Many of our early season concerns manifest themselves in the performances against Dundee. A 1-1 draw at Dens on the last day of the summer transfer window, followed by a 2-1 win at Celtic Park in November, told the story of a club just about getting by on the domestic front.
The Celtic Park win saw us go seven points ahead of Aberdeen on the same games played, but defeat to a Stuart Armstrong goal for Dundee United, and a home draw against bottom of the table Ross County, briefly gave us what looked like a genuine championship challenge.
Something happened at Rugby Park in the first week of the year. Kris Commons was sublime but the improvement in Celtic’s performance was due to more than just him. We’ve won six games on the bounce, without losing a goal, with convincing performances, in all but away to Ross County, who belie their lowly position to squeeze every ounce of effort out of Celtic.
Before last week’s game at Hampden it was possible to find plenty of “Celtic are rubbish as well” comments. We were rubbish, earlier in the season, but you’ve watched the team grow in recent months. So much so that it’s becoming difficult to give an honest opinion on the goalkeeper, he is so rarely troubled.
Forged on the road
On Wednesday we have the Glasgow derby against Partick Thistle, before a trip to Perth next weekend, often a difficult venue for Celtic. That will bring to end a nine game run since New Year, with only one game at Celtic Park. The growth in the team has been forged on the road, often on smaller grounds with variable surfaces.
The return to Celtic Park, on Thursday 19, against the Italians with their famous blue and black stripes, will present Ronny Deila and his players with a bigger challenge. It’s not a must-win game, but it’s an absolutely necessary test to a team who are looking more and more imperious in Scotland with each passing week.
Email me to book your tickets to the CQN11 St Patrick’s Dinner at Celtic Park on Cup Final weekend, Friday 13 March, celticquicknews@gmail.com
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Ooh matron!
Celtic
Paul67
That’s the 2nd time this week you posted a new article whilst I’m typing on the other one :-)
Hail Hail
Top 10
That time again folks, I have my begging bowl out (AGAIN) for NCCA UK (Neuroblastoma charity) in memory of my wee pal Oscar & to raise money for other kids and their families
Plz donate if you can
https://www.justgiving.com/TommyMelly-Edinburgh-Run
Thanks HH
Paul67
I don’t know whether we will get through against Inter or not but if I see a sizeable improvement in our earlier euro performances under Ronny I will be happy.
That old saying beloved of pundits that 2-0 is a ‘dangerous’ scoreline being illustrated at Burnley, as the Baggies come back from 0-2,and being played off the park,in the first half.
20 to play.
Is this, currently our strongest team :
——————C.Gordon——————
Lustig. Denayer. VanDijk. Izzy
———-Broony. Bitton—————
—johansen. Commons. Armstrong—
—————-Griffiths———————-
Mibee’s aye ?
HAIL Hail
A wee repost, as Paul67 toys with me :-)
Winning Captain
I see a couple of others having the same issue with the new blog/magazine as I have on the ipad
The Virgin Fitness advert taking over the page scrolling, continually pooping into it
I am still experiencing this today
Hail Hail
Paul,
Generally I’ve felt this season we have played better on the road than at CP. Maybe something to do with the atmosphere generated at away grounds by the travelling support, certainly seems better than the atmosphere at some of our home games of late.
Hail! Hail!
It is 100 years since Celtic won the League title in a year finishing in a ‘5’.
Great article Paul. Spot on.
Estorilbhoy
I guess most teams are inclined to put 10 men behind the ball at C.P…
By adding someone like GMS to the squad, I hope we will have an alternative option to unlocking overly defensive opponents.
The comfortable collective
Only because we were cheated out of the 2005 one.
tamrabam
13:47 on 8 February, 2015
Thom the tim
kris commons has been celtic BEST attacking player for quite some time now
like i said many many times, good runners aren’t necessarily good fitba players
be careful we dont end up with too many peter grants and no enough paul mcstays
*******
Tam.
It was never about what he could and did get away with previously.
By his own admission, he has had to up his game and give more. If he wants to be a part of our present style and formation.
That he has satisfied the manager that is prepared and able to further develop his game, is a credit to him.
He was never a poor player, it was all about being able to fit into the system.
Previouslh, he suited Lennon’s, but not Deila’s?
It is Ronny’s system that matters now, not Neil’s….. and Kris knows and understands that.
Hopefully, all of our support will also understand, too.
Paul67
Team are forging well. A few more setbacks to come along the way, but signs are promising.
The famous Inter Milan at Celtic Park creates such an evocative feeling of anticipation and deareisay, expectation?
When the really big European clubs come calling after Christmas, someone , somewhere is doing something right..
The area I see as one for improvement, is our creation of chances from wide positions.
In Ronny’s 4-2-3-1, set up, we rely heavily on the full backs providing the width and the delivery.
I don’t see our wide men, whether it be Stokes, Forrest, or whoever, actually performing like a stereo typical wide player should. They seem to play narrow, and opt inside a lot.
Cowiebhoy
Yes am aware of this and will try to resolve before the merging the sites. I don’t seem to be getting the same problem on iPad here.
If anyone is viewing at the moment on iPad can you go to http://www.cqnmagazine.com and let us know if you can access the site easily enough?
Has any team in Scotland won 2 domestic trebles in a row ? If not I know who my money is on to be 1st, Ronny starting to bed in now and players reacting well .
beatbhoy 14:08 on 8 February, 2015
Was that the year the linesman Andy Davis gave them a non existant penalty in the last minutes of a game at swinecastle which gave them 3 points instead of 1.
When rangers ended up winning the league by 1 point. . . .
ruggygman
14:01 on 8 February, 2015
That would be my first pick all being available
Winning Captains
On iPad now and it is fine
ruggygman
14:11 on 8 February, 2015
Agree with that too.
Fullbacks who can cross is vital, lustig is the only one who puts in decent quality consistently. Love izzy but his crossing is ‘questionable’ on occasion (most occasions) :D. He brings other things though
ExSlaemuirBhoy
As a work colleague used to take great delight in reminding me, between 1992 and 1994 rangers won 7 domestic trophies in a row (although only one treble).
Beating that would be nice.
CowieBhoy, which browser are you using?
I am on the iPad using Safari, not having this issue.
Paul67
” the Italians with their famous black and blue stripes “.
The Inter away top is a white affair with Pirelli blazoned across the chest. Italian wags say the Pirelli is very apt – Easily punctured ! .
Inter fans are mightily miffed re the tampering with the iconic striped shirt .Mad elderly Inter man down the valley thinks the current Inter team should wear yellow.
Winning Captains
Yes now working, the Virgin fitness advert has gone :-)
Hail Hail
Nice to see players like KC, Joe Hansen and Big Nir now getting recognized for being footballers
HH
gsu
CQNMagazine still not working on Sony tablet.
The new site looks great btw.
Repost from last artcle because I believe it:
Watched Motd earlier.
Would arsenal v spurs be such a big occasion, as eagerly anticipated, if they played 4 times a year, throw in a cup and its 5.
Would mourinho have won once in 5 previous seasons at villa park if they went there twice a season. Would it have been such a big deal for him yesterday.
Yesterday was Hulls only visit to the etihad this season. That’s an exciting occasion for them.
We need a 20 team top league in scotland with a 12 team championship and 10 team third division. ( I’d take a 20 team second tier) We need a true pyramid set up for non league to enter the bottom level.
There is little separating inverness ross county st johnstone patrick from raith ayr hearts hibs qos morton livingston dunfermline in terms of quality.
It’ll guarantee the tribute act back but let’s be honest thats going to be shoe horned in this year come hell or high water. Mibbery loans and down right cheating all round if needed.
The current 4x a season (potentially 6, I wouldnt be surprised to see dUtd 6 times this season) is killing our game. Killing it as much as the corruption at sfa.
Dont even get me started on the embarrasment of the playoffs.
It would make competition at the top much more likely. Take the dons, closest team to us just now I think we’d agree. They would only be in direct competition with us for 6 points a season, not the current 12. And going to aberdeen would be a real occasion. Easter rd, tyncastle, much bigger occasions.
Get it done and start fixing our game.
Chuck out insolvent clubs and bring in ffp rules. Sack ogilvie reagan and doncaster and appoint a proven franchise marketer from the states to head up sfa and spfl and a president with integrity, someone with a mandate to clean the place up and deliver transparency
It’s no coincidence our lean spell at the back comes since the return of Denayer.
The Comfortable Collective
I remember that well , that’s what got me dreaming of a double treble if you get ma drift.
That’s what I love about Celtic always creating history after our debts have been paid
how come the Dismals are on the telly again?
This is a Sunday afternoon; surely an opportunity for the ole BBC to show an uplifting film about courage and comradeship, such as ‘Ice Cold in Alex’ , rather than 90+ minutes of stupifyin’ sectarian scufflin’ from Ibrox.
Come on the Linoleum!
Doc,
No idea, I just log in directly through link provided bt WC
It is now working, with advert gone
How’s the Mrs ?
Reckon we will get Dundee Utd in the draw then…bring them on.
The comfortable collective
The very same.
But, even allowing for an ‘honest mistake’ (ha ha), Rangers(1872-2012) fielded improperly registered players that season, so should have suffered a points deduction for so doing.
Which would have rendered ‘Black Sunday’ meaningless, as we’d already have had the title won.