Improvements clear two weeks on from home Astra game

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It’s a bit frustrating being so close to qualification for the knock out stages last night before a momentary lapse cost us late in the game, but there were plenty of positives.  60 minutes into last month’s game at Celtic Park against Astra, taking four points from them looked very ambitious.  We played considerably better last night in the corresponding home game, or in the home game against Dinamo Zagreb.

Celtic are functioning better in midfield, while defensively they’re also looking solid.  We acknowledged some weeks ago that without Guidetti or Commons we would struggle to create and execute chances, and so it proved.

With Anthony Stokes also out the picture, Leigh Griffiths got the nod to replace Stefan Scepovic and instantly brought some drive to the forward line.  He was unfortunate that his ‘goal’ was disallowed for a debatable infringement, but he just brings the kind of purpose inside the box that we didn’t have until his arrival.

We’re now four games unbeaten in this competition, and we’re improving.  The evidence suggests that Salzburg have also improved since we took a point from them on match day one.  Last night’s result in Zagreb was impressive, but Salzburg will face their stiffest test of the group at Celtic Park.

Still fancy our chances of winning the group.

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  1. 16 roads - Celtic über alles... on

    TCR – I know chief. Another good thing about Beal Feirste – The Powers whiskey is in plentiful supply here.

     

     

    Anyway, one for the diaspora, and particularly the Irish diaspora in Scotland.

     

     

    The real kings.

     

     

    O Father dear, I often hear you speak of Erin’s Isle

     

     

    Her lofty scenes, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild

     

     

    They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell

     

     

    Oh why did you abandon it? The reason, to me tell…

     

     

    O son, I loved my native land with energy and pride

     

     

    ‘Til a blight came o’er my crops, my sheep and cattle died

     

     

    My rent and taxes were too high, I could not them redeem

     

     

    And that’s the cruel reason that I left old Skibbereen…

     

     

    O well do I remember the bleak December day

     

     

    The landlord and the sheriff came to drive us all away

     

     

    They set my roof on fire with cursed English spleen

     

     

    And that’s another reason that I left old Skibbereen…

     

     

    Your mother too, God rest her soul, fell on the snowy ground

     

     

    She fainted in her anguish, seeing the desolation round

     

     

    She never rose, but passed away from life to mortal dream

     

     

    And found a quiet grave, my boy, in dear old Skibbereen…

     

     

    And you were only two years old and feeble was your frame

     

     

    I could not leave you with my friends, you bore your father’s name

     

     

    I wrapped you in my cothamore at the dead of night unseen

     

     

    I heaved a sigh and bade good-bye to dear old Skibbereen…

     

     

    O Father dear, the day may come when in answer to the call

     

     

    Each Irishman, with feeling stern, will rally one and all

     

     

    I’ll be the man to lead the van beneath the flag of green

     

     

    When loud and high, we’ll raise the cry: “Remember Skibbereen!”

     

     

    God bless the Celtic of Glasgow.

     

     

    Oiche mhaith.

     

     

    HH.

  2. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    16,

     

    My Granda raced a terrific black greyhound in West of Scotland tracks.

     

    It’s name was Skibbereen.

     

    BItch with a house name of Sheila.

     

    Brought over from Ireland.

  3. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    Alasdair MacLean

     

    02:49 on

     

    9 November, 2014

     

     

    Ah.

     

    The Clachaig inn.

     

    Spent many a happy weekend in Carnoch.

  4. 16 roads - Celtic über alles... on

    I believe ya TCR.

     

     

    Master McGrath and Mick the Miller were also born and bred in Ireland.

     

     

    Not enough room on the page to write all of the great race horses that were produced in the land of milk and honey.

     

     

    Don’t even start me about the millions of beautiful women here…

     

     

    It’s like an island paradise so it is.

     

     

    VallhalaCSC.

     

     

    :D

     

     

    Gone.

     

     

    HH.

  5. Alasdair MacLean on

    AnTearman and Macjay,

     

     

    Here’s it..translated,,,

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTpba5IRpT8

     

     

    It’s a pity I’m not in the little valley I love,

     

    for God’s blessings and peace are there.

     

    The rivers and woods are the most beautiful in the world

     

    in the little glen I love by Loch Leven.

     

     

    The fragrant scent of the heather coming over the tops of the hills,

     

    and you’ll see the red deer in the forest there

     

    and even should you travel throughout Scotland you wouldn’t see a single valley

     

    that is as beautiful as my valley be Loch Leven.

     

     

    On the little green field that was mown with a scythe

     

    the lads will be competing there with their shinty sticks

     

    and there isn’t a team in the great county of Argyll

     

    that is as agile as the men by Loch Leven.

     

     

    The people are so kind and so friendly in the valley

     

    that there’s no reason to be sad or weary there;

     

    and as long as Gaelic is being written with pens

     

    I shall praise my valley by Loch Leven.

  6. Alasdair MacLean on

    macjay1 for Neil Lennon,

     

     

    I’m afraid that area was my childhood and not so much my “formative” years…although I remember waking up in a car in Glencoe one morning in 1989 there and realising I’d missed my booked motorbike test in Glasgow by three hours or so. Never mind the crack was good after I was helped back into the bar.

  7. Alasdair MacLean on

    16 roads – Celtic über alles… ,

     

     

    Cheers for the encouragement,

     

     

    Need tune though for these words….

  8. macanbheatha Oscar Abú on

    Sutton a bankrupt who is bottom feeding for anyone who will throw him a crust

     

    A sulky b ever I saw one

     

    Just my opinion

  9. macanbheatha Oscar Abú on

    Seems like I’m talking to myself here but never mind

     

    The youngins are all out at a do tonight and in the the words of your man

     

    “I counted them all out and (I hope will) count them all in again

  10. macanbheatha Oscar Abú on

    Had words with the Clifftonville Captain tonight

     

    He said “Alright mate?”

     

    I replied “Alright mate?”

     

    Tense

  11. macanbheatha Oscar Abú on

    The eldest just walked in with the youngest followed by the middle one”carried in by his two mates

     

    I’m assured we wll not be getting a few a visit by the polis so

     

    Oiche mhaith

  12. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    Tricoloured Ribbon

     

     

    think we are nearly related.grew up on stories of SKIB..where you from.from what I heard it was OUR dog.

  13. Roy croppie (& BCW) from much earlier, 22:30ish…

     

     

    “hope they defend like this”…

     

     

    Definitely NOT 4-0 game…an earlier much sadder occasion :-(

     

     

    Pedantcsc

  14. Big rainy storms in the ozzy pilbara today…

     

     

    Hopefully we have right line up today.. Sadly i reckon were gonna see a centre half in centre midfield accompanied by a very poor passer of the ball for a midfielder.

     

     

    Very annoying

     

     

    — gordon–

     

     

    Lustig–virgil–deneymear–izzy

     

     

    Brown– henderson–biton– wakaso

     

    —stefan

     

    –guidetti

     

     

    Id like to see that . Win that midfield bhoys

  15. GivehimthemoneyPeterCSC on

    Looking forward to a tough game tonight (oz time)….if we play 2 up front with Matthews in right midfield we will win the game ….simples

     

     

    Re Sutton … Unfortunately he has sold his soul ….sad to see another legend go this way

     

     

    Was a favourite of mine until I heard he left celtic park with 15 minutes to go against barca (2-3 game) to beat the traffic!

     

     

    Maybe with 7 kids you can’t blame him for being bankrupt though….

     

     

    When Henke takes over I wonder if he will call on his best mate sutty to assist…

  16. the unthank road on

    Ref Sutton.

     

    A celtic legend. Certainly, but now? A failed manager telling everyone how to run a football club?? He has joined the ranks of the soup takers and seems to fit in very well to that role, speaking of which , did anyone read that horrible piece from Charlie Nic;- Celtic should give up on Tonev. EH???

  17. Neil Lennon & McCartney on

    Ronny-D on “fantastic” Celtic fans…..

     

     

    “…..fans who travelled to Giurgiu in Romania for Celtic’s 1-1 draw with Astra in the Europa League three days ago, sung the Norwegian’s name with gusto. Deila doesn’t attempt to be cool over what might be a breakthrough in getting the club’s faithful onside.

     

     

    “That was nice,” he says. “That’s always a sign you have done something right, and that’s positive. It is important we grow together with the fans because we play for the fans and we play for the club, of course, and the fans are the club. We need to be a unit and I’m very happy that against Astra the fans were so fantastic.”

  18. ruggygman

     

     

    02:33 on 9 November, 2014

     

    _______________________

     

    Would that be the same Sutton who couldny find his stick to beat his ole pal Neil Lennon during last seasons erse kickings at home in 2 domestic cups in which, both finals were to be played at Celtic Park?

     

    The same Sutton who replaced Murdo at the DR when, Murdo ‘correctly’ put the boot intae Neil and his team for their slack-ersed performance v’s St Mirren in the LCSF?

     

    The same Sutton who was one of my ‘giant’ heroes in the hoops?

     

    Hail Hail

  19. Jobo Mobo Baldie on

    Good morning friends from a now dry, clear skied, bit chilly East Kilbride.

     

     

    Too excited for a long lie this morning as This Is The Day that Celtic regain top spot in the league. And kick’s off is less than 5 hours away. Which is nice.

     

     

    Jobo Mobo

     

    http://mobro.co/jobobaldie

  20. Stairheedrammy on

    Risky time for Sutton to be coming out with such a view. With this being released on the eve of a big game many will see it as part of the MSSM drive to destabilise Celtic in any way they can. Sutton will either be seen as being wrong and willing to sell his soul for cash, or right and happy to be part of the DR propaganda team. It’s a no win for him as far as I can see.

  21. Neil Lennon & McCartney on

    EPL – best league in the world is it?

     

     

    Aiden Smith disnae seem to think so……..

     

     

    Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal may yet qualify for the knockout stages by traditional means, everything above board, but last week’s results amounted to a bonfire of the vanities for them.

     

     

    City’s performance, for a team with aspirations to be toppermost in Europe, was toweringly awful, the sense of entitlement in the lashing out just cringeworthy.

     

     

    Liverpool saddened those who regard Europe as the club’s birthright by fielding the reserves in the Bernabeu.

     

     

    Arsene Wenger’s obsession with collecting all of the daintiest midfield butterflies was surely exposed to its greatest ridicule when Arsenal and their non-existent defensive cover blew a three-nil lead.

     

     

    Meanwhile, Chelsea’s draw with lowly Maribor, a side who appear to have in their ranks the last surviving member of crimplene disco troupers, Tavares, resembled a defeat.

     

     

    tp://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/aidan-smith-brilliance-deserves-a-full-audience-1-3599107

  22. Really have to smile as former Celtic players are lambasted for comments critical of Celtic or for opinions which run contrary to ‘popular’ positions.

     

     

    It is especially weird to see the lambasting on these pages…oh the irony.

     

     

    Soup takers indeed!

  23. the unthank road on

    Stairhheed

     

    He is following the DR “attack Celtic at all costs” party line. No matter how successful we are, he is going to find fault. They need controversy to sell papers , an industry which is slowly dying. Who will be first to fold.? My shilling is on the Scotsman.

  24. Fitbaw is an auld pals act and Ronny disnae have his auld pals in the press in Scotland, the guttersnipes who hate us will continue to press the home in an effort to undermine our manager and team because the last thing they need is a Celtic team doing well. That’s the same story we have seen in the press for years and years now, it’s not exactly news except to the hard of thinking.

     

     

    Mon The Ronny.

     

    Mon The Hoops.

     

    Sheep to be sheared.

     

    A hard fought 2-1 for me today and that would see us top of the league….

     

    GIRFUYSMSM

  25. the unthank road on

    Justa fan

     

    I aint pickin a fight, but, do you think McLeod, Nicholas, Walker et al give unbiased opinions? They all seem to err on the anti Celtic side. See Charlies latest on the Tonev situation and Spiers too. We just send Tonev like a lamb to the slaughter? Then again I am definitely paranoid!

  26. Any bhoys on here going to scotland v ireland game nxt week ?

     

     

    Should be good atmosphere at it… Id imagine all the celtic bars will do a good trade.

     

     

    Tight game i think.. Id say scotland slightly better team than us at minute. Good to see shane long grab a double yday.

     

     

    Would love to see mcgeady bang in least one and mccarthy aswel.

  27. the unthank road on

    Srarry

     

    Well said.

     

    Only 4 1/2 hours to kick off.

     

    Meanwhile, for those attending a service this morning, a young lady and her CQN uncle need your prayers .

  28. Have celtic come out and asked sfa for evidence or have the appealed the ban ?

     

     

    Id send him back to villa anyway, waste of wages but if he’s innocent his name deserves to be cleared first.

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