required and FU gets the correct answer to the wrong clue !!!!!
The `Hoot` one was :
`Call for good time` .
Maybe I should do the Crosswords after I have cycled :-)
I think the `Sevco are really good and Celtic are really bad` opinions are both exaggerated.
If we were playing in a country that wasn`s so anti-Celtic, I would feel our chances of the title would be reasonable.
Sally
Stay strong Aldo
Thoughts and Prayers
Aipple
Powerful post Sir – thank you. Can only hope and pray that Joe Biden somehow manages to get the USA back onto some form of even keel.
🙏🙏
HH
Celtic play the cup final on the 20th – then league fixtures on 23rd, 26th and 30th and 2nd Jan – We will need to change playing staff to deal with those fixtures and that includes the cup final
For me the priority is the league and if we win the cup with loyalty players so be it.
Keep the same shape with brown or soro deep protecting the back line – Christie or Turnbull linking back to front.
Bognorbhoy
Good man ! I can cycle with a clear mind now :-)
Cheerio .
Aipple
Good post and it makes perfect sense to me, but what about the 74 million Americans that voted for Trump ?
AGM?! More like PGO – Peter’s Generic Obfuscation
HOT SMOKED on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 8:55 AM
I think the `Sevco are really good and Celtic are really bad` opinions are both exaggerated.
————————————————————————————————————
Possibly but I don’t think people are saying Sevco are “really good”.
My point is that some on here still go along with the line that Sevco are just lucky, everyone they play is pish etc etc.
If we as a club accept that we have a decent challenge now from a more than competent rival, I think we’d be better prepared to face that challenge.
I want us to win the 10 – not watch them win the title and read through a bunch of excuses.
We win all our games this season, we win the league.
Oh and Merry Xmas, eff the Huns…..
HH
BIG WAVY on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 10:12 AM
True. In it’s in our hands, as they say.
The next time we face them, we’ll have the unusual scenario of probably being the underdog. How will Sevco react to that pressure?
Get Soro tearing into their midfield, get Eddie some help up top, come away with three points and the race is back on.
Geebee1978,
I’d love to see that. Protecting our back line is a job for a mobile midfield like last Sunday where we gave up no shots on target.
That means we shouldn’t be shoehorning in Scott Brown, releasing the shackles from Callum, playing Turnbull, Christie and redemption for even my man Olivier. Run them ragged and give Eddie a buddy up front.
Can you imagine what a win in that game woul do to the psychology of both clubs.
Hell yeah csc
BIG WAVY on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 10:22 AM
That’s a good point about psychology. Somebody mentioned on here that their Sevco-supporting mates are still nervous. If there’s a close race, I still believe a squad that’s been there and done it will have a better chance than a nerve-shredded squad where the pressure is ramped up.
What we can’t do is give them a lead of around 10 points (on level games) which gives them breathing space and a margin for error.
If they do win it, let’s make them fight for it – put the pressure on and see how they handle it.
Geebee …
Sevco are a momentum club.
They’ve had no bumps this season.
Not even a small one.
Many of their individual opponents have had bumps.
Many of these bumps have occurred just before or during their matches against Sevco.
Those bumps have been amplified to death by SMSM – further energising Sevco.
Now, they may not have any bumps at all this season – it’s possible.
If they do, and I think they will, we just have to be ready.
If we can create a bump for them on 02 January – even better.
More opportunities to put pressure will emerge in the new year.
But we have to take care of business in December first. Will be tough.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
GEEBEE1978 on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 10:55 AM
BIG WAVY on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 10:22 AM
‘Somebody mentioned on here that their Sevco-supporting mates are still nervous. ‘
###
Their what?
why oh why did we not buy the peterbourgh striker and purchase the West Ham cast off instead, huge mistake.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL @ 11.13am
Nope. Not having that. Sparta’s COVID-ridden squad pumping us at home put paid to that ‘woe is us’ narrative that I see Neil is still peddling.
Sevco are a competent side who exploit analysis of their team and opposition, manage their ‘aging’ stars better, bought competently to align with their style as a team, focus on a system rigorously and stick to it, have an identity, became less reliant on Morelos as a goalscorer, etc etc. They have been doing this whilst we fell asleep, expecting the luck of last year’s post-January malaise to kick in for them.
Let’s focus on us. I think it’s too late personally (and the narrative from Lawell and Lennon suggest this) but hope to be proved wrong.
HH
KEVJUNGLE on 15TH DECEMBER 2020 11:18 AM
I don’t think Low’s involvement with the Trust is motivated by self interest, except in so far as wanting the best for Celtic is self interest.
Whatever his pin stripe suit wearing , wheeler dealer persona he is a dyed in the wool Celtic fan.
I wouldn’t disagree with you about season books, but it’s probably not helpful to be too judgemental. People see things differently and hypocrisy is what oils the wheels of most human interaction.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL 11:13
I agree with that summary. It won’t be easy, it will be challenging, but, I believe we can still win this league. Realistic in that it’s a big ask.