Neil Lennon had the chance to assess players on return to Lennoxtown from international duty this morning but there will be little chance of any meaningful training before Saturday’s game at Easter Road. Before the international break, the manager suggested Christopher Jullien could be back in contention for this game; it is an enticing prospect.
Christopher was key to much of the success we had last season; without his performances in the Europa League and, of course, that League Cup Final goal, the season would be remembered differently. Despite that, there is reason to be cautious about his return. His early season performances last year (Motherwell) and this (Kilmarnock) were well below the standard he reached when fully fit. Not every player is a natural athlete, some take an extra three weeks to get match sharp, I suspect Chris falls into this category.
Easter Road is a big pitch and Hibernian have not been as encumbered as Celtic by international absences, so they will be rested and ready for the visit of the champions. Chris has not played in seven weeks, the equivalent of preseason, I hope we see him on the bench.
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Happy Friday eve from a pleasantly mild Louisville. Phone says there is a “red flag” warning in effect. Had to Google it! Means scary winds and low humidity.
Oh well, 2 sleeps to Hibs.
HH!
Ajeti been picking up his fitness during international break,Eddy scored a couple and looked a yard sharper to me,LG getting closer too.
Things are indeed looking up for the weeks ahead !!BADA BING!!
CQN starting as slow as our midfield on a Sunday lunch time away game today. Maybe the lack of a wee Nicola narrative is what did it!
Cant see the logic in that Paul. Why would you bring a CH off the bench? Either injury or your defence in trouble.
A half fit Julian is still better than what we have. get him on from the start .For the first hour if need be.
If we can get Julian fit and Edouard firing in the next few games then I think we’ll start blowing teams away.
But Sunday’s game is huge and it might well be season defining. 3 points by hook or crook and then we can really push on.
Great to see big Chris returning to the team but of course his benchsitting leaves us with the risk of retaining in defence the hopelessly out of form and proverbial slow round peg in a footballing, passing from the back square hole signing of Mr Duffy.
In other news Callum McGregor continues to be flogged to death minutes-wise, yet ready to repeat the same mistake of being paired in a slow, cumbersome double act bereft of athleticism, speed, defence, shape and press.
Maybe we’ll be suprised but I ain’t hopeful.
And finally – Paul67 : “but there will be little chance of any meaningful training…” Oooh there’s a punchline waiting to be rolled out after that :)
HH
Laxalt;
Saturday my friend,but then again your second paragraph can refer to what Aberdeen can achieve.
We need to kick on now. Saturday will tell us a lot about whether this Celtic side will have a successful season.
Bhoy Joe… True enough.
Wonder why we’re not playing Sunday
Think Hibs have a game Tuesday.
Corkcelt
Just checked – they play St J – no reason that couldn’t have been Wednesday ,- but hay ho
Glad that Paul has ditched his Union PQN for today. Good to be talking about our favorite subject The leather Belts.
Ross county game next Sunday free to season ticket holders on premier sports
Hopefully Premier Sports media player performs a lot better for the League Cup game than it did for the Aberdeen Scottish Cup semi.
ERNIE LYNCH on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 9:35 AM
‘In the North things have changed enormously.’
###
And in Donegal work continues on Operation Bog Trotter, a prototype scheme to get rid of the border by moving the north into the south.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf6S9Uz2Zrw&feature=emb_logo
mild wee correction non geographical
in sense the land is shifting from the south (republic/donegal) into the 6 counties.
an example of man made enviromental disaster on 2 fronts
1 forestry planting atop bog were there is not enough gradient for water to drain resulting in water in the bog ‘laking'(forming of) which erodes and eats into land that is planted,in this case with trees.the result is what you see.
2.Amazon building massive windfarms, the video posted is made from one of the bases made by blocking natural water drains, resulting in what you see.disturbing to say least.
hh
Hot smoked – from previous thread.
Cheers.
The other Ryan got to put his feet up in Slovakia.
And he’s not long back from injury and needing games but hey ho.
Perhaps I’m being paranoid and a soon to be 29 year old journeyman with a history of knee trouble just isn’t very good.
But wait – the tabloids say he is classy.
Strange.
Maybe its just me, but, “Leather Belts” sucks as rhyming slang for Celts – surely we can do better than that! It reminds me of my childhood, but not in a good way!!!
Big Nir played with his pipe and slippers last night.Never broke sweat.Would have him in front of Big Shane any day.Thats if Jullien is on bench.Be interesting to see how Eddy performs.Looking for a vast improvement.Surely,Elhamed at RB.He is a much better defender,and very good on the offensive.Wee Jeremy has to plank his bahookey on the bench for a while,until he learns to defend,and how to put balls to Celtic players in the box.
Lennon’s refusal to date to play Bitton in the defensive mid role is very puzzling. Given Brown’s persistent poor form, Bitton looks the obvious candidate to fill his role.
McGregor should not be played as defensive mid either he has no tackling abilty at all, his strengths are passing the ball and having attempts at goal from near the opposition box, he is a ten in direct competition with Rogic.
Nir Bitton at central midfielder would cement our team as probably the slowest in the modern game.
We have accumulated lots of players in midfield, most offensively-minded options but at its heart have allowed the central fulcrum to get older, slower and less impactful as the years go by.
In the modern game, to either press as a team, play box-to-box or move the ball quickly through lines you need a much younger version than we have. Oh for a young Wanyama, a young Brown and a young Paul McStay…….
HH
!!BADA BING!! on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 11:01 AM
Big Jimmy- apologies, speed reading (past the political posts), HH
…………..
from last Thread.
NO apologises needed BADA.
I was just making the point that IF ANY Player played alongside Paul; MacStay….he would be in the company of a Fantastic Footballer who sometimes carried some poor Celtic sides on his back in many games…The Maestro indeed….Paul was a Joy to watch…it MUST have been something else to be a Team Mate of his.
My mates and I had WRONGLY assumed that Tommy Boyd would say ” Henrik” as the best Celtic player he had played with…ME and my mates that night were ALL wrong.
LOL
HH.
SLABHOY – ON THE ROAD TO 10 on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 2:05 PM
Maybe its just me, but, “Leather Belts” sucks as rhyming slang for Celts – surely we can do better than that! It reminds me of my childhood, but not in a good way!!
………………
Sorry fella, but many of us AULD Wrinklies have NO problem in describing Celtic FC as ” The Leather Belts”…or The Popes Eleven, or Kelly Heroes, or The Aild ‘TIC etc ec…
Maybe you were a Bad Bhoy at School…Me.?….I was a very well behaved Bhoy at School…I just got Bad as I grew older !
LOL.
Only Joking…I aint too bad.
HH
I was out Shopping today for new Bedding, Microwave and some trainers and T shirts etc……
there were PLENTY of Shoppers out and about and some wee Queues…not too bad.
any Sports gear I bought is NOT for doing any feckin sports…Im ” 652 next month…just for sitting about the hoose or going to the Pub…AAHH…The Pub…get the Pubs feckin OPEN !
I could have murdered 15 pints of Beer after all that shopping….I need to stop giving my Maid and my Butler the SAME Day AFF !
Who am I trying to kid….I could murder 15 Pints of Beer every day of the week ?
HH
So…..7 match bans for the hun19 duo.
While the first team regulars are all available
652 Years of Age…that cant be right ?…I will be ” 65″ next month…although during and after that feckin shopping today, I felt ” 652″ years auld.
I wonder were I can get a 652 year auld Burd…she would still need to have a Monday Book though !
Back in the Day..to find a Burd with a Monday Book was a Joy…and a Bonus.
LOL
HH
From this morning
BHOYJOEBELFAST on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 8:39 AM
In the North things have changed enormously.Gone is the unionist majority and glad to report ain’t coming back.We still have the sectarian marches and trappings from a bygone age I.e. uvf wreaths laid at Belfast City Hall on remembrance sunday.Employment is scrutinised, the manner in which the unionist/ loyalist/ protestant used to hold sway is almost erased,they don’t like change,too bad its happened. There is more I could report but,would take a long time.
…..
A while back i listened to some radio documentaries that were done on the 18th and 21st anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. They were interviewing youngsters who were born the same year as the agreement. What I found interesting was the kids from unionist areas talking about feeling British and Irish. They were into Irish history and music and were embarrassed by their fleg waving relatives. They didn’t seem to think it was an issue to have friends from the “other side”.
BIG JIMMY on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 3:28 PM
I was out Shopping today for new Bedding, Microwave and some trainers and T shirts etc……
——————————-
Did you go shopping on the old set of The Generation Game?😎
CONEYBHOY on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 4:00 PM
…………….
Aye…I was hoping to buy a ” 652″ year auld Burd.
An Auld Burd is better than NO Burd ?
I enjoy having NO FULL time Burd around…I can do ma own thing…without the ” Whit time dae Ye call this” and/or…” Yer NO going oot tae that Pub AGAIN…Are You” ? ……Crap !
Thank feck ma last wife went walkabout.. it was the best thing that ever happened to me LOL.
Nae Nagging in Ma Hoose…Ever…except by me when the Pubs are feckin SHUT !
LOL
HH.
HH.
If it was Moreloss and Tavernier, it would have been a 2 game suspended sentence,…..or joint SPFL Player of the Month….
DESSYBHOY on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 3:30 PM
While the first team regulars are all available
Even the ones who were also at Arfields party .
No evidence , just an inspired guess.
GDT
i wouldnt be surprised in the least.
I Binned my 1st wife as she was Feckin hopeless at Ironing my Shoe Laces………..
My 2nd wife Binned ME..although she was very good at ironing my Shoe Laces….
I still cant Fathom out why She Binned me ?
Being Single…Happy and Free…its the only way to be !
LOL
hh
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 4:33 PM
DESSYBHOY on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 3:30 PM
While the first team regulars are all available
Even the ones who were also at Arfields party .
No evidence , just an inspired guess.
…………….
Dont forget the Hun Chump that brought the Kerry Oot !
HH.
NAPPER TANDY on 19TH NOVEMBER 2020 8:39 AM
It would be a welcome gesture imho, if the club banned all SMSM engagement, only barely fulfilling contractual obligation’s.
But, the entire structure, and mindset of the, director’s, management, player’s, and especially the supporter’s, are all needing new mirror’s to look into.
Director’s put Old Firm before anything else.
Management, or at least the manager, was called out by a section of the SMSM a couple of week’s ago, where it was inferred that, “he only has that job because he sucks up to Lawwell.”
As of now, our manager has yet to refute that charge, which probably answer’s that charge.
Not a word from supporter’s about the non response from the manager. Of course if they had responded, it would’ve been to ridicule the assertion that, our manager only has the job, “because he sucks up to Lawwell.”
The supporter’s are incapable of introspection, because if they were capable, then Lawwell and the rest of the faceless wonder’s who occupy the Celtic executive level, to ‘spin, without saying’ the Old Firm banking structure’s that they hold so dear, wouldn’t be in office.
Seated Celtic supporter’s, couldn’t lace the boot’s of the long gone, “Best Fan’s In The World” who roared on the “real” Celtic, not the Celtic of the offshore, landed gentry. The trophy haul suggests differently, but how many “one horse league” bauble’s is worth losing you’re soul for?
Covid should lead to the removal of all seated stadium’s, Thatcher’s deceitful reaction to the Hillsborough tragedy, were 96 soul’s were lost, not because of football terrace’s, but by disgraceful policing on the day, ask anyone on Merseyside, and they’ll echo these sentiment’s, indeed some of the Liverpool supporter’s group who came to Celtic Park to study our rail seating, also echoed these sentiment’s.
With terraces, social cohesion amongst supporter’s would return, along with the rebellious spirit that toppled the Kelly, and White dynasties, in 1994, only for the rebel consortium to be stabbed in the back, by Fergus, who’s fragile ego led to him executing his “it’s my bat, and my ball” philosophy.
McCann chose to keep a dressing room of loser’s, and sack uppity manager, Lou Macari, who wanted to get rid of the dressing room loser’s, Bonner, Boyd, Grant, McStay, and Nicholas, who hadn’t been champion’s for 5 year’s, and who’d collectively put the tools away under Macari, in the hope that the new owner’s of Celtic, would sack Macari, and bring in one of the loser’s former team mate’s as manager. Sadly that’s what happened, and the loser’s in the dressing room went on and got Macari’s replacement the sack as well.
The sacking of Macari only came about, after the ‘split’ between, the rebel consortium, and McCann, on their hearing of McCann’s plan to take the side of the loser’s in Celtic’s dressing room. McCann’s Celtic ran out of money in October of 1994, when Tommy Burns informed Scotsport, all because McCann lost the support of his fellow rebel backer’s, forcing McCann into trying to sell Celtic’s ‘only’ saleable asset, John Collins, to Derby, or Middlesbrough! Thank God that John Collins stood his ground, and refused to be sold, after all, it wasn’t Collins who betrayed the rebel consortium, investors, forcing them to leave, taking their investment’s with them.
Fergus, in recent time’s also declared that, “It was the WORST decision in the history of Scottish football, to remove RFC from the same league as, CFC” and this was not long after the public revelations of, the extent of RFC’s EBT cheating scandal.
Fergus was never a rebel, imho. He took down Farry, then jumped on the plane to Canada, leaving all of Farry’s henchmen in office.
Get rid of seat’s. Get you’re soul back. Get rebellious again. Get regime change brought into the club by using you’re season ticket power to good effect. Get rid of the rich, fat, tanned, frauds from the PLC, and make Celtic a football club, not a tool that’s used to sustain an, oppressive rival, saving it from any measure of justice, or adherence to rule’s that are for other’s.
I posted once before, and the EL game had just started, bad timing on my part. I’m not a hun, before the witch hunter’s sharpen their hooves. :)
Paul 67 is bang on about the SNP, and wildly woeful about Lawwell.
God bless all Tim’s. Laters. 💚 🍀
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Excellent post, not sure about the politics of it but during this bleak club football less period, most interesting: