Very pleased we appear to be on the verge of signing a central defender, especially one who at 24 (Erik Sviatchenko), should be very much in his prime. The previous two seasons each brought excellent defensive performance records but things fell apart from the very start of this season – way before Virgil van Dijk left.
The reasons for the are varied. Jason Denayer left to be replaced by Dedryck Boyata. Dedryck is more settled now but he was well short of Jason’s standards early on. Still is. We have also regressed in the full back positions. Emilio Izaguirre’s decline has been gradual but clear. 18-year-old Kieran Tierney makes fewer mistakes and (I think) poses a greater physical challenge.
Then we have Mikael Lustig. Mikael has always been a favourite of mine; as recently as September I regarded him as our best defender, but I think he’s been well off his best for most of the season. He has been regularly caught in the wrong position and his distribution is often a possession-losing lump upfield.
Craig Gordon would be first to admit his form is nowhere near where it was last season, when he almost single-handedly was responsible for us reaching the Europa League knockout stage. The questions for Craig are what’s going wrong and can it be fixed?
Think back to the latter days of Artur Boruc’s time at Celtic. Artur has gone from having Bayern Munich scouts at Celtic Park to watch him to a guy we sold without fuss as a backup for Fiorentina for £1.2m. Whatever it was he had, had gone. I thought he was finished. Six years later he’s at something approaching his best at Bournemouth.
Craig Gordon has the best part of 4 years on Artur. He has time to get back on form.
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What I wouldn’t do for a wee bit ic sciatica! :-)
I feel sorry for James Forrest. NL said few years ago that he suffered from sciatica and that he asked him to play when he was short of fitness. Short term gain long term pain for the player.
Nathan Oduwa walks out on Sevco back to Tottenham, hmmmmm, didn’t get his bonus payment? Let’s see the sin on this one.
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TBJ,
I was also under the impression that James Forrest has sciatica.
PCS
Sounds like the sciatica story has something behind it ;)
Think I said when I originally heard it that his career will be very limited
Funny
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/judith-chalming/
Morning
Nae fighting this morning? This blogs going downhill fast :-)
Mind you I watched David Haye on Sat night and there wasn’t a great deal of fighting there either.
TWISTSNTURNS
Blimey,yer first post for ages and you’ve killed the blog!
Beat it(!)
How’s yer luck on the geegees these days?
Sciatica is horrible suffer from it occasionally myself,regarding James Forrest I don’t going it’s Sciatica that is his problem,it’s having no heart whatsoever that she gets problem
HH
Hi Bobby
Not so bad mate. Had a nice 100/1 double last Sat, and the 3rd one lost. Which incidentally was my nap :-(
Generally not bad though. My footy coupons on the other hand…. Hmmm can’t catch it at all.
Sat… Leicester :-(
In fact Bobby I’ve only just arranged with PF Ayr to have a day’s hospitality at Musselburgh 29th April, whereby you’ll be more than welcome to join us, as indeed will anyone ( within reason:-) who fancies it
100/1 double!
Ffs,money goes to money,etc…
Well done,mate. I always like the bookies to get a kicking. Though I’d have liked yer nap to have stoatit anaw…
Hitting the post wi my football bets. Bliddy frustrating.
TWISTSNTURNS
That’s only likely if I win enough at Cheltenham to retire on.
So,a naw then…
But enjoy yer day,I’m sure you will. And I reckon you won’t be stuck for company either.
Morning all. HH
Typical Celtic
Linked with every player across Europe and we go and sign somebody the papers haven’t heard of
Morning Bhoys still wintery here in Central Scotland and it is snowing lightly so if your out and about take care. H.H.
tonydonnelly67 on 18th January 2016 8:46 am
Nathan Oduwa walks out on Sevco back to Tottenham, hmmmmm, didn’t get his bonus payment? Let’s see the sin on this one.
——————————————————-
Suspect it is wages related. Sure I read somewhere they need to get 4 or 5 off the books to accomodate any other business.
Morning,WEEFRATHETIM
Up wi the lark?
Peter Lawwell and the board set the financial budgets, which is the job of a Chief Executive and a board – but please can we stop all this nonsense that they actually identify, scout and force players on the team management.
Yes we, like all other clubs who are active in the transfer market, make mistakes and have lapses in judgement – however no one ever sets out to sign a ‘dud’.
Unlike Arsenal, ManUtd, Man City and even now Southamton, Watford & Burnley…etc – we have to operate with BOTH hands tied behind our back, due to our income.
We have made many excellent signings – let’s hope that we have another two in this window…but we must offload – HH
Wee James Forrest could be a guid player for us…..a right, guid player….he reminds me of, John Colqhoun when he was at Hearts….a right, guid wee player.
Sadly, the know how / cuteness disny seem to be available to him at Celtic Park…or, so it would seem ?….So, strange, hmmmm ?
James Forrest should be allowed to leave Celtic now for the better of all concerned….imho.
Don’t persevere with him or, we’ll reach the Paddy McCourt stage…a player who was with us for what ?….5 years ?….and, still couldny get fit enough to complete 90 mins ?….Has that ever been heard of before ?….Nah, me neither.
LG said the Johnny Collins has helped to improve him….no surprise there then.
Collins, Keane or, Big Mark McGhee should hold the keys tot he dug-oot…imho.
Yeah, McGhee’s team were humpde by Hearts on Saturday….the same Hearts that, Ronny’s team couldny beat the other week and yet…it was the same Motherwell team who, handed Ronny his erse on a plate the other week….so, what way do you look at it ?
Anyway….Welcome to Celtic, Erik…Hail Hail.
I just hope that, yer not being referred to as – Sieve-chenko…any time soon.
As an aside….think that Warburton is playing Celtic with all the O’Hallaron stuff, so that…Celtic will do what they did with Scott Allen and, PL’s spin-doctors will make it llok as though they’ve beaten the huns to the punch!….aye, if yer daft enough.
Disny matter who Ronny signs – if it is him who signs them ? – they all end up p#sh!
Ronny oot!….he hisny goat it.
Give the keys of the dug-oot to….
John Collins….ask LG…thee most important player at the club.
Roy Keane….it’s his destiny to manage Celtic FC.
Big Mark McGhee…..how useless did he make Kris Commons look when, Motherwell skelped Ronny’s team the other week there ?….aye.
Sack The Board….or, the died(LOL) huns will come back and blow doon the PLC house of cards….
oot tae make ma pieces up for work….laters…
FRED QUIMBY
No-one has ever suggested we set out to sign a dud. Nobody could be that consistent(!)
The point that has been made repeatedly is that on too many occasions,players have been signed who,at the very least,were not on the manager’s list. If he wants a player for a certain position,and the choice offered to him doesn’t contain anyone he wanted,what is he to do-go without?
No,he’ll take the least-worst choice,so in that respect,he will have the last word.
But I still strongly suspect even that courtesy has been frequently denied.
McGeady is only being offered Championship teams on loan. He’s holding out for a Premier League team it seems.
Maybe somebody like Norwich or Bournemouth would be interested.
Well I hope we dont play the new guy immediately as it is likely he would replace Efe I would like to see Efe continue to gain confidence I think he was one of our better players against Dundee Utd.I think it s good to see us signing new players but we need to off load a few as well as in my opinion we have to many. H.H.
Texted my brother about Nathan Oduwa.
He text back that sevco saying his contract was up.
Tonydonnelly67, “hunt down like a runaway slave”, wholly inappropriate. Under no circumstances should someone read that you will hunt them down on CQN. I have pulled your account. If you want to return to CQN please email me to agree standards of conduct.
Joe Filippis Haircut
We will be offloading plenty I suspect.
Forrest, Mulgrew, GMS, Efe, Boeriggter & McGreggor could all go in the summer
The problem with James Forrest is his fitba intelligence . An undoubtably talented player who just doesnt understand the concept of “finding space” and who often makes wrong decisions. A simple give and go should be getting the ball on the wing then quickly passing to a team-mate and then running into space for the return. However when James tries to do this he runs into a crowd of opposition players instead of space. I notice watching the very top players that they usually make the right pass and make the right decisions which James and a few other of our currant crop dont do.
Joe
I’m no Efe fan,,but he played well at Tannadice and he deserves a few more games to see if can maintain his former.
HH
Bamboo
Agreed,a lot of pace but no thought behind,head down run fast,,but I’ll say it again he lacks testicular fortitude,which is for me that’s the worst trait any footballer can have.
HH
I wouldn’t be so quick to write off James Forest. On form he is one of the few players we have with serious pace, absolutely crucial in Europe.
Against Ajax and when he came on against fenerbahce, he caused problems.
Read back for the first time in ages. Peace seems to have broken out!
HH and KTF
Good Morning Bhoys,
Welcome our new Danish Bhoy.
Strong in the air and good in the tackle and he will get on fine.
Well Done Paul67 for pulling tony up. There is a difference between banter and a threat, No doubt he was trying to be funny but of late he has come across more angry and snide than funny.
Have a good day Bhoys,
KLV
I see we are after another Dane.
Colombo’s grandson:)
Whatever next.
Steven Fletcher:)
HH