06 Mar 2018 18:59:29
I''m prepared and indeed hoping to be shot down given my glass as you know is always half empty rather than half full. As someone posted last night which I'm accepting as fact we've taken 38 points from the last 18 games they've taken 40 from last 19. They've also scored 3 goals more than us. While that's unbelievable given the financial disparity between both clubs I think the gap has closed and given we'd be as well playing with no goalkeeper than DDV which is my biggest concern I'm not sure the game is the stick on certainty we all think. Play our best and we'll win but it depends which Celtic turns up. Help me Ed!

{Ed007's Note - How many goals have they conceded compared to us? We've only conceded ONE more goal than we had at the same stage of the league season last year. If you're going to compare things like that you need to do it over the same amount of games so how many points have we taken in our last 19 matches or them in their last 18?
BTW the figures you've posted give us an average of 2.111 points per game and theirs is 2.105 so we're doing better than them and that should put your mind at rest.
I hope that helps :-D

1.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 19:27:00
Like it or not Europe is a big distraction, in terms of games played this season we must be 12-14 competitive games more, we've had serious injury problems, probably down to that. This season was never going to top last season. We will win the league by a minimum of 15 points I think. We will beat them in all 3 remaining games I've no doubts about it, all this talk of a title race is just that, talk, and it will do nothing but make our bhoys play better.

2.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 19:21:35
Thanks Ed I feel better now. Add counselling to your list of job titles and talents! It’s one of the spiritual works of mercy to Counsel the Doubtful. 👍 ☘️ jfp.

{Ed007's Note - I do my best to keep all of you on the path of the righteous man. :)

3.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 19:35:34
Although I concede they are much more consistent under 'Muttley', than they have been in the SPL since they were formed; there is still a huge gulf in class and ability - player by player (Dorus apart? ) .
We have only been beaten in the league twice, in two seasons and although we have not reached the amazing standards of performance of last term, we have had many injury and form issues to contend with, that none of our rivals could live with - while still staying ahead of the pack, winning a cup and in another semi final of the SC.
The team have also been relieved of European pressures, plus Dembele finding his scoring touch again and with Griffiths, Roberts and Armstrong still to return, we are not in such a bad position at all.

4.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 19:56:45
They are a far better unit now than they where in the new year game but that’s just makes it even better when we beat them

Hope is a cruel cruel thing 😂😂😂😭.

5.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 20:06:02
They have recently shipped goals to Ayr, Falkirk and Hamilton (3) . They have improved under Murty but I very relaxed about Sunday and expect a straightforward victory.

6.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 20:12:49
Last night UJ posted that Rangers have won more points under Murty than any other team in the league. However, when I started calculating the points won by both teams since the 26th of October, both teams had won 34 points each.

At the end of the day, it does not matter how many points a team has won in 18-19 games. What matters is how many points a team earns over and entire season and at the moment we are 9 ahead.

7.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:02:46
6 points ahead with a game in hand RAW.

8.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:11:00
@JFP1888 - I stand corrected :D.

9.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:16:09
Any manager following Pedro was bound to be an improvement, whoever it was could hardly fail
I think though that you have to put Sevco's improvement into context, scoring 6 against Ayr and 4 against Falkirk is okay but it hardly makes them Barcelona. The fact that they conceded goals to these teams probably says more about them. Could you imagine the headlines if we gave away goals against that level of opposition.
Celtic could lose the game on Sunday, any team can lose a football match against another team. That doesn't alter the fact though that we have better players in virtually every position. The league table doesn't lie. We are a game in hand away from a 9 point lead, if we win on Sunday make that 12, it's hardly a crisis.
I wouldn't swap our squad of players for theirs, as long as it stays that way I'll be happy.

10.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:21:22
Yes we are 9 ahead but since Murty took over Rangers have accumulated more points than we have. I see all the posts saying this is going to be easy but they have better form over the last 12 games. I think this will be close.

11.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:27:40
@Johnnymac - Murty has not got more points than Rodgers since he took over. Here are the stats from 26th October, which is the date he took over:

Rangers 3 - 0 Aberdeen
Celtic 0 - 0 Rangers
Rangers 2 - 0 Motherwell
Kilmarnock 2 - 1 Rangers
Rangers 1 - 3 St Johnstone
Hibernian 1 - 2 Rangers
Rangers 2 - 1 Ross County
Aberdeen 1 - 2 Rangers
Ross County 1 - 2 Rangers
Rangers 2 - 0 Aberdeen
St Johnstone 1 - 4 Rangers
Rangers 2 - 0 Hearts
Hamilton Academical 3 - 5 Rangers
Partick Thistle 0 - 2 Rangers
Rangers 1 - 2 Hibernian

34 points

Motherwell 0 - 2 Celtic
Motherwell 1 - 1 Celtic
Celtic 0 - 0 Rangers
Dundee 0 - 2 Celtic
Celtic 3 - 0 Aberdeen
Celtic 2 - 0 Partick Thistle
Heart of Midlothian 4 - 0 Celtic
Celtic 3 - 1 Hamilton
Hibernian 2 - 2 Celtic
Celtic 5 - 1 Motherwell
Celtic 3 - 1 Hearts
Celtic 1 - 0 Hibernian
Partick Thistle 1 - 2 Celtic
Aberdeen 0 - 2 Celtic
Celtic 0 - 0 St Johnstone
Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Celtic

34 points

As you can see both teams have the exact same points total for that period.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the outcome on Sunday. I am confident that if we play our A game, we will blow them away, even if they play theirs. We will just need to wait and see who performs best on the day.

12.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:46:42
The same number of points and Sevco didn't have any distraction of Europe . I wouldn't quote Union Jack because he doesn't know what team he supports.

13.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 21:52:45
RAW my friend with the disparity in finances we should be going there with 100% absolute confidence of a victory and that they will be shown no mercy even during Lent not discussing who’ll be the best on the day. Ed had cheered me up and did a fantastic job counselling now you’ve depressed me before retiring for the evening! 😂👍☘️ jfp.

14.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 22:28:50
Rogersatwork. If you look at your table Rangers have 34 points from 15 games. Celtic have 34 points from 16 games. So remove the last game for Celtic and they have more points. So when posters are talking about how well we are doing, we are not any better than Rangers. That's not very good.

{Ed007's Note - Who cares? Just to be abundantly clear here, in reality we've actually played 28 games this season and are 6 points clear with a game in hand - that's the reality of it no matter how many stats people come up with to suit their ever negative arguments. I sometimes wonder what pleasure people like you actually get out of supporting Celtic, Johnny.}

15.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 22:36:52
My apologies JFP, hopefully Sunday will bring the smile back buddy ;)

16.) 06 Mar 2018
06 Mar 2018 22:47:29
The only thing being argued over is whether or not Murty's team got more points than Rodgers' team. As I have shown, both teams have the exact same points since 26th October. Therefore, both you and UJ are wrong in what you say. The facts don't lie.

17.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 09:03:53
I’ve no looked at a league table in 6 years 👀.

18.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 10:20:07
Good posts, Forget the stats and figures from the past they are done and dusted and will never count as anything when an old firm game or a new game pops up. simples.

We all want a win, of course, but it's not the end of the world if we draw, that would make it we gained a point each, we both dropped 2 points. They are behind us and trying to catch us and they will stay behind us. win draw lose.

Success to us is winning the league, success to them is closing the gap.

The game we need to win is the semi final for the treble. BR wll be as shrewd as ever, he will play to his game plan and pick them off. Keep the faith. hail hail.

Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.

19.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 10:36:22
You don't expect us to be believe that Welsbhoy?

I know you would have looked at the Championship table for a wee laugh when sevco were in it. ;)

20.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 19:20:18
Ed because i don't shout about how we will smash Rangers does not mean I don't support Celtic. The point was this. We are 6 clear. Over the last 20 games there is virtually no points difference that's the fact of it. If you or anyone here thinks that is good then go ahead. Over the last 20 games we have let that mob get close. Not good enough. That's the point. You may not like the facts but there they are.

{Ed007's Note - No the point is that over our last 28 games and their 29 we've got a 6 point lead and we still a game in hand and THAT is the only fact that matters.}

21.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 19:38:34
It only matters because you say so? Nice one. Teams are in form and out of form. Right now there is no difference in form. All that matters to me is that we win on Sunday but firm points to a draw. That's the point i am making and the stats show that. Anything else is opinion.

{Ed007's Note - So aren't 6 points clear with a game in hand, you're saying that's my opinion?}

22.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 20:05:28
WRead the previous post. We are 6 points clear over the season. I said that. My point is over the last 18 or so games since Murty came in there is little difference between our results. Both your point and my points are facts. We have better players and over the last 20 games we should be miles ahead. We are not. All that matters is that we win on Sunday but we are in my opinion since Murty came in no better a team than Rangers and that's not acceptable.

{Ed007's Note - You keep blabbering about 20 games this and 18 games that, I prefer to look at the 28 we've played which is THE only number that matters.}

23.) 07 Mar 2018
07 Mar 2018 20:42:07
Well you look at what you prefer to look at. In your opinion the only number that matters is the 6 points. that's your opinion. All that matters to me is the result on Sunday and why we have even let Rangers get so close. Since Christmas we have been average that's why Rangers are close. If we are average on Sunday then you will need to change your opinion or will the 3 points difference be all that matters?

{Ed007's Note - Yes. We'll be a game closer to winning the league.}