This time last year the league was in the bag, as it is today, but we had Champions League football to look forward to in the coming days, and would ultimately go on to win the Scottish Cup. The Champions League is always going to be a hard place to measure progress for a club seeded in pot 4, last season it was hard enough to Benfica, a pot 2 team who were eliminated by Celtic but still progressed to the Europa League final.
Domestic cup performances for Celtic is a more accessible measuring tool. After home defeats to Morton (good grief) and now Aberdeen we may well ask, what went wrong?
It was evident from early in the second half that whatever match plan we had was not effective, and despite the introduction of fresh faces, the performance didn’t improve. Aberdeen defended outside their box very effectively, making it difficult for Celtic to play the kind of passes which Samaras released Stokes with to score early in the game. Forrest found red shirts blocking his path whenever he got going. Commons had a day when nothing sparked. Possession was cheaply conceded throughout as Celtic continued to ask the same question of the Aberdeen defence.
While we are playing in in impoverished Scottish football Aberdeen represent the strongest possible opponents. They are second in the league and were the last team to score against us on merit. Yesterday wasn’t a fluke result, it was deserved and marked the progress of Derek McInnes’ team.
So where does this leave us? Celtic remain imperious in the Premiership, the fact that they’ve not tasted defeat against a weaker team there, or conceded in 11 games, is historically impressive, but against the best of the rest, there are question marks, as there will be for Champions League qualifiers.
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CCB
IMO Browns booking was necessary
Matthews had been skinned ….Brown was trying to cover ..had he not tackled Hayes ? ..was clean thro on our goal ….
Squire / Kayal
My position exactly…I posted similar this morning
It was the method of defeat yesterday which concerned me more than the defeat it’s self
I get truly embarrassed when I see people on here stating that the Scottish Cup draw was fixed. If we assume that Inverness will win their replay then there were 4 Prem teams, 3 diddy teams plus Sevco in today’s draw, so the chances of them drawing a diddy team were just a touch over even money. If there really was a conspiracy then Aberdeen v Dundee United coupled with Raith Rovers v Dumbarton would have been the call, with Sevco drawn against the winner (of RR v Sons) in the semi.
More than that, the draw was carried out on live TV, with a Celtic fan picking out the balls from a glass case.
It was a fair draw.
Re the Sevco draw. Nobody can be in any doubt that they have friends in the highest of places and that these friends have done no end of unjust and frankly immoral things to help them. Whether the draw was rigged or not we may never know, but a little paranoia is perfectly understandable.
Sevco and their Guardians have already shown that they have no morals or scruples.
67heaven
They were on the very brink of administration two years ago when United gubbed them in the cup.
I guess they couldn’t find a Masonic golfer pretend Celtic fan to rig the draw that time.
Fed=fit, don’t post and drive( only at lights).
SFTB
And this year we are insignificant and very poor on the field and much better off of it. We are a football club not a company. The company is just a mechanism to run and administrate the football club. That’s where the problem lies. Lack of ambition and an obscene love of profits over football fortunes. Luckily we have our Old Firm partners to hold up to anybody that espouses ambition to take us back to the late 60.’s. Closest since then spiritually was Seville. You fail to mention that and it also went unnoticed by the Board. We chose FFP meanwhile resolution 12 has been very reluctantly addressed. That tells you,all you need to know unless you suffer from extreme denial.
Anyways my battery is nearly empty so I cant reply until tomorrow.
HH
Raspberry-HH
PfAyr,
I wasn’t in my usual seat yesterday, and the incident was right in front of me.
IMHO he could have got the tackle in, and his momentum would have taken the player as well, which would have potentially resulted in a foul but not a booking.
The fact Broony walked away, and didn’t show remorse, led me to think it was a deliberate response to an earlier foul on Matthews.
He could have made it harder for ref to book him, instead he made it easy.
SFTB-You were asking for perspective ,and said a cup win next season would equate to MON’s record.A bit of perspective is required when looking at the opposition today compared to MON’s time .HH
Watched the Man U game today and at 2-1 thought well maybe this is just the break that Moyes needs….and then Fulham equalised in the 93rd minute.
It seems that Moyes season is like Celtic’s performance in a domestic cup competition. Totally uninspiring.
HH
CRC
Sevco FC must have been gutted that we went out.
It was obvious that it was set up for them to play us at Ibrox.
Even if we won, it would have been a major payday for them.
CCB
It was right in front of me and I thought it was a necessary foul
The other aspects you mention , I think , are easier to consider after the event and not at real game time speed
I get embarrassed when other people get embarrassed with what they read on the Internet.
setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
20:55 on 9 February, 2014
You are beginning to irritate me as a happy clapper.
This year: Celtic 4 competitions; humiliated in 3. Morton, CL, and 5th round of SC.
Since Seville Celtic have won 2 league Cups and 5 Scottish cups. 7 outta 22. 7 outta 33 if you include CL as a cup competition. In the same period Rangers won 8. If we include all the cheating/administration etc In the same 11 years Celtic have won 6 titles to Rangers 5.
So in the 11 years since Seville
Huns 13 trophies
Tims 13 trophies
Including CL and Sevco
So including glorious balance sheet and law of averages your assessment is pish.
SFTB
A splendidly well thought out response- the conspirators on this site will think I am doing this to make you look good. I don’t think we are
good – though far from irredeemably bad- and the coming months are going to be difficult. I fear we are drifting and that the hard won re-establishment of our reputation on the continent will be eroded a lot quicker than it was one.
Rather a long paragraph but once again thanks for your considered response to my somewhat irascible earlier post.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
injected with a poison.
Theres a hidden rainbow within your mind.
the Hidden danGER$ 0f the rainbow.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ikGtCA3OJJc
weet weet weet @ 2139
Thanks buddy, good to be back and glad the blog bullies have been shifted. :-))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
CRC
How do I get one of these badges. I cannot attend the CQNten. You have my email or dm me on twitter. Cheers kiddo. :-))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Margaret McGill
22:04 on
9 February, 2014
Surely some weight has to be applied to the cost of Rangers victories?
They died doing it, we didnae..
jimbo67
I live and work on the European continent. Since Seville the only reputation we have are the fans. Europeans are amazed at how loyal loud and proud we are considering the pish we have to put up with especially on the park. Anybody under 55 has never recognised us as anything but minnows in a football context.
HH
Ok I must make a call later. Night Night
archdeaconsbench
20:30 on 9 February, 2014
David Peter Deans
18:54 on 9 February, 2014
I would like Gus Hiddink. He is available i beleive.
———————————————————————————————————-
I’d like to take a bath, full ay champagne wi Scarlett Johansson…
Let’s see who gets lucky first…..
*****************
Apols Archd but Scarlett has just passed me soap and re-filled my glass and said ‘it’ll be Hiddink then,,,’
HH jamesgang
WeeFra, for badges.
cqnbadges@gmail.com
Awe_Naw
I bow to your superior knowledge.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
McDowellcelt god bless wee oscar
17:45 on
9 February, 2014
Our first champions league play off is 15th/16th July. Forster, efe, izzy, possibly VVD will all play in World Cup and will miss this first qualifiers assuming they get a few weeks break to rest after World Cup.
Forster wont play.A training holiday for him,if he is picked.Efe and Izzy will play 3 matches.VVD,if picked to go will most likely be like Forster,a training holiday.Efe and Izzy will get a bit of time off when they finish up in WC.Not exactly a strenuous WC for any of our players.
awe naw
Before you go to bed, how the devil are you keeping? Very well I hope my friend.
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Doc
Cheers buddy. :-))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Auldheid
22:09 on 9 February, 2014
the deed are in the quarter finals of The Scottish cup and the beloved undeid urny.
Says it all really for Scotland, the Scots, Scottish football and Celtic happy clappers.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
21:10 on
9 February, 2014
Auldheid,
I dont believe they do.
Surely they are not such heartless inconsiderate ba*****s.
All CQN is is a conduit for Paul67 to preach the gospel according to St. Peter. That’s as far as it goes. Needless to say those unable to think for themselves swallow swallow it .
====================
CQN is much more multi dimensional than being a one way conduit and its readers folk who can tell flim from flam..
It is an ideas exchange, an education centre, a social club.
I would argue that whatever does come from Celtic is the fertiliser in which ideas grow.
Some might treat what comes from Celtic as purely as fertiliser (shit) others as a growth opportunity.
Where there is muck there is brass I always say.
weefrathetim
22:14 on9 February, 2014
Ok pushing the battery.
Doing great gotca new job that takes me back home having been working away from homes for 14 months.
Jimbob,
It needs addressing. Wont happen with this board. Too many times and for too they have dismantled good work. Good Footballers are ambitious. We have an apalling European record considering how often we qaulify. No risk minimum intervention maximum profits …and I just can’t get enough. ;-(
HH
auldheid 22:17
Well said. I also agree. shite is essential.
weefrathetim
Thanks pal
Your one of the reasons I post on here (occasionally )
Hope you and yours are well
HH
awe naw
Great news to be spending more time with your loved ones. Hope it all works out and you get a bit of longevity in that position. God bless. :-))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
I love Lenny,and no matter ,I will never call for his head.Yesterday was a shambles.Mathews?.Can anyone tell me why?.Was Fisher so bad he had to be bundled out of the team to let a guy play who was not match fit?.
Nir Biton.Why oh why was Sammi picked?.What earthly reason was there for playing a guy with no future at the club?.Playing Biton in the centre of midfield would have given the other two, cover to attack,extra help to defend.
LG.I can see no earhly reason again why he was not played.We bought him because our forwards cant score.So in our most important domestic game,we bench him and continue with the ones who have failed.Stokes goal was a cracker,but Lenny had no idea he would score beforehand.
Derk!!!!!!A total waste of space.Why bring him on?.Looking for a miracle.
We have now given the huns a run at this cup,hoping that The Dons or Unt can stop them,through sheer shocking team selection.All the excuses have run out a while ago.If someone keeps making the same mistakes,time and time again,what is the answer?.
Still gutted,and that draw has not helped.
Ipaddy
couldn’t give a monkeys about your intelligence levels or aggression.
On the other hand if you are a Deady Bear that’s a different matter entirely.
Awe-No
As I said in my reply to SFTB I’m not as optimistic about our future on the bigger stage. Would have helped if I’d used the word ‘won’ instead of ‘one’ at the end of my first paragraph.
All the best
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox.
Margaret McGill
I think it says we have a wide rather than narrow perspective on things.
weet weet weet
What a nice response from you. I have always enjoyed your posts also, and we are both (mrsweefra) and I are very well. If only those F@@@@@g hens would start laying regularly. This weather is playing havoc with the ole free range breed. :-))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.