A cursory glance at the table suggests St Johnstone are far off their double trophy winning form of last season. The second most successful team in Scottish football over the last decade (three times more trophies than the cackle of solitary winners) are eighth in the league, five points off a top six spot.
The roof fell in on them last week as Livingston produced three goals from 35% possession and four shots on target, a statistical anomaly for a St Johnstone defence that conceded only six goals in their other eight league games this season. This is a team with a goalkeeper who can keep them out and score at the other end, and a defence which offers opponents few opportunities.
They will be no more adventurous than Ferencvaros when they pitch up at Celtic Park tomorrow afternoon, we will need to be at our best.
That “best” is pretty decent right now. I’m still wallowing in the Rogic-Jota move from Fir Park and its cousin, the Jota-Kyogo goal on Tuesday. Add in the play that saw Ferenc exposed so frequently after the opening goal and we should be confident we can do the same to the winners of last season’s cups.
Dare we ponder the form of St Mirren, unbeaten in six since their 6-0 drubbing at Celtic Park? A home game against league leaders, Newco, is unlikely to phase Jim Goodwin.
Real Betis took a point at home to Bayer Leverkusen last night. Barring an unlikely result for Celtic in Germany (or Ferencvaros in Spain), Leverkusen and Betis are likely to occupy first and second place in the group. The Conference place is our most achievable target.
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Afternoon all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38m6G0FXZxI
I am not MC Lenny.
You can Dance if you want to.
Helter Skelter
Madness……
Bach in the Davie Hay
Paul 67
I told you, give me a few minutes🤨
Big Man – Thanks for Always being here Pat.
Well done LEFTCLICKTIC .
H.H. Mick
I feel that we will overun St Johstone tomorrow, at least 3 0. MIB honest mistakes wot make a difference, Cant wait
SAINT STIVS
From previous thread: Thanks for the reply.
Apologies for the delay…work.
Go for them from the off and wear them down. First half will be a grind and then pressure will tell.
Team for that
Hart
Juranovic (or Ralston if not fit)
CCV
Starfelt
Boli
Bitton
Turnbull
McGregor
Jota
Giacomis
Kyogo
Wee rest for Abada and cameos for Mikey and Tam in last thirty when ole limbs are tired on the Saints side.
Close one. 7-0 for the bhoys.
HH
You can vote for the Jota-Kyogo goal it has made the shortlist for Europa League Goal of the week.
https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/goal-of-the-week/#/
I’ve missed the boat on the goal of the week, I think Napoli’s Insigne has won it (they don’t wait too long)
SAINT STIVS on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 12:34 PM
passports lost or nae money to get hame.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FCLC4EqagAAORjC?format=jpg&name=900×900
Daizen Maeda ‘set for’ Celtic transfer as Ange Postecoglou returns to J League well for Yokohama F Marinos hot shot
The forward has bagged 18 goals and provided three assists in the Japanese top flight this season.
Daizen Maeda is reportedly close to becoming Celtic ‘s second signing from the J League this season, with a deal lined up for the Yokohama F Marinos ace.
Forward Kyogo Furuhashi has been a huge with with fans since his summer arrival, with the 26-year-old bagging nine goals in 13 games since his move.
Manager Ange Postecoglou has an intimate knowledge of the Japanese market following his spell with Marinos, and The Times reports that a deal is close for one of his former players.
Maeda, who has hit 18 goals and provided three assists this season, already has experience in Europe after a loan spell at Maritimo.
Another forward, the 24-year-old can play through the middle or off the left and has been capped twice by Japan.
Postecoglou has already confirmed he’ll look to tap into the J League market as the rebuild continues in an attempt to wrest back the Premiership crown.
He said: “That is one of the markets we will be looking at. Obviously I know it well and they will get to the end of their season which is a good time if there’s anyone who will fit into our set-up.
“We will be looking everywhere. The last window was frantic.
This time we want to make sure that we are planning well in advance.
“We have already identified targets and begun discussions before we get to January so that we can conclude deals a lot quicker than we did in the previous window.”
Looking proactive for January, a Brazilian MF linked yesterday, get wee George and CCV signed up, and we’re starting to look like a team again.
GREENPINATA on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 10:19 AM
While you acknowledged the hard work of Aulheid and others over the last 10+ years, your post clearly gave the impression that you;
perceive 2012 and all that as being in the past,
see no point in pursuing it further,
that we all should “let it go and enjoy the journey”
You’re right there is no groundswell of discontent. That doesn’t mean to say that those who are not discontent can’t see they’re still being taken for mugs.
It took me several years to allow myself to believe it but I have a weight off my shoulders now.
Saint Stivs,
I willnae ever conrform.
I knowe the Georgia Guidestones. are rEAL
CelticFirst isnae here anymore.
Callum deserves a better Sonic
Always good to read about It’s-Definitely-Not-Rangers on Oldfirm Quick News……..
QUADROPHENIAN on 21ST OCTOBER 2021 10:51 PM
Morning from a very autumnal Louisville. I appreciate the reply you sent yesterday, I’m better educated now which is the goal one would hope? Thank you and enjoy the haircut and fresh air!
Foodbank Collection to take place at St Johnstone match
By Celtic FC Foundation
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On Saturday, October 23, 2021, ahead of our home match against St Johnstone, Celtic FC Foundation and partner Glasgow North East Foodbank will host a food collection where we will be humbly accepting donations of food and essentials.
This will be the first physical food collection that has taken place at Celtic Park for over two years. In that time, the most vulnerable in our communities have faced extreme hardship and repeated uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this will likely continue for the foreseeable future due to rising costs, including fuel, and the end of a number of key support schemes.
Celtic FC Foundation’s primary focus has, and will continue to be, providing assistance to those most affected by the crisis, via the Football for Good Fund (FFGF).
To date, the FFGF has helped thousands of the most vulnerable, through the provision of food and essentials, assistance to tackle fuel poverty and support to combat loneliness and isolation and promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
We would therefore like to invite all supporters who are attending the match against St Johnstone to bring along a donation if they can. Even one item from the list can make a huge difference to someone’s life.
The most urgent items listed in order of priority are:
UHT milk
Juice
Tinned meat (ham etc)
Tuna
Rice/custard
Tinned fruit
Tinned vegetables
There will be two drop-off stations on the day of the collection: The Clover on Celtic Way (main collection) and the North East entrance at the fence next to the Lisbon Lions’ car park.
In addition, there will also be a small number of Foundation volunteers on hand with buckets, should supporters wish to donate cash in support of the food drive.
Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive, Tony Hamilton said: “This is needed more than ever, and we are very grateful to everyone who might be in a position to help us. Thank you in advance, if you can assist at the match.
“Our partnership with Glasgow North East Foodbank and many other Foodbanks will benefit from this, and it’ll come at a time when many of them are urgently needing stock for their clients.”
Linda Stuart, Glasgow NE Foodbank co-ordinator, said: “The collections at Celtic Park are vital to the Foodbank. They allow us to replenish our stock and provide us with a number of key items and essentials that we occasionally run out of.
“Without the collections, we would struggle to help as many families in need. The Celtic fans have always been so generous and helpful and we continue to be humbled by their incredible support.”
For those who cannot attend the match but would still like to make a contribution, they can do so by donating the equivalent of a bag of groceries virtually.
Supporters can donate whatever they can afford eg £10, £20, £30, etc HERE with funds raised covering the cost of food and essentials, which along with what is collected on the day, will be provided to those most in need of our support, via Glasgow North East Foodbank and our other FFGF charity partners.
To support our food drive, simply make your donation either in person or virtually ahead of the 3pm kick-off and, with your help, we can continue to use football for good to make a positive difference.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
H
15:0
SQUIRE DANAHER on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 10:31 AM
MARSPAPA on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 9:48 AM
Happy to bring a bit of great Celtic memories to the blog, glad you liked it.
For whatever reason me and my late best man (elder brother of CQNs Call Me Gerry) only had one ticket between us that day. We agreed to go and try and get another on the day (2nd Jan, always a possibility of a alcohol related casualty).
We were resigned to selling the one we had when two lads offered us a spare.
Next stop the middle of The Jungle for a memorable day. No conducting the choir for replacement goalkeeper G Roberts that day.
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Merories brought back this one.
My Dad had been offered tickets for me and him for Ibrox first Derby of the season 66, he point blank refused (we never stepped foot inside the bigot dome and me still to this day haven’t).
He promises me, we will go to the New Year game (the 3rd) Jan).
Super excited I told all ma wee pals at school.
Anyway New Year comes and the the uncles are saying how honoured I should feel because he never went to any Rangers games hated all the nonsense surrounding it.
Well the morning of the game I’m up like a lark got my strip hat n scarf on at 10 in the morning itching for the clock to go faster.
Dad’s home early from his shift and cleaned up, right let’s go pick up yer uncle….. Off we go to pick my uncle up at the pub only to find out he’d been drunk and lifted for fighting…….
We went to a few local police stations but couldn’t find him……
I now realise I’m not getting to the game… this selfish wee 7 year old was greeting his heart out, not a thought for my uncle……..
And to this day never been to a new years game…….
Ps…. My uncle was in a pub in the Gallowgate they never locked him up, probably a bloody pest.
We won 5-1 that day. Aye memories 💚👍
They sure got a lot of mentions for a club that has only won one trophy!
Big Judith looking radiant 😎
Happy 57th birthday to the Maestro.
Is it really all those years ago?? (At least I helped him get his O-Grade Geography before he left school, so he can’t get lost even Down Under)!
What a player, what a gent, what a Celt.
We are delighted to confirm that a Pay-per-view service is available to supporters for Saturday’s league match v St Johnstone, LIVE from Celtic Park, priced £12.99.
Due to UEFA broadcasting rules, it’s not possible for StreamDigital to offer live matches between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday to supporters located in England. As a result, the PPV service for this weekend’s match is on sale to those in other areas of the UK & Ireland only.
Anyone know why this is the case
Due to UEFA broadcasting rules, it’s not possible for StreamDigital to offer live matches between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday to supporters located in England
!!BADA BING!! on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 3:03 PM
We are delighted to confirm that a Pay-per-view service is available to supporters for Saturday’s league match v St Johnstone, LIVE from Celtic Park, priced £12.99.
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Has anyone used this , is it reliable ?
TOM MCLAUGHLIN ( From last article )
Absolutely no need to apologize, TOM. No one around me was paying attention, or had already turned to go. I was just staring in abject misery at the field, and it somehow stuck in my memory.
I was also at the Milan semi final, when Prati did us in. For 46 years, I thought Clark took the fateful throw in to big Billy. SFTB, of this parish, politely set me straight and told me it was Jim Craig, so I fully understand that the old memory can play a few tricks!
Juranovic and …….ahem ….McCarthy in squad for tomorrow
PPV technology will need to improve dramatically to prevent punters sourcing alternative means..
As yet that specific technology is not in place
HH to all.
I’ve just seen that Moses played the ball to the Son of Ghod to score against Judas’ team last night! Biblical stuff right enuff.
INIQUITOUSIV
I was 18 when I attended the 1972 Inter semi-final. Our supporters club was going to run a bus to the final and I and my brothers and mates had paid deposits, not out of extreme confidence but to pre-empt the deluge after beating Inter.
When we lost the shoot-out, I cried. I remember my pals trying to console me as we walked away in total despair. It’s the worst I’ve ever felt after a defeat.
Wee bit late with this but here goes:
RIMTIMTIM on 21ST OCTOBER 2021 3:21 PM
JIMMYNOTPAUL
I think Dixie was first to step up and all the pressure was on him. I watched the highlights that night although as an earlier poster commented in reference to Pat McCluskey’s penalty, your mind can play tricks on you. I think it was the first time a shoot out had settled a big European match.
*Correct and it was Sir Bob who pressurised UEFA tae come up with a solution rather than the dreaded toss of the coin after we had won as a result of it at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon 3 years before.
The toss of the coin to decide games was a sore point with Sir Bob and several years earlier, as president of the SFA he had made a complaint to UEFA about the practice of coin tosses settling ties.
He preferred corner kicks during extra time as he felt that the team with the most corner kicks in extra time should be the winners as that indicated the attacking side.
At that time they were already in use in the Charity Cup although not the Glasgow Cup.
In the period between the 7-1 game and Big Billy’s bumper cup final we had lost tae deidco to the toss of the coin several times in the latter.
On the flight back to Glasgow Sir Bob indicated his displeasure of winning such an important tie by these means and stated that we would press UEFA to have new legislation introduced.
That whole event that night was a farce as normally the ref would call both captains tae the centre circle, choose one tae make the call and then proceed tae flip the coin in the air.
Not that particular night as he took both captains tae the referees room and asked Billy tae make the call, when he won he stifled his joy by saying that was only tae decide who would then make the call.
Billy got it right again, big fly Jock in his wisdom had sent a couple of our travelling youths tae observe it and it was Paul Wilson who came roaring out of the room declaring we were through.
I know supporters who had travelled tae Lisbon for the game that didnae know we were the winners until they arrived back in Glasgow.
As Bob said at the time “we won this toss and this is the right time to take up the case, it is a most unsatisfactory way to end such a vital tie in any competition, certainly we would not have said anything about this if we had lost the toss to Benfica but now that we are through, perhaps our words will carry some weight.”
Quite ironic that we would be the first side to be eliminated by the new penalty kick ruling.
As for Chopper scoring the 4th penalty that night, as has already been stated, none of us knew as we were probably hauf way doon the Gallowgate when he took it, in fact it was a few days later that I found out in a wee column in the paper and only because Jock had praised him for his professionalism in taking it knowing we were out of the Big Cup.
Couple of days later there was a photie of Dixie standing at a bus stop with the caption wondering if he had missed it. Also our supposed allies at Easter road started chanting “Dixie Deans superstar, how many miles is it over the bar”, they would soon find out 17 days later at hunden with his hat trick in a record equaling SC Final score.
Contrast that tae deidco winning the toss against Real Zaragoza in the quarters of the lavvy cup. Front page in an article penned by the Express fitba correspondent, former kilmasonic manager waddell hysterically telling us that captain courageous had made the right call tae progress them through tae the semis.
Shouldnae really complain as it led tae another great night in Nuremberg 6 days after Lisbon.
Strange comments coming from Gerrard on the Connor Goldson contract impasse.
Goldson, apparently, earns £27k a week. He is just a few weeks away from being 29 years old, his next contract will be his last biggie. Could easily collect £40k at any EPL club and probably a good few in the Championship.
My guess is he will do a Kamara and sign a new deal. The Ibrox PR machine will tell us Connor is here for 56/57/58 etc, but, like Kamara, the devil will be in the detail. That will not be for public consumption. In about 10 weeks time he could sign a pre-contract elsewhere, the ultimate humiliation for the Govan outfit.
It’s Friday it’s Five to Five it’s…………………………
!!BADA BING!!
James has to get by the warm up
MARSPAPA
!!BADA BING!! on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 3:03 PM
We are delighted to confirm that a Pay-per-view service is available to supporters for Saturday’s league match v St Johnstone, LIVE from Celtic Park, priced £12.99.
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Has anyone used this , is it reliable ?
_______
I’ve bought the PPV for all the away games that haven’t been covered by a TV channel. They’ve all been totally reliable and good quality.
…Crackerjack!!!
As provided by the opposition, that is.
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 22ND OCTOBER 2021 4:53 PM
…Crackerjack!!
Were you not two minutes early😂
Pedantic.csc
TOM MCLAUGHLIN
I can empathize with that! I am sure my memory of the details of sore defeats is much worse than that of our wins for one reason only – I never watch reruns of these games. I have not gone back to watch the Inter or Milan semi finals, nor the Feyenoord and Porto finals. And I was at 3 of these 4 games.