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.
287 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Word of The Day (Sevco winning the league – really?)
Incogitable /ɪnˈkɒdʒɪtəbəl/
adjective
1. inconceivable
2. not to be contemplated
3. unthinkable
KTF
VFR800
Cogito ergo. . . . .doom!
BEATBHOY
Clapton, fantastic, and when he was with John Mayall he was brilliant. Thought Cream were a tad self indulgent personally. While I love clapton and especially the concert he did in Baloise quite recently, I thought , at the time that Peter Green was better. Now there;s a white guy who could play the Blues.
KINGLuBO
BEATBHOY on 22ND FEBRUARY 2018 10:55 AM
The problem with them is that they don’t think!
KTF
Will tonight be the first time that Celtic has played in a fully enclosed stadium?
MIT, if I was naming yer wee dug it would be Kerrins; simple really!
KTF
Earlier this week I posted some stats showing an association between poorer recent results in the spfl and the number of fouls committed by our opponents. There was an article in latest news about tonight’s ref being strict . I looked at some euro stats for celtic and zenit and hope they are of interest.
In the champions league qualifying phase of 6 games, Celtic committed 57 fouls, suffered 68 and received 8 bookings.
In the group stage of 6 games Celtic committed 51 fouls, suffered 48 and received 6 bookings.
So these figures are broadly similar, with a low fouls count (approx. 8 to 9 per game) committed and bookings received (approx. 1 per game). We suffered slight more fouls in the qualifying phase (approx. 11 per game) compared to the group stage ( 8 per game) however this may be explained by the physical challenge adopted against a higher ranked team (in the qualifying phase this would be Celtic).
In the spfl, we commit an av. of 8.26 fouls per game and receive 1.15 yellows per game (over many more games). This is very similar to the European figures and suggests we have adopted a similar approach in the spfl and the champions league, the environment does not matter and we are being refereed similarly. We also suffer 13.22 fouls per game in the spfl which may also be explained by the physical approach adopted against the higher placed team.
Zenit played 6 group games in the Europa league this year. They committed 74 fouls (approx. 9 per game) and received 6 bookings ( 1 per game). They suffered 47 fouls (approx. 8/game).
These figures are very similar to both Celtic’s qualify and group stages.
In the 1st leg last week however, both teams were much more aggressive. Celtic committed 17 fouls, while Zenit committed 14. Both teams had 5 bookings. There was about a 50% rise , at least, in the number of fouls committed by both teams compared to their average and both teams almost doubled their yellow card count in 1 game.
If tonight’s ref is strict (as he seems to be ) and both teams go for it ( as they did before), then there will be a lot of set pieces and the risk of a red card is going to rise. To get through this tie we are going to need to walk a line between aggression (that served us well at home ) and the ref. Zenit will need to do the same however.
MIT
Heelnotuchyay seems to be a popular name around these parts.
Keepthumoanaleashcsc.
BARNEY67 on 22ND FEBRUARY 2018 10:45 AM
Sounds like a lose/lose situation then?
Celtic brought in Brendan with an eye on European progression . Brendan himself has stated this as his aim,
and yet at the first signs of progress in EUrope you think he will be away?
You honestly think beating Zenit will fulfil all of Brendan’s ambitions at Celtic?
Zenit with a silent ‘h’?
VFR
Can I ask for an explanation? Unless it is in referance to Kieran Tierney, Kerran seems to derive from the old Irish, carn, hich means dark or a pile of stones (often a grave). There is usually some logic to your posts, (which I enjoy, btw), but I’m Not seeing a connection here
Derry was called Derry because (1) Doire meant oak, and she was oak coloured, and (ii) it’s not (&$ *@ Londonderry!
Some good suggestions this week, but I’m leaning towards Seamus, as my dad was James, and it was dad’s birthday last week, right around the time I found out Seamus May be available for adoption.
Oh, oh! Her who used to be outdoors (sighs) back now. My iPad’s done a Rangers, so been nipping on to hers when she’s away. That’s why I’ve not been on as much (whaddya mean you never noticed/good??). Will lurk on phone later, so hope it’s a celebration on here by 8 o’clock. Early kick-off, mind, 6pm, on BTSports.
Hail Hail!
Beatbhoy@11:35 …an explanation before you go, please. Remember, it’s early in the morning here, and I haven’t had my coffee yet, so I’m still a bit dopey. :)
Mit
Andrew Kerrins ring a bell?
Just dont go down the Steve Martin route..funny though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=howO-wo7XOM
MIT
Brother Walfrid = Andrew Kerins
HH
MIT
I have a cat called Ceefor.
I got the idea from a guy who had a parrot called P-for.
He originally started this style of pet naming with his kids rabbit, which was called Rfor. (Sounds like Arthur)….
… so your pup….. Deefor obviously.
R-for Rabbit…
P-for Parrot…
Ceefor Cat
Deefor Dog
Simples.
MIT
So, you’re lost in thought, happily meandering through the park, when your ears pick up a growling sound, and suddenly some slavering beast is headed in your direction, looking mean, certainly keen, when the cry goes out, “He’ll not touch you”, pronounced as per my post as one mocking word.
Followed by another growl, “heedf*^%#*^%#betterno!” From me.
And to think I walk to ease stress!
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 22ND FEBRUARY 2018 11:37 AM
I know I shouldn’t be so cynical, but money talks. I also think back to back trebles will fulfil Brendans Celtic ambitions more than amply.
new article posted.
I also like the American comedian Steve Wrights idea. He called his dog Stay. That was one confused dog.
“C’mere Stay”
It’s great when someone asks the cat’s name. When I say “Ceefor”, I am usually met with a blank face, as few make sense of the name on first hearing it. Then you slowly say, “C—- for—-cat”…
… Aaaaaaah.