We have all the excuses in the world, but if you cannot beat Dundee United, or Livingston, teams with vastly weaker squads than the Celtic teams they denied five points to over the last 8 days, you do not deserve to win the league.
Celtic will improve. Kyogo Furuhashi, Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor and James Forrest are known quantities who will lift performances and results. Georgios Giakoumakis will surely also add something. When we get Christopher Jullien fit he will bring experience to the back line. Right now that matters little, six points adrift after seven games is the form that leaves confidence on a knife-edge.
Jota was outstanding, a one-man siege of the Dundee United back line, he deserved more from those around him. Again, Liel Abada timed his run into the box perfectly to head home at the back post. Anthony Ralston committed to a tackle a minute later and suffered an unfortunate ricochet. It was not the worst defensive error you have seen from Celtic this year, but from there, Dundee United made no mistake.
Albian Ajeti was already having an afternoon to forget (think Kazim-Richards, but less mobile) when, within seconds of conceding, Abada’s cutback found him three yards from goal. The striker snatched at the chance and sent it high over the bar. Ange Postecoglou had no choice to persist with Albian, although surely we will see little of him when fitness allows others to play.
James McCarthy was clattered early and scarcely left the centre circle before being replaced at halftime. This pleased most around me, but it took Ismaila Soro most of the second half to retain possession. If McCarthy is not yet fully fit, he should be left before further reputational damage occurs.
On another day one of the three chances that rattled United crossbar would have gone in and the chat would be about digging out a win the way champions do. Instead, we flattered to deceive, the way those with nothing but sob stories at the end of the season do.
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GLENDALYSTONSILS on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:21 PM
BSR
watch it again, the angles of it all, tom did well to get to it, but it could only go up the way.
i thought ajeti attempt at the header in second half was as bad as his sitter miss, technique and all that.
Peterlatchforsbelly,I came from Dalmarnock went to Pirn Street School,same age as your father ,could I ask his full name,I stayed in Mordaunt Street.
@Big J…Ole Jetski……Is 5/1 Thursday tae score first……..
Think they missed a couple of zero’s oot lol
Oh Gawd…13.5 mill according tae the published accounts..for him and Barkas..
Who brought them in????? It’s a Mystery…..
H. H
Just seen photographs ( social media ) from a club travelling up from Englandshire yesterday.
Early start, happy pub photos poor performance, not the desired result and a late night home.
These pictures will be replicated from supporter clubs, from the North of Scotland from England / Wales and from Irelamd.
Supporters are a credit. The time, effort and commitment should be acknowledged. Not criticised by a poster from the previous article.
I hope I read Burnley’s post out of context.
HH.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 12:30 PM
……
Thinking along the same lines I’m sure it was John Barnes who came out with “I know how football should be played” …. this is a sure fire danger signal
There is however the eternal hope that the past is not pre-ordinated to repeat itself ad nausem into the future , unfortunately some equivalent laws of physics in football are :
– good big in will beat a good wee un
– easier to destroy than to create
I believe we will start to see 2 things , the other teams will quickly work out how to play us and our guys will start to plateau due to a mix of results , injuries and finding their level
Scary times ahead … our back line looked terrible yesterday and years of watching this just tells you another rule of football defences get poorer , slacker as the season progresses …. unless shored up by new folk
I think we are walking a tightrope at the moment and my impression from yesterday is that the players know it as well
The deeper problem is that in the grand scheme of things the Board know nothing about football …. You can tell by what we are not … a decent level European outfit who just happen to play in Scotland….
Happy to be completely wrong with this …. Head and gut telling me we are in very serious trouble
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 12:40 PM
“Albian Ajeti was already having an afternoon to forget (think Kazim-Richards, but less mobile”
———————
Harkes made a run from way back completely untracked. Not even as if it was a quick counter-attack where you could excuse being caught out of position – it was patient build-up play, right to left then back into the middle.
Decent player, Harkes. Mentioned him at the beginning of the summer as one we should be looking at. The one thing he had to do was add goals to his game and it looks like he is doing that. We could certainly be doing with a midfielder who can make runs beyond the striker.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL.
I don’t know if you are aware, Harkes wife plays for Celtic, she scored yesterday, also, in Celtic’s 2.1 win over Hibs.
GREENPINATA
There’s some strange posts on here sometimes.
Burnley thinks the support is the problem and another fan doesn’t think we should be allowed the privilege of commenting on our gaffer’s performance level without doing a UEFA coaching badge first.
EKBhoy
Good post.
What continues to worry me is that we bring in players who look good at the beginning
then get progressively worse.
We need competent professionals to run the club with clearly defined job parameters.
We shouldn’t need to ask who signed Barkas and Ajeti. That should be someone’s specific job.
Last season, after being humiliated in Europe, we went through the autumn with a weekly debate on here – do we sack the manager or leave him charge until the league is lost. Those wanting him sacked, argued we were not going to improve under his leadership. Those wanting him to say, said he deserved the chance to win 10iar etc etc.
Here we are, one year on and faced with a similar debate. As the point gap slowly widened last season, many on here argued that we still had a couple of games in hand. That if we could hang onto Christmas and beat Sevco we’d be right back in it.
Having already lost three games this season and fallen adrift by 6 points, the talk is all about waiting until all our players are fit.
With the next four SPL games being Aberdeen away, Motherwell away, St J home and Hibs away, what will the points gap be by October 27th? What kind of gap is allowed before there is panic? Before there is an acceptance that the CL golden ticket is already in Gerard’s pocket?
I don’t think Ange is the answer. But nor is he the problem.
Mistakes are all our own making – from years back. Should have moved Griffiths on in 2019 and got in two strikers – one to replace Griffiths and one to replace Edouard the following year.
Poor squad management, no planning, no DOF. Got away with it for a while – catching up with us now.
ANDY PATONS MULLET on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 12:57 PM
That we are talking about missing players is a scandal. The 11 that took to the pitch should have seen off Utd without question. That they didn’t lies at the managers door. Good managers find a way to win games, we are finding excuses.
God knows what’s happened to the Leeds manager,can’t win a game.Bottom 3
The Spurs manager,who many were wishing we could get,cant win a game.
OGS,at the most expensive team on the planet,beaten in CL,by Young Boys,knocked out of the Cup at home,lost in the league at home.
Wonder why they can’t figure out a way to win games.
Seemingly,it’s easy.
THE ONLOOKER on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:12 PM
There are many dissections of our game on Saturday on this page, yours is an excellent one and pinpoints many of the salient aspects of our play. Hopefully, we get some players back and quickly, though I do feel we are starting to put a helluva lot of pressure on Kyogo to be the “messaih” now. We missed him, Calum and Taylor, when Juranavic goes off, as cover, por cierto
JHB on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:17 PM
McCarthy was looking to come off as soon as he was fouled and of course got his wish at half-time. That kind of ‘involvement’ would have served to spur on Scott Brown.
—————-
Broony is a hard act to follow, but not the current version of Broony.
Watched some of the Aberdeen game yesterday and SB offered very little and should have been send off for persistent fouling after he was on a yellow. Hayes should also have been red carded for a shocker of a two footed lunge late in the game.
Having said that, Broony will probably give a MOTM show next Sunday. Aberdeen are due a result and we, sadly, are there for the taking.
“Football without the fans is better”
Burnley…….
Bitton with Soro , better playing laurel and hardy
so that will be 3 players subbed on 60 mins , mc carthy, rogic and turnbull.
Stivs. From twitter
https://twitter.com/oakroyd/status/1442125532049465353?s=19
HH
Should have took him roon the Trophy room….
Be well Impressed……..
JHB,
That was a shocking,Red Card tackle on Mc Carthy.You could see he was badly caught.
Stick to politics.
Sunday’s 3-2 loss to St Mirren made it three defeats in a row and extended Aberdeen’s winless run in all competitions to eight games
will that be nine come Sunday .
With the next four SPL games being Aberdeen away, Motherwell away, St J home and Hibs away, what will the points gap be by October 27th?
—-
Every chance the league will be done for us by then. If that’s the case then the staggering fact is that this season would have been worse than last !
Ange is on a tightrope with no safety net now.
7 matches in and the towels are being thrown in.
FFS
OUT: Scott Brown, Olivier Ntcham, Ryan Christie.
IN: James McCarthy.
dearie me
Clinko
“7 matches in and the towels are being thrown in”
I kept asking my mate in the pub after the match, ‘How did we get into this state ? ”
He blames Neil Lennon and Peter Lawwell in equal measure!
CLINKO on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:57 PM
7 matches in and the towels are being thrown in.
FFS
—
I haven’t read anyone throw the towel in. 3 wins from 7 is obviously cause for concern and an unsustainable win rate for any Celtic manager.
AN TEARMANN on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:49 PM
Stivs. From twitter
brilliant ta, added to the collection.
Scottish Premiership: Introducing the best small league in Europe
interesting read.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58699735
Turkeybhoy…
JHB stick to politics…
ffs naw!
Unless it’s in his lonely room with his George Galloway posters on the wall.
AN DUN @ 1:35 PM
There are three who lurk on this site who have UEFA Coaching Badges, and I’m sure there will be many others. Many amateur and junior coaches take the course, just to widen their experience, and expand their knowledge of training routines, recovery intervals, formations and tactics. And some of them are Celtic fans! Many years ago, Andy Roxburgh assembled masses of information painstakingly gleaned from Countries such as the Netherlands, Brazil and Germany, and put it to good use at Largs. The courses have enjoyed a stellar reputation ever since.
Think of Tom Rogic’s career at Celtic ad you will remember the fine goals from well hit shots at goal.
What happened yesterday?
Shot shy and holding on to the ball?
What are the instructions he is given by the coaches?
Same with Ajeti, he seems to stay the middle. No running in behind or out wide. Is he told to play in these areas?
Is this the influence of the coaches? Last two games have seemed like Kennedyball rather than Angeball
We dont seem ready for Levekusen o Thursday
Celtic’s number one problem is that we are a trinket on the charm bracelet of a minority shareholder who wields dictatorial powers and thinks he knows how to run a football club.
Keep hearing how we are missing Kyogo.We are.But not the whole story.We have not had any semblance of a settled back 4.Injuries,are killing us
Juranovic Jullien CCV Taylor,will be Anges back 4.We have had nothing like that so far.
Midfield,the loss of Calmac,has been a disaster.Turnbull and Rogic luxury players who thrive on Calmacs industry.When not playing,they are not up to the task.
If James Forrest was fit,another massive loss,I think we would have seen a front 3 of him,Abada,Jota.Abada should have been playing through the middle in Kyogos absence.Boy can score goals.All types.
Think back to Tynecastle.A brilliant finish from him,wrongly chalked off,from CF position.By the way,those 2 points would have put us in a much better place.
When Ange has his best team out,then I will judge him.He needs to get to January,then reinforce the positions he needs.He needs them.Cant all be done in the one window.
On a knife /edge? in September? Postecoglou has been in the job 3.5 months. How many months was the club on the knife edge with the board defying the support who asked for a change of manager, as Lennon and his depleted team ( without Damien Duff ) were on their hinders. We were LOSING matches at home to lesser clubs and failing to even offer any kind of football at all. The fans in the stadium will have their say though and their frustration may be vented at Ange, who didn´t sign Ajeti but is forced to give him a shot because somebody (not sure who in the Celtic bubble) signed him as a big investment.
Celtic TV also asking Ange about the now “difficult” upcoming game against Leverkusen. No mate, you are not working for BBC. Celtic managers should always get soft-soap treatment from OUR media people. What happened to the mantra of great European nights? Could the Celtic TV reporter not have said ” The fact that the next match is a European tie could give the team a great chance to lift their spirits as we know what special nights they are here at Celtic Park ” No, he plays Sherlock with his ” Do you think it might be…….” and his ” Perhaps we didn´t have the options to…” questions. Why don´t we get ex Celtic players to do these interviews, if the remit is to discuss tactics with the Boss.
Bigbhoy,
Nobody tells Ajeti to hide behind CHs,not to ever seem to be in the right position.No one tells Rogic to continually,as he did yesterday,make the wrong decisions.
You actually think they are being told this?
I keep hearing how Christopher Jullien will solidify our defence. Will he ?
Even before this long term injury, Chris was out with knee and back injuries.
He also got embarrassingly bullied big style by Lyndon Dykes.
The jury is out if and when he comes back.
HH.
RIMTIMTIM,
Because we have that Arse,Gerry Mc Culloch let loose on Celtic TV.
DENIABHOY on 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021 1:39 PM
‘Last season, after being humiliated in Europe, we went through the autumn with a weekly debate on here – do we sack the manager or leave him charge until the league is lost. Those wanting him sacked, argued we were not going to improve under his leadership. Those wanting him to say, said he deserved the chance to win 10iar etc etc.’
###
And one poster, (me) saying they’d prefer to leave NFL in charge because they didn’t trust the board to replace him with anyone better.
And whilst I have many faults, being wrong isn’t one of them.
Greenpinta,
Lyndon Dykes is doing a pretty good job of bullying CHs in the Championship.All players have a guy they hate to play against.Big Billy used to get roasted by Jim Forrest.The good thing should be,you have to keep referring to those exemptions to the rule to make a case.
While we did create more than enough chances to win the game yesterday, there are some glaring deficiencies in the squad that tells me we are in for a long season of ups and downs, probably in equal proportions.
I love Tom Rogic but he is not a 90 minute player game in game out. He doesn’t have the fitness or the focus needed. For a club with our history of attacking football to have Ajeti as our starter with a kid from the colts on the bench is unforgiveable. Our back-line is so fragile that I half expect teams to score whenever they break over the half way line.
Ange deserves time, but he’s not filling me with confidence just yet.
Jota was very good yesterday. Abada does have something in him but I wonder what the coach will do when Jamesie gets fit. I thought young Monty had looked good in his previous outings but he looked completely out of place yesterday and why was Welsh not playing?
They had a solid shout for a penalty yesterday but did anyone notice their keepers kick on Abada when Abada had to get treatment? That would have been a red card anywhere else on the pitch.
We’re going to need a lot of good fortune to get out of Thursday with a win.