In many years of writing here I’ve never before used a piece of Charlie Nicholas wisdom; there is not too much to choose from. One of his comments stuck in my head, though. A year after Celtic won at Arsenal in the Pierce O’Leary Testimonial, but went on to lose the league, Arsenal thumped Celtic 1-5 in Glasgow.
In a rare generous mood towards his former club, after the game Nicholas said, “These matches are all about making mistakes”. What the returning Celtic manager Billy McNeill needed more than anything was information. Arsenal provided plenty that afternoon. The lesson was clear, Billy and his players had a lot of work to do.
What happened that season is now part of our folklore. Billy pursued, and within two months signed, Frank McAvennie, Celtic steamrollered their way to the league title and completed the double against Dundee Untied at Hampden. Heavy preseason defeats to Arsenal (and Stromstad) were grist to the mill, a part of an eventual successful outcome, just as the doing West Ham’s doled out last year was.
Celtic would benefit from flushing out their mistakes in their three remaining preseason games. Thus far, the build-up has been useful in putting energy into the legs, but we need better tests.
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Mooy.
TURKEYBHOY
Baaaaah
ST TAMS at 5:19
Didn’t realise fans were allowed in last year. Thanks for putting me right
TOM MCL:
I realise that as discussed on here last week. Just think there could have been a solution and GENE mentioned the Spurs example….. think Arsenal also have similar. Apparently quite expensive to operate.
Oh for the days of paying at the gate.
*******^
Apologies for late reply- was called out to round up a massive sheep whose owner now has dementia and the sheep was terrorising the old dear. Anybody want an old wether?
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 14TH JULY 2022 8:27 PM
Baaaaah
***********
Did you read my mind, TOM!
Or are you offering a home?🤣
Good evening all from the imperial bar. A losing day at Hamilton races but I live to fight another day. C’est la vie ya old dumpling. The mighty Glasgow Celtic on Saturday! My cup overfloweth. I think 🤔
Any guys or gals wishing to meet up with this elderly Tim on Saturday before the game please let me know. I’ll be starting in McKinnons and working my way to Paradise. All welcome, no exceptions.
SCANIEL, I might be interested, if it’s an original :)
BRRB, we will obviously need a pub that is showing the RC game on the 6th, for once it isnae an early kickoff (Celtic away).
Yer Cup does/will indeed overfloweth, especially on the 6th. :)
I don’t get Social Media and our own Support saying Josip will be going. He’s here for the ride and what a Player he is. We are after Big Trophies this Season.
Disco Lights, that Tune and maist importantly the Support on these nights.
We mauled Newco in 1 half because of the atmosphere under the Celtic Park lights midweek.
Bring em all on.
NOTACLUE1
Very good 👏
PETE, won’t be able to meet on 6th August. Family business. Out of circulation all of August.
PETE, maybe meet up before end of month?
SFTB
Excellent post at 12:50. I would like to address one of your points, if I may. You stated:
“Meanwhile, Ange will continue to develop and recruit mobile players in all positions and expect them all to prevent goals even when opposition break free against our exposed back 2 by showing their speed, mobility and fitness to run back and assist the exposed defence before the opposition advantage can be developed.”
————————————
Notwithstanding Ange’s expectations, ( which may be met in the SPL ), you have acknowledged that the CL is a different kettle of fish. You are correct. For example, when Mourinho won the EPL with Chelski, some 80 percent of their goals were scored within 10 seconds of their opponents losing the ball ( as immortalized by Slippy G ). This is the level of lethal counter attack we will be up against. We patently do not have the defensive or midfield speed to handle it. And if the Liverpool keeper had been 35 yards out of his goal when Slippy G was dispossessed, the ball would have been in the net in a fraction of 10 seconds.
I will augment this comment later. First, I have to do some research to get my facts straight.
BRRB,
Will get bach to you on that, I wanted GFTB to be there tae. I think he has engagements prior.
Patience is a virtue.
Our Capitano Callum has been an Amazing Captain already but he stayed with Celtic when he could have left and got a lot mair Cashboolah. He Listened to what Ange was saying.
My Dad is in the VOL Hospital and waiting for a place in a Nursing Home, a few of the Family thought he’d be ok in Residential care, I asked for Nursing care.
Sadly that cannae happen, he’s as mad as a box of frogs.
Thankfully All the nurses say that he keeps them amused in a nice way.
Taking Mum up to see him, Mum was worried He wouldnae recognise her, I said don’t be daft.
The most Beautiful C/Huddle ever.
I know Something Ohmega is gonnae happen @ Celtic.
INIQUITOUSIV on 14TH JULY 2022 6:20 PM
Orangeman tan in window under Irish flag. (caution – lots of wee swearies ).
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/marching-band-retaliates-after-man-throws-garbage-bin/vi-AAZwUlj
****************
Pinched from twitter……..
An Orangeman
Is an Irishman, who thinks he’s’ an
Englishman
That dresses up as a Scotsman
To March in honour of a Dutchman
Who fought a European War, funded by
an Italian Pope
Voted to leave Europe but accidentally
united Ireland.
Now it’s our fault and he wants his
heritage back.
IniquitousIV
10 seconds is a long time in fitba these Happy Daze. just ma Opinion.
Frightened girl across the road.
Some frightened sweary expressions.
Its just kulture.
https://twitter.com/efaakelly/status/1546815824069070849?s=19
Mooooooooooooy.
SFTB
Here is some more data on our recent defensive records in the Europa League Group Stage.
In season 2020-21, under Neil Lennon, we had the worst defensive record of 32 teams. We conceded a mind boggling 19 goals in 6 games. At that time, we were 570th of 576 teams when ranked by fewest goals conceded in the EL group stage. Only 6 times had a club ever conceded more than 17 goals, even the minnows. If Lille had scored 3 against us in the last game, rather than 2, we would have matched the all time Europa League Group Stage record for goals conceded.
We were not just feckless, we were horrendously, record breaking atrocious.
In season 2021-22, under Ange, we repeated as the worst of 32 teams in terms of defensive records, although we improved from losing 19 to losing a mere 15. Being the worst of 32 teams twice in a row is stunningly bad. 34 goals lost in 12 games, almost 3 goals every game, is an utterly abysmal record, and I see little sign of any strategy to rectify it.
Comment has been made on these pages ( correctly ) that we had a better SPL defensive record than the Orcs last season. So why did the the Undead defend so much better in Europe? ( they conceded 5 to our 15 in the 2021-22 season ). It’s not better players, so it must be down to superior organization. I would love us to win CL games 4-3, or 5-4, or 1-0, but we have to plan to avoid another 12-1 aggregate demolition by the likes of PSG and their ilk. Otherwise, we will be a laughing stock. Kyogo, Gia and Abada know where the goal is, which is very encouraging, but we desperately need to stiffen the spine at the back for the CL.
If I have time tomorrow, I will take a comparative peek at Ange’s defensive stats in his last complete season in the J League.
HH
inquitousiv
Lille, French champions season?
The same Lille, we beat at home and drew with in France.
Lille, who we outcored 5-4 over two games.
That Lille?
CELTICMAC
You can Cherry pick any result you like. I looked at our defensive record over 2 seasons. Worst of 32 teams, twice in a row.
My morning read of the scotch redtops is hilarious and infuriating.
A blatant talking up of big Bassey to try and assert a far-fetched market worth north of 20mill.
If the Business pages of any paper blatantly inflated the acclaimed share price or assets value of a third party business, the financial regulators would clamp down on them like a ton of bricks. It’d be categorised as stock-pumping or share hyping.
Big bits of Scottish meeja are actively trying to help the Huns’ financial position and the practice is so instituted that no-one even bats an eye far less makes a complaint to media authorities.
As I was on a roll, I looked at Ange’s record in his last complete season in the J League, and compared it our league record last season.
Celtic P33. F78. (Top). A19. (Top). Pts 82 (Top)
Yokohama. P34. F69. (2nd). A59. (15th). Pts 47 (9th)
Celtic. Pts/Game 2.48
Yokohama. Pts/Game 1.38
Celtic. Goals for/Game 2.36
Yokohama. Goals for/Game. 2.02
Celtic. Goals agnst/Game. 0.57
Yokohama. Goals agnst/Game. 1.73
Seems to show that Ange’s attacking stats were not too shabby, but defensively very poor, placing 9th in the league, but 15th in terms of goals conceded. Make of that what you will.
Inquiisouv
You are the one that said, and I quote;
“….if Lille had scored 3 goals against us rather than 2……”
You are the one that highlighted Lille, not me….
You hypothesised, I on the other hand am highlighting our actual results against the French champions that season. Note the word ‘actual’.
Not cherry picking, responding.
How about, the results against Lille showed what we were capable of?
Or would you rather imagine another result? To suit your purpose.
CELTICMAC
Why don’t you try to get my moniker correct, just once?
We finished bottom of Lille’s group, with 4 points, losing an astonishing 19 goals.
No hypothesis. Cold, hard reality. 570th worst defensive performance of 576 teams ever played in the Europa League Group Stage.
Quibble all you like. Grasping at straws.
Some great thoughts Re the ways Celtic could both provide a better and more contemporary fans experience and generate more revenue. One thing that is for sure ALL the evidence points toward improving facilities being a sure fire way of driving revenue across the global sporting canvass.
The challenge is our custodians don’t see this investment entity as worthy of incremental investment until it can be sure it can really step change it’s revenues. So limited / no non football capital will be put in place unless it is caste iron that it will return short term.
The golf at St Andrews this week is one possible way forward. Temporary facilities dominate but provide a massive return to the event owners and indeed a huge boost locally. There are huge learnings there for sure.
Maybe grouping home games into blocks with 4 games at home and 4 on the road would allow for temporary structures to be effectively utilised.
One thing for sure we can do better.
That said I would not get too close to some of the folk of you are going along to St Andrews.
Yesterday I stood in front of a brash transatlantic drawling clown who was mouthing off and swearing aggressively on the phone whilst swigging remnants from a paper cup outside the dunvegan. Everyone within 20 feet could hear this asshole berate the person at the end of the line. I turned to see what kind of morron was putting on this display only to see our old pal Alistair Johnston.
Good morning from an overcast and distinctly cool North Staffs. Off for a 7 mile ramble later so no complaints on the weather front.
INIQUITOUSIV
Interesting stats you quoted last night re our defensive record. There’s definitely room for improvement.
Still great…
https://twitter.com/TheCelticWiki/status/1546832499711643650?t=ArWH5W0etBq4Als89abu0Q&s=07&fbclid=IwAR2V_Otg0NBPeJOhz6BpSFQIGSWNO3B2MCdmJC5nAnnuVWpDuQsDqzGqOIA
Good morning all from Govanhill.
I think most of the sports media are not involved in some sort of conspiracy to big up Sevco players – but they will publish things they’re told from within the club. Simply because it sells.
The huns use the media to flog their players and stir some interest and the media will publish these stories from within Ibrox – see the craic about how the Ajax gaffer phoned Bassey. Now I’d be inclined to ask if said manager had permission to speak to their player otherwise that’s tapping up. I’d then be inclined to ask why the huns are giving their permission for players to speak to clubs out with a formal accepted offer.
There’s a huge amount of drum beating at Ibrox this summer, they know some of their players will never have higher stock and they desperately want that Tierney cash.
As it is, I’d be surprised if Ajax spent £25 million on Bassey being as how they already signed a new left this week for £11 million.
Bassey is this window’s Morelos.
Good morning cqn from a very wet Garngad not the beautiful Turkiye.
Been home a few days but been quite I’ll with swollen feet and pains in side of chest and the tex ritters, but doc checked me yesterday and I feel a bit better today.
Been reading about the Kerrydale suite and the need for more fan experience of lounges etc. This is another faux pa by our incompetent corrupt board. SHOCKING.
Seriously we could take in so much cash if we just had the foresight or correct leadership at our club.
D :)
An Dun,
Teams buying these players will use their scouting and analytics and certainly not the DR or FF for research. They’ll have a balanced view of Bassey, and see a raw big lad with questionably attained stature, athleticism, pace and a wee bit of skill but all the defensive nous of the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz….plenty of examples of that online, oncluding against us and Frankfurt, the level of team and more he’ll be up against.
There’s a price there, way below what you’d get from a £25m cheque.
And the huns will take it. Cos they’re skint.
HH
Defensive record — the Great Dichotomy …
SPL vs Euro football.
Last season I think that we were a confidence team.
We got into good habits in the SPL vs Bad habits in the EuL / EConL.
Different class of players and different class of attitudes.
SPL — too many teams played for survival for 60/70 minutes then they opened up.
Euro stuff — they went after us from the off.
SPL — we played some good defensive stuff when we had to / had an active GK behind us.
Euro’s — we lost goals in pairs and at times it looked as if we were expecting to lose goals
And when we lost one it looked like a relief that normal service had been resumed.
Consequently we have a huge amount of work to do regarding our defensive efforts.
I am not sure that the set up of the MF is correct — they need to offer more support to the wings.
We seem to play with depth when we need to learn to defend with width.
MF = 1 plus 2 going forward.
Unfortunately it becomes a 2 plus 1 when the opposition have the ball.
We press their 2nd CB with a MF player — last season it was usually TR.
Last season the MF did not have the confidence to follow him.
Gaps would then open up.
The MF needs to be a flat 3 with width in defence.
Too often we press high — TR above — and get picked off.
Good teams can play through that and then play CMcG — all too easily — out of the game.
We desperately need a proper DM or be convinced that YI is that player.
BIG WAVY
Yes that’s the elephant the media will never highlight. The world knows the huns are desperate for cash so they can brief big prices to the media until the cows come home but any genuinely interested club will know all about the hun need for cash and make offers accordingly.
B78 @ 6.30
Hope you are enjoying the golf.
St Andrews does seem to be on a roll at the moment.
Please don’t be too hard on our colonial cousins — they currently bankroll the uni.
Local micro-economy — Uni vs Golf vs Leuchars?
Bucket and spade is now a long way behind in 4th place.
Regarding facilities — the scale of the temporary buildings at the Open are both huge / capable / expensive to rent and assemble.
6/7 days consecutive use by a high spend customer base makes it all worthwhile — which is not the way we operate at the moment though it might be something to work on.
Run – up to the first SPL game of the season = Football week.
We have the training day / we have the friendlies — all we need are the B team / Ladies games / charity match.
.
Consequently our situation will be slightly different — 30 discrete episodes spread out over the season — to the point that permanent facilities would be the way to go.
Think RHS @ Ingliston — permanent facilities with space round the back for temp capacity.
Normal service would be smaller scale to support the museum / hotel / interpretation centre / image gallery / roof walk plus passing / local trade with expansion space and temp facilities for match days / event days.
Main thing — we cannot continue with our current “Phoenix Nights” operation.
Need to get on the front foot and lead rather than follow blindly.
DAVID66 on 15TH JULY 2022 9:47 AM
………..
Thats rotten news mate, did you and the family have to cut your holiday short ?
Im going to see the Celtic tomorrow with the very kind POR CIERTRO as he has tickets for the Main Stand.
I hope that you feel much better soon. I will be meeting BRRB and FRIEDSDORFOR on the celtic Way after the game and then get a taxi into a Pub in the Toon…We dont know which Pub yet, but feel free to join us if you can ?
HH Mate.
There was a brilliantly funny call to SSB last night.
The topic – how much is Bassey worth, what transfer fee should he attract.
Zombie –
Aye, I want to just say, Calvin Bassey, it starts at £25m
Host
and why is that, why do you think that ?
Zombie –
well you have to benchmark to the market , whats being paid for lesser players.
as an example that Keiren Teirney, thems got £25m for him, and well he has never been in a european final, or even a semi final or even a quarter final, in fact he hasnt been much in europe at all and in fact he can only play as a left back, and even then your could say Andy Robertson is better and even he only plays left back, but Calvin is such a good player he can play right across the back four , as witnessed when he was the outstanding player, man of the match in the european final, and all the big games, he has something that stands out for me, and by the way I aint saying Teirnet isnt a good player but if he is worth £25m then Calvin must be worth more, and thats that.
I concur, look how good he is in this match,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHxqAq8kdy0
Quadrophenian
Are SMSM making the same Sevco mistakes they made with Rainjurz?
It was forecast on CQN by Paul67 and others that Rainjurz were in a perilous state as early as 2007. There was no equivalent articles in Scotland via the media, succulent lamb, for every fiver, floating pitches and attempts to sign Daniel Cousin’s on admin day saw them off to Lord Hodge’s five minute declaration of liquidation.
Motherwell born billyionaires ex EBT filled media ‘hacks’ were too late for Rainjurz, SMSM soldiered on and let their club die. Picking exhoribant transfer fees running it up the Daily Record flag pole to see the bears salute, has hampered Sevco up to now with figures like Morelos on sale for years, and deserving of a wage rise every time SMSM boost his alleged value.
It’s the hope that kills them.
NOT a ” TIP”…
There is a Horse running at NEWBURY @ 1.33 Today called ” LISBOA”.
It is priced up at 15/2 and is trained by Top trainer John Godson and the Jockey is Dettori.
Its a first timer like the rest of the other runners, so I have NO knowledge of how good it is or how Bad it might be ?
I am backing it mainly because of the name obviously……… ” LISBOA”.
HH