Illusive focus should return to Celtic

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Highlights from Easter Road on Saturday suggest Hibs are very much in the hunt for second place.  Aberdeen have the experience to finish Best of the Rest, but it is disappointing performances like that against Hibs which have given Celtic carte blanche to experiment with the squad so regularly in the league this season.

While Brendan Rodgers will only have thoughts for Zenit right now, Derek McInnes will be planning how to deploy against Celtic on Sunday.  The Aberdeen manager has tried and failed many times to get the better of Celtic in recent seasons, which is not the inhibitor it might seem to be.  He knows what does not work and what not to try.  This week’s discussion matter at Pittodrie will be whether Aberdeen can do what half the teams in the league have already done and take points from Celtic.

As far as the Champions are concerned, stacking big games back-to-back will bring out the best in them.  An away game at St Petersburg before heading marginally south to Aberdeen will bring a focus to the club which has been elusive recently.

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287 Comments

  1. mike in toronto on

    King Lubo

     

     

    But to address your comparison to Swalex .. not sure the comparison can be made … TBH, I always thought Swalex was a bit over-rated, and a bit lucky … a good manager, but as much a lucky one as a great one ..

     

     

    he was not a bad manager, by any stretch … but he was one game away from being fired, and then things just sort of fell into place for him..

     

     

    a series of exceptionally good people working for him . who brought through a greqat crop of kids .. Kidd, McLaren …

     

     

    added to that a once in al ife-time crop of youngsters …. beckham, scholes, the neviilles, giggs, …

     

     

    a few great buys … Keane and Schmeicel

     

     

    a bit of luck in the transfer market …. Leeds call him up about Dennis Irwin, and he just happens to do a deal for Cantona!

     

     

    it all comes together just at the time that TV money is exploding, and he parlays the first win, into a roll … there was such a financial chasm,, ook the other teams years (and ROman Abramovich) yhears to catch up.

     

     

    But, they money is what kept him there, and allowed him to build the teams he wanted … and test himself at the hightest level … but, had one of these things not happened, Swalex could be coaching Northampton now!

     

     

    I think BR will want to test himself with and against the best at some point …..

     

     

    but who knows? Time will tell.

  2. VFR800 is now a Monster 821 on

    MIKE IN TORONTO on 21ST FEBRUARY 2018 3:05 PM

     

     

    Without Google, do you know what inspired Ghost Town?

     

     

     

    KTF

  3. The temperature within the stadium tomorrow with the roof closed will be around 15 degrees, incredibly around 25 degrees warmer than outside.

  4. Just seen the recent pictures of the bombing in Syria – absolutely heartbreaking

     

     

    And where is the UN – the world’s most useless talking shop – a disgraceful organisation.

  5. I am more confident that we will qualify tomorrow than I am that we will beat Aberdeen on Sunday.

     

    The Dons` preparation time compared to ours could make the difference.

     

    I repeat, though, that I feel confident we will go through tomorrow.

     

     

    JJ

  6. mike in toronto on

    VFR …. I was a big 2Tone fan …. so remember that period well …and that summer … as for a specific event, I cant say that I know …. I remember hearing Dammers introduce it at a show once, talking about urban decay in the North (including Scotland) …

     

     

    Loved, Loved, Loved Free Nelson Mandela! Still do!

  7. mike in toronto on

    Hot Smoked … actually, for some reason, I have a hunch that we will go through as well ….I would be a terrible gambler …. hunch bets are for mugs … but they are all I have …

     

     

     

    but even though I think we might go through, I’m not going to say it, because, every time I do, we seem to lose …. so, I”m not going to say it.

  8. MIKE IN TORONTO I’m doing fine mate.

     

    I’m hoping there’s a possibility that Brendan Rogers stays at Celtic for a long time. With Peter Lawwell running the finances as well as he does that side is sorted. Perhaps Brendan will stay as the football director, much like Pat Gillick’s role at the Jays. Football structure as we all know is changing. Having theses two well respected men in position for Celtic can help us go a fair distance in a European context. Here’s hoping!

     

     

    T

  9. VFR800 is now a Monster 821 on

    MIKE IN TORONTO on 21ST FEBRUARY 2018 5:06 PM

     

     

    The band were in Glasgow to do a gig and went for a walk. They wandered along through Paddy’s Market and the Briggait.

     

     

    It made them sit down and write Ghost Town!

     

     

     

    KTF

  10. glendalystonsils on

    DAVID17 on 21ST FEBRUARY 2018 4:54 PM

     

    The temperature within the stadium tomorrow with the roof closed will be around 15 degrees

     

     

    Cosiderably warmer than the dear green place , then!

  11. mit

     

     

    what about jock stein he had a ready made team but he was the man who moulded them into a grea team.

     

     

    i think you are a bit unfair regarding af.

  12. KEVJUNGLE on 21ST FEBRUARY 2018 2:42 PM

     

    Its a good idea, but i fear the middle class wouldn’t like it. HH

  13. MiT

     

    As I am sure you know, a `hunch` is really subliminal thinking and as subliminal thinking is untarnished by prejudice and unhelpful, perceived possibilities , then we can trust our `hunches`.

     

    Celtic to go through !

     

     

    JJ

  14. mike in toronto on

    TH

     

     

    OK

     

     

    Tobago

     

     

    half right! I’d keep BR, but PL”s time is long done. But I think you knew I’d say that, and you are just trying to wind me up! That’s it …. I’ll still buy dinner when you are in town…. but not the fancy place!

     

     

    :)

  15. theBHOYfromU.N.C.L.E on

    Make the huns play all their ‘split’ games away from home………..its only fair.

     

     

    aquestionofbalance csc

  16. mike in toronto on

    Hot Smoked …. hunch or not ….all I know for sure is that if I bet on them, they’ll lose! :)

  17. mit

     

     

    bhoys in irish club gave me the scores against killie, prtk, stj.

     

     

    you know what happened!! i have never and never will give scores, i might say we should win.

  18. MIKE IN TORONTO. you’re popular today on the blog! Looking forward to the not so fancy place : /

     

    I got lucky with the PL comment.

     

     

    VFR: I’ve been through paddy’s market! I can believe the inspiration.

     

     

    T

  19. If we pull together, plays as a team, work hard and keep concentration then we have a chance of getting through, I don’t want to see a disintegration of the game plan and heads dropping if we lose a goal, we need strong characters and show we can play football, believe, leave everything on that pitch, if it’s not good enough we have done our absolute best.

  20. I read probably more than ten comments about tomorrow games. Zenit players, Manciny , football legends say that tomorrow will be different game, not similar to the one in Glasgow.

     

    Well, I think it will be very similar to the Glasgow, unless Celtic decides to make it different. Zenit is not the team that Celtic could lose to tomorrow.

  21. glendalystonsils on

    RON BACARDI on 21ST FEBRUARY 2018 6:13 PM

     

    We need our defenders not to make any silly mistakes early on, ie for at least 60 minutes !

     

     

    I’d rather it was 90 minutes! You can cram a lot of silly mistakes into 30 minutes_))

     

     

    (But I know what you mean).