Three years ago, we watched as Odsonne Edouard and Moussa Dembele tore up the early Champions League qualifiers, forming what promised to be a productive partnership. Injury prevented them from finishing that qualifying group, neither started as we exited in Athens and Moussa left as the transfer window closed.
In all probability, the partnership of Odsonne and Kyogo Furuhashi will end before August is out, but while they are both here and fit, they have the potential to form a devastating attacking threat. On Sunday, Kyogo was handed the junior role on the left, with Odsonne through the middle. Both can work either position, a flexibility which increases their potency.
With so many areas of the team looking stronger than it was two weeks ago, defence remains the area Ange Postecoglou will seek to improve. We need a second right back, with Boli Bolingoli’s position at the club unclear, we probably need a left back too, and as it could be months before we see Christopher Jullien, I could make the case for a central defender.
Without wanting to tempt fate, though, we need to give credit to the three young Scots in the defence, Greg Taylor (23), Anthony Ralston (22) and Stephen Welsh (21) have performed above expectations so far this season. If Carl Starfelt stops beating himself up and relaxes into his Celtic skin, we will strengthen from a strong base line.
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“ The team were booed off the park.
7-0 aggregate and they were slaughtered by the supporters. “
Their Grand children are on CQN.
In the days of the Go Ahead Deventer and their like, I don’t remember the booing so much as the slow hand clap.
Yes somehow the slow handclap was more effective in registering disapproval, but was generally used during play. Booing was de rigeur after the final whistle.
Go Ahead still play but today are known as Go Ahead Eagles. They claim to be the same club.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCOWM-rVnTc
celtic celtic celtic
I see the manager has once again been asked about the “physicality” of Scottish football and whether Furuhashi can ‘cope’.
For me it’s quite simple – the rules of football are universal. They are the same in Italy as they are in Germany, Spain, Brazil and Timbuktu. If the rules are applied fairly and impartially, the question of Furuhashi’s ability to ‘cope’ shouldn’t even arise.
Another Sunday home game as LC tie is on a Thursday…..I take it we drew lots to see what night we play on?…..aye right….
GARNGAD TO CROY on 17TH AUGUST 2021 3:27 PM
Only 600-700 tickets left for the AZ game, quick average count (33 sections x 20 tickets) , very impressive for a Europa League qualifier !
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I mentioned a point on an earlier thread about the mindset of those who run Celtic which I think is relevant to what you post.
If we are now a Europa League club and can get full houses for these games, whether qualifying, as tomorrow is, or in the groups proper, why risk the stability of the club by signing players for large fees & wages to make the CL groups more probable than possible… and thereafter paying high CL bonuses if we actually get there?
The old financial adage of top-line chasing being vanity but bottom-line profit (or at worse break-even) is sanity, surely comes into play here.
Every day we read reports of elite clubs over their head in debt. This was the driving-force behind the failed Super League – it will be back rest assured, in another guise. Super money to cover super debt. Maybe next time the big US football franchises (Beckham etc) will come as a package with the big US banks to form a World Series Super League – EUFA/FIFA will be hard-pushed to resist.
As well as ensuring the business/club itself is ‘fit’ for purpose,those who run our club must be conscious of the market the business sits in. Is trying to ‘mix it’ with those who can incur debts equal to many times our annual turnover, and now can buy one player costing twice as much as our annual revenue, really in our interests?
If I was running Celtic and charged with protecting the club and ensuring it was there for future generations, my answer would be a resounding NO!
Scumbag lifted for the fire at St Simon’s Church
JHB
Qualifying for the CL is not the same as winning it, or even reaching the last 4 or 8.
It would be a sad day if we limited our footballing ambitions because we don’t want to be on the same stage as the mega rich.
Madness.
At Real Madrid they wave white hankies
Christie still out, should be the Kyogo and Eddy show tomorrow.
at Sevco they head for the exits
Maybe swap them round tomorrow, Kyogo on the middle, eddie from the left, I would like to see that.
With James arriving on the right, goals a plenty please.
CELTICFOREVER on 17TH AUGUST 2021 5:47 PM
at Sevco they head for the exits
starts with 15 minutes to go, with added booing, wailing, cursing, gnashing of teeth and sectarian anti irish and anti catholic vitriol.
a highlight for me, at the malmo game was the camera in the stand watching them turning and heading up the stairs.
quite excellent, more to come this season, i am convinced of it.
Does anyone remember the Celtic v Sparta Rotterdam friendly in 1960 where their goalkeeper wore glasses?
It may have been the game where we wore numbers on our shorts for the first time.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 17TH AUGUST 2021 5:36 PM
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Wanting something and having the ability to achieve it are two different things.
As I said in another post, the reason that automatic entry into the CL groups is available next season is only because of co-efficient points gained by ourselves and our ‘friends’ at Ibrox, in the EUROPA LEAGUE.
Gearing-up for the EL and getting the odd CL qualification is not as mad as you say. It has been a matter of course for Celtic over the years.
does indeed look like the keeper has on some form of spec-tackles.
https://www.thecelticwiki.com/the-photograph-library/year-by-year-pictures/60s-pictures/1959-60-pics/1960-05-14-celtic-5-1-sparta-rotterdam-friendly-pictures/
and it was indeed numbered shorts for the first time.
interesting match was played to celebrate a DUTCH TRADE WEEK event in Glasgow.
why didnt they ask the orangina’s ?
JHB
That’s not what I was describing as madness.
WBC,
I remember the game. You are right that it was the first time we wore numbers on our shorts. I don’t remember the goalie wearing glasses.
St Stivs…brilliant! That’s the one…5-1 it was. Watched it from the enclosure. Press made a big deal of the specs.
Funny how you always remember where you were in the stadium watching games…jungle, enclosure, Celtic end, hun end (though never vs thems)…I’ve never watched a game at Hampden in the hub end.
Hun end.
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 17TH AUGUST 2021 5:18 PM
I see the manager has once again been asked about the “physicality” of Scottish football and whether Furuhashi can ‘cope’.
For me it’s quite simple – the rules of football are universal. They are the same in Italy as they are in Germany, Spain, Brazil and Timbuktu. If the rules are applied fairly and impartially, the question of Furuhashi’s ability to ‘cope’ shouldn’t even arise.
___
That would be a great response to any of the arsehole media hacks. The wee man needs protected on and off the park. Given the state of Scottish football teams, it should be a priority to eradicate the hammer thrower mentality that hold them back.
Was there a game where we experimented with yellow numbers on our backs?
I’ve really given my age away today :-)
!!BADA BING!! on 17TH AUGUST 2021 5:29 PM
Scumbag lifted for the fire at St Simon’s Church
———–
“Alleged Scumbag” Bada surely?
Let’s not rush to judge the alleged scumbag until the facts are known.
We wouldn’t want to prejudice any trial of the alleged scumbag.
And, as a result, contribute to the alleged scumbag NOT getting what is coming to him.
F**#%÷ alleged scumbag that he is !
BSR…“ The team were booed off the park.
7-0 aggregate and they were slaughtered by the supporters. “
Their Grand children are on CQN.
“”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
The negativity is in the blood…
ddfdgfhhgjgjh
Celtic v Sparta Rotterdam.
I don’t often get the chance to say this, but that was before my time.
All about opinions Bhoys, I can’t see a CB from Irish football coming in ,shoring up our defence, and forming a partnership with Starfelt, I touted Gary Cahill last week, big wages for sure,but I would have went for him. HH
Hughie Maxwell before my time…..
weebobbycollins @ 3.47pm “I was in the enclosure at that game …. ”
For the young’uns the ‘enclosure’ was the standing area in front of the now main stand (which was the only stand/seated area).
That brings back innocent memories of a teenage Emeraldbee and his mate arriving lateish for a Ne’erday Hun game. Having decided to treat ourselves to the enclosure, which cost a few bob more, we arrived near 3 o’clock to find queues at some of the turnstyles and some turnstyles empty.
Not thinking why some should be empty we nicked in, paid our money and up the steps into ……. the Hun side which was given over to Thems at that time. Standing among the Unwashed trying to decide what to do did wee Bertie no go and score in the second minute.
Stifled yelps and giggles later we were back among our own kind and enjoyed the unusual view of the game as the Tim’s ran out 2 – 0 winners thanks to a PENALTY (would you believe it!)
BSR
Christie still out, should be the Kyogo and Eddy show tomorrow.
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Abada’s back.
JHB on 17TH AUGUST 2021 5:28 PM
If we are now a Europa League club and can get full houses for these games, whether qualifying, as tomorrow is, or in the groups proper, why risk the stability of the club by signing players for large fees & wages to make the CL groups more probable than possible… and thereafter paying high CL bonuses if we actually get there?
5 minutes ago you were arguing that the 45m from one season in the cL would potential put them out of sight.
Why the change of heart? Surely that sort of free cash is worth the gamble
JHB
I’m beginning to think you don’t know your own minds
Celtic are “very close to a few deals” for new players with manager Ange Postecoglou “very confident” signings will be made before the deadline.
Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi, Joe Hart, Bosun Lawal, James McCarthy, Liam Shaw, Carl Starfelt and Osaze Urhoghide have been recruited this summer.
And the manager wants a new right-back to challenge Anthony Ralston.
“We just need players,” said the Australian before Wednesday’s visit of AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.
“I’ve said that consistently. I’ve also said we’re working hard, it’s not an easy market to get deals done.
“I can at least now confidently give a deadline because the deadline is actually coming up [31 August]. I’m very confident we’ll have players in before the transfer deadline.
“We’re very close to a few deals, I think. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing, make sure we get the right players in and once we do it’ll help us enormously because we’re putting a big workload on a core group of players at the moment.”
Cornelius @ 4:15 pm
That wee clip reminded me of a trip my wife made to Gettysburg just over 5 years ago. I picked up a hire car in Harrisburg and drove to my hotel in Gettysburg. As I was driving through town, I saw all these hairy bikers riding Harley Davidsons and the like up and down the street and sometimes in procession. There were about 50 of them at my hotel and acouple of thousand altogether in this small town, dominating all the bars.
I only realised later that we had booked to go during Biker’s Week at Gettysburg (who knew there was such a thing?).
We were a bit wary of wandering out into this but I had a long talk with my good lady, who is barely 5 foot tall and under 8 stone. I said we should be careful and not get into any trouble because there were so many of them and I was not confident that they weren’t armed.
Anyway, we had a lovely couple of days there and drank in a few bars. My wife behaved herself very well and not one single biker was harmed during our stay.