August is a perilous time for predictions. Teams are still working on fitness, new arrivals are often learning the language, and until the window closes, players can still come and go, affecting the performance of anyone competing for the title.
That’s easy for us to say, though. Across the city, all they can see is the unstoppable Celtic machine grinding all before it on the way to four-in-a-row. I doubt our optimism, or Newco’s pessimism are a full reflection on the reality of where we are.
Celtic are by far the stronger side right now, but we have to prepare for a guaranteed eight Champions League games. Only three times in our history have we played as many games in a European competition proper. Do you think we have the bandwidth to cope with that load?
We have two strikers, one left back and the manager seems to trust only two central defenders. A lot could change between now and the turn of the year.
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!!Bada Bing!! on 20th August 2024 5:48 pm
SS- So that was good?
it was what i expected.
i expect similar this season.
we could spend all the 100m on players and still not make the last 16.
that is the levels.
po1, pick 2, who could we beat at home? we will get a doing away.
Man City
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
PSG
Liverpool
Inter
Borussia Dortmund
RB Leipzig
Barcelona
maybe get a point from leipzig.
Stebhoy,
Sorry,but you talk some bollox.Tell me when any team has” Targeted GT.C,mon.Sick of hearing this shit from you.GT,has lost the same amount of goals,as our defence.RB,CH,CH,LB,all together.Not many.This is a myth concocted by some fans,and I hate to say this,with darker motives.Maybe not Timmy enough.On the other side,Tony is feted when he has a good game.GT,on the other hand,not so much.
Have a look at yourself,and get back to me on GTs howlers that have cost us goals,more than anyone else.
pot 2.
who could we beat at home ?
sneak a draw maybe.
Pot 2
Bayer Leverkusen
Atletico Madrid
Juventus
Atalanta
Benfica
Arsenal
Club Brugge
Milan
Transfer Window heating up now
Looks like Matt will become a Seagull
Not sure about Reo – I hope he stays another year – but you never know
Gustaff and Nawrocki will be looking to go and play – who can blame them
That brings us to the hard bit – getting “better” players in
Like most on hear I don’t know much about all the names being linked
But I would bet a £ a couple will arrive we have never heard of
Next 11 days will test the nerves
67ECW
67ECW
It’s sometimes a case of who blinks first
Turkeyboy. We share the same thoughts on GT going forward. I don’t share your thoughts on him defensively. Way too many crosses come into our box from his space. It’s a weakness pure and simple. (Nothing to do with effort or desire)
The letters LB and CB are at the forefront of the majority of Celtic fans looking to improve the current side. Don’t take it personally but we have not replaced KT adequately for European level football. Nor signed adequate partner for ccv at that level.
SS – Talking last season, as you know
South America you say , and another player who has been known to Brendan for quite some time .
TT
I think that both fullbacks can be exposed at the back post from crosses .
TT
Turkeyboy. In terms of other teams targeting our LB. Do you watch the games. Every teams long ball from defenders and/or goalkeepers are aimed at LB. Is it because they think GT is a bad player? No, it’s because they know physically he can’t defend his space (areal and speed). Nothing to do with his effort. I’d like a KT or AJ type on the left side.
Tinytim
All fullbacks get exposed at the far post – it’s not just a Celtic- think it happened last night by spurs
The goal we lost to Hibs- the only SPFL goal we have lost this season was a failure to win an aerial ball by the right side of our defence. Greg Taylor could not prevent that ball from coming in from the LB position because it was a free kick and you’re not allowed to block them.
Ten Men Won the League
At no time have I said we would not be needing to strengthen, if we can, in order to compete and make the most of the great opportunities the new European CL structure offers us. It would be a huge help IF we can get the right players in to do that.
The issue, as demonstrated by our domestic rival who have spent a lot trying to catch us, is that not many really good players better than we have are keen to come and play in a league with no credibility or competition and with limited global exposure.
BR is finding that out with the level of player being put in front of him and as he himself said again on Friday it is not easy to ensure players who come here all have the right mentality even if they do cost a lot. A league where a single defeat is a disaster is not for everyone.
The easy option is to blame blame some ‘board’ or the like now there is no longer a Peter Lawwell blame figure to hurl abuse at. The reality is no one benefits from not spending but no one wants to waste money either. We have done plenty of that.
That is why for me having a squad of players who are experienced at winning in Scotland and have some experience of the champions League is a great start point. We have that with our squad. They are improving as such.
For me bringing in and assessing 2 strong loan players with options as we did with Jota and Ccv and Bernardo and wish we had with Idah might make most sense and fit our model. Especially if Matt goes. That way we know they are more likely to succeed before we sign.
I am sure we will sign cover for Greg T at LB and probably 1 more midfield and centre back but it maybe loans at 11th hour.
Your assertion that our team is weaker this season totally defies logic though. It patently is not weaker. Regardless of your attempts to obfuscate and conflate you have not provided a single shred of evidence to support that false statement.
Stebhoy
Just because team try that tactic does not mean it is effective. I have not seen a single stat which suggests it has been.
Stebhoy
Likewise I see stats which repeatedly show me that Taylor heat maps suggesting he is covering as much ground and creating as many chances as an extra midfield player.
But he does not have a fancy foreign name and hence is not rated.
I venture to suggest had Clark picked him for the Hungary game instead of whoever subbed for robertosn we might well have succeeded. He is used to breaking down defensive set ups like theirs that night.
SFTB
You could argue that all goals are created by some error, personally I thought hibs goal was well taken.
I only take umbrage on the stupid unnecessary foul given by CCV in the first place!
Stebhoy
re this –
but we have not replaced KT adequately for European level football.
KT played 12 times in cl group for celtic.
he was on the losing side 8 times.
drew 3.
a single win, that 3-0 against anderlecht.
Tiny Tim
I genuinely struggle to answer your question right now as most of the decent worthwhile talent in that position are considering their best options. Not many agents would be advising a one team league in a country with zero pedigree and virtually zero exposure at this time. That’s why Ranjirs have paid good money for so many duds.
Things may / will be different a week from now as the options tighten up for some and the CL draw looms. Sadly at the big table small countries can’t always be getting early picks in the £8m plus space.
B78- not answered your own favourite deflection question
Ok fair enough. I wonder why Rodgers wants a left back and GT contract still not resolved.
£26m rising to £30m with add ons and 10% sell on is Brighton’s bid
If true will be done in next couple of days
Good news BD – that’s a good price. Gutted to see him go but an spfl team can’t turn that type of money down.
Just watched back the 3 goals conceded to Man City in the USA.
The first one was an overload on our LB position- the ball came in from the Man City left to a striker shadowed by Scales- the City player back heeled it and Greg moved in to block the danger player from striking- that guy just dummied it and the extra player from City was free to shoot home despite a great stop form Schmeichel- it looped over him into the net. If there was nay failure there- it was by a midfielder failing to track the extra man coming in from wide right. Greg did his job fine.
The 2nd goal was down Greg’s side – 2 Celtic players – O’Riley & Taylor double teamed the winger but he was able to cut back to player who slid it into the far corner. O’Riley was the (failed) tackler in this move- Greg was in the right position to block the ball into the 6 yard box but it was cut back. Unfortunately Scales too positioned himself behind Taylor to defend the ball into the 6 yard area and then was left trying to reach the City Scorer who was left free- he just failed to do so in time. Now for me to apportion blame here, I’d need to know how Brendan wants this scenario defended. Does he want the nearest player- Taylor to defend that ball coming in on top of the keeper- if so Greg’s not to blame- or does he want the CB to defend that area- in which case Scales is not to blame. O’ Riley, for sure was culpable in getting turned and beat by his man and not getting a tackle or block in and one of Scales or Taylor was also culpable – I just don’t know which without knowing the coach’s instructions.
Their 3rd goal was a failure by 2 right sided Celtic defenders- (can’t make out who but might be Callum & Forrest) to stop Oscar Bobb getting a cross in from wide to our back post where Scales was pinned by Haaland to score a headed goal.
Of all 3 goals, Greg was only, perhaps, culpable, for the 2nd but, as I said- depends on what the coach wants. Otherwise, Greg was not at fault.
I will look at the Chelsea goal next.
There aren’t too many opposition goals this season on which to hang Greg (yet)
We’ll have three left backs out on loan, if as rumoured Matthew Anderson is allowed out on loan. If I wasn’t a Celtic supporter I’d be confident we were signing a left back sometime soon.
Off the top of my head ,we lost 2 very similar goals v Aberdeen in SC SF ,at the back post
!BADA BING!! on 20TH AUGUST 2024 6:53 PM
£26m rising to £30m with add ons and 10% sell on is Brighton’s bid
—————————————————————————
Splendid, a full week to replace your biggest asset.
Greg Taylor has never let us down any time he has played. He plays the inverted fullback role so well, a role that others, and some down in Engerlund, have a hardt time in playing. I will listen to the judgements of Ange and Brendan, and follow in their trust. Greg Taylor is a very maligned player by some fans, just like James Forrest was for a while, and even Cal Mac recently as well. Every player has their weaknesses, but the wee mhan keeps giving his all every time he is on the field, and thats all that matter to me. How about we focus on his strengths, his ever willing ness to get forward, his tremendous work rate, his passing in behind the defence, instead of focusing on the occasional error. I hope he signs a new contract this season. We are looking to sign another left back, as far as I think, because our manager wants to have competition for all positions. Not Greg’s fault that he just does his thing which seems good enough for our manager.
Neil Lennon sacked…..be afraid
hahahahaha BD
Taylor, Welsh,Scales and Ralston, should be squad players, if we want to improve in Europe, if we do the same this season, what do you think the answer might be? I like Taylor, very handy when he moves into MF,at LB he’s not good enough for European football
The Chelsea goal was a penalty conceded in the RB position by a Celtic reserve player so Greg is innocent again.
Maybe St. Mirren can embarrass Greg this week
PRESTONPANS BHOYS @ 6:38 PM,
“I only take umbrage on the stupid unnecessary foul given by CCV in the first place!”
Well, you could argue if Hibs weren’t targeting us down our left and CCV hadn’t needed to play left back, he might have been in a central defensive position and therefore, he would not have needed to give away a foul.
Celtic have not signed Greg Taylor up to a new contract
Brendan Rodgers has said Greg needs “competition”.
He is not the longterm solution, in fact he is not the short term solution, we desperately need a quality left back.
Hail Hail
SFTB- The LC tie at Killie last year ,from a player who played in the game,at HT Mcinnes told his team to launch balls down Taylor’s side, and pick up the scraps.
Anyone wanting to see what will be needing to do to qualify next season for cl should watch the 2 games on TNT tonight. None of these 4 teams will be pushovers and 2 of them possible opponents in the draw next week.
B78- answer TTs question, who would you sign to replace O’Riley?
Celtic supporters suggesting we shouldn’t be strengthening the team as we have little chance of winning the UCL…
Could anyone explain the logic of this?
Outwith Celtic PLC and transfer windows, I’ve never seen this approach used…
Family holiday – we can’t afford a month in a Seven Star Hotel in Dubai, so we’ll go to Ayr for the weekend
Whats wrong with two weeks in Spain!?
Surely there is a middle way.
Investing 40 mn on players is not throwing money away!
Players are assets to a football club….
Buy them, Monetize them.
See how far we can get, we if we can get more points, see if we can improve the co-efficient
We should be striving to achieve that level of success
Hail Hail
A bit of a hunskelper is Greg – he has the best record of any Celtic player against the Huns over the last 3 years.
In 14 games he’s unbeaten over 90 minutes, one after extra time defeat, 3 draws, 10 wins. Includes 4 games against the (nearly) euro conquering huns.
Averaging a goal conceded a game when over half are away from Celtic Park isn’t too shabby