For all the Ibrox bedwetters. Europa tests

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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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582 Comments

  1. CORKCELT on 30TH AUGUST 2019 9:48 PM

     

    Maradominic, Have you ever a good word to say about anything related to Celtic.

     

     

    Spot on ma Mhan. He is a poster I scroll on by. You on the other hand is a name I look out for 😃✅

     

     

    BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 30TH AUGUST 2019 9:51 PM

     

     

    What a plan that is. Requires no injuries to other areas though and especially in Scotland, no red cards. Build contingency in for that and it’s a winner.

     

     

    Left back I think we will get and please, please let def mid be Big Vic😀✅

     

     

    BIG WAVY on 30TH AUGUST 2019 9:54 PM

     

     

    I don’t get the issue surrounding Hayes. A great squad player and happy to be with us. Morgan is a definite keep for me and any youngsters should be loaned then assess after they have had a run of games. Can you imagine we had went down the sell route with Ryan??

     

     

    BHOYLO83 on 30TH AUGUST 2019 9:57 PM

     

     

    Agree – great player and servant but we are building something new. I think I will miss the song more 🎵👍🏼✅

     

     

    EMBRAMIKE on 30TH AUGUST 2019 10:05 PM

     

     

    Thanks for the info. And thanks for the date schedule earlier👍🏼✅

     

     

    JOBO BALDIE on 30TH AUGUST 2019 10:14 PM

     

     

    Cheers Jobo – you truly are a star of this blog😀👍🏼✅

     

     

    CORKCELT on 30TH AUGUST 2019 10:34 PM

     

     

    😂😂😂😂😂😂 that is genius. I added in another Ron to fit with the song as I sung it in my head… there are plenty ‘Rons’ on this blog too 😃 Hope you don’t mind me bolding, formatting and reposting for ya….

     

     

    How about this for a start.

     

     

    🎵🎶Boli & Julien, They do great things

     

     

    They do Ron Ron Ron, They do Ron Ron

     

     

    Somebody said they were a pair of pigs

     

     

    T’was you Ron Ron Ron, T’was you Ron Ron🎵🎶

     

     

    I hope this little experiment works… Don’t think I’ll be doing it again though… took me an hour to do one page…the things we do when waiting to go on holiday and not drinking 😂!

     

     

    Hail Hail 💚🍀

  2. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    DELANEYS DUNKY on 31ST AUGUST 2019 1:56 AM

     

     

    Thanks for the info.

     

    Gdansk. Danzig. The Polish corridor.

     

    Love the associations.

     

     

    Dumbarton ?

     

    I

  3. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    I`m currently hoping to meet up with the Bangkok CSC at O` Sheas for some Guinness and a 6pm KO. tomorrow.

     

    You guys will be supping in Dumbarton. :-)

     

    Global Tims , eh.

     

     

    Seems Ajer and Simu may well be available.

     

    Can`t wait.

  4. Delaneys Dunky on

    MacJay

     

    The Europa League final is in Gdansk/Danzig.

     

    I have a dream like I had about Seville in 2003.

     

    I love opTIMisTIC dreams. 😊👍🍀

  5. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    DELANEYS DUNKY on 31ST AUGUST 2019 2:28 AM

     

     

    I missed Seville .

     

    I don`t intend to miss another final.

     

     

    See you in Gdansk.

     

     

    In the meantime…………..

     

     

    BRING ON THE RANGERS.

  6. The green Brigade are just Celts.

     

     

    Magical the west side iz starting Sonics.

     

     

    Lenny isnae the back seat Driver.

     

     

    I’ve started……

     

     

    Come on Glasgow CELTIC.

     

     

    ANOTHER genuine 9 needs us all TOGETHER.

  7. Delaneys Dunky on

    MacJay

     

    I was in the stadium that night in Seville. It is the most bittersweet experience I have had as a Celtic supporter. My uncle John was also there, a Saint Paul’s Whiteinch parishoner. Sadly it was the last Celtic match he attended before his death shortly afterwards. He would love to see us in Gdansk 2020. Praise the Lord.

  8. Delaneys Dunky on

    Pete

     

    I honestly think that our defence is not our biggest problem. The gaping hole in our team is the position directly in front of them. Broony and Calmac are never defensive midfielders. Neither can hold position and go wandering and leave us exposed. Neil Lennon was one of our best ever defensive/holding midfield players in recent memory. Why can he not see that it is his type that our current team lacks? Baffling.

  9. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    DELANEYS DUNKY on 31ST AUGUST 2019 2:44 AM

     

     

    I watched the Seville game early morning Sydney surrounded by my family.

     

    Was disgusted by Porto`s time wasting tactics .

     

     

    My son attended a Marist boarding school at that time , but my request to take him out for a few days to attend the game , using the Bro. Walfrid ploy :-) , fell on deaf ears.

     

    :-(

     

     

    Lovely to hear about your uncle John .

     

    In all probability my parents , particularly my mum , would have known him.

     

    In those terms , San Pablo was a small community.

  10. Delaneys Dunky on

    MacJay

     

    They would have known him. He was a Saint Paul’s passkeeper and a bit of a character. In a good way. Taught Billy Connolly how to tell a joke. 😉👍🍀

  11. Delaneys Dunky on

    Driving my son and his good lady to Glasgow Airport in 8 hours. Lucky them off to Vegas then Mexico for a fortnight. Goodnight God bless. Aff tae bed. Here comes the Glesga rain. 😊👍

  12. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    DELANEYS DUNKY on 31ST AUGUST 2019 2:55 AM

     

     

    I think you`re right about the midfield issue.

     

    Could Lennie possibly drop Broony ?

     

     

    And bring him on , to a chorus of boos and abuse , with 15 to go when we`re 3 up ?

     

    Would I love that.

  13. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    DD

     

     

    In Mexico , advise them to keep to the tourist areas.

     

    Lot of bandit country.

     

     

    Now.

     

    Aff tae yer bed , my fellow Tim.

  14. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    D.D.

     

     

    I think I served for FR. Mone . Lady Altar . Early `60s.

     

    Lovely fellow if I`ve got the right man.

     

     

    Requiescat in Pace indeed.

  15. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    D.D.

     

    Nope.

     

    This was who I was thinking of .

     

     

    Bishop John A Mone RIP 2016.

  16. Morning All, a quick glance at the red tops (worry not, none were purchased or clicked on) sees not a single pundit predict a Celtic win tomorrow. This one is going to be sooo sweet…

  17. All the Signs of a pleasant, warm, verdant weekend in the Chilterns…

     

     

    The Europa draw means Europe after Christmas me thinks. Missing the UCL for me is unfogivable but the ECL gives us a chance to shine. We can top our group.

     

     

    Embdee think this was interesting!?

     

     

    “We cannot take any game for granted, and I have seldom gone to Ibrox without concerns…

     

     

    Compare and contrast…

     

     

    “Many will live the rest fo their days only seeing Celtic win the league …

     

     

    Guess we now know where we now stand on the Rangers newco/oldco debate, as we head to the “home” of Glasgow Rangers, Scotland’s most successful football franchise. With “CONCERNS”

     

     

    At least the GoD like hubris has gone, as we welcome back the Old Firm Derby…

     

     

    We don’t care if we win, lose or draw, what the heck should we care.!!

     

     

    Hail Hail

  18. Good morning, friends and Happy Glasgow Derby Eve from a pretty wet and windy East Kilbride. A day for the hoose!

  19. Don’t want to start a panic but this Brexit nonsense has got me worried.

     

    Stocking up on some of life’s essentials before the shortages and the huge queues at the channel ports. Porridge oats, irn bru, heather, tartan, strathaven toffee, kilts, tunnocks carmel wafers, caramel logs and tea cakes, mcgowans toffee and penny caramels, highland spring sparkling water, shortbread, oatcakes, tablet, cloutie dumpling, stovies, haggis, isle of mull cheese, thistles, askit powders, strathearn cheese, vegetable broth, porridge oats, jam and marmalade and berries from blairgowrie.

     

    Have I forgotten anything?

  20. THis week’s picks from the CQN Couponeers –

     

    AWALK – Aberdeen

     

    TET – Nottingham Forrest

     

    Pog – Luton Town

     

    BMCUWP – Derby

     

    GFTB – Ipswich

     

    Lennybhoy – Sheffield Wednesday

     

    Jobo – Annan

  21. Good morning CQN from a soaking wet Garngad

     

     

    Westcraigs- anything to do with Celtic

     

     

    D. :)

  22. WESTCRAIGS

     

     

    You obviously like your oats ;)) …. so good you named them twice .

     

     

    Morning from a pleasantly peaceful Hamilton.

  23. WESTCRAIGS

     

     

    Why not come along to the demo at George square today instead so you won’t have to stockpile?

  24. Good Morning all,

     

     

    From what I’m reading on twitter this new boy is a cracker.

     

     

    If we bring in a LB and another CH then I’ll be happy oh and big Vic then I’ll personally make an apology to Peter Lawwell on here.

     

     

    👍

  25. MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 31ST AUGUST 2019 3:34 AM

     

    D.D.

     

     

    Nope.

     

     

    This was who I was thinking of .

     

     

    Bishop John A Mone RIP 2016.

     

     

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

     

     

    I remember Fr Mone when he was PP at St Joseph’s Tollcross.

     

     

    My poor memory say’s he supported the original huns.

     

     

    Emdy?

  26. LARSSONSE7EN, Thanks for tidying up my song. I realised I had left out a Ron after I posted it but one nonsensical post a night is enough so I wasn’t going to repost it. Anyhow I might add a few more lines as the Season progresses if the humour takes me,

  27. There has always been a feeling suggestion that some of our early failures in Champions League qualification through the years is actually down to the lack of game time and of course lack of length of pre-season for the squad.

     

    It has always been my feeling that if the whole process was moved forward a month or two when we are up and running we would acheive better results.

     

    I think a huge test of this is about to come up with the two ties against Cluj in the Europa league.

     

    Quite simply IF we beat them home and away or at least take 4 points it certainly would point towards the theory that it is the time of year as much as anything that handicaps us in July and August with these huge games.

     

    Of course I might be wrong