Before we get into the meat of the matter, I would like to record how impactful Kristoffer Ajer is at full back. He is not a full back, of course, this is not even his second best position, but he can get beyond his man and send a dangerous cross into the heart of the penalty box. This marks him as unique in our full back options. Of the many lessons from the season, let one be that we need better full backs at both sides of the field.
Conceding fouls inside your own half is not considered a capital crime at other clubs, so we should temper our annoyance at Shane Duffy (or the absent, but often guilty, Diego Laxalt), but we all know Celtic cannot defend set-pieces. At Livingston’s first goal, it was the otherwise excellent Kris Ajer who failed to track his man, not Nir Bitton, who stuck like glue to his opponent but was blamed by a scapegoat seeking Sky co-commentator.
When Livingston breached the Celtic defence for a second time, I was not concerned, as we were playing well and I expected a 30-minute onslaught towards the Livingston goal. Instead, Livingston consolidated their position, aided by four substitutions in 17 minutes either side of the goal, which finished Celtic as a threat. Credit to David Martindale.
Scott Brown’s ‘Get stuck into them’ cameo might have worked in a different era. We have seen similar flailing arms go completely unpunished against us, but it was the last thing we needed last night. By full time, the Livingston pitch resembled a very appropriate white flag.
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Barkas dilemma
The situation is strange for him as most of the goals conceded this season ere close in and were the defender’s ball. No real chance of saving
in terms of defending, we are not caught out that often with one on ones or a free shot at the edge of the box etc. These are chances for he keeper to shine. We actually have men back when we concede but the lack of fight and good position leaves a tap in or free header which Barkas can’t stop (or Bain).
I think that is why Lennon is perplexed because we are actually good at getting back to defend
The 2 occasions where I thought he should save were Ferencvaros and the Huns game at CP
The former was a hard chance and he sold himself; the latter game was really slow reactions at both goals
i agree he looks a wreck but he has not had a chance to prove us wrong really
Hence my KPIs for the season i set last week still are waiting some progress:
1. just one game where we play well and win well (3 games later, still getting headaches)
2. a game where we weather a storm and Barkas has 2-3 saves (the only save last night was from Duffy so doesn’t count)
No Surrender
Donald Trump granted Brown a pre-emptive pardon yesterday
I’m of the opinion if the huns didn’t kick another ball for the rest of the season, yes I know we play them twice, they would still win the league because on present form we would average a point a game.
So does Eddie Howe not want to come to Scotland or does he just not fancy working with Peter Lawwell? Perhaps he prefers baths to showers.
If we win our 2 games in hand
If we beat the huns twice
If we win all remaining games
If the huns lose 3 games
If my granny had………………..
So Paul, if I may, from your senior contacts within the Club, ‘what is to be done and when…. and by whom?’
Asking as a paying customer & supporter.
HH jg
Livingston eh, what good ever came out of there.
LB
Just you, petal!
And a Hugo Boss shirt at half price!
HH jg
Celtic FC SLO
@CelticFCSLO
Replying to
@_JPB92
As far as I’m aware it was planned to provide an update on the review in the next week or so Jim.
MAMN then….
Poor fella probably has no insight but doung his best in twitter.
HH
Don’t think fullbacks are the first thing we need to address
EH won’t come as he won’t have control, we know who wants to keep control
This fella Hugo Boss …is he an Ecudorian full back ?
His grandfather designed the SS uniforms apparently
I prefer my suits to be made by Georgie O’Mahoney the Irish designer
Perplexed by Paul’s interview this morning – doing nothing is not an option. Celtic’s standing in European football in terms of our values and potential is being undermined on a daily, if not hourly basis. Change is essential in the dugout and if the boardroom structure is an impediment to progress then change must happen there too and quickly. We cannot and must not accept Paul’s assertion that Eddie Howe and by implication other managers of his calibre are not available to Celtic. European football, winning leagues and cups, 60k fans plus a world wide supporter base make us still an attractive option – change is coming in Eurpoean football and up and coming coaches will see us in a positive light if we show the vision required
So which European coach or coaches are we looking at to take over from NL?
Impossible to know. Do we start identifying / recruiting his player targets once he has committed?
And whatever happened to the Jan recruitment that Celtic had planned to invest in as one reason why they wouldn’t remove NL, as alluded to by P67 in early Dec?
And by not recruiting any Jan players identified by NL, surely that in itself is message to NL that Celtic won’t be renewing his rolling contract come the summer. So why would he stay situ…….oh wait.
Looks like the Board may be playing a dangerous game here that involves gambling with Euro qualification. They might feel that they want to persevere with NFL until ST renewal time knowing that he is a dead man walking and that the ST sales are likely to plummet. Then presto they pull a rabbit out of the hat and name the new manager resulting in maintained ST sales.
The problem with this is the rabbit may have caught Myxomatosis whilst hiding in the hat.
I was awakened from my CQN slumber a few months ago to make a bold suggestion that I knew not many people would like. I was alarmed at the lack of planning, the poor signing strategy and the overall training and fitness of players.
I suggested interim/caretaker manager team of John Collins and Yogi/John Hughes.
Hughes has since taken the Ross County job and has turned around a team that couldn’t buy a win (knocked us out the cup at home tho) and has managed to change their style and beat Aberdeen 4-1. Management is not that complicated. Fitness is not that complicated. Making sure players know a formation and pattern of play is not that complicated and being able to defend dead balls is not that complicated. Neil Lennon is killing this team and the club is being killed by the board treading water. We need to change the management team now to just win pride back this season and try and win the cup (if played for).
It’s at crisis point and it needs to be actioned now.
As for Livingston. Fair play to my hometown club. A convicted drug dealer given a second chance. Rest 7 players and still have a set game plan, formation and style of play. Manager believed they can get a result and it showed. Journeymen players all committed and fighting and playing for each other.
Management isn’t complicated is it?
LB
I’d just like to say that Lenny’s doing a great job and Peter Lawwell is a living saint. Infallible.
Anyone who doesn’t feel the same way as me is a hun.
Big Wavy
The Celtic SLO is one of the very few excellent performers at our Club. Impossible role, conducted with diplomacy, manners and patience.
WITS – you know me, I’m more of a shellsuit wearer really. The Hugo Boss history is interesting and disturbing. Like that of many large corporations. Hope you’re well and that your butler continues to attend faithfully to your needs 😉
HH jg
What’sTommy Wright up to ?
Yes that’s how desperate we are getting
Would do until end of season
Neil Lennon is now in the same territory as the Fat Gardener, from club legend, to taking money under false pretences, taking huge amounts of money when they clearly should have resigned.
BIG WAVY
“far as I’m aware ……..next week or so”
Sounds as if the SLO knows no more about it than we do .
“They saw him not giving any instructions at the end of 90 minutes… and no instructions at half-time in extra time. It kind of confirms the lack of instructions players get generally, as their football is mostly based on the quality of the players…’
Hacked off with Lenny as we are, the above observation was made about Zidane and his freefalling Real Madrid: His Galacticos just got humped out the Copa by 10-man, 3rd division side Alcoyano. Legends eh?
For now, I’d pay Neil out and install Broony and Tommy Wright as co-managers before bring the new messiah in to shift season passes.
Not hurtin much – got it all done and passed post Sevco. HH
There’s little comfort in watching Celtic play lately. The game was up in November, and we’ve simply been playing out the hand since.
Worth repeating an earlier point, I first made back then.
Lenny wasn’t by any means a unanimous choice of manager. The circumstances of his appointment to the job permanently remain doubtful. However…
He came in during a moment of real crisis when Rodgers quit summarily, and saw out the season winning the title and the Scottish Cup. Once appointed permanently, he delivered a very good performance in Europe (following a dismal UCL non-qualifying), and won the League Cup. He duly delivered the League title, our 9th in succession, and the second time Celtic has accomplished the feat. He has since won the Scottish Cup again, rounding off a quadruple treble, a high point in our domestic history.
Whatever view you held of Lenny during the recent summer, given what he had achieved in the preceding 18 months, it is beyond question that he had earned the right to have a crack at the Ten. That right includes the right to fail.
He has failed. In my view he was failing by October. The loss to Sevco by the same means as previous losses was a huge flag, and was followed by a neurotic 3-3 draw at Pittodrie.
By November he had failed by virtually every criterion on the score card – meekly dumped out of the Champions League, mostly dumped on in the Europa League group, papped out at home to Ross County in the league cup, the deficit in the league extended further.
That was the time for Celtic to act. They elected not to act and the moment to influence our fate was gone.
And here we are, watching a circus unfold. The Dubai trip will be remembered as an extraordinary folly, but it was our decision not to act when action was most needed back in November that left us unable to influence events – beyond making them worse.
We have since watched as events have taken their own course, and it is our joyless predicament to watch on until their pitiful conclusion.
In all of it, Lenny had earned the right to fail. Now that he has failed I see no virtue in humiliating him further. Let him go to salve his remorse and regret in privacy. We have more important things to worry about than paying up his contract.
BFTB
Gona have to be fair old sales pitch to get anyone of any standing.on the positive side we’ve got the history,the facilities and the support.on the negative side we’ve got a meddling CEO, an incompetent board and a squad of players where half of them arent fit to wear the jersey.
Hopefully when it does happen the only way us up..
Hail hail brother
Bada agreed, but given Lenny’s outburst on Monday he may have burnt his boats in getting a job in Government or the media. 😉
TBB
We have more important things to worry about than paying up his contract.
There are probably only 2 people who disagree with that statement but unfortunately they are the two who matter .
Jamesgang
All good in Dublins Fair City
Great day for humanity yesterday .But i fear poor old Sleepy Joe could experience what the fledgling Spanish Republic experienced in the 30s.
Attacked by the right wing press etc for being far too radical and wanting to undo the (insert appropriate nation state) way of life
Attacked by the left wing press etc for not being radical enough and not carrying out much needed reforms etc.
Not comparing like with like I know but a difficult road ahead.Any fascist Generals waiting in wings ??
Only way out could be to resort to the great tradition beloved by all American Presidents,bomb somewhere far away where brown coloured people live… (except the recent lad watsisname)
As for my Butler ,he was last seen protesting outside the GPO with a BLM banner …Butlers Lives Matter
Paul 67,
Very diplomatic.
However if we are big and attractive enough for a record breaking sponsorship deal with Adidas, then we are big and attractive enough for a top name manager.
HH.
2 signings would transform that team, just 2
a CH and a Left back.
Happy Friday eve from a quite mild Kentucky.
He looks like a man without a plan, bringing out the same old “but the lack of fans” tripe.
I wasn’t aware all you season ticket holders have been defending our corners for the last 9 seasons.
HH!
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What is the Stars on 21st January 2021 11:38 am
This fella Hugo Boss …is he an Ecudorian full back ?
His grandfather designed the SS uniforms apparently
———————
I believe it was more like the equivalent of the Defence Production Act over here. Everyone had to turn their manufacturing to the war effort.
At what stage do the results on the pitch start to have a negative impact on one or more of 1. the profitability of the club, 2. the capital value of the club and 3. the share price?
And are there any circumstances in which the reduction in value of any of those three could possibly be construed as a good thing?
Aipple
Thanks
i can now wear me Hugo’s with a clear conscience
Greenpinata, However if we are big and attractive enough for a record breaking sponsorship deal with Adidas, then we are big and attractive enough for a top name manager – Great point, absolutely agree
AIPPLE on 21ST JANUARY 2021 12:06 PM
Boss was a Nazi.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15008682
WITS
I believe that’s why the ‘Hugo’s there?’ term was coined by German sentries………………
Which begs the question, why has the Celtic brand been so badly damaged, we allegedly cant attract a manager of decent pedigree? I think we know…..
ernie lynch on 21st January 2021 12:12 pm
Cheers. Will ditch my boxers.
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Action for actions sake wasn’t the answer. A short term cartharsis doesn’t solve anything except for give us all a bit of hope when there’s very little about
What would have been worse than keeping on a failing manager was replacing him with someone who wasn’t good enough for the longer term for the sake of change.
We need someone to win the league back next season from what looks like a very decent hun outfit. We need a very good manager/coach. We give ourselves a much better chance of finding one who’ll be at Celtic for a reasonable amount of time if we take our time and recruit at the right time of the season
We’re out of top coaches with an emotional attachment to Celtic. We need to be smarter than appointing someone in November at short notice