Celtic arrive in Prague tomorrow for a game many of us consider a dead rubber. The thumping Sparta inflected at Celtic Park still smarts and almost certainly ended the competitive element of our Europa League campaign. The most we can hope for is a cohesive performance and an injury and illness free trip. A defeat, even a heavy defeat, will not resonate as much as the draw at Easter Road.
For me, the pace quickens at the weekend, when your clean sheet domestic record goes on the line for the 36th consecutive time. We can only hope the week will be used productively.
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So another 4-1 pumping on Thursday is just fine👍
Lennon knows he can’t turn it round. Lawwell will know this too with one or two well placed calls.
Why stick ?
In one season they will have turned our world upside. As they celebrate “55” and CL qualification and a plan for “60”
How did we get here from a position of strength ?
There is a common denominator to all the themes answering these questions from the 5 way agreement to shower appointments. We need to deal with the elephant in the room.
ps 10 is gone
The way the season has gone so far we need to get into winning ways and that starts Thursday. Strongest team out to win then same again on Sunday. If we dont get a winning run started now then when? Injuries have cleared up bar JF & MJ so no excuses.
Exactly BADA
c 20million quid of talent recruited mere months ago, but ‘cohesion’ vs a two-bob Prague outfit is reasonable.
Dont even think that brand of resignated defeatism would be tolerated on the soo’side.
JAMES FORREST on 24TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:46 PM
I believe we are on the same page
i have 2 options in my head
1) Work is going on behind the scenes to make a change and have a go at winning the league
2) PL and DD are just fu–ing stupid and do not see a problem – yet
Who knows
67ECW
LUCKY CODY on 24TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:05 PM
Totally agree with all of your points apart from the ten is gone one.
We have a very good group of players who are more than capable of winning the league.
What we don’t have is a manager who has the ability to utilise them and play to their strengths. His arrogance and unwillingness to change/accept responsibility is costing us.
If we actually had a board with balls he would be gone and replaced with a new manager with the capabilities the present one lacks.
The ten is very much still on but how much do the board want it?
The League Cup game is the dead rubber. Play youngsters and players who need to get match fit. Get the first team regulars working on their physical fitness and tell them the “laziness’ must stop. If youngsters like Dembele don’t get a game in the League Cup, when will they? Look at the age of some of the Barcelona and Dortmund players.
I think anyone who prioritizes the League Cup over European football should live abroad for a while. They will then discover that the perception that other countries have of Celtic depends only on our results in Europe. Media abroad will not even mention the Scottish League Cup.
It’s time to end the obsession with winning Trebles. Winning the league and performing well in Europe is what matters. I’d like to see another club win the League Cup (not THEM of course, but if they do, so be it). Do you really want Celtic to win trebles year after year? What does that do for the reputatiion of Scottish football and for the way supporters of other clubs regard us?
Pingback: Dead rubber day Paul67 - Celtic FC News Aggregation
79CAPS on 24TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:09 PM
I’m happy to win trebles but would happily sacrifice the other two trophies for a league win and a decent run in Europe.
With Europe now being called “dead rubbers” and the title ebbing away with each passing week, are we now being conditioned to accept the “other two” trophies as some kind of success while Sevco stop the ten and go on a decent run in Europe?
79CAPS on 24TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:09 PM
‘The League Cup game is the dead rubber’
Have to disagree.
Both of this season’s domestic cups are massive and are priorities.
We can’t allow sevco a chance to win the treble and the cups will prevent that.
The league is gone while Lennon, the current coaches and Lawwell are still calling the shots.
Lawwell would rather leave the current crop in charge rather than bring in someone of quality who wouldn’t take his meddling and interfering.
So the cups are our only chance of silverware.
Every single game that Celtic take to the park I want us to win. I have a long standing run in with one of my Bhoys just before games against (on paper) better opposition when he says “I’d take a draw” and I say “nope, I want the win”. I want Celtic to win on Thursday, preferably by playing very well. I then want us to win on Sunday, preferably playing very well. When it comes to December and we have our 5 league games, 2 Europa ties and a Scottish Cup Final I want us to win all 8.
I have no time for the sideshow that is ‘a defeat might expediate a change of manager’. Personally, today, I DO think that a change is required. But that decision should not be affected by our next few results.
So, win every time for me, Celtic. Every time.
Might as well have a go at my team for Thursday (4-4-2)…
Barkas…………………..Ajer, Jullien, Duffy, Elhamed……………Frimpong, McGregor, Christie, Laxalt…………..Edouard, Griffiths
Lunchbreak over and back to work (step…step…step…step…step…step…sit)
The Prague game is NOT a dead rubber. It’s a chance for NL to work on the team shape and bring some organisation to the team, particularly if he plans to approach the sevco game similar to the shape taken for Lille game. He needs to do this and use the EL games if he is to salvage the domestic season.
Respectfully don’t agree with the key theme of this article.
Why “Dead Rubber”?
Why not …
Pressure is off
You’re getting a game
Just go out and play hard but with freedom
Show me what you’ve got
And whatever you show – let’s take that back home this weekend.
PS – FWIW, our CEO is not the highest paid CEO in UK football.
Not even close.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Any captain of industry will tell you that when you are witnessing a catastrophic collapse of your own making, the best thing you can do is sit on your hands and close your eyes. Voila! Problem solved!
ERNIE LYNCH on 24TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:59 PM
FFS are we getting to the point when we let them win the league to keep them alive
Ernie we have exchanged before on changing our manager i am keen you were not
If your theory has any truth to it the game is over
67ECW
Unable to fine Celtic v Partick Thistle youth game on You Tube anybody got it Hail Hail
FAO ALL Chumps…
Feel free to Post any Abuse and Spit Venom at Neil Lennon. and any other Celtic FC Employee in future Posts. i will not be responding, and it suits me fine that you only show yourselves up IF/WHEN you chose to do so.
I have had my say on the disgusting Abuse directed at Neil for a few days now, and I certainly do NOT know the answers on how to make things better on and off the field for Neil Lennon and Celtic FC.
I dare say that many of the Chumps on here who enjoy ( or who are quick) at dishing out the Venom to Neil in particular, will sleep easy and feel good about themselves.
If matters dont improve quickly for Celtic FC and Neil in particular, then decisions will have to be made if he keeps his job or not…or maybe he would take the decision to walk away himself…who knows ?
Whatever happens in the short/long term, and matters on and off the field actually worsen, I will be prepared to say, that Neils time is up. I do NOT view him as a Saint as some have suggested, but as a Man who has given Celtic supporters many great memories as a Player and Manager, and certainly doesnt deserve the Venom and Abuse that some on here have sought to dish out.
IF Celtic were beaten 7-0 in Prague this week ( God Forbid)…I STILL wouldnt stoop so low as to Abuse the Man…but thats just me ?
So just carry on with ALL the Abuse etc to Neil Lennon or anyone else connected with Celtic FC, I will sit back and let others on here decide whether to have a go back at anyone who is directing Venom and Abuse ?
Is it okay for me to say that Shane Duffy is slower than a Tax Rebate ? Maybe Shane himself would agree with me on that one ?
Not been on the blog for a while.
Can’t quite believe we have contrived to put ourselves in this position.
Each and every player has to man up, take responsibility and a bit of professional pride.
Disappointing looking at Celtic cyber land to see so many have given up on getting to 10.
There is an air of resignation and some real horrible stuff being said about Neil.
Yes things aren’t great, but nothing a sustained winning run won’t cure.
I still think we can do it.
If we all pull together.
HH
You tube partick thistle live stream
Thanks
Got to agree with the lead…
It is very obvious where Celtic are in footballing terms.
Europe and domesically there is a huge truth. Celtic in footballing terms are now firmly fixed in a teir.
In Europe they are better than the Rigas of this world but not as good as the Ferencvaros or the Cluges.
Domesically they are (just) better than the Aberdeens and Hibs of this world and are way behind Rangers.
Last season the results were unpredictable and it was difficult to really see the direction of travel. This season has cemented what many of us knew, the tragectory was downwards.
If you look at the European and domestic results of the old firm this season there is a remarkable consistency in the level the two Clubs are playing at.
Rangers are now by some distance the best team in Scotland, Celtic are second, then you have Aberdeen and Hibs… the rest are some distance behind.
Still hoping for a good performance and a good result against Sparta but at the end of the day it’s about salvaging some pride in the Europa maybe coming third and staying ahead of Hibs and Aberdeen in Scotland – sad but true
Hail Hail
Neuchatel Xamax 5 Celtic 1
CELTIC’S worst result in European football saw them prostrated before a Neuchatel side which is marooned in the middle of the Swiss first division. Celtic’s defending was a parody of the art as they were dismantled, principally by Hossam Hassan, scorer of four of the Swiss goals.
Even allowing for the absence of Collins, Galloway, and Gillespie, the manner of their defeat amounted to a humiliation. Celtic will do well simply to avoid embarrassment at Parkhead in a fortnight.
Celtic’s strategy was predicated partly on the need to keep the focus of play as far as possible from their reconstituted defence, and partly on the belief that Neuchatel, awash on a sea of trouble, on and off the field, were vulnerable to aggression. Liam Brady chose to deploy his side in an unfamiliar pattern, with Wdowczyk sweeping behind Whyte and McNally, while Nicholas filled the link role between the four-man midfield and Cascarino and Coyne.
The danger was, of course, the risk of the telling counter-attack. Bonner was left exposed when Wdowczyk conceded a corner, which Sutter delivered from the left. The ball was half-cleared and Hassan rose to head the opening goal. The situation deteriorated when Bonvin manufactured a second goal. Once more it was careless covering which invited the injury.
When Bonvin’s misdirected low cutback arrived from the left, Whyte moved to intercept but permitted the ball to bounce off him and into the path of the alert Hassan, who had the simplest of tasks to tuck his shot low to Bonner’s left. Next, Sutter varied the corner kick routine by playing the ball on the ground towards the front post, from where it was returned to him. He chipped on to Ibrahim Hassan, whose header Bonner touched on to the crossbar.
The rebound fell to Vernier, whose cross Bonvin put away with a rising header from six yards. Ten minutes into the second half, Perret’s flanking run on the left ended in a cross which fell to Hossam Hassan. The Egyptian steadied himself before directing a low drive beyond Bonner’s right hand.
Coyne burst into a void on the edge of the home penalty area and knocked a forceful cross into the path of O’Neil, who headed forcefully past Delay, but Celtic’s torment was not over. Bonvin arrived virtually from the halfway line, turned Grant with ease, and dispatched a shot which Bonner reached but could not hold.
The ubiquitous Hassan netted the rebound.
The Revenge of the Sieve ? CSC
B
Barkas…………………..Ajer, Jullien, Duffy, Elhamed……………Frimpong, McGregor, Christie, Laxalt…………..Edouard, Griffiths
same team I posted yesterday , great minds , just so disappointed we are nearly into Dec and Lenny doesn’t know his best starting 11 available to him.
JB
Didn’t Newcastle Utd have zero points after 3 games in the Champions league (not Europa) then win their next 3 on the bounce to qualify also think Atalanta had zero points last year and got to the Champions League quarter finals…I know its unlikely the way we are playing that we can qualify but surely we could at least try isnt there large sums of money available for collecting points in this tournament more money than in the league cup I would guess.
Thistle 0-3 Celtic 😉
Thistle 0-3 Celtic
https://youtu.be/CTC05eoO9h0
Youth game live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTC05eoO9h0&ab_channel=PartickThistle
Bada
Mine is bigger than yours :-))
I read the smsm from clips on celtic blogs, would not otherwise know what they are saying and The fact that most smsm outlets are ALL saying lennon to stay speaks volumes. this is the agenda they want to push and their agenda is always anything that denigrates celtic.
i agree with other posters and called out the cowardly celtic plc board earlier in the season for not defending the club against a barrage of cheating from sevco, sfa, refs, and horrendous tackling from opponents which will cause eventual long term damage to players careers.
we know from past history , give them a yard and they will seize 10 miles
To me it really is very simple. you stand up to bullies or face the consequences We have sown what we are reaping.
i want my well run celtic back and the only way to do this is a complete change in management and directorship right across the board. if that means not one cup or league won while the restucture goes ahead, i will not like it but will stay with it.
or even reap what we have sown ;0}
Today epitomises the reason I very rarely post on here any longer. A leader article waving the white flag and telling us the game’s a-bogey with 9 points to play for.
This is then followed by various posters saying the league is gone in November! We may be 11 points behind but we have 6 we can collect with our games in hand. We have the opportunity in December to win our 12th domestic trophy and really lift the club.
What we need to do now is start winning starting on Thursday. All we can hope for is a credible performance? I’ll happily accept the 3 points even with a mediocre performance because winning is a habit that we have got out of. Winning all of our domestic games in December will start to bring that winners mentality to the Club and we need to be in good form going to Snake Mountain in January. We need to be ready to pounce when their form dips – and it will at some point – because in reality they are potentially only 5 points ahead and beating them in January will narrow that to 2 points assuming they win all their games.
So let’s cut the defeatist mentality and get back behind the team because at the moment the SMSM and huns are feeding off the implosion of our support. Let’s stop giving them the oxygen!
KTF
HT Leather Bags 0 Leather Belts 3
The hand of God …
Interesting point made re EL prize money.
On that note, something PMacG’s “rugger guy” didn’t develop fully?
Sevco posted a £15.2m operating loss in a year (to 30 June) when they had revenue of £20.7m from European football.
I’ll repeat that.
£20.7m Euro income contributed to a £15.2m operating loss.
Prospects this year?
If they win their EL group (big if) and reach the last 16 (big if) they’ll receive €8.5m (£7.6m) total prize money.
That’s it. Nothing more.
No ticket sales from capacity crowds.
No match day income.
Their cost base has almost inevitably gone up (unless of course they’re not paying their players)
Do I know this for sure?
Nope. But the indicators are there.
More players bought (and for much more money) than were sold.
More merchandising revenue I hear you ask?
Possibly more money coming in …. but these include earnings in violation of an existing contract …. which SDI will eventually get hold of.
So, in summary …..
If they match last season’s Euro run
They’ll earn £13m less
Having spent more than they did last year
When they posted a £15m operating loss
Tick tock.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Back to Basics – their accounts stated that they needed another £8.8M to see out this season – and that’s before any further investment in their squad in January so winning their group won’t even cover that. Make no mistake, they are gambling it all in stopping the 10.
KTF
Watching a young team in the hoops with plenty of energy, movement and pressing – who coaches them ?
VFR, luv ya to bits so does jim 👍