If you were lucky enough, like me, to enjoy a long Christmas holiday, I hope you had a good one. I’m sure few of us are delighted to be back at it today but there’s an indisputable mood on the blog for bringing in the New. A fresh start is needed and fortunately we’re at the start of the transfer window.
For Celtic most attention will be directed towards recruiting a striker who is capable of doing the business in the Champions League, not to overlook the important point of doing the business in Champions League qualifiers. 20-year-old Icelandic striker, Holmbert Fridjobsson, finally joins the club this month but although we’ll hopefully see plenty of the player this month he is surely considered ‘one for the future’.
One prolific striker does not solve all of Celtic’s issues, however. The club remains acutely dependent on Kris Commons’ creativity (as well as goal scoring), which will become increasingly less-effective as opponents setup to inhibit him. He needs a foil.
Since the annihilation in Barcelona Celtic have offered greater protection from midfield but with both full backs encouraged to overlap the midfield anchor role, previously occupied by Wanyama, becomes crucially important. It also offers support to the strategy of allowing Commons a free role as an attacking midfielder.
Over the break, Archie MacPherson, Scotland’s greatest ever broadcaster, wrote an article for Celtic Quick News comparing two of Scotland’s greatest ever managers. These debates are, of course, subjective, but the article provides a few objective points for consideration. Archie has a totally unique range to deal with this question and is in no doubt as to who the master was. Look out for the article next week, you’ll enjoy it – no guessing now.
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tonydonnelly67
21:38 on
3 January, 2014
FFS Tony,sober up.
bawsman,
excellent spot.
compare this teams profile –
http://www.uefa.com/search/index.html#Celtic FC&c=50050&ob=c
Bigshuggy
Mothers are 6/5 on Paddy Power
16 roads – Wee Oscar the Celtic warrior. 16:12 on 3 January, 2014
HH …
you travel in Ghana?
TC45
bigshuggy
I have done good out of Mwell the past few games, well overpriced imo.
Got them 13/10 the morra, no doubts they won’t come up <{
HH
6/5 on skybet too.
I have a problem supporting Motherwell tho
Turkeybhoy
Not much wrong with the tone in your post.
As it happens, I expect the diamond formation will get another work out somewhere soon and variants of it, especially since it’s last outing, the first half vs Hearts was not bad football at all for a 0:0.
Form and flair are elusive. teams and individuals can catch fire for a few games running and then revert to moderate or poor form. It has always been like that.
Most of the fun in going to watch pro football was in being a part of something with your mates and people of your tribe. It was never that much about the quality of play otherwise some of our fathers and uncles would have never seen a Celtic match post WW2.
A lot of the fun has gone out of the matchday experience and we tend to over-blame the 90 minutes of action for that.
Joe Ledley is still a box to box midfielder, otherwise how did he score last match, but like everyone he has to show positional discipline. If his central partner has gone forward he must show some caution for moves breaking down and counter attacks. Lots of teams play with 2 defensive mids:- Fernandinho & Toure at City, Barry and McCarthy at Everton, Flamini & Wilshire at Arsenal. Other teams play one defensive central mid and another slightly forward like Carrick/Fletcher at Man U or Busquets/Xavi at Barca.
Many people think Celtic do not need 2 defensive mids in the dross of the SP but they do not have to face angry fans if lack of defensive cover results in lost goals and dropped points. It is not that long ago that the jibe against Celtic was the defensive sieve. We do not hear that phrase much but I can guarantee, if we become freer in scoring from here forward but looser at the back, we will hear more complaints about our defence than we will hear praise for our attack.
The football is not bad but it has been very samey recently. A good 5:3 match with St. Mirren might be a good tonic so long as we get the 5.
All runs come to an end. It is highly unlikely to be 1:0 in the next match but, then, if it’s a high scoring defeat we will soon get the evidence of how important style is over winning.
I’m off to watch a film now. Catch yiz later.
THE EXILED TIM-Free the Dam 5
If you scroll over EVERY other team on the UEFA list, you get the teams history.
:-)
PFayr
No sentiment when gambling >}
HH
Some clever CQNrs about tonight ?
Can I ask again,
What is the longest run of games / minutes for a team not to have lost a goal ?
Some response last night it was an old team, but no games/ minutes noted.
I think Celtic should look to better that record :-)
Hail Hail and thanks in advance
Bawsman
How the hell did u notice that?
B-)
tis official
uefa says that club, rangers fc, last recorded game listed as –
13 May 2012 – Scottish Premier LeagueFull time »
St Johnstone Saint Johnstone FC 0-4 Rangers FC Rangers
Bawsman
Oh aye, that will have them frothing at the gills >}
HH
Bhoylo83
I’m baby sitting the 2 grand weans and the telly is crap.
;-)
Cowiebhoy
This may be for the premiership only, but quite a feat!
Longest consecutive run without conceding a goal: 14 games
Edwin van der Sar went an amazing 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal during Manchester United’s 2008–09 campaign, which is also an all-time league record.
Cowiebhoy supporting the Celtic to 3 in a row
21:59 on
3 January, 2014
Some clever CQNrs about tonight ?
Can I ask again,
What is the longest run of games / minutes for a team not to have lost a goal ?
=========
deid team, maybe 1988-89 season, 11 games, big deal at the time , chris woods held his hands aloft when they reached the minute to beat the record.
summed them up.
so aye, we should go all out to make a new record.
Most consecutive clean sheets
Robert Douglas, Celtic, 7 games, 2000–01[78]
Saint
Link?
Most clean sheets in a season
Fraser Forster and Łukasz Załuska, Celtic, 25 games, 2011–12[80]
TNT
Thanks, so we are already over halfway there ?
Hail Hail
Fewest defeats in a season
Celtic, 1, 2001–02
Fewest goals conceded in a season
Celtic, 18 goals, 2001–02
Fewest away defeats in a season
Celtic, 0, 2003–04
Fewest home defeats in a season
Celtic, 0, 2001–02 and 2002–03[75]
Deadco, 0, 2009–10
Most goals scored in a season
Celtic, 105 goals, 2003–04
Most consecutive wins
Celtic, 25, 2003–04
Biggest home win
Celtic 9–0 Aberdeen (2010–11)
Biggest away win
Dunfermline Athletic 1–8 Celtic (2005–06)
bournesouprecipe
17:38 on 3 January, 2014
Andrew Dallas uses invisible ink when booking Ian Black
Any referee who forgets that he has cautioned a player should face disciplinary action.
Same as yellow-carding the same player twice without giving him a red,IMO.
I’m fairly certain that were it not Dallas Jr and the huns involved,this would have merited more action.
would love to see shane long play for celtic
Longest cheating run
Rangers FC ( deceased) 1872 to 2012.
Shane Long in a heartbeat.Great wee player.
TWISTS N TURNS
Sorry,bud-didnae realise that you were on a roll!
Bobby
Ha…no worries…feenished :-))
TnT
What a roll there statto :)
Honest Mistakes
1872 – Ongoing
djbee
19:34 on 3 January, 2014
As PFAyr says…VERY unguarded statement, unless you are right, and NEIL has already signed someone…..!!??