Evidence mounts as Celtic look set to further improve

930

I’d a look at the fixture list preseason and didn’t expect we’d be top of the table so early, having played only three games with 10 teams having played four, and two of those games coming against our nearest challengers from last season.

But we stepped up to the task. The earlier win at Tynecastle and beating Aberdeen 4-1 on Saturday has issued a warning to all. Bookmakers are offering Celtic’s title odds of between 2/9 and 1/7, and have created a separate ‘Betting without Celtic’ competition. One of Brendan’s jobs will be to remind players that they need to earn the points every time the whistle goes. Defeats come quickly to teams operating at 95%.

Not that we had it all our own way on Saturday. Aberdeen disrupted our rhythm and passing in the middle part of the game. You can see how Brendan has changed the way we use the ball in possession, but there’s still a bit of work to do for it to become more natural looking.

The goals were outstanding. Leigh Griffiths’ effort would be immortalised in song, if one of the Barcelona players due to visit Celtic Park soon had managed it. Tom Rogic’s technique is of particular importance.

Celtic face a lot of packed defences; having someone able to reliably hit an unstoppable shot from around 22 yards changes how a defence will shape up to play us. This is a player Leeds United thought they could buy for £1m recently.

I was pleased to see Dorus de Vries make his debut. He had little to do, and could do nothing about the Aberdeen goal, but if he’s to be relied upon in any of the important games ahead he needed an outing as a Celtic player.

It was equally important Erik Sviatchenko came through 90 minutes with Kolo Toure. The defence is set for some almighty challenges ahead, and will need to face them with little common game-time to allow partnerships to be cemented.

There’s a degree of trepidation for the Champions League task ahead, but pretenders to our domestic dominance beware: evidence mounts that this is a good Celtic team – one which will continue to improve for some time to come.

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  1. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    But it was only fantasy

     

    The wall was too high

     

    As you can see

     

    No matter how he tried

     

    He could not break free

     

    And the worms ate into his brain

     

     

    Hey you, out there on the road

     

    Always doing what you’re told

     

    Can you help me?

     

    Hey you, out there beyond the wall

     

    Breaking bottles in the hall

     

    Can you help me?

     

    Hey you, don’t tell me there’s no hope at all

     

    Together we stand, divided we fall

  2. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    JMCCORMICK

     

     

    City play us twice,BM twice. As do BARCA.

     

     

    In other words,the top two have eight games against the lower two.

     

     

    It’s unlikely that will result in eight victories for the top two. Third place may well come down to a scrappy draw here or there.

  3. mike in toronto on

    Gerryfae @9:24

     

     

    I had forgotten about that! Picking them in LMS, was not my finest moment, I will admit! And thanks for reminding me! NOT! :(

  4. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    Papajoe55,

     

    Aye whatever, I’m getting a bit fatigued with this palava myself, it’s time to just sit back and enjoy the show.

     

    In fact I think I’ll go to sleep now, it’s time for bed said sleepy head, it’s time enough said slow, put on the kettle said greedy guts and we’ll eat before we go.

     

    Fly the flag

  5. Canamalar. I could take a lot of heat off myself if I posted evidence. If I wrote anything here, or in any public forum, Level 5 would be over it like a dose of salts. The material is burning a hole in my laptop, but It will be given at an appropriate time to the right people. I refuse to bring Celtic’s reputation into disrepute by going public. How ironic!

     

     

    Night all!!

     

     

    Hail Hail

  6. BMCUW

     

     

    Yep, I sort of know how it works? Seriously though, it was encouraging to see journalists not just dismissing us as cannon fodder.

     

    Cheers

  7. Gerryfaethebrig on

    MIT

     

     

    I knew you would see the funny side to that, funnily enough Lennybhoy in the very next post wishes us good night…..he was your sidekick in the LMS Sevco fan club :-)

     

     

    I hardly remember what I post after a hour but something’s stick in your mind :-)))

  8. This

     

    Dear Green Place…..

     

    ……..needs some

     

    …………greenkeeping………………….

     

     

    HH.

  9. Winning captains

     

    You very kindly talked of Tommy gemmell and invited supporters to come and have a cup of tea and a chat with him and to contact yourself hence the area where you live. I have no ulterior motive, I am not great with computers , so my Daughter bought me a lap top and I started to visit CQN when I did not get out much , Got all the Celtic news and a bit of banter with like minded fans. BMCUW invited me to a swally but due to health unable to go likewise Clogher and Almore invited me to Easter 2016. All I have done is support a friend and I am being picked on. HH

  10. Well, lhads…

     

     

    Hate to say it…

     

     

    But…

     

     

    I think they ate you for supper:(

     

     

    Hail Hail

  11. THETIMREAPER on 29TH AUGUST 2016 9:36 PM

     

     

    We’re getting linked with some cracking midfielders. I’m being greedy as I would love another striker too.

  12. WITS,

     

    I see Shanahan has 3 running at Ripon tomorrow night,

     

    surprised as Hamilton is on in the afternoon and thats is the favoured track,

     

    dont know much else on their chances

  13. PapaJoe55, you aren’t being picked on, you decided to involve yourself in an argument.

     

    That was your decision, if you don’t want the flak, don’t involve yourself.

     

     

    I called you a Troll as you acted like one.

  14. kill ultra on 29th August 2016 9:44 pm

     

     

     

    Canamalar. I could take a lot of heat off myself if I posted evidence. If I wrote anything here, or in any public forum, Level 5 would be over it like a dose of salts. The material is burning a hole in my laptop, but It will be given at an appropriate time to the right people. I refuse to bring Celtic’s reputation into disrepute by going public. How ironic!

     

     

    Night all!!

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

    ===============

     

    Funny enough we are saying the same thing about taking the heat off our self and about protecting Celtic’s reputation. It would be enlightening to see if you have anything to share we are not already unaware of.

  15. ChairBhoy, well thanks for wading in to help us out!

     

     

    And I disagree though, indeed, not a glove laid.

  16. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Corkcelt , thanks for the update on our developement team ‘s result tonight.

     

     

    It would be good if they could go this season undefeated as they did last season.

     

     

    We need a player like Lucas Leiva , esecially in Europe , who is a defensive midfielder.

     

     

    Liverpool were reportedly offered under £3 million for him by a Turkish club, Besiktas I believe , at the start of the close season.

     

     

    Joefilippi, the tweet from probably the most fervent Celtic fan I can think of, Paul the Tim, might have some meaning. Liverpool may want to cut their wage bill , I don’t know for sure, but a guy like Leiva’s experience could be invaluable to us.

  17. mike in toronto on

    Gerryfae … so, we are agreed….we just blame it on Lennybhoy? :)

     

     

    That is my new answer for everything ….’Lennybhoy did it, and ran away’!

  18. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Moonbeams 9.46pm

     

     

    2008 Tannadice Tommy Burns

     

    1980 Scottish cup final

     

    1977 ssw Innsbruck

     

    1991 Ekeren

     

    1998 Tommy Johnson & Henrik

     

    2000 26/08 6-2

     

    1988 league

     

    1988 cup

     

    1985 Scottish cup final

     

    1995 Tommy Burns final

  19. AULDHEID on 29TH AUGUST 2016 8:33 PM

     

    timgreen on 29th August 2016 8:00 pm

     

     

    Be fair. My post on mouldmasters on the first page was an attempt at matters less serious :) :0)

     

     

    ——–

     

     

    Auldheid – I am honoured by your attention! Your are perhaps my only remaining CQN hero for your indefatigable work on Res12 and so many other issues. You are so often the voice of reason, patience and intellect. In spite of the nutters.

     

     

    Your reflections on the mouldmaster suggest we are broadly contemporaries but I earned my bruises and testicular trauma doon the watter rather than nearer Paradise. Clue: Bobby Lennox used to swing in inch-perfect passes for us kids during his self-imposed summer breaks. No off-season for that Bhoy!

     

     

    Keep at them auld yin – total respect!

  20. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    Im not sure if the right back will be our last signing in this window I hope he is not but that seemed to be what PL was suggesting the other day. H.H.

  21. Bada Bing:

     

     

    5:10pm tomorrow.

     

     

    La Casa Tarifa ran a Vg 2nd to a horse called The wagon wheel at York . The wagon wheel runs at Goodwood 3-35pm tomorrow. It’s fav. Worth watching how it goes. It’s a class 2 race and if it runs well, I’d imagine it augurs very well for La Casa Tarifa at Hamilton.

     

     

    The only other one I’d be interested in is Rubis in 3-25 who was staying on at Bev last time. Only gone up 2lb so maybe well treated .

     

     

    Good luck whatever you do. Have a great day.

  22. prestonpans bhoys on

    International weeks are usually a bore but this L5 intrusion on the blog is actually rather funny!

  23. I am taking it that Gamboa is a done deal, hopefully he will be the right back we crave. Obviously like TheMaestro I would love a striker as well but I’d settle for just a defensive midfielder. If it happened to be Lucas I’d nearly consider a Wits like pledge.

  24. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    Charlie Mulgrew burned his bridges the night he walked of the field.

     

     

    I never thought that get, commons, Stokes and Sammi would survive the Deila reign, never mind Rodgers.

     

     

    If, as suggested, three of those players were the cause of dressing room unrest, then their days were numbered.

     

     

    Scott Brown’s position is another case.

     

     

    He may or may not have been a part of that clique.

     

    If not, he was certainly club captain and should have held sway with the players.

     

     

    I have an unsubstantiated notion that he was summoned to London pre season, to have Brendan’s Law laid down to him and how his career would be affected by his response.

     

     

    PS.

     

    Johansen was Deila’s boy. He coached him in Norway and Stefan credited his career to him.

     

    They reunited at Celtic Park, but, perhaps the rebellious atmosphere in the dressing room soured SJ’s love affair at the club, hence his loss of form and subsequent non contract renewal.

     

     

    The above is supposition and not to be used as an excuse for vitriolic response.

  25. Doc

     

    So if you knew something untrue was being said about a friend of yours you would not stand up for them, I’m not talking res.12 but Kill Ultra was a level 5 Agent. Canamalar knows who he is but is playing dumb to suit his agenda whatever that is.

  26. JFH

     

     

    What time is the game against Livi on Saturday mate?

     

    I’m working but might make it

  27. Joe filippi’s haircut

     

    @9.14

     

     

    Yeah Dembele has missed a few chances. Thought he looked a bit clumsy and awkward in his first couple of games, but since his penalty against Astana his confidence has been boosted and appears to be getting more involved. I would like to see him on the pitch as much as possible this season. I know we might play one up front in the CL , so has to be Griffiths, but I’m the league we can go 2 up top.

     

     

    I think he will be a big player for us though.

     

     

    Prestonpans Bhoy

     

    @9.16

     

     

    Yeah I noticed that, I made sure to stick to the footy in my first post back, for fear of being labeled a Level 5 plant. CQN’s equivalent of being labelled as an informer over here lol

  28. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TIMGREEN

     

     

    Bobby Lennox? Lucky sod. I was likely getting kicked off Big Roy about a mile away at Central Park.

  29. MWD

     

     

    Beach ball Sunday at poundland 28/03/2004 2-1 Henrik and Thommo

     

    Liverpool 0 Celtic 2 Hartson

     

    Boavista Henrik

     

    Brendan being appointed – what a time to be alive

     

    6-2 game

     

    1998 Stopping the 10

     

    2008 3 in a row

     

    1995 Scottish Cup Pierre

     

    2001 Treble

     

    Cadete first goal v Aberdeen – next day at school the Jorge Cadete song never stopped

     

     

    Showing my age with those.

     

     

    Ps. number 11, when wee Paddy Roberts signs a 5 year deal (love heart emoji thing)

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