24 Jul 2018 16:05:22
Following are injured/ unavailable for Celtic's match v Rosenborg tomorrow: Dembele, Griffiths, Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Compper, Bitton.
That's 5 of the 8 "Centre Backs" unavailable for tomorrow's game due to injury or they are simply unavailable. That leaves us with 3 players who can play there. Ajer, Tierney, Hendry. I would easily three of those players that can play the CB position leave the club. I would rather lose, Simunovic, Bitton and Compper to bring in better. There are players out there that would cost less than we could sell them three for. Compper is the most pointless signing I've seen in years. These are the most important qualifiers for a long time and I feel like we are going to struggle.
24 Jul 2018 16:27:08
Do to the epidemic of injuries to centre halves at Celtic, if I was a centre back I wouldn't join Celtic, as I don't want to start the season injured like the rest.
24 Jul 2018 16:38:53
Couple points here.
1. Who would buy player like Compper
Biton or Simunovic right now?
2. What happens if we sign new CB and he gets injured? We just punt him again?
24 Jul 2018 16:45:46
Think Boyata is for the off also, Simunovic doesn’t look like staying. Can’t wait for the “we didn’t have enough time†to get replacement in classic from the club. Then we’re short at the back for 6 months of the season. Still missing Roberts and Armstrong’s replacements. Then after the season we just had we’re no better off than we were this time last year. Makes no sense.
24 Jul 2018 16:45:58
Much stronger Celtic side will face Rosenborg Tomorrow, last season Ajer and Nicham were making their first starts, mcgreagor never got a game. think Rogic or Forrest played stiker, still don't think they know who it was supposed to be. Armstong was in the huff, Edouard was still to arrive as was Hendry. Oh and the Green Brigade were banned.
Not really worried how we set up defence, as I think Rosenborg are going to be under the cosh most of the game.
24 Jul 2018 17:07:00
Bitton, Simunovic have been at the club long enough and haven’t improved. Compper has played one competitive game due to injury so that says it all. No of course not. You’ve changed my point to suit your argument kev. I said I’d rather lose them to bring in one player that is better.
24 Jul 2018 17:14:56
God Chris u love to be dramatic don’t u! Epidemic on injuries! I was sure it was only compper that was injured, hardly an epidemic! And if u were a centre half u wouldn’t join Celtic! My god u talk pish! The blame for us being short at the back for the 3rd year running is the board and managers fault plain and simple! We’ve been crying out for a decent Center half since Brendan came in and one still hasn't arrived! And don’t give me this pish about we’ve got plenty of centre half’s, because the only decent one out the lot is a 20 year old kid who’s been turned from a midfielder to a centre half! Ajer is the only one we can truly depend on out of any of the centre halfs! I’ve sat and listened to every exuse under the sun about us being short at the back, but to me there is no exuse! 1st time it happens it can be excused,2nd time ain’t good enough. but this is the 3rd year in a row we’ll be going into vital European ties with a patchwork defence! And this years qualifying will be the hardest of any in Brendan’s time here! It’s like Groundhog Day honestly! It’s no coincidence at all that going into Brendan’s 3rd season with us and there’s not one defender he’s bought that’s established himself in our team! But I suppose I’ll just get called a moaner and some fans are never happy! More like some fans don’t like to hear the truth!
24 Jul 2018 17:22:08
You actually said
"There are players out there that would cost less than we could sell them three for. "
So no I didn't change your point.
Again who would buy 2 unfit players and one that can't pass a medical because of his knee?
24 Jul 2018 17:25:03
Real bad luck for Dembele who looked really lean and sharp right through pre-season and with Griffiths sidelined as well it's a bit of a deja vu on this time last season with our strike force.
It's a double-dunt because of the defensive absenses, we could have done with maximum fire-power to see us through the qualifier.
However, there's still time to bring in new faces and if that fails we have a more than capable line-up around these lines:-
Gordon
Hendry Ajer Tierney
Christie McGregor Brown Ntcham Sinclair
Forrest Edouarde
Subs Ralston, Miller, Eboue, Allen, Hayes, (Rogic/ Lustig)
24 Jul 2018 18:02:00
There is a complacency about our club regarding transfers in my view.
We know every season that we have these qualifiers early in the season yet we always seem to start them with a weaker squad than we had the previous year.
We knew all last season that Boyata and Lustig may be at the World cup so could be unavailable. We also knew that Armstrong and Roberts would more than likely leave, yet the only player coming in is a player from St Mirren.
Celtic should be well able to identify targets from a very early stage and be able to get these players in for when we need them. Most, other clubs seem to manage it.
McGinn is a good example of this. If Celtic truly rate him then pay the asking price. By messing around he is now unavailable for the qualifiers and we may yet regret it.
This same policy didn't work when Ronny Deila was in charge, we failed to qualify for the Champions league and our attendances fell as a result.
Brendan Rodgers has done a great job, but even he won't be able to do it forever. We need to let him have the tools for the job.
24 Jul 2018 18:03:15
They can be sold when they are fit.
24 Jul 2018 18:19:09
If you find a buyer. Biton won't be fit before the window closes and SIM will always have that knee problem.
24 Jul 2018 18:24:32
I’m with LH on this. It’s fecking farcical three years on the bounce. No excuses will wash. I hope we have enough to get through, the truth is we should be pissing all over this mob. Instead, it’s the usual Celtic feck up show. Shambolic.
Let’s get stuck in and hope our team pulls it out the bag. I still think we will do it but by **** we don’t half make it hard for ourselves,
24 Jul 2018 19:11:09
Agreed MP.
24 Jul 2018 19:17:55
So Gerry we sign a couple of defenders for 3 or 4 million each on 25 grand a week over 3 or 4 years, overall outlay about 16 million to cover for Boyota and Lustig missing the first two qualifiers of CL this season. Thank God you're no running our club.
24 Jul 2018 19:43:30
Magicpole have you ever posted anything positive in your life? Using words like shambolic to describe your club that has just won a double treble is disgraceful. Try and enjoy times like this they might not last forever.
24 Jul 2018 19:43:57
Gerry we are not weaker than when we played Rosenberg last year.
To say we are is nonsense.
24 Jul 2018 20:05:07
Stevie. A club of our size shouldn't be short of defenders going into some of the biggest matches of our season. The planning should be done well in advance.
I haven't said anything about what we pay for players, what I'm saying is that for most of last season we have known that we would be without certain players for these matches, there should have been some forward planning. There are people at the club whose job it's supposed to be to do this.
We shouldn't take qualifying for granted. However strong we are domestically these matches are a step up in quality. We should be giving ourselves the best chance possible to win them.
We shouldn't just be hoping for the best.
24 Jul 2018 20:48:57
@gerry. For this particular game we're short of defenders through a suspension and WC players. We don't have room in the squad for anymore defenders. By the 2nd leg we will have Lustig and Simu back. I don't know what you mean by better fwd planning for those games? You can only mean more defenders signed which would then give us around 7 or 8 centre half when all back. If we play tomorrow night (although the moose will be a miss) the defence will be redundant for most of the game anyway. It's also worth noting we had best defensive record in Britain last season with those same awful defenders. I'm not sure there is better options out there within our budget, maybe the Scandinavian market young Ajer types but it will always be a gamble, sometimes better the devil you know.
24 Jul 2018 21:55:38
Stevie. We may have had one of the best defensive records in Britain last season but what about when we played in Europe.
How many goals did we lose to PSG and Bayern Munich, we were embarassed. Even Astana put 4 goals past us in the second leg of the play off.
I can't see how you don't think that defence can be improved upon.
As a season progresses you see weaknesses in your team, whether it's in defence, midfield or attack, surely it's mot unreasonable to expect the club to address those weaknesses and improve them for the following season, if you don't, the best you can hope for is to stand still.