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.
1,111 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- »
Time to get a few of the under 19’s into the squad. They can at least show our under performers what hunger is all about.
When is the next international break, normally I hate them, but it would give us time to regroup (maybe).
gsu
moravcik
Unacceptable. Lets keep going with that word until it becomes acceptable.
Moravcik
the point you mde has been discussed by my friends and I for weeks now. The strange thing is that 2nd half of Ipox aprt ElK has done ok. In fact bringing him on at Rugby Park gace us far more balance.
I struggle to see how Neil will turn this round. It is not the fact that we are poor but the shear apparent lack of effort or care both on and off the park. Our players proved how weel they canplay last year and how they can go on a run of victories. But it so differemt now. The whole coaching staff bearly get out the dugout to encourgae or berate the players.
We play 30 passes in font of the opposition before passing back to centre half or goalie to punt to our small forwards. Neil needs experienced help, at best, and his coaches need replaced. All bar Parker are highly regarded as players at the club but they will tarnish this forever unless they do something drastic very soon.
googybhoy says:
30 October, 2011 at 11:39
What a great morning here in Manchester.
Got up for work and came out to a puncture.
Local garage is open so went there to get fuxed.
20 mins later ready to go to work.
Couple if hours later after getting depressed reading in here thought better check my lottery.
Got 5 out if 6…easy cannot buy the club yet as it only oats £1245…but better than a kick in the teeth.
Googybhoy lotto winner
===========================
I expect to see your name linked to buying the Huns this week, mate. Nice one ;))
79caps says:
30 October, 2011 at 13:28
Even if such an approach failed, I think most fans would appreciate seeing action being taken to attempt to remedy the malaise. I don’t understand why Lennon is trying the same failing system time and time again.
He won’t change though and I think we all know that.
Shocking defending from DOD allows Cardiff to go 1 up at Leeds
Heard a Southampton Fan on the radio last night discussing his teams performances in the Championship, which they top.
Said that Hooveild, who they had got from Celtic on loan was World Class, and could not believe he couldn’t get a game at Celtic, thinks we must have some outsanding Centre Backs at our club!! por cierto.
I thought O’Dea was fouled por cierto.
Oldtim u need to speak to sannabhoy desperately?
I can drop him a text if needed
HH
79 caps ….
451 every week for Celtic is the way to go.
Majority of teams in Scotland have no interest or no ability to play passing football, so they revert to the physical side of the game.
Crowd the midfield, don’t let them play etc, meanwhile we still only play 2 in Centre Mid who are overrun and outnumbered every week.
Can the manager not see this … ??
Win the battle then win the game.
moravcik
Por Cierto @ 13.39
Unfortunately it looks as though Hooiveld’s “crime” was being a Tony Mowbray signing. He wasn’t voted player of the year in Finland and Sweden for nothing.
Feckin’social-retard Huns bringing down the Iq of the blog.
Ignore their desperate flummery – their own future is of leaden skies and bargain-basement misery.
Been saying for weeks Lenny needs to get a sense of perspective, drop the pals act and play the players who WANT to give their hearts for the Hoops.
And play them in a system which delivers the contempt our rigid, one-dimensional opponents cannot combat with banks of 4/5 across the last third.
We need to go 3-2-3-2
Forster
Right-back- Charlie – Left back
Holding Midfielder – HoldingMF/Playmaker
RightMid/Winger – Paddy MCCourt – LeftMid/Winger
Stokes – Samaras/anyone else with the bottle to stand up and be counted.
We’re tooooooo catious, and tooooo lackadasical.
We need to come out of the blocks sharp and hungry.
The last thing Lenny should be doing with this lot of underachievers is NOT wishing them luck but delivering a boot to the arse of every player departing the dressing room for the pitch.
Honeymoon’s over. Get back in the scullery.
tooheys new says:
30 October, 2011 at 13:32
The team suffers from a lack of organisation. Defenders get booed for imprecise forward passing – but there’s no one to pass to. Our players just don’t move off the ball and it’s worse each game.
Seriously, we have the resources at our disposal to win this SPL. Neil Lennon has the makings of an excellent manager but he needs help here and now.
Moravcik
I also think you need pace/skill on the flanks to overcome the “park the bus” tactics that teams use at Celtic Park. That includes full backs who can bomb forward (not the right back who played yesterday).
79 caps …..
I don’t beleive for a minute that Majstorovic, Hooiveld, Rasmussen etc are bad players.
Is it the coaching they receive… ??
Tactics …… ???
Man Management, or lack off … ???
Formations …… ???
Majstorovic has over 50 caps for Sweden, who are way better than Scotland,
yet looks like a fish out of water at Celtic.
Too many players have been signed who don’t fit in at Celtic.
Effrain Juarez ….. Mexican international who can’t get a game at Celtic.
Commons …….. One of the top players last season who can’t get a game in a poor team this season … ??
Major changes required in Paradise ASAP.
moravcik
Tictalker
Valid points but unless you have a coach who can implement the system properly it’s pointless.
We lack the coaching ability to implement the most basic system.
We are not a team and have been reliant on individuals more than team strategy during Neil’s tenure.
Some outstanding posts both for and against Neil.IMO Neil should cut a deal and leave for the good of Neil Lennon and Celtic.The change in spirit,heart,togetherness we had last year, for whatever reasons has gone and isn’t coming back.Half hearted players,lack of coaching/tactics,tinkering with the team.Lawwell should be next,for appointing managers he wants to control for his own means.I would appoint Davie Hay and Willie McStay interim coaching team
Advertise the job,you would be amazed who would want it im sure.Nobody in our history has had to endure the endless threats and abuse,to support,play for or manage our club.It is not working and there has to be change for Neil’s sake as well as ours.
Sorry chaps but talk of different formations is really just rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic
We need players who are fit for purpose and who possess the character and mental strength required to play for CFC
If we had the right sort of players we could play 4-4-2 – but we would need at least one of the 2 forwards to have the physical strength to hold the ball up
Hooper is a penalty box striker but has been a shadow of his former self since his injury in the shame game
Stokes is a luxury – who lacks the inner steel required to be a really top player
Both together works when we get an early break through but we just do not possess a plan B that works
Last 10 minutes yesterday when should have just been shelling their box and fighting for second balls – instead we just meekly accepted it wasn’t our day
Sign the right type of players and the system becomes less important – ths present group will just hide behind any excuse – system – manager- tactics
HH
Moravcik
I agree again. I was really excited when we signed Juarez, having seen Mexico play excellent fast skilful football in the World Cup. And Big Dan played for Sweden recently when they beat Holland (ranked no. 1 in the world) and when they kept a clean sheet against Germany in a friendly. It’s a mystery.
But I don’t know how major changes are going to happen soon. I don’t think the board can sack Neil. Nor should they. If it gets any worse (!) Neil will perhaps quit. We’re in a desperate position with 3 novice assistants. The best short-term solution would be to replace them. But presumably Neil wouldn’t accept that. He needs to talk to someone!
I heard that the average age of the Celtic team yesterday was in the region of 22.6 years.
A team may get away with that if they had a wise old head in the dugout.
However, with an equivalent, youthful coaching team on the bench, there was no experience on or off the pitch.
In hindsight, perhaps a mentor would have been the way to go.
But, like some others on here, my passion and enthusiasm is on the wane, pending the resolution to all of the corruption issues that bedevil the game.
I have no interest in playing in a crooked game, where you are permitted to win the occasional hand, just to keep you sweet.
Prosecute the cheats and clean up the game.
Then, we can focus on the problems at Celtic Park.
croppybhoy @ 14.01
“Sign the right type of players …” Fair enough, but we can’t sign anyone till January. Something has to be done NOW.
If, and it is a big if, as implied in a newspaper report today, Neil Lennon is openly naming Hooper and Stokes as players whose performances he considers to be substandard, then his tea is well and truly out.
If he cannot command their respect, obedience and even fear within the confines of the dressing room, then the game is up.
In fairness to both players , due to DD and PLs neglect of the opportunities of yet another transfer window, Stokes and Hooper lack a dominating Sutton or Hartson figure to feed off.
Yesterday’s result simply summed up the malaise afflicting Celtic from top to bottom. For what seems to have been weeks on end, the Celtic defence could not have bought a clean sheet. One comes along and up front they could not hit a barn door.
As I have said before, don’t blame Neil Lennon. He simply did what most of us would have done and grabbed the Celtic manager’s job when it came alone.
Blame those with an eye on the bawbees and learning nothing from history, appointed a rookie manager.
Quick tuppence worth on yesterday –
Forster and Matthews played very well (although Zaluska remains my pick for no.1) with the keepr doing what was necessary, and Mattews, despite not playing on the right, did well defensively and going forward. Ledley was his usual composed self, but must wonder what the hell’s happening around him.
Those three apart, the team was sludge personified – that was just a bit worse than the St Johnstone game (though before anyone pines for Kelvin Wilson, nothing’s been as bad as that Rangers match).
Hooper and Kayal stood out as being particularly sloppy, and both must now be dropped. It’s time for Neil to look at the players with fresh eyes and pick them on merit, not because they were last season’s poster boys.
We have a lot of chances with free kicks lately just outside the oppositions box and the most frustrating thing is watching big Charlie taking everyone of them to no effect. Stokes and Ki can hit a good free kick but hardly get a chance because Charlie pushes them away. Just one aspect of the game I have been at dissapointed with but an important one nonetheless.
gsu
There’s a simple question to be answered
Could another manager get better results from this squad of players
Yes means it’s the manager’s fault
No means it’s the players’ fault
Because right now we only have who we have
u
If you have time I recomend Lech vs Legia Warsaw game in Poznan. Kick off in two hours. The game is called derby of Poland. Media confirmed that scouts from many clubs will watch that game. Clubs who sent their representatives are: Napoli, Anderlecht, Borussia Dortmund, Borusia Moenchengladbach, Athletic Bilbao, Lens, Dynamo Moscow, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hertha Berlin, PSG, FC Koeln, Lens, Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen, Livorno, West Ham, Manchester City and Trabzonspor.
Semir Stilic who was on Celtic radar and close to make a deal is out of contract in June. He did not extend the contract and if signs in December will cost next club nothing. He expects 500 000 euros per year. Legia confirmed their interest in the player but moves from Lech to Legia or opposite direction are impossible. If I were Celtic I would sign Stilic.
MVP player in today’s game is Artjoms Rudnevs who costs circa 4 million euros. He is excellent striker who plays for Lech. I don’t know how McStay could miss his talent in Hungary? Lech made great business with the player two years ago.
Still, many cheap players are working here. They are better than those who are now at Celtic and cheaper in wages and in transfers.
Greensideup
Disagree in regard to the free kicks
Ki is more wasteful and taking Rennes as an example the first decent delivery and we scored.
Mulgrew delivered and I believe he is our best option from set pieces.
quonno says 30 October, 2011
I agree criticising players publicly is a surefire way of losing the dressing room,but when Hooper says he wants to play for England,GB Olympic team, ffs he couldnt get a game for Scotland.
Zbyszek
Spoke with my friend from Sarajevo – says Stilic technically very good but maybe lightweight for SPL. hes now in national squad too.
Im off there on Friday for Zelcinecar v Sarajevo – his brother is manager of Zeljo and his dad is a Bosnian footbal legend!
Bundoran Bhoy.
No,there’s no urgency about contacting sannabhoy,Just wanted to know if he was going to the game on Thursday.I want to know if he can pick up a parcel from me.I’ll be in ?I forget the name of the hotel at this moment but the address is 60 renfrew street.
Sorry for being so late in answering you.
Talking about free kicks, I think that more should be put into the penalty box. How often does a free kick in the opposition half end up going to the back four?
OT67
Citizenm Hotel ?
Someone on KDS posted this
Players,Manager & club officials should read and take note.
“Without fans who pay at the turnstile, football is nothing. Sometimes we are inclined to forget that. The only chance of bringing them into stadiums is if they are entertained by what happens on the football field.”
Jock Stein
Neil’s Taxi’s Here ! says:
30 October, 2011 at 11:15
….PFayr
not me,pal.
Anyway off to B&Q now. You guys keep working on the answer ( which starts with bulleting NL )
share
Bet it took you a while to figure out how to get bullet and Neil Lennon in to the one post.
This place is getting worse, bad enough reading the green hun cowards,
but when the real huns are allowed to spew their bile on here, there is
something far wrong.
feedthebhear
Your friend is robably right, probably.
Take another thing into consideration. He is typical the 10 in the team and in each game he makes 3 or 4 passes that open room for strakers to be one on one with the keeper or creates another sitters for them. He is left footed and scores goals from free kicks. I would take him even if not the big fighter.
Cannae agree that Mulgrew should be taking any deadball opportunities – a couple of decent free kicks against us and a very rare lucky strike from a FK and he’s assumed the mantle of a dead ball specialist.
He’s no more likely to score than Stokes or Kayal from a freekick – another measure how far we’ve fallen that Mulgrew is hailed by some as our best centre back and dead ball specialist.
Nearly a day later and it doesn’t get any better.
Celtic Park at ten to five last night, was like a ghost town and for those left the gloomy resignation of a faithful support, was almost touchable.
We are in a classic catch 22 situation, where a young manager, who was allowed to hire his pals, as experts, is running a ground. Some good players signed are clearly going backwards, but the team is littered with his, and his predecessors mistakes. The lack of a plan couldn’t be saved by another personal half time address, and I’ve never seen a Celtic side that looked less likely to score, in a home game.
None of this excuses the mistakes that Neil Lennon is repeating, and sadly we’ve seen this movie before, where at best we’ll win one, then regress in the next game, or the next. If NL gets beyond December, ( and you’d have to say at the moment it’s not looking good ) because his appointees will grab his signature, to salvage themselves, and Celtic will be rummaging for another Bosman in another futile January window.
What a mess.
PjDali says:
30 October, 2011 at 14:29
Have to agree mate. Beginning to groan the way I did when Maloney thought he could hit every free kick,scored about one in every hundred.