The James Forrest Feedback Club were quiet last night. I’ve no idea if James will rediscover his form on a sustained basis, or if his limbs will allow him to attain his potential, but it was good to see him running at defenders with confidence again.
He got the measure of John Rankin early on. Thereafter the United marker could do little more than block James whenever they faced-off.
I’ve been impressed with Dundee United during this series of games. Fojut held things together remarkably well at Hampden, you can see why we signed him subject to a medical, while Ryan McGowan was clearly their best player at Celtic Park, notwithstanding his late lunge at Liam Henderson. Well done to McGowan for coming onto Twitter to share apologies and congratulations.
Nadir Ciftci’s swagger reminded me of Jackie Dziekanowski in his latter days as a Celtic player. He’s probably found his level at United, where he can turn it on at will, but the modern game is looking for something different.
Loved the moment when a fouled Nir Bitton ruffled the hair of his assailant, Aiden Connolly. Nir is growing by the week, I’m working hard to avoid comparisons. We’ve not seen much of an edge from him since that, mistimed, tackle against Ajax, but he could do with some of that in-your-face attitude others in the midfield have.
Not been online much since the game, what suspension have the SFA offered Paul Paton after his altercation with Anthony Stokes?
Keep your eyes peeled for a nomad. They can hide in bins and outhouses. Check your shed. Any will do.
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Minion….
T4
Not a fan of using evergreen herbs with white fish as a rule, accordingly, in my kitchen, there’s never a time and place for a plaice and thyme.
Lets not forget DUFC have lost every decent player they’ve ever had in the last couple of seasons; Russell, Gauld, Armstrong, GMS – quite a midfield and all gone. jackie must be feeling the financial realities of running a cornershop (copyright Jim McLean) against the supermarkets
rwe
Other 4
Henke / Lubo / Jinky / Bobby Murdoch.
A fishy tale from a CQN sage….!
T4
T4
Yer Arsene parsley
The Battered Bunnet
No need to carp on aboot it. Ye think yer Cod’s gift tae the blog wi yer recipes!
You should maybe mullet over wi a wee cup of char?
TBB – I’d never heard that phrase until I met her indoors….whats its origins?
T4
rwe ..
Licata isn’ t far .Lot of good beaches !
tonydonnelly67
15:37 on 19 March, 2015
Correct ……..!!!!
timbhoy2
14:26 on 19 March, 2015
Tony Donnelly every player who plays against Celtic are Thugs.example McGowan of Dundee Utd you brand him a thug.what a childest statement. This is a contact sport.not Peever.take your tinted green specks.off.
================================
McGown’s tackle on Henderson wa sa Sunday League classic – right through him, designed to smash him, finished off by sweeping the trailing leg through for a two-footer clatter.
It belongs in a Sunday League. It would have started a fight there, too; all it was ever designed to do was hurt. I know about therse things, I used to apply them; I had a knack of timing a hard tackle, was my forte from youth upwards, but mostly fair until Sunday League games got out of hand.
McGowan went into Henderson with no other intent than causing damage.
A thug is a pretty correct summation of his mindset and actions. If he can play on Saturday he might find himself on the receiving end; let’s see if he can take it as well as dish it out; all part of the game he plays.
Standard of whiting on here is brill.
When Forrest starts showing some form ..
It’s inevitable the treatment table awaits ..
No doubt .. Some clogger from the mighty Gibraltar will see to that!
Anyway ….
He hoped to win the treble talking with his Nordic
shrill
Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron
Getting even more optimistic now, he’ll deliver that vow
Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron
Lawwell, knew what he was doing when he caught his eye
Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron
He looked so reserved and quiet but my oh my-my
Da do ron-ron-ron, da do ron-ron
Jakit! :)
I couldnt care less if mcnamara is a good tim/bad tim…what he is , is a moaning faced bitch whos team , and yes they have lost a lot of good players in recent years, are on a really poor run and are losing the place, esp against us…i cant go him, .he is an explayer..played well for us, ..thanks for the service..see ya..
I hake fish puns….
Fish puns everyday……Barramundi.
justafan
13:23 on
19 March, 2015
ttt…
From earlier…
Maybe Wim didn’t fancy him but that boss was around only one season and Jackie was young.
MON didn’t seem to agree though!
HH
*******
The beauty of football, is it’s all about opinions.
I admit that I never fancied him as a player from day one.
I reckoned that he didn’t seem to care enough, although it could have just been his surly unemotional demeanour.
I have other doubts about him, which would be unfair to voice, as I have no proof.
I reckoned that he only gave us about two consistent seasons out of ten; and those coincided with contract renewal time.
I don’t recall him having any long term injuries, though I may be wrong.
If not, then 255 appearances in 10 years does not constitute great service for me.
I also found it strange that as club captain, aged 29, he was only offered a one year extension to his contract.
These are just my views and, perhaps, prejudices, which are no more valid or not than anyone else’s.
That’s fitba.
Although, I think his team’s demeanour of the last series of games reflects badly on him.
TBB
Jasmine?
Now its fish puns
Well pollocks to that!
There are certain realities for football clubs, bound up in what is essentially an economic food chain.
When a footballer gets to a certain level of performance, he’s signed by a club operating at that level.
For most SPL clubs, the relevant level is the Championship – as soon as a given player is performing at a level that justifies a Championship wage, he moves beyond the ability of his current club to keep him. Whether Dundee Utd or Hamilton, they simply cannot afford to match the wage offer for a player that a Championship club is prepared to pay.
Thus did Russell and Goodwillie leave for example.
Celtic could have signed either, but neither were playing at our level.
GMS and Armstrong on the other hand were, and we elected to sign both. United did well hanging onto GMS for quite so long, and equally, did well to get the best part of £2M for Armstrong. From a Scottish football perspective, it’s positive at both the football level – they continue to play in our top league – and the financial level – Celtic redistribute some cash to local teams.
Nevertheless, Dundee Utd know their level, and equally, are able to judge their moment. Gauld and Robertson were fleeting stars for Utd, and the frustration for their fans is in knowing what might have happened this season if their club had been able to keep all 4 of these players.
Of course, Celtic also operate within the same food chain, only we are at a higher level. We pay more than the Championship, but less than the EPL. As soon as one of our players performs at a level consistent with the EPL standard, our ability to wage him is lost, and the player is offski.
It’s part of our business model, and has been remarkably successful in terms of sustaining the club financially.
It’s less successful as a football model though, because it applies a glass ceiling to the development of a team. The impact of losing Wanyama and Hooper was severe on team performance and results the following season, as Bitton and assorted strikers failed to match the impact of those who had left.
Getting the succession plan right becomes the key to maintaining performance: witness Craig Gordon replacing Fraser Forster.
Similarly, our Champions League prospects this summer will be impacted negatively by the departure of any of our best players.
We might have got Denayer for a few grand a week when he was a Man City reserve, but in performing well in Europe he’s now moving into the EPL wage bracket and we’ll be lucky to hang onto him for a further loan spell.
Similarly van Dijk, who although still has much to learn, can now expect to be considerably better rewarded for his beauty in Burnley or Leicester than here in Glasgow.
Just as Dundee Utd were weakened by the departures of GMS and Armstrong this season, so will Celtic as Ronny Deila’s methods progressively bring out the footballer in the players we have.
So we backfill with whatever we’ve scouted, and the team’s performance drops until the new guys start to perform, and result once again start to improve, until…
Repeat.
Whether Queens Park, Falkirk, Dundee Utd or Celtic, we all have a glass ceiling, the only difference is the level it’s set at.
Unless and until there is a complete change in the economic reality of Scottish football, so it will remain.
“Lets not forget DUFC have lost every decent player they’ve ever had in the last couple of seasons”
Coolmore,
Some on here will tell you we have done likewise
HH
South Of Tunis
14:02 on 19 March, 2015
Opinions / Opinions .
Nir Biton is growing on me but I find the George Connelly comparisons to be way off the mark. As things stand he is nowhere near as good as George Connelly.. George Connelly is one of my five all time Celtic greats. I started that assessment in season 56/ 57
Not sure what you mean about the season quoted…56/57 ??
Anyway..I was lucky enough to play against George a couple of times.
He was a wonderful footballer in the true sense of the word…
Bitton has the same style as George…But hasn’t reached that level of class….yet.
Deary me.
Fish puns again now the chip shop ones are all wrapped up.
The Battered Bunnet,
For Cod and Ulster.
Árd Macha
T4 – it’s an age old Lanarkshire put down. Couldn’t tell you it’s origin, but it’s beautifully poetic.
BSR I only have fish with Jasmine when she’s made it herself.
Mon the Hoops – I think you win today’s prize :¬)
Cod almighty this baiting of one another is just off the scales this afternoon.
Salmon’s gonnae get badly hurt at this skate.
Coat, door, get tae…..I know.
HH jamesgang
I think that when people compare, eg, Bitton to Connelly, it is not necessarily skill levels they are equating.
I think it is styles that are being compared.If so, then I would compare both players similar in style.
If Bitton played centre half, I would compare his style to Beckenbaur, as George was when he played there.
A few weeks ago I stated that I thought that Nir was a Barca player in waiting.
He would be wasted in the EPL if he progresses at his present rate.
Name the only two Man City players picking up medals this year??
Denayer and Guidetti.
….and so it goes on.
Kerrydale Street retweeted
stephen.mcgowan @mcgowan_stephen 9m9 minutes ago
Ryan McGowan’s appeal against Celtic red card won’t be heard by the SFA before Saturday. He is free to play at Parkhead.
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malceye
13:29 on
19 March, 2015
Biton is Busquets !
I said the other day,if they took Busqets out of the Barca midfield,and replaced him with Biton,no one would notice.
Two great results last night. Runny now freewheeling towards the treble and Barcelona destruction of Man City denying the best League in the universe of any representation in the Champions League. Perhaps Arsenal Avenger should remember that he can play in the Champions League by even scraping a top four place in the EPL, absurd.
Well done, Celtic Foundation.
Walfrid would be so proud.
Anthony R. Hamilton @polishturnstile 57m57 minutes ago
Thanks very much for the feedback on this. We’ve tested the project and we hope it will add value to local people. http://www.celticfc.net/news/7881
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johann murdoch:
Some in this plaice just sit on their perch and flounder around by posting some drival…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Thomthetim,
That’s kinda what I skirted around earlier.
Weighorst… Connolly… Ki…all been mentioned.
It’s a position and style thing. There’s not one poster claiming he is as good as any, or better or worse but some seem to read it as that
HH
George Connelly held the world record for keepy uppy, and did it an exhibition round the ole red blaize running track at CP.
Apart from tb.
There’s nothing magical involved in the best players having the best notion of their surroundings.
Bitton looks around and Behind You! more than any Celtic player in years.
In that respect much like the genius called Xavi who I swear has wing mirrors.
Given the size of Nir’s lugs, mibbee he does too. Or Vulcan perception.
;-)
HH jamesgang
thomthethim,
I have just come in and haven’t read back. So, I don’t know what prompted your contribution @16.27. As someone who had the privilege of watching the great George Connelly, I agree with what you are saying. I haven’t seen anyone in a Celtic jersey play in a way that reminds me of George Connelly, apart from Nir Bitton. If he is half as good as George, we have a once in a generation player.