It was Brugge who showed the way in our Champions League game in November last year. They pressed Celtic in the middle third which was enough to inhibit our ability to progress the ball into advanced areas. Other managers watched.
Five weeks later, Phillippe Clement copied these tactics in a 3-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox. Barry Ferguson followed this up in March, winning at Celtic Park, then again in a draw at Ibrox. Already-eliminated Young Boys came to Celtic Park, went man-for-man in the middle and lost to a late own-goal.
We watched the same show in the Scottish Cup Final in May: 120 minutes of midfield suffocation before a penalty loss to weaker opposition. It was no different over 210 painful minutes against Kairat. Yesterday’s failure to land a glove on the most nervous defenders in Scottish football follows a well-established pattern. Russell Martin changed every tactic he has used in Glasgow and reverted to the play we all know succeeds against Celtic.
Games with against lesser sides and without Kyogo, Jota and Kuhn have floundered in the middle of the park. We seem to be focussed on adding attacking options today. This is necessary but attacking players are blunt if you cannot break a soft press in the middle of the park.
We got draws at Ibrox, against Kairat and in the Cup Final because we can defend well – Liam Scales was well worth his Man of the Match accolade. That will probably be enough to win the league while Newco beat themselves and the Hearts project is too new. But we are at a tactical cul-de-sac. Chris Davies did more than put the cones out.
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I suppose then they’ll sign Ihenacho after the international fortnight thus saving another 2 weeks wages….
GEEBEE1978 on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 10:49 PM
EKBHOY on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 10:46 PM
Let’s hope Charlton aren’t watching 😳
…
Indeed we lost a few players to the bright lights of London back in the day
Since April, Kelechi Iheanacho has played 12 minutes for Middlesbrough and 34 minutes for Nigeria (across two friendlies)
We either have people who have responsibility for signing players who don’t know what they’re doing, or someone is at it, or both. Selling Adam Idah with no replacement when Brendan said he wouldnt until he as happy he had a replacement in seems strange.
The overhaul of the recruitment department has made it worse, we’re thoroughly dysfunctional, confusion reigns about direction, responsibility, strategy, no process. No transparency. Perhaps that suits, especially when there’s only one voice coming out of the club.
We’ve heard about the need for change, we got it, we’ve now had two damaging Summer windows in different ways.
Theres a familiar feel about what’s going on, perhaps I’m seeing something that isnt there but it feels like an exit strategy to me.
If Iheanacho‘s a free agent we wont even attempt to sign him till the day before our next game…
RC on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 10:54 PM
Since April, Kelechi Iheanacho has played 12 minutes for Middlesbrough and 34 minutes for Nigeria (across two friendlies)
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He’s scored one goal in the last two years.
Stop kidding yourself Glendal. AK had a net worth on the park of 280K and knocked us out. That’s down to Rodgers not Desmond.
RC – well rested then. Will be raring to go.
spikeysauldman on 1st September 2025 10:49 pm
Competition is what makes sport a sport and if Celtic kept qualifying to the CL year after year , and reinvesting in better players any semblance of competition such as it already is, would disappear.
It will be a factor in BoardThink. with other clubs asking Giesabreak.
iheanacho contact with Sevilla has been terminated
That’s prob not a good thing
No hurry for him to sign for anyone (transfer window doesn’t apply to him) so he will tout himself around and get a better wage elsewhere
We’re leaving it late to announce Tounekti…
spikeysauldman 10:54pm:
“If Iheanacho‘s a free agent we wont even attempt to sign him till the day before our next game…”
…by which time he’ll have signed for Rankgers. Or Hertz.
20minutetims 👏👏
There will be retribution for the plc board from the fans after this window.
What form that takes will be the result of much discussion undoubtedly.
But this anger isn’t going away anytime soon.
Enough is enough
Deniabhoy @ 10:04 pm – Cheers.
My bad.
Two new wingers will take time to settle but will get minutes which will lighten the load on Daizen and James (badly needed) and Yang.
I’m not totally convinced Yang will not be sold to a club whose window ends later.
Stating the excruciatingly obvious, I wish both new wingers had been signed 4 weeks earlier.
But both those ships have sailed.
(Spellchecker just changed that last word to “failed” – maybe it knows more than i do)
Window now shut, no?
Board statement
https://x.com/JMcgrath67/status/1962613738348957721?t=-ki_ahOJqpX6ns-woboIGg&s=08
🤣
Fofana might not be going to Charlton. Fears that they won’t get paperwork done in time
Michael Nicholson has to get his jotters for this act of self harm to Celtic.
i’ll add that my mates have cancelled their home ticket scheme thingys..they will now choose which cup games they are going to…
time of this board to sell up and bring in a buyer who matches Celtics reasonable ambition.
What has gone on over this window is an utter disgrace – it’s a turn off! we want a fast flowing football team for the fans , the players and the staff. IF the board “BLEED CELTIC” then it must only be from a period! The’ve had an absolute shocker and caused major reputable damage to our club as we were rejected multiple times through their comedy show.
I’ve lost faith in them, I’ve lost trust in them and I’ve got zero respect for them – as soon as competition arrives they underperform. I’m furious with them – THEY DONT DESERVE MY SUPPORT
was discussing the fan unrest with my colleague – a Boca fan – seems they are in a worse state – their current president is Riquelme – he loved him as a player but says hes not a very good president
An T
so true…
Sutton1888 on 1st September 2025 10:16 pm
“What Brendan needs to do is make a statement tomorrow and tell everyone why he’s leaving and call them low life’s out.”
……………
But, Brendan couldny lay a glove on Russell Martin?!
Is that not sacking material for Brendan?
If not, why not?
Stephen Welsh To Motherwell on a season long loan.
Hail Hail
Another window closed and another apology and review coming our way.
i reckon p67 had inside info on the transfer policy – hence his bigging up of bloom and hearts – we all knew that one of the horses in the 2 horse race is in fact an ass, but only a select few knew that the other horse would have one is legs amputated as it started the race…
I genuinely didn’t see us selling Idah and not replacing him today.
It’s been an utter shambles.
We are in a league title race to the finish this season.
An Dún on 1st September 2025 11:12 pm
………
The out of contract market open the morra.
An Dún 11:12pm, I wouldn’t guarantee that we are going to be in the race for long. 🤷♂️
I never thought id see the day when I said fk it … European games I’ve always loved even europa…travelled loads of times from Salzburg in 77 ( though it was innsbruck we played ) to more than 20 other cities through the decades while bringing up pups as well …..tonight though I’ve had it ….totally scunnered ….no European football for me !!!!….home or away ….seriously considering giving up season ticket …let someone else step up
Apart from they’ve done to BR they have also delivered a slap in the face our captain.
Utter shameless, charlatans.
Their day will come.
Sack Nicholson, the happy clappers, and the placemen on here with business interests to protect, will be delighted with this clusterfk…..but blame Brendan for it
BIGCHIPSUK on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 11:16 PM
An Dún 11:12pm, I wouldn’t guarantee that we are going to be in the race for long. 🤷♂️
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Yeah you could be right. If this unravels it could do so fairly quickly.
I’ve said it before, this has to be intentional harm inflicted on our squad to get one over on the manager.
How could someone genuinely be this incompetent?
BigChipsUK on 1st September 2025 11:16 pm
An Dún 11:12pm, I wouldn’t guarantee that we are going to be in the race for long. 🤷♂️
………
Surely Rodgers has already at his disposal a squad far superior to any other in the Spl?
Tippy-Tappy wont win many dog fights.
All about the size of the fight in the dog.
Rodgers has made it clear to the bedwetters in the Celtic support to get behind the team and Club as a whole. If you’re not happy with how Dermot Desmond does transfer business (value for money) tough titty. Suck it up or buy him out. Some supporters won’t be happy unless we’re in debt and run at a loss.
An Dun
You’re more optimistic than me if you think we’ll be there in the race.
Name a famous Tunisian?
If Rodgers wasn’t a spiv executive player he’d have chucked it by now surely?
No multi millionaire Tory is going to sack themselves.