How many of you remember Leighton, Rougvie, Miller, McLeish, McMaster? That was the back line of Aberdeen in the early 80s. It is so memorable, that even 36 years after its most famous win, the European Cup Winners’ Cup in Gothenburg, it still rolls off some Celtic fans’ tongues.
We remember it because it was always there. Squads change more quickly these days, but managers are still reluctant to vary their back line. This is the area of the team where regularity produces ever-higher returns. Defenders learn where their team-mates are and what their goalkeeper is likely to do.
In three weeks since facing Cluj, Celtic have had three play at right back (Elhamed, Ajer, Bauer), two at left back (McGregor, Bolingoli), five in central defence (Jullien, Simunovic, Bitton, Ajer, Elhamed) and three goalkeepers (Bain, Gordon, Forster). That’s not counting late substitutions.
Sunday was a defensive masterclass that belied the makeshift nature of the backline. We will have to wait at least two weeks before Greg Taylor makes his debut but it will be longer still before a settled and intuitive defence emerges.
Selection for the next game, away to Hamilton Accies, will reflect fitness requirements, but who gets the shirts for the following game, away to Rennes, is very much a First World Problem. Get it right and we will be in good shape.
104 Comments- Pages:
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CELTIC
sempre
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019 8:37 PM
Happy to help Ernie – mind I explicitly stated that younger folk skewed towards Remain, but that the pattern was not reflected in older folk.
1) https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=164026089095086066070102065064123106071071022042063039098043113124024075061097084119125008001040066001028082111010101107105017103067115005011022006015119068087001127010088122119004&EXT=pdf
2) https://academic.oup.com/economicpolicy/article/32/92/601/4459491
Frinstance.
####
Thank you for the links.
My impression of those two articles, as with everything else I’ve read on the subject, is that the ratio between the amount of hard reliable data and the degree of supposition, inference, deduction and extrapolation applied to it is such that it’s questionable how reliable the conclusions are or what benefit these studies are, other than to provide employment for pollsters, statisticians and data analysts.
Having said that, the second article doesn’t, from my understandably cursory (I have a life) look at it, challenge but rather support my view.
And the first is contradicted by this study which uses the same data but arrives at a different result. (‘We find that voting Leave is associated with older age, white ethnicity, low educational attainment, infrequent use of smartphones and the internet, receiving benefits, adverse health and low life satisfaction.’)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0176268018301320
Give The Gazebo A Conservatory Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This stadium expansion stuff, is it based on anything other than the ETims Rumour Mill?
(Not that I would ever question the reliability or accuracy of it.)
Macjay1
You mention Godwin’s Law. The eponymous Mike Godwin has himself rescinded his ‘law’ in the face of right-wing extremis min the USA “By all means, compare these sh**heads to Nazis. Again and again. I’m with you” see https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/08/14/godwins_law_creator_rescinds_ruling_after_nazis_march_in_charlottesville/
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
7th…………………………..
getinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
This just in……………….
“Owen Coyle’s granny revealed as huge mega-investor in recently instituted East-End Concrete company………..
…………………………..Reports suggest that outside investment may also come in from a murky entity referred to only as “The Glaziers”.
Hmmmm CSC
APRICALE on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 12:12 PM
Did you read your own article ?
:-)
Suspended . Not rescinded.
The headline. Fake News.
Big W- not sure it would create more seats either mate,but cost of extending looks prohibitive, compared to the return, and the demand, a Fan Park with good catering facilities badly needed IMO HH.
Ernie- Corkcelt said he heard from a good source,some type of refurb of the main stand was in the offing.
“add a Conservatory onto the Gazebo.”
Laughing at that one. Smiley thumbs up thingmyjig
Rangers fan, 15, charged by police over disgusting taunt to Scott Brown
!!BADA BING!! on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 12:21 PM
Ernie- Corkcelt said he heard from a good source,some type of refurb of the main stand was in the offing.
####
Was this before or after the rumour mill appeared?
Biggest problem all our players have? If not playing at a high enough level week in week out, testing your limits further, you don’t improve. Simple as that.
Der Hun filth is the best Scotland can offer as competition and look at how pitiful they are.
The idiots on here with their continual criticism of the Celtic modus operandi executed by Lawwell have the fitba IQ of a goldfish.
WTF is an FWP? 😁
Have eTims ever finally admitted that Jordan Rhodes may in fact not be signing for Celtic?!
HH
So much for the refurbishment (or rebuilding and extending of the Main Stand), why can’t we have hot water in the toilets of the North Stand? Imo, that is scandalous. While I’m ranting, why can’t the food and drink outlets be improved (and not just the outrageous prices)?
HENRY JOY on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 12:26 PM
‘The idiots on here with their continual criticism of the Celtic modus operandi executed by Lawwell have the fitba IQ of a goldfish.’
###
Would I be right in thinking that an absolute refusal to challenge or contradict the same club narrative that underpins the professional game in Scotland is a central plank of ‘The Celtic modus operandi’ ?
TheBatteredBunnet,Fergus McCann should have refurbished the Main Stand,I’m in the front of main stand,at times I could do with some refreshments,but the reason I don’t is one small kiosk,always long ques?also what’s served up is awful and expensive,
Mike Godwin ( Mentioned earlier) recommended this little film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K6-cEAJZlE
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 12:30 PM
So much for the refurbishment (or rebuilding and extending of the Main Stand), why can’t we have hot water in the toilets of the North Stand? Imo, that is scandalous. While I’m ranting, why can’t the food and drink outlets be improved (and not just the outrageous prices)?
____
All these issues are more pressing than Barrowlands.
We finally got hot water in the South Stand rear this season.
Robinbhoy
Could you leave the taps running please? We could do with some in the front.
Ernie, from earlier
Thanks for the additional reading, cheers. I think your most recent research simply profiled my mother in law :¬)
Yip, it’s all somewhat heuristic despite the clever maths, and that’s a frustration. There’s a clear skewing towards Remain in voters 18-24 years old, but after that, it all becomes a bit of a demographic soup. I doubt many folk will bet the outcome of a rerun on any of the specific conclusions of any one paper, but it is striking how so many appear to have voted Leave because they were simply and chronically pissed off.
I’d suggest if folk want to reverse the result, they need to give these folk a better future to believe in. Waiting for Alf and Else to kick the bucket isn’t likely to deliver success.
SIEMPRE CELTIC (FORMERLY TRADITIONALIST88) on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 12:25 PM
Rangers fan, 15, charged by police over disgusting taunt to Scott Brown
================================
Utterly disgusting, hurting and vile, though it is, I wonder whether Police intervention is always the best route?
The Police are a VERY blunt instrument and – maybe – they will give the 15-year-old pause to think about what he has said.
However, I wonder if re-education for the boy and his parents is a better approach in the long-term.
Not as easy to administer, doesn’t provide a macho ‘law-and-order’ / ‘action being taken’ headline, and is possibly harder to resource than the short-sharp Police / PF / Crown punishment route.
Ultimately, though, does it work? Does it get to the root of the problem? Does this reduce the chances of a lifetime that negatively impacts on others through this type of behaviour and possibly migrating to physical in stead of verbal violence?
I hope the arrest leads to positive intervention rather than to what may be ultimately pointless or counterproductive ‘punishment’.
HH
BGFC
GodBlessBroonieCFC
no need to increase main stand.. it block sun form pitch and ruins it.. Like Hampden… But I thing Fergus had plans drawn up for putting second tier in the 2 corners beside main stand
I posted this at the end of the last thread, dd could easily pay for the main stand redevelopment and be paid back through profit on its turnover, we also have the option of naming rights or combine a new build with hotel rooms , plenty business acumen on the board we are told.
However football specifically the first team always comes first.
Lennon admitting that it was the head of recruitment that has been going to see players, talk to agents and recommend players.
And just when the CQN “in the know ” brigade have convinced me that it was PL that does all that. I was starting to worry how PL manages to catch any sleep if he does all that as well as his day to day job.
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 1:15 PM
Felt the same thing when I saw his age.
Always amazes me that fans complain about the food on sale inside Celtic Park.Why eat it,why queue for it,why pay over the top for it.Is it really impossible to sit for 90 -120 minutes,without eating something?Eat before you go,buy something before you go in.Plenty of cafes,fast food outlets surrounding the ground.Eat when you come out.Dont give them the money.Stop bloody whingeing.The sheer stats tell you the food will be crap.
Turkeybhoy
Take a 19.45 kick off on a school night, subtract say 90 minutes travelling time from work to Celtic Park, add a 6pm finish to the working day, and there you are – outside Celtic Park 15 minutes before kick off, hank marvin, and not a cafe or a fast food outlet within a mile of the ground.
The sheer stats tell you the crap will be food.
Does a lifetime ban really mean anything? Congrats to Sevco.
Now the press will be talking up their “swift” action.
TBB,
OK,I will give you weekday matches might be tight,might be,depending where you are coming from,but its not impossible to buy food before you go in.Do you really think it is neccesary to eat during the game?I have never eaten inside,could never be assed going and standing in queues.According to what I am reading,the food is crap,overpriced,have to queue.My thoughts are,why would you?Is it just out of habit?Never known anyone to collapse with hunger,due to lack of Pie.Like the old Jungle,who the hell ever ate the Maccaroon anywhere else but there.Strange for me,that this would be an issue.Hot water,proper toilets,yes.Crap food,no.
TIMALOY,
How is that ban enforced?Impossible.
“A compendium of meaningless platitudes” – The Conservative and Unionist Party spending review.
TURKEYBHOY on 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 1:26 PM
Some travelling fans leave at 4am for a Saturday fixture. They should at least have the option of something decent to eat or at least something the prices reflect.
HH
The main stand will have to be completely demolished if they are thinking about refurbish it