Do you remember the Green and Whitewash season? In 2003-04 Celtic dominated the league. After drawing their opening game away to Dunfermline they won their next 25 consecutive league games, beating every team in the league home and away. Across all competitions, they beat Rangers five times in four league and a Scottish Cup meeting.
This was as dominant as a team could get but there were vulnerabilities. Not only was Henrik Larsson out of contract, much of that team were in the twilight of their careers. Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon, Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton would never command the same on-field fear again.
The team that completed nine league wins in a row on Wednesday night could not be more different from the 03-04 vintage in one important aspect; only four are older than 23-years-old and none of them are veterans: Brown, 26, Samaras, 26, Mulgrew, 25 and Ledley, 24.
With an average age of just over 22 years this team will continue to improve for years; we can see evidence of progress. James Forrest has made a huge step up in form from last season. Victor Wanyama is almost unrecognisable from the player who arrived in the summer. Big Fraser, 23, still young for a keeper, inspires a lot more confidence than he did last season, and the baby of the team, Adam Matthews, is a scarcely believable 19-years-old. He’s so new to this environment you have to wonder if even the lad’s father knew he had a performance like Wednesday night’s in him.
Ki, 22, Stokes, 23, Izaguirre, 25, Kelvin Wilson, 26 and Mikael Lustig, 25 all fit the same profile. They are a squad full of improving players with the appetite you only get when your career is in front of you.
Rangers, and the rest, should be very afraid. Wednesday night might be as close as they get to the coattails of the young Celts.
914 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- »
Vmhan:
I despise Elbows but on thisoccasion he is guilt free. Guil free untill he rolls about like a T-Rex has just gobbled this testicles.
BT ok ta, you had to be there to believe it……… I was acting like it was my auld man……… “naw yir joking surely” the GB came back with its a LL of course we’re gonnae invite him in :¬)
In the heat of Lisbon!
Vinny
HH
How about a rousing song!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaAoFHymJVg
MadMitch,
At that time in the game Beram was totally dominating their midfield, there is no doubt in my mind elbows knew exactly what he was doing, his feigning of injury ‘hands up’ act says to me he knew he should have been ordered off for it. Taken in the context of what was happening during that time in the game and the nature of elbows game, IMO, it was a premeditated attack designed to hurt Beram.
A very cowardly attack from a player that epitomises everything that is wrong with Scottish Football.
Kit :¬)
Vinny
HH
PFayr:
Have you watched the tackle again? Slowly? If we are to get justice in the future is it not right that we are fair in the moment. Or do some just want justice to prejudice.
kitalba
A very happy, trophy laden and successful new year to you and yours mate..
Kitalba, not so sure there is a flaw. If I’m reading you right ?
Football is a game played in a lot of ways, nothing wrong with putting it about, if that is your attribute as a player, fine. Difference with some players is they like to dish it out but can’t take it back, McCulloch is of that ilk. He gas been proven to take a back seat when retribution is dished out first.
Kitalba @ 12.30
News management.
Drip feed of news on the injury from the club.
I get the impression that the targeted violence of the last 20 minutes has to be played down to stop it spilling over after the game.
The TFOD were playing “Buddy Ball” in the last quarter of the game.
They could have seen 3 red cards but none were given.
This cannot be allowed to continue.
Someone will be badly hurt.
So look at the press pictures – Kenny Ramsey No. 23.
That shows the best view of the incident.
LMcC has dived in, full force, gone to ground.
Ninja tackle – flying through the air, straight leg, studs showing, aiming for 6″ off the ground.
BK is running, trying to nick the ball away and move forward.
TR goes to ground as best he can, foot on the ground and sliding in on his erse.
As for your agenda –
Got it wrong and can’t let go?
Supporting the club’s viewpoint?
Useful idiot?
Know LMcL socially?
BT you’d have to be there innaw!
Vinny
HH
Paul67
Paul my letterbox was opened today and Issue 1 popped through and UPS quickly followed with 2,3 & 4 and I have to say
I am truly astounded of forehead at the quality and quantity of the magazines. Keep raising the bar my friend and I believe the
MSM are just hanging onto your coat-tails !!
Hail Hail and a Happy New Year to you and your family and Martin42 when it comes
To all the Celtic family and CQNer’s everywhere Happy New Year
Kitalba thanks for the email for Kano and I’ll be sending him a message shortly
All the best to you and Ramie and your families
To all the huns, I hope you get what you deserve in 2012 and by the way ‘we’re on top of the league and your no’
#17pointswing
Hail Hail
Stephen with a “ph”
Paddy Gallagher:
Cheers mate, much appreciated, and it goes without saying that I wish the same – and more – for you and yours.
I know let’s put it to a Jury, 12 good err…. men and true and all that stuffffffffff?
Location might be tricky, Glasgow’s ooot, (natch)….Edinburgh tae……
MadMitch says:
31 December, 2011 at 12:45
Will you just STFU and watch the link, afterwords – don’t bother apologising for being a lazy paper reader, I can’t be bothered listening to you. The pictures are there and only a fool and the blind but can see what happened. Are you typing in braile by any chance?
Stephen:
It will be well received. Cheers mate and a good New Year to you too.
Kitalba,
have I got it wrong?
NY is in about 10 mins (Melbourne) and I think you have to wait for an hour?
ps just opened a bottle of perroni, just to be sociable :¬)
Vinny
HH
Nup….nae good back to the Songs…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awositUJYLM
A’body noo!
:)
Kitalba et al
Please look at the Kenny Ramsey photo – No. 23.
It shows the best view of the incident.
LMcL came in over the ball.
Full on ninja tackle designed to injure not get the ball.
He knew what he was doing before making the tackle.
He knew what he was doing after the tackle was made.
He is a reptile, lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut.
He was sent on to get one of our players.
If it had been down to football ME would have played.
It wasn’t so he got the gig.
Finally it was not a good tackle it was however a second rate cheap shot.
A Saturday with no football up here – there are PL fixtures today? Why are the Scottish games on Monday?
Gordon_J
TV scheduling would be my guess.
Afternoon All,
Re the Elbows tackle, my take on it is that he did take the ball first but this is purely accidental, he has eyes only for Beram only and goes in with the sole intention of hurting him. I can give a lot of people the benefit of the doubt but not him, he is a sh*tebag of the highest order.
Mac
Petec @ 12.41
After 20 minutes I thought that ME had yet to get into the game.
That is how little impact LMcL made on the game.
He was actually one reason why we won.
He was poor to the point of invisibility.
The stats on the games he has played do not lie.
ME is not great – blows hot and cold – but at least he is mobile and can pass.
In the last quarter the TFOD wanted one of our players carried off.
We need to highlight this before another player gets done.
Kitalba
I think elbows went in to hurt Kayal personally, and the
amateur dramatics afterwards were carried out to stop the
ref sending him off as he thought he had succeeded in doing
Kayal.
His subsequent recovery was the realisation it hadn’t been his fault
after all. He is still a scumbag.
Just my opinion mind.
SAF quote before ko today
“Wayne Rooney has not trained well this week, He’s missed a few days. Hopefully, he’ll train today and the next two days ahead of Wednesday’s match against Newcastle”.
What he really means is this
“Wayne is fine. We’ve rested him today as Blackburn are total mince and we have Newcastle + Man City away after today’s game”
happy new year to some oz friends..
HAPPY NEW YEAR to my two sons, Celtic family (oo1 bhoy) and friends in Australia.
Love, kisses and a big Celtic cyber huddle.
Vinny
HH
Penalty Blackburn
pen Blackburn at old trafford
Yakubu scores
1-0 Blackburn
MadMitch: 31 December, 2011 at 12:54
The best view of the incident comes on video – a still photograph is not always accurate.
Elbow’s is a fairly despicable character, but his biggest crime on this occasion was his reaction after the challenge.
If you watch the video you can see he goes for the ball and not the man.
new article posted.
MadMitch says:
31 December, 2011 at 12:54
I’ve looked at a lot of photo’s but photo’s are but a snap in time. Watch the video, it tells the whole story.
MadMitch, you still have not answered me… why am I at it in your eyes and what possible agenda beyond the truth could I have?
If we want to be treated fairly then surely it is a given that we must treat others fairly beyond the taint of prejudice. If no then we are as bad as any Edinburgh Jury. Watch the video mate, it tells the story that Beram Kayal DID HIMSELF. Without prejudice either.
Hoooooops
Happy NY to Sydney tims innaw :¬)
Vinny
bankiebhoy
try Holland they seem to convict football hooligans …6 mths for that nutter who attacked the GK
row z \o/ (O) Mississippi Burnin Nearer Home says:
31 December, 2011 at 12:01
‘Does RFC have heritable title to ‘Murray Park’.’
The huns accounts mention leasehold property. Probably Murray Park.
It could of course be (and probably is) a long term lease and they could sell their interest.
MadMitch
I wasn’t really watching them too closely, all I seen was Celtic totally dominant in the 2nd especially and that was coming more from Beram than anyone else at the point elbows done him. They could not change the course of things through fair means so they then targeted Celtic’s most influential player at the time. They are a very cynical team, none more so than elbows. All the Celtic players played very well on Wednesday but at the moment of the tackle Beram was running the whole game IMO.
For what its worth..
LMcC tackled with a straight leg, studs showing and his foot raised.It was a typical craig moore foul on Henrik when he went in to hurt him and the ball gets in the way.
Im sure M McCarthy is still complaining about the red card for Wolves player last week, but the red was upheld.
Remember gollum gave the foul against elbows.Also the feigning of injury is a clear sign of guilt.
Red card every other league in the world.
LET THE PEOPLE SING
MadMitch at 12:54
I don’t think you are entirely correct, there is one photo from Kenny Ramsay that shows McCulloch’s initial contact is with the ball, and that the height his boot is at in later photos is because of the impact with the ball.
So on that, I’d say Kitalba has a valid point.
However, McCulloch knew that after contact with the ball he was going to follow through, in all likelihood into Beram’s leg. I actually think the height of his boot at impact was accidental, but in my view the tackle was reckless and I suspect there was intent.
While Beram’s studs were also showing and his leg was straight, his momentum was largely into the ground, not toward an opponent, big difference.