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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CHAIRBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2024 7:54 PM
“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?”
One supporter did. Perhaps you should direct your question at him individually instead of making it an open one
Bada
Looking at The Aberdeen semi final 3:3 game
Ist Dons goal was a slip ball through the centre of defence between CCV and Alistair Johnston for Miovski to score- Greg innocent again.
The 2nd goal was a cross from the Aberdeen left to our back post – we had a good back 4 in line but Greg left the scorer for Scales to deal with and Liam misjudged the flight to let Sokler equalise. A fair assessment might see both players to blame but also AJ for failing to prevent the cross coming in-in the first place- the sin of which Greg is alleged to be so guilty. In this occasion Greg left it to the bigger defender to make the aerial challenge but Liam failed to make it.
The 3rd goal was a close replica. AJ allowed a cross in from the Aberdeen left. Greg let the big Aberdeen striker go but we had a good line with our CB’s (3 of them on at that time- Liam did not step out like our other 2 CBs and was left as the only one to cover 3 Aberdeen strikers and the deepest lying one – their centre half- connected with the ball that cleared Liam’s head. A lot of tired Celts to blame their but with 3 CBs on at that time- I think Greg was the least culpable of the back 5.
Burnley78 on 20th August 2024 7:46 pm
Good man, didn’t know TnT was covering the games, was about to watch celebrity masterchief 🙄
BURNLEY78 on 20TH AUGUST 2024 7:46 PM
We’re back to the 2 in 5 chance of getting through the qualifiers from next season for the foreseeable future.
!!Bada Bing!! on 20th August 2024 7:39 pm
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.
HIS TACTICS WORKED TWICE IN 10 YEARS.
SO WHAT.
SFTB- Thanks for a very informed reply,my main point is ,if we go into CL games with Taylor and Scales starting, we are in trouble
Even at the height of his invisibility James Forrest didn’t get as much criticism as Greg Taylor.
Good on you SFTB for putting up a stout defence for GT as you so often did for JF.
Saint Stivs on 20th August 2024 8:04 pm
!!Bada Bing!! on 20th August 2024 7:39 pm
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.
HIS TACTICS WORKED TWICE IN 10 YEARS.
SO WHAT.
We lost the game,due to a tactic an opposing manager seen and exploited,by the way we will be playing against far better managers than Mcinnes very soon.
B67- as I’ve said many times, Taylor is a good player for SPFL, but if we are looking to aim higher,we need better IMO
CHAIRBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2024 7:54 PM
“Celtic supporters suggesting we shouldn’t be strengthening the team as we have little chance of winning the UCL…
——————
I am suggesting the opposite, we can spend all the money, and it wont progress us anyway.
there will prove to be 24 teams with better points than we acheive.
remind me how far did brendan take Liverpool and Leicester in europe ?
BADA BING!! on 20TH AUGUST 2024 7:11 PM
Off the top of my head ,we lost 2 very similar goals v Aberdeen in SC SF ,at the back post
….
2 good crosses to be fair , if memory serves ( which it might not) , Scalesy got caught under the ball and Joe rooted to the line we’re the main culprits
Agree with the general point back 4 needs strengthening for Europe, I guess the challenge is lots of big lumps out there but we need guys that are quick , pass and can be left isolated … smaller gene pool to pick from.
Fingerscrossedcfc
CELTIC40ME @ 7:59 PM,
Which one supporter do you mean?
Hail Hail
we could have signed propper
Bernabei lost the worst back post goal last year , in his last game for us funnily enough
Greg Taylor does a very good job for Celtic. Teams do try to expose his lack of height at the back post and it occasionally works, but for the most part he’s solid. Having said that, I would like us to spend on a quality centre back and give Liam a run at left back. I think that would add some defensive strength to our back-line. Not sure Liam is so good going forward though! Greg has really improved there over the last couple of seasons.
Chairbhoy on 20th August 2024 7:37 pm
PRESTONPANS BHOYS @ 6:38 PM
Very often in a game of football you are pulled out of position, that doesn’t excuse you from making unnecessary and stupid fouls.
Bada Bing
I have no doubt that McInnes and some others target long diagonals at Greg Taylor; I just doubt that it is as effective and productive as they think.
In the LC tie where we lost 1:0 last August, Killie scored their goal in the 59th minute while Greg was off the field getting treatment for an injury. Maeda was trying to fill in at LB.
Again Greg was not guilty of conceding a goal.
Now, every one knows how big a James Forrest fan I was and still am. When others were craving for Paddy Roberts to be brought back or someone else to replace him, James remained the best and most productive we had and I did not concede the right wing position to anyone else until……
Leil Abada came along. You cannot argue with Neil’s goals and assists- he looked a less natural player than James but he had killer pace and I was satisfied that, at last, we had a better option.
I take the same line with Greg. I was not a big fan and thought we could do better but Greg has seen off every rival we’ve had for the LB spot. He is and has been the best LB option we have on the books. When we sign someone better, I’ll be happy to see Greg as back up or see him leave but I’m not gonna diss him while he’s number one. He’s a superb athlete a decent tackler and passer. The only full back in Scotland that came close to him was Aaron Hickey.
SAINT STIVS @ 8:12 PM,
After a shambolic transfer window last summer Celtic picked up four points in the UCL group stage.
Most supporters believe we ended the season better than we were at the start.
Most supporters believe we are as good at the moment as we were when we won the Cup.
So logic tells us we will do even better this year as long as we don’t weaken the team during this transfer window
If we strengthen then we will get to the UCL last sixteen playoffs
Fact!!
Hail Hail
BORGO67 on 20TH AUGUST 2024 8:06 PM
Even at the height of his invisibility James Forrest didn’t get as much criticism as Greg Taylor.
………………………………………………..
👍
James Forrest is 5’9 but much smaller when he’s running, Greg Taylor gets smaller the closer he gets to the back post
The McInnes tactic that worked for him was to cripple Greg and get him off the field so they could score against 10 men.
PRESTONPANS BHOYS @ 8:16 PM,
Agreed, and Kukharevych had just dived and got a soft goul from CCV just before that, so he rather stupidly wanted to leave something on him with the second foul.
Yet look at the shambles we were down that left hand side during the first free kick, you can clearly see that Hibs were told to target our left…
Hail Hail
Hopefully the new CL format will stop the crafty continentals learning from the 1st tie against us and taking full points on the return legs.
It may encourage more attacking football, so we need to be ready from the 1st whistle to stand up and be counted … for me more open games will suit us , we can score at this level , for me additional centre half is where the big improvement can be made.
HH
Celtic sign players for 1-4m typically and sell for 10-25m occasionally. Great model and has kept us winning while financially healthy.
Rangers could replicate this with better scouting and signings / trading model.
What they can’t replicate – ie our advantage – is signing 8-10m players and selling for 20-30m
Loved how Rodgers indicated this to our board.
Less risk with those players and it should help us advance in Europe while keeping them firmly in our shadows.
Let’s make our financial superiority and coaching superiority count. Over to the board/recruiting experts.
Watching Bido v Red Star game, after 25 minutes, they look two very average sides.
MNCELT on 20TH AUGUST 2024 8:14 PM
..
For me Liam is far too slow to play full back , we be brutally exposed against tricky continental wingers … Greg can at least hold them up and wait for reinforcements
“Burnley78 on 20th August 2024 6:32 pm
The issue,…, 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.”
That is something so many bloggers don`t seem to consider when posting about us buying players.
“Chairbhoy on 20th August 2024 8:20 pm
Most supporters believe we ended the season better than we were at the start.
Most supporters believe we are as good at the moment as we were when we won the Cup.”
I haven`t seen those surveys.
Chairbhoy
“After a shambolic transfer window last summer Celtic picked up four points in the UCL group stage.
Most supporters believe we ended the season better than we were at the start.
Most supporters believe we are as good at the moment as we were when we won the Cup.
So logic tells us we will do even better this year as long as we don’t weaken the team during this transfer window
If we strengthen then we will get to the UCL last sixteen playoffs
Fact!!”
————————–
There is a lot of logic in there but you spoil it at the end.
We were not playing well domestically last August – losing in the lC to Killie and drawing at home to Saint Johnstone. We entered CL competition fearing the worst and we got that prediction pretty much right, despite having a decent draw for our group.
We should expect to play better this year but we should know whether our CL fixtures are good or daunting before making predictions about being in it post Europe. We were in great form when Ange’s team came up against Real and I was very proud of our bravery and skill for almost an hour at CP. Only Valverde was causing us problems but we lost 3 goals in 21 minutes around the hour mark and got no reward for it. We played better that night than when we beat Man U and Barca at home but they had guys all over the pitch and on the bench who could turn games once they woke up.
I’d love to see us get out of a group; I think it is a realistic prospect but…… I know it is a very hard ask with no simple solutions. I have been forecasting since the start of the window that we will have some late signings; I stand by that without any insider knowledge at all. As usual, all those who were forecasting we will do no business but sell players (to reward the suits) will be proved wrong but they’ll say nothing and say the same when January window opens. But I cannot tell if our as yet unknown recruitments will help us get through the 8 CL games with enough. It’s a hard environment within which to make any confident promises.
HOT SMOKED @ 8:32 PM,
Or maybe they do consider it and think that it’s wrong.
Hundreds of good footballers would love to play for Celtic and play in the Champions League.
Our last signing – Adam Idah was gushing about both….
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2024 8:13 PM
“Which one supporter do you mean?”
Whoopee! An argument about an argument!
The one who made the point and then replied to your comment. It might feel like fertile to pick a fight with your enemies but it’s hardly a popular viewpoint
Celtic will sell any player for the right price, its what has been done for years and has served the club well.
We still have to many non contributing players on the books and they need shifted out as well. Its part of the expected issues that arise from working with our player development plan, it’s baked in.
I expect we will sign some more players but I thought the same in January. I expect the club will once again spend less than is brought in. No idea if we will be stronger or weaker.
STEBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2024 8:25 PM
Of course the Huns could do it, not having the readies hadn’t stopped them in the past.
Chairbhoy
Support the team we have.
Nonsense, thousands of players would sign for Celtic, double, treble their salaries, and play CL football,who heard of O’Riley, Hatate, etc,etc
SFTBS @ 8:35 PM,
See you in February;)
Seriously though… when fholk were loosing it last season I stated we would win the league and I stuck to my guns
Yes, a bit of bravado but I Seriously thought we would win it.
Likewise, yes a bit of bravado but I really believe we will get a last sixteen playoff
At home in the UCL last year
Won one
Drew one
Lost one
We can do better, fortress Parkhead is coming back and away points will be a bonus
Hail Hail
Red Star remind me of Smiths boring mob on the way to Manchester, may take in the other game after HT
Piling on Gregg doesn’t help Celtic
Hail! Hail!
STEBHOY on 20TH AUGUST 2024 8:25 PM
Celtic sign players for 1-4m typically and sell for 10-25m occasionally. Great model and has kept us winning while financially healthy.
Rangers could replicate this with better scouting and signings / trading model.
What they can’t replicate – ie our advantage – is signing 8-10m players and selling for 20-30m
Loved how Rodgers indicated this to our board.
——————————————-
Yes he did.
It was a clear message to the supporters in what he’d put to ‘the board’
However, that ‘category of player won’t come to Celtic, I read it on here, even though it was disproved as recently as last week when we did sign Adam Idah.