The early season noises around Scottish football are unlikely to settle Celtic anxiety-disordered nerves. Hearts are under the control of a very credible 29% owner, Newco are enjoying their annual status as the next big thing in European football, Hibernian secured their best European result in 50 years in Belgrade last night and Dundee United went all retro to earn an away draw in Vienna against Rapid.
In 2012 when Scottish football was told that we “need a strong Rangers”, you and I agreed that what we really need is a strong showing from the other city clubs. It’s early days but the trend is pointing upwards.
One noticeable absence from the above names is Aberdeen, who played some nice football at Tynecastle on Monday night but left pointless. They face the champions on Sunday with the penalty win over Celtic in May their only competitive success since April.
We know what to expect on Sunday. Physical intimidation is their default mode. They will kick and slide in, in an attempt to disrupt our rhythm and discourage Celtic players from showing for the ball. As a fan, I never really know if this works, but teams still do it, so I assume it has some effect.
Celtic need to be ready for the battle, take the fouls when the inevitably come and go back for more, without hiding and without trading blows.
366 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- »
Gerrintaethum
Eats shoots and leaves
Ooooffftt hit the post
‘Celtic need to be ready for the battle, take the fouls when the inevitably come and go back for more, without hiding and without trading blows’
——————————————————————————————-
We don’t have a midfielder in our current set up who could ‘trade blows’ anyway.
Now imagine if the manager already had his requested purchase of a CDM to use at Pittodrie?
Ach, i forgot, teams with a right good footballing department only purchase in the last 48 hrs of the window…….
P67, unusually I agree with every word you’ve written today. I would add that if I were Thelin (unsure about the spelling) I would target Tierney, Jamesie and CCV. All have a history of injury problems. That is of course if Jamesie starts.
I’m sure ref Beaton and VAR Dallas will be our ‘golden dome’ of protection against any Aberdeen thuggery on Sunday .
Yes sirreee.
I believe Aberdeen have a big lump of a cf who doesn’t appear to be much of a footballer but will like to get stuck in.
How do these blue noses get all the media and t v slots,Boyd,McCann Sky Sports ,Premier Sports, Hutton,Craigan, Stewart ,Sportscene ,Lamont,Thomson,
TIMMY7
ST. Mirren also have a big lump at CF and Liam Scales nullified him last Sunday , so I’m not too concerned .
It was one of the few pleasing features of the team’s performance .
GLENDALYSTONSILS, you are correct. Scales did well defensively whilst at ch.
Timmy7
I agree he looks a big lump and hasn’t scored for a year or so. That said I actually don’t think he looks like he could intimidate anyone either.
Aberdeen are a deadful team, physical definitely that’s it, it’s about defend defence and play for a set piece break of the ball, exactly they same as what Celtic faced last week , so take any chances we get and we should be fine, miss them and that’s where we get pressured. No gifts from Schmeichel is essential.
Glendalystonsils
Agree. Scales at CB was really solid on Sunday. Not so sure at LB. He didn’t let us down though
“In 2012 when Scottish football was told that we “need a strong Rangers”, you and I agreed that what we really need is a strong showing from the other city clubs. ”
——————
Gosh – Rangers! I’d pretty much forgotten all about them!
Good thing Celtic are a stand-alone club……
BURNLEY78
LB is not Scales’ ideal position . From the admittedly little I’ve seen of Inamura he may turn out to be a better bet in that position .
Scales and Trusty are prone to a few mistakes, but unfortunately we haven’t the quality of players to replace them,same for Yang ,and Tillo ,as for Idah a Rodgers signing he needs to up his game on Sunday ,if not then I would sell him before the transfer window shuts at the end of this month.
“Celtic need to be ready for the battle, take the fouls when the inevitably come and go back for more, without hiding and without trading blows”.
Hmmmm…….I believe it’s the Beaton and Dallas show on Sunday.
timmy7_noted on 8th August 2025 10:44 am
SPIKEYSAULDMAN, until of course Kieran gets an injury or needs a rest.
%
Did Kieran not come off injured on Sunday?
How come that R2ngers always win cup finals that do not involve actually playing football…….?
Aberdeen are always physical with Celtic. As long as we are set up right we have better players.
Tactics and formation correct then we will win easily. However, we need to turn up. Slow build up, shot shy performance won’t do
Keskinen will kick everything that moves. We should be cynical about that and make sure he gets booked early, same as their other cluggers.
Aberdeen? No need to worry, we have Kuhn and Kyogo to take care of them……..
Aberdeen were absolutely rank against Hearts . We may have regressed from our best of last season but they look to have regressed from a lower starting point.
I think we will be out to show an attacking improvement from last Sunday , with a bit more speed and energy . 3-0 Celtic .
Bit of a thin leader Paul. Has a Friday feel to it.
Given what happened at Hampden I expect us to be well up for this one.
Aberdeen are on a terrible run of form going back 10 months.
Add to that, the genuine strain of having to play an additional 6 matches (incl. 3 trips abroad) across 11 weeks will test their energy reserves.
My uninformed guess – they’ll finish bottom 6 this season.
Melissa Ciummei
@KSCUBKEE
16h
“What happens when Irish artists start cancelling Irish culture?
You don’t have to agree with everything being said, but when festivals are shut down for celebrating heritage, tradition, and national pride, we’ve got a problem.
Kneecap and Christy Moore reportedly signed a letter that led to the cancellation of Mise Éire, a cultural event rooted in Irish music, identity, and sovereignty. Why? Because someone decided it was “far-right.”
Sound familiar?
It should.
Section 31 banned Sinn Féin voices from the airwaves “for your safety.” Now, it’s not government censorship…it’s peer-led, cultural blacklisting.” #kneecap #christymoore #miseeire @IrishInquiry
https://x.com/KSCUBKEE/status/1953538792956063817#m
%
Kneecap, captured by the lobbyists?
The lobbyists are behind all of the woke, cancel culture, climate change, BLM, Covid, Vaccines, Masks, Tests, Lockdowns, Sacking Health Workers who resisted, kalergi agenda, anti Putin and Russian people, pro Tranny anti Women pish, etc, etc.
If they can capture Corbyn…..
My gut tells me , we will sign Jordan Larsson and then get ben Doak on loan
Been wrong before !!
KINglubo
‘Celtic need to be ready for the battle, take the fouls when the inevitably come and go back for more, without hiding and without trading blows.’
Sorry Paul; for me, ready for the battle often means as giving as good as you get. This Gentleman Jim stuff sounds – as Dirty Harry said – “very stylish’
But we might wanna protect our team-mates occasionally. Thugs like Sivert Nilsen will be out to injure for sure; Papa Gueye did for Reo last league game. How I wish we had someone to quietly melt bullies like Nilsen and that twat Shinnie.
NOMORESOFTTOUCH CSC
Lots of physical intimidation eh? Definitely a game for Yang. Can see this being a draw given our powderpuff attack.
Johnny Kenny has signed a 3-year contract extension.
It’s funny how you can go from reading every post and agreeing or respecting what’s been said to skimming or shaking your head in stunned silence at what’s been written.
Tom McLAUGHLIN
My grandson just sent me a photo of young Kenny
With the date 2029 .
Thanks for confirmation.
Paul67 et al
Pity we are playing on Sunday, which I’ve never really liked, because BBC Scotland is commemorating the 50th anniversary of Sportscene on Saturday, with match commentary from Rob McLean, Jock Brown (remember ‘im) and Archie (whoof) MacPherson. And not only that Dougie Donnelly will be in the studio alongside Gordon (must score) Smith.
Just as an aside, I know Scotsport was STV, but what show preceded Sportscene on the BBC before 1975?
Celtic Mac – ‘Sportview’ rings a bell for a younger me
Sportsview!
Brian Marjoribanks
Re the winger situ…
You’d suppose that our analytics and recruitment bods were aware of & ran the rule over the two wide boys the currants have signed – Gassama and Antman – and found them wanting on key performance requisites (or green gauges ?)
They both seem to have made a quick early impact, but thems snagging them must mean we have other – better – targets, shirley ??
Happy Birthday Liam Scales
What are wee keechin our pants bout today?
I would bet a minty,go ahead eagles owner did not say such a thing.
Does anyone else think proCelticblog hysteria is turning them into the very thing they set out to dissent?ie ordinary msm.everyone gettin their 15mins
HH
jinkyredstar
Sportsview? That could be about right. But was that not a midweek programme?