Neil Lennon said we didn’t deserve to lose 4-1, as we dominated large parts of the game against a team who have lost their last four games (not against Celtic), conceding 14 goals in the process. But oh, Neil, we absolutely deserved to lose by at least that margin.
Our disorganisation is a marvel. Scott managing to start his jump goal-side of a dropping ball and ending up wrong side. Callum playing three onside. Kris A. not committing to block the cross (forgiven, trying to cover two positions), Chris J. attempting to intercept with the wrong foot (forgiven, fitness). Hatem reliving his Ferencvaros highlights. Full backs who are never back and produce few assists; there is no defensive midfield, unless you count the goalkeeper who feels the need to leave his box and play that position, just a midfield of nomads.
The team is a collection of individuals unencumbered by a workable strategy. Opposition managers have their game plan written: defend deep, play on the counter and put numbers forward at set-pieces. If we could defend counter-attacks and corner kicks, we would be having a legendary season, but we can’t, so everyone looks awful.
In sport, if you have evident fatal flaws and persistently fail to resolve them, you deserve every setback that comes your way. It is hard to recall a Celtic team that deserved to lose more. Let me give you a cheery prediction, you will soon forget about last night, as there is worse to come.
812 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 22
- »
As someone posted on the previous article, this is not just an issue of 10IAR, it is now an issue of the next half decade.
The outlook appears very bleak:
Sevco must be contemplating winning a treble this year as they have us sussed in the Glasgow derby so I would fancy them in any cup tie and the league is slipping away. They have conceded 4 goals in the league (i think) so can’t see a post-christmas implosion like yester year;
They will get to at least the last 32 of Europe; we are already out;
There could be near enough parity of turnover this season;
Next season their turnover will be far greater as season tickets are about to half;
If they win the league they will spend to try and guarantee the CL golden goose (unlike our overly Conservative approach). Their record in Europe suggests to me that the probability is quite high that they will qualify for the CL. A strong team becomes stronger;
We will have next to no money in the bank as it has been eaten up this year. We have enacted a failed policy of hoarding cash as opposed to spending on the team at strategic moments; we should have speculated to grow our revenue. It has been a compete failure of corporate governance and the playing field is now levelled.
We will need a new manager, backroom staff and new CEO (but would be unsurprised if the Teflon don sticks around).
We will lose all loanees, our captain and maybe half a dozen first team players?
We will have to go into a huge amount of debt to rectify the issue or run the risk of playing second fiddle for the next half decade.
Overly pessimistic? I would invite posters to critique any of the above which appears unrealistic or improbable.
Paul67
Back of fag packet
£3M Bolingoli
£2M Taylor
£1M El Hamed
£0.5M Frimpong
£7M Jullien
£3M Klimala
£3M Soro
£5M Barkas
£5M Ajeti
£3M Turnbull
£2M Duffy (Loan)
£2M El Younoussi (Loan)
£2M Laxalt (Loan)
Total £38.5M
Two out of thirteen get pass marks.
JAMES FORREST – it is good to see some agreement . . .
My question to you is if you think that it signals Paul rediscovering his own voice or Paul is signalling that the board are now embarking on a campaign to discredit the team and the mngmt?
I am guessing the first. A bit like Chris Sutton last night. You cannot maintain credibility if you spend your time defending the not credible comical Ali style.
JF – I meant to add that back in the beginning of CQN I enjoyed many an exchange of points of view with Paul right here on the blog. He would always engage in a bit of banter on the first page or two.
As it is now radio silence from him, we can no longer ask him directly to clarify or expand on what he thinks.
JAMES FORREST on 27TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:51 PM
I’ve been reading CQN long enough to remember it without you. I can’t say I remember a lot of respect shown by you though. Plenty disrespect.
Your only praising it because he’s agreeing with you for once.
For the same of the historic ten please get Rafa Benitez with Sean Maloney as his assistant with the promise of taking over the job , let them bring in their own men get rid o of Kennedy , Hammond & turn this around now
BSR
Which 2?
“There is worse to come”
————-
Don’t doubt that for a second. Not with the same people doing the same things and getting the same results.
From summer 2018 to here. No reason to think it’s suddenly going to get better. Completely snowballed out of control.
Our best keeper let go, his £4.5m replacement on the bench and his understudy in the team!
Henderson should have developed into a first team regular by now. Looked a real quality player to me in the 18-19 season. McInroy and young Dembele should have been getting some games too.
We could have let Ntcham and/or Rogic go – either would have brought in an eight figure sum at that point – and used that to invest in a replacement for Edouard for when he left, as we did with Edouard for Dembele. Or let both go and get a quality replacement for Tierney and a solid DM who can also play in defence.
Buy-develop-sell.
But when you bring in a manager who doesn’t do the player development part then the whole thing falls apart.
Players who thought they would be here for 1-3 years are still here after 4-5 years and having seen others get their move.
Would it be surprising if they were getting unhappy because they are not getting their move? Then they lose value because their form drops , we miss out on CL appearances so even less money and lower player motivation because they don’t have a stage to show their qualities to potential suitors.
Then you bring in “ready made” loan players (who theoretically don’t need as much coaching) on big bucks, which probably doesn’t go down well with the players already there, particularly if their performances don’t match their wages. Absolute mish-mash of cluelessness.
The whole thing has completely spiralled out of control downwards (from a really strong position) and it was all so avoidable.
As farcical & shambolic as this entire clusterfunk is, it’s sure keeping us all tuned in, like some shit soap opera.
The nub that isn’t being revealed – by bloggers, insiders, moles or mischief-makers – lies in Mr Forrest writes:
‘…he doesn’t think the board is going to act, for whatever reason, until there is a disaster of such epic size…’
WHAT IS THE REASON THE BOARD WON’T ACT?
Not a disaster currently?
Lack of evidence of disarray?
Plenty of behind-the-scenes belief in NFL?
Arrival of the world’s top football shrink?
Knowledge the Huns are fiscally imploding and can’t see the year out…?
Knowledge that we are fiscally imploding and can’t see the year out…?
Neil has compromising photos of an exec’s secret tryst?
WHY IS NO-ONE PINPOINTING THE FEKKIN REASON?
KeepTheFarceCSC
With a run of home games and a cup final against a lower league team, the next big challenge will be the next Glasgow Derby.
In the short term..what the hell can go wrong….
From Tim Trivia on Twitter :)
Did you know:
The odds of winning the Euro Millions jackpot is 116.5 million to one.
Interestingly this is still a more likely occurrence than Ryan Christie beating the first man from a corner.
DENIABHOY:
Well this is the thing mate. I listened to him on BBC this morning and I heard a guy seriously conflicted. He said all the right things, playing it safe, not wanting to be too critical and put in the boot … but actually he didn’t defend last night and he didn’t defend the form across the campaign.
Indeed, he placed last night’s defeat in its proper context; not an isolated incident, part of a bigger failure.
But he was hurting like Hell and still having to bite his tongue.
When you combine that interview with what he’s posted, if you might permit me to use an analogy, he’s stuck to the wording of the deal he has with Lawwell but can no longer stick to the spirit of it. He’s not been overly criticial in a way that echoes the Green Brigade banner and he never will; he said that yesterday, that he doesn’t believe his role is to undermine the manager or campaign for his removal … I respectfully disagree if the manager is leading us off a cliff, but I also understand it would be frowned upon if Paul did that, by people it’s in this communities interests for him to be good with.
So whilst Paul will refrain from going as far as he might personally like, whilst he won’t do a full-frontal assault on the directors or the club, I think he has, nevertheless, arrived at a place where he is not willing to defend the indefensible or dance around what’s as clear to him as it is to the rest of us.
CELTIC40ME:
Then you should be paying more attention in class.
CQNPOTY@GMAIL.COM
Paul67
That must have been a difficult article for you to write, from several perspectives.
I’ve taken issue with some of your recent opinions but acknowledge the soul searching you must have gone through in preparing this piece. Fair play to you.
On another note (or perhaps not), judging from the increasing comments on the subject over the last few days, maybe the scales are beginning to fall from the eyes of some regarding our O – – F – – – board.
2011 all over again?
Ryan Christie..good squad player, no more no less.
JF 1.15 – agree 100%
If, as has been stated on here that the board are not acting because they are happy for things to get worse, why the **** are we not beating the doors of Celtic Park down?
JAMES FORREST on 27TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:57 PM
That is how I read it . The most damning indictment of management coupled with a myopic lack of any ambition .
Worse is to come!? Worse is already here and there should be a compelling requirement for the board to act decisively and rigorously.
UNCLE JIMMY
Chris Jullien and Diego Laxalt 👍
Paul 67
You backed Lennon here on PL’sCQN a few days ago, and yet now you write todays header oblivious to the fact that the same problems you stated have been happening for many weeks.
It’s unfathomable that you haven’t mentioned the charlatan Lawwell who continues to back the manager, and who gave him the job in the Hampden showers without even looking at any other candidates.
He’s a disgrace of a CEO.
JOBO BALDIE on 27TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:16 PM
CQNPOTY@GMAIL.COM
—
Good luck Jobo :) You’re like man selling a pair of slippers on the leg amputee ward….
p.s I’ll send mine through now fella….
HH
HEADTHEBALL on 27TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:59 PM
Maybe I’m mistaken but wasn’t Paul fervently opposed when Keane’s name was in play after Brendan left? Could it be?
====
Think you’re on to something there.
For me its a cert Desmond will try and get Keane again.
I love Keane but obviously there are huge concerns about man management when the going gets tough. Sure he’d organise us a bit better than we currently are(wouldnt be hard). But even on Sky Sports hes said he’d be swinging punches at players underperforming (De Gea was one).
So yeah, probably what Pauls alluding to. You’re right, he was very against the idea of Keane previously.
The alternative to doing that, or one of the alternatives, is to stick with Lenny, until such times as we go to 10-15pts behind in league with no games in hand.
It seems the old fashioned idea of posting your vacancy and seeing what applicants you can attract, interview them thorougly and offer the job to the best candidate, no longer works!
HH
Lambert14
You have a point but the man is allowed to change his mind.
In many ways we should be glad he seems to have done so.
What did Peter say to Paul, ‘let them eat cake?’
I’ve ‘donated’ the best part of two grand this season, that really should instead go to my paltry pension pot, into a cause I believe in.
Thus far, the highly remunerated sharp-suited and not so sharply track-suited professionals have made a folly of my faith.
There may well be worse to come. And the CEO will not be untouched by it this time around.
It’ll be PL that needs banners, not the Green Brigade, because at this rate it’ll be welcome to half empty Paradise for season 21-22.
HH jg
BSR – Turnbull?? Not had a chance really.
D :)
JF – thank you for your considered response.
I understand the need for Paul not to rock the boat, at least not too much, if there is something of value being provided to him that, as you say, is in the interest of the blog’s community. I would increasingly question though, whether the price of that relationship is now too high. Seems to me that it is a very unfairly balanced agreement. The days of exclusives and scoops on here seem like a distant memory. Paul may very well have access to the inner sanctum but only rarely can he disclose what he knows.
Perhaps the blog would regain it’s previous glories if Paul was to be more independent? I don’t think any of us come on here anymore expecting exclusives. We do respect Paul’s views though so it would be good if he could write them without being tethered to the board. He would gain rather than lose readers if he did so.
Only my opinion.
Third time lucky.
Trying to explain — from a distance of 15 miles — why we are a shambles.
As for worse to come — is there a Caley sized shock in the cup coming up?
If you don’t win the league you cannot win a treble.
So what have the squad got to lose?
They are at the end of days regarding NL
**********
**********
ONIL @ 11.16
Group dynamics at play big time.
SB is not setting the mood music in the dressing room any more.
Seems that CMcG / RC are the most animated / dynamic in setting the tone.
SD and the new GK have not settled in well — difficult when all around is quicksand.
Looks like it is now every man for themselves.
However NL has not been leading from the front — standards have slipped even from last season with young DD over the water — and RC and CMcG have decided to look for opportunities elsewhere as a result of both personal ambition and a complete fall out with NL who by all accounts is looking forward to career on the TV as the new Rab C.
He seemingly is taking this method acting lark very seriously — DDL levels of seriousness to get Rab C down to a T.
Add in the no moves out edict from PL — just shows you his level of ability.
Completely hopeless would be a generous opinion.
And we are collapsing at every level.
Not sure the young guys and the bench warmers have big enough cojones to come in and give it their all.
You them have the issue of what all they would be asked to give.
They get the same coaching / conditioning / development as the regulars.
God, that was a depressing article PAUL67.
I’m away for another fry up.
That might cheer me up.
Now where’s they scented connals?
So no plans on changing what we’ve currently got, is my reading into Paul67 post
And outlining the glaring failures we can all see, but others choosing to accept
Can I Ask, many suggesting getting Ismael Soro, into the team
Been here since Jan,
not made it yet
What do you expect from him ???
Cannot be impressing at training, or showing enough, yet many want him in 🤔🤔🤔
Big Wavy – I actually posted at weekend, if we had a look at who may be available, we should look at someone like Ralf Rangnik ( although he is in a role he wants, not managing)
There is better out there if we cared to look
Mind you back to Paul67, we ain’t looking
SQUIRE DANAHER on 27TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:27 PM
Paul was backing him before the game last night.
So in one solitary match, Paul has seen the light and done a 180 degree turn.
We have been the same for long enough and were worse in other matches.
All the while, Paul still refuses to even make an attempt at criticising the man who gave Lennon the job.
Dermot and Peter have been very loyal and supportive to Lenny. This loyalty now threatens their legacy to the extent they will have to hide under Mo Johnston’s bed for the next ten years.
Phil
I think you partly inspired me to indulge in toasted cheese x3 for lunch.
I remarked to my wife, that I missed the days when the title of said dish was our biggest concern on here.
HH jg
The way I read PAUL67’s article is that Lennon’s successor is going to be worse than him.
Away tae turn the tottie scones.
Norrie
….’if we cared to look…..’
Therein lies the bitter truth my friend.
HH jg
JAMESGANG
See my post above!
Enjoy yer lunch!!
NorrieM,
Great minds and all that. Excellence and a way out for us as a club is out there. Seems like it will have to be at a price of 10IAR failure and a truly traumatic summer of 21.
Soro story is a cracker. Allowed to go off and get married and now self-isolating for 2 weeks. That’s the football equivalent of putting the guy on special projects before watching him leave…..
Laugh or cry ? You decide.
HH
Cheese on toast
D :)