The January 2020 transfer window closed with Celtic signing Patryk Klimala and Ismaila Soro, while Lewis Morgan and Scott Sinclair left the club. In addition, Eboue Kouassi and Jack Hendry, as well as several youth players, left on loan.
With two left wingers out (or on their way out), Mikey Johnston’s injury on Wednesday set the club off looking for cover for that position. If we continue to play three at the back, this will be less of a concern, but Neil Lennon’s other regular formation, with four at the back, requires two wingers. It will be a couple of weeks before Mohamed Elyounoussi is back to full fitness, so James Forrest will carry much of the burden until then.
My big concern is in central defence. We have the headcount in this area, but the two covering players, Jozo Simunovic and Nir Bitton have endured another season of injury, we are vulnerable. Hatem Elhamed plays both right and centre back, so should be able to provide cover. Like Moi, he is working towards full fitness. You can chart your own expectations on when he is Hatem is back and Jozo is next injured.
Ismaila Soro is likely to be used sparingly over the next few weeks as he adjusts to living in northern Europe, but I have hopes for him. We need a player we can rely on when Callum McGregor or Scott Brown need a rest. Patryk Klimala looks to have pace and a directness in front of goal. He will give the manager options.
Despite the hero-status I attach to Scott Sinclair, those who have left contributed next to nothing this season, so should not be a miss between now and May. The transfer window litmus test: Stronger or Weaker, will hopefully be passed. What we know for certain is that we will not be significantly stronger or weaker. This was a window of the margins. Given the importance of this season, that fact is frustrating.
We now have our squad for what will either be our second nine-in-a-row season and possible fourth consecutive treble (!), or something considerably less glorious. They are the strongest squad in the country, with the best manager in the country, do not bet against them.
The job starts with three consecutive games in Lanarkshire, the first time in our 132-year history this is the case (if I momentarily stop claiming Glasgow as part of the County). History is ours for the making, let’s get it done.
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not good for the old ticker, but alls well thatends well and it most certainly did yippppe
You wait 100 games to not recognise your team and then it happens straight away in the next one. Typical.
Fav Uncle
The Uni…
That’s where I work…
4 mins ET was generous. However it went on past 5 because Lewis took a siesta for a minute or two after Morelos took him out.
People already counting tomorrow’s points, have they no learned about chicken counting
Which dept.
Today will have been a great result if we win tomorrow. The doom & gloom was well overdone after the beat us. Equally we need to keep our calm now & assess the position after the Accie game.
Obviously the bottom line tommorow is for a win at all costs.
However with the talent we have…and the way we have been threatning to play in spells.
I want a big big win..5 nil type.
It would bolster the goal difference to ‘almost’ secure an extra point and it would be a dagger through the heart of our closest rivals.
5,6,7 goal gap tommorow we will be good for an effective 5 point real terms gap even if they win their game in hand.
That is two wins behind us.
Ha ha, Billy Dodds was a jibbering mess. So emotionally involved he couldn’t string two words together😂😂
Creak creak creak.
As inevitable as the sunrise.
Hard to be motivated to frothing at the mouth, snarling, eating raw meat levels when you are not being paid on time.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Slippy must be starting to recognise this team by now….you know, the ones who bottle it after hearing over the break that they’re championship material.
Follow Follow
Thread 1 – We have thrown this away
Post 1 – “Team full of bottlers”
Post 2 – “Disgusting”
Post 3 – “Thats the title gone now. We have bottled it”
Lovely jubbly csc
Fav Uncle
I work as a photographer.. so i’m all over the place
Im counting tommorows points alright.
Infact I am counting tommorows goals.
hehe
I know it’s not the correct thing to do but im not the manager…just a supporter.!
Comments from FF on the ref
Another incompetent refereeing performance. Absolutely baffling that he booked Goldson instead of Cosgrove. Cosgrove & Logan away with murder against us again, unsurprisingly
_________________________________________________________
wasn’t incompetent, it was cheating.
______________________________________
Another shocking refereeing performance. Just the usual now
______________________________________________
An utterly corrupt performance.
___________________________________
Big game tomorrow, must win, as they all are these days.
Play well we will win. I hope we play 4-3-3 tomorrow
now celtic make it count tomorrow
And breath in through the nose
1,2,3,4
And slowly exhale
1,2,3,4
Transfer window shut
Put your grumbles,moans and ponderings to one side and ask
9IAR are you in?
😊
HH
VYORKBHOY on 1ST FEBRUARY 2020 5:13 PM
good luck with that .snogged any chines burds lately.??????????????????????????????????
January – known in G51 as the Ianis Hagi window.
DENIABHOY on 1ST FEBRUARY 2020 4:26 PM
Belated response.
I was at the Dec. 29 game.
We were completely outthought OFF the field imho .
If we can`t identify the cause of a problem , we can`t hope to prevent a recurrence.
That`s why the targeting of P.L. after the game was so counter to our interests.
Tactics imho were the problem that day . Not the personnel on the field or available for selection .
CUE. The current manic desperation to BUY BUY BUY .
Today`s result from the field of drums and drams should reassure the doubters.
SHOULD .
:-)
From last night:
NO BOBBY DOES IT PETTA on 31ST JANUARY 2020 11:43 PM
So, no more business this window, only the two squad-filling young projects. What an incredible gamble by PL and the club.
*Awe FFS, 2 projects, one is seen as the new “Lewandowski” and the other gives us the luxury to allow Kouassi the opportunity to find his form and mibbees give us the chance to bring him back. Meanwhile sevco sign, on loan I hasten to add, a has been that never was and a never was that never will be.
The latter’s club have released 3 midfielders and 2 forwards, one was sold for 8.5m and made his debut for Villa in the white hot LC Semi 2nd leg and another at 22m is Sheffield United’s record signing.
In replacing them they forsook “one of the best talents in Europe at Under-21 level” whose transfer fees were around 12m Euros bringing in 3 midfielders including one from the most successful club in Scotland who in his 3 years with the club has only played 22 games, in fact in the last 5 years he has only played 41.
We have supporters bemoaning letting Jack Hendry go, WTF, as we have a dearth at centre half and wondering why we didnae sign Benko another Croat strawberry ripple who only played 28 games for us in a congested season.
Then more bitching about getting rid of Lewis Morgan as the unfancied, well down under that is, Mikey is injured.
Faithful through and through my erse.
Oh just noticed that 6m superstar barrie mckay went on loan tae Fleetwood must be filling in for Lindsey Buckingham.
Wee query
Is Alfredo 1 booking away from an extended ban?
HH
AT – I’m in
Wanted more additions but we move on and get behind Lenny and the bhoys.
COYBIG
D. :)
Tomorrow is a great opportunity to build a comfortable lead. We have our problems but tomorrow we must win by any means. 3 points will go a long way to winning this league. Stay focused, Celtic.
I just have to visualize Gerrards classless aggressive celebration at full time at celtic park to bring a lovely wee smile to my face……try it guys?…..close your eyes and give it a go.
NOTTHEBUS on1ST FEBRUARY 2020 5:14 PM
Comments from FF on the ref
Another incompetent refereeing performance. Absolutely baffling that he booked Goldson instead of Cosgrove. Cosgrove & Logan away with murder against us again, unsurprisingly
_________________________________________________________
wasn’t incompetent, it was cheating.
______________________________________
Another shocking refereeing performance. Just the usual now
______________________________________________
An utterly corrupt performance.
All copies & pasted from cqn a few weeks ago
My current personal favourite. Definitely a Timposter:
“We are on the brink of having our treble record equalled.
A record we used to Lord of over them.
What’s worse a treble treble (which will never be done again) and very close to being a quadruple treble.
It’s disgusting.
To make matters worse it will also be 9iar.
Next year when we fail at January they will win 10 and beat our record all in the same year.
I don’t care if people call me a Tim for highlighting this very really possibility.”
From the moment he came in through the door and proclaimed his team a class above Aberdeen, more often than not, the Dons have cost Gerrard very dear.
any win tomorrow will do
by a big margin would be great but just make sure we win
1-0 to the hoops is enough
The Huns game ended at nearly ninety seven minutes according to FlashScore which I was “watching” on my phone.
Four minutes my erchie
https://twitter.com/janeparkx/status/1223616766162743296?s=07&fbclid=IwAR170wTN7jygzE4n30uKN3gRNOq9-axdbpjpKg3k6HxLzsfawwIHwT5Ox5Q
AN DUN
That’s a good point. Aberdeen’s teamtalk done every time they face Rangers.
BIG WAVY on1ST FEBRUARY 2020 5:13 PM
Follow Follow
Thread 1 – We have thrown this away
Post 1 – “Team full of bottlers”
Post 2 – “Disgusting”
Post 3 – “Thats the title gone now. We have bottled it”
Opps this was the 1
A few posts from the Bear Pit:
“Real danger we lose the fans. Personally speaking I don’t know if I’ve got much energy left for this level of abject disappointment. There is only so many times you can have your hopes crushed. For certain we are not winning this league , despite the few staunch posters who will argue for the sake of it tonight.”
“We just handed them a quadruple treble on a plate
Questions need asked of Gerrard. Specifically around is his inability to change a game
His record v Aberdeen is utterly deplorable.”
“It’s over. The squad of players and management team dont have the bottle for a title fight”
“he management have to take the blame.
What the f*ck are we doing during the winter break?
First sub today on 65 minutes. Who the f*ck needed to wait until the 65th minute to see how the game was going?
Absolutely dreadful.
For once I’m not even interested in listening to Gerrards post match “telling it like it is” interview.
£7million for Kent looks a waste.
Ojo can f*ck off
Aribo is a fairy who dances about and effects f*ck all.
Katic looked like a baby Giraffe today.”
“This team can not handle the pressure of being in the lead. Every time we beat Celtic or go top of the league we absolutely collapse afterwards. Celtic will kick on now and there’s no way we are winning both old firm games and dropping less points than them. Absolutely gutted today.”
“Our team is littered with mentally weak players who can’t cope with the pressure. If that’s the reaction we were promised after Tynecastle then serious questions need to be asked about the team/manager
Today was embarrassing and frankly we were lucky to draw”
Sevco points per game …..
First half of season – 2.63
Second half (to date) – 1.75
But, to be fair to them, they do ..
– routinely win the back pages
– routinely win the transfer window
– have world class breakfasts
– have world class doctors who double up as squirrels to deflect that their injured players are absent
– Have a striker so dangerous there is a price (but not a fee) on his head
– have Scotland’s only £2million a year footballer
BTW – re: the last point above, this guy will be four months shy of his THIRTY-NINTH birthday when he finally stops taking cash off these mugs.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Tomorrow SHOULD be straight forward, but the plastic pitch makes it a difficult game
Please just win Celtic
My friends in Celtic,
How silly do the huns sound on SSB stating the huns were playing 12 men.
Dallas was terrible, gave us nothing, a disgrace blah blah blah. Yawn, Yawn.
Tomorrow we go out and give it our best shot, take the MIB out the equation and score more than the opposition.
It was thus in Big Jocks time, the same principle applies tomorrow.
HH.