After the delights of the League Cup Final, attention in Scottish football returns to league action this weekend, with the champions having a Sunday noon kick-off at Dundee United. This is the first time we have played United since January 2023, when goals from Jota and an Aaron Mooy penalty were enough to take the points back to Glasgow.
United are back to a more accustomed 4th placed in the Premiership table. They had an epic encounter of their own last weekend, losing 4-3 at Motherwell, in a match they dominated. It would be a mistake, however, to assume they are porous at the back.
Since a 2-2 draw on the opening game of the season, they have only lost more than one goal in five games this season across all competitions. Three of those games were against Motherwell. They manage to stop most opponents from creating too many good chances.
Aberdeen are on a five game losing streak which has seen their title aspirations replaced with hopes of a top three finish. They face Hibs tomorrow, no doubt still suffering PTSD from conceding two added-time equalisers at Easter Road a month ago. Jimmy Thelin is having his credentials examined.
After their second 3-3 victory over Celtic in 2024, Newco have spent the week reflecting on how improved they are. That was a perilous condition for them in April, we’ll see if have changed their internal narrative this time.
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HH
Celtic
Hail hail
https://x.com/A1_CELTIC/status/1870054330222686691?s=19
HH
After this weekend, we’ve 4 from our next 5 league games at CP.
Although we’ve a busy schedule, a run of home games should allow to rest some legs.
I don’t expect fluent football for the next few weeks but we should keep the wins coming to all but seal the title.
Full strength for Sunday, then look to rotate.
The whole ‘penalty’ shoite was geared at thems being given a leg up by officials as has happened since the entitled inceptions 1 & 2.
By causing this brouhaha they hope to cheat their way back into the ‘title race’.
It’s what they do and they have a compliant press of succulent lamb takers who will do their nefarious bidding for them.
The huns are rooked
Fire sale time again
A share issue for the edmiston laundry
A player will be sold for bullyinz
It was ever thus.
Any meeja out there investigating this.
They are on call for most agendas
Reporting is not one of them
HH
DARWIN on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 11:20 AM
…..
From previous post .
The reason the Huns are plugging Iganame is to show to the mug punters ie future shareholders that they have untapped value in their squad.
It’s all complete bollocks of course.
Vale Bhoy
At his postmatch presser the call went out by flipflop to …….’dig it up’ regards the pen
Duly obeyed,a compliant media who will not comment on shareissue or potential sales
HH
Treble yell
DARWIN @ 11:01 AM
“Much to admire and agree with in your excellent post and of course a fit Keiron would be a tremendous asset if we were able to get him. You dismiss the downside and make the eloquent point that without a ‘downside’ we would probably not be mentioned when his time at Arsenal comes to a close. I’ve said the same about our trio of Japanese players – Maeda, Hatate and Kyogo. they may be c5% short of super elite class, but if they weren’t they would be with a super elite club and not at Celtic Park. Their contribution to our success over the past three years has been colossal.
I also agree that Brendan would have a strong influence on Keiron, should he return, to recapture his form and zest and, of course a fully functioning KT would add so much to the team and be in line with Brendan’s mantra of “more quality”
I don’t believe it will happen mainly due to finance and doubts about KT’s(27 now) ongoing fitness – and if it did happen, why would it happen before the summer window? Why would Keiron take a massive pay cut on his c£100k/week salary(£2.5m over six months), to join anyone on a lesser wage – surely he will sit it out till June?
You also say “We will soon be a quarter of a Century through the 21stC, 2K seems a long way, away but we could never have dreamed how successfull the first part of this Century has been and continues to be.” – agree 100% – no need for any additional comment or embelishment there. HH
Many thanks…
Totally agree on our Japanese bhoys, a reason why, although not poster bhoys for the strategy, they were excellent signings.
Of course, we’ve have to look at value, and look at it in the round.
You could of course argue that KT doesn’t come out of that with flying colours.
Yet, if we look at the risk benefit in a kinda different way, yes the risk is high, yet the potential benefit is so much higher.
Celtic due to years of prudent growth are now in a position to take that leap.
Yet what of this by P67…
“…if Celtic dedicate a slot in the squad and a first team wage to Kieran, it will be a sign that the sun has set on our period of improvement.”
Well, to depart a winning formula can be very foolish as the CEO that changed the flavour of Coca~Cola found out.
Yet, a good solid strategy can survive a few left-field spooky punts…
Hail Hail
CLUNKS @ 2:17 AM
“Celtic become world’s most prolific club – and they’ve done it without oligarchal largesse</i<
https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/12/20/celtic-become-worlds-most-prolific-club-and-theyve-done-it-without-oligarchal-largesse/
Excellent piece there…
Enjoyed this…
“…freshly phoenixed Rangers”
More wailing and gnashing of teeth for FPR FC after January the second:))
Hail Hail
Phillip Lahm is 1.7Metres and so is Greg Taylor
I think the arrival of Rodgers in 16/17 was far more impactful on our run of success than a transfer strategy that seen us lose out to Cluj and Maribor in champions league play offs.
5 trebles and two doubles after Brendan first arrived would lead me to believe that we should back his judgement.
Left back position is a concern , Greg trying everyone’s patience and free to talk to other clubs in a couple of weeks, Young Valle good player but you get the feeling from the mood music that he’s not at Celtic beyond his current agreement in the Summer
…. So if Celtic get an offer to pay up Greg’s contract for 6 months , say £1.5M ish then we should take it , need another body in the door.
For me KT is a non starter , his love for Celtic will lose out to much higher pay checks elsewhere , there is no way he’s taking a massive pay cut , not sure Arsenal will be happy if we pick up £40K of his wages for 6 months , that’s the only way.
Ideally , we let Greg go now , take the money , get Kieran and sign Valle up on a short deal if the young fella doesn’t want to commit to a long contract.
Easypeasymgtstuffcfc
As I said before, the outstanding equity of R2angers has nothing other than option value, it is effectively worthless. Imagine my surprise when I saw they will attempt to issue a further £6.75m of it.
A more accurate headline would read ‘R2angers ask supporters for £6.75m donation’.
It will be interesting to see how much of is taken up by the average hun and if the “Directors” are still prepared to throw good money after bad to underwrite the millions that will go unsubscribed.
AN DÚN on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 12:37 PM
Brendan was part of our run of success, and also part of our run of European failures. Without him we’ve managed to do as well domestically and better in Europe as well as doing worse in both. He’s part of the story, not the story itself.
We learned some hard lessons about relying on managers’ judgement for strategy a long time ago, hopefully they havent been forgotten. It doesn’t serve the club well in the medium term.
A winning formula gets you to a “brilliant position” through organic growth and hard decisions.
And then change it?
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 12:52 PM
…
Crikey no idea they were issuing more shares ?
I know the number of shares is getting close to the grains of sand in Puerto del Carmens big beach but do you know roughly the current number to the nearest 1/2 million ?
HH
Where’s AIPPLE
KINGLubO
Pissed again probably !
Last of the Koreans Yang Hyun-Jun faces a big month with James Forrest out, and Luis Palma likely in the revolving door. Squad will need refreshed next month
“ We cannot afford to be complacent “ © Michael Nicolson
Hope Brendan gets his targets along with the extended contract he deserves.
EKBHOY – 447m as of the accounts published at the end of October, up from 437m a year earlier.
Don’t know the subscription terms for this latest batch.
EKBhoy on 20th December 2024 1:02 pm
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 12:52 PM
…
Crikey no idea they were issuing more shares
I know the number of shares is getting close to the grains of sand in Puerto del Carmens big beach but do you know roughly the current number to the nearest 1/2 million ?
…..
I think there has been a major communication failure in Govan… It seems one director was “looking for some billionaires” and it was heard as “looking at a billion shares”
Sorry, just noticed in the note of ‘Post Balance Sheet Events’ i.e. things of note that happened after the books were closed for the year that £9m of debt was converted to equity so the figure is higher than 447m.
After a week of victimhood now comes the begging bowl
CELTIC40ME @ 12:57 PM,
“Brendan was part of our run of success, and also part of our run of European failures. “
Well, not for the first time you have me confused – where was the run of Brendan Rodgers European failures…
It seems I’m miss remembering…
Hail Hail
BSR…
How’s things.!?
No harm to Greg, yet how many folk talk about succulent Taylor!?
Yes, bad news about the invisible man but think Yang is ready to step up
Great opportunity for the lad.
Hail Hail
EKBHOY on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 12:51 PM
————-
Much to ponder in all you say.
As we know the January window is a notoriously difficult one to get in exactly who you want and sometimes can be the gateway for a loan, or, two. What worries me is that this left-back position, which has given us more than a few headaches in recent years, could, if we accept that GT is off and KT is not ‘on’, be a straight choice between two loanees – Valle and someone we may pick up in January.
There is an option of course to slide Liam over if necessary, but has he got enough ‘football’ in him to carry that role given the way we play?
I think GT wants to move for family reasons – Valle is temporary – KT is unlikely(imo) – so I hope the ‘thinking-caps’ are on. I’ve heard James Penrice mentioned – 25 years old – ex Livi now with Hearts. Could he be a Luke McCowan-like candidate? I don’t know – not seen much of him. HH
CHAIRBHOY on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 1:31 PM
You must be. Fourth and third in the CL with three points in the first two seasons, we failed to qualify in the third season. Out of the knockout stages at the last 32 by Zenit and Valencia in the europa.
I think that by your own high standards for Celtic that qualifies as failure.
DARWIN on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 1:37 PM
EKBHOY on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 12:51 PM
…..
There maybe a few gems somewhere in the Scottish league but to be honest I’d be very worried if were buying from Hearts and ex-Livi. , their football education at these clubs is to be Frank appalling …
HH
An Tearmann
Cheers, mate.
Those other pesky ‘issues’ have been obediently swept aside to concentrate on ‘how hard done by’ thems are.
They and the media are at defcon 1.
Chairbhoy
Good thanks 👍
I like the bring him home (KT) sentiment, if we do, sadly I doubt he’ll ever fill the inverted Greg Taylor Alex Valle roll that BR has instilled in Celtic. Valle apart from a poor 45mins at Pitoddrie has done well, even if GT re-signs we need another player for that position. GT is always a bad pass away from ‘we need an upgrade’ but only in some supporters eyes.
I was amazed to read Yang is approaching 50 appearances for us, and hope he steps up soon, given that BR is already on record at a Q/A saying he wants another wide man in January.
HH
Rodgers is clearly the catalyst for what we’ve seen since 16/17. Unprecedented domination.
Back him, Celtic.
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 1:15 PM
….
They are a bunch of nut jobs. assuming a loss making business based in Glasgow with a solid track record of losses , real market value (who knows? ) say £50m easier to type in the calculator, makes each share worth approximately 10p.
Still a bit to go before becoming a penny share , however seems to me that there are supremacists culture issues at play here and Ipox is being used by the brothers as both a laundry and a business that can be ripped off by the mere shake of a hand.
I’d give their new directors less than a year in post
HH
CELTIC40ME @ 1:54 PM,
We have to look at where Celtic were during BRMk1
Ronny Delia before him, NLMk2 after him, Brendan’s European record was fine.
He got us to the UCL group stage twice, if we had qualified a third time we would have been a Pot 3 side.
We have done “that” summer transfer window to death.
Suffice to say, the Board did not want to splurge on recruitment and there are arguments for and against their position.
The positive we certainly can say, by not spending and saving the money then, we are in a very strong financial position today.
Ange was an upgrade in European terms but the fact that Brendan is doing so much better again indicates that Brendan despite the myth, is no failure in Europe.
Hail Hail
As we come to the end of 2024 these are exciting times for Celtic,
We find ourselves in a position where we have a manager and a squad who are far ahead of anyone else in Scotland. Nobody should get near us for years. Brendan and the players seem to have learned how to get results in the Europe that were previously beyond us. Our last couple of games show theres still room for improvement, but we have a squad that is maturing is happy and will all be here for many years during their primes. Further improvements seem
The organic growth that Brendan talks about has us in a place that was pretty unimaginable not long ago.
We need to ensure that the growth continues for the foreseeable future otherwise we let a huge chance pass.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE @ 1:59 PM,
Yes, a number of good points about Greg and if you heard BR’s presser today you will hear talk about GT the squad player.
And that’s the reality, does BR want to play an inverted fullback or does he have a very good inverted fullback who struggles in the traditional fullback role or wing back role?
Greg is of course a diamond and that doesn’t make decisions easier – he stays at Celtic and becomes Tony Ralston, great respect for those players, or he does a Stephen Welsh and says, I want to play regular football.
Very impressed by Valle but is he going to hang about Glasgow for a few seasons? Who knows?
Yes, Yang has had his share of chances and has dropped the ball, however his physicality and decision making has hugely improved in the games I’ve seen him in recently.
Hail Hail
If GT was on £3 million a year,he would be going nowhere, to the best of my knowledge, hes on just over 10% of that a year….
AN DÚN @ 1:59 PM,
Yes absolutely…
His presser again today reiterating how lucky we are to have him.
Great to see he’s been over in Dublin talking to the principal shareholder, he really does need to be backed to the hilt.
Think 2025 will be agreat year for us if he is…
Hail Hail
CHAIRBHOY on 20TH DECEMBER 2024 2:28 PM
However you qualify it we did fail in Europe in that time, the results were poor. And its no myth that Brendan has failed in Europe as well, the records are there in black and white.
I don’t think thats being over critical and the improvements this season are pretty obvious.
Why do you think his results have improved this season?