It feels like rock bottom this morning and, as far as Europe is concerned, it probably is. The ties against Legia were our worst performances in Europe. Neuchâtel has a horrible 90 minutes, Artmedia was a 20 minute collapse, and we beat Utrecht comfortably at home, but this was abject over two games.
There are unfathomables, for example, it’s hard to know why a defence which was so solid last season is suddenly inert, but it will surprise no one we didn’t make Champions League football this season. The day Neil Lennon left I suggested it would be a huge ask and it’s proven to be.
We are less than two years since the high point of recent seasons, finishing ahead of Benfica and Spartak Moscow in the Champions League, but the decline can be traced slightly further back than that.
We had an 18 month purple patch of player recruitment, starting when Fraser Forster, Gary Hooper and Emilio Izaguirre arrived in summer 2010, continuing with the arrival of Wilson and Wanyama, and ending with Mikael Lustig’s signing in January 2012. We were bringing players in for a few million who were Champions League calibre.
Since Lustig, the strategy hasn’t changed, but despite signing a raft of players, for much the same money, only van Dijk has improved the team. Most are, at best, misfits or squad fillers. Things started to go wrong with the bizarre signings of Miku and Lassad in late August 2012 and ramped up last summer with the arrival of Boerrigter, Pukki, Balde and Biton. There are more, of course. Some, like Griffiths and Johansen are hitting the modest levels expected of them, but we’ve been missing the target at an alarming rate.
Ronny Deila has so far brought in a six month loaner. He’s working pretty much with the squad Neil Lennon scraped into the Champions League with last season. He’ll now know what you and I knew about the squad months ago. Most importantly, he needs backing from the club as well as the support.
He has to refresh the squad, try to clear out the deadwood, and perhaps accept that one or two of our reliable performers in recent seasons are beyond their peak. It’s critically important that whatever has been going wrong since Lustig’s arrival is put right. Stop haemorrhaging millions of players who cannot command a starting place and start finding value.
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Catman
Known u a long time…..never doubted u for a minute ;-)
So, why don’t we transfer all our player to Legia, and they transfer their players to us.
p.s. Make sure Efe has served his suspension before playing in the next European game.
Awesome just awesome, no one will be happier than PL. Get that cheque book out. You lucky son of a bitch you have a second chance take it. Ronnie have them ready this time PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A Surprised,
KLV
We don’t make the rules, we just play by them.
If others can’t tough HH
Well even if we get humped again we are definitely in the Europa league, better than a difficult qualifier, Van Djik, back up to 15 million ye ha
Am I right in thinking we get Zadok the Priest for this qualifier?
#littlethingsthatcountCSC
Legia have right of appeal.
Please please somebody tell me this is not an orchestrated wind up. I’m not on twitter!
Better to be lucky than good!
Lets see what RD has learned
Thanks Pedro
Good to have ears in the right places……….
twists n turns
09:57 on 8 August, 2014
Only Deila could have played that master stroke of letting them score twice in order to get complacent and put all their subs on. Man is a bloody genius.
THIS!!!!!!!
Meltdown In Sevconia as the Sevconians realise that The Unseen Fenian Hand reaches even in to the corridors of UEFA power!!!
This and Sion cancels out the hurt of UEFA cheating us re Rapid Vienna.
tom mclaughlin
09:49 on 8 August, 2014
No problem……my statement was ‘general’ ….not specifically aimed at anything you said ….HH
So a couple of seemingly irrelevant penalty misses cost Legia about £2 million.
Unbeaten at Murrayfield.
Can we play the next round there?
LB
I foresee a horrible scenario where Celtic and Legia are drawn in the same group in the EL.
In reality, this just guarantees us EL football. We’ll be incredibly fortunate to go in to the CL.
We shouldn’t let this blind us to the weaknesses we have been discussing these last few days…
However, what a boost after a difficult week.
Does this mean that F.F.and V.V.D. have re – signed for Celtic?
Well well well
…………… we live in interesting times right enough.
Now — make the most of this Celtic FFS
On hearing the news Ronny heads off to change his underpants.
What can Legia appeal ?
How long will that take ?
Does it mean we are all back here again waiting for an appeal decision ?
Anyone ?
All I need now is Slovan Bratislava in the next round first leg at home and I am made up
Celtic we have been granted a second chance let’s not make a pig erchie of it!
Legia chairman tweet ” I failed”.
timmy7-noted. I like you feel for the Legia fans I wonder how we would feel if the shoe was on the other foot.However,if it is correct I will take it but cannot see our current team going much further in the competition.H.H.
Still not confirmed on SSN; saying decision is still awaited
CL here we come. Now Hector, go get the undead tax dodgers !!!
Zbyszek
Commiseration.
guaranteed europa league group stages
guaranteed by the poles, uefa and the current state of affairs at CP
I’m in complete shock
I’m shaking
I cant believe this has happened AGAIN!
Ya beauty
Wow, that’s absolutely mental….the unseen fenian hand right enough.
Got to feel bad for Mr Z though, Legia battered us.
Crazy stuff, but imagine those sevco twats….
Ha Ha…Sevco meltdown GIRUY
HH
Yeeeehhhhaaaaaaa.
Now Peter, get the feckin cheque book out.
NOW. before the qualifier, not after!
Tbh
I feel really embarrassed by this.
We should at least give legia half the cl money.
We would be raging if we were legia.
That’s twice now UEFA Rulebook has kept us in the Champions League. What a signing that’s been.
Wow.
Elated but can’t help but feel for Legia and Z , in particular.
Have never met him but he’s an integral part of this place and he must be hurting.
There is a right of appeal though so lets not be too hasty.
Legia CEO saying “I failed” suggests they won’t appeal.