Second gear Celtic

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Yesterday was the fourth time in four games this season Celtic have won without having to leave second gear.  Kilmarnock and St Mirren were both stretched by European qualification ties, while Hibs have had a humiliating start to the season, even for them.  Still, there could hardly be a starker illustration of the chasm between our domestic and Champions League challenges.

Scotland’s other leading club made it eight wins on the bounce this season, as Aberdeen continue to provide the main competition to the champions.  The first showdown between the clubs does not happen for another seven weeks, a game that could go a long way to determining the title.

Credit to St Mirren for dominating the first 140 seconds of the tie; unfortunately for them, Celtic scored the first time they got forward with the ball.  A trademark Celtic passing move opened space for Callum McGregor 24 yards out, who fired low into the net.  St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson’s plans to get stuck in early became unstuck before many fans had got to their seat.

Reo Hatate doubled the advantage 33 minutes in with the goal of the game.  Alistair Johnston pitched a high ball into the box for Daizen Maeda to run onto.  The Japanese winger headed back and down into space for Reo, who struck the ball on the drop-volley, clipping the inside of the post on the way in.  Johnston removed any doubt about the result with a goal midway through the second half.

Paulo Bernardo showed lots of tidy work in the central midfield role normally occupied by Matt O’Riley, who travelled south for a medical over the weekend and should compete his move to Brighton today.  More on Matt at a later date.

As the deadline looms, players and clubs across the continent have sharpened their options.  Barcelona agreed to a new-contract-and-loan-to-Celtic deal with 20-year-old left back Alex Valle.  The player is expected in Glasgow today for a medical.  At the end of this season, he will have one year remaining on is Barcelona deal, with a buy-out figure which is greatly reduced from where it was a week ago.

Goalkeeper is the only area of the field we are not looking to add to this week.  This is not your first transfer window, so usual caveats, but it should be an interesting few days.

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329 Comments

  1. I haven’t read back much, so I don’t know if this has come up, but I’m an old man now, late 70s and I remember the late 50s early 60s when Bob Kelly got unbelievable abuse especially at home games. I didn’t like that then from Celtic supporters and I don’t like it now. However, Peter Lawwell got off quite lightly in comparison. I don’t think it’ll bother him much, Bob Kelly just told them to go and support someone else! I think Peter will have the same reaction! 😂

  2. BIGBHOY on @6:12pm

     

    Ordinary Joe

     

     I wouldn’t have called him an arsehole like these clowns.

     

     What entitled these fans to shout at the Celtic Chairman in the street

     

    ……………………………………

     

     

    Probably they can’t find a way of getting their place in the queue to ask PL questions at the AGM?

     

     

    Which is hugely disrespectful of fans when the executive is too precious to be questioned…if that is the case.

  3. OJ

     

    Peter Lawwell is out there in the public – to such an extent he and his family survived an arson attack.

     

    You on the other hand sit behind your keyboard spouting all sorts of shit, big brave you.

     

     

    At least I use my own name

  4. Celt55, Stop calling yourself an old man, I’m closing in on 77 and still think I’m a kid,

     

    Probably playing better Golf now then I ever did albeit I have lost a bit of distance,

     

     

    I’m serious, thinking about yourself that way is not good,

  5. Tim Malone Will Tell on 26th August 2024 2:24 pm

     

    Maybe the boy from Barcelona isn’t 100% convinced (yet) that he wants to be in Glasgow – the player does have a say and I think some are overlooking that fact.

     

     

    We should tell him to talk to Marc Crosas…

     

    ————–

     

    Suzie your having a giraffe.

  6. The Top 10 were:-

     

     

    10- Stevie Wonder

     

    9- Joni Mitchell

     

    8- Paul Simon

     

    7- Goffin & King

     

    6- Jagger & Richards

     

    5- Smokey Robinson

     

    4- Chuck Berry

     

    3- John Lennon

     

    2- Paul McCartney

     

    1- Bob Dylan

     

     

    Give me half an hour and I’ll give you a list of where your suggestions fitted in the Top 100

  7. TLT

     

     

    Are you serious ?

     

     

    Do you think Nicholson sneaked Valle in and hope Brendan wouldn’t notice ?

  8. TLT

     

     

    For me everyone has been going berserk for a left back. Some say to replace Greg but I have noticed recently that the penny is dropping re the value Greg brings. So the narrative is more someone to back him up.

     

     

    Perhaps with the potential heavy load of an additional, hopefully 8 games above last season it could be really useful to have 2 equally strong left full backs.

  9. B78….not at all….I think Valle is a project signing…we’ll see if Brendan plays him, no?

     

     

    H.H.

  10. TLT

     

     

    Sorry I mean 9 games extra.

     

     

    3 league cup and ideally 6 more in CL (eg to 2nd stage of knockouts).

  11. TLT

     

     

    As a big Greg Taylor fan myself I really hope he keeps the shirt but also hope the new guy shows he is worthy and can slot in over time.

     

     

    I wouldn’t be unhappy if you are right in other words. Give the dynamics around player acquisitions this week I just don’t think so and I worry a bit for Greg in his final year of contract.

  12. corkcelt on 26th August 2024 6:55 pm

     

     

    I’m one year on, closing in on 78. I agree with you. You’re only as old as you think and I don’t feel old either. It’s that wee moment, though, when you catch this guy in the mirror and you think, who’s that? 😂

  13. Gene on 26th August 2024 7:29 pm

     

     

    Me too. Especially when I loom at photos from the past.

  14. GENE on @6:53pm

     

    OJ

     

     Peter Lawwell is out there in the public – to such an extent he and his family survived an arson attack.

     

     You on the other hand sit behind your keyboard spouting all sorts of shit, big brave you.

     

     At least I use my own name

     

    ……………………………………..

     

     

    So I have to tell everybody on the Internet where I live…because Peter Lawwell bumped into a real person yesterday…and not a carefully planted AGM glove puppet?

  15. stpatricksbhoy on

    celt55 on 26th August 2024 7:24 pm

     

    corkcelt on 26th August 2024 6:55 pm

     

    Great posts I am in my late 70’s,golf three times a week,still enjoy my season ticket let’s all keep on thinking we are still seventeen.I wan to see 10 in a row so rock on.

     

    Hail Hail stpatricksbhoy

  16. I could not give a flying fuck about lewell’s sad wee feelings, the man spent the best part of 15 years as one of the highest paid CEO’S in British football all the while telling supporters we could not compete with larger league for players, clearly that did and does not extend to himself. According the lawell we spend every penny in, again just bullshittery of the highest oder. We can’t get playes in until we know if we get in champions league. 3 x auto entry, but still we fuck about signing projects and last minute.

     

     

    Aye we have had decent success in scotland against a financially funked sevco but we have shown no ambition in Europe for decades. Ffs we had bitton at centreback for about 3 years in a row for european qualifiers cuase unlike just about every club in Europe, the football team is a distant second to the boardroom.

     

     

    Demand 30 million for our best player then put in shite bids they know clubs will not accept, I for one am preparing for the we tried bullshite. If the celtic board ran their own money the way they manage celtic’s money they would be living in a modest flat in the east end of Glasgow.

     

     

    HH

  17. ordinary joe on 26th August 2024 7:43 pm

     

    GENE on @6:53pm

     

     

    It was not football related, was it not a misidentification of addresses or something.

  18. The CQN suggestions and their placings

     

     

    Elton John and Bernie Taupin- 48

     

    Hal David and Burt Bacharach- 32

     

    Fran & Anna- shamefully overlooked

     

    Gilbert & Sullivan- not sure they were singers

     

    Rene and renata- Save Your Time My Darling, Just don’t bother

     

    Chaka Demus and Pliers- Computer says Naw

     

    Irving berlin- God Bless America was a black mark

     

    Paul Simon- 8

     

    Joni Mitchell-9

     

    Bob Dylan-1

     

    Mike & Bernie Winters and Snorbitz – the dug ate all their best work

     

    Gilbert O’Sullivan- disqualified cos nothing rhymed

     

    Billy Joel- 50

     

    Keith Harris and Orville- they couldn’t give a duck

     

    Carole King- 7 shared

     

    Rogers and Hammerstein- Singers?

     

    Robert Johnson or Sonny Boy Williamson- 23 & unplaced

     

    David Bowie- 39

     

    Alanis Morissette- Ironically, she never made the list

     

    Jagger and Richards- 6

     

    Ray Davies- 27

     

    Bruce Springsteen- 14

  19. stpatricksbhoy on 26th August 2024 7:44 pm

     

     

    Great stuff, I hope you get your wish, it’s mine too!

  20. corkcelt on 26th August 2024 6:55 pm

     

    Celt55, Stop calling yourself an old man, I’m closing in on 77 and still think I’m a kid,

     

     

     

     

    Probably playing better Golf now then I ever did albeit I have lost a bit of distance,

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I’m serious, thinking about yourself that way is not good,

     

     

     

    I entirely agree. Turned 75 in June; play golf Monday to Friday and love it!

     

    You’re right about the distance though ;)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    Gerry