January window understatement

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The January transfer window pretty much passed Celtic by this year, a tacit indication that the league is over and we have little to play for.  Jonjoe Kenny (23) arrived on loan from Everton yesterday, by all accounts a good prospect who should up our game, but there will be no transformational change.

Kenny will permit Kristopher Ajer to return to central defence, however, with Christopher Jullien long-term injured, do not expect an end to bizarre defensive performances anytime soon.

Jeremie Frimpong took his potential off to Leverkusen for a sum few of us could believe.  Whatever happens to the player, it was a good move for Celtic.  The full back positions have been one of several underperforming areas this season.  Jeremie, for all his speed and skill, could not match Ajer’s ability to get a cross into the box.  He is only 20 and will improve, but we do not have the luxury of waiting for that to happen.  The reported £11m (minus Man City cut) will be a welcome contribution towards a gaping deficit.

Just as I did with Jeremie, early in the season I lavished praise on the abilities of Olivier Ntcham.  Like Frimpong, he has abundant talent, but successive managers have failed to get a consistent performance from him.  Olivier will look at others who have retained their positions with performance well below his lowest level with good reason. He was not given the chances afforded to others, but that does not make him good enough.  Pittodrie did it for me.  I hope he flourishes in France.

I don’t know if Ben Davies is Preston class, Celtic class or Liverpool class.  He was an unlikely target for a team aiming to win the English Premier League and the Champions League.  Signing quality players on a free contract is the fastest way to improve your lot in football.  It has been years since we have profited from this strategy.  We didn’t get Davies over the line, so clearly this strategy needs to be reinforced.

Tonight’s opponents, Kilmarnock, have won only one of their previous five, a 2-0 victory over Hamilton.  Of course, our 2-0 win over Hamilton was our only triumph in six outings last month.  It has all the makings of a drunken 2am street brawl.  How’s about it, Celtic, give us a performance?

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276 Comments

  1. EmeraldBee \o/ A Double Niner!! on 2nd February 2021 5:43 pm

     

     

    I agree we are saft all over the park, pushed off the ball by what appear to be smaller players. Watch how many 50:50 and 60:40 challenges that we lose particularly in the midfield.

     

     

    Also no matter how bad a refereeing decision is we never complain or we do it as an after thought , against St Mirren our players had jerseys pulled on three separate occasions, two were in the St Mirren box, ref waved play on and we meekly accepted it. We are spineless. Can’t use the language I really want to.

  2. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    When we concede corners tonight please please please put somebody anybody on the goal posts! Can still see the Livi guy (and the sevco guy?) nodding the ball in the general direction of the post – and in it floats. Not even a bullet header, just a wee lets head this towards the post and see what happens.

     

     

    The thing is even if we get another drubbing – the pattern is set – no big deal – the players let the manager down again.

     

     

    On a positive note – I’m glad we didn’t buy any permanent signings in the transfer window, a good sign I think, no early rebuild therefore hopefully waiting on a new manager,

     

     

    Paolo Di Canio 50/1 – he’d liven things up!

  3. Corkcelt

     

    For the last 3 seasons they’ve supposedly had to sell players to balance the books ( no laughing at the back )

  4. It’s easy supporting the team when we’re winning – how does that song go – we don’t care if we ……..

  5. onenightinlisbon on

    GENE on 2ND FEBRUARY 2021 6:00 PM

     

     

    Do you support the continuing bad decisions being made by Lennon and the board?

     

     

    Supporting the team on the park is different….

  6. BHOY FROM THE BOYNE on 2ND FEBRUARY 2021 1:45 PM

     

     

    ROLLING_STONE on 2ND FEBRUARY 2021 1:38 PM

     

     

    I don’t disagree but same time look for inspiration. Think of Wim Jansen’s 97/98 team. We need coach and management team together we some decent signings to complement what we already have and as a team, we could really be the surprise package next season and claim back the title. Here’s hoping.

     

     

    *fully concur with you that we will bounce back. Apart fae Wim’s season take a look at our Centenary one, even though we lost 4 top players and our manager, we also brought in Mick McCarthy, Billy Stark, Chris Morris, Macca and wee Joe Millar and with our outgoing players we only spent around half a million while deidco’s spending was in the region of 2.75m.

     

     

    Getting back tae WTT’s one and only season, the 2nd worse thing tae hit Hiroshima, came without a backroom team.

     

     

    When he arrived Murdo McLeod had already been hired as reserve team coach with Tom McAdam in a scouting role.

     

     

    Wim not long after he arrived promoted Murdo to be his assistant and Tom moved into Murdo’s position.

     

     

    Apart fae losing Tommy Burns and Billy Stark we also lost Andreas Thom, Paolo Di Canio, Jorge Cadette, Peter Grant, Brian O’Neill, Pat Bonner and larry marshall although he was no loss.

     

     

    We brought in Darren Jackson his first signing, Jonathan Gould, the Grim Reiper who allegedly the Hammers fans were glad tae see the back of, Regi Stinker, Stephane Mahe, Craig Burley, Enrico Annonni, Harald Brattback and last but not least Henrik.

     

     

    That’s some turnover, not just that but we lost our first 2 League games as well as an away UEFA tie in Innsbruk, all in August, and yet before the month was out we had bounced back winning up in Perth within 4 days a LC tie and our first League win. We also had a crackin 6-3 win over Innsbruk in the 2nd leg.

     

     

    Meanwhile over at the gates of hell after spending 14.5m and persuading the 2nd best player in the laudrup hoose tae stay another season, by the end of September they were out of both European tournaments.

     

     

    It was then that the rag and bone man’s ego took over, he couldnae give a donald duck about the 10, it was all about the Big Cup for him, so he fired naesurname, after he had won them 7 Titles and 3 each of SC and LC including a treble.

     

     

    On hiring the narcissistic dikeplugger he was forced tae build a training facility, albeit with public funds, and get rid of the flying pig as well as the fat Geordie bassa, the latter with 7 League games and a SC still tae play for.

     

     

    It was he and he alone who cost them the ten. As grateful as I was on that 9th day of May and still am to WTT he never managed another club again.

     

     

    In fact my lasting memory of him is of the Sunday before when after the Pars equalised he was like a deer in the headlights while the Grim Reiper was screaming at him tae get a sub on, which he didnae.

  7. Onil

     

    I want Neil to leave – be in no doubt of that.

     

     

    However when we take to the field Celtic win and lose as a team and that includes the management team

  8. Lots went wrong this season

     

     

    A combination of poor management, poor players performance, and poor recruitment.

     

     

    Complacency and thinking we just needed to turn up to win the league.

     

     

    A worldwide pandemic that has impacted all teams but by fuck have we had to deal with a shiteload of problems.

     

     

    Long term Injuries to key players in jullian and forrest did not help when added to other players missing the big games I.e. first sevco game played with 4 or 5 key players missing.

     

     

    Loss of confidence.

     

     

    It goes on and on

     

     

    I am gonna look on the bright side:

     

     

    PL is gone

     

     

    No way lennon can last and if celtic want to sell season tickets they will need to get a decent manager in and they will need to back him.

     

     

    Lots of space in the squad next season through loan/ contracts ending, players moved on in january and likely a number of sales in the summer.

  9. Expected team/formation tonight

     

     

    Bain

     

     

    Kenny

     

    Ajer

     

    Duffy

     

    Taylor

     

     

    Soro

     

    McGregor

     

    Turnbull

     

    Elyounoussi

     

     

    Edouard

     

    Ajeti

     

    ————————

     

     

    My team/formation

     

     

    Barkas

     

     

    Kenny

     

    Ajer

     

    Welsh

     

    Taylor

     

     

    Soro

     

    McGregor

     

     

    Elyounoussi

     

    Turnbull

     

    Edouard

     

     

    Ajeti

     

     

    HH

  10. STEPHBHOY67 on 2ND FEBRUARY 2021 6:24 PM

     

     

    Lots went wrong this season A worldwide pandemic that has impacted all teams but by fuck have we had to deal with a shiteload of problems.

     

     

    *No not all of them Robert Johnson at the Crossroads FC seem tae have survived it.

     

     

    Incidentally heard a doctor last night stating that a hurricane is off the shore of the States and is coming rapidly, its no weather related but Covid.

  11. @CelticFC v Killie line up …

     

     

    Bain, Kenny, Ajer, Waish, Taylor, Brown, McGregor, Turnbull, Christie, Edouard, Ajeti

     

     

    Subs: Barkas, Duffy, Soro, Laxalt, Elyounoussi, Rogic, Johnston, Klimala, Griffiths

  12. wasn’t impressed with soro against saints, didn’t look comfortable when continually pressed by the saints last time out.

  13. I’m watching the Wolves Arsno game. It’s enjoyable but, win lose or draw…..it’s not Celtic

  14. When you look at that team… and then the bench…… how did we end up where we are?

     

    Shocking.

     

    Is it too much to ask for a win and a convincing performance? Shirley not.

     

    COYBIG

  15. Give is a G

     

     

    Celtic FC Women

     

    @CelticFCWomen

     

     

    Squared new

     

    #CelticFC Women are delighted to announce the signing of Young @TheMatildas

     

    and former West Ham attacker Jacynta Galabadaarachchi from @NapoliFemminile

     

     

    ! Welcome to the Hoops, Jacynta! Flag of AustraliaFour leaf clover

  16. let’s hope broonie plays for the team tonight and not being the tuff man when someone gets the better of him.

  17. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    Good luck to the Celts, I’ll be impressed by a win.

     

     

    A ten o’clock check for me tonight. Most seasons I can make myself look for a halftime update of the games I’m not at. Not this one. Stop dragging us down Celtic.

     

     

    Eat less, Move more, Keep breathing

  18. Soro on the bench, so not injured.

     

    Having had no starts for months , Sorohas had a run of games & looked knackered against St. Mirren,

     

    Think Brooney back is right call & maybe Soro 2nd half.

  19. Well today is officially groundhog day.

     

     

    Let’s hope we pummel kilmarnock tonight and all get a good night’s sleep.

     

     

    Hail hail and N&V