Yes, Newco players cheered hearing they would face Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Manager, Graeme Murty, earlier explained the legendary status awaiting those players who deliver the club’s “first” major trophy, so chances are they will have to beat Celtic at one point.
Murty has twice taken his team to Celtic Park and left with a point, moreover, Newco eliminated Celtic on penalties at the same stage of the Cup two years ago, after a 2-2 draw.
Make no mistake, this is a perfect draw for Newco. Celtic will have the league title secured well before the cup final, allowing Brendan Rodgers to rest players in preparation, should they progress that far. During those final weeks of the season, Newco, Aberdeen and Hibs will fight-out for positions 2, 3 and 4. They will not have the luxury of planning ahead for a final. If you need to beat Celtic, better to face them before the final.
Anyone who thinks all Celtic need to do is go through the motions to win this semi-final, or this weekend’s game at Ibrox, needs to be reminded of trips to Rugby Park and Tynecastle. We have had our warning shots.
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was just thinking that embramike – need as much quality as we get on the pitch at the weekend with a second v first match
When Moussa signed for us he got off to an infamously slow start, i remember the home against Astana, he came off the bench, threw a few of their players about the pitch and scored the winner. I felt at that time we had a player and from there on I’ve always felt he’s at his best when he’s bossing people and throwing them about, the goals normally follow. I just get the feeling he’s primed and ready to go for the run in now, the hunger is there and so is the fitness. If i was Brendan i would have him wound up this week to go there and destroy them, i would be saying look, they’re obsessed with you and your price tag, go and pummel them in their own midden and shut them right up.
Oldbhoy – well said. Ibrox will be at full volume and if they get the first goal their confidence will soar.
When we played them at Christmas they dominated the second half and it looked like it was Broonie playing them by himself. Why did that happen? They pressed us high and created several clear cut chances and we looked all over the place at the back. Over the same period they have comfortably beaten Hearts and done Aberdeen 3 times.
We make a lot of noise about none of their players been good enough to play for us – that is only true if our players are playing somewhere near their potential. We are a better team, vastly better if we can get out of 2nd gear. But based on all of our league performances since November, we have no real reason to think that the team are going to magically click back into top gear. It has happened perhaps three times in three months. Our defence has played one game, home against Zenit, when they managed to play flawlessly for 90 minutes. In every other game they have had lapses of concentration and made unforced errors, sometimes with consequences, sometimes not.
I really hope we boss them off the park and silence the bigots. I want to see them flooding out the exits long before the final whistle. I want to see Murty cracking under pressure and doing another handstand.
But as Paul says in his leaders, we have had our warning shots. We have been beaten and beaten easily by Hearts and been deservedly beaten by Kilmarnock too.
Will the real Celtic please stand up?
My default position is that whilst we are – on paper – better than this Zombie team, we still need to earn the right to win, and often that may not be enough. For whilst Sevco do not represent a challenge in the same way Oldco did, the MIBs have never changed and, if they see the opportunity, they will exert their influence over the course of the remaining games. I’ve seen enough, not just in my 40 odd years of attending matches, but this past season in particular to convince me that this particular playing field will never be level.
I fully expect them to use the same tactic as every other bunch of hammer throwers have done recently…try to go hard against broonie and KT. In any other country you would hope the ref will be wise to it….
I see the temperature on the blog is starting to rise as the prospect of the meeting with Les Bleus draws closer. I like to hear all the hot air coming from Ibrox after winning a few matches and we could have a contest on Sunday.
Comfortable win on Sunday and great to see Dembele back on board and amongst the goals. Terrific header for the first and a sweetly struck peno and appears to be coming into form and fitness just at the right time, roll on Sunday.
hard to judge Martin Comper’s form he looked reasonably ok but was never under any real pressure but you can be sure he will be targeted by Les Bleus if Brendan picks him in the side for Sunday.
When we lost to Morton in the league cup a few years ago how many corners did we get?
a question to Mike. Do Canadians spell rumour without a u?
Rmor?:)
bet you didn’t expect this, some good blues piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UzcWOyWKHk
KINGLuBO
130 years and we have never scored from a free kick? Wow…..
WESTCRAIGS on 5TH MARCH 2018 6:05 PM
When we lost to Morton in the league cup a few years ago how many corners did we get?
a question to Mike. Do Canadians spell rumour without a u?
*****
only the drunk ones (hic)
:)
another great piano blues/boogey woogey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLzVYw3eOyc
KINGLuBO
Sevcosound yet again – ahem – “forgets” to criticise McCulloch.
Deniabhoy @ 5:22
Love it will the real Celtic please stand up brilliant ??HH
hvratsky jim, lovely photo i honestly dont know how to thank you, but to say hail hail we will meet again.ktf.
Mike in Toronto
Posted a day or so back, maybe you missed it. Was wondering what the Canadian take on Dr Jordan Peterson was as he’s getting big licks over here. Just bought his latest book, Twelve rules of Life, which so far is very good.
Hope wee Seamus Larsson is ok
KINGLubO
so i posted before am i the only over 60 that wants to hammer them barstewards and. look back in anger tontine tim will know the movie lets stand up and be counted.hh.
Was a bhoy on here looking for photos from HT on Saturday?0
Mike in Toronto how are you pal, frankie and benny sends best wishes to seamus larsson, mike can i give you my email address, now if you want to call me by my first communion name feel free, now if any other posters want to contact me ive got nothing to hide supported celtic since 1888 now i know im not that old but i love any and any one of you.hh james .christie@talktalk.net
Kinglubo
sorry, I didn’t see that post …
Honestly, although Peteson taught in my old department, he joined the faculty the year I left grad school, so I never had any dealings with him….
for myself, I know nothing about his most recent book, but, what I have read before, has left me mostly unimpressed .
I remember reading bits from his (first?) book (on the anthropology of belief), and seem to remember it being interesting ….
but, since then, he seemed to be all over the place, but likes finding reds under the beds and getting on the news …. I did read some of his stuff on bill C-16 which I thought was pretty sophomoric, but it got lots of media attention … so, I think it did what it was supposed to …
Calmness and quiet confidence from the football club and the Celtic support.
Good to see.
Let’s keep it like that.
HH.
Mike in Toronto.
May God bless Canada.
The land that gave us Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Joni Mitchel and The Band (80%).
And Gordon Lightfoot. The patron saint of Canada.
Apologies if already posted / discussed but just when I thought id seen everything
That the whole Sevco saga could throw up I saw this:–
https://videocelts.com/2018/03/blogs/latest-news/sevco-joy-as-they-are-drawn-against-celtic-in-the-scottish-cup/
The ecstatic reaction to drawing us leaves me astounded of forehead and is simply incredible. They’re beyond any rational explaining
Westcraigs …
Leonard Cohen is one of my favourite poets … and G. Lightfoot has one of my favourite voices …. he was a member at my squash club …. I’m not there anymore, but I think he still goes in around christmas time ….
he had a locker a few over from me ….I didn’t see him very often, but he seemed like a nice guy
speaking of music … just found out that Scotland’s Trashcan Sinatras are coming back to TO … should be fun!
If we turn up hungry on Sunday we win. If we turn up in low gear we lose. Simples. I think we’ll turn up hungry.
Big Packy
sent you an email …. so you have my contact info ….. let me know if it goes through…
funny … but for some reason or another, I actually thought your name may have been Patrick!
:)
MIKE IN TORONTO.have not received it yet, what was the e-mail address you sent it to.hh.
BP
I sent it to james.christie@talktalk.net … but if not right, BMCUWP sent me an address for you, but I think it may have been your better half’s address…
I can always send an email there
ffs WITS,
Carthago Delenda Est…..
everybody knows that when it happened…..Rome eventually fell, due to having no external threats….or so Peter Lawwell told me….yer bust in up our business model….if you follow that path…..he’s spinning in his bonus ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Got your email but there is no content in the main box. Also, thank bmcuw for trying to piece it together hh.
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/defending-corners/
Zenit’s early opener from Ivanovic was the latest example of Celtic conceding a goal from a corner in a big game. I looked at corner goal conversion yesterday. Today the case for the defence.
*busting
languageCSC
FTSFA
H.H.
awfy slow day today…..are we so complacent…..or are we panty wetters…..or are we Celtic Supporters…..;-))
FTSFA
positivethoughtsCSC
H.H.
westcraigs on 5th March 2018 6:05 pm
When we lost to Morton in the league cup a few years ago how many corners did we get?
———————————-
27
Sounds a lot. But the chance of scoring from a corner is about the same as trying a shot from 30 yards – between 2 and 3 %. Therefore your Expected Goals from 27 efforts is about 0.675 of a goal.
I cover both our attacking and defending ability at corners on the blog Celtic By Numbers.
The Huns confidence stems from our performances this season , not there,s . We have been a shadow of last seasons team , imho to much favour has been shown to a few who haven’t deserved it . One thing is certain though , they will battle every step of the way , they are tougher than us , and they will turn up . can we match that commitment, apart from broony , sadly I am not too sure , I have concerns in a few positions , I am also unsure of moussa , his body language to me seems not right at the moment . I wish for the moussa ,who kept the ball at the corner flag . That confidence and commitment from the team ,will see the celts triumphant .HH
“Celtic will have the league title secured well before the cup final, allowing Brendan Rodgers to rest players in preparation, should they progress that far. ”
Paul67 – that’s waaaay more confident than the evidence I can see would make me. Zenit away, St Johnstone home and Kilmarnock away were 3 of the worst performances of the season. Three of the last five games. In my experience it isn’t a case of magically switching on the form switch. Celtic’s form is not compelling and certainly not good enough to warrant assumptions on outcome.
Having said all that, a more hopeful bench mark may be Barcelona v A Madrid on Sunday. Madrid were flying and scoring loads of goals. Barca’s form had been stodgy. The greater overall quality controlled a competent 1-0 win.
Here’s hoping.
HH
I’m so EXCITED.
Just found a book called “How to Train your Human” It’s BRILLIANT.
Poor Dad. I’m already beginning to feel sorry for him.
Frank Brogan used to take a good corner so did Charlie Tully
Any profession footballer who spent an hour practicing corners should be able to lay it on a postage stamp
And in a pinch you could copy the ice hockey more often and bring the goalie up near the end of the game