Celtic surrendered another two points to fall further behind in the championship race, drawing 0-0 at home against Hibernian. It was a unorganised looking performance from the home team who gave Graham Stack little to do in the Hibernian goal.
Gary Hooper squandered Celtic’s only gilt-edged chance of the game when, after playing a one-two with Anthony Stokes, he struck the outside of the post with Ki available for the square pass. Anthony Stokes had earlier tested Stack, who failed to hold the ball but did enough to clear.
When the same teams met on Wednesday James Forrest transformed the game when he drifted inside but he spent most of today’s game adrift on the right wing. On two occasions he cut inside with purpose, once testing Stack with a blistering shot from 22 yards and later when a 25 yard pile-drive struck the crossbar, but Hibs were content to limit Celtic to such speculative efforts.
Neil Lennon was justified in his criticism of his front pairing of Stokes and Hooper today but Celtic were equally clueless in midfield. There appeared to be no cohesion and there was certainly not a productive match plan.
Motherwell’s away win in Inverness gives the Lanarkshire side a three point lead, having played a game more, going into next week’s crucial game against Celtic at Fir Park. Manager-less St Johnstone dropped three points at home this afternoon, leaving them four points behind Celtic in the fight for the last Europa League place.
This is where we are people, scrapping between Motherwell and St Johnstone. Get used to it.
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12 points by oct, this could be utterly horrendous. We go on a run of good results (in your dreams) , drop a couple of points before Christmas, have a bad january, drop 6 points, we are looking at a fight for second/third
jackie mac
That could almost be Mowbray’s season you’re describing.
PFayr at 10:04
Re.El Kaddouri and question who signed him.
El Kaddouri is good example for wrong work of scouting system at Celtic.
Badr was good player for that Ukrainian team but one year ago. He was even a captain of Dynamo Kyev.
The problem is elswhere. If somebody could read their forum or made search in internet he would know that:
One year ago he was seriously injured and out of the training for longer than 6 months. He played only few games before signed for Celtic. He was fired after the game in CL qualifications for mistakes that cost Dynamo two or three goals.
I don’t belive somebody at Celtic made requested work before El Kaddouri was offered the contract.
why does it detract from the quality of a football fan if said fan sees his team playing appallingly and seeks improvement
puzzled
Morning all. Hope we all enjoyed the extra hour.
A question occurs. It’s probably been asked before, but I’d be grateful for informed opinion from Auldheid, TBB et cetera.
To what extent will high-up people at the SFA who are directly implicated in the EBT scheme have any say on the future of New Rangers?
Can’t say I’m a big fan of these clocks which automatically adjust the time for the extra hour, I feel like I’ve totally missed out on the benefit.
I woke up this morning, looked at the clock and thought it was 9.05. And it was! If you know what I mean.
The Honest Mistake (Sickened) says:
30 October, 2011 at 10:18
———————————————————————————————————-
and you just did…..
cheers M8!
The post match comments I’ve read on the BBC are a serious concern.
“A few have been consistent like Ki [Sung-Yueng] and Joe Ledley. But there are others who are happy to go along, riding on their backs,”
If we think it’s OK to ride on the back of the current efforts and performance of Ki then we are in more trouble than I thought, and I wonder which particular position Joe Ledley has been consistent from, left midfield, centre midfield, the bench?
James Forrest is a truly exceptional prospect and a really exciting player, on the ball. Off the ball he has so much to learn it is untrue. He is utterly unwilling to do the ugly side. Not just tackling, any sort of bursting a gut to get back. I think he may well be taking the lead of Ki, Neil.
I would not sack Neil Lennon because it is pointless until we have someone more capable of making a good appointment in charge. The last thing we need is several million of budget wasted on compensation for new appointments and packages to the departing. We’d probably end up with a Mark McGhee type appointment, on the cheap, no pedigree for where we want to be and the spiral of decline cranked up a gear. Brendan Rodgers (Swansea) is being whispered in the executive seats. Dear oh dear. Irish Celtic supporter seems to be the main CV requirement, Dermot really does think we are all mugs.
Yesterday was the first time I really did begin to accept that for whatever reason, and there are plenty of tragic valid ones, that Neil may not be able to turn things around and I can’t see anyone with the stomach to allow him 2 or 3 more games let alone seasons learning the trade from costly mistakes. I mean Matthews at left back, for goodness sake. The guy was hampered all day from going down the line, I really felt for the boy. He could have done some damage on the other side. The thing is the fix was easy. El Kaddouri, or even just switch him with Wilson who does not get to the touchline anyway. Why have both full backs restricted? Incidentally I felt sorry for Wilson, wee James can leave him very exposed and rarely takes up the correct position for an outball. In fact fixing his socks when Mark was under pressure at one point was almost unforgivable.
Anyway, we’ll be 15 points behind going into the Motherwell game. Anything less than a victory and any defence for Neil’s position will be moot I think. But a victory is what we should be looking for and until then we, em, take it on the chin and move on???
God bless Neil Lennon.
Give up the ghost lads and lasses.
They’re all moaning coz somebody got a payrise!! Attitude is the issue. Application. The young boys would run and run all day for Celtic and the pride of the jersey.
Forster – doesn’t instill confidence or command his area, not a bad shot stopper
defence – let’s not go there.
Ki is too leightweight to play midfield
Kayal is in a permanent strop these days
Brown – crocked and his contract saga will drag on
Hooper and Commons – answers on the back of a postcard???
Paddy McCourt – He’s got the ability but doesn’t get the chance (ever!)
Management team – run out of ideas to shake things up, atrocious man management. Neil Lennon looks like a haunted man, told to shut up and accept things and one day when his book comes out, the truth will out once his gagging order has run it’s course. Until then…..suck it and see.
Board- DD, Lawell et al……in the name of god open your ideas….you’ve let the cancer spread for 4 years to every part of our club through negligence, blind faith, tightness and rose tinted spectacles. If you are in bed with Rankers and other Leagues and this slide in form and political posturing from you for a switch out of Scotland is the ONLY thing you are gunning for but cannot say it publicly then shame on you. You are no fans! You are corporate raiders and conmen!
Zbyszek
many thanks ..that explains quite a bit
Lennon points finger at players.
Neil Lennon threatened to “out” the Celtic players who might cost him the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and his job, as the Hoops dropped 12 points behind Rangers after a lacklustre goalless draw against Hibernian at Parkhead.
Gary Hooper and James Forrest both hit woodwork for the Hoops but it was an afternoon of frustration against a side Celtic had beaten 4-1 in the Scottish Communities League Cup quarter-final tie in midweek. With Rangers winning 2-1 against Aberdeen at Pittodrie earlier in the day, Celtic’s title hopes took another bruising.
The Celtic boss said: “I am really angry, they let the game drift away from them and that is not acceptable.”
He added: “I would like to make changes but the way the squad is stretched it is difficult to do that.
“There are a few who have been consistent like Ki and Joe Ledley but there are others at the minute who are happy to go along, riding on their backs and not really making the contribution that I want from them.
“I have to speak to them and out them, basically. I am not happy with some of them at the minute.
“I don’t think they are giving enough in terms of the quality of their play or effort and I will speak to them individually and tell them what I think and I am looking for a response from them. But you ask them questions at times and you don’t get answers.”
whether or not you agree with him, and i have certain sympathy for what he is saying, when a manager starts slagging the players in public generally means the end is nigh
jackie mac
take a look at the league table
we are in a fight for second/third
my concern is that our current league form suggests we are capable of dropping points on a weekly basis
Celtic first.
Contrary to what the toilet papers say, it appears the decision on how newco are treated will rest with the representatives of the other clubs in the league.
The problem on here IMO is that the supporters who are undying in their love and support for Neil Lennon live far enough away and are so detached and insulated from the reality of living in the west of Scotland and being 12 points behind the Huns before Halloween
Ohhh how they will celebrate even more if they are deducted 10 points and still win the legue while Neil Lennon is involved in a tussle with Motherwell or whoever to come second
A friend of mine, a good guy who supports Dundee United, said last night : “I have always thought Rangers fans were the worst in the world…..the way they boo a player as soon as he makes one mistake and the way they boo their team off the park if they haven`t won.I think Celtic fans are becoming like them.”
Can anyone on here truly say that my mate is wrong? IMO, we have gradually been morphing into an attitude of having a divine right to win. We arra peepil, indeed.
The team frustrate me but Celtic is Celtic. If this change in the fans attitude continues, we will no longer be special and I will no longer feel like going to games.
We are Celtic.
JJ
PFAyr………after what Neil endured last season, and having exposed ‘them’, I feel we need to be patient, and hope for the earliest pssible return from injury of our key players…….no coincidence that the Naysmith injury was met with media ‘shock’…….that wasn’t supposed to happen, not when the idea is to ensure they are given every possible ‘assistance’ …..LOL………..and, when rankers sell all their (even) half decent players in January, the ‘game will be up for them’
I found the following statement very interesting (Scotsman)
“If HMRC wins the tax case with Rangers, it will be owed more than two-thirds of the Ibrox club’s debt” ………so, £50m is only TWO-THIRDS of their TOTAL debt (which is growing daily)…Tick Tock !!!!
Pfayr.
Look again in 2 weeks time, we are fighting for 1st 2nd 3rd 4th.
Neil Lennon…..
God Bless Him…
Mr. Unbreakable is in charge of Celtic FC so,……
bearing that in mind…..
when the pitch-fork brigade come calling….
at the front door of CP….
who will be out 1st….
the board, or….
Neil Francis Lennon ?
I know who my money is on….
kitalba says:
30 October, 2011 at 10:13
I watched it too mate. Watched a passionless Celtic team fail to contrive a meaningful chance in the last 15 minutes. But what was most alarming was the silence from the support, ok there were frustrated howls, derision in parts but my fear is the support are becoming apathetic, even used to second best.
Rudderless is the reason, Desmond’s forgotten toy.
Left yesterday thinking why we should continue to support a team that won’t (not can’t we know they have ability) respond to us ?
Kevjungle. I didn’t really. Just friendly advice as usual.
PFayr
The news were not a secret on the day when El Kaddouri signed. I found them on Ukrainian websites then.
Celtic fans have become like huns since…
all-seater stadiums….
became the way of it. IMO!
To put things in perspective, if Celtic accede to any proposal to allow a phoenix huns to stay in the SPL then it won’t matter whether we have satan or the Archangel Gabriel as manager, for me at least it will be goodbye, ta ta and cheerio.
The Honest Mistake (Sickened) says:
30 October, 2011 at 10:31
Kevjungle. I didn’t really. Just friendly advice as usual.
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Appreciated M8!
Hail! Hail!
Mickybhoy.
10 points is for administration. There are no rules for liquidation and formation of a new club. I’d suggest back to zero. So it’ll be painful for yourself.
This is usually a solemn weekend in the ole Brattbakk household- yesterday was the 40th anniversary of Bro Duane’s death- so events on the pitch did nothing to elevate the mood.
Apart from a glimpse of life on the mythical ‘level playing field’ there were very few positives to take from it.
Fix the XI.
Anyways, happy anniversary today to Ylurc and Ykciv.
May the future years bring more rowies than rows.
good performance and results used to be the norm…now they are the exception. depressing!
ernie
Same here.
JJ
Ernie, jungle Jim.
Have you written to Celtic to let them know your feelings? The more people that do the less chance they will take that approach.
I was well pissed off yesterday,but I’ve had a good night’s sleep and reflected. I am a Celt,in life,as well as in support of our great club. I’ve read a lot of the comments on here this morning and so many of you are right. Up,or down, Celtic F.C. is our club & NL is an icon of the club and has given everything for our cause. I just want the best for us,and when the deck is stacked,that’s not always possible.
The honest mistake
if those who run CFC don`t understand the fans feelings re reincarnated huns then the club has reached an all time low
the board should know …we shouldn`t have to write letters stating what should be obvious
IT WAS OVER LONG AGO.
Neil Lennon showed his total lack of managerial ability after the Ross County game. His public reaction to his own players in defeat told me that here was a man who appeared to have learned little from Martin O’Neill. Those of us who raised doubts were derided as huns but we have been proved right in our concerns.
Many of us also called for caution as to the gloating of Rangers financial woes and the assumption that Ally McCoist was not up to the job. Too many talked out of their arses and now those arses have been well and truly bitten.
The Board gave Lennon a chance which I believe was the correct thing to do but the man is not up to it.
End of.
Rangers2012 in SPL.
Celtic in Aircom Premier.
Scottish football finished.
The Honest Mistake (Sickened) says:
30 October, 2011 at 10:39
Ernie, jungle Jim.
Have you written to Celtic to let them know your feelings? The more people that do the less chance they will take that approach.
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With the Celtic board failling miserably to take advantage of the huns ffor the last 4 years, what makes you think they are going to change now ?
Writing letters to Celtic is akin to, writing to the Celtic View(Pravda) with criticisms of the team! IMO!
The Celtic board/CEO will perform their usual, ‘nodding churchill-dogs’ routine!
The Celtic board don’t give a flying feck what the fans think its, just give us your money!
The Jury’s Out
Have Rangers won the league? How’d they get on in Europe? Are they not operating in Armagedon’s shadow?
So we are dire at the moment, it doesn’t change anything for Rangers until the fat lady sings.
Can someone help me out please.
I was trying to state to a hun sympathiser last night that when they got beat from Kaunas, they went off and spent a load of money afterwards that clearly they didn’t have.
Was that the case, and if so, who was the money spent on?
….PFayr says:
30 October, 2011 at 10:44
Those who run our club do not understand the fans feelings, full stop. If they did we wouldn’t be facing up to losing a 4th successive title to a club that they openly mock, we wouldn’t be out of a league title before the clocks go back, we wouldn’t have appointed Tony Mowbray, we wouldn’t have appointed Neil Lennon, we wouldn’t be taking a punt on youngsters from all around the world rather than signing experienced pros
Che says:
30 October, 2011 at 09:12
Che, if the comments attributed to Neil are true, then it underlines his unsuitability to the job.