Those of us from small European football nations who have trouble qualifying for the World Cup should be encouraged by results to far. Qualification places are allocated based on performance at previous tournaments, and so far, this has been a great tournament for Europe.
Five European teams have won and only one, reigning champions Germany, have lost. Croatia got the better of Nigeria, one of Africa’s powerhouses, while Denmark and Serbia edged Peru and Costa Rica.
The draws involving European teams are probably more impressive. Iceland matched Argentina while Switzerland drew level with Brazil last night. Mikael Lustig’s Sweden take on South Korea this afternoon, before Dedryck Boyata’s Belgium face Panama. Tunisia will be hoping to take something from England tonight to prevent a fourth consecutive defeat for African nations.
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You can certainly see how a good game-plan can get a result against a team with better players.
Iceland and Switzerland were very well organised and defended well. Mexico took advantage of Germany not having a defensive midfielder and ripped them to shreds on the counter-attack.
Boyota to Lazio -?
Googling that gets me a long list of Toyota sales outlets in Lazio .!!!!
Fly a kite click bait sites tend to quote ” Scottish sources” and have Boyata being second choice -after Jannick Vestergaard (Borussia Monchengladbach ).
Lazio are described as needing to buy a centre half -they have sold de Vriij to Inter
BOYATA !!!!!
That doesn’t get me Toyota sales –
Anyone on here a member of the Irvine C.S.C?
I was in it yesterday, it is a fantastic set up.
On holiday last year my wife and I got friendly with a couple, the guy is the treasurer of Irvine CSC.
We visited them at the weekend and they took us into the club. It really is an excellent place.
over 600 members.
I believe that those who criticise Dedryk Boyata on a regular basis, are influenced by factors other than the reality of his OVERALL performance in most games in the season just ended.
JJ
Gary67, if Celtic harbour ambitions to be competing in the CL group stage year on year, they have to be routinely be beating the likes of Hapoel Beer Sheeva, Rosenburg, (Malmo and Qarabag, and viewing those as relatively easy opponents.
And on Lazio’s reported £15m interest in Boyata, I expect they’ll insert a decimal point into their “offer” when they realise that Scotland isn’t a city in northern England.
PS I don`t know if the admirable Celtic by Numbers has done an analysis of Boyata. I would be interested in what it showed.
JJ
Bigchips
Some would have the decimal point after the 5 :-))
Hot Smoked, others would have it before the 1.
Personally I’d replace the 15 with a 3.
3 does seem more realistic but, in any case,I would keep him.
JJ
GlassTwoThirdsFull (12:40pm), let’s hope BR reads your post and realises that there is probably a better way to play against Real Madrid and Spurs in next season’s group stage (should we get there), that won’t see us conceding 7 goals-a-game!
World Cup
Just wait til USA/Canada/Mexico 2026 expanded to
48 teams (forty eight)
Some talk of bringing that number forward to Qatar 2022
Get your money on Zombies winning league in 2022/23
as SFA have decided to implement summer football then
(NOT really but once the figure out Celtic team away for July Aug
suddenly they will decide that there is a demand for it)
PARANOIDCSC
oopla –
Apologies for a bum steer
Lazio did not sell de Vriij to inter .He was out of contract and therefore a free
In mitigation , I plead a late night and an obscenely early start . It’s hard to find the time to watch 3 games and do the chores !!!
exslaemuirbhoy is a big irvine tim.
Oldtim 67
Re the Eden Mill Gin….. now we know why there wasn’t a Ramsden Cup special edition!
Like No Other
OK one of us is going to have to man (or wummin) up – and break the seal. I’m nipping out for a haircut shortly so it’s down to you. Let me know how you get on! :-)
BTW I understand some Celtic players were involved in the distilling process. I reckon Lustig pinched the lid of the copper still and wore it like a hat, Griff tied a Celtic scarf round the still and Broony gave it a hard stare to expedite the formenting process.
The less we know about James Forrests’ involvement the better!
I just caught up on what the pres-season fixtures are.
Playing Sparta Prague reminded me of this wonderful read.
https://broganrogantrevinoandhogan.wordpress.com/?s=johnny+madden&submit=Search
GARY67 on 18TH JUNE 2018 12:18 PM
Big Georges Fan Club – Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on 18th June 2018 12:10 pm
Cheers Gary67. The restriction on slots available in the group stages available to those outwith England / France / Spain / Germany / Italy make it very difficult. The money available if we get through is unbelievable – but certainly not easy getting there.
HH
BGFC
I see a few people reckon there are possible tough games in the 1st qualifier we play. If we don’t comfortably dispose of any of these teams then we don’t deserve a place in the next round.
FC Alashkert beat St Johnstone a few seasons ago but apart from that the rest have only managed a few victories so are no significant danger. There will be a few better teams we can come up against in the next round, but we should see them off as well.
If we can’t get through the qualifying process then we aren’t ready for the ECL, plain and simple IMHO.
As for the papers trawling up “Moussa to Dortmund” and “Dedryck to Lazio” I am sure I could scour the internet, find a few vague clickbait sites and come up with a spurious story. The Moussa one makes you laugh when they are talking about a price tag just higher than VVD to Southampton!
KTF
Right,who’s driving Boyata to the airport?
Hot Smoked 12:48
Not sure if you could really properly rate a defender using stats. 90% of a defender’s job is un-measurable.
Positioning, decision-making, concentration, anticipation, communication, watching what is going on around you. These are the bread and butter skills for a defender.
BIGCHIPSUK
Yeah, I did have that in the back of my mind!
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/celtic-linked-with-thierry-ambrose-amid-interest-from-nice-1-4756074
Given our links with Man City could be a possibility, especially if Moussa leaves this window.
is it 19 or 20 the new superstore opens ? ta
has to be 20 now thinking about it and that’s ambitious
The gardener cosied up with the BBC old bhoys network and their reserved occupations.
VAR Pen Sweden 1-0
What qualifications does that scunner mccoist have to be Over in Russia , god he loves the sound of his own voice , maybe doing his scouting for the scouser . What a horrible individual
VAR gets it right. 1-0 Sweden. Wonder if we’ll ever get such a decision in Scotland…….
Mc Moist speaking up for VAR which every club in Scotland would welcome…bar one.
Like in the past maybe when it mattered the plug would be pulled.
Silly question, but in the Sweden game, why isn’t the Man in Black dressed in …. black?
He is given a duty to avoid any sort of colour clash between the 2 teams, what about what he himself is wearing?
Decided to keep the sound on in spite of McCoist. According to his so-commentator, “he’s the expert”. In gardening maybes….
so=co.
Don’t see the logic in tomorrow’s Regional groups in Champions League draw that sees Celtic in with all teams from the east of Europe, while Ludogorets from Bulgaria are in with all teams from west of Europe ?
Surely would make sense to switch those teams if the objective is to minimise travelling in 1st round ?
MEA CULPA
Is it time for a new TV? :-)
(I can’t see any colour clash.)
Boyata ? We all have opinions just as well Brendan has a different one from the “group think”traits of chunks of the Celtic support.
Hot-smoked: pretty sure the “numbers” were part of a piece the other day.
HOT SMOKED
I was embarrassed to read some of the abuse the Bhoy took online, seems we have a section of our support that need a scapegoat and considering where we came from and what we came through as Celtic supporters I find that unpalatable to say the least.
DB had a very decent season and was very good the season before and there’s very few centre halves who having blundered or been skinned by a better opponent.
His mistake against Rangers cost us a goal that’s clear but on the whole I thought he defended well last season.
Brendan will decide of course but I like DB and I hope he stays and has a decent WC if he plays!
HH
Fat Sally saying South Korea don’t really have anyone to unlock the defence.
Whit aboot Ki?
?⚽️
I have always thought that DB was a good defender, who was prone to lapses in concentration. If Belgium think he is good enough for them (and they are a very good team) and our manager thinks he is good enough for us, I am happy. They know a lot more about the game than I do.