Sturm Graz arrive in Glasgow today in good domestic form. They sit top of the Austrian league, three points clear of RB Salzburg despite playing one less game. Salzburg won 10-in-a-row before Sturm took the title in 2024, then winning again last season. A win this term would confirm Salzburg’s decade of dominance is well and truly over.
Results in Europe have been mixed. A 5-0 capitulation in their Champions League playoff first leg at Bodo/Glimt was a blow. This was followed by another trip to Scandinavia for Europa League game one, where they lost 2-0 to Midtjylland.
Their Europa campaign got back on track with a 2-1 home win over Newco Rangers earlier this month, but that result flattered Sturm. Despite being the away team and going through turmoil, Newco had more shots, more on target and more possession. Sturm scored twice early on and were able to hold out for the second half. If Russell Martin could put them under pressure in Graz, there is fragility to exploit.
Their top fee paid this summer was €2m, which they spent three times, bringing total spend to €6.7m, which is slightly more than the €6m they took in from player sales. A Ferrari, they are not. In any normal times we would be confident of Celtic collecting three points tomorrow. Let’s hope the mood in the squad lifts before then.
Curious fact. Since that infamous tie against Celtic in 1984, Rapid Vienna have won only five league titles and just two this century. Rapid Karma.
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Aye, Wednesday it is.
Massive 5 days ahead.
HH!
We have a weirdly poor record v Austrian sides. Hopefully we can put that right and kick start our campaign tomorrow. Decent crowd I reckon. Maybe best in Europe on the night.
You better believe it Aipple!
A not very well educated guess from their results suggests they don’t concede many and score plenty against mediocre opposition but struggle against better.
If they are flat track bullies we’d better hope the civic doesnt break down again.
Interesting article Paul . Any idea how Salzberg ended their period of domination ? I just wondered if it was anything like the way we’re trying to end ours
Mood in the squad is a factor.
I hope every attendee backs the bhoys to the hilt tomorrow night.
No boos (not at our guys), fewer groans, plenty of vocals and c’mons.
It’s one thing us “ordinary fans” can own.
Just secured our tickets for Killy on Nov. 9.
I hope it is a pinch game with 3 points essential – not long to go.
Mon the hoops 🍀
Have a good one PHILCOOL.
The following “The Celtic Exchange” article is on BBC Sport. It paints a miserable picture of Celtic’s current situation and their recent form. However, whilst I agree that things are far from rosy at Celtic at the moment, in spite of all the noise and negativity they have still lost just two of their last 22 games in all competitions when penalty shot-outs are taken out of consideration.
I look forward to their improvement when the mood has lifted and they have their full squad free of injury and available for selection. Then with some decent recruitment in January they can kick on to win yet another SPL title, much like last season when until late November the MSM had Aberdeen nailed on for the title!
Article:@
“Celtic are there to be shot at.”
Not my words, but those of Derek McInnes as his high-flying Hearts side prepare to face the once-invincible Celtic this weekend.
And he’s absolutely right.
In Europe, Celtic can hardly claim invincibility these days following a string of woeful results on the continent.
Domestically, though, it’s been a different story. Thirteen titles from the past 14 seasons tell their own tale. For years, no one has come close to toppling Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football.
But to say that a chink has appeared in the armour would be an understatement. Last weekend’s loss to then second-bottom Dundee – a result that ended a 37-year unbeaten run at Dens Park – was more than just a blip.
And perhaps the most worrying part? It didn’t come as much of a surprise.
Should we have seen it coming? After losing just twice in all competitions throughout 2024 (to Hearts and Borussia Dortmund), Brendan Rodgers’ side have now suffered nine defeats in 2025 – and it’s not even Halloween.
Losing to Aston Villa or Bayern Munich is one thing. But defeats to a relegated St Johnstone, an underperforming Rangers (twice!), and now a Dundee side with just one league win before the weekend?
Those are the kind of results that simply shouldn’t happen with such frequency to a team with Celtic’s ambitions.
And let’s not forget the embarrassment of Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty – two stalemates followed by defeat on penalties.
Any team can lose a game. But when defeats start forming a pattern, it becomes a problem. And one that can’t be ignored.
Only Rodgers and his players can now put it right – and they’ll have to do so quickly, with two massive fixtures on the horizon.
Lose to Sturm Graz on Thursday, and our Europa League campaign is dead in the water before it even begins.
Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange
The Celtic Exchange wouldn’t have been invited on to the BBC website unless it’s output was depressingly negative.
SMSM and Celtic refuseniks now on the same page.
The rest of us will try to be confident on Thursday and cheer on the team.
p.s. I see the corresponding BBC article about the tribute act is headlined “Father figure Rohl will help Rangers to win”.
One of the things that has stuck with me about last Sunday’s match might seem inordinately insignificant but it’s worth mentioning I think…
KT, through on the keeper from the left hand side of the goal with the ball on his right side, has the natural finish of the far corner to place the ball into. Instead of finishing right-footed, he broke his stride to allow the ball to run across him onto his left foot, reducing the angle, increasing the difficulty and allowing the keeper time to close the angle further. He missed of course.
I’ve seen it happen innumerable times in kids matches but it’s seen so infrequently in the modern professional game that it’s stuck with me.
Also… nice to see Ben Nygren taking inswinging corners from both sides of the pitch. We haven’t seen that since Lubo, albeit Lubo could do it with the outstep of each boot as well as the instep. Still, nice to see.
So even sturm had a net spend!!!!…it’ll never catch on
Weird how fans see football/players in different ways:
I think Kasper still has it over big Vil, Liam is our most dependable performer, Dane nowhere near replacing anyone in the backline, Saracchi a better option that KT (inamura is no less and option to Kieran) Calum still our only middy lynchpin, Reo a mercurial flake, Arne better then Benji or Paulo, Jamesy over Yang any day and Shin more likely to make a difference than Jonny Kenny has ever threatened to. If his repute hadn’t been made at Leicester, fans’d be giving big Kel the same kind of dogs abuse once reserved for Idah. We’ll be back to our best with AJ and Daizen back onfield.
SturmInAnEuroCup CSC
Maeda missed training again
Unconditional support needed from our fans tomorrow night!
Ave Ave
QUADROPHENIAN on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 1:11 PM
Weird how fans see football/players in different ways:
….
Indeed , watching Liam bringing the ball out from the back ( as the opposition recognise he is the worst at bringing the ball out ) and taking god knows how many touches is excruciating, he should be nowhere near the first team. He is slowing the play down dramatically.
Defensively the 2nd goal at Dundee was farcical not least Liam getting skinned and allowing the cross in , very poor covering for the Motherwell 1st goal , there will be many more examples to come.
I like the effort Liam gives us and he is trying like mad ( but surely that should be a given) but for me not good enough…..
Going forward real issues and lack of pace means that changing formation to 3 at the back with his lack of pace is very problematic.
A reasonably good backs to wall defender , another square peg in a round hole from Brendan’s approach to selection.
That would be my honest assessment of big Liam but if selected we need to support Liam and the rest of the bhoys …
Scoutingreportcfc
I intend to Aipple , lol.
Rangers are hoping to drop the Ibrox pitch to be able to expand the stadium by 4000 seats. (The Herald)
Naw ye urny!
EKBHOY – this is a decent and fresh data-driven read about Celtic’s main defenders CCV and Liam:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/c8r0lj84kppo
16 October 2025
Since joining from Shamrock Rovers in 2021, Liam Scales has made 110 appearances for Celtic across all competitions and has firmly cemented himself as a mainstay in Brendan Rodgers’ starting XI.
The Irish defender has started all seven of the Parkhead club’s league games this season, while centre-back partner Cameron Carter-Vickers has started six.
Dane Murray has started once in the top flight, Auston Trusty has been missing through injury since a couple of early appearances as a substitute and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has not featured at all since joining on loan from Manchester City.
We’ve taken a look at the stats behind Scales’ start to the season to see if Rodgers is justified in his loyalty to the centre-back.
Defensively, Carter-Vickers and Scales measure up on almost all metrics but there are a few key areas where the latter has excelled.
In terms of tackles, both Carter-Vickers and Scales have made six so far while the American international has won five to his team-mates’ four. However, the pair are joint for interceptions (10) while Scales has made more clearances (45 to 33), headed clearances (29 to 21), all while having faced six more shots than his counterpart.
Scales has won 43 duels while Carter-Vickers has won 33, giving them a duel success rate of 64.2% and 56.9% respectively. In terms of aerial duels, Scales has won 31 from 48 while his team-mate has won 22 of 36.
While the moans and groans from Celtic Park can be heard across the country every time one or other of the defenders passes back to goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, Scales has been putting in the work going forward.
Scales has made 242 forward passes in his seven games compared to Carter-Vickers’ 192.
Looking at successful passes into the final third, Scales’ 88 vastly outnumbers Carter-Vickers’ 54. The Irishman has also made 15 passes into the opposition penalty box compared to Carter-Vickers’ one.
Scales has created five chances and three big chances while his regular centre-back partner has created one of each.
Going by the numbers alone, it seems Rodgers has found his star centre-back.
I usually feel UPBEAT about Celtic and most upcoming games, but at this moment in time I feel very pessimistic about our upcoming games.
I can NOT remember the last time that I felt so concerned about Celtic ?
I feel that the game v STRUM GRAZ is a game we can do without right now and the Europa League is just a distraction for our players given our poor form and low confidence.
I also worry about the Hearts game this Sunday, as I feel that many of our players will NOT be UP for the fight, especially Swinecastle this Sunday.
Sorry for being on such a ” Downer” right now about Celtic, but MAYBE Brendan and The Bhoys will prove me wrong in the upcoming games ?
HH.
Some tempering comments among the gloom … and perhaps reasonably so.
We’re just not clicking at the moment.
Quite a few nearly moments on Sunday – the later of which drew the tiresome cliché from the commentary team
“Is it going to be one of those days”
IMHO, just a few percentage points more of efficiency, energy, and confidence …
… and we win that game on Sunday plus quite a few more in Scotland.
The SMSM would just love us to be on an inexorable slide with no bottom …
… and will doubtless continue to pitch this possibility as a fact.
They might be right this time.
They might not though.
The players lift themselves and each other?
Daizen gets his head clear and injury free?
AJ comes back in?
Right side gets stronger?
Auston is available?
Seb and Balik settle in?
We might become a half decent unit.
PS – reactionary, glass half empty comment?
Callum is done.
Transition passed him by effortlessly several times on Sunday.
Immediate (not medium or long term) evolution of the team has to include a minutes on the pitch reduction for our captain.
EKBHOY on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 1:27 PM
QUADROPHENIAN on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 1:11 PM
Weird how fans see football/players in different ways:.
The conclusion of the article that the stats bear out that Liam is the star defender is in my opinion utter drivel. The reason he has better stats is that he has more of the ball because the opposition let him have it and since Kuhn threw his toys out the pram most of our attacks come down the left
Interpretation of football stats is dangerous territory if it’s not placed in the wider context of how the overall game is being managed by both teams , something clearly beyond the BBC folk presenting this article
HH
Erling Haaland has scored more goals than Celtic this season.
Stats CSC
Thanks for that background information Paul.
Sturm Graz should be in the CL proper, like Celtic, both are champions.
Tomorrow, I would settle for Celtic as a nifty Raptor motor car, made in Scotland, to get round the
Mercedes Benz model they make in the Graz plant.
Vinniethedog
Not many show a net spend outside of the top 4 leagues in Europe. Even in those there are not too many.
Big Jimmy
I share your concern about playing EL football before going to Tynecastle, to me we dont have the players to handle up there, and they are rubbing their hands hoping to give us a drubbing, the Manager coaches and players need to find something tomorrow night and show signs of progress. However I havent a clue where the goals are going to come from.
bournesouprecipe on 22nd October 2025 2:23 pm
Erling Haaland has scored more goals than Celtic this season.
———————————————————
According to Transfermarkt, Erling Haaland is worth more than Celtic’s entire 30 player squad. And he has 5 players supplying him who are each worth more than half the value of Celtic’s entire squad.
Haaland probably also earns more than Celtic’s entire squad.
You’re trying to compare a Ferrari with Honda Civics!
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/celtic-glasgow/startseite/verein/371
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchester-city/startseite/verein/281
Erling Haaland has scored more goals than Celtic this season.
Easy when you are not racing against a Ferrari driven by Steven Pressley.
Happy birthday Paul McStay, BTW.
Just back from a walk which became a run from the rain.
That’ll teach me.
On the outward part I came across 3 citizens , two ducking down to, and one under the front of, a car … in full discussion.
From a distance it looked like they were trying to solve a complex, engineering problem.
Alas, all was revealed as I walked past.
Trying to attach a large poppy to the grille !
Here we go.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gjp73gp41o
“She didn’t stand ME up !
I cancelled the date. Her loss”
Stats Stats…… we don’t need no steenkin Stats
Since Kairat, we’ve played 11 games and won 4.
We’ve failed to score in 6 of those 11 games.
We’ve failed to score in the first half in 9 of those 11 games.
We required an injury time winner to win 2 of the 4 games we won.
Hearts, Hibs, Dundee United, and Motherwell have scored more goals than us in the league. We are tied with Kilmarnock.
@ Bada Bing
BSR
I think the two Hearts CH’s have scored more goals.
TIMHORTON on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 4:06 PM
BSR
I think the two Hearts CH’s have scored more goals.
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Oooooofffffftttttt CSC
back to basics@3.41
Hope it wisnae a Honda Civic….
Another car crash presser…..
https://youtu.be/i-P2HynbeuY?si=pq2AeEstzACUIe8v
The sooner this guy is chased, the better.
Good to see Brendan has cleared up the Honda Civic drama with a ringing endorsement of the squad :
Asked if he understands why some viewed the remark as a criticism of his players, Rodgers replied: “I don’t know because I haven’t seen or read or heard anything, but it was based around the speed in our team.
“Clearly, it’s not the same as what we had last season, and I’m pretty sure both of those cars have got a different speed, so that was the reference to that.
…..
What a total fud , losing all respect for this guy, I have no expectation of a win never mind a goal tomorrow night
Itsthehopethatkillsyoucfc
EKBhoy on 22nd October 2025 5:13 pm
Times up Brendan.