I am always alert to the noises coming out of Celtic in the week before we go to Rugby Park, the same was the case when we were at Livingston. They are horrible pitches. Players don’t like them, bookies don’t like them and managers avoid playing injury-prone players on the surfaces.
However, before a game, there are no excuses. We know the surface and we plan accordingly. There is a golden rule when facing an adverse environment: Give someone a reason to fail and they will take it.
I could not believe my ears at the weekend, when Newco manager, Philippe Clement spoke to Sky after their win at Ross County. When asked about the forthcoming games against Tottenham and Celtic he said, “Maybe we need to say financially out of our league, the two games”.
There’s your excuse. Out. Of. Our. League. Four words you do not want to hear from your manager when you are about to face a team you pretend is a peer. Celtic are out of Newco’s league, but not financially. Accounts for the year to June show Newco’s Operating Expenses at £109.785m, whereas Celtic’s only £105.4m.
Celtic operate in a different league when it comes to recruitment, coaching, commercial acumen, sports science, medical care and just about every metric you can think of. Apart from financial.
As the words left his mouth, Clement will have known he made the mistake of letting the world know he has prepared his excuses for failure. There is no financial disparity, the gap is all down to talent.
With two games remaining only Paris St Germain and Stuttgart, who sit outside the top 24, have a realistic chance of making the knockout stage. Both are on 7 points and they meet in Stuttgart on matchday 8.
Before then, PSG are home to Manchester City on 22 January, when there is a reasonable chance City will be out of their slumber, while Stuttgart can be expected to win at Slovan Bratislava.
Dinamo Zagreb (8 points, away to Arsenal, home to Milan) look certain to drop out. Had they beaten Celtic on Tuesday, getting to 10 points would flip that prediction. While our point on Tueday still left us work to do, it eliminated one of our key rivals.
PSV Eindhoven (8 points, away to Red Star, home to Liverpool) also have work to do. A draw in Belgrade may not be enough for them.
Of the clubs already on 10 points, Brugge are home to Juventus and away to Manchester City, and already have a -2 goal difference. While Feyenoord are home to Bayern, away to Lille and on -1 goal difference. Unlike others on the same points (or City on 8), these two will be looking over their shoulders.
A point should be enough at home to Young Boys, who did well for the majority of the game before caving in at Stuttgart last night. It’s set for a memorable Celtic Park winter’s night.
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Angeball
Offside goals dont count….
Funny that
Still 1-1
Dessers does brilliantly.
Fraser Forster h stops a certain goal with a world class save .
Dessers scores .
Rightly offside , chalked off .
Darnel pressing .
TT
How did Solanke miss?
3-0 Rovers FT
Ange on borrowed time. Huns should have won. Big Fraser saves spurs.
no change for Sunday – a good team would have beaten Spurs by 3 or 4. Qudos for whoever said at the weekend that Spurs were weak and who said earlier that they have checked out on ange!
We’ll be pressing them too which Spurs have failed to do. They rely on charging around to generate chances rather than quality.
They’ll fancy beating Man Utd if they can play like that again.
That’s a decent result for the hun.
We’ll need to be near our best on Sunday, they’ll be full of belief.
Ange, your days at Spurs are numbered mate. Very difficult to discern a pattern of play. He’ll be sacked very, very soon.
Fantastic performance from Rangers against PL opponents .
Surprised me with their pace and neat passing.
Looks like we’ll have competition on Sunday .
1-1 at Ayebrokes
I’m guessing the game has taken a bit out of the home team…
maybe not confidence wise though
Battle of the basket cases ends in stalemate, and the sack race between Phillip and Ange goes on.
We shall thrash the hun on Sunday.
Agree with you Marspapa we better be about ourselves on Sunday.
Draw was a, fair result
Foster motm for spurs
HH
Huns should have beat them,I hope they attack us like that on Sunday, we will do them
Big Forster still killing them
From Sunday’s perspective, good to see Tav back in their team. Soutar’s injury means Balogun also back which is always welcome.
Up front, Cerny had a good game as did Dresser’s replacement, Igamane.
Spurs were 2nd best all over the park, their passing game was sloppy in the extreme.
Sevco very physical in the middle of the park we need to win the physical battle first then play, Bernardo and Mcgregor nailed on who gets the third spot as Arne does not look like a strong physical midfielder, Reo definitely not big decisions for Brendan.
Thought thems played quite well, even though I hate to give them credit. Anyone who thinks Sunday’s game is a foregone conclusion then think again. How many times have we seen it in Celtic Huns games. Form goes out the window on those games. it will be whomever is up for it from the beginning.
Spurs were rank rotten. the money that these PL teams spend on bangaverage players is crazy. It is shite if you are a spurs fan that your best player right now is your second choice keeper.
Sean
Here we go again
They played well tonight.Spurs ,well,those 2 full backs who looks great when they first arrived,woeful.Son,totally could not be arsed,done nothing.Frankie Gray,£60 million ?????.
I know Spurs had a load of injuries,but the problem was too many on the pitch were dreadful.
Big Foz was magnificent.
Run themselves into the ground the Hun team.
Great effort.Hope it bites them on Sunday.
As Ali says “Best of British Football, two teams going at each other” eh not in my opinion Sevco were the only team going for it. spurs weire putrid…
Dare i say it , the pond life got a good result. We should be on our guard on Sunday!
Boondocksaint,
” Form goes out the window”
It used to my friend,it used to.Once in a Blue Moon now.
BSR
I hope that you are able to post that again on Sunday evening.
TT
https://x.com/paddypower/status/1867326954791203266?s=46&t=i3oMZ6H8giVwJGiEH6kdzA
Spurs fans must be saying,” FFS,how good must Celtic be
I 11 points clear of them.”
Sevco look they’re back on the double expressos and asthma inhalers pre-match and half time .
If we perform like RBL and the dons in semi final we will be comfortable , it’s what celtic turns up .. They will rough our wee bhoys up of that you can be sure .
While Spurs look like they’re on Mogadon .
Yes the huns did get a goid result but tbe passing from Spurs was unbelievably poor. Kept giving the ball away. The young blonde midfielder who came on looks a good player.
Spurs were 2nd best all over the park, their passing game was sloppy in the extreme.
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Their passing, their press, of the shoulder runs, committing men forward in numbers, all the basics of Angeball were missing.
18 months in it looks very ominous for Ange.
Jimtim,
They haven’t before.Our “Wee bhoys”can look after themselves.
Good news is,Propper and Tav will play on Sunday now.
Captain is Disappointed 😁
An Dun,
As I said earlier,half hearted,careless,players on the pitch has nothing to do with Ange tactics.
When they can be arsed,they are a formidable team playing Ange way.
I hope your right TB .remember brother Beaton too is in the mix .
So for the past 48 hours or so it has been all weeping and gnashing of teeth over our dropping 2 point away in Croatia yet they drop 2 to a free falling Spurs side and now they are world beaters and tav penalty is back, hmmm we’ll see we’ll see.
Rainjurz beat Spurs 1-1
Daily Rancour
I’m not saying they are absholootley brullyint or nuthin.
But big Lord Baldymort and ragin’ Rae had them fired up to harass and hassle the Tottenhammers: It worked.
They turned in a decent show against a peely wally Postecoglou side.
It’s just a good reminder that we need to be on it, come Sunday.