We have had a couple of scares in December, that late Hamilton equaliser and a solid hour of failing to form a coherent attack at Hampden, but chances have flowed like cheap prosecco at a Christmas party in our last three outings against Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen.
Those games should have returned more than six goals but conversion rates tend to vary match-to-match, hopefully we will see a return to the norm in the two remaining games before the winter break.
Like Celtic, Thursday’s opponents, St Mirren, are also enjoying an excellent December. They were on their own at the bottom of the table after losing to Motherwell on the first game this month, but three games later are now 9th, four clear of the bottom. Jim Goodwin has made them difficult to beat.
This month Celtic have had the look of a team who are pacing themselves. Players have been allowed to ease back to fitness. Odsonne Edouard has not played a full 90 minutes top-flight football since 10 November – and that was one of only two 90-minute performances in domestic football since Celtic lost to Livingston 11 weeks ago.
In the week ahead, I hope we see the benefit of Neil Lennon’s patience in allowing Odsonne to ease himself back into the game. For all the talk of our dependence on the big striker, his absence has not been evident in the results.
Of no less importance is the return of Mikey Johnston, not just for his ability to occupy defenders, but because when he is in the team we are more likely to see James Forrest and Ryan Christie return to their more natural positions. It would be good to see them both start on Thursday.
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BIGWAVY @ 17:04
They are confident & a better team than when we beat them at Ibrox. We thought we could play ourselves into the game at Hampden, it didn’t happen which meant we’d only one shot on target and were ‘under the cosh’ for the ninety minutes. We must start on the front-foot. Hitting Eddy will break the press, but we must compete with them in midfeld. I’d love us to play 3 – 5 – 2 against their 4 – 3 – 3….but we won’t. We underestimate at our peril.
GENE,PRESTONPANS BHOY,THE HUDDLE😉
You lot are lucky,still my big shop to do tomorrow 🕺
Glasgow should be quiet tomorrow eh😂
Fairhill Bhoy
Best of luck with that
Seen a great tweet earlier saying that only 1 player of Lennys strongest team ( eddie) was signed by BR.
Of the invincible team only SS was a BR signing ( and what a signing he was).
Nobody will ever convince me that we would have won the league with BR at the helm… It certainly wasn’t a steering job for Neil.
If fans ( myself included) sometimes question why we play Jamesy on the left or Lewis at CF then I would say that if they sat with Lenny and the stat guys and the sports science guys then they or me would understand.
Sydney Tim is obviously Celtic-daft like most of us but he does himself a disservice by slagging JF constantly…. It’s not just about what he does with the ball.
Point being….. Trust Neil Lennon with the team selection.
We need 2 strikers and a CH in January to win the league.
I also think if ElHameed is fit to play RB on Sunday thete is not a fekin chance they will lay a glove on us.
However St Mirren 1st and then the incentive for all of us is 8 points clear before New Year.
GBNL
GENE-cheers😉
Fairhill
I do remember many years ago going out on Christmas eve to buy a few top up presents. Met someone hit the bar and you know the rest🍸🍸🍺🍺👏
Nae presents btw
Me and Mrs David66 just finished wrapping pressies for the Grandkids, great stuff.
Then she brings out more bags for my son, daughter and son in law…
I feel like Ebbanezza Scrouge all I did was moan about the amount of stuff and cash spent feckin ridiculous.
I just want to see the wee ones on Christmas morning opening their pressies and then have a feckin drink.😂🍺
HH
D. :)
NALLY81@ 21:52
One ‘oven ready’ centre-back & striker in early will do for me – gives us the rest of the month to ‘tidy up’ the squad. The boy from Brazil & Sporar from Slovakia sounds promising. If Nicky Hammond does as well as the summer window, we could be ‘cooking’.
I’m guessin’ there will however be much trouble ahead………..and a very familiar kulprit identified!
Just in from playing g darts tonight and had to share this.Captain of the other team is a Slovan Bratislava fanatic,and he told me tonight that Sporar is 100% going to Celtic.All the clubs fans know it and it’s a done deal.
H,mmmm he kept telling me all night it’s true.We will see.
McNut…. Yip agree
Just finished watching Rogue One.
The Empire must spend as much on the military as the United States.
Worse still the “Rebel Bases” in every film all have the same interior design !
Suspect they’ve used PFI to build them. One set of plans reused on multiple bases and schools everywhere.
Surely this goes against the ethos of any self respecting Rebellion?
Princess Leia might be able to tolerate this but Jeremy Corbyn wouldn’t.
Test
ing
Back To Basics
It’s not just the set design that’s the same, the plot is practically unchangeable in all the films too.
A motley crew of long-odds rebels combine with a group of wierd or dute furry animals to defeat an empire, which remains an empire even after it has been vurtually destroyed for the 8 or 9th time.
I’d much rather watch The Princess Bride again.
That should read “cute” , nae dute.
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 23rd December 2019 11:10 pm
dute.
———————
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
SFTB …
“which remains an empire even after it has been virtually destroyed for the 8 or 9th time”
In some of their fans’ minds – Sevco?
:)
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS on 23RD DECEMBER 2019 4:45 PM
And not far from the Kentucky Blue People
=========================================
I live there now, it’s worth a wee read, the blue people that is. Worry not a jot though, the grass is not as they say blue, it’s green.
I must admit, I’m not that keen to add too many to the First Team squad in January – 2 First Team players most Definitely would be good. We are gonnae have a long Season.
A Striker of Quality, the Ivory Coast dude, and another Centre Half would be Good but you don’t always get what ye want.
3 Points on Boxing Day would be awesome.
The hun/sevco game will take care of itself.
29th
Lenny is a very under rated Manager – Sir Alex wanted him. It looks to me that Gerrard is gonnae be a very good Manager.
29th
I hope Neil instills his Will (and in-game intelligence) within the Celtic players, he has had the Time to do so now.
Thumbsup.
29th
CELTIC CELTIC
The First Commandment is always the most Important.
We are witnessing the Externalisation of the hierarchy…. Full scale Masonic.
The Earth Worship being indoctrinated into the kids…. is it Any Wonder?
You Must Believe before…. You are…..
Turned, wittingly or unwittingly.
It is not even funny.
YESHUA is the answer.
CELTIC
CELTIC
rascar capac – was the Legend that made the Crackin’ comment that spacing sentences on a forum was mair, lets just say, BETTER.
Allow it
DavieMoyes.CSC
29th
I hope the Lord Almighty looks favourably on the Celtic. The Zombies are getting stronger, I’d even suggest that they Realise Cheating disnae WIN.
We will see Soon.
CELTIC
CELTIC
Hearing a lot of of Good Stuff from Floorplan. ;))
Link Arcadian wiz Mega Bach in the olde Day.
Nintendo.CSC
Another of Detroits finest.
That Time jibber jabber Again.
Come on ye Bhoys in Green.
NJOI!!!!
See y’all Matchday.
Unless there are tickets to be had for the new St Mirren park?
Nae chance!!!!
And that is Good.
C E L T I C
C E L T I C
Merry Christmas to Paul67, and All the contributors and lurkers on CQN.
God Bless ye All.
What a sad, sad person Christopher Hitchens is.
To live a life so devoid of meaning, purpose and hope…. very sad indeed.
How he must hate his first name.
I guess he avoids all sorts of celebrations at this time of year. I mean, it wouldn’t do to celebrate Christmas when you don’t believe in Christ.
You can’t even get away with the American greeting, “Happy Holiday” since that too derives from Holy Day and thus needs to be banished from the Hitchens dictionary.
For everyone else out there….. have a truly wonderful Christmas and don’t forget what this time of year actually celebrates.
Good morning, friends and a Big Happy Christmas Eve from a slightly damp, but above freezing East Kilbride. My last (long enough) walk to work then an early finish and Vigil Mass to kick off Party Time for The Baldies.
GEEZA BREK @ 04:34
Of course you do know the man is dead.
I am a lapsed Catholic and an admirer of Hitch, although not so vitriolic in my views on religion.
To quote him ” The charitable instinct, or the prompting of compassion, is one thinkable defence of the religious mentality”
This is about where I stand.
I defend Catholic schools in Scotland on this basis, as abolition would have a detrimental effect on our minority.
Christmas is mostly for kids, however if it is also a catalyst for grown-ups to be nicer to each other for a few days, then count me in. Hail Hail & Merry Christmas to all at CQN, and the wider ‘Celtic family’
Just read on BBC Sport that Brendan is mentioning the possible loan of Benkovic to Derby.
Given his (BR) admiration of Ajer, and our good memories of Filip, would a swap for Kris, plus £10m be a viable deal for us?
If we get the Brazilian (not a Brazilian), it could provide us with the money to buy Forster.
Joe nd Hugh @videocelts on why Neil Doncaster found his voice
https://t.co/jwxdBlXnZj?amp=1
HH
Good Christmas Eve morning CQN from a damp 4 degrees Garngad.
Petec – Sorry pal any form of the Huns will cheat, whatever team are playing out of the bigotdome. What is most Abhorrent is the cheating from referees, officials, SFA, Scottish Main Stream Media and other clubs and maybe ours (don’t want to start a Res 12 or 5 way debate) as well to help these cheating feckers.
McNut – £10 million for Ajer plus Benkovitch try £15million plus Benky, I think we should be aiming high with our players and I know they paid £16 million or so for Benkovitch but it’s a sellers market and if they want any of our players we put our price on them. Only my opinion right enough. The 2 players are wonderful players in my eyes. This is where the cash rich EPL obviously kicks in as why would any young player want to go and play for a second string team and not want first team football, can only be the cash keeping them there.
Hail Hail
D. :)
MCNUT on 24TH DECEMBER 2019 6:56 AM
The ten commandments form the basis for Christian life.
If you substitute whoever your ” god ” may be for the Christian God , the Christian Ten Commandments are a reasonable code for living a decent , holy life , irrespective of whatever your religion may be .
Big Judith looking magnificent this Christmas Eve🎅
Bada – she really suits that red velvet 😂😂😂
D. :)