Midtjylland play their second league game of the season away to AaB Aalborg tomorrow evening, hoping to win their first points. Aab finished seventh last term, so it is a game Midtjylland will feel they have to win to get their domestic campaign on track.
Celtic are free of competitive pressures this weekend, facing West Ham at home tomorrow, where we can give players still working on their fitness an hour, then rest them for the trip to Denmark.
There is plenty of confidence ahead of the second leg against Midtjylland after a solid performance on Tuesday night but the name Aalborg will cause many of us to flinch. The then Danish champions travelled to Celtic Park in the 2008 Champions League group stage. It is fair to say they could be the weakest team we faced at that level, but indecisive finishing, for some of the game against 10 men, and a missed Barry Robson penalty, meant the game finished 0-0.
Celtic bossed the return leg at Aab’s tiny stadium and Robson atoned for his penalty miss by giving the visitors a second half lead.
Here’s the thing about football. You can think you are safe, then a deflected shot flies in from nowhere and a deflected cross hits a defender and allows a semi-professional outfit to beat Celtic to the Uefa Cup spot.
I hope we use every moment of our preparatory time tomorrow wisely. Nothing can be taken for granted.
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Soro,for Gods sake.
.
2 teams beat Aalborg of the Danish league by a single goal this week. Midtjylland and Larne. Just saying, like.
We’re in a 5 year transition. We shouldn’t expect to win the league for a few years. It’s not our divine right and everyone knows football runs in cycles.
As for the team, Barkas is an experienced Greek international. He hasn’t become a bad keeper overnight. He’ll come good.
Ralston is an experienced SPFL player. So is Taylor. Welsh and Murray will get their chance to develop, even if that involves a few harsh lessons along the way.
Our midfield is up their with the best in the league, albeit injuries might change that.
Griff scored 40 goals in a season just 5 years ago and Ajeti did well with Basel. If he can do it there, he will do it in Scotland.
It’s sensible for the club to replenish its finances. It’s been a difficult year and we’re lucky we have directors who take the necessary, but unpopular decisions to put fiscal stability ahead of short-term football success. It might not be easy to hear just now, but we’ll thank the Board in 5 years when we are back in contention for the league.
In the meantime we can blame the refs, the hun media and and the new breed of entitled fans for any disappointments.
I’m assuming this is tongue in cheek?
“3. Covid impacted Celtic more than any other club.”
Baseless tosh otherwise.
We really need to own the disaster that was last season. Failure to do so suggests we may well repeat the same mistakes.
Yes , Covid , it’s because we had no fans in the stadium and every other team had ………er………….
I see Sevco beat Real Madrid today.
Jeez, they’re going to emulate the Lions of 67 and win the lot aren’t they?
I was out the back today and heard this conversation between two hun neighbours:
Hun1 – ah see West Ham reserves pumped them 6-2!!!
Hun 2 – aye! Moyes said he was embarrassed at how poor Celtic were.(anyone confirm? News to me!)
Hun 1 – they’re a shambles and they’re away to Hearts and then come to Ibrox soon after that.
Hun 2 – ah reckon the league will be over by October!
In other news, apparently the fans who booed Griffiths are a disgrace to the club. As opposed to the guy who’s got 5 kids to 4 women, lives with a new partner but is online asking young girls to send him durty foties after a full season of no show as his career circles the plug hole!
Deary me!
Last season was for sevco the perfect storm, that is until they faced both Saints sides, they’re no that fckn good.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-councillor-vip-ppe-face-shields-b1890116.html%3famp
Shameless.
INIQUITOUSIV – ta for your brief match summations of them v the Madrilenos 2nd string and concerns.
Without reading too much into pre-season friendlies, they do seem to be building on their effective game plan of shape and strength over individual brilliance. They’ll do the same thing this year, mibby a bit better.
Eg; tho he’s not a world-beater, Lundstram is a battle-hardened lump of a midfielder with over 130 EPL and Championship matches; a rugged type we could have done with.
As I said b4, the Ange plan is a thing of beauty and wonder in full spate. He needs bodies to implement it.
PS
PITCHFORKSCSC
Just been watching extended highlights of the WH game – Barkas made a couple of good reflex saves but did leave his right side of goal horribly exposed. Still, did it really deserve the kind of coverage it got? Don’t think so. He might still improve. But both he and Bain, like Gordon in his last period at Celtic, seem slow in getting down. Iknow our goalkeeping coach is renowned but can’t these kinds of problems be ironed out on the training ground or are they only apparent elsewhere? Dane Murray was at fault for one of the goals for sure and for another when he slid in and was easily outmanoeuvred – it might have been better if he’d shepherded the WH player who easily scored. Ralston dithered and lost possession – might be put down to lack of experience – but it has happened to much better players. His run and cross for the Ryan Christie goal were excellent. I think with good coaching and experience he will like Murray and Welch could improve. They will be better than loans as cover. For me the main problem was the one that Ange touched upon when he said we should be defending as a unit. Celtic overcommitted themselves in the attack and there wasn’t too much of getting the ball back when we lost possession. It was with remarkable ease that WH performed a counter attack which the youngsters couldn’t deal with. Need more defensive work from the other end of the pitch.
My friends in Celtic,
A potentially season defining game on Wednesday night.
We live in hope.
HH.
Hugh Keevins tish n pish.
WGS’s first competitive game as manager was the ignominious 0-5 gubbing in Bratislava. His second was a 4-4 draw at Fir Park.
That evening on Radio Clyde, Keevins declared the league over. Yes, after one league game, and not even a defeat, the stuttering, slavering Shug pronounced Rangers champions. Even BFDJ scoffed at such abject lunacy.
Celtic went on to win tbe league with games to spare.
Never seen us ship 6 goals at a game …. It was pretty brutal.
We are so open it is scary , we can only play this if we have a really good defence …. My gut says this will not end well but modern football is getting trickier to work out …. So factoring in hope and prayer …. The best we can hope for is a rollercoaster season or 2
Shifting out the deadwood is a priority, Nir , Tom , Ollie , Barkas , Leigh ….. a few of these guys are at let them go on a free if it gets them out the door.
We need to sign a stop gap goalkeeper now what’s big Dave M doing ?
In other news, apparently the fans who booed Griffiths are a disgrace to the club. As opposed to the guy who’s got 5 kids to 4 women, lives with a new partner but is online asking young girls to send him durty foties after a full season of no show as his career circles the plug hole!
Where the FCKU are the MODERATORS. If LEE G had done this he would have been locked up .He would have been sacked by CELTIC.
DEARIE ME INDEED.
When Eddy goes to Brighton I do wonder what the wage profile at the club will look like. Only a few high earners remaining.
I do give Dom a lot of credit for clearing out the dross on high wages, including the loannees. I don’t have a problem with any of the departures to date, including Ajer. A lot of Lawwell’s dumplings gone. Good luck to Ajer and Eddy too. Hopefully Griff, Boli, N’tcham and Barkas to follow, which would take us up to around 18 departures from last season. Hjelde to Leeds would be the only disappointment if it happens.
Clean slate, lots of financial headroom to build a new team AND restore the PLC finances. IF the scouting improves.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN @ 7:23 AM
WGS’s first competitive game as manager was the ignominious 0-5 gubbing in Bratislava. His second was a 4-4 draw at Fir Park.
That evening on Radio Clyde, Keevins declared the league over. Yes, after one league game, and not even a defeat, the stuttering, slavering Shug pronounced Rangers champions
Celtic went on to win the league with games to spare.
————
Lol Tom – cheers.
BTW – not just games to spare but league places too !!!!
Old club were talk of the town pre-season.
Finished 3rd.
FAVOURITE UNCLE on 26TH JULY 2021 8:39 AM
Spot on yet we gave guys on here telling us he should be the first name on the team sheet!
*have
Saturday’s game based on the 8/9 minutes of highlights from WHUTV on YouTube.
Perfect storm.
Full on EPL counter attacking team doing what they do best to a team in full rebuilding mode with a defence straight out of Mothercare.
We had a run attack that took people forward in support of the guy with the ball.
They had a passing counter – attack game based on making full use of the pitch to put a final ball into space for the CF to chase.
With our fullbacks high that left us with a 2 man defence covering far too much space with a late arriving DM who needs to up his sprint training and a MF which is slow to transition and not that great defensively to counter that speed of attack.
Therefore WHU must have thought all their Christmases had come at once.
They have a limited game-plan honed playing teams who are significantly more talented / better than them therefore they survive by being focused and efficient.
We gave them chance after chance — and they scored goal after goal.
Quite simple really.
We are learning AP’s challenging system with a limited squad in transition.
We are short in confidence and experience in defence and we gave away cheap goals.
Lucky to keep it down to 6.
Apart from that some players are on their game and we can now string 3 fast forward passes together rather than 6 slow sideways passes — big progress but lost in the fog of squad rebuilding / GK collapse.
Wednesday night is looking interesting — Cybermen standard / two couch job.
For the record I think we can do it — they ain’t that good.
A big thanks to Paul , Taggsy and Blantyrekev for organising another great wee gathering at Aberdour for the Golf (Bevvy session) day.
So good to see OLDTIM in fine fettle , the usual suspects were there , but a special mention for HAMILTONTIM in making an appearance just added to the occasion 🤗❤👍
I had the pleasure of RUBICON and AYRSHIRETIM as my playing partners , great company , thanks guys for making it a fun day with some fantastic shots on display …….two of the best approach shots i’ve seen at golf from AYRSHIRETIM at the 17th and 18t both of them unlucky not to drop in the hole 👍🍻🏌️♀️⛳e.
As for the season ahead Big Ange has a monumental task in front of him .
By the looks of it he wont use excuses , i’m liking his attitude.
If total capitulation last season, the state we are in this season and the seemingly muted response to both by the club are not topics for discussion on here, that what are?
These three situations are all intertwined and a ‘clear the air’ response is now needed from the top. If we go out on Wednesday, as I, and many others expect, surely a “we are all working hard” media briefing from Ange will not be sufficient.
There needs to be a definitive statement regarding where we have come from, where we are at now, and where we are going
This statement must cover Covid implications, state of the squad and player morale, transfer strategy and the financial outlook and anything that might affect it.
There appears to be a state of inertia surrounding the club at this moment in time, compared to the perception of vibrancy & organisation at Ibrox.
When things are going well it is accepted that we “do our talking on the field of play” – when things are falling apart, it is incumbent on the officers of the club to lay out a credible action plan, “warts an’ all’, that can be understood by the support.
Maslow’s Hierarchy
It appears that we are gravitating to the bottom of the pyramid. Settling for the consolidation of Physiological & Safety needs of the club, instead of striving to raise esteem and be all we can be.
Ibrox, on the other hand, have turned the pyramid on its head and it seems to be working…..on the field of play & off it.
If Celtic is being over-cautious at this time, and who knows maybe there is good reason, then tell us why and keep us on board.
EKBHOY on 26TH JULY 2021 7:43 AM
We need to sign a stop gap goalkeeper now what’s big Dave M doing ?
EKBHOY, the bold David is still at Derby County, I believe, even made the captain last year so I doubt that he’s a possibility.
We’ll not meet the calibre of West Ham players anywhere in the SPFL, that said, Europe this season may be a step too far. Those defensive frailties were on show against the Danes as well, but not highlighted or punished as much as Saturday. On Wednesday we meet a team very much at our level and it will probably be the team that defends better that will win. Who? Mmmm, por cierto.
Morning, what was the SP with the golf? Saw Marspapa’s post but nothing else.
TBB
hope this helps
https://twitter.com/cqngolf/status/1418855251180990464?s=19
hh
JoHannesBerg
See you always end with praise of the dead team.
You are Slanty Eyed Dave and I claim my 10 pounds ( or Rand)
Ta
new article posted.
Mc Kay has to take charge of this recruiting shambles.If he already has,then we are in deep trouble.Dithering,that would win a Gold in Japan.Its obvious the suits are clueless.
Ange must be looking on and thinking,WTF.Lovric,4 something million.H,mmm.
A plethora of RBs,H,mmm.
This week,defines our season.Not beyond the realms,that Hearts could win,and Wednesday,a nightmare scenario could unfold.We just look like a rudderless ship.
On the subject of Lundstrom,signed by the Huns,he is a clogger of epic proportions.Was with Sheffield,and will be worse with them.In the Arsenal game,KT came on at HT.Within 3 minutes he had lunged at him twice.Ran about fouling at will.One for the watching.