You will be told by some that an invincible season holds less than it would have before Rangers liquidation in 2012, but that assertion overlooks the clear facts. Martin O’Neill’s then-record points hauling treble winners lost to Kilmarnock. The Lions lost to Dundee United, twice. We always lost games to someone other than Rangers. If invincibility was achieved by stopping only one opponent there would be nothing special to report from yesterday.
This is an astonishing achievement. Invincibility over an entire season is unlikely, no matter what your comparative strengths in relation to the rest of your league are, for mathematical reasons.
Football teams convert a small percentage of their attempts at goal. There will be occasions when a team scored three from three chances, but there will also be times when a team has 20 attempts and fails to score.
Over the course of a season, the random distribution of chances converted is likely to match one of Celtic’s highly unproductive striking days, with an opponent who happen to score with perhaps their only attempt at goal. This phenomenon explains most results when poor teams beat significantly better rivals.
Strong teams are also commonly drop points away from home to top half of the table opposition. Here, Celtic have been truly imperious. We won twice away to each team in the top half of the table, scoring 6 at Aberdeen, 7 at Newco, 9 at St Johnstone, 7 at Hearts and 9 at Patrick.
It would also be lax not to mention the style of football. This is not a brutal domination of the ball and physical area of the pitch, Celtic play a stylish, flowing, game, which entertains and succeeds in equal measure.
One more bridge to cross before the job is complete.
Thanks for all the encouragement, and especially the donations to Celtic FC Foundation, for the Stirling Marathon yesterday. Before going to bed on Saturday night I read through all the donations and couldn’t wait to get started.
It was an unforgettable experience. We’ll wait and see if it’s also unrepeatable.
Our good pals at Intelligent Car Leasing have offered two (£100 each) tickets for the Lisbon Lions night at The Hydro, on Thursday. You can win them by raffle in aid of Mary’s Meals.
The raffle is open less than 12 hours, closes at midnight tonight, so mathematics also suggests your chances are none too shabby. To enter, make a minimum of £5 here, then email me, celticquicknews@gmail.com with the word “Hydro” in the subject line to confirm your entry.
Good luck!
ORDER TODAY AND WE WILL POST STRAIGHT AWAY FIRST CLASS POST SO YOU WILL HAVE FOR THIS WEEK’S CELEBRATIONS AND THE SCOTTISH CUP FINAL!
338 Comments- Pages:
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REGGIE on 22ND MAY 2017 1:11 PM
I’ll answer your question. The English Press going after their fans for singing 10 German Bombers is not appeasement. The song is xenophobic and glories in the death of many innocents in wartime.
The singing of “Irish Rebel Songs” is not comparable. I stand in the North Curve and have not heard any songs celebrating or glorifying the deaths of innocent victims – Guildford, Birmingham, Enniskillen etc.
The “Republican Songbook” concentrates on the martyrs of the Republican cause. The persecution of Ireland and her sons and daughters (of all faiths – remember Wolfe Tone wasn’t Catholic) for over 800 years is what is remembered and sung about. So where do we draw the line?
Can we sing about Wolfe Tone and the IRB? Or the original IRA? Is it just the Provisional Wing we can’t sing about? Or do we abandon our Irish heritage altogether?
Genuinely glad you enjoyed your day yesterday; particularly as the songbook was very much “restrained”.
KTF
Are the Invincible T Shirts in the club shop yet?
MOONBEAMSWD on 22ND MAY 2017 1:23 PM
I replied to your comment asking if you noted the Irony in your post with regards your point re. others stifling debate and you looking to stifle Cetic fans singing songs you don’t like. What is the difference in both positions?
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I don’t think there is an irony as I don’t think the positions are comparable. I was talking specifically about the point that Celtic fans who find IRA chants inappropriate in 2017 are somehow engaging in ‘appeasement’. It’s a throwaway line.
I think it’s a fairly logical comparison to compare fans singing pro IRA songs with other fans singing anti-IRA songs(as well as anti-German). I think it’s a pretty consistent position to suggest both are inappropriate in todays society.
The conversation is going nowhere. You won’t change my mind. I won’t change yours. You don’t think it hurts the club. I think it does. I think if it continues in this direction then the club will be forced to act. You don’t think they will. One of us will be right. The other will be wrong. I agree now is not the time. I hope you enjoyed your weekend buddy and are celebrating once again on Saturday.
Afternoon
Still feeling roughish but a happy day yesterday all right. Superb reault for Scottish cricket.
Seriously though yesterday was not a bad wee day and evening. Game was pretty good in patches. At half time the unanimous opinion round me was that Leigh G was off his game. One salmon leap later and we are all wrong. If you ask me who I prefer between Moussa and Leigh I can only offer – whichever one is playing at the time. Two superb strikers and IMO the best we have had since Henrik, Sutty and BBJ. I wonder if they’d have played together more if Leigh had not got injured early.
Very envious of those heading to Lisbon- I booked my trip to Vegas a year ago and now half wish I had gone for the Lisbon trip instead. My finances meant I could not do both.
Butterflies already beginning to flutter for Saturday. I have seen us play the Dons on 3 Scottish Cup Finals and we’ve gone home empty handed every time – the first being the infamous RH Davidson match being one of my least favourite days at the football. To put it mildly. A ghost needs exorcising.
Anyway I have discovered an old episode of The Saint on ITV4 which is about all my brain can handle.
Jimbo67
KIKINTHENAKAS
Aw,ffs. That’s a hangover right away. I’ve got a headache just reading that list!
Fortunately of course the trip to Lisbon won’t include such madness. Watch and learn
Aye,harrumph!!!!
THE EXILED TIM on 22ND MAY 2017 1:30 PM
Where does it stop, the wearing of the green ?
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Deary me. Yes it will stop with the wearing of the green..but before then, we’ll have to remove the tricolour, the four leaf clover and hoopy the huddle hound.
Then and only then will I be triumphant..
I never made it to work, I’ll deal with that tomorrow :O)
I don’t mind Reggie he has his stance and doesn’t hurl abuses unlike some, this place has always been a bit to cliquey. If some only want the same 20 posters to post the approved comments everyday then continue as is.
Rangers apologists should note that their replacement team had 4 opportunities in the league to deprive us of invincibility. They managed 3 losses and only one draw courtesy of a mistake by the officials.
Jimbo67 1.59pm
Delighted you are enjoying the football this season, I sort of agree what you type about Leigh and Moussa, two fantastic strikers, but if push come to shove it’s Leigh Griffiths for me all day long, Moussa might be better when he hits his mid-twenties….
I have never known a team in the Hoops when there are so many players that every fan can actually justify who their favourite player is……..
Young KT, Scotty Sinclair, Broony, Moussa, Griff, Armstrong, Callum and fling in that Bhoy fae Man Citeh, hide fully soon to be our Paddy R (apologies if I have missed anybodies favourites :-)
I also think Craig Gordon has been magnificent this season, and Jozo, Lustig, James F, the list is not definitive (if that’s the correct word :-)
Could someone let WGS know that Cal McGregorinho is Scottish. His omission from the squad and the inclusion of 4 goalkeepers is absolutely bizarre.
Yeah the omission of Callum is strange
I like WGS, why Callum isn’t in the squad is beyond me, WGS should just play as many of the “invincibles” that he can, who is Scottish and better ?
In my opinion Callum McGregor is the most improved Celtic player in the second half of the league.
WGS will recognise this. Subsquently, for him not to acknowledge it, can only be put down to a numbers game,or dare I say it Appeasement.
HH.
GFTB
Every one of our regular players has had a season to be proud of. Craig Gordon’s reinvention as a sweeper has been an unexpected pleasure. A year ago he was just another one of our experienced players whose best days looked to be behind him – but that is a familiar tale this year.
As for Jozo I just did not see this coming – I saw nothing a year ago that suggested he would make the progress he has. He was superb yesterday.
Obviously we hope there are some good new signings to be made but right now I look at our squad and do not see many I would jettison.
Jimbo67
Cup Final Team
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Gordon:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lustig::::::::::Simun::::::::::::::::Boyata::::::::::Tierney
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brown::::::::::::::::Armstrong:::::::::::MacGregor
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Roberts::::::::::::::Griffiths::::::::::::::Sinclair
VFR800 IS NOW A MONSTER 821 on 22ND MAY 2017 1:42 PM
I’ll answer your question. The English Press going after their fans for singing 10 German Bombers is not appeasement. The song is xenophobic and glories in the death of many innocents in wartime.
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Does it? Genuine question. I thought it referred to German warplanes, not innocent civilians. Either way I agree it’s not appeasement. Though that is the accusation many of those singing it use against those who say it’s inappropriate. If it is just warplanes it refers to, I wonder how the Germans perceive it.
Anyway, a conversation for another day perhaps. I’m off to find my pals at ibrox. Hopefully when I suggest to them anti catholic songs were vulgar in the 17th century never mind the 21st, I’ll get a better reception than I do on here.
I hope wee Jamesie gets a run out for some of the game next week as he has had the Sheep’s number this year and was brilliant in the league cup final.
Paul67 et al
Well if it was easy some team would have accomplished it in the 20th century, They didn’t.
So well done to Brendan’s Celtic.
And a special mention for Julia Paterson, one hundred years young, and on the pitch at half-time on Saturday. Maley, McGrory, Stein, McNeill, O’Neil, Strachan, Lennon, Rodgers et al, she has seen them all. God bless that woman.
God speed and safe travel to all en route to Lisbon.
Jimbo67
On Craig Gordon (the sweeper) I like my goalies to be goalies :-)
A lot of people forget that after his knee operation, Craig had to start using his “other” foot, not many outfield players could probably do that…..Craig is probably a lot more comfortable with either foot than many, I actually think the “Riccarton Three” have served Celtic well (that’s for any lurking wee Huns :-) as well as any other Huns
But as you say, they have all been pretty dam excellent, in fact, invincible :-)
Reggie
You can try harder, but you will never convince.
You whinge too much about Celtic supporters for my liking.
I have seen some displays of colour in the stands at Celtic Park down through the years but yesterdays tableaus were just breathtaking and the organisers deserve great credit – even putting the big clubs in the so-called mighty EPL to shame.
Winning the treble would be great but for me the big record was achieved yesterday. Brendan now has a great squad of players that requires very little tweaking, getting Mr Roberts we all hope and pray for. Scott Brown, can this dynamo be replaced with like. I wonder where we will get a grafter to fill the boots of Scott.
THE_HUDDLE on 22ND MAY 2017 2:10 PM
Thanks mate. It is what it is.
I see we’ve extended the ole deadline for season ticket renewals.
Plus ca change CSC
My niece`s husband ( who sits beside me at the games) felt that most Celtic fans would prefer the Treble to the undefeated in the League achievement. I felt the opposite. What do CQNers feel?
JJ
Who would win in a fight between Alfie Noakes Mr Pastry Mats Niloc and Reggie?
GoOnKnockYourSelfOut CSC
Sky’s post match coverage was a disgrace yesterday, compare that with the 30 minute John Terry farewell at Chelsea…
JJ
Treble all day.
Itsthreetrophiesnowan CSC
Hotsmoked………….unbeaten over 38 matches definitely my preference. Incredible record.
“The season finished too soon for Rainjurs”
Chick Young
Treble for me
1 each in the Trebs V The Unbeatables
2-1 now
2-2 each……I forgot mine !
Where did Sevco finish in Caixinha’s fantasy league?
Reggie
So you think that if we stopped the songs the bigots would say Ok, we are happy now, for some reason think it was a flippant remark that the wearing of the green was thrown in, as for removing the Tri colour…
You really should get out more.
HOT SMOKED on 22ND MAY 2017 2:52 PM
My niece`s husband ( who sits beside me at the games) felt that most Celtic fans would prefer the Treble to the undefeated in the League achievement. I felt the opposite. What do CQNers feel?
———————————————-
I’d prefer both.
#GreedyBassaCSC #ThirdWayCSC
:-)))))
KIKINTHENAKAS
:))) He looked well not he Huddle tell him:))
Nakas
On the Huddle!