Football’s ability to destroy the finest spreadsheets

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I watched Liverpool lose their fifth consecutive home game in the EPL last night.  One of the best teams in Europe over the last four years, which famously benefits from fan motivation, sit seventh in the table and out of a European spot for next season.

Even on current form, Liverpool would destroy Celtic, but the parallels in the two clubs decline are clear.  Virgil van Dijk’s injury enforced absence at Anfield had as big an impact on Liverpool as Fraser Forster’s loss to Celtic.  Both sides lost significant numbers through injury and, if anything, Celtic fans have a greater reputation for encouraging their team than Liverpool’s.

Jurgen Klopp, the urbane football intellectual, looks lost.  We see unflattering bouts of temper as he struggles to understand where his Midas Touch went.  Jurgen is among the game’s very best; Neil Lennon should take comfort that what happened to him can happen to anyone.

You and I have often said that a team operating at 90% is unrecognisable from the same players at full tilt.  When one or two things go wrong at the margins, an entire edifice can crumble.  Watching Liverpool also suffer does not sweeten the pill, but it is a lesson that football can destroy even the finest spreadsheets.

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  1. onenightinlisbon on

    GEEBEE1978 on 6TH MARCH 2021 7:13 PM

     

     

    Totally agree. Whilst the business model might now be back on track, it would suffer a major blow if people voted with their feet.

     

     

    A “Jack Ross’ or “Alex Neil” type of appointment could really result in huge damage to our ablity to recover from this nightmare season.

     

     

    Whilst a Martin or Brendan………

  2. ADI_DASSLER NOT FOR 2ND BEST on 6TH MARCH 2021 7:18 PM

     

    JHB

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ‘Independance allows us to decide who governs afetrwards.’

     

     

     

    ####

     

     

    Can you clear something up for me please.

     

     

    What is the SNP’s position on old age pensions in an independent Scotland?

     

     

    Will these be paid by the independent Scottish state or by what’s left of the UK state?

  3. !!Bada Bing!! on

    See new Tweets

     

    Conversation from the Scottish Minister for Justice

     

     

    Humza Yousaf

     

    @HumzaYousaf

     

    I am a football fan, I understand the jubilation you feel when your Club is on the cusp of a title. But please remember we are at such a critical juncture in our fight against the virus. Please stay at home, mass gatherings are not allowed – this includes football fans.

     

     

    Compared too when Celtic fans went to Celtic. Park.

     

     

    Humza Yousaf

     

    @HumzaYousaf

     

    Utterly disgraceful scenes outside of Celtic Park from a minority of fans tonight with violence aimed towards Police. Officers have been front & centre keeping us safe during this pandemic, to treat them this way at any time is shameful, to do it during these times is a disgrace.

     

     

    Scumbag

  4. !!BADA BING!! on 6TH MARCH 2021 7:33 PM

     

    See new Tweets

     

     

     

     

    Conversation from the Scottish Minister for Justice

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Humza Yousaf

     

     

     

     

    @HumzaYousaf

     

     

     

     

    I am a football fan,

     

     

    ————-

     

     

    who does he support ?

  5. Pitymevin@ 6.08

     

     

    Not censorship, but not really getting the coverage it deserves for the MSM and our board are happy for this.

     

     

    You are right. It is not Censorship, which was your original complaint. So much for proving anyone wrong.

     

     

     

     

     

    As long as there are huns like you backing the board to the detriment to Celtic with your absolute nonsense arguments backed up with the greatest 9iar ever.

     

     

    I’m not the one swallowing the hun narrative about our 9iar.

     

     

    I don’t back the Board

     

     

    and I don’t claim this was the greatest 9iar ever; it was the second best one though.

     

     

    Again- not much refuting going on, just a change of argument. I don’t need the Board to back me in my opinion that the Hun titles which interrupted our run should be scrapped; I am confident enough in the rightness of my own views on this. The argument would not be strengthened if PL or DD backed it and it will not be weakned if PL or DD don’t. I am much less obsessed with the Board than you are. The argument stands or falls on the merits of its evidence not on the number of people who believe it.

     

     

    HH

  6. Rodgers’ Leicester look like they’re going for another end-of-season crash. With this and his dire European record, surely this would concern some of the real big clubs…..fine coach, though he is.

  7. GEEBEE1978 on 6TH MARCH 2021 8:29 PM

     

    Rodgers’ Leicester look like they’re going for another end-of-season crash. With this and his dire European record, surely this would concern some of the real big clubs…..fine coach, though he is.

     

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

     

     

    Maybe we should swoop

  8. CELTIC DAWN on 6TH MARCH 2021 8:34 PM

     

     

    Well, the rumour was a seismic British or Irish appointment :)

  9. Humza Yousaf

     

     

    Go…..and………..do……………….one………………ya…………..hun!

  10. Paranoids get a grip.

     

    The current shambles has nothing to do with the Proddie, loving SNP or Nasty Nicola.Nor has it to do with the MIBs, polis.

     

    The blame lies firmly at thee door of a b

  11. fairhill bhoy on

    MARSPAPA-I listened to Andy today.

     

    Brilliant Honda advert a few years back 😉

  12. Weebobbycollins on

    I’m hurting inside but I certainly won’t be showing any semblance of pain to thems…in fact, I’ll probably say I’m a rugby chap and not interested in football.

  13. Weebobbycollins on

    Now I can finally bring out the word ‘hate’, a word that I don’t normally like to use…

     

    I effin HATE them.

  14. Anyway, had a fab day with my wee girl Olivia who was 21 today.

     

     

    I am so proud of my wee ghirl.

     

     

    She has had more health issues than most grown adults have in their lives but by the grace of God she is still here.

     

     

    Her Mum and me are so proud of her.

     

     

    I know this pandemic is a tough time for us all especially those who have lost love one’s.

     

     

    I lost my wee sister Clare at the end of January. (non covid) She lived in New Jersey so travel was not an option.

     

     

    Still feels surreal.

     

     

    If I wake up in the morning, I will count my blessings.

     

     

    I will also remember friends on here who may need a prayer.

     

     

    God bless you all and thanks for being here.

  15. fairhill bhoy on

    PHILBHOY-congratulations Olivia 🎉

     

    My oldest granddaughter is also called Olivia and she will be 9 on the 31st.

     

    We never forget those that are gone 💚

  16. FAIRHILL BHOY

     

     

    Thank you my friend!

     

     

    I know you own personal grief will still be raw, but memories, wonderful memories, are priceless.

     

     

    My problem with my wee sister is that she was so far away and I couldn’t be there.

     

     

    Difficult to explain.

     

     

    Take care.

  17. Guy moved in adown the street about 5 years ago. Nice guy, nice family. Spoke to him in passing on and off. Not a football fan, more a Glasgow Warriors guy and more interested in golf, if anything he liked to see Hamilton do well as his dad supported them. Never engaged in any football chat. Never really understood the “old firm” thing.

     

     

    Haven’t seen much of him over last 6 months since lockdown and the weather.

     

     

    Tonight…fireworks from his back garden!

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