This is the third season in a row Celtic have lost a league game, a situation unimaginable as recently as May 2017. How will we cope? We could always console ourselves with a _vincible treble, or maybe a late run in the Europa League. What I can assure you of is that yesterday’s abject performance will be inconsequential to our season.
Celtic recorded a narrow win on Hamilton’s plastic surface last month, when their natural quick-passing game looked ineffective. I suspect that informed Neil Lennon’s tactical choice ahead of yesterday’s game on the Livingston plastic. In the 26 minutes before Ryan Christie’s red card, the champions threw the ball forward as we did in the pre-Martin O’Neill era.
This was no more effective than our natural passing game at Hamilton. Ball retention was dreadful and we were unable to construct coherent attacks.
The Christie incident was as clear-cut a red card as you can imagine. Ryan has a bit of bite about him and I generally like the way he throws himself into challenges. It is not clear what went through his mind as he launched himself, studs up, but at that moment, we all knew we were in trouble.
The goals were defensively poor. The central two stepped forward while the two full backs stayed back at the opening goal, allowing a team who had lost their previous four games to pass through the defensive line to great effect. A clearance from the league-debutant goalkeeper, Sarkic, was not defended and bounced at the edge of the box, leaving Fraser Forster stranded and beaten by a delicious lob. Sarkic enjoyed as stress-free an afternoon as is possible for a goalkeeper.
Christopher Jullien was dragged into a game of attrition by Dykes, it did not do the Celtic defender’s concentration any good. It will be a long two weeks before the next outing, against Ross County. In the meantime we will have to suck it up and live like the others for a while.
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TBB- The way to try and make space, and create chances, in games such as yesterday is for a winger to beat the full back,Jamesie had an off day,Elyounoussi in second half was our only goal threat when he was taking men on,Shved looked promising but he doesn’t even make the bench….
I’m sticking to the comforting fact The Undead have played two more home games than us and have had an easy enough ride so far, particularly in Europe, where we have been playing a far higher calibre of opponent for a longer period of time… early July we started?
We have played an awful lot of football so far this year and have done pretty well
Regarding Paul’s ‘inconsequential to our season’ comment, well i suppose it is a bit of a ‘cyber-hug’ and i admit i do like his confidence
God forbid if Celtic did lose the league this season… unfortunately it would probably spell the end of his blog
I have plenty of faith in our manager.
He learned a lot yesterday about his team after a euro game.
He needs to freshen it up big style with hungry players desperate to give 100%.
I am confident we will now see major changes for tough away fixtures especially on the back of europa league games.
We have a pretty impressive looking squad…time to use it.
It will not hurt our players to experience chasing the top spot for a bit. We’ve had it all our own way for many years and it’s time now to show we are the better team. There’s absolutely no question that we are and Sunday will be a good reminder to the players that every single game counts. I did not like Lenny’s line-up for Sunday given the exertions the Bhoys showed less than 3 days previous. He should have made 3 or 4 more changes and keep some of the automatic picks on the bench for a rest. Hopefully a lesson learned.
As far as the competition goes, I don’t expect the current league leaders to be able to maintain the pace they have set. Their squad is weak and as the season takes it’s toll this will be exposed. I’m sure that normal order will be restored in good time. Keep the faith.
Paul 67
Delicious lob?
Never ate one, and my guess is – neither have you. Onwards to 9 in a row. HH
BSR
HBY 👍
MNCELT on 7TH OCTOBER 2019 4:33 PM
Excellent post….agree 100%
I see that some eject reported Tom Boyd’s comments re John Beaton to Ofcom.
The complaint was dismissed as without merit today.
All the “neutral” Journos like Tom English wanted Tom Boyd punished by the SFA.
We don’t want anyone breaking the “one’s as bad as the other” philosophy in the commentating ranks.
Very doubtful that anyone from here was giving Ryan Christie a hard time on Twitter, I’ve only ever seen well due praise for the lad on here, we all love him, right guys! Ryan made a mistake yesterday, but for all the good things he has done for us so far, he is completely forgiven. Well I certainly forgive him anyway.
For context, last season after 8 games we were 3 points worse off. Our goal difference was worse as well.
If you compare the exact same run of fixtures from last season St Johnstone (H), Motherwell (A), Hearts (H), Sevco (A), Hamilton (A), Kilmarnock (H), Hibernian (A), Livingston (A)
We are actually 5 points better off than those fixtures last year.
2 points ahead and a better goal difference of 6, cant be right can it but Yes – it is right, it wasn’t all just a bad dream. As horrible as it looks we can console ourselves by knowing that we can outspend them in January.
TBB………….
Know yer place!
;)
cap doffed btw.
HH
ROCK TREE BHOY on 7TH OCTOBER 2019 4:56 PM
Correct about Ryan . No one will give him a harder time than the boy will be giving himself.
The statement read: “The Club also wanted to take this opportunity to assure supporters that we will be doing everything we can to make sure our voice is heard in terms of scheduling matches.
“There have been a number of scheduling issues raised by supporters groups recently including the confirmation of matches such as the Betfred Cup Semi-Final, with a Saturday 5:30pm kick-off and our SPFL match against Ross County in Dingwall having a 12noon kick-off on December 1.
Should add for further context, Sevco are 5 points better off compared to the corresponding fixtures from last season.
Kilmarnock (A), Hibernian (H), St Mirren (A), Celtic (H), Livingston (H), St Johnstone (A), Aberdeen (H), Hamilton (H)
Paul67 “What I can assure you of is that yesterday’s abject performance will be inconsequential to our season”
I cannot believe the relaxed attitude about the season ahead
I hope to God NL and our players are not as arrogant
The last 2 weeks have demonstrated that a couple of refereeing decisions(2 Pens v Hibs) and one bad tackle (RC yesterday) can change the outlook
I believe SG will be telling his team play without fear because you will get the benefit of the doubt from the referee – he is correct they will
We will not
Yesterdays result is not the last points we will drop and yes the Hun will drop points too
But please do not think this league is a walk in the park and forgot all this stuff that Sports Direct will bankrupt them – they are a galvanised motivated enemy
If we underestimate them today there will be tears in May
67ECW
TAL @ 4.39
” Delicious lob ” ?
FFS WTF GTF……………and a whole load of other internet acronyms
HH
I see it hasn’t taken the rags and internet rumour mongers long to start trying to sell off wee Karamoko.
Ross county after the break snow a very important match
Three pretty much rotten away performances in a row have me worried. Unless Sevco are about to go bust I don’t see the basis for Paul’s unbridled confidence. They will beat pretty much everybody in this league as things stand.
ROCK TREE BHOY on 7TH OCTOBER 2019 4:56 PM
I would agree that it is extremely unlikely that anyone on here would give Ryan Christie abuse on Twitter.
He made a rash challenge, so what it’s over. Ryan will probably not be quite as forgiving of himself when he’s watching the game from the stands at the Sheepies ground.
I even doubt that most of the abuse came from Celtic fans.
I don’t condone abuse of any manner on social media, but just put the phone down and refuse to view it. Simples, his followers will understand. When he feels ready reactivate.
Ryan is a great player for us and there is more to come, but social media is a double edged sword.
Maybe modern footballers should be instructed by their clubs the pros, cons and protocol of social media.
HH.
Hearts will need to sack that clown Levein, before the double header against Sevco, they need a lift.
Good evening, friends.
With 4 hours still left to vote (you’ll feel better once you get this one out of the way) there’s actually no certainty yet around who’ll be securing the points for their performance. Currently the votes are reading: 23, 22, 12, 10, 9, 8, 6, 2, 2, 1,1,0, 0, 0 .
Vote before 10.00pm, by email to cqnpoty@gmail.com
Results should be out before half 10.
it must be great to be a blogger who is able to foresee or tell the future , I can only comment on what i see on match day as it happens and what the league table says .
we are dealing with a different beast this 9 in a row season and cant give them a sniff , the agenda has been set out , the other teams are weakened and we cant take our eyes of the prize , europa should not be a priority this season , we are so close to creating more history and they will do anything to derail us , we have to be up for it every league game as we will definitely not get any assistance from anyone.
I’m a feartie…………….and my worst fear is that thull git everything going – going forward.
We can beat them, but hunned up whistlers can determine whether or not we beat everyone else and how everyone else fares against the huns…………..
This year’s different, much different. This league’s different, much different and next year’s off the scale.
Whatever the Club’s strategy or m.o. for dealing with it needs to match the circumstances we are in.
Reporting Scotland showing football tonight…….reprehensible
RON67, more power to your elbow. think your from the brig same as myself .hope you are well.hh.
If you look over the last 8 seasons, we always struggle at Hamilton, Livingston, Thistle, Ross County, Killie etc away
We do well against Huns, Aberdeen, Heats etc away; i.e. challengers
The margins are in the former list. When we win them by one goal and maybe get a dodgy decision our way(bitton trip v Thistle after spawny Ntcham goal), we forget and move on. When we lose, it feels horrendous
In the first and second treble we sneaked a few of these games.
Hopefully the huns have a few of these tough ones before Christmas
Not often I re-post from previous thread.
My poor sense of timing is no one else’s problem .. and, typically, once is bad enough for my ponderings.
But I’m feeling playful so here goes ……..
Other teams want to beat us because we are the champions.
Sky, complete with soup takers, wants us to lose because they can get more money out of the mugs that way.
The MSM, complete with soup takers, want us to lose because they
a) Will ALL go to the wall if we don’t
b) Are MOSTLY rabidly pro-Sevco by ideology
BBC Scotland, complete with soup takers, want us to lose because they’ve been completely intimidated by a bunch of jackbooted Nazis.
The SFA, complete with soup takers, want us to lose because they are run by a Sevco loving cabal of Freemasons who don’t do integrity.
The refereeing community, complete with soup takers, want us to lose because the majority of their gang support Sevco.
Assuming all, or some of the above are true, doesn’t it help to know what you are up against? (Does for me).
Nye Bevan called it on here yesterday.
Every true Celtic fan, (no soup takers), needs to front up and deal with what is going to be a nasty, tough, psychological battle.
If we do, and the players and management do too, we’ll win the league.
Hail hail
It’s going to be very close this year
– knackeredco are better than most of the spfl in most positions
– the reffing statistics tell us they are reffed differently to the spfl
– we have no right to win every match
– our international demands are significant
– many of our players are new to the demands of a full spfl season
– we are still vulnerable when we lose key players
– international rangers score more goals than us
In other unrelated news, our esteemed host wrote a leader today which contained the following …
“What I can assure you of is that yesterday’s abject performance will be inconsequential to our season”
In other unrelated news, I’ve rarely encountered a disciplined, credible businessman who provides assurances very publicly based on a hunch.
In other unrelated news, ….
“mind a nasti riot”
is an interesting anagram of a 14 letter word beginning with ‘A’.
Given the club involved, apposite or what?
Hail hail
Back to Basics
I have thought similiar in the past…
Of course I would prefer we win every week and pull away.
However I am convinced that as long as we remain there or thereabouts we will pull away after the christmas break when the pressure mounts on the challengers who have never done it before compared to the champions who know exactly what it takes.
Seen it all before whether it be Aberdeen a few times or Sevco last season.
Sundays very very poor showing changes nothing.
We will win the league by 6-12 points.
Bhoylo83
“Back to Basics
I have thought similiar in the past…”
—–
About how dull my ponderings are?
And who can blame you !
HH
Getting beat is the new winning!
Surprising loss of 5 points in the last two away games. I say ‘surprising’ as in both the Ibrox game and Cluj#2 the team played as well as at any time in the past five years.
This season is so significant that any defeat raises fears of the unthinkable. We have by far the better players – about 20 of them – so it’s not a rational fear. But when was supporting Celtic ever rational?