Lack of consistency haunts Celtic again

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Celtic have been completely dominant in Scottish football on many occasions but only once did this result in a domestic treble (the treble was won another two occasions when Celtic were only marginally ahead of the competition but were ruthlessly focussed).

At all other times we have had a morning like this, tossed out of one of the cup competitions by a vastly over-performing team.  Little more than a handful of games against weaker opponents stood between us and a treble in each of the last two years, but as we have noted for many years now, Celtic are not consistent enough to win the treble.  The evidence is substantial.

There are parallel ways we should react to this.  In the middle of a Champions League campaign we should be focused on little else, players should be rested for the challenge ahead, even if there are resultant risks, but there will be disappointment that we didn’t see a recognisable performance from those drafted into the team.  It wasn’t until Matthews, Commons and Stokes arrived last night that we looked anything like the Celtic we know.  On no occasions should we lose at home to a Championship team looking for their first away win since April.

That domestic treble from a dominant position was achieved by Martin O’Neill in season 2000-01, a time when Martin scarcely made a substitution before 85 minutes, never mind rested players.  This drew criticism, of course, as his ‘feeder’ players were denied opportunities to grow.  Despite last night’s reversal I would still rather use these games to develop the wider squad.

I also don’t subscribe to the belief that ‘every game is a cup final’.  Motivational strategies lose effectiveness if you roll them out too often.

Credit to Allan Moore and his “boys with desire and work-rate”.
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  1. Well results like last night’s do happen, it is a cup dompetition afterall. However if there were a Shuttle Football Cup we would win it hands down every year, since all we do is pass sideways, lateral movement to match the GB. Why are all our midfielders either holding or defensive, none except KC seem prepared to take the ball, beat a man and drive forward? 27 corners last night and each time the ball was cleared to the edge of the box Morton picked it up, no Celtic player there to challenge or scrap. We can be so frustrating to watch and yet when we play well no team in Scotland can live with us, definitely lacking consistency and when we fail we fail abyssmally.

  2. Bada Bing,

     

     

    Was that for the dive outside the box and he gave them a PK as well? If so this is bordering on serial!!

     

     

    HH GMB

  3. Anybody using iOS 7.0? Just checked photos taken by my devices and they are now arranged into chronological order and have the place they were taken attached and when you tap on the place name it opens up with the photo(s) on a map where it was taken. Feckin brilliant or dangerous, depending on how you live your life. How much info do these things send back to Apple, the mind boggles?

  4. The Spirit Of Arthur Lee on

    Meanwhile Live in England

     

     

    Birmingham City 0 – 0 Swansea City

     

    Manchester United 0 – 0 Liverpool

     

    Newcastle United 0 – 0 Leeds United

     

    Tranmere Rovers 0 – 0 Stoke City

     

    West Bromwich Albion 0 – 0 Arsenal

  5. Well. This is what I think. Simply not good enough. Any repeat next year (no winning Treble) and it’s time fur a change. Saying well done fur hard work = we didny work hard. No working hard isny good enough. We are Celtic and that MUST equal working hard.

  6. Paul

     

    Our cup results over several years now have been very poor not inconsistent

     

    It seems to me that there is a pattern here that can be explained rather easily.

     

    If you look at our recent accounts you will see that we pay very large sums of money to our players for their success in the CL

     

    Last night the win bonus was probably £500

     

    Modern players – like it or not -are motivated mainly by money

     

    Until the club makes it financially attractive to win games like last night -then we will continue to suffer results like last night!

     

    I would prefer that the club was honest about this and come out and say they are not too bothered about the cups.

     

    Or even better -do an Arsenal and say that you will play young players -that way the support know what they are going to see if they choose to go along

     

     

    HH

  7. Goodnight Timland.

     

     

    Early bed for me, still shattered after last night’s

     

    extra time……..just like to say, read a lot of pish

     

    on here,but would not like to see anyone barred

     

    or censored because some find the pish they

     

    post is well, pish………..who am I too talk!!!!!!!!!

  8. Man utd v Liverpool

     

    Smalling slides in box ball hits arm

     

    No penalty

     

    Celtic v Morton

     

    Ambrose slips in box ball hits arm

     

    Penalty

     

    Only in Scotland only if Celtic HH

  9. What we need in our team for domestic league and cup games is a moucher…..

     

    Someone that can score from inside the 6 yard box and pick up scraps……a gary hooper type if you like.

     

    I would take billy mckay…..

  10. Having an argument with a hun,can anybody give me Neils champions league record in comparison to sir Walter

  11. gallowgate mad squad on

    latchford

     

    19:43 on

     

    25 September,

     

    Celtic have seriously underperfomed in winning trophies in the last 3 years.

     

    We have mismanaged the transfer window and weakened the team.

     

    The coaching staff are very limited.

     

     

    Celtic will never get to the next level with Lenny as manager.

     

     

     

    Sorry latchford, but your comments don’t stand up to scrutiny.

     

    1- Celtic have seriously underperfomed in winning trophies in the last 3 years.

     

    Are you Hugh Keevins? Maybe Jock Stein should have been sacked for not winning a treble every season using this reasoning.

     

     

    2-We have mismanaged the transfer window and weakened the team.

     

    No, agents, players and our environment “wrecked” (ho ho) our transfer window- they weren’t pushed out the door. We can develop players to £12 million ratings, but players already rated in this category would never join us even if we did have the budget. The team being weakened is not the fault of celtic, more the league we play in.

     

     

    3- The coaching staff are very limited. / Celtic will never get to the next level with Lenny as manager.

     

    Next level? What is that? Is that champions of the Solar System? Does last 16 in World’s most elite club tournament twice not count? What is your definition of the next level?

     

     

    I guess you may be the type of guy that sits moaning at james Forrest, Aiden, Jackie etc. Or you may be…….duh duh duh.,……..another rangers fan!!!!!

     

     

    You’re not on Follow Follow anymore. We can see you clearly. i think this site even tolerates gers fans, if they are polite enough. Why not come out and give us the view from Ibrox without subterfuge?

  12. Stairheed

     

     

    Could be 3, if last night counts along with Dundee Utd at CP and St Mirren away for a dive well outside the box. I could become paranoid again!!

     

     

    HH GMB

  13. stairheedrammy says cmon oscar

     

     

    I make it 3 made up pens now.

     

     

    The English accent… Can anyone make out what the fans where just chanting there at old Trafford? Something something bleeping bleep?

  14. midfield maestro on

    I have a spare adult Champions League 3 match package, anyone interested get my details from P67 or cqn fb.

  15. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Why is the League Cup only irrelevant when we get defeated

     

     

    Going by the team selection. CFC were out to win and were clearly valuing the cup

     

     

    Otherwise why not just play the kids

     

     

    Other than VVD our summer signings have a great deal of improving to do

  16. Billy Bhoy supports wee Oscar on

    Having just seen our “highlights” on BBC1 I have to say that is, in my opinion, a penalty. Efe ‘s arm has changed the direction of the ball away from goal.

     

    I have no problem with that decision. The ref could have given an earlier one.

     

     

    The big man must have broke a mirror. He is carrying no luck at all.

  17. the long wait is over on

    gordybhoy64

     

     

    20:15 on 25 September, 2013

     

    Having an argument with a hun,can anybody give me Neils champions league record in comparison to sir Walter

     

    ———–

     

     

    Here you go :-

     

     

    Neil Lennon. – Brilliant

     

     

    Walter Smith – Rubbish.

     

     

    Hope that clarifies matters.

  18. gordybhoy64

     

    20:15 on

     

    25 September, 2013

     

    Having an argument with a hun,can anybody give me Neils champions league record in comparison to sir Walter

     

     

    The legned never made it to the last 16, but Sir Lennon of Sellick did it at the 1st attempt.

     

     

    Allyouneedtoknow CSC

  19. Morrissey the 23rd

     

     

    20:23 on 25 September, 2013

     

     

    these things take time.

     

    And thanks!

  20. One of the worst things about Utd v Liverpool matches is that they can occassionally sing Munich and Hillsborough songs.

     

     

     

    I can honestly say I have never heard a Celtic song sung about the Ibrox Disaster.

     

     

    Of that I am proud.

     

     

    Not so sure if it had been the other way, they would have been the same.

     

     

    I think that it was makes us different.

     

     

    So proud to be a Tim.

  21. Maybe there will be a day when the real sport is that our balance sheet looks better than their balance sheet. So can all us shareholders get bonuses now or is a treble a prerequisite ?

  22. tlwio,

     

    I would accept that,unfortunately hun wants facts,i am at work and phone near dead so can’t check for myself

  23. Hun Skelper

     

     

    I remember all the Hun Spotters of the early 80s who had George Smith the Edinburgh referee down as the original Hun who probably fathered the famed sacrificial goat

     

     

    What a shock they got when the camera panned onto the altar at Bellahouston Park on the 1st June 1982 and the same George Smith was serving mass in the presence of The Pope

     

     

    Some tried to pass it off as a Masonic sleight of hand but I believe that the majority of Hun spotters frequenting Celtic Park in those days had their cards withdrawn

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