We saw a thoroughly professional performance from Celtic in Stockholm last night. AIK were always a team we should have beaten, but ‘should have’ does not always happen, as our previous encounter proved.
James Forrest, Mikey Johnston and Odsonne Edouard were on fire, while Christopher Jullien and Boli Bolingoli looked more comfortable than in previous outings.
Lazio finished eighth in Serie A last season, behind all the big names, but a decent ‘Best of the Rest’. Rennes are off to a flier, top after three wins from three games, including a win over PSG, but finished 10th in Ligue 1 last term. They will be better than anyone we have faced so far this season but this is why we want to be in European football.
Cluj are the team I wanted most of all. They are a strong pot 4 team but we were awful against them and need to put it right. This is a challenging Europa League group providing lots of opportunity to prove a point. Bring it on.
48 hours from now, we will be in action at Ibrox, where we were outplayed twice last season in games that ultimately cost nothing. Those experiences seem to have left some in our number with a bedwetting disposition ahead of Sunday. Steven Gerrard has added ten to his squad while Celtic, if you read some coverage, have done little transfer business of note. This is bollocks!
Gerrard starts from a losing position. His team have not won any major trophies. Celtic have been imperious on a level never previously known, three consecutive trebles!
Of Newco’s ten additions, two were for money (Helander, who they did not pay the reported £3m for, and Edmundson, sending £700k to the English fourth tier in return). Two are loans (Ojo and King), but the bulk are the Tried and Tested Free Transfers route to building a successful team (Hastie, Jones, Stewart, Davis, Aribo, Barker).
Bargain bucket- teams are easier to assemble than teams full of players who command transfer fees, but when the trophies are handed out, they are seldom on the receiving end.
By contrast, Celtic have so far spent £12m reassembling their disrupted defence (Jullien, Bolingoli, Elhamed), with Bauer on loan – and an option to buy him. There is also a quality left back on his way.
Fraser Forster is here on loan (he’s not cheap). We took advantage of the cross-country opportunity we exploited to sign Moussa Dembele, to capture Luca Connell for £350k, and I expect another first team addition (as well as the left back) before the window closes.
Celtic got everything wrong on one game this season but have all of the most productive, successful and valuable players in the country on the field at Ibrox on Sunday. We cannot take any game for granted, and I have seldom gone to Ibrox without concerns, but Celtic will blow Scottish football away again this season. I’m not buying the Newco threat.
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It’s gieing me the boak, even looking at the meeja headlines and pundits turning Steeeevie’s grab bag of frees, cast-offs and loaners into world beaters. They’re not; and I reckon they’ll be horsed by the first decent team they face; which should be us in 90mins time. Sorry to say it again, but it’s not about the dog in the fight, it’s the fight in each and every dog. Ideally Neil will have our lhads up to outplay and outfight them.
Only upside to the fawning meeja – and ex-Celt supo takers – will be their pain on us lifting 9, 10 and more HH
Heknowes – 😂 a liquid dinner for me tonight.
She has actually just said we never got anything for dinner tonight. Ffs £120 for a week and nowt for Sunday dinner…..
Ah well, believe me I won’t fade away any time soon😂😂😂
D. :)
Too much being made of our trips there last year. We had MJ upfront and CalMac at LB when we lost in New Year and the second came after we won the league – it was not a competitive fixture for us.
For those that say all games against them mean something, I would simply say that I was nowhere near up for the last Ibrox game as I am for this one. I suspect it’ll be the same for our players.
Keep the heads Celtic, deal with early press and get the three points.
Turkeybhoy – I just think Mikey is going to be played in a wide left midfield but will get caught up the park and leave Bolingoli exposed. Play Bitton and Brown in front of defence with Bitton covering our left back and let RC, Cal Mac, Jamesy and French Eddie destroy them on the break.
Seemples
D. :)
By the way I hope if Mikey is playing he plays a blinder as I do for any of our players.
D. :)
Today’s confirmed starting line up ……
Forster, ElHamed, Bitton, Jullien, Bolingoli; Brown, McGregor; Forrest, Christie, Johnston , Edouard
Subs: Gordon, Bauer ,Hayes, Ntcham, Morgan, Bayo, Griffiths
Strong team in recognised positions. Let’s get the job done, Celtic.
Big Kris is a loss but Bitton and Julien know each other. Two recognised full backs and Callujm in the middle. 5 focussed on defence, 5 ready to spring into offensive action and FF in goals.
Frustratingly that team was leaked overnight again. The problem persists.
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Huns seems to be playing without wingers today…
Let’s just keep cool heads and get in amongst them
Right pub time be nice
D. :)
My best ever win against the hunos.
Well done Lennie,you got it spot on. Took any momentum or noise or umphh out of them. They were shocking.
Well done Paul67: you’ve hosted a lotta crappola the last couple of weeks and your fine line assessments have been vindicated.
Meeja, Los hunos, SG : shove that one up your hole!