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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Says it all, really 😉
TRADITIONALIST88 on 30TH AUGUST 2019 2:17 PM
TIMALOY29 on 30TH AUGUST 2019 2:15 PM
Interesting to see what they can do in a short time before the deadline. Think they’re currently on -11 points. Avoiding relegation will be the main aim.
____
Yeah, they have 5 senior pros right now and the manager said they are trying to sign another 4. That suggests the rest is youth team.
I am fairly sure that Eddie Howe is not an avid follower of football in Scotland. I wonder how he found out about Artur being with Legia last night? My suspicion is that some Scottish crayon-scribbler phoned him and asked for a comment.
Games schedule should be:
Home to Rennes
Away to Lazo
Home to Cluj
Away to Cluj
Away to Rennes
Home to Lazio
KTF
TIMALOY29 on 30TH AUGUST 2019 2:25 PM
Had a quick look at their squad on Soccerway – at first glance looks a normal sized squad but then you see that loads are 17/18 and other ages not even listed, presuming they are even younger players drafted in.
Not a good situation but could have been a whole lot worse.
Haven’t heard much about their new owners and their vision but you’d assume due diligence/background checks were all done.
HH
we need players in ASAP…. but we will sell /release before we BUY anyone not loan
This evil knows no bounds – it seems a lot of organisations have the problem – it’s not for point scoring
https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2019-08-29/women-claim-orange-order-didnt-act-on-abuse-allegations/
MULLET AND CO 2 on 30TH AUGUST 2019 2:21 PM
The bottom of the midfield and the defence is seriously flawed. A quality midfielder or two would see a huge step up in confidence.
____________________________________________________________________
Midfield: Brown, Ntcham, McGregor, (Bitton), Christie, Rogic, Christie, Johnston, Forrest, Shved, Sinclair, Kouassi, Morgan, (Hayes).
Defence: Ajer, Simunovic, Elhamed, Bauer, Bolingoli, (Bitton), Julien, Ralston, (Hayes)
Seriously flawed?
As for our midfielders you don’t see Ntcham, McGregor, Rogic, Christie, Sinclair, Bitton or Sinclair as quality players?
KTF
Excellent article P67
By far your best for a while… please keep them like that
Hail Hail to you and all the family
Standing up for the Champions 😃💚🍀
BIGYINMILAN on 30TH AUGUST 2019 2:26 PM
I am fairly sure that Eddie Howe is not an avid follower of football in Scotland. I wonder how he found out about Artur being with Legia last night? My suspicion is that some Scottish crayon-scribbler phoned him and asked for a comment.
—————————
Its all over social and MSM..
There’s no hiding from smart phones.
HH.
How does that work, did AB miss training or a game?
The Wanyama Window? ‘Better late than never Mr Lawwell, It is time to back your man,’ Niall J…https://thecelticstar.com/the-wanyama-window-better-late-than-never-mr-lawwell-it-is-time-to-back-your-man-niall-j/
Forster
Bauer Elhamed Julien Bolingoli
Wanyama Connell
Afolabi Shved Morgan
Bayo
Not all signed this window but are basically new as 2 were on loan and Bayo has been unfit
Wanyama will not be coming.. probably only Taylor… and possibly another young project or EPL player on loan.. will try to get SS punted as well as Hendry and a few others Calvin Millar etc. we need a CF.. though said before I would lovejack Aitchison to get a game from bench..looks a natural poacher
VFR – he said bottom of midfiled not wingers and #10 s… He meant Broonie!!!
We have played more competitive UEFA fixtures since 2010/11 than all bar one club
Celtic – 112
Real Madrid-112
Atletico-106
Barca- 104
Copenhagen-104
Salzburg-104
Ajax-103
Bayern-103
Valencia- 102
copyright bazza67
Does that sound accurate?
but where is Kouassi???? alwayslooked good when played (apart from disaster at hearts…where NO ONE played well)
All we are saying is give bayo a chance
All we are saying is give bayo a chance
All we are saying is give bayo a chance
All we are saying is give bayo a chance
All we are saying is give bayo a chance
Dodgy knees wanyama for £13m. 🤔
Why does Neil talk so candidly about Jozos knee issues? Strange strategy for a manager.
Is he trying to dissuade suitors by highlighting a flaw, is he a genuine JS fan, or just ensuring uncle Peter doesnt sell him before NL gets his own man in first?
MARADOMINIC on 30TH AUGUST 2019 2:53 PM
VFR – he said bottom of midfiled not wingers and #10 s… He meant Broonie!!!
_________________________________________________________
Any 2 from 5: McGregor, Ntcham, Bitton, Brown, Kouassi.
Or 2 from 4 if you discount Brown.
KTF
SFTB
I’m guessing the RM et al did not require to play 6/8 games to get them into the group stages…………..every season.
So figures look accurate.
Back 4 permutations for Sunday
Ajer Jozo Jullien Boli
Or
Bauer Ajer Jozo Boli
Or personally what I would prefer to see
Ajer Jozo Jullien New Left Back
VFR,
The midfield are flawed. It’s where we lose possession most and lack ball winning power. If you want to
Improve quality we must improve the quality of the midfield.
Sinclair is being dropped due to refusing a transfer. Rogic is at best injured or can’t play more than 60 mins when he is fit. Ntcham would probably show more interest in his breakfast than Glasgow Celtic.
We absolutely must improve the pace and passing and ball winning at the base of our midfield. In Johnstone, Christie and Forrest we have a great front of the car but the guys in the back aren’t balanced with the game Lennon wants to play. Neither Brown or McGregor are quarter backs who can pick a 40 yard pass. Brown will get overran in Europe (at least) and McGregor would benefit from a powerful partner.
The players who could have come in may well be away before Monday is out. Ntcham and Kouassi.
Well said Gene!
CG done enough to keep his place, Bauer Julien Jozo and either Hayes or new guy.
For all his time in defensive positions I’m thinking Ajer will make an excellent defensive midfielder, him and Bitton ahead of the defence with Christie CalMac and JF and Bayo to start with to rumble them up then Eddie on second half to clean up.
So where does the Sinclair dropped because refusal of transfer come from ?
CANAMALAR IT LOOKS LIKE OCD OBSESSION on 30TH AUGUST 2019 3:15 PM
So where does the Sinclair dropped because refusal of transfer come from ?
——————
Was wondering the same thing.
Paul67 et al
Here is a prediction for you. Win at at Ayebrokes on Sunday and we will top the league right through to the end of the season. That positive enough?
So line up
4
2
1 CalMac to move to make either 3 defmid or 3 attakmid
2
1
I’m going
————–Forster
Ajer—Julien—–Jozo—Boli
———Broon—-Ntcham
Forrest—–McGregor——-Christie
—————Edouard
CANAMALAR IT LOOKS LIKE OCD OBSESSION on 30TH AUGUST 2019 3:15 PM
So where does the Sinclair dropped because refusal of transfer come from ?
____________________________________________________________
From the same flawed thought process that thinks our midfield is shite and that Ntcham and Kouassi are away by Monday and that McGregor can’t ping a 40 yard pass! It has also completely overlooked Bitton anchoring the midfield with McGregor or Ntcham.
KTF
just saw photo of Ibrox.. 3,000 empty seats? The stand hold apprx 8,000 so 3/4 of bottom stand should be empty not 1/4!!!
TIMALOY29 on 30TH AUGUST 2019 3:27 PM
Not much wrong with that team!
KTF
a Brectum
A person who is being a complete ars@ about Brexit
MARADOMINIC on 30TH AUGUST 2019 3:31 PM
There were 3 separate areas of the group closed.
KTF
Larsonse7en
STAND UP FOR THE CHAMPIONS
just for you,
Martin42
Paul67.
Sevco have gone from losing to the 4th best team in Luxemburg to knocking out teams from Denmark and Poland. They have come a long way in a short period of time. it would be churlish to suggest otherwise.
Maybe Gerrard isn’t the dumb ass that we thought he was and we hoped he was.
This is going to be tight this season.