Huge game amid many distractions

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Brendan Rodgers’ comments about Moussa Dembele, “It’s something you have to deal with”, suggests it is likely we will be without him tonight, meaning we go into one of the biggest games of the season without (currently) our best striker.

As it stands right now, it is likely, but not certain, that Moussa will leave this week.  For a start, those delicate muscles would need to pass a fitness test.  One week ago, Celtic expected the player to remain at the club until January, when they believed his value would be no less than it was then.  That possibility remains, and it should be noted, Moussa has behaved professionally.

The situation is far from ideal.  Only yesterday, I wrote about the need to concentrate on the important job to be done tonight.  Under any reasonable circumstances, we should see Suduva out of the competition comfortably, but this is football and we both know anything can happen if one team is even 10% off peak form.

The Europa League is a poor relation to the Champions League but it remains hugely important, not least of all in attracting one or two players, who will want European as well as domestic exposure. I don’t know how motivated the squad are, but they should be at peak preparedness; tonight is significantly the most important game of the week.

One positive is that Leigh Griffiths was made for days like these.  He has the experience and aptitude to lead the line.

Let’s get this job done.

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328 Comments

  1. People have to remember it’s not the squad you have but how the coach uses his assets to make them a team.

     

    Finding a system that suits and maximizes ability is key.

     

    The club with the best players often does not triumph.

     

    Can anyone realistically say Mourinho has a poor squad?

     

    Look at his attacking options yet they struggle to score.

     

    For some reason he has failed to maximize the talent at his disposal and they are a poor team.

     

    Was Raanieri’s Leicester the most talented squad when they won the EPL?

     

    Ferguson won the EPL title a few times with a limited squad.

  2. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Looks like Moussa will get another chance to shine against Man City. They’ve just been drawn against Lyon in some tournament or other.

  3. THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 30TH AUGUST 2018 5:52 PM

     

    CELTIC40ME on 30TH AUGUST 2018 5:35 PM

     

     

    Is that wrong?

     

     

    Yes. It hasn’t paid anything like massive dividends yet.

  4. UCL Group E – Bayern Munich, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens

     

     

    A few months ago we would have fancied our chances of getting out of that group…

  5. Silver City 1888 on

    Two reds? Probably how they’d finish every game in an honest league. As for speculating to accumulate, if that worked, they wouldn’t have died.

  6. If you want to be factually accurate, Molumbo is not a Killie reject.

     

     

    Killie were desperate to keep him. He chose to leave.

     

     

    Fact.

     

     

    Why anyone would refer to him in that way is anyone’s guess.

  7. ABZMIKE on 30TH AUGUST 2018 6:13 PM

     

    UCL Group E – Bayern Munich, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A few months ago we would have fancied our chances of getting out of that group…

     

     

    Another 30 mil we wouldn’t have spent…

  8. For all the moaners and naysayers enjoy your evening.

     

     

    Me – I’m getting ready to stroll along to Celtic Park to watch my team demolish the Lithuanians as a warm up for smashing the huns on Sunday.

     

     

     

    KTF

  9. Celtic Champs Elect on

    Great signing in Youseff perhaps a much better technical player the young John McGinn so great job by PL in getting this one over the line as he was wanted by a few teams who could pay more wages than we can especially Swansea.

     

     

    Now we have another 3 coming in so for me that’s a great window by Peter and the board

     

     

    To all the negs what have you to say to that then.

     

     

    After your push about we won’t be signing anybody

     

     

    Fkn clowns the lotta you

  10. Hearing if you win tonights Paradise Windfall then youre straight into the squad for Sunday

  11. On the rattler from the coast to Paradise.

     

    Logged in , and the “hands” @ 5.30pm says we’ve blown the ten .

     

    I don’t know the thought process for that statement, and I don’t want to.

     

    ToysootthepramCSC

  12. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    If Mulumbu signs he’ll do OK.

     

     

    Not ancient and has a track record in Scotland and England.

     

     

    Would be concerned though if we do any more of this kind of business.

     

     

    The danger, IMHO, is you gradually default to doing easy deals because the difficult deals are, well, difficult.

     

     

    Ligue 1 window closes at 23:59 tomorrow.

     

     

    Scotland, the next day.

     

     

    Some people at CP might be working a long day Saturday.

     

     

    Hail hail

  13. The Honest Assessment on

    CELTIC CHAMPS ELECT on 30TH AUGUST 2018 6:29 PM

     

    I may be many thinks but a fkn clown is not one of them, I would be taking the calm doon pills if I were U.

  14. OUr recruitmen t issues not withstanding, anyone who thinks the new back four at Sevco are a solid unit has been watching their games with the associated hun commentary on telling you how good they are. .it is instructive to watch football Without the commentary.

     

     

    Try it. Then you’ll know what you think of various teams, players, tactics, defences etc

     

     

    Sadly it hasn’t made us any better but it’s opened my eyes to the Sevco illusion

  15. I just can’t understand why folk blame, Lawwell and DD ?

     

    Surely it can’t be they’re fault that, 53,000 folk queue up to hand them £££££millions, year in, year out ?

     

    Oh well.

     

     

     

     

    Zzzzzzzzzzzz

  16. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    Now we have another 3 coming in so for me that’s a great window by Peter and the board

     

     

    and you know that how??????????????these players should have been here months ago.

     

     

    do you get an invite to sit beside or on the knee of any of these brilliant board members by any chance.

     

     

    jist askin furra pal.

  17. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    KEV on 30TH AUGUST 2018 6:43 PM

     

    I just can’t understand why folk blame, Lawwell and DD ?

     

     

     

     

    Surely it can’t be they’re fault that, 53,000 folk queue up to hand them £££££millions, year in, year out ?

     

     

     

     

    Oh well.

     

     

     

    keep telling it like it is KEV.

  18. Robert Tressel

     

     

    Spot on. The Russians carved open their sieve at will earlier and with a better end product would have been out of sight. We know their captain can’t defend and Flanagan is slow. Katic and Goldson look good unless you’re running at them, which we will.

     

     

    Can’t believe some of our own swallow the hype…

  19. Big Mulumbu a perfect fit.

     

     

    Huns pish, despite the panty-wetters on here taking Blackadder witch trial-esque fits.

     

     

    Try actually watching them. Better than last season by a baw-hair, more competitive but milking out the dead-cat bounce Slippy G has given them.

     

     

    Only one set of players can contrive to beat Cetic on Sunday and it won’t be them.

     

     

    Tempo, tempo, tempo – tonight and Sunday; sharpen it up, Droogies, and we’ll mercilessly destroy both .

  20. CELTIC CHAMPS ELECT

     

     

    Swansea will not be paying wages higher than us. Their wage bill may be at the moment but Championship clubs do not spend the type of money we do on wages.

  21. How long is Jack Hendry expected to be out injured for? Can we assume Boyata is playing tonight?

  22. Scaniel, Gary 67

     

    Thanks for the info re Villamoura. Passed it onto my Bhoy who is the one travelling there. I’ll be watching in the Dubliner in Dubai! Look forward to meeting Dubai Bhoy if you are in. HH

  23. The hands cant hit what the eyes cant see on

    @ BIG WAVY on 30TH AUGUST 2018 5:57 PM

     

     

    Can’t say I’ve seen much of Goldson, but he was a defender playing for a PL team. Jack Hendry signed from Dundee and was at Wigan 6 months before that. The two Croats have caps for their country. That’s not bad.

     

     

    I hate Sevco, but at least I can be objective about things.

  24. Dexter P. Bampot on

    Good source tells me that we are close to getting another over the line.

     

     

    Only stumbling block may be Willo’s wages.

  25. CELTIC (4-1-2-3) Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Ajer, Tierney; Brown; Ntcham, McGregor; Johnston, Griffiths, Sinclair.

     

    Subs: Bain, Izaguirre, Gamboa, Hayes, Christie, Rogic, Forrest