Let’s be honest, you and I were never completely comfortable facing Newco, or even old Rangers, with the wind at our backs and all indicators pointing green. Celtic are at their best when they have the odds to fight against. It has always been the case: Inter, not so much Feyenoord, Barca but not Molde.
When Neil Lennon eventually addresses his depleted squad after the Covid diagnoses of Odsonne Edouard, Nir Bitton and Hatem Elhamed, the enforced absence of Ryan Christie, the injury to James Forrest and who knows what after the remaining international fixtures and travel, he will not have a moment’s doubt.
Celtic are the champions because they flourish in headwinds. Neil Lennon has now run out of fingers to count his league title wins, whereas others have no idea what it is like to win a league. Despite being affected by Covid like no other club, there will not be a moment’ self-pity as the players prepare for Saturday.
There is frustration at the club that their safety protocols have not been matched by travel arrangements of various international teams, but that is a matter for official channels. This is a confident squad of players who have what it takes to build league-winning campaigns. I’m feeling OK about Saturday.
178 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- »
Uncle Jimmy…”This needs to be fwdd to the Celtic coaching staff
Their game plan is obvious yet effective.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
If their game plan is so obvious, why must it be forwarded to our coaching staff?
If TBB has worked it out, I’m sure Neil and co have done the same…
Hot Smoked…I would maybe accept a draw if they score first and we get an equaliser…
However, if we are in front and they score and even things up, then it will feel like a defeat to me…especially if it’s a late goal…does that make sense?
Anyway, just win it bhoys and avoid that scenario!
MP’s have just been approved a new £3000 wage rise taking an MP’s salary to £85,000 per year . “Fiddling while Rome burns “
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS on 13TH OCTOBER 2020 2:39 PM
——————–
You’re just torturing yourself now WBC :-))
I do that – what if x, what if y, what if…
If zero is in the middle of the scale, I think I have always more negative about a defeat, than positive about a victory in these pretendy-Rangers fixtures, and much more so in the original Rangers ones.
Losing is a pure, undiluted sensation – gut-wrenching and utterly horrible for days and weeks.
Winning is a joy of course, but it is very much tinged with relief.
HH
BGFC
David66
…and taken in a good spirit.
Cheerio for now.
Ronaldo has Covid now….
BGFC…I know what you mean. It’s a strange auld feeling which I’ve had since the first game against the old, original huns…elation and relief vs gut-wrench and despair…I wonder why that is 😊
Bada Bing…I suppose Messi will have it next, so as not to be outdone…
Good job we didn’t sign Ronaldo eh Charlie Nick??
Guys,
I am surprisingly calm about the Glasgow Derby this weekend even with the Covid-19 call offs and injuries. I think it’s because we have a stronger squad now with ready made first team replacements. Mind you not sure I will be so calm come 1230 Saturday 😁
Jocks Immortal Lions,
As the resident blog worrier and scourge of all things complacent at Celtic, I’m officially bricking it.
1. What talent do we have at left at our disposal after COVID19 international lottery?
2. How do we deploy it against the efficient but unspectacular huns?
3. Where on the brain fart / tacical genius spectrum does Neil land?
4. The Beaton factor.
I’d settle for a boring 1-0 win now.
HH
FFS Barisic declared fit to play against France.We can’t get a break.Maybe the 2nd half of the week will be they’re turn.
Big Wavy,
I was quite calm until you reminded me of the 4 risk factors.!!!
Still fancy us. 2-1 Celtic
Turkeybhoy – Let’s have them with their strongest possible line up. To win this game we just have to play to 80% of our potential, even with the call-offs likely. That will be enough to see off anything they have. KTF.
JOCKS IMMORTAL LIONS on 13TH OCTOBER 2020 3:51 PM
Big Wavy,
I was quite calm until you reminded me of the 4 risk factors.!!!
—
It’s why I’m here :)
Klimala starting tonight for Poland U21s
Fully expect to see Taylor, McGregor, Ajer, Elyounoussi, Turnbull and Duffy to play again before we play the undead this weekend.
Fingers crossed, touch wood etc.
There’s a story on the BBC site of a protester against a Republican March in Glasgow, getting the jail for throwing a firework that injured a policemn on duty.
It says the guy was “traced after his distinctive orange top and blue shorts were identified from footage of the incident.”
I can’t believe he was the only one wearing that colour combo at the protest :-)
SFTB….wasn’t the polisman wearing the same colours….?
!!BADA BING!! on 13TH OCTOBER 2020 3:25 PM
Ronaldo has Covid now….
________________________________________________________________
Could this lead to the postponement of international football now? I always thought thta it would take a ‘star’ on international duty to test positive for UEFA to take notice, if a Celtic player or two or three players get it, so what? As far as UEFA are concerned but if players form Juventus, Barcelona etc. get it they might think twice about the upcoming games in November, here’s hoping!
MCPHAIL BHOY – I had the same thought, if one of the ‘big’ teams lose 4 or 5,will they say anything? I think they have been told to get on with it, as its probably their only income stream right now, both club and country.
Those of you who think Edouard should play on Saturday, why?
Pre-covid he was off-form and hoping for a move.
By Saturday he will have spent around two weeks in isolation, not being able to train properly and not able to train with others.
So his fitness and sharpness will have dropped considerably.
And that is assuming he is asymptomatic. He may actually have been sick.
The fact is, there is no real time to assess him and test him in training to see how he performs.
Too big a gamble to hope our talisman is suddenly going to return to form on Saturday.
Griff and Klimala are ready. Ajeti should be too.
I suppose after the Covid call offs Nicholas will be saying he was right all along
Hail Hail
Stay Safe
Nerves already setting in with me about Saturday. Biggest factor against us, imo, is Beaton, a person who has made no attempt to hid his bias, allegedly.
Bada Bing – I thought you were jesting about Ronaldo, just seen it now on Spanish news. So if he has been with the squad for over a week now, one must wonder who he got it from and who he has given it too. He posted photos of them all in close proximity in hotel restaurant.
Puzzles me in these situations when they say no one else tested positive. They know it is almost certainly circulating. Common sense.
If any of you are on twitter, check out @cristiano. His post from last night is the whole team packed around a dinner table.
Probably been already said but International football should be knocked on the head until normality returns to the world . Its just plain crazy that footballers from every part of the world travel to a certain place to meet up with other players , play a game then all travel back to their parent club . Common sense tells you that this is gonna cause havoc as well as putting lives at risk….these footballers all have familes to protect as well. I love Celtic being in Europe but honestly this is madness too . The domestic games in every country should be the one and only focus for football right now , nothing else . Lives are being put at risk for the sake of the EUFA and FIFA gravy train , they are all a disgusting self centred bunch
Denia Bhoy
Presumably the same factor will apply to Ajeti 8n relation to training.
HH
Crossword clue bugging me:
Cardinal to associate with fool (5)
– A – L –
Ajer and Elyounoussi pictured at Norway training.
Ajer attended today’s press conference. It’s a hoax.
I don`t know how reliable the source for this is from a site called something like : Verywellfit:
” Deconditioning in fit athletes generally does not appear to happen as quickly or drastically as in beginning exercisers. In fact, one recent study looked at well-conditioned adolescent athletes who had been training regularly for a year. After three weeks of detraining, researchers found that the athletes’ muscle strength and sport performance was not affected.”
https://www.verywellfit.com/fitness-use-it-or-lose-it-3120089
No answers to the Crossword Clue ?
Friesdorfer – not really, staff will know if his injury has cleared and how he is performing in training. Edouard is in isolation in France. So no outdoor activities and no interaction with others.
Pally
Might be Pally – ally is associate – not sure why cardinal would give you P
Those of you who think Edouard should play on Saturday, why?
Pre-covid he was off-form and hoping for a move.
By Saturday he will have spent around two weeks in isolation, not being able to train properly and not able to train with others.
So his fitness and sharpness will have dropped considerably.
And that is assuming he is asymptomatic. He may actually have been sick.
The fact is, there is no real time to assess him and test him in training to see how he performs.
Too big a gamble to hope our talisman is suddenly going to return to form on Saturday.
Griff and Klimala are ready. Ajeti should be too.
________
“Pre-covid he was off-form and hoping for a move.”
Edouard has said nothing to suggest he’s desperate to leave. We received no formal offer. Can he not just be off form?
“By Saturday he will have spent around two weeks in isolation, not being able to train properly and not able to train with others”
Another way to look at it is that he has had a much-needed rest. He will return to training on Friday/Saturday. It’s not ideal that he will have such little preparation but the Scotland players will not be returning till Thursday either.
“Griff and Klimala are ready. Ajeti should be too.”
Ajeti is recovering from injury. Only the Celtic staff will know how ready he is. Even then, I have some reservations considering how willing NL is to throw unfit guys into big games (Moi in the League Cup final)
Griff won’t be able to do 90 mins. His cameo in Perth was encouraging but 15 mins off the bench won’t prepare him to start against them.
Christie is unavailable and Klimala isn’t trusted.
My preference would be to start Ajeti (if fit enough) with support from attacking midfielders. We started the Hibs game with Moi and Christie playing off Ajeti. Turnbull replacing Christie at Half time.
I’d go with that. Edouard might make the bench.
SALLE .
It’s worse than that he’s dead JIM dead JIM dead.