One week tomorrow we are in Europa League action at home to Zenit St Petersburg , the Russians first competitive game since going into winter shutdown on 11 December.
Zenit have played five friendlies in the last three weeks, conformably beating Danish, Czech and Chinese opposition, all of who were also on a winter break, before drawing 0-0 with Slovan Bratislava on Sunday. The Slovaks are two weeks away from returning to competitive action.
Zenit manager, Roberto Mancini, did very little squad rotation during his five warm-up games, clearly with an eye on getting his starting 11 ready to face Celtic. He also stuck to a narrow 4-2-2-1-1 system in each game.
Zenit use this formation semi-regularly, but its repetition in each of the friendly games suggest Mancini sees winning control of the middle of the park against Celtic as a priority. This will present Celtic with problems and opportunities. We are unlikely to control as much of the ball as you would expect at home in Europe, but our strength in the wings presents Brendan Rodgers with a clear strategy.
I don’t believe in reading too much into the results of friendly games, but I hope Celtic scouts took in the Slovan game. Zenit scored 15 goals in their three proceeding games, so how Slovan stopped their attack will be of interest.
Mancini and his players are now back in Russia having left their summer training bases. They play our old pals Maribor in St Petersburg on Saturday in their final preparation before the game in Glasgow. Brendan will be occupied with thoughts of two hugely important cup games in the coming week, but if he gets through the Partick Thistle test on Saturday, he may be glad of the competitive experience. This is a time Game Face, not friendlies.
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Melbourne mick, Thats me posted twice in one day. A miracle eh! I don’t really like getting involved in other peoples debates.The only reason you are debating with TinyTim is cos you think he’s a wee guy.I heard a strong rumour he.s over 6ft tall and an ex heavyweight boxer.Ha Ha lets see u grovel now.
HE, HE, Paddy you’ve seen my coupon and know i’ve been
battered by bigger guys.
Remember your meds before you go out scrounging Guinness.
8-))))
H.H Mick
Two players who definitely should have been wearing The Hoooooops.
Willie Miller,lived yards away.
Shay Given. Travesty that we let him go.
BMCUW
Boaby, growing up in the early eighties I was treated to some real swashbuckling Celtic teams.
Charlie Nic, McClair, Provan, McGarvey backed up from midfield by Tommy, Murdo and The Maestro.
With hindsight, if we’d been able to sign Hegarty, Narey and Malpas , I’m sure we’d have been close to securing our second European Cup!
If only…..
HH
For Adeje Celtic games
Watched PSG away in temple bar i liked it but company(including da)
didnt like 3Euro a pint.
Round corner Hoops bar will show and 1.5 Euro a pint during day
NOTE Temple bar might be cheaper during day.
All together now,
Brendan Rodgers gone say men in the know, men in the know…
I read the attached on videocelts the other day and it got me thinking.
https://videocelts.com/2018/02/blogs…-fleet-street/
Yet here we are 5 months after Regan announced the Compliance Officer at the SFA would be conducting an investigation into the 2011 UEFA licence award there is still no word and not one member of the mainstream media in Scotland thinks it’s a story worth covering.Strange that eh?
I think there are a few “sports journalists” who lurk on here and some posters know some journalists.Could someone come on and explain why this isn’t newsworthy?
I understand that recently and PROACTIVELY, the CO of the SFA approached the solicitor for the Res 12 guys and asked for a copy of a letter that the SFA apparently didn’t have.
That would suggest to some that the CO might just be going about his job properly (if painfully slowly)
The letter in question was from June 2011 from rangers to HMRC where rangers admit to having received the Wee Tax Bill and circumstances justifying it BEFORE UEFA notified a list of clubs granted a licence in April 2011.
This is contrary to what Regan has claimed throughout ie the bill hadn’t crystalised.
Either the SFA were “duped” by rangers who lied throughout this, in which case they are guilty of gross incompetence and Regan of misleading the public, or they were complicit in the lies told and are guilty of fraud.
I have seen all of the documents on this and there is not only clear evidence of lying but several items on each charge to corroborate the claim.
None least of which is extracts from the Craig Whyte trial where a number of witnesses confirmed under cross examination,under oath that they knew the Wee Tax Bill had been issued BEFORE the licencing process had been completed.
All of this information has been made available to the mainstream media in Scotland free of charge with all of the work done for them but,for some strange reason,they are reluctant to cover the biggest scandal in the history of Scottish football.
Strange that eh?
The force is.strong with this reprobate….
‘Well, well, well…..Further evidence if it were needed that Rangers re back on track and that our ‘financial plight’ is just the drunken, mad rantings of Phil and crew. If Rangers were in danger of going bankrupt, only a madman (and say what you want banks/financial institutions are not stupid) would afford such a facility to Rangers unless they were thoroughly convinced that the club was very much back on an even keel. Throw that together with our dealings with a certain South American striker, it is clear to see that Rangers have much more collateral than others thought.
I spoke last night with Arnold my brother-in-law and from the tranquility of rural Kent, he was able to tell me that this latest manoeuvre sends out a clear signal to would be investors, banks, hedge funds that Rangers are back (quite literally) to do business. These people can smell money and the fact that Celtic seem to be imploding and Rangers are beginning to make inroads, means that the big orange carrot (the Champions League) will be within our grasp in the not to distant future. That is where the big money lies and where we belong. As Margaret Thatcher once said “you can’t buck the markets” Indeed, the markets have spoken, it is now a fair fight. I am minded of one of the Spaghetti Westerns (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) when a handicapped Lee Van Clief is going to a final shoot out with some nasty Mexican. The only problem is that big Lee has to take on Pedro without a gun, until Clint Eastwood steps in and throws him his gun. Natural justice, we ask for nothing more.’
Today at 6:18 AM
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Doooooooooh
See earlier comments about round corner HOOPS bar
it’s Irish Rover.(never rush text before going to work)
Personally If you want to watch game with like minded people
TEMPLE bar for me.
Irish Rover fine but full of people in for very
cheap beer and not always interested in game.
After reading the etims article , very strange . And TT ,s post , I would be surprised if Brendan was for the off , but stranger things have happened . The rogic part I wouldn,t be to overawed at him leaving , a really good player ,but another injury prone guy , who misses a lot of game time ,and A lot of training time , and if truth be told , a player who needs more training ,as playing 90 minutes was a problem to him not so long ago .
Good to see Arnold is alive and well, hadn’t heard from him in a while.
MALONEBHOY
TempleBar/Fiddler for game or as JC2 says the Irish Rover if you don’t mind the surroundings and want cheaper beer ! HH !
You know things are bad for the dark side when (a) there are loads of positive stories about them in the press (b) dubious rumours about Celtic emerge.
Fortunately life is based on facts.
Some Celtic based facts: Celtic remain the best team in the country with the best manager and the strongest finances. Celtic players being sold have consistently been of significantly higher value than players who have been sold on from other Scottish clubs. Our squad is worth tens of millions of ££££.
Some other facts: distressed companies often receive distressed financing. arrangements.
Some opinion: we’ve struggled at times this season. We’ve come up against some very well organised teams and struggled to break them down sometimes. Despite the unbeaten run last season we did not have things all our own way. Teams made it very difficult for us. Aberdeen in the cup final for one thing. Tommy R’s late winner is what we remember but it’d be interesting to see what the comments on here were like during live play in that game.
Don’t believe the hype.
Brendan Rodgers.
Why do people get so upset about these things.
Will he stay or will he go.
The answer of course is go.
The unknown is when and where. But a wealthier club with regular champion’s league participation would be hard to resist.
That said if I am chairman of Mega Bucks EPL I wouldn’t be too impressed with his European efforts and would of course dismiss his domestic success as “my aul gran could win that pub league “.
From Rodgers point of view do you want to go to a club where you can win the league one year and be sacked the next. Thats an unknown unknown.
Anyhow we have indiscriminate slaughter of civilians in Syria on a daily basis,USA and North Korea both run by deranged despots,Israel/Palestine,world hunger,oppression unemployment poverty not to mention the “dreary steeples of Tyrone and Fermanagh “( they haven’t gone away you know) so all in all I count my blessings every day and dont get stressed about trivia.
Its only football after all.
Heated Driveways R Us
In ither news…………
Leading Merchant Bank………… * cough*….Bearings…
…have announced a big-bucks tie up with ra glorious Glasgow Rainjurz………
Leading Merchant Banker…….Dick Leeson has applauded the move as a right guid earner!
Some peepil can’t see the wood for the trees….or for that matter,
all the shecht for the toilet paper!
Hell mend thum.
Bankie
They’re beyond even pity now. What they’ve effectively done now is take a payday loan. They very seldom end well.
The bluff and bluster their fans believe is astounding. They’re currently preaching that they “ don’t need to draw on the overdraft facility”
I’d wager a £ to a birds shite it’ll be used to get through the next 3 months. Payback will be from the season ticket income.
Close brothers interest rates will be astronomical relative to a conventional bank.
As I say…. payday loan.
Zenit 1-Red Star Belgrade 0
” it wasn’t the most friendly of friendlies . It was a seriously competitive match . … Very good preparation for our game next week .I think our game against Maribor will also be very competitive . That will be beneficial too “— Roberto Mancini 8 2 18 .
Looks like they have arranged another friendly -Vejle Boldklub — ( top of the Danish First Division – ( and therefore second tier ) I presume that will be a run out for squad players .
Game v Maribor is on Saturday -late afternoon (UK )
Has Owen Coyle’s granny been asked to comment on all these rumours?
Twisty………
aye. Wonga(less)FC.
But they are allowed to publicly peddle this rubbish without proper forensic questioning.
In scoddland, The Kings clothes are forever fine and the colours they aye be bright………
The distressed context of the “deal” is never exposed lest some hunned-up nut goes berserk ( again)….and sleekit meeja toadies stay on message and on the journey…….
Brendan Rodgers –
For what it’s worth .–
Mainstream Italian football media have had Antonio Conte leaving Chelsea since last summer .Allegedly he doesn’t like it , doesnt like the Chelsea suits and really really doesn’t like having no control over who is bought and sold . He is going -only issue is when .
Their view re the next Chelsea Manager —- in this order – Luis Enrique / Massimiliano Allegri/ Diego Simeone /Maurizzio Sarri / Zinedhine Zidane — Brendan Rodgers occasionally makes the list -after Marco Silva but before Frank Lampard..
Non-football post
i have been told this morning that 3 dogs have died and others are ill through tennis balls laced with rat poison having been left in Springburn Park in the north of Glasgow.
Don’t ask what i would do with the perpetrators.
Innuendo & whispers by people who should really know better really gets on my wick to to whose purpose does it serve honestly. Mainly it’s to sow discord amongst the support. As for these latest” somebody told me” crapola doing the rounds is just that CRAP. obviously designed to take the spotlight away from China ,Walter, Provi Check fc
Looks unhappy to me.
https://twitter.com/celticfc/status/955426412206411782
It has come to my attention from a very reliable source, say no more, that the Blane Valley revellers have become disillusioned with Old Tim 67’s drinking regime and are also fed up with the fare served up at the BV. They no longer want to feast on wholesome soups, pies and chips washed down with fine ales but long for some Salad Nicoise, pate de foie gras and fine pasta dishes whilst imbibing the finest Champagne and Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 2012.
There is also a strong rumour that Old Tim 67 will soon relocate to McCuhills just after Easter, much to the chagrin of the CQN community.
idontdealinrumourscsc
All the injuries that we’ve picked up during Brendan’s tenure,he must be doing something right. James Forrest has hardly missed a match.
Sorry to go on about the Blues, but this Alexis Korner with Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman is what it;s all about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkKrh7CeDkY
KINGLuBO
BMCUWP
I was only thinking that this morning
Injury crisis and Jamesie is the last man standing
Who would a thunk that
Rodgers to Chelsea/Arsenal/Bate Borosov or Batty Boris Johnston take your pick
THETIMREAPER on 8TH FEBRUARY 2018 10:23 AM
Looks unhappy to me.
https://twitter.com/celticfc/status/955426412206411782
================
To be fair, unhappy people don’t lose the ability to smile. Often they are the best at masking their feelings.
Not saying Rogics unhappy, no idea about that, but a single snapshot from Lennoxtown is hardly definitive. Brendan Rodgers isn’t in that picture, therefore maybe Brendan wasn’t at Lennoxtown that day, maybe thats why Rogic appears so happy…
;)
HH
Thanks for the advice guys.
Actually in Golf Del Sur just now right across the road from the Wild Geese but moving on to Adeje tomorrow so I think it’ll be Fiddlers/Irish Rover/Temple… Hoops Bar that was listed on CSC is too far away.
HRVATSKI JIM on 8TH FEBRUARY 2018 9:35 AM
When we lived in Ireland one of the jobs Mrs TET had was evaluating prisoners to see if they were fit for release, she was a criminal psychologist, she had many battles with the authorities who wanted to release some and she didn’t, she knew they would re offend, most of them were animal killers as well as other things, the battles she lost and they were released, every single one ended back in the jail, imagine if a wean had gotten hold of the ball……
HH
Maybes if our players had protection from being kicked and booted with impunity there wouldn’t be so many injuries, just a thought.
What is the Stars
Have you been booked to drive Brendan to the airport yet?
I wasn’t too happy with E Tims article yesterday but they do have different authors and today’s is one I hope gets traction.
” What are Celtic doing right now, as all of these allegations of skullduggery affect them, and us as shareholders and supporters, or customers, if you like.
Until I hear anything else, and having spoken to a high heid yin, i am assured that Celtic are still going about this correctly. The battle is still raging, and there is little doubt that the tactics of the good guys are better than the tactics of the bad guys.
The SFA are reeling from the enforced loss of their head man, and you’ll notice that very few are putting themselves forward to replace him, almost as though thats kind of already been decided…
you see, whats needed is a man who is prepared to stand up and lie about what happened, and indeed try to play down whats happeneing right now, with words such as “overdraft ” in the same sentence as “Close Brothers “, whom we have seen, do not provide overdrafts, and have clearly explained above what they do provide.
And we need to nip that in the bud right now.
First, we must organise ourselves into a credible voice of opposition, and to do that, I’d like to ask the Celtic Supporters Association and the Celtic Trust to meet with a few others to discuss what we should do next.
I’ve no doubt that their combined experience and ability, shown recently in the success of the FAC campaign would be invaluable.
The FAC campaign involved fans of all clubs, and this level and diversity of support is needed again, if we are to rid the game of the cancer that has eaten away at it for so long.
The fight against the SFa and what they stand for must step up now, and those who have a genuine love for our game must come together and make it known that the removal of Regan was just the beginning of a brave new world in Scottish football.. football for the people, by the people, oh hang on, we’ve already had that, so we probably need someone else to come up with a slogan.
But whatever we do, we must do it now.
From hobo Harry on JJ site.
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.closebrothers.com
Davidopoulos
The Brendan Voyage….who knows where it will end
Seriously though …for the record….I am happy for him to stay and hopefully he will….but money is God in football now so who knows
Who knows
BMCUWP
One of the reviews on that Close Brothers site says….
, this company is ethically bankrupt and morally corrupt,
Obviously this couldnt be true as if so surely the dignifed brethern wouldnt have allowed them anywhere near the Marble staircase
Have they not suffered enough
The Celtic Crisis deepens as want away star Tom Rogic claims Brendan is a monster, “he made me eat Organic Yoghurt at breakfast”, “I was afraid for my life” claims Aussie superstar…
Meanwhile claims abound that Mr Rodgers will divide his time between Chelsea Arsenal and Celtic next season, managing all three clubs whilst overseeing his growing property empire and polishing his fixed perfect teeth.
A source close to the club said “Thur’s no end tae the mahns ambition, he’s driven”
Meanwhile all across Scotland a contagious fear that the huns may one day win the league under The Fabulous Talent Spotting Disciple of Walturd, Graham “Jolly Boy ” Murteree is infecting the young the old the brave and the bold.
Brought to you by Me Tims, the ear close to the grun…