Celtic Banter Archive August 21 2013

21 Aug 2013 21:39:40
I'm heading to Ibiza on Sunday and need somewhere to watch the game on Wednesday night. Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

LM67

The highlander bar in the west end has 9 tvs.

Under the bed sounds a good idea. Only kidding but enjoy your holiday a wiz in gran canaria for the 6-2 game al take every minute of that game to the grave way me. HAIL HAIL

Just back from ibiza a week ago mate go to the huddle bar ibizas celtic pub its in the westend just across from kilties go early though its always jumping for games DH2707

Ibiza?. watch you don't end up in Peru. Seems there is a transport problem. One minute jumping in a taxi from the Highlander heading back to hotel, next minute - Lima! {Ed007's Note - I was more believable slithering through the letterbox and telling my wife I only had 3 pints than their story!}

The Huddlebar is best for watching Celtic games

Cheers bhoys! The Huddle Bar it is then.

LM67

21 Aug 2013 21:36:17
Neil Lennon is not a manager, at best (at this early stage in his career) he is still a young coach in learning (I've said that from the start). He should be under the wing of an experienced manger, at least for the next couple of years as he learns his trade for being a good footballing coach requires one not to just to be a good tactician but also part psychologist, who is capable of getting into the minds of his players to motivate them and inspire them to rise to the big occasions ( Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson, to name but two managers have these excellent qualities).

His appointment as Celtic manager was nothing more than the Celtic board penny pinching and wanting a "Yes Man" in place ( an individual that was so overwhelmed with joy that they had become the Celtic manager so early on in their career, knowing rightly they should be ) that they would not dare question Peter "The Lier" Lawell nor Dirty Desmond as Martin O'Neill may have done in the past over money matters.

Neil Lennon dose not have enough experience to managed Celtic FC at the highest level. he's had it easy in the Scottish League (if we're going to honest) because there is no real challenge, from anyone anymore and with that, he still managed to make hard work of winning the league last year ( a league that should have been more or less wrapped up shortly after Christmas) after the historical win over Barcelona, he and his players became very complacent and thought that they were world beaters.

Neil Lennon and his coaching staff haven't a clue about match winning tactics, his team selections at best leave most Celtic fans (on most occasions) completely dumbfounded and with vital substitions that should have been made at half time, coming on with 5 to 10 minutes to go, says it all about Lennon (not Neill Lennon the person, I'm sure he's a nice guy) but Neill Lennon the manager. His main managerial issue (apart from tactics and team selection) seems to be his mismanagement of players on the park, again I put this down to a young coach still learning their trade but for an individual in that position, Celtic is too big of a club to be used as an experimental toy.

Would you as Peter "The leir" Lawell had Lennon £10 - 15 million to spend on Alfred Finnbogason and Artjoms Rudnevs, knowing that there's more than a good chance he'll stick one of them on the wing and the other into left back, while he places Charlie Mulgrew and Samanras up front as his main attacking strike force?? Would you as young players such as Finnbogason and Rudnevs (who are looking to improve as players) want to play under Lennon, knowing right he hasn't a clue??

Lets be honest, Barcelona (while a great win and one that will be remember for years to come) was a fluck, Lennon struggled to win the league and failed (along with the board because he's a yes man) to plan ahead for this season. If Celtic fail to qualify for this years Champions League, Celtic Park will be a Ghost Town, so much for football prudencey, it only gets you so far Peter

6 paragraphs of pure and utter pish

Bman

Your dig at Lawell is enough for me to shout out "rankers fan" also most celtic fans know how to spell Neil, so jog off back to the dark side, haven't you got a Ramsden cup game and another administration to look forward to.

Vambo

Just who would u play instead of Forster, mulgrew, Forrest, izzy.funny how these players only cop some flak when we get beat let's just try get behind the team instead of putting the boot in. Sep 1888

Granted Neil Lennon is still learning and yes, his inexperience can be evident but I think your post is a bit harsh.

I'm not really getting the Peter 'The Lier' Lawwell or Dirty Desmond part of your post?

Celtic got the last 16 of the Champions League last season with 10 points from the group - 2 defeats and unbeaten at home, that's not a fluke.

Neil Lennon could be described as a lot of things but a yes man is not one of them ~ Mrs E

Good god I can literally feel it oozing out of you. I need a shower. green jhedi

Why post this now? (Because of last nights result)?
Or because you have thought this for a while ( but waited until you had a good excuse too)?
Most teams (especially in the dross leagues we are playing) are looking to young up and coming managers, and in that case Lennon has done pretty well :)
The board aren't willing to pay top money for players so would also be unwilling to pay top money for the type of manager you think we should have!
(The decent managers would also refuse to come to scotland). see what you've done with all this bracket p1sh (.)(.) (ya divvit)

Bigbadjohn

I agree that Lennon has his favoured players especially Mulgrew, Forrest and Izzy. Mulgrew is a good squad player but not a stand out performer in any one position so I would rather see other players flourish in their natural position instead of having Mulgrew on to take a corner. Forrest and Izzy need a boot up the @rse. More end product required. If Lennon can't see it someone in the coaching team needs to point this out to him.
I also agree that the board knew Hooper and Wanyama were going so replacements should have been lined up well before now. In my eyes the board took a gamble on us reaching the group stage before they were prepared to loosen the purse strings.
I need to disagree with your overall assessment of Lennon as a manager. I think his tactics in some of last years games, most notably against Spartak and Barca home and away were spot on. I think there was a lack of motivation on the domestic front last year and we were sloppy at times. Lennon has already said he wants to improve on that this year and I'm sure that we will.
Personally I think the squad needs 4 signings. A left back. A centre half. A creative midfield player with a bit of flair and a natural goalscorer.
cw-88

Interesting post that one. Amazingly stupid of course, but interesting. The Barcelona 'fluck' was the best bit I thought. Who is our manger anyway? Charlie green found an easy cow to milk alright. Thanks for cheering us up. How's things with you?

No name, give it a break one bad game in Europe and its all doom and gloom shame on you

Celtic always

Chalky Bhoy!

Sorry but our forum is for the living only so away ye go and play accountant way your blue order. Ps Tribute acts are for cruise ships and yours is on a collision course way a big rock
Airdrie tim

Is that u Sally?
Cha67

OP So Lenny's $hite, Lawell's a liar, beating Barca was a fluck, tell you what Mr No Name why don't you just FLUCK OFF
Tambhoy

How dare you say the Barcelona game was a fluck. It was never a fluck. Now fluck off, ya fluck.

db

Lenny is as good as jose? Well jose has never been tested. Porto, chelsea, inter, real all quite big clubs. Or has he just been "flucky"?, ., .kbarry

C'mon everyone let's see this in another light. It shows that our Ed is fair and while there may be one or two errors or things we may not entirely agree within this person's post, it has been allowed to be published and not discarded like some sites I know of. The good person has obviously thought this post out andspent hours of research before submitting it and the eloquence in the comments are there for all to see. In fairness, when you look at his record since taking over Celtic he really has struggled at home and then in Europe. His overall win percentage (all competitions) is only 70.72% percent. Compare this to more experienced manager across the city who has been asst manager at international level, delivered on his ambition to take his club out of the SPL, has an unprecedented run in cup games, has also been awarded the MBE for his services to football and has a overall win percentage (all competitions) of 65.63% (To be fair this lower percentage is only because this manager had less games played as a result of Mr Lennon's additional Scottish Cup. League Cup and European games). Aye this poster has really captured all of Celtic's problems in a nutshell. Maybe we should get the cardigan out of retirement to help Neil and the club spend that money that is tucked away. Hail Hail

21 Aug 2013 19:25:59
evening ed fellow bhoys & ghirls, 2 njghts running now main sports news channel in Czech rep and its about us getting horsed by shakter saying its the biggest upset in this years CL so far and will
be one of biggest ever if we don't turn it around and qualify, viktoria Plzen beat Maribor 3-1 yet were the ones who are being talked about, also ed have yourself or anyone heard about Middlesbrough bidding for bangura?
dhman {Ed007's Note - No mate, I have not.}

If they want him swap him with jutkuvicz (spelling?). Thought he looked decent at Motherwell and performs well in the championship.
cw-88

21 Aug 2013 19:15:37
I was in Paisley when we beat the Saints 5-0 to win the league. Equally I have stood and cheered the likes of Biggins and Blinker. I travel across the Irish Sea every other week to see my beloved hoops but today I am angry. Angry that the board are willing to play a game of Russian roulette with us fans. How long ago did we know Big Vic and Hooper were going. I knew in January, didn't we all? And yet here we are on the brink of going out of the big league, and the board have to hold their hands up. I still fancy us next week and I will be making the trip across the Sea again. We wouldn't let Vic or Hooper or Wilson go for a penny more than we wanted but we expect other clubs to let theirs go cheaply. We have brought in 42,000,000 in transfers and champions league money this year and still our board penny pinch. 5 mill would have got Finnbogson and I wouldn't be writing this today. I don't understand Lennys selection either. Surely Charlie at centre back with Virgil and Sammy out wide left were he is most effective and Stokes up top. Or am I wrong.

What do you all think about Lennys selection.

Ard Eoin Bhoy.
In Lenny we trust(most times)

Your spot on with your comments. Eoin Bhoy. Neil's persistance in trying things that don't work is astonishing. At the same time I would like to think that its the players, that they've approached, dragging their feet not Celtic being miserly. It's easy to see in Wiki that Ant Stokes is easily the best scorer at our disposal. Still the deal is we back the hoops whatever the outcome. Jonbhoy

The way lenny picks the team later I can see muigrew playing as striker next week, and the other thing that gets me is these new players we get in and don't play them.lav

Surely it was always going to be a gamble playing Van Dijk & Mouokolo as a defensive partnership in a champions league play off when they probably not even played a bounce game together. Ambrose is a bomb scare we all know that, I was sure it would have been Ambrose & Mulgrew at centre half. We talk about the rangers getting short changed by the money men. it's actually happening to us aswell whatever way you dress it up. Ian L

21 Aug 2013 18:47:00
Alrite folks sorry its not a rumour, were off to fuengirola on fri nite, any good tim pubs for game on sat and wed night please, in Lenny we trust, finbar

Adrian's bar in fish ally also a celtic bar in fish ally ther name escapes me though.

Wee1888

21 Aug 2013 17:41:27
We can go on about not signing our £5 million striker, and how it may get us knocked out of Europe. That counts for nothing because the supply to the forwards has been rubbish. It's about time Forrest was dropped and flung in with the development squad until he can cross a ball.

Samson

Samson, I replied to Green Jhedi similar post last night, he said the same about the supply to strikers!
It works both ways, because there ain't no striker with decent movement or determination to make a run or angle which would then dictate the play, if the midfield have no pass on they automatically play square passes or passes that aren't on!
A proper striker on would have helped but nobody can tell if the result would have been different?
There's arguments for everybody that played or didn't but your right about Forrest, although for some if he helps the team turn it round nxt Wednesday hell be hero again lol, he should be moved on if he doesn't bang in a great season, NL said "Samaras is the type of player that could get you the sack" we'll last night he wasn't far away.
If we don't qualify the board should hang their heads in shame (aswell as the players)

Bigbadjohn

Do we play strikers? All seem to drift wide left
Ska bhoy

Talking about scorers, what we need is at least one goalscoring threat from midfield. The record shows that Forrest has 15 goals in 67 games, Keyal has 2 in 68. Brown has 17 in 160 games, and Ledley has 16 in 88. Our main striker the other night has 41 goals in 137 games. Jonbhoy

21 Aug 2013 17:01:37
Ok bhoys and ghirls after watching last night and posting while I was still seething I have now calmed down and have a few points to say, first I think we had a descent game last night but a couple of mistakes undone us! We all know we need additions to the team mostly the striking area and within the next two weeks we will have added a few . Hopefully .
As for the return leg ii would like to see stokes up front with balde Sami on the left with Forrest or if fit derk boerrigter ( who looked a class act before he got a knock) with brown and kayal in the heart of midfield izzaguire left back van djik and Charlie mulgrew and Adam Matthews RB with the green giant in goal. Now it is 442 but needs must now guys this team are going to play 5 4 1 or two banks of 5 behind the gk we can overcome this giant team but we need to get behind the team.

Hail, Hail

Chalkybhoy!

21 Aug 2013 16:41:11
The whole format of next weeks game will now change for Shakhter. We had a chance last night to score when they were pressing to score themselves. Next week they will put 11 men behind the ball and hope for the occasional counter attack.
We have always been suspect against counter attacking sides and we have always been useless at breaking down teams when they defend en masse.
I suspect we could be looking at disappointment after the damage of the first leg but like all fans I will live in hope and support the Bhoys until the end.

Hail Hail
ChrisBhoy

That coach of theirs is a fox. He planted as much complacency as he could but knew the weaknesses. I think he had an an advantage in info over celtic. So from his point of view an away goal is priceless. That's what he'll go for. Neil is saying the right things but I don't expect a gung ho approach. These Kara players are in the biggest match in the history of their fa. As WGS said, celtic need to keep a clean sheet and go for 2 and take them to extra time. If they collapse before then, well and good.

Sorry. Doing what every manager does, ie downplaying his teams chances does not constitute being a fox. If a managers comments, affected the result. then ours might have put the fear of God into Karangandy. We will prevail. Jonbhoy.

21 Aug 2013 16:06:30
"IT'S ONLY A GAME OF FOOTBALL"

This is what Mrs T said to me and the girls after our defeat on Tuesday. Sadly, as you can tell
Mrs T is NOT a football supporter.
How can we fans, of any team, explain the sick to the stomach feeling, the embarrassment of losing while Europe looks on, or the embarrassment of losing to such a poor team.
Having no appetite for food after such a loss, not watching the sports updates on tv or radio.
Not buying, or even LOOKING at a newspaper. We want to forget such a defeat, do not even want to discuss it. we want to cleanse it from our mind, it NEVER happened.
It leaves you depressed and bad tempered.
"It's only a football game"
Anyone know a good divorce lawyer? Timalloy

Timalloy, I'm in the same boat mate!

"It's only a game of football", that's like someone saying "there's plenty more fish in the sea" after you get dumped by a gorgeous girl. lol

Hail Hail
ChrisBhoy

Well put mate! It was gut wrenching and embarrassing as a supporter and my Mrs just came in from work and said:- 'What's up? Did the dog poo the carpet again?' Unable - as usual - to fathom how a Celtic defeat always guts me and bursts ma erse!
Or first thing in the morning when even plastic surgeon can't alter my expression when I get 'total recall' flashbacks and post traumatic stress.
Gave SLY and S(evco)TV a wide berth for obvious reasons.
Normal service should resume for Saturday when I start speaking in sentences once again.
I only hope the players have one iota of how we feel at times like this.

Jungle Jim

Probably not Jim. The great managers could always find ways to motivate players. Neil is working with essentially a new group and has to motivate them quickly. The game on Saturday should see progress on that front. Shankly was the best at that. Having a wee word with every player and finding the buttons. My missus is just the same, amazed at how the wee boy on the terraces comes to life when the hoops are in a big game. It's mad, but its celtic and it won't go away.
Yorkiebhoy.

Agreed, but it doesn't need to be so if we use our own youngsters. James Forrest is what Lennoxtown has given to the cause at this time. One player per season and that would be enough. but its nots so. Why did Paddy play in Cup Final and not Watt? Why did Hooper play against Cliftonville, and not Watt? Young players don't get a chance these days. JB

21 Aug 2013 14:17:52
hi bhoys 1st post here hail hail, just felt had 2 post my thoughts on last nite?where 2 start?blame everywhere at club,!obviously I like all fans can c that we need new players in to replace the spine of last year team that was progressing, every good team has a spine, centre half centre mid and forward we lost that and have not replaced with equal quaulity?that fault lies directly with lawell and and the board?they have known for months that spine wd b gone and had plenty time to at least get a quality striker on board, they are guilty and have to take a long hard look at themselfs bcos for sake of 5 mil(hoopers fee) they may just have cost them selfs 15 to 20 million from the champs leaugue? 2. having said all that we should have had enuf last nite, and am afraid that fault lies with neil lennon and coaches, want to say 1st I am a big n.l fan, last year his tactics etc especially in europe was spot on!but last night well am afraid he got it so wrong?moyokolou and big dutch guy both look decent bt to throw them tgether in such an important game was madness?samarass never a striker and has done so so brilliantly for us on left mid?madness, forrest cd c after ten mins he wasnt going to b in game, how he wasnt subbed I will never know?mulgrew i.m.o never a midfielder, why nt have kayal there?and mulgrew at centre half where he won player of year 2 year ago and has hardly played since?baffling choices! 3. players attitudes?from back to front I got the feeling bcos of the opposition that they thot they just had to turn up or that they were already through?can any1 honestly name a single player that played with 100 percent commitment let alone 100 plus commitnent that a celtic player should b giving us fans? sorry for long rant bhoys and ghirls any replys welcome and I still feel we cd still do it at a packd parkhead, anything possible?cheers fellow hoops fingers crossed celt mark72 {Ed007's Note - Welcome to the site Mark.}

21 Aug 2013 13:42:58
i thought the main difference was the attitude of the sharkter team who looked like their lives depended on that match last night and played like it I said it before we need a Roy Aitken type who can get people moving when going gets tough and even chopped the danger man (was he on something) think we will struggle next week as this team now have even more to defend and will be streetwise at cp

THE BEAR. They broke the mould. JB

21 Aug 2013 12:49:48
Listen bhoys its as simple as this, you were embarrassed last nyt by a very very poor team. HOWEVER I have no doubts that celtic will stick four past them next wednesday and you will progress. On the evidance I have seen (elfsborg away and karagandy) you will really struggle in the group stages against better opposition with the current squad you have.

GOVAN BEAR

Hard to argue with that post. green jhedi

Yes we came up well short and although I doubt we will score 4 - as at present I don't see four goals in this team - we can still win the tie.
The disruption to the team has had a huge effect and many of the players are either lacking form or fitness but they know how bad they played and will be up for the return, although it requires keeping a clean sheet.
I already posted my gut feeling on the game so I won't repeat it, but;
If we get through, the pressure will be off the current players and we will strengthen considerably.
If we don't? It's Europa League; a step down but better than emmerdale
farm -I'll have to tape for the Mrs.

Jungle Jim

Fair and balanced opinion. I am still gobsmacked that we are 2 down, but we can make it through. With the team we have now we would not stand a very good chance in the group stages.

Ontario Bhoy

I can see penalties coming into this. If celtic score 2 and keep a clean sheet, we will win. The second goal put them in dreamland. Clean sheet is a must. The celtic crowd is a formidable weapon, and 120 mins of it and pens will be too much. If not then the club doesn't deserve the prize, and we move on. I think they are better than any SPL side we will meet, and are dangerous.

21 Aug 2013 12:28:54
Now I've had time to pick over the bones from last night and discuss in my work with others who are not Celtic fans, the consensus seems to be we need 3 goals and not concede.

We struggled to get 2 against Ross County and Aberdeen so who do we think is going to score the goals at Celtic Park on Wednesday?

This team are coming to defend a 2 goal lead with a prize of the CL group stages, I'm not pessimistic and think we can do this but I'm very nervous.

I think everyone at Celtic Park has been very naive about this from the players to the Manager, to the Board.

The board for not spending a small percentage of their cash on a proven goalscorer, for the Manager's choice of CB pairing and not bringing on a CF until the dying minutes of the game and for the players who could not be trusted to perform against a team no better than a Scottish first division team.

If I'm proven wrong on Wednesday and we destroy them, I will be very happy on this occasion to be wrong.

Mrs E {Ed007's Note - PPPffftttttt What have we all told you about talking to people who aren't CFC fans!!}

Like you I think we can turn this round Mrs E. Last night we had some very poor performers, Where was Joe Ledley normally one of our go to guys, but as I posted earlier Lenny needs to have a look at himself.

I know you are a defender of Forrest but he was pretty much anonymous. Sammi was also poor, and in my opinion has been living on Euro goals for the past while.This line up was a gamble there can be no doubt of that.

I will however defend the centre backs to a degree.I still think they have shown enough to suggest they will settle and become more than decent. At the goals they were not to blame but seem to be copping flak for them.

On the return, this is very tricky.I would think they will park the bus.They don't have enough to come and try and kill us off.The problem is the second goal swayed things to them. Even at three nil they are one lucky bounce from going through. We must go with two up and one must play on their centre backs who did not look to clever.Lenny needs to get this right or there will be pressure on him. green jhedi

Ed007 I cannot help it if folk like discussing the Champions, they fair come out the woodwork when we suffer a defeat.

On hindsight (which I know is a great thing), the whole team were really set up to fail.

2 centre backs who had never played together before, 2 wingers and no Centre forward for them to work with and I actually thought at one point Scott Brown was almost in a sweeper role at the back. It was just a disjointed, worrying performance but it’s in the past now and we can’t change it.

Why did Neil Lennon trust Tony Watt enough to play against Barcelona but not last night. We need a striker on the park next Wednesday from the off and we need to be 2-0 up at half time in my opinion.

I feel there’s a bit more than just not reaching the group stages of the CL at stake here, we could actually see a further decline in the Celtic team. I could be over-reacting though ~ Mrs E

21 Aug 2013 12:22:20
Well I've had time to think about yesterdays shambles.

Wrong formation for us, we knew they would lump it up field at every chance and also told about the long throws. They played 5 at the back, we should have put 3 up front(sami left balde middle watt right) no point in having a packed midfield, the fight wasn't there. I would have played ambrose in front of the back 3 of lustig mulgrew and virgal.
midfield should have been ledley brown kayal.
And as for the keeper, benched until he gets the hunger back.

To be honest we looked to have returned to the old celtic playing away, hopeless

As for next week, may as well go for it, nothing to lose.

21 Aug 2013 11:24:37
Neil lennon isn't going to make it as a manager if he keeps using his favourites, Mulgrew in midfield! Ledley was absolutely terrible why does lennon never drop players? Look at Paul ince, he was telling people to call him the governor so what did fergie do? Froze him out the team for 6 weeks. Mulgrew angers me sometimes and why did lennon decide to play two centre backs wh

21 Aug 2013 08:34:18
Hi all
Gutted at last nights performance. Cutting edge most definitely missing. and big Kelvin was a huge miss. I still think there's hope but Stokes must play from the beginning.
Can anyone confirm if the game is on tv?

Its on sly

samson

21 Aug 2013 11:06:26
im still in shock, still canny understand how that mob beat us, your defending is poor, your midfield lacks flair & your forward line is non exsisting .

first goal . ledley baw watching, forster scared to come off his line

second goal . giving away stupid fouls in areas we knew they where dangerous in

i ain't gonny go on about the signings we need as that's just an excuse the fact is we where really pretty pish in all departments ( commons getting only pass marks ) not 1 player from there team would get a game for us, yet we canny beat them . a word of warning celtic if we don't overcome this result not even the treble will make up for the mistakes being made on and off the park this season . some people need to take a long good look in the mirror, I only hope all is not lost. start praying

Ledley was not ball watching, he was marking his man, it was izzy`s man who nipped in while he did nothing, again.

chasaboy

21 Aug 2013 10:42:51
As a result of our team's naiivety on the pitch and the Board's biscuit tin approach off it we are at a total standstill as far as potential signings are concerned. A positive result yesterday would have allowed us to talk to players with a CL campaign on offer to them. Now, even though it's possible we could still turn it around, we can only offer Europa League as a carrot.
As we've seen already it's difficult enough to attract players to the SPFL even with the potential of CL football. Now we have just made it even more difficult because we didn't sign a striker who possibly could have scored yesterday and made our beloved club more attractive to a guy who knows where the net is.

Hail Hail
ChrisBhoy

21 Aug 2013 10:00:01
Poor performances from quite a few players yesterday but none more so than James Forrest. Again.
I have said it time and time again and so have many of you, this lad is simply not up to the task of wearing a Celtic shirt.
Here is the simple truth, he burst onto the scene a few years ago as something of a youth prodigy and he STILL has not developed beyond that in terms of what he actually gives. Don't talk to me about his potential and his deep down ability because he has neither. Potential is something he had a few years ago but not any more and deep down ability is something that should show itself reasonably regularly in a player with a few rough edges disguising it. Forrest's days of potential are over, he should be delivering consistently. He has had enough experience and enough opportunities to show what he can do and he fails every time. Just because we get one decent game out of him every 20 games he plays is not good enough. Good Heavens, if I played 20 games myself I'm sure I'd have one decent game among them.
There's no point in the players shaking their heads and saying they should have done better and they'll be motivated for the return tie. We already KNOW they should've done better and why weren't they motivated for YESTERDAY'S game? The complacency among our team and the lack of ability of some of them as individuals is not exactly reassuring, is it?
Yet again we have made things difficult for ourselves. We always do. And when you're as passionate about something as we all are about our team then that really hurts.
Never mind, I suppose we should be used to it by now. I hope that next week the players will show the same amount of passion for the club and it's supporters as we show for them.

Hail Hail
ChrisBhoy

21 Aug 2013 09:03:33
Poor result last night. let's do what we do best and make parkhead extremely intimidating for return eg and ROAR the bhoys into the group stages. We almost did itagainst Artmedia Brataslava. Now we will do it against karagandy.

Think we should still be pretty positive about next week, we are quite clearly a better side than them and as long as the tactics are right then we should be ok. we need to start the match with a centre forward on the park. don't mean Sammy he's got to be out left. we had a lot of the ball last night but seemed happy to play a containing game, next week is different we will go for the jugular from the start and I don't think they will be able to handle it. eddiek88

21 Aug 2013 08:29:00
I wonder how many football managers would put up with their best players being sold and not being replaced before important games that could be very lucrative to the club. Neil must be losing patience with the penny-pinching going on. I would not blame him if he walked. JK

Me neither mate I have been vocal over the last couple of weeks about out lack of signings to replace our 2 best players and big Kelvin but Lenny must also be held to account for last night. We had 3 strikers on the bench but had to wait till 84th minute to see one of them. We had 2 central defenders short of match fitness who had never played together and we had absoluteley no plan whatsoever for that game. That has nothing to do with the board and everything to do with Lennon

Gary

I said on here yesterday that NL was playing games with PL to get more money to spend.

He is confident that we will make the group stages and played a suspect team to point out that we still need good players brought in so we can compete in every comp.

Its a big gamble from NL as I don't think he thought we would get done over 2-0.

Ian

21 Aug 2013 02:11:34
Why do Celtic even have a youth academy? How mutch does it cost a year? Why bring the best Scottish players we can get and then blend them with the best European players we can get and keep them together for years only to let them go when they are 21 or so. In the last few years as far as I can recall we have brought through Forrest Mgeady Mcmanus, I'm stuggling now em Maloney em Liam Miller. i'm stuck now please tell me i'm wrong there must be more?, Is one player we have sold for 10mil worth it in a league like ours?. mark

20 Aug 2013 23:59:02
Hi ed do we still have time to get a striker for the return leg and is there any news on finbogson

Cheers hh {Ed007's Note - Nobody who signs can play.}

20 Aug 2013 23:53:03
Well that was bloody awful tonight but who is to blame?
Seems that Lawwell is taking a load of stick but I feel he is an easy target.We are not privy to the financial situation at the club and as such let's deal in facts. So far we have spent around 5-6 million and to be honest that's a lot for us considering the league we play in. If we believe what Lenny says we have put bids in for other players.If these players don't want to play in Scotland there is not much we can do. Income is down and Lawwell has a duty to ensure the club is on a sound financial footing.It is surely unarguable that he has achieved this.

Hooper was leaving and we needed a striker.We brought in Balde, who we have to assume Lenny wanted.Lawwell sanctioned a fee of around £2m.We also have Stokes and Watt with young Atajic.Thats three central strikers at Lenny's disposal.So the cover for Hooper situation is down to Lenny surely? Why spend the money on Balde if he does not think he is ready? There is also Big Derk to add as I see him as a real forward thinking player.He also might be a key player in the return.

We also recently learned, although we all heard the rumours, that Wilson wanted to leave.Again Lawwell green lighted the purchase of Virgil, and again Lenny must have wanted him.Add Mouyokolo and that's two centre backs in for one out. There is also the fact that Lustig, Ambrose or Mulgrew could be used there.Once again plenty cover.

That leaves Victor.Again we knew he would be leaving but we must be realistic here.You do not replace that kind of player unless you have plenty to spend and have one in your sights.That kind of replacement takes time.But midfield is supposed to be the strongest area of our side.Tonight it looked devoid of ideas and invention.Why we did not sign the boy Armstrong from Dundee Utd is a mystery.Box to box and full of energy, just what we need.

For me this leads to one conclusion.The manager must look at the team selection and shape and some players need to have a look at themselves. I think the two centre backs will improve, But through injury they have not had a lot of game time recently. Was it wise to play both together for the first time in this game? Another worry for me is that Lenny seems to have his favourites. Is Lenny adopting the MON attitude? Sacrificing flair for function? Rogic for me has a real gift but can't be expected to chase back tackling and covering, that's not his game.Yet every time he plays he is asked to play in the engine room of the team, not his position at all.It will be interesting, when fit, to see how he is used.

I posted earlier that I still think we can get through.With a full Celtic Park I think we can get to them, but there is one problem. Even at three nil with five minutes to go a goal from them kills us.We need lots of work, and I include the coaching staff, to make sure we keep the door shut but attack with pace and invention.For me Lenny put out the wrong team, although some players were awful, and never used the bench shrewdly enough.He must know some questions are being asked of him, has he got the answers?. green jhedi

I was watching the game in work but though Celtic looked flat. The 2 CB were murder & why bring on a striker in the 82min when it's 2-0 down. Should have brought balde on around 60th min. Celtic played it far took safe last night, they played well at home but think it should have & could have been 0-0 if we had 2 good CB. Wanyama is gong to he the hardest player to replace but for me we have 5 strikers and one is not a out & out striker. I think the board (quite rightly) ate holding out to see if we get through before we sign anyone else, why play done 20/25k to play against Dundee utd?

As for rogic I think he should be in the start 11 most weeks and it seems Lennon has his 'faves' too.

Hopefully do it at home but need to up the game though.

Lenny

Spot on.

You make a lot of good points but the fact is the squad is weaker this year than last and also most importantly the fire is gone. Our defenders are a joke. We only have strength at right back. Last night two CD's played in the most important game since the Juve match with only around 20 mins of previous game time together. Once again Mulgrew plays in the midfield when everyone apart for Neil Lennon can see he that he cannot cut it there, no pace. Celtic have always penny pinched in the transfer market and probably always will. I blame the manager along with the board. Lennon should have had his targets identified late last season as everyone has known Hooper and Wanyama were on there way out. But once again were are left running around trying to buy players a couple of days before the window shuts. We are crying out for a goal scorer a midfield player with the ability to pick a pass and a commanding centre half. We also need a left back who can either push Izzy for a place or take over from him. The managers interview last night made me cringe and if we do not make it through to the group stages he should consider his position.

Agree we had plenty of time to sign Hooper's replacement in the close season but I really don't think Balde is 'like for like' and is more of a target man. Also; the fact Lennon has been so reluctant to play him at all (eg; 3 mins to go last night) it seems like the Bangura situation all over again?
Wanyama was more of a shock to me as although I knew we would sell, I didn't expect him to be rushed out the door before we had qualified.
The big worry for me is the lack of form of all the rest of the squad compared to this time last year.
We struggled against Elfeborgs and last night was one dimensional dross.
Forster is a disaster and the defence - newly formed for arial defence - failed abysmally, plus so much bickering and bitching in the outfield instead of unity and fight.
Lennon got a few things wrong last night and worryingly for some reason the players did not play for him.
They were all poor but if I can just compare Broonie with his Wembley performance and last night with the weaker calibre of opponent?
Celtic have always responded to the support and have suffered before on foreign soil when the fans are so limited; so with a full house on Wed hopefully we can jump-start the team back to the levels we expect?

Jungle Jim

Lenny got this very wrong last night will have to do lot better next week should stop talking crap to the press and get these players up for a battle, Will have to go with the players wee have, not going to mention names but some off them want to take a good look at them selfs. no fight or sprit in this team lennys got to kick some arse or wee are out Meagle tim

@1. can't agree that the board are quite rightly waiting to see if we qualify before buying a 20/25k striker, we should always have the best available to us even if it is only for league games. we didn't exactly light up the league last year and had a lot of bad results and we are definately a poorer team so far this season. the least the fans can expect is a 25k striker.we deserve it and we can afford it. Eddiek88