There should be no surprise that Vakoun Issouf Bayo was omitted from Celtic’s Europa League squad. He has not played for over two months and will be well short of fitness when Valencia arrive in Glasgow. Even when he is fit enough to play, expectations should be tempered while he adjusts to live in Scotland.
It is more important that Jeremy Toljan is fit. For that, Brendan Rodgers will be grateful for games this week against Hibernian and (of course) St Johnstone.
I hoped we would see Leigh Griffiths back by now, only a few days short of also not playing for two months. Leigh has trained alone throughout this period, but will be well short of match fitness when he returns to the first team squad.
Valencia loom on the near horizon, but this week has a pivotal feel to it. Two home wins on those games against Hibs and St Johnstone will see us with at least a six point lead in the league and a place in the Scottish Cup quarter final. Valencia has the glamour and the money, but I could make a case that the other two games are more important.
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Chairbhoy
Some good points made there.
On the Hogg article though, how sanguine would he have been had Scotland lost by the margin of that try?
……….
Rock Tree Bhoy
Domestic success is the essential foundation for success in Europe (obviously he said) – so I agree.
We did the near impossible over the past 2 seasons – unbeaten in one AND a double treble.
That will never ever be replicated & much like some of our earlier landmark triumphs will probably only be fully appreciated years hence in a history of these times, when most of us are gone & into dust.
We, as fans, can quietly think of that treble treble, but it must take nerves of steel for players & coaches to work towards it without getting thrown off track by thinking too far ahead. Our guys will be smarting over that loss in December & the concommitant swaggering by them, but that provides ample motivation – just like the semi final loss on penalties did to DD & his cohorts.
HH
What Levein hasn’t factored in though , is that a 20 yard box would mean the huns getting penalties against you from 22 yards from your goal
Tomorrows team…mibbe
Bain
Toljan Lustig Ajer Izzy
Broony McGregor
Burke Christie Sinky
Weah
Should be strong enuff to see off Hibs…if Lustigs not fit…Bitton….my prediction….we win by 2
purepuntCSC
TLT
Ajer suspended
JRS…doh…Lustig and Simo…we’re seriously threadbare at the back
patchworkCSC
Actually the more I think about it…Bitton and Simo would probably be better from a BR footballing point of view….
For what it’s worth here is my take on recent events. I think SFA/Fleming/Lanarkshire Referees Association will be very upset with both Beaton and Dallas for being so obvious in their cheating that it made the usual response of obfuscation, diversion, denial, and ‘whatsboutary’ very difficult.
Beaton would be forgiven because he achieved a major end result for them. Dallas, however highlighted the cheating in a game which the rangers would most probably have won anyway.
Unfotunately Dallas is not clever or experienced enough to deploy the favoured modus operandi in a deniable manner.
I think this modus operandi goes something like this:-
1) book a Celtic player as early as possible in the game
2) unless absolutely necessary don’t produce a yellow to an opposition player until last 20 mins
3) if Celtic player is fouled only give it when an advantage has occurred to Celtic
4) if Celtic commit a foul only give it if no advantage has occurred to opposition
5) break up the play with these fouls as much as possible – don’t allow any rhythm to develop
6) if Celtic take a unassailable lead revert to normal refereeing and if possible favour Celtic (for whataboutery purposes)
Brother Thompson is the master at the above and that is why he was used to keep the score respectable in old firm games
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 5TH FEBRUARY 2019 12:17 PM
Brendan Rodgers can only laugh off the return of the cheating for so long.
Correct, from earlier you posted Tom Boyds comments, would have been a message passed from Lawwell and Co, this will be because they have no balls ,to step up and defend our Club, or contest the cheating.
Clarke spent a year as Liverpool’s first-team coach while Gerrard captained the Premier League club, adding to the former midfielder’s surprise at his comments.
“That’s not the type of guy I know Steve Clarke for. He is usually first class, the dealings I had with him as a player when he used to coach me
*mibbees just mibbees Stevie remembers him being a mersey mouth billy big shot back then.
https://celtsarehere.com/major-champions-league-shake-up-set-to-be-announced-reports/
Who were the first team to go out of Europe on the away goals rule? I was there
Defoe avoids ban for diving, Dallas would have looked at it again, and seen it was all good,just as Beaton done…..wouldn’t he have?…..
!!BADA BING!! on 5TH FEBRUARY 2019 4:48 PM
I think there was a bit of naivity about Tony Mowbray and his ‘take it on the chin’ attitude.
Brendan Rodgers is a different kettle of fish however and I think his bland acceptance of refereeing is a diplomatic cover for what he’s really thinking. Why he feels he has to be diplomatic is a mystery to me.
!!BADA BING!! on 5TH FEBRUARY 2019 5:32 PM
Defoe avoids ban for diving, Dallas would have looked at it again, and seen it was all good,just as Beaton done…..wouldn’t he have?…..
*the scouse git has done it again mouthing off about Clark trying tae get his players sent aff.
thanks bhoys for your kind birthday wishes.hh.
rayc
‘Dallas, however highlighted the cheating in a game which the rangers would most probably have won anyway’
good shout
Wasteful cheating or vital cheating that influences the outcome and not just the score line (see Madden and Thomson )
Andrew Dallas once booked a Hearts player when two Motherwell players collided. to say he’s not very good
is an understatement, he’s made a clown of himself again with four penalties and will be downgraded ( for a week )
The caravan will move on CSC
BIG PACKY 1
Hoopy birthday
BOURNESOUPRECIPE cheers ??
Is Peter Lawell away on holiday ? I thought he ran Scottish football !
No sorry, it’s the monkeys manager who’s running the the show.
Shut up clarky CSC !
In the league decider of 1905, the only time the Scottish League Championship has been decided this way, an outside referee, Fred Kirkham a native of Preston and known for his strictness, was brought in because Celtic fans had rioted when their great hero Jimmy Quinn had been unfairly sent off in the Scottish Cup semi-final against deidco when they were leading 2-0 but we were on the ascendancy.
We won 2-1 BTW which was the start of Wullie Maley’s 6iar.
Good evening CQN
TLT- is Christie not injured??
BP1- Happy birthday young yin ?????
D. :)
Has the cardigan been home tutoring Steeeveee?
I hear that Shortbried had spoken about ref’s favouring the “Old Firm”. This follows on from Tam McManus saying he had experienced biased Referees at Rangers and Celtic. Remember Neil Lennon saying that Robertson was so biased towards us that Hibs were playing 12 men.!
Neil Lennon was at Celtic for 12 years and should know the truth. What chance do we have in gaining support from other clubs when it’s apparent that they think we benefit from referees.
Now we know that occasionally Rangers get bad decisions against them but on balance they are much more likely to get the mistakes in their favour. Just the same, we get the odd favourable decision but mostly the mistakes are all against us.
Celtic need to highlight the disparity through all areas. Former players, Managers, current players and staff, Supporters groups as well as through the club itself
Knowing this site recently, I am surprised that no one yet has said this is all Peter Lawwell and his heated Driveway’s fault. Maybe someone will appear and say we should withdraw from all competitions due to the bent officials
DAVID66, cheers ive just caught up with you, im 66 today ???.
BP- all the best HH
Big Packy 1,
Happy birthday, young yin.
MIB attitudes — how to deal with it?
My thoughts are a mixture of data analysis and humour.
Dallas Bias Club — brilliant.
Dallas penalty record — boring but very true.
WC and the TFOD2.1 angle — highlight how after the fall out his time on the park with them has reduced.
Want to stop this — then we need to work our erse off to highlight their nonsense.
Need to make sure zoomers and the tin foil hat mob are well out of sight.
The Media Ludge will try and squirrel their way out of this.
We need to make sure we don’t give them a helping hand.
BADA BING AND PARKHEADCUMSALFORD,,CHEERS ??
BP1- 66 ?? You don’t look a day older than 65???
HH
D. :)
DAVID66 ,thanks for that ??.
Gerrardiola seems to be losing the plot a bit.
Steve Clarke is simply looking for a level playing field. One set of rules for every team to play by. A novelty in Scottish football perhaps, but hardly something that should cause any ripples.
You know, where clubs all have to register players in the same way, where players are booked regardless of whether or not they are “a bit silly”, tax bills having to be paid before receiving a UEFA licence, that sort of thing.
Maybe having to manage so many players (is it 20 he has signed now, on top of the ones already there?) is getting to him. Lucky for him he doesn’t have to deal with any media scrutiny.
Happy birthday BP1
I note you share your birthday with some famous footballers.
Hagi, Teves, NaeMerr, Ronaldo, and one Mr Patrick Roberts
HH
Asupporterwhogotlucky ,cheers for that, wish I could play like them ?
Clarke is being smart, marking refs card for Sevco game on Saturday
P67
I’ll make the case for you. Valencia is a distraction and moreso as they are on a run in la liga.
There…job done.
BP
And you also share a birthday with the lovely actress, Laura Linney ….
probably not as good at football as those mentioned by ASupporter… but I would much rather share a candlelt birthday dinner with her than some old footballer any day of the week.
(although, given that Patrick Roberts is on that list… and he seems to be a CQN favourite… I may be in the minority on that one!)
:)
Happy Birthday to BIG PACKY 1 !!
MIKE IN TORONTO. AND PARK ROAD 67, cheers ghuys hh.