I know, I know, football people hate this kind of chat, but as we walked out of Celtic Park with a spring in our step last night, we were all convinced, the proceeding minutes were critical to the destination of this season’s Premiership trophy.
Celtic were imperious. Olivier Ntcham orchestrated events, he seems to glide, not run, over the pitch, head up, ready to pirouette (which he does regularly), or fire a pass into whatever space has been opened in front of him.
I know we cannot fit Oli, Ryan Christie and Tom Rogic into the team at the same time, but if I was Neil Lennon, I would be trying to figure out how to fit two of them into the side. Can one of them learn the No. 6 role and take some pressure off the McGregor-Brown pairing?
After (literally) hundreds of consecutive corner kicks without success, our conversation rate from this set piece is almost as good as it is from the penalty spot. Christopher Jullien and Jozo Simunovic converted last night, while Jozo struck another effort off the post. Jullien is as accomplished as anyone in the air since Bobo. He worries defenders, which in itself, creates opportunity for others.
Greg Taylor lost possession twice in the opening minutes. This is often an indication a player will hide, instead, Greg threw himself into the challenge. He was always available and thereafter seldom put a foot wrong. We need to remember how careers are developed.
With the points secure and Hearts thoroughly looking like the team at the bottom of the table (they really need a keeper, btw), Kilmarnock staged a late, though not unexpected, revival against Newco. When news arrived of Eamonn Brophy’s 89th minute winner, memories of Ricky Fulton’s Rangers manager’s difficulty pronouncing another Irish name. “Brophy delivers the trophy” © Callum Brennan. It was a night of poetry, on and off the field.
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Happy Friday eve from a Kentucky covered with mental rain!
HH!
Ps That tackle on Broony and his restraint. Sheesh.
Here we go 9 in a row
Paul
Last night was a step towards the title but only a step
One game at a time please!
Forgot Donati was the coach at Killie
Good mhan yourself Massimo
B-)
Big games keep on coming, no gimmes in this league. Just keep winning Celtic and let the Huns worry about us!
Nothing won yet, keep our foot on their throats Celtic
oooh, never like to make that sorta prediction so early.
Loved it last night tho’ – Team Spirit is looking well….
………..and the result and reaction from the huns…..
just delicious.
HH
You live and learn
After 29 December I was fearful they were coming
I moaned on here about PL not getting his finger out and buying a “ready to play” centre forward
I was nervous OE would get injured and LG was still untested post issues
I also assumed they would not lose and were galvanised after 29 Dec
But what I have learned is a tale of two squads
One has a very good squad
The other does not
If Moreloss does not score they struggle
More importantly we are playing some great stuff
I am not celebrating 9 just yet
But my paranoia has settled down a bit
My criticism of PL was possibly a bit harsh – maybe he does know what he is doing after all
What a difference a 7 point gap makes (paranoia dictates that I assume they will win their game in hand)
The league is not won in February but sometimes it is lost
They are not coming after all
67ECW
Not a gambler but I like Bet365’s post on Twitter :
“Celtic have scored four goals for the first time since last Wednesday.”
…sumbdy post that slippery squirrell tweet again………..
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and
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HH
The title is not ours just yet. there have been occasions when this sort of lead has been lost, although the form Celtic are in makes this unlikely.
12 leagues games remain including 2 versus Huns. I feel Celtic can in fact break records this season.
The Huns are in disarray and look more likely to drop points than Celtic. the manager criticised his players and seems to not fancy some of his players brought in.
In retrospect, perhaps we shouldn’t have crushed Hearts so much and left them with enough form to Knock the Huns out the cup
Gerrard throws his players under a bus once again. His managerial style is akin to Roy Keane, expectations that players should be capable of the same high levels he achieved in his career. Except without the opportunity to tell his players he knows what it takes to win a league title.
Maybe he could call on those valuable Liverpool connections and get Jordan Henderson in to give a pep talk to his squad, on what it takes to win the league as Liverpool captain.
Our goal difference is incredible, it’s like having an extra point should we need it
Hearts had a bit of a go last night, pressing the game and committing players forward. On occasion they played with 3 up top. Motherwell did something similar with Robinson openly commenting that there was no point in sitting in as Celtic would eventually cut through anyway. Both Motherwell and Hearts have been on the receiving end of hammerings that could easily have been much worse. Food for thought for McInnes ahead of Sunday. After going down 0-4 in the same fixture earlier this season he will not want a repeat. Will he play 3 up top and press or revert to his usual man marking game. Rock and a hard place me thinks.
Whilst taking “The blame” last night,the only thing he did not blame his squad for,was the Coronavirus.
Bankie,
https://twitter.com/jamesenglish0/status/1227557721387470849?fbclid=IwAR0l1jhNN05DCv9HUoBkzYcfYXWLJJOuMqhv5bZR495uEIesSZsznvnKfuI
HH
Enjoyed the game P67.
IMO Ntcham is one of the most technical players we have at the moment (so many had written him off earlier in the season- !! YKWYA ).
Additionally, I would have him in against the huns as OE and he dont get caught up in the noise.
I said at HT to a mate I thought this is the first team for long enough who dont mark tight at corners (ie grab and pull our players) Hearts were sittying off our defenders at CK’s and it just needed some quality delivery & hey ho.
Magic.
A small thing but I thought FF was struggling at times to grab the ball.
Onwards and upwards.
first team – first time…
I have no problems with Mc Innes.He does a great job for Aberdeen with the resources.The amount of points he has taken off the Huns in the past few seasons,and knocked them out of the cup,is phenomenal.
It has been nearly 4 months since we last scored 6 goals in a match (Sat 19th Oct). This is ridiculous. How long do we have to wait and put up with this?
Gerrard’s main problem is that he thinks the league is all about our derby games. So disrespectful to the rest of the league. Brushes off on his players too, Tavernier saying being beat by Killie embarrassing, arrogant git
Richard Gordon pointed out last night that twice in recent years Aberdeen were closer to Celtic than “Rangers” are at this stage of the season. Maybe they should have taken Derek McInnes after all.
Paul may turn out to be correct with his headline but still many bends to negotiate before we reach the finishing line. No trophies counted yet.
BHOYLO83 on 13TH FEBRUARY 2020 10:26 AM
Interesting article on modern day football and finances:
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/champions-league-superclubs-liverpool-man-utd-barcelona-real-madrid-a9330431.html
—
A good read thanks for the link.
This is something of double edged sword for celtic. The new finances in football have helped us double our revenue in 5 years. We’re far and away the richest and in turn the most successful club in Scotland. The gap between us and the rest of scotland is at an all time high, likewise though, the gap between us and the big teams of europe is equally at an all time high.
We won’t be knocking barca out of europe anytime soon and although this year we’ve had a good year, europe will prove very difficult for us in the coming years.
Also,Kilmarnock.
Not over until the mathematics dictates so. Nonetheless, we are in a commanding position with the goal difference worth a point.
Still, the next Glasgow Derby is away from home and, in the event we progress against Copenhagen (the tie represents our best chance in the last decade to progress in a knockout round in European competition) we will have the last 16 legs either side of this Ibrox fixture.
So…keep winning Celtic. Be relentless. I will breath easy (result depending) after the game on 15 March, but things are looking very good.
Saw this one:
Breaking news. Harry and Meghan have contacted Steven Gerrard to get advice on what it’s like to live without a title”
Braw
If we focus and do our jobs then the result at Ibrox will have no material impact on this season’s championship destination. Focus on Pittodrie, Celtic. Let Gerrard obsess about March 15th.
I get the whole, it ain’t over yet, comment but we are fans who emotionally invest in all of this. I’m giving it laldy every breathing moment and enjoying it immensely. I have the 1990s ghosts to exorcise.
Neil and the club are on point to not get carried away and be professional. That doing just dandy there.
So, on that vein, Here we go 9IAR….
GURUY Lurkin, hurtin Huns….
https://twitter.com/tamsellicsoniii/status/1227751151107485696?s=12
No laughing at the back….
What I’m getting excited about is the fact that I’m now ‘this close’ to finally singing “here we go 19(TEN) in a row….” ;-)
CQNPOTY@GMAIL.COM
Fat fingers, try again….
What I’m getting excited about is the fact that I’m now ‘this close’ to finally singing “here we go 10(TEN) in a row….” ;-)
CQNPOTY@GMAIL.COM
HRVATSKI JIM on 13TH FEBRUARY 2020 1:05 PM
Saw this one:
Breaking news. Harry and Meghan have contacted Steven Gerrard to get advice on what it’s like to live without a title”
Braw…
smiley if he stays at Ipox much longer he will be losing his wife ,kids and other braw things thing
Dobro…
Braw
Paul67
Aye.
An embarrassment of riches, as expected the already vastly superior squad, over the course and distance.
27 goals scored in 8 games since we ‘lost the league’ in December and ‘failed again’ in the January transfer window.
We actually lost by the of goal in three and missed a penalty against arguably the next best team in the league.
Fortunately, super experienced management and no panic merchants kept Celtic rolling along towards any number you like in a row.
Next hurdle ‘Dons doing Dallas’
Hail Hail
Paul 67,
Some huge statements recently.
I really hope you are right on this one although personally I won’t be so presumptuous.
It’s not over till it’s over is what I’ll stick to. I trust NFL and co will never underestimate the opposition because we have all witnessed the consequences when we do.
In saying that, a huge step was taken last night, not just for Celtic but for Scottish football.
HH to all, the journey continues.
And tonight on #QuestionTime from Dundee
Tay Bridge Disaster – What are the SNP hiding?
Chronic lack of policing in Scotland as PC Murdoch not had a day off in years
And how the wonderful Tories bedroom tax benefitted The Broons
hahahahahahahhahaha
awfy braw
Braw
No Big Judith…. but Wee Gillian Smart a more than ample stand in
…
😁
Braw
“twa pehs, a plehn bridie an’ an inyin in an’ a.
Braw
noo am hungry…
smiley eh saweh Dundee peh flee doon the Wellgate steps thing
Braw