I watched Hull batter Leicester City on TV last night without putting the ball in the net. The sheer volume and quality of chances entitled Hull fans to some consolation in the valid football adage, ‘these days happen’. Those absent from Celtic Park on Saturday are likely to assume we similarly battered Ross County, but they would be wrong. County defended throughout but were never under anything close to intense pressure.
This is one of the right times of the season to have a performance like that, they are of little use in the first week in February, when the transfer window is closed. Clues abound as to where we need to strengthen, most pointing to the forward line. John Guidetti’s drop in form over the last month has dropped like a stone, but he’s still comfortably holding onto the striker position. Neither Stokes, Griffiths nor Scepovic are putting pressure on a young off-form player.
There is also the playmaker position, which appears to be on the bench. Kris Commons has been dropped before in his Celtic career, often for important games in Europe, where more industrious, but less talented, players were chosen. I spent most of Saturday’s game waiting on Kris coming on, but if his general level of fitness counts against him for a starting position, his lack of 90 minute outings since his injury earlier in the season means that his late-game cameos look even less industrious.
As I’ve been saying since July, we only have one playmaker and if he’s not playing or off form, we’ll struggle. With a match-fit Commons on from the start yesterday, we would have won comfortably. I’m happy to accept we need a playmaker who’ll cover 15k in 90 minutes, so sign one, but if we’re going to let Commons go, or wither on the bench, sign two, before we end up dependent on one man again.
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Doc, I also tried googling and was amazed at the actual amount of riots they have been involved in and we’re not talking boisterous drunks letting off steam here. We’re talking major civil disorder on a grand scale. Amazing they got away with it for so long.
Wonder how the authorities would have rected if it were us?
Don’t answer that I think I already know the answer.
The_Huddle, yep, that was after thems won some now defunct diddy cup.
Dallas Dallas, there are lots of reasons to call them Huns, mostly just because they are Huns:-)
Eddie, that’s why they are Scotland’s Shame, another accurate moniker.
We can all say what we like about RD,the systems,the formations,but if the players had taken even half the chances created in most games,we would be out of sight in this league now.
You have all witnessed it.
JamesGang, it’s taking time and effort, but it’ll be worth it.
A couple of years and he’ll graduate to be able to think for himself:-)
Doc
There’s a Timmish Nobel Prize waiting with your name on it!!
HH jamesgang
eddieinkirkmichael,
From memory,I can remember their fans being banned from,Newcastle,Wolverhampton,Barcelona,Manchester.Could be more.A lot of Cities in England will not allow any friendly matches with the HunSSSSSSSSS involved.
cowiebhoy
22:47 on 29 December, 2014
Good post pal…..
I honestly feel the quality that we need added this window isn’t out our reach…..
I actually like the 4-2-3-1 formation with the correct players …..
Two players tore us a new one in Europe playingfo r legia
Zyro and radovic…. Radovic has now got 10 goals in 13 games as an attacking mid ….
Therefore my ideal mid/ attack …(if commons moves on ) would be …
————–gudetti or scepovic or stokes————-
Zyro———————radovic——————-Forrest
————-Brown ——————Johansson———–
Izzy—————-VVD———–mulgrew——–lustig
——————————Gordon—————————-
eddie
HBH11
I’ll accept it with grace and dignity:-)
Zyro??
Dallas Dallas.
The story about the first world war was the one my dad told me re the origin of hun.
16 Roads/WITS
any view on Alvisio Ville for the supreme novices hurdle,
I know of a few big bets laid at 14s
Night all. Night wee Oscar my hero God bless x x
Doc
I would expect no less.
YarSomeBhoyCSC
HH jamesgang
jamesgang
CHeers for the hug on sat. We all need to arrange another BMCUW hootenanny before the next home game.
JamesGang, you are a Ghent.
Doc, a good enough reason to call them huns.
Fifty shades of green, it sounds a valid reason for for the term being given to them.
I used to work with a guy who was in the same year as Ian Durrant at Bellahouston Academy.
He often told me Durrant’s name was pronounced the same as currant (how apt) and not Due-rrant as the media called him.
Dallas
I’ve heard those stories too from my old man. The subject came up a few months back.
They were definitely referred to as being like ‘invading huns’ by the Wolverhampton press when they rampaged through the town centre in 1961.
Leeds 68, Newcastle 69, Old Trafford 74 and Villa Park 76 were all worse, so they certainly played the lived up to the name down there. In fact the Manchester polis would have been well advised to do some research prior to the massive Hun invasion of 2008.
The Huddle
Celtic played with 3 strikers on Saturday ?
16 Roads
Yes I was there today and last saturday
some good racing
Don Poli is a good prospect
But Jezki for the Champion Hurdle ? Not sure
Faugheen looks a machine
Young Maguire looks a good upcoming (Adrian Maguires son rode Vigil for Weld)
Made a nice few bob today
Young Maguire looks a good upcoming JOCKEY
Eddie and Doc
Some hootenanny-style beers would be grand.
To celebrate doc’s award for teaching cowiebhoy what football’s all aboot!
HH jamesgang
Coatdykebhoy, the Newcastle mad fan website used to have constant digs at us about playing in a silly micky mouse league in silly chilly jockoland. Fans of a club having a go at us despite winning hee haw in over forty years. It left an unpleasant taste.
It annoyed me and a few others on here along with Pardew’s less than complimentary words when Fraser was on loan with us.
J
WITS,
Any view on the horse I asked about
I’m trying to ignore the roasters :-) ( now watch the Coatbridge Mafia appear)
Zybesk, has suggested “Semir Stillic ”
One fault with the team put up is Lack of Pace, we need pace in the team
Both in defence and either at head of diamond or up front
I think Ryan Jack, at Aberdeen is a decent defensive midfielder
Yes Peter Pawlett looks ok
Are they better than any of our own ?
( Johnny Hayes, also had a good season playing left mid, and left back, see he signed an extension today)
Armstrong and Erskine of DU getting mentioned, are they better than what we have or our own ? Maybe worth a shout as part of squad ?
McGinn at St Mirren, is in my view, best young left sided player in Scotland, great engine, can tackle, control and pass
Scott Allen at Hibs, did look decent at DU earlier, but now playing at a lower level, is that why he is getting rave reviews ? I think Liam Henderson has far greater potential
I did like the look of Stanton at Hibs last season, is he still getting a game ?
Let’s start giving our own a chance first
PS – the 4,3,1,2 is for SPFL only – I agree though at times we could be playing with 3 at the back, i.e Saturday 3,4,1,2
In Europe, change
5,4,1, we are not good enough at minute to compete here
Given time we can hopefully get technically better and compete
Hail Hail and nytol
Oops,
Jamesgang, I always thought cowiebhoy was the sharpest tack, then again, who am ur tae comment.
Dallas, I wouldn’t mind knowing the stats on the hun team Dodgers!
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
Celtic played with 3 strikers on Saturday ?
—————–
Leigh, John and Stokes
We even ended up with Leigh, John, Scepovic and Commons on the park yet couldn’t get a goal, hardly fashioned a chance to be honest. Then chucked VVD up front.
Was watching the Chelsea Southampton game where Chelsea dominated yet only had 1 shot on target, they then threw on another striker towards the end and the commenter said that it’s interesting how many clubs throw more strikers on to get a goal yet it actaully reduces the number of chances they create.
gordybhoy64
23:04 on 29 December, 2014
———————————————
Didn’t get to see it mate, wasn’t there on the first day.
Apparently it was an incredible performance though. They are backing it, J.P. must think highly of the horse.
The only downside about Chelters is the potential going – sometimes it can be too quick, particularly for the Irish horses. Aintree can be the same – ideally for national hunt racing ye need soft, or good – to soft going. When it’s quick, it can turn into a charade to be honest.
The ground didn’t suit Jezki today,but fair play to the Fly.
Don’t listen to me,but 12/1 now looks well worth a small investment.
Goodnight and good luck to all Celtic supporters.
HH.
cowiebhoy
23:22 on 29 December, 2014
You talking about me?
Roastercfc…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Marrakesh, a trip outside of Scotland always seemed like a military campaign of blitzkrieg for them to show how superior and unaccouintable they were..
A guy I worked with in my previous job was down at Newcastle, his surname was Louden, again very apt. He spoke with pride of the damage done in a Newcastle pub.
Gordybhoy
He looked impressive winning that maiden hurdle at Leopardstown
But a bit too early for me to be making Cheltenham decisions
Sipsini
Are you trying to get into the Roaster gang :-)
Sharpest tack in the box, I’d sign him when he turns up
Hail Hail, and glad you have a nice treat coming up, pity you can’t take the cat along :-)
Lennybhoy
:-)
Hail Hail and Keep the Faith
Right away to ma scratcher
Got a day oot in Edinburgh themorra
Hail Hail
Cowiebhoy
23:22
McGinn- yes
Henderson- Yes
The rest wouldn’t inprove our first team IMHO. Stanton did look a player, wonder what happened to him.
Personally stil think our basic problem is with the person who scouts our overseas players, John Park has real problems for me. I’d like to find out what ralationship the manager has in indentifying targets.
Love it!
The better cowiebhoy’s posts are (and they’re uber top notch tonight pal) the more it attests to the great work that doc’s done in mentoring you!
RoastersIncCSC
HH jamesgang