The final dice on what could become our second nine-in-a-row season is set to be cast. I expect business to be done but the usual caveats apply, it takes agent, player, selling club and buying club to be in alignment for a deal to happen and if one gets cold feet a deal will not happen.
For me, the position of greatest need is central defence. Jozo Simunovic and Nir Bitton are enduring injury problems which have forced their absence for much of the campaign. The loss of multiple wingers is less a concern, as I realllllly hope we play three at the back and two strikers for much of the remainder of the season.
Buckle in!!
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TIMALOY29 on 31ST JANUARY 2020 2:34 PM
DAVID17 on 31ST JANUARY 2020 2:30 PM
That’s it in a nutshell. Rolling the dice at the last minute. Simply not good enough.
___
Do you really think the squad that’s top of the league and has won 16 out of 17 games is incapable of winning the league without signings?
———
Do you really think the Board are showing intent to win the League and make history and are providing the best possible resources to achieve that?
Siempre at 1.59
Quality :¬)
TurkeyBhoy – were you happy with the quality of the team when our only real rivals this season comfortably played us off the park twice in December? I recall most on here saying we need some real improvement. Neil himself has repeatedly said he wants 2-3 experienced players this month that can go straight into team. Is he wrong too?
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 31ST JANUARY 2020 2:48 PM
There is no need to gamble with 9.
A gamble suggests if we spent all the money we’d be guaranteed the title.
Which is completely untrue
The Hands,
“Our cavernous financial advantage “is useless unless we can get players in.This is not just our problem.How much business being done in the cash rich,EPL.Leicester,going for a top 4 spot,bring a CH in on loan,FFS.Teams in that league battling relegation,hardly spent a curdy.As I said earlier,Huns ecstatic because they signed someone with a famous name.Genk getting him off their books.On here,constant greetin
@ CELTIC40ME on 31ST JANUARY 2020 2:53 PM
Yes and No. When we have played two up front we have looked much better. Neil’s reversion to 4-2-3-1 at home against RC was turgid.
If we want to keep using the formation and keep up the momentum, we need to have the personnel available. This necessitates another CB coming in. I think another winger is also needed. NL talked of one before the MJ injury.
3-5-2 and I think we will have a very productive 2nd half to the season. 4-2-3-1 will produce a lot of tight games.
Go Get Vic…
You know it makes sense Rodney..
D. :)
So far this window has been an absolute shocker for Celtic. We have brought in bit part players who are considered long term investments. We have done nothing immediately improve the squad with experienced pros. We have not added much needed physicality.
Rangers losing to hearts and us destroying st.johnstone for 20mins has made us complacent.
I’m concerned the board is gambling with this team at the worse possible time.
We can win the league with the squad we have , however we are an injury or two away from disaster imo!!
come on PL – where is our financial advantage??
its all about risk management – reduce our risk and increase our probability. The financial implication of 9IAR and going for 10 are very significant.
Deniabhoy,
No,I was not happy.The reasons we were played of the park were because of selection mistakes by Lenny,and playing 70 mins with 10 men.As much as I love Lenny,he has made some right fek ups.An unreliable MJ,and an unfit Elyanoussi.No Eddy.We were on a hiding to nothing.Dont think we will see that repeated.
If we keep flooding the pool with more new signings,IMHO,it would not help us win this league.Seem to forget we have signed two players.Klimala,rave reviews from football people in Poland who know the boy.Even likened to a young Lewandowski.We will see on that.Soro looks an outstanding ,battling defensive mid.
I am delighted with the squad,sorry if that upsets anyone.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 31ST JANUARY 2020 3:03 PM
Yes and No.
:))))
STEBHOY on 31ST JANUARY 2020 3:11 PM
We have a squad full of players who cost more to the club in terms of transfer fees and wages paid.
DENIABHOY! NAIL ON HEAD!! Lennon has asked for 2-3 more players with experience who could affect the 1st team – this has not been delivered! He knows the teams weakness and vulnerabilities – lets hope the board deliver!
@ TURKEYBHOY on 31ST JANUARY 2020 2:52 PM
“Are you saying we should just sign guys,in case of an injury.”
It’s not without good cause and players are currently injured in any event. Before the NY, Jozo’s last start was 22 August against AIK. He had not played in the league this season until Kilmarnock last week. He managed to start 3 games on the trot and is now injured again.
Elhamed has played 4 league games this season. Bitton has had a recurring hamstring problem.
We know these players are likely to be injured again this season. We know we cannot rely on them to remain fit and available consistently. We have 9IAR up for grabs. We have £40m in the bank.
Why the reticence to ease the burden, to increase the likelihood of winning the league?
No one is advocating that we sign another keeper- it’s not necessary; or another no. 10- ditto. People are advocating to improve the areas where we are vulnerable or lack quality.
Paul67
Better than the regular ‘ our business is done article ‘
Not bothered about Wanyama, certainly hard to fit into our midfield at his price, and fitness level.
Would have liked a bit of cover at Centre Back not neccessarily Benkovic, who is too often injured, and we’ve enough of those.
With everybody returned to fitness, and Klimala and Soro and fringe players, still to contribute I agree with NFL we have a great squad of players.
Most Celtic fans will agree we have more than enough to win title number nine.
Hail Hail
You can never have enough good players, never.
What stops teams from doing so is cash, if you have it spend some either on buying or loans.
D :)
@ CELTIC40ME on 31ST JANUARY 2020 3:02 PM
“A gamble suggests if we spent all the money we’d be guaranteed the title. Which is completely untrue”
By framing matters within the guise of being “guaranteed” you are able to completely stifle discussion. Nothing is guaranteed, so we should do nothing?
Liverpool are in the middle of an unbeaten season and still bought a striker as back up. It’s prudent management and forward planning. Good teams do it.
We on the other hand, by our manager’s own admission, need experienced players added to the squad and have not done that to date.
Spending money does not guarantee anything, but spending money in football often equates to quality and quality lends itself to better results. Of course, other factors are in play (cheating refs and poor tactics). If you don’t agree with this statement, I assume you are of the Lord Nimmo Smith view that Oldco spending more money than they could afford did not translate into an advantage. After all, nothing was guaranteed with any of those signings?
We have been told ad nauseam that we are a “well run club”, so surely we should have faith in investing large amounts of money wisely?
Bournes
Completely agree about Wanyama and Benkovic . The Wanyama we would be paying a helluva lot of money for might not be the same player many fondly remember . Benkovic too , might well join our other crocks for frequent spells on the sidelines , which would defeat the purpose . Soro ,I hope , will be our new Wanyama , the more pressing matter is the CB.
SMSM create the illusion that Sevco are spending.
we pay helluva lot of money for 4 months through a Loan deal – hardly breaking the bank!
GLENDALYS
The figures for Wanyama don’t match up, and Benkovic hasn’t worked out at Leicester IMO, though I’d take him for cover.
Centre Back is the only part of the team where another injury could constitute a
crisis, given that Simunovic and Bitton are already so susceptible.
Posters that mainly post negatively during the window are easy to spot, and remain irrational, up to a high level of marble losing.
HH
Is there a tribe to join that believes we can both win with our current squad if we avoid injury and who would still like us to de-risk that by using our financial muscle and procuring some experienced quality?
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 31ST JANUARY 2020 2:43 PM
It’s about the probability of winning. At present we are favourites, but not by much. I just want our cavernous financial advantage to be translated into a greater footballing advantage which would increase the probability of winning the league.
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Cavernous financial advantage or not, we are much improved from last season.
Neil Lennon’s record over his first 56 games is actually better than Brendan Rodgers
We are not far from the invincible season standard (which should be the benchmark)
I’d argue its harder to meet those standards as they have got stronger. To win 4 out of 4 against Gerrards Rangers is much harder than Warburton/Murty Rangers.
Harry Brady and P67 served their purpose and helped steady the PR ship after the 29th Dec defeat.
Talk of assembling a squad to win every domestic game was simply nonsense. Now according to Brady we’re phoning around asking agents whose available!
Brady at least acknowledges he was used, I doubt P67 will. We’ve rolled the dice on the 9. I hope it works out for us.
On his first game for Celtic, against St Johnstone at Parkhead back in August 2011, Lenny played Wanyama in no less than three positions, in the same game. Left back, midfield, then when reminded by big Pete that Victor could also play centre back, at centre back an awe.
Oh and we lost that game 1-0.
Big Wavy
Welcome to my tribe, sensible posts are rare on transfer day, the chief would like to speak to you immediately
HH
Super Bowl weekend.
Brexit
Defenestration
Academicals
Nothing like a boring winter weekend.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 31ST JANUARY 2020 3:39 PM
@ CELTIC40ME on 31ST JANUARY 2020 3:02 PM
By framing matters within the guise of being “guaranteed” you are able to completely stifle discussion. Nothing is guaranteed, so we should do nothing?
Comments like we’re gambling the 9 isn’t discussion is it. It’s clearly untrue, as is saying we’ve done nothing.
I’m not sure where get the idea that Liverpool have signed a striker – they’ve signed a left winger who has made fewer appearances so far than our new striker, despite arriving a couple of weeks earlier.
In the summer window, after winning the champions league and before the season they’d hope to win their first title for decades they signed a reserve keeper and a project at center back for less than 2m
In a not so insignificant season, what constitutes a gamble at this juncture?
Stick with what we’ve got and hope it’s enough to secure the title?
Add a couple of experienced players of good quality who could enhance our first eleven in a step to mitigate the risk of not winning the title?
Ps I think we will get players in 🤞🏻
HH
Hagi on loan still the big news on SKY
The guy at Moreloss car,was a private investigator hired by his wife,he seemingly turned up at the police station and proved his ID,……..allegedly…
Ki leaves Newcastle
Kamberi to them if it happens is strange, are Hibs so badly off they need a loan fee?
Morelos the world’s most expensive unwanted striker 😂
Made a list of Celtic’s January transfers to the best of my ability:
Players who made a significant first team contributions over the long-term:
Mark Wilson, Paul Hartley, Samaras, Barry Robson, Ki Sung-Yueng, Kris Commons, Mikael Lustig, Tom Rogic, Stefan Johansen, Leigh Griffiths, Gary Mackay-Steven, Stuart Armstrong, Erik Sviatchenko, Patrick Roberts, Scott Bain
Useful Cameos:
Craig Bellamy, Roy Keane, Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe, Robbie Keane, Timo Weah, Dion Dublin
Absolute waste of money: Kjartan Finnbogason, Teddy Bjarnason, Stephane Henchoz, Du Wei, Koki Mizuno, Ben Hutchison, Willo Flood, Jos Hooiveld, Morten Rasmussen, Edson Braafheid, Paul Slane, Diomansy Kamara, Pawel Bozek, Rabiu Ibrahim, Holmbert Frindjonsson, Colin Kazim-Richards, Charly Musonda, Jack Hendry, Marvin Compper, Jeremy Toljan, Oliver Burke
Jury is still out/not sure:
Kouassi Eboue (terrible luck), Vakoun Bayo
Mixed list. I think it’s good to point out that the best mid-season transfers tend to be either guys from leagues that are off-season in January (Rogic, Lustig, Sviatchenko etc.) or Scottish based players.
Big Wavy, top tribal action.
I think that thee board of management are happy to have us in early European stuff, and if we get to league stages then even better. But don’t expect any extra money to go further in Europe. Any success there will be down to the players and our supporters.
a major positive in this transfer windae is ….
A fit & scoring Leigh Griffiths
Surely must be like a new signing :-)