Celtic’s first half display against Hearts yesterday saw the length of the M8 between the teams. The visitors put bodies in the way but were unable to stem the tide towards Craig Gordon’s goal. A sublime pass by Kyogo Furuhashi gave James Forrest space to turn inside and dink a cross that was expertly converted by Odsonne Edouard.
Edouard turned provider when Stephen Welsh towered over the defence to head home as the roof threatened to fall in on the visitors. Hearts stabilised after the break but were not in the contest in any meaningful way until Carl Starfelt mis-controlled the ball inside his penalty area, allowing Liam Boyce to get in the way of his second attempt, resulting in a penalty that was converted by the Hearts stirker.
That sparked Celtic back into life and they soon restored their two-goal cushion through Kyogo. Hearts added time second goal flattered them and came too late to cause any concern.
One of my concerns this month is that we do not shift Odsonne and he leaves on a free at the end of the season. On this showing, a season of him and Kyogo would not be totally without compensation. The partnership looked very promising.
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Shocking article about Barcelona:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58235195
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed the Spanish club is 1.35bn euros (£1.15bn) in debt, describing the situation as “very worrying”.
The club’s wage bill currently accounts for 103% of total income.
Laporta blames predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu for the debt, accusing him of leaving a “terrible inheritance”.
Extending Lionel Messi’s contract would have made the wage bill accountable for 110% of revenue, which La Liga refused to accept.
Messi announced an emotional exit from the Nou Camp last week and signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract.
“Our salaries represent 103% of the club’s total income, that’s 20-25% more than our competitors,” said Laporta, now in his second term as president after winning March’s election.
“The first thing we had to do when we arrived was to ask for a loan of 80m euros because, otherwise, we could not pay the salaries. The previous regime was full of lies.
“Barcelona has a negative net worth of 451m euros – it is a terrible inheritance. What has been happening is very worrying.”
Bartomeu defended himself in an open letter released on Saturday, claiming financial measures he would have put in place had he not been forced to resign in October would have allowed Messi to stay at Barcelona.
“As is known, our board of directors planned to call elections on 21 March, within the statutory period at the end of our mandate, which would have allowed us to take on and carry out the settlement of the 2020-21 season accounts,” Bartomeu said.
“We would then have taken the decisions necessary to avoid arriving at the current financial situation.
“We would have been the only ones responsible for the closure [due to the pandemic] and its consequences, a decision that the new board has not taken throughout these past months, making clear their inaction.”
Laporta described Bartomeu’s letter as “an effort to justify management that is unjustifiable” and “an exercise in desperation”, adding: “They will not escape their doing.”
New signings Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Rey Manaj were only able to be registered by La Liga after defender Gerard Pique agreed to a wage cut to comply with salary cap rules.
On every comparable stat James Forrest is better than or equal to Abada.
It isnt about opinions, it is about facts,
HRVATSKI JIM on 16TH AUGUST 2021 5:06 PM
Shocking article about Barcelona:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58235195
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I read that earlier. They should just liquidate the current company, dont pay any debts, and Phoenix themselves , claiming all the titles, trophies and honours.
charles green is on a plane as we speak.
Looks like Thomas Henry is going to Belgium.
Makes sense, we are in no position to spend any money on a striker if Eddy is staying. We have at least 4 .
The defence should be prioritised for any remaining budget. Incld a back up goal keeper!
Barca’s debt is over ONE BILLION pounds, or, if you like, almost equal to TWENTY years of revenue for Celtic. Many other big clubs have hundreds of millions of debt – Man Utd routinely carry £500m.
It is time to publicly admit that we are not in the same game as these clubs.
The Champions League will eventually morph into the SUPER LEAGUE and any smaller clubs allowed access will only be used as fodder in order that the elite can strut their stuff. Perhaps big US franchises will be invited and smaller clubs phased out over time. People like Beckham probably see this happening ‘down the line’
There are over six hundred clubs under the auspices of UEFA – surely together they can decide to kiss goodbye to these ‘super clubs’ and rearrange things on more meritorious grounds.
INIQUITOUSIV on 16TH AUGUST 2021 2:21 PM
“Rumours on KDS that Dominic has outbid Lawwell’s offers for Juranovic, Scales, Couto, Lovric and Henry, so we actually might be in with a shout.”
Either a poor attempt at humour or mischief making
Everything Celtic
@aboutceltic
·
52m
| Celtic FC – Transfer Update
Yan Couto will not be joining.
Celtic turn attention to Josip Juranović, Legia awaiting opening bid.
Liam Scales only a matter of time.
Gent set to seal signing of Thomas Henry.
Ange’s style looks really promising for SPL. The full backs coming inside is a bit of a revelation. Completely disrupts opposition and, where limited SPL teams are concerned, they won’t cope with it in the short term.
Better teams and better players will, of course, cope much better than the 11 men behind the ball SPL standard fare.
To be fair, GT has adapted well to the system- much better than I expected.
Hearts’ sub Ginnelly tore us apart when he came on. Hard to tell how much of that was us tiring although Starfelt’s contribution couldn’t have helped. I’m prepared to hold off judgment on him given the personnel around him and allowing for a settling in period but he will really need to improve. I’m concerned about his physicality
MAd Mitch
“I fear you doth protest — and know — to much regarding JF and his career trials and tribulations.”
—————————-
Well, I have to confess that I never spoke to any of his taxi drivers or to the Tea Lady to see if he was rude about how many sugars he wanted.
But I have flown out of Prestwick Airport more than once and in Prestwick, by accident, a few other times. That may be enough to dismiss my opinion as tainted or biased. Failing that, you could guess an occupation, imagine that i was one of them and denigrate me via my imagined profession.
That line of argument is just as valid as the one you use
JHB
DAvid Murray ran up a similar level of debt with MIM..didnt do him any harm
Conversation
Nostalgia Futbolera ®
@nostalgiafutbo1
Estibadores del Puerto de Glasgow, jugando al fútbol, aprovechando un descanso. 1962.
https://twitter.com/nostalgiafutbo1/status/1381717506553942022/photo/1
Stx2 @ 5.06’ish
Your analysis is forced / partial / slanted …
I fear you are drowning in data.
Plus jumping through hoops to trying and hype the performance of a 30 year old senior player over a newly arrived 19 year old — not a good look.
Want another bet?
james forrest is a player for games against most of the other league teams if we want to rest other players
in all his years you could count on 1 hand his contribution in major euro games and old/new hun games
where are your stats on that?
Saw a rerun of the game today, what was very noticeable was how one footed Starfelt is. I never saw him use his left peg once.
So lets stick him on the left-hand side, no wonder the guy is struggling😵
102 european appearances including 16 goals.
One for the cricket followers. James Forrest is our equivalent of Ian Bell. A much maligned player, mocked for his seemingly lack of courage or performing on the big occasion. Not a badge kisser or someone who drew attention to himself.
James was sorely missed last season as has Ian Bell for England
I blame The King Billy tatoo on his anatomy.
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 16TH AUGUST 2021 5:41 PM
Saw a rerun of the game today, what was very noticeable was how one footed Starfelt is. I never saw him use his left peg once.
So lets stick him on the left-hand side, no wonder the guy is struggling
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what did you think on james forrest performance.
Pot&kettle.com
Let’s all
14 goals in 102 European matches
His record vs Sevco- played 24 won 17, drew 3 and lost 4. Scored 2 and 6 assists
Just how many fingers do you have on one hand?
SAINT STIVS on 16TH AUGUST 2021 6:02 PM
I thought he played fine considering he was on the left, is there a theme here😱
I know the idea but we have misused him on that side of the park too often, prefer him on the right
Seeing Kyogo in action for the first time yesterday on what was an excellent playing surface have to say i was mightily impressed. Not only can this lad score goals but is also a very skilful football player. Will he be kicked out of it in the SPFL? , I doubt it, he’s too quick.
Calmac, Turnbull, Forrest, Rogic, Kyogo, Eddy, Christie, McCarthy, there’s a helluva lot of skilful football players in that lineup and it showed yesterday and the Ange regime is now up and running with 16 goals and 4 concessions in four games.
Anthony Ralston must be the most improved player at Celtic , he almost got in for another goal yesterday to add to his tally to date, the lad can also play a bit. Hopefully he continues his upward curve. Let’s hold back on the criticsm of Starfelt, Joe Hart has done well but he also nearly made a right horlicks of things on a couple of occasions trying to play out from the back.
It’s all a settling in process.
Scored an 86th minute winner vs Sevco in March 2019
Scored the 3rd goal in a 5:0 win in 2018
Assist for our opening goal in a 1:1 draw at CP in 2017
Assist for our first equaliser in a 3:2 win at Ibrox in 2018
Assist in a 1:0 win @CP in 2018
Assist in our opening goal in March 19 before going on to score the winner
Assist for the opening goal in a 4:0 win at CP in SC semi 2018
Assist for our 2nd goal in a 5:0 win at CP in 2018
Which of these were insignificant contributions?
watching the forrest set up for the goal, the ball from kyogo is moving fast aw\y from james, making a first time shot too difficult, so he very cleverly, controls it, feights, steps back in an an exquisite lay off to eddie who has arrived at sppeed,
wonderful set up play and finish,
but someone actually thinks this was hin “not interested, lazy and passing the buck”.
Why have you paid £4m for a centre half who can’t use his left foot.
Our scouting network is abysmal.
Of the 5 games we played Sevco in 2020/2, they won 4 and we drew one.
JF was not in the squad for our 2:0 defeat at CP
JF was not in the squad for our 1:0 defeat at Ibrox
JF made a late sub appearance in our 1:1 draw at CP
JF was not in the squad for our 2:0 loss in the SC
He DID play in the 4:0 loss at Ibrox in May- lasted an hour
Christopher Jullien, who’s he.
James Forrest was carrying a bad ankle injury for some time but great to see him back fully fit again.
Celtic have confirmed that no tickets will be issued to St Mirren supporters this Saturday.
Due to current protocols, Celtic must relocate a high number of season ticket holders to areas which would normally be allocated to the away support.
SFTB @ 6.21
And I will repeat — you doth protest too much.
Your trawl through the ages suggests that he scored 2 goals out of 21 plus.
Not a great stat for a wide attacking player of his talent.
Reporting Scotland not covering our national sport, BMX bikes instead, Celtic must have won thus weekend
RC
Might also explain why there is no public sale for the Saints game, as 116,117, 118, 119 or thereabouts. Areas used by many of our supporters travelling from Ireland, and elsewhere.
What exactly are these protocols, assuming they are not the same as those of UEFA?
SAINT STIVS
something is intriguing me with our Japanese bhoy.
Desribed by various sources as the best player in Japan, and yet he only has 6 caps with 3 goals.
How good are the players that keep him out then ?
_____
I watched an interview, by the 67 hail hail boys I think, where they spoke to an English guy who was based in Japan. Another factor in that question, according to him, was that Kyogo also studied for a degree in something.
I’m sure there are a few good players over there. The wee man looks the most exciting player since Larsson. Let’s give him some protection on and off the park.
NOTTHEBUS on 16TH AUGUST 2021 5:23 PM
JHB
DAvid Murray ran up a similar level of debt with MIM..didnt do him any harmNOTTHEBUS on 16TH AUGUST 2021 5:23 PM
DAvid Murray ran up a similar level of debt with MIM..didnt do him any harm
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His ‘running-up’ at Ibrox obliterated Rangers FC.
Clubs outside the so-called ‘elite’ will have decisions to make going forward – better sooner than later I say.
We are beginning to get it together as a team, we are far from the finished article but we are playing exciting Football and we have won our last 4 games scoring 16 & conceding 4.
Another big plus is already we are seeing a big improvement in players like Christie, Ralston & Taylor who all were much maligned last year.
Ange looks a good Manager our team looks fitter, more motivated and are playing with a smile on their face,
However this Blog survives on moaning & needs a few liberated goats.
Taylor & Ralston fed the frenzy for a long time but they have had the audacity to up their game so now it’s James & Starfelt.
All players will make mistakes, players need time to adapt to a new Country , Club or style of play.
As long as players go out & put in an honest shift then they should be supported, If it turns out they are not good enough then its over to Management,
Right now I’m happy with the way we are going & cautiously optimistic that we will have a very good season.
The way we are playing we look like well score a lot but also concede quite a few,
It’s going to be interesting & exciting, enjoy it.
CELTIC40ME
“Rumours on KDS that Dominic has outbid Lawwell’s offers for Juranovic, Scales, Couto, Lovric and Henry, so we actually might be in with a shout.”
Either a poor attempt at humour or mischief making.
Everything Celtic@aboutceltic
| Celtic FC – Transfer Update
Yan Couto will NOT be joining.
Celtic turn attention to Josip Juranović, Legia AWAITING opening bid.
Liam Scales only A MATTER OF TIME.
Gent SET TO SEAL SIGNING of Thomas Henry.
I wonder how successful we would be in signing players we need if everyone wasn’t “working very hard” behind the scenes?
Wee Jamsie is a terrific player , very often worth the entry money on his own … remember away to St J they made the fatal mistake of playing 15 yards further up the pitch , did we not knock 5 past them before HT , wee man got 4 ?
Point being ,when in the side opposition have to be nuts to play a high line against us …. all the claptrap on here about the wee fella is just that …. claptrap
Wee Jamsie is a terrific player , very often worth the entry money on his own
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come on
‘very often’?
you obviously have low expectations about what your entry money should return