I know we are all concerned about the injury crisis affecting central defence, but it is difficult to move the dial here in the short term. Central defence is overwhelmingly about partnerships. You can try to helicopter someone into the team (think Carl Starfelt two years ago) but it seldom provides an immediate return.
If we only have two fit central defenders, Brendan will use the time he has to school them for the immediate challenges. Liam Scales and Gustaf Lagerbielke will be spending a lot of time together this week.
You and I have discussed the need for significantly more wingers than we would have in the squad in earlier times, due to the five substitutes rule. Most managers are reluctant to change defensive or central midfield players, meaning forwards are more commonly swapped out during games.
No surprise then that we are linked with another winger, this time 23-year-old Honduran, Luis Palma, who joined Aris Thessalonica in January 2022. He would be our third new winger this window, with four others still in the first team squad (and that’s not counting Rocco Vata). Surely at least one will move on?
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Muggy Thursday …
Am I first?
Naw
A very good second though…
Celtic set to weigh in with Scales
Helicopter Thursday
coybig
If guys we have deals in place for,are still involved in European Qualification, I can understand it,if not,why the delay in getting another 3 or 4 in?
So we’ve gone from being fortunate that the window is still open in dealing with this defensive crisis to saying there’s little point signing someone as cover for CB in matter of days.
It’s clear we’ve written off Ibrox. Otherwise Scales, Liam Scales, wouldn’t be discussed in a serious conversation about CBs.
VINNIETHEDOG @ 10:52 AM,
Coneybhoy McGinns legs look twice the size than they did up here …we just play at the physicality side of the game up here ….Greg Taylor after 3 years at celtic should have been built into powerhouse by now …there lies the difference ..
Last week there was a photo we were all looking forward to seeing – AJ in training with the first team at Lennoxtown.
If you look at AJ’s muscularity and definition in that photo, he looks like a lean, mean, powerful athlete – very different from the long term Celtic players.
Hail Hail
“We’ve got a million wingers” said the old Brendan.
“We need more wingers”, said the new Brendan.
If last week is to be judged, when chasing the game, we used only 3 subs, leaving James Forrest sitting on his large arse instead.
We bought wingers for Angeball that are not a great fit for Brendan, and lost a winger already who would have been a great fit.
Like the look of Palma. More Alan Thompson than Jota, and can play along the line. I think Abada and Maeda are potentially great outlets for European breakaways but not the local low block + Brendan system.
All about getting points on the board & Euro ‘ready’ whilst the transition takes place. Time for Rodgers to earn his big bucks.
HH
Chairbhoy @ early doors
One of the two of us is a morning person and it’s definitely not me. I don’t know what’s in the Chiltern’s air, but we could be doing with it, in Parkhead.
We’re too late for sure to get out of our final CL Pot 4 before it all changes, there was no euro plan and IMO AP’s intentional style of football backed that up. “ can you try and do better in Europe – Brendan? “ is the mantra since Gordon Strachan’s ( pragmatic style ) kicked on after we lost 4-0 to Artemedia ( mind them? ) We should have done better with Liam Brady against Neuchatel ( mind them ?) or since we sat in Parkhead and lost out to Sachenring Zwickau ( definitely don’t mind them? ) We should not have left the San Siro in 1970 and had to wait to gather in Seville over fifty, yes over half a century later, but we did.
There is still, and always appears to be a lack of European elan or even a plan in the board room, to match ours, nostalgia hasn’t and won’t do it all in a sixteen team league. I doubt the major shareholder went into the financial details with Brendan Rodgers, other than his salary. Europe must have been discussed and football has changed and changes hugely next season as you illustrate, it remains to be seen how Celtic will develop.
Selling the Jota’s, doesn’t just alert the stock exchange it makes Celtic supporters into wee bhoys with too much pocket money running about the shop just when the shop is shutting. Let’s all hope for some supporters in the boardroom.
Hail Hail
!!BADA BING!! on 24TH AUGUST 2023 12:11 PM
If guys we have deals in place for,are still involved in European Qualification, I can understand it,if not,why the delay in getting another 3 or 4 in?
—
I wonder if we are just working our way down the list now. Palma is not a profile that needed us to wait until last knockings. Maybe Podence just didn’t work for us.
HH
The lad Luis Palma looks like he can take corners and free kicks (not throw-ins unfortunately) get him signed Celtic !
Remember, players won’t come to Celtic until they know if we will be in the Champions League……..
I would sell Haksa if we can find a buyer.
Scales is a decent player. Was excellent against Bilbao. What are the chances someone comes in cold capable of doing a better job? We just need to accept our bad luck and go with who we ‘ve got.
Looks like the European sofa I hide behind will be getting an airing for Ibrox. It’s been a long while.
From skelpings & Broomloan stand parties to getting trolled by tiktok Todd….
We’re not even bothering rolling out project Kobyashi for a repeat.
Big 9 days. Come on ffs Celtic. Show some ambition.
HH
Scales is a massive downgrade and would be sitting alongside Barry Robson now if it wasn’t for the luck of the devil and/or the ole Rodgers failing of playing people through injuries.
HH
The steaks are too high for Scales
Good analysis by Celtic by Numbers over the failures of “too many wingers” (and no. 10’s) in the Killie game
https://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/finding-forward-solutions/
All we are saying is give Scales a chance !!
Why don’t we go to Hunbrox and sit in and play not to lose?
Wily world class manager retains key players
Very disappointing reading Stephen McGowan quoting what the 4 positions that Rodgers is looking to sign players for.
What is glaring is no quality midfielder that could add so much to our chances.
Not having this just stands out so much.
Bringing in a Korean B league player to play the holding role in midfield is a joke.
Great stuff by Alan as always. A problem that needs solved in the transition by Brendan. Hopefully it gets a better reception than my amateurish version last night.
Definitely not taking a pop at players csc
https://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/finding-forward-solutions/
HH
Hearing CCV out for 4 months.
I hope I am wrong.
D :)
Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney has been told by Mikel Arteta he WON’T be including him in first team training.
Tierney trained away from the first team today & will look to move before the window shuts.
Mikel Arteta, EBT value: £674,603,
Hope the VAR official for last night’s Braga v Panathinaikos qualifier is in place for Sevco’s 2nd leg tie. Attacker stands on defender’s foot and goes down as if fouled, (a favourite Sevco ploy), ref awards penalty, VAR says look again, correctly overturned.
Thought the Panathinaikos left back Juankar would be a good fit for Sevco.
Head scratcher to me that so many instantly diss Scales yet rejoice that Welsh got retained on a longer deal.
They’re the same level shirley.
I’m ok with Liam getting to bond with Gus and be ready for thems.
Liam knows a bit of roughhouse. Gus too.
He and Gus will be just fine for the huns.
HAILMARYFULLOFGRACE CSC
It’s strange how we seem to get injuries in clusters. Not ideal given the key games coming up but not unprecedented. A game at Ibrox and first champions league game against the top seeds (if the match calendar is the same) aren’t ideal for a new third and fifth choice partnership but they won’t be season defining games. I’d be far more concerned if we’re looking at the double header against the third seeds and a home derby
We don’t seem to have much luck – last season we didn’t play a single cl game with CCV and Carl in the team. Third and fourth choice for one game, Jenz played in every game.
Now AJ is back training I’d hope to see him, if not fully match fit, at least starting. Maik and CCV can’t be far off – I have never heard of a four month Kay off from a hamstring injury, especially one when the player walked off the pitch as a precaution
Scales will need to start on Saturday, if he’s in contention for Poundland
QUADROPHENIAN on 24TH AUGUST 2023 1:28 PM
Think they are fourth (Welsh) and fifth (Scales) in line for a CH shirt. Both a massive drop in quality from the CCV standard and, whilst too early to tell, I hope Nawrocki or Lagerbeilke are a level up from Starfelt’s overall contribution. Seemed fixed for 10 minutes until the injuries kicked in.
HH
Don’t routinely open supplementary CQN articles (which do not have discussion threads)
But I did read the one about the Brondby striker.
This paragraph caught my eye.
“The 21-year-old Brondby hitman has seen his value leap almost 300 percent in eight months after signing a four-year contract extension in June which more than doubled his wages”
Let’s give the article author the benefit of the doubt and assume the reported facts are accurate.
If so, this is a PERFECT example of the challenge we face when trying to sign new talent.
Two months = £4m
,🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
BIGWAVY
Clearly there’s not much between Liam and Stephen – neither being able to dislodge Cam or Carl or Moritz nor getting a sustained run under the new boss.
From what I’ve seen, I thought Scales was more aggressive than Welshy yet he’s not as well-regarded by fans. Yet he’s had very few opps to stake his claim – mibby he will rise to the opporchancity.
Let’s hope Maik’s injury is lighter than feared. We must be up for the inevitable physicality of Beales bullies. HH
BOURNESOUPRECIPE @ 12:16 PM,
They don’t have long lies in the Chilterns – lie-ins never really appealed.
So yes, getting up at stupid o’clock is a thing, bit of mindfulness, exercise, then seize the day, or coffee, then pat it gently as I do now…
Yes, we need a Board that think like Celtic supporters rather than businessmen.
Contrary to popular belief there is many ways to make cash out of a Football team with 60k mad mentals willing to turn up and 250k willing to assist with the merchandising arm and 5,000k willing to be glued to a screen for an “old firm” encounter.
Yes Artemedia I do remember, had recently visited Bratislava on a quiet little stag do… hic!!
On the plus side GS was a lessons learned type ghuy.
I’ve got no idea what we are doing this window!?
And if we are looking at the Conference/Europa League level then maybe getting into those competitions is no bad thing.
We just have to suck up being runners up to the The Rangers, easier for some than others I’d imagine.
We can always get our revenge on the Swiss, Luzern look there for the taking.
MoneyForNothingAndYourChitsForFreeCSC
Hail Hail
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL @ 1:38,
Let’s give the article author the benefit of the doubt and assume the reported facts are accurate.
Obviously you don’t routinely open supplementary CQN articles, do you!?
Hail Hail
CCV and MN both out for circa 2 months?
Not great.
The rebuild wasn’t really out of 2nd gear as it was