I got my wish last night, that Leigh Griffiths would reach the 40 goal mark for the season, and what a great goal it was too, memories of Love St ’86. Also delighted Leigh was aware-enough to mimic Henrik’s ” five zero” gesticulation when he reached 50 in 2001.
40 goals for Celtic in a season is a very rare achievement, as Paul John Dykes pointed out this morning, it’s now only been done 13 times in 128 years. Jimmy McGrory (four times, three in a row) and Henrik Larsson (three times, two in a row), are the only two who have achieved this more than once in their Celtic careers, so Leigh knows what he needs to do next season to get a really special place in the history books.
As for the other pertinent points from last night’s game in Perth, I can cut Stefan Johansen some slack. McDiarmid Park was a farmer’s field not so long ago, and St Johnstone’s first goal looked like it came as a result of a plough intervention.
Efe Ambrose is another story. Last night’s decision to challenge (Logan Bailly) for a ball inside his own six-yard box was inexplicable but consistent with his general awareness this season. When the new manager is in place, someone inside Lennoxtown needs to find the earliest possible moment to sit him down and play the Efe highlights video.
We have a good central defender in Erik Sviatchenko (club captain in the making), and one who could become so in Jozo Simunovic. If Jozo gets himself fit for July we should be well-placed for the qualifiers, but those two aside, we are struggling in central defence.
Out of contract Charlie Mulgrew is in the latter stages of his career, but can be trusted to do a job without causing unnecessary alarm every week. Mikael Lustig’s days as a rampaging full back may be limited by his persistent hip issues, so playing as auxiliary central defender, as he often does for Sweden, works on paper.
I’d be far from confident facing Champions League qualifiers with Efe or Dedryk Boyata, who could still makes Belgium’s Euro’s squad, but if Jozo’s fit, signing a right back, with Mikael covering central defence, feels like an appropriate use of resources.
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3 x £5million first team players at centre forward, holding midfielder and wide right for me – makings of a decent 11 around Gordon, Tierney, Erik, Jozo, Lustig, Roberts, Rogic and Griff.
First investment of course is rid us of Park, investigate the Dudu scam and keep friendly with City after Lawell leaves….maybe ask Jason Denayer to come back ?
Johnny Hayes is not a bad player but can we not find someone like Paddy Roberts for the other side, Hayes is committed and direct I like him but has he got that magic touch, I don’t think so.
Hail Hail.
JAMABHOY on 12TH MAY 2016 1:12 PM
I’d like to see big Eoghan O’Connell back from Cork City and given a run o
I’m sure he came back from Cork City injured? And still is?
Rogic is inconsistent.
I don’t recall a game where he has been good throughout.
He’s a 5 minute wonder and we can be a man down from the off.
Get rid.
Oh, and thanks Tom.
And he’s a big fearty.
From what I seen of O’Connell he is too slow which will limit him in the game. I wonder if Kelleher has jumped the queue anyway.
As I said in my last one I’d stay clear of any more SPFL players – Hayes at Aberdeen has to turn into Hayes of Celtic and therein lies the problem. Push for higher quality and greater characters by doing our homework inside a good scouting team.
Playing as a winger in front of some of our miserabilists at Celtic Park, the agricultural defenders, crap pitches and masonic / useless officials are not for the faint hearted.
Forward – Marcus Berg, possibly 1 year left on his contract with Panathinaikos, scored 5 in his last game with them
I’d take the Olympiacos manager too, got the heave from Sporting to make way for Jorge Jesus and was improving them at the time.
TD67 @ 1.14….I’m confused now. I don’t know if I have been HH’d or GIRFUme’d…
Regarding Sunday, I do anticipate that this will be my last visit as a season ticket holder. But, along with my Bhoy I still fully expect to attend every home game I can in 2016-17 (with 1, possibly 2 exceptions), buying tickets on a game by game basis and viewing the games from various different parts of the ground. That way we’ll be fully edumacated in where best to buy a season ticket in 2017-18.
Our seats in the main stand FS2 offer a fantastic view. But the associated facilities are absolutely dire and certainly don’t justify the higher price charged to sit in that stand.
I remain confident that I’ll have no problem in buying a ticket for every home game that I want to attend.
“And he’s a big fearty”
oh yeah and changing the culture of the way we (as supporters) see the game is also a big challenge. Too much love still of the blood and snotters variation of the game other countries put out to meadow years ago.
part of the reason Scotland is an irrelevance in international football.
Vespacide
I think we could do a lot worse than take another look at Finnbigason.
He’s been averaging 1 in 2 for a struggling team in the Bundesliga (on loan).
Clearly La Liga didn’t suit his style.
From what I’ve seen of him he looks physically strong but also mobile.
Could play as a target man or stretch defences in behind.
Could probably play up front in a pairing with LG or on his own for certain games.
Tin hat on!
Who was the massive Brazilian Benfica had that caused havoc against us this year, I think he was magic the game completely changed when he came on.
Hail Hail.
IMO, to me Erik plays like a big John Clark, works the D on the 18 yard line, and reads the game so well, captain material ? I think that was obvious as soon as we signed him, a good centre half beside him, a decent #10 in midfield, and a big hold up guy up front with pace to help out LG and we won’t be far away, IMO.
BIG WAVY
He can’t or won’t tackle.
No blood and snotters,
Football is physical game and tackling is part of it.
Being too afraid to get involved in case you get hurt, especially in a Celtic jersey, is cowardice.
IMO.
Good day.
The absence of paudits for Efe in setting up the move for our goal is a little unkind.
Stefan Johansen could learn a lot by studying Efe’s technique.
On another point…
What’s happened to the mighty CKR? Fellow started to put a performance together versus Hearts, then hasn’t featured in the subsequent 2 matches.
Injured? What?
Jobo!
Are we filing a Res.13 for the 3-0 ICT result in LMS7? :-)
Martinez has just got his jotters at Everton.
CULTSBHOY CAN NOT RELATE TO CELTIC BOARD AMBITIONS ON OR OFF THE PARK on 12TH MAY 2016 10:35 AM
Timaloy
I was a big advocate of Griffiths before we signed him. I’m even more of a fan now.
I’ve said previously he has done the work of 2 strikers this season – 40 goals confirms that point. He deserves
Double wages – which should come via 50% of Cole and Richards wages.. As they have done less than half the work of a proper striker.
Griffiths now needs serious competition and support. I’d bring in a proven striker ( folk will laugh but Adam Rooney or McDonald as back up would be useful) I’d be looking to convert GMS as I think he could be trained to be a striker. We however need a proper mentor striker for Griffiths so I’d be happy with a 30-something guy on his way down.
_______
Thanks for the reply and I agree with most of your points.
I have to admit that I worried about Leigh for a while. I wondered if he was worth all the bother and how wrong was I?
I don’t have an issue with the Adam Rooney suggestion but I’d stay clear of McDonald. He’s not always played as an out and out striker this year and I think his days of 20 goals a season are gone.
While I know you aren’t a fan but I still have hope for CKR. As I pointed out when we signed him, he’s never actually played much as a striker. It’s fair to say he hasn’t looked like a natural striker either.
However, I’d place him in the same category as Samaras. He seems to have some useful attributes that aren’t always obvious. He won’t be prolific but I think he can work well with Leigh. I’d keep him if we get rid of some of our other supporting players (Armstrong, GMS, Rogic, Commons etc.)
We do need another striker though. Somebody needs to share the burden and Rooney might not be the worst choice. Though I’d like us to consider others.
As for the right back suggestion, I have always like Darnell Fisher. Wouldn’t he and Janko be capable domestically?
TONYDONNELLY67 on 12TH MAY 2016 1:14 PM
Congrats LG on your 40th goal last night, and what a peach it was too, as for St Johnstone hackers and cloggers, only way they would have scored is the way they did, we gave them two goals, unlike others I won’t go into detail on how the goals came about, like many teams in the SPFL St J would get football banned, who the f… Would want to watch that every week? No idea what attacking football is about never mind entertainment, this is the main reason crowds are down, no one wants to watch this, you’ll get a good game from Aberdeen, Hearts, and that’s it, the rest are merde, oh and were told the new club coming up this season will be our toughest opponents, cough, cough, aye right, the match officials are the problem there , not the new club,.
And those who are making Sunday they’r last game? I wish you well obviously your heart wasent in it in the first place, and it wasent what you thought it would be I get that. It’s a different breed nowadays that’s the way it goes, and many (the malcontents) in here say ” they know lots who won’t be renewing they’r SB, REALY , may be its the company they keep?
I don’t know anyone from my crowd who are not renewing, and there are lots, so to the kite flyers and mischief makers, lurking Huns, and the rest of thos negative posters, any chance you could make your last post in here on Sunday night? And just feck right off, and let us Tims get on with supporting our club CFC.
My apologies to those in here also who are deep in talks of the Middle East, you could also jump on that train as well and feck right off.
Lurking Huns and the others mentioned GIRFUYs …….The rest HH
……………………………..
The ole scattergun approach! Rat-a-tat-tat ……………..! You got ’em all. Right between the eyes!
Brilliant post :-))
Just watched Marcus Berg, looks like has good timing but I can’t tell if he is all that good it just shows you his goals not his hold up play or technique.
Hail Hail.
Mythinez sacked
VESPACIDE on 12TH MAY 2016 1:26 PM
Who was the massive Brazilian Benfica had that caused havoc against us this year, I think he was magic the game completely changed when he came on.
___
You mean Fernandao? I didn’t fancy him. Efe effectively played him in and the other goal was a header at a set piece (which we can’t defend against anybody)
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/euro-2016/is-roy-ready-to-go-yeah-he-could-be-martin-oneill-admits-keane-could-be-tempted-if-celtic-come-calling-34708783.html
Efe Ambrose…the worst player I have ever loved!….
Seriously, the big man has a great attitude, big heart, never hides, always gives his best but has been
so unlucky at times, clumsy at others. Perhaps a more savvy manager would have found a better position/role
for him. If he does go, I hope he does well wherever…if he stays, fine by me…love you big man!
Objective criticism is great. So how come Efe is cast as 100% at fault yet no mention of our keeper at the 2nd goal..
Over the last few matches Efe has cleared everthing that came at him in the box so much so that I thought his name had changed to “Away by Ambrose”
Laying into a player trying to do the right thing doesnt mean you are right
Mini received her letter from TO this morning telling her she hasn’t a place in the new safe standing area
Her current seat is there and we advised them in December that she and my 2 nephews where happy to remain in the area when it became railway seats
Email off to JPT
Jobo – so are you sayin’ you’re an ole fair weather supporter?
Brendan O’Dowda’s grandson – some oldies might remember him!!
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/euro-2016/video-martin-oneill-names-ireland-squad-check-out-new-boy-callum-odowda-in-action-34708666.html
Jobo Baldie
But will we still get the morning EK weather report if you give up your season ticket?
Well buttplug, unlike you I have been trying to reason with those who tell me it could be their last game, I don’t tell them to feck right off.
I have advised them there is a big big move coming, and again unlike you my reasoning is because I instigated and championed a cause that will actually make a difference to how the support feel about the club and be justifiably proud of their investment and patience.
While you were telling everyone it was a waste of time and the wrong people were representing that cause I and the team continued to persevere through your vitriol and attempts to split and scupper support for Res12 based on the self confessed attitude and information from the boardroom, for two and a half years that was the message you relayed from the board room according to you. Then very very recently you done an about turn and professed to have been supporting more tellingly you betrayed the a major shift in all of your previous declarations that the board were going to make an arse of us and declared the board fully supported Res12 and were fully behind it.
You were one of the main causes of the damaging disconnect and lack of trust between the support and the board for two and a half years you told the world the board were stringing us along on their commitment to the biggest sporting scandal in British history, and it’s all documented on here on this very blog.
So I and quite confidently say without fear or favour, every single Celtic supporter who supported Res12 is a better Celtic supporter than you’ll ever be.
Still Game izzit?
Immediately after the semi final v Boavista in Oporto I headed to the bar beside the stadium -a Boavista fan had promised a large glass of port and a cigar, if Celts won.
Anyway, I was also meeting a few of the troops in there and was at the bar anyway, as it started getting really busy I caught the bartenders attention – I signalled beers – he asked how many?
For some reason I said “Magnificent 7″ as I noticed he was pouring them in wee demi glasses. The lads weere delayed and I was sitting there with 7 beers and soonthere was a queue like an execution.
I looked around and noticed Greg Hemphill next to me trying to get served, he was lustfully eyeing my magnificent 7 and I said ” great game Greg, you look like you could do with one of these…”
“Superb game … Cheers and Hail Hail”
I didn’t realise he was a Celt, and was quite chuffed that I was having a beer with him.
There was still enough beer for the bhoys and plenty more consumed that night… One of the best celebrations ever!!
The Boavista fan.
He never trapped, and I can’t say I blamed him…must have been a right dull yin!
CLINK\O/
It depends on whether the keeper shouted as he came for the ball.
If he did Efe to blame. If he didn’t keeper to blame.
IMO.
Before we punt Efe I would prefer to see him given a run upfront, wide left.
Ye never know.
Paul 67 et al.
“McDiarmid Park was a farmer’s field not so long ago, and St Johnstone’s first goal looked like it came as a result of a plough intervention.”
———————————————————————————-
Ha, so we can also use that excuse for defeats up at Aberdeen. Pittodrie : A place of Manure, or Dungheap.
Hail, Hail Gaeliccsc.
What’s happened to the mighty CKR?
-he’s stayed in to wash his hair
BT
My son and his pal sit in Section 113, just along from where new standing section is. They both ticked the box in last year’s renewal to move to safe standing once we got it. My sons renewal for next season is in the safe standing area but his pal is his current seat. I went to ticket office last week to ask if they can be put together, preferably in safe standing but if not their current seats. I was told that safe standing allocation is done via the green brigade, they have provided a list of names for that area. Turns out my son knows someone in green brigade and said to him a while back he wanted to move to safe standing if possible. His pal has now contacted the guy and he has been moved to safe standing area as well.
VESPACIDE on 12TH MAY 2016 1:04 PM
I’d give my right foot, literally, for someone who can beat the first man from a corner kick. Our set pieces have been shocking this season.
HH EnnisBhoy
Oh and even those who gave up their ST’s over the last three years that supported Res12 are better Celtic supporters than you.
You are a tool and have since your first post on here have been a tool whose sole agenda was to cause division within the Celtic support, tool.
Clink,
I posted as much last night and the posters who generally know what they are talking about agreed :)
HH