James Forrest’s injury in September happened three days before Jeremie Frimpong’s best performance of the season, in the home win against Hibs. I remember using the MVP acronym for Jeremie at the time. Team form until that point was patchy: wins with alarming defensive performances and an unmitigated disaster against Ferencvaros. The team shape was clearly wrong and pushing Jeremie forward in James absence seemed logical.
It was the first of many changes I wanted to see, each followed by a realisation that we were groping around in the darkness, until Ismaila Soro and David Turnbull became the central points of a midfield diamond. Having (hopefully) fixed the fundamental tactical problem, James return to full training offers Neil Lennon the flexibility he is denied on the right and enhances his option in the middle.
Ryan Christie is well short of his best form in a Celtic shirt but all of those best performances came when he played through the middle. He can cover for James and offer options on the right while giving the manager a different option when he wants to swap out David Turnbull in the 10 position.
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Nicola Sturgeon only has the power to suspend football for a period.
She does not have the power to “call” the league either as Null & Void or “As it stands”.
Only the SPFL, through its members votes, are allowed to call the league. After we got the league last season on a Ponts per game basis, it would be a brave decision of the member clubs, if they were NOT to award this season’s league to Sevco (even with fewer completed games than we had), if this suspension was to be for any length of time.
The clubs were invited earlier this year to decide the parameters of how the league should be called. e.g. It is Null & Void unless at least half the games have been completed. The clubs declined to set any parameters at all. As it stands, Sevco have completed 22 games, they have just about played every team home and away but we have only completed 19. Last season we had played 30 and Sevco 29 when the league was suspended on the 13th March.
The decision of the Scottish Government to suspend football, if it is taken, will not be advantageous to us. It is unlikely to result in a Null & Void decision, so you can put away your jibes about “wee proddy SNP” beliefs. The prevailing sentiment in Scotland is and will be that we got awarded the title last year because we were in a reliably superior position and highly unlikely to lose the league. The sentiment this year will be “what was right then is right now- so Sevco should get the title”.
Let me be clear. The Scottish government is not being vindictive to us if it suspends football but, regardless, of its motivation and intent, this decision, if taken will harm us and I will bet good money, that, if football cannot be restarted before , say late April, then the league will be awarded to Sevco.
Null & Void will NOT happen.
FAIRHILL BHOY
Did ye fail yer typin’ as well, like most of us?!
:-(
Sftb
If that is the case I would hope the players know this. For me it brings the season back to life. Win the next 5 games and hope Sevco drop points. Our average goes up, theirs go down. By some point we could win the league with LESS points accumulated than them. Yes?
Both Ntcham and ELyounoussi have the skill set to achieve in a more demanding league than the SPFL. They would thrive in leagues that do not indulge the bllod and snotter tackling that we allow. I thought Shane Duffy would be a good battler to have but he has been, unfortunately, woeful. Not sure that nice boy Filip benkovic will be any better, mind.
I am not advocating keeping Oli & Mo when I praise their abilities, just recognising that it takes a certian sort of toughness to thrive here. Like Jiri Jarosik before them, we will miss them as Euro contributors but we will not miss them in the SPFHell
PHILBHOY-typin is one of my strengths 😉😂
Stop this Liverpool game now
Dry January lookin’ like a very bad idea already……..
31003
I cannot see us catching up on games completed, far less improving our points per game basis. We really needed to damage them at Ibrox but Nir’s brain-fart put an end to that hope.
If they lose at Pittodrie, it might raise my hopes again BUT, be assured it is a long shot recovery ahead of us. I have always been confident, and I remain so, that they will drop points. I have never been confident, and I remain negative, about the prospects of us going on a significant winning streak.
Sftb
The points average system surely means that if we both play a further, let’s say six games, and we won all of ours and they lost five of theirs, although they’d have more points on the board, our average would be better, so, we’d be declared Champions. Not likely to happen over six games, but using that system over say 12 games it could happen. Now that would be a FANTASTIC way to win the league
SFTB 9.06 and 9.12
Two sound arguments.
Agree entirely.
Especially the idea that the wider community will accept that what was good for the Timmy goose last year is no less valid this year for the Hun gander.
And that it won’t be the fault of politicians.
The ten is gone.
Prepare for next season now…………………if there is a next season.
31003
Luv ye mate!
BANKIEBHOY1 on 8TH JANUARY 2021 9:16 PM
That ship has long since sailed ….
At least Robert Snodgrass won’t be mentioned this month again
He’s away to West Brom
Fairhill Bhoy
Spent too much time in Cocozza”s Café 😉😊
BT
Phew!
BT
That’s one hoary chestnut bombed out the park thank God
Philbhoy
Thanks. But not for me.
Opinions eh ?
HH
Heard Duff has left Ireland Job
Just scored big Forsters name off next year’s Christmas card list. Big tosser
I USED to be a huge fan of Olivier Ntcham
Last 2 seasons, I’ve seen a player who has given up
And I mean given up on any sign of fighting for Celtic
How many games have we seen that hugely gifted Technical Ntcham dominate a Game in Scotland ????
Time for him to get his wish and move on
NorrieM
If you can bear it
Have a look at the second goal the G51 Mark II side scored at CP in first Glasgow Derby of this season.
Look at contribution of Monsieur Encham. Watching people ping passes around and behind him wi that ‘Wit Ma Like’ expression on his face.
He would’ve been told that night to get his agent on the phone getting him a club in January.
NORRIEM
Agree!
But who will buy him and …………for how much?
‘kin login — aaarrrggghhhh
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 8TH JANUARY 2021 8:26 PM
BGFC @3.28
Good luck explaining that to wee BGFC.:)
—-
Ahh – we’re in.
Was just going to say two things:
1. GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING – I’m trying – the wee man gets it :-)))
2. Plains-Toi
HH
BGFC
Is the team home from Dubai?
Yes – came back today
NORRIEM
Thanks!
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 8TH JANUARY 2021 9:06 PM
After last year’s controversy, I think it’s amazing that there wasn’t something written into the rules to cover these eventualities.
I think anything over 75% should be called “as is” but I agree – the way we won it last season and with the lead Sevco have, any end to the season would surely see them awarded the title.
31003 on 8th January 2021 9:50 pm
Just scored big Forsters name off next year’s Christmas card list. Big tosser
..Could you explain further please ?
GEEBEE1978
If the season was called now yes.
But if we can win our games in hand, and they drop a few, in 10 games time who knows where the points average will stand. An “early” close to the season, providing its not too early might help rather than hinder us. They’ve also still to hit their “wobble” as most teams do through a season. As far as I’m concerned it’s “game on”
RPMCELTICFAN
He’s quoted in the rags saying it was ALWAYS his intention to return to Southampton last summer to fight for his place. He obviously never told Lenny that going by quotes before he left. Two faced bassa by the look of it
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX
Appreciate the detail and “hope ” here but were are we going with this ?
Is this were we have arrived at , hoping the leagues is abandoned? or Not ?
Lets just take the loss …. … or win:) like men . It is what its is .
We all know the reasons for the position we find ourselves in , namely Very Poor coaching , management, player development and scouting /recruitment. (not necessarily in that order) ….. sorry lack of vision
These are strange times that sometimes , shit happens that we cant legislate for .
As a side note I very much hope we cash in on edouard pronto , his demeanour or hunger will not improve before his contract runs down ,aligned with our position , take the cash now .
Buy some a CF who can actually take the ball in , a proven target man(hate those words), but its what wen need . Then and only then we can evaluate the suitability off Padi and Adjeti ,in other words drag a fxxking game out off them . It is time for some tough love , how long does it take to get a man fit ? what have we been hoodwinked into buying here .
Padi I do believe defo has something that we can work with Adjeti ….words fail me :(
Reading back…
SID on 8TH JANUARY 2021 3:33 PM – good post ta.
Our problems are not about player quality but about club, game and squad management (ie discover our Soro/Turnbull gems only as a last resort!)
CalMac is a nice, skilful player way below his Brendan-mentored best and running on overplay fumes.
Re Benkovic; I smell a bit of moneyball opportunism in our moves. Nice big player needing a mongrel implant.
Are we in re-storm the summit mode, or humbled rebuild atm?
C’mon guys
I’d rather any team in the country won the league rather than thems.
And if any other tam in the country can’t win it I’ll take it by default every day of the week.
It’s not over til it’s over
31003 . Thanks , I don’t trust anything papers say though , anyway it doesn’t detract from what he gave us when he was here :) PS I enjoy your input by the way :)
Hello again all you young rebels.
Just watching CNN news this morning, and Nancy Palosi has
been assured by the top army guy that Trumpet can’t just fire
a nuke as safeguards are in place.
Thank feck for that….phew.
Here’s me worried about wir centre hauf.
H.H. Mick
RPMCELTICFAN
He’s quoted. He said it.
He had no intention of coming back to us. Lenny gave us the impression it was a done deal he’d be coming back. That being the case Forster must have been speaking to Lenny with fork tongue