Celtic Banter Archive July 21 2015

21 Jul 2015 22:37:19
Yeah he played alongside Kompany mate, he looked ok, made some telling challenges but also looked like he was being dragged out of position a lot.

The commentator was saying that he looks like becoming a cult figure with the city fans as it looks as though he is going to oust Mangala.

22 Jul 2015 08:19:38
No doubt the season spent with us will have benefited his confidence and helped his development and good luck to him.
He had an outstanding time at Celtic and made a big contribution alongside VVD.
The pair of them have set a benchmark for the standard we expect and we can't go back to the likes of Ambrose and Mulgrew.

22 Jul 2015 08:21:39
I thought he looked ok.too,it's early days yet but if he goes on to have a good season it could have a positive spin off for us,as other clubs down south and further afield may be swayed to send their young prospects on loan to us.I know it's not ideal having a lot of loanees but the odd one or two of quality does no harm in the short term.You only have to look at the effect Jason had last season,the fans loved him.

21 Jul 2015 19:42:12
Djilobodji, Ed you hear anything on this? There's a dodgy rumour that a deal fell through with Lazio and his destination would be either us or Sunderland, Whoever pays the most wages which will be Sunderland.

{Ed007's Note - We were linked with Djilobodji a couple of months back but I can't see us paying the kind of money Nantes are looking for, Southampton and Stoke are also interested in him.}

21 Jul 2015 22:11:52
Deary Me! Imagine we did sign him even wee pat couldny make a song up for someone with a name like that! :-D

21 Jul 2015 21:00:47
Thanks Ed thought it was dodgy do you know of any CB we are meant to be keen on I seen we had our eye on Omeruo has that gone cold?

{Ed007's Note - Omeruo will be joining Turkish side Kasimpasa on a season long loan deal in the next few days.}

21 Jul 2015 23:38:46
Jamiebhoy famous last words. i'm sure wee pat is penning down something as we speak lol

22 Jul 2015 10:46:27
Fingers crossed on this one! Quality centre back. Hopefully not just VvD's replacement. Its in L'equipe if that means anything. I reckon Ed could be right though but maybes he could be hat £6-8m player.

22 Jul 2015 09:39:48
Cheers Ed. More reports saying we're after this Djilobodji today

22 Jul 2015 14:12:22
Lol DN30 (y)

21 Jul 2015 15:49:40
Ever the optimist I have put on a wee each way double on the horses and (I hope) a nice wee earner on the footie tonight. First my horses at Musselburgh 4.15 Rothesay Chancer 15/2 and Musselburgh 5.15 Tadlavil 13/2 my footie tip is in the Sevco friendly against Burnley the English team are even money to win, also take both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (you can all thank me tonight when you are all quids in lol)

21 Jul 2015 17:34:19
Before Sacktheboard pitches in can I just say that for a wee remuneration from everyone on here, I am willing to place a bet on Qarabagh to ensure Celtic do not have to fly to Asia lol

21 Jul 2015 18:31:54
Okay Tim so Rothesay chancer and tadlavil to fall early or to go AWOL during race and rangers to win 2 nil! Lol

21 Jul 2015 19:12:02
You betting on qarabagh to lose?

21 Jul 2015 19:24:12
How's the bets going at the start of your new gambling season Tim? I'm expecting big things from the top tipster on the inter web! 💰💸🙊

21 Jul 2015 19:33:03
@Aindoh as I appear to be on a losing streak I am betting Qarabagh to WIN which should ensure they lose lol

21 Jul 2015 19:37:25
Sorry forgot to add even the Sevco ED039 has taken pity on me, I think, he has deleted my footie bets to save my blushes, aw bless

21 Jul 2015 19:58:49
Ha ha STB I KNEW you would make an appearance, horse bets bombed last 2 days, footie bets better, see what transpires tonight, once season starts properly I will get into my swing lol

21 Jul 2015 21:42:42
Tell you what, I'll follow your football tips and without notice I will back one of your predictions. Let's see what happens, maybe you will surprise me and win us all some cash!

21 Jul 2015 15:04:31
Imagine for a minute we went out and spent 3/4 million on that striker we all wish for. Wud he be of proven CL quality? Highly unlikely, he would either be a talent/prospect or a Finnbogasson/Hooper type for eg. Both untried at the top level. We need to be careful what we wish for sometimes, now I would love another striker at the club but not for the sake of it. I just think this type of striker is out of our range at the minute and every other club in the world is looking for the same.
If we did just buy a new striker and he was Italian/Dutch/Belgian, for 2m bucks and he had a name like Leigiano Griffiantos and he just scored a hat trick in our last game we would be raving about this guy.Now I not saying LG is the answer all I saying is give the guy a chance. Seems to me he has stepped up at every level so far.Lets give him a crack at Europe and see what he can do because 1 thing I know for sure this guy knows where the net is and he has only 1 thought in his mind when he has a sight at goal.The other thing I like about him is when we get possession in our own half he is on his way instantly making space and wants it in behind. We just eed to get it to him earlier.

21 Jul 2015 15:30:00
Rayman

Is it not slightly disingenuous of you to suggest that we are dissatisfied with our striker situation because one so happens to be scottish?

I am dissatisfied because our system ( to work effectively ) requires a player typology that is absolutely beyond our means. The RD system does not take cognisance of our financial constraints and the SPFL's reputation.

I'm all for LG and his progress. 100% If he rattles in 25 goals and ,CFC score 100 I will now to the system that RD puts so much faith in.

I do see the argument the LG and ciftci are different players and can see the attraction in the ciftci capture

21 Jul 2015 17:00:52
Not sure what you mean about the name thing.

We could have went for Lucas Barrios, sounds quite exotic admittedly. On a Bosman, offer him circa 40k a week over two years and bang, you've got yourself a CL striker for £4m.

I have no idea how much every player is available for. But I don't think spending £3/4m would be doing so "just for the sake of it". Yes players may not want to come, but there's an essence to me that we're scared to try, dare to dare. You tend to get what you pay for in my eyes. And were we not told that we could be in the market for a £5/6m anyway? That's my main issue. PLs bullshit.

I have no issue LG playing in the Champions League for us. I'd prefer it if he was to come on though rather than start. I'd like us to start with a player whose game is more like that of Ciftci. Just a better player.

Seeing as you mentioned him. I also think Finnboggason would do a job. Now, he's available on loan. So why not loan out Scepovic, who obviously isn't doing something right, and loan Finnbogasson in? Makes perfect sense to me. Scepovic hasn't contributed so we don't really have anything to lose.

Fact is we still don't seem to be going for quality over quantity. Apart from Boyata, and it's not exactly hard to get in our centre of defence. Do any of the signings really jump out and walk in the side? I'm not claiming to be master scout or anything but i'm obviously not alone in thinking that they don't. Hopefully Bailly, Janko and Ciftci work hard and ahow that they can get in on merit. But it would be nice from the point of view as a fan, to be sitting as a fan more confident that we've signed a player(s) that will improve the side, and by that I mean this season, not next or the one after that.

21 Jul 2015 18:30:08
Maybe I never articulated it properly but my point is if we buy a foreign striker with a fancy name and he scores a hat trick we tend to go over board and say this guy is the dogs whatsits. But if he Scottish we tend to say he either not good enough or we want another. As I said LG has stepped up let's see what he can do. Look at Guidetti everyone raved about him at the start and looked how that worked out. I think it would cost a fortune to get a better striker than LG.
PW as you know I not convinced with this system either, if u look at all the strikers who were reasonably successful for us at CL level they all had a partner.
Jim I maybe wrong and PL gets slated for it but did he not say that we could pay 4/5 m IF the right player came along.Is it just not possible the right 1 hasn't came along yet.

{Ed007's Note - It was a £6-8 million player PL said.}

21 Jul 2015 18:51:29
Hasn't come along?

21 Jul 2015 18:59:49
Looking at the system we play I don't think scoring goals in the champions league (group stages and if by some miracle beyond) should be our main concern as my worry lies in our defence and I hate to be negative but if we are to lose VVD and replace him with mulgrew and continue with Izaguirre at left back then I believe we will become the whipping boys of europe. Yes the striker situation may not be the best but will do the job domestically and if we are to bring any new personnel in, it has to be defenders.

21 Jul 2015 21:09:43
We've seen time and time again the slightest of mistakes punished in the CL. Inter, Juve, Barca all spring to mind.Hopefully Lustig can stay fit as we are better when he's in the team.

20 Jul 2015 23:02:24
Hi ED

I don't know what it is, but I have gone from feeling quite satisfied to feeling somewhat perplexed by Celtic's movements / decisions in the past fortnight.

We seem to have a clutch of players that we cannot get rid of or improve. We see fans on forum's such as these waxing lyrical about the RD effect and players improving, and yet we have some players who seem to operate at a level that is well below average and depressingly familiar.

I remain totally unconvinced with the 4231 system but will hold my hands up if results and performances prove otherwise. However, I think at a club with an annual turnover of some £40m (£50m in a good year), I feel that there are players loitering around the 1st team squad that simply do not belong there based on talent, performance and their propensity (or lack thereof) to develop and improve.

I know that getting another 5 to 10 to 15% from a player that the majority of fans have otherwise written off as "surplus to requirements" is akin to a new signing. I am also acutely aware that new signings come with a big "beware/caution" sticker these days with the majority of incomers having either, some sort of baggage or a lack of experience. We cannot attract anyone who is proven, talented and willing (another depressing reality).

But on closer inspection, when I ponder the club's advances in the close season thus far, I am left underwhelmed. This does not mean I do not support the team or don't want them to outperform expectations and prove doubters like myself wrong. However, I look at the team and there remains a tremendous number of question marks over so many 1st team squad members.

We are shockingly weak in the striking role and what makes me almost cry is the fact that we're not only weak, but we will likely play with one striker. It would be different if we had a top class striker but we don't. The "aggregate" of two decent strikers might just be a miracle fix, but one up top who we know to be average is asking for trouble mark my words!

We have a wide player that seems to be the darling of the fans (GMS) which is fine but there is a real lack of width beyond GMS and yet the system relies on width leaving us at the mercy of an out of form winger who's confidence is so low and bedraggled that moves in the opposite direction of the byline when he sees it! Forest out equals the likes of Armstrong who is not a wide threat. He never has been and never will be.

We have lost Denayer and Matthews (the latter obviously injury prone), but he did have the ability to come inside or hit the byline and actually pause, look up and pick out a colleague in a hooped jersey with some ease. Perhaps he wanted away; who knows?

We have replaced him with a "development" player and so I see a weakened right side (defensively speaking), and even if Lustig proves an able replacement, what will become of central defence? Denayer was good (not great) but good enough for CFC's domestic challenges. He had a great little thing going with VVD (who we know wants away), and we have one new addition in at Centre Half. He has started well has our Bhoy Dedryck, but there will be turbulence ahead when we lose VVD which is inevitable. Mulgrew and Ambrose do not merit starting berths at the heart of the Celtic defence. My gut feeling is that we will need to endure them more often than we'd like because I don't see another centre half coming over the horizon.

Our weakness (defensively) on the left is now the stuff of legend. I am gob smacked that we have not addressed the left back saga; absolutely gob smacked. Are we to surmise that there is no better left sided defender out there and available? I watched one 5 times last season and monitored his general progress and I remain convinced that the former ICT lad Shinnie could have been just the ticket. Incredibly composed and can get up and down the park and can look after himself. A very good source told me that CFC moved for him after AFC had got his "word" that he was heading East and the lad's word proved more important than the lure of an extra £2k in the wage packet! This was a good source! Why did we labour when this gaping weakness was there for all to see?

We have not improved up top. Yes Cifci is in but he will be missing for 15% of the season and Guidetti has gone (dreadful attitude mind you) but are we stronger? Scepovic cannot even get a seat on the team bus let alone the bench so if we see the emergence of the big Serb I think even RD will be surprised because the signs suggest he won't feature.

Surely surely surely ED we are not going to venture in to this season without decent quality reinforcements?

Are we to conclude that Janko + Boyata + Ciftci + Bailley leaves CFC in a stronger position than last season post departure of Guidetti + Denayer + Matthews + Zaliuskis?

I'm not so sure. On that basis, improvement will only come if the current crop improve within the RD system. Can we get anymore from Brown or Johanssen or Griffiths for that matter. Who will emerge this season ED.

If there is to be no more activity, we need a Scepovic to step out and up, or a Forrest to rattle in 10-12 goals, or for Bitton to develop a bit of muscle and start dictating more of the play to free up Brown to bolster options in the opposition penalty box.

We need 1 or 2 in the existing squad to really up their game to avoid stagnating. We are in year 2 of the RD reign and I thought that we would go in to this season in a reasonably healthy state. I don't feel as comfortable as I would like and I expected more from the Board.

Your thoughts Ed on activity?

{Ed007's Note - Sorry for the late and maybe abrupt reply mate, I've been a bit under the weather the last couple of days. I always prefer waiting until the window is closed before deciding how things look but right now I'm not exactly happy that Ciftci is the only striker we've brought in. I still don't think Scepovic will still be here when the window closes which make it even more desperate for a new face, if you're game plan is playing with one lone striker you need 3 good options and 4 options to play with 2 and we've got neither just now.
A daft man could tell you we either need a new first choice LB or someone who can at least challenge Izaguirre and Mulgrew playing in at LCB just weakens that area even more.
The weakness in our 4-2-3-1 is the striker, buy a quality striker and the rest will fall into place. Look at the performances earlier in the season when we had Guidetti doing the damage, mix that early season attacking form with the improved organisation as the season went on and we'd have probably won the treble.}

21 Jul 2015 00:55:46
Cheers ed

Hopefully you are feeling better soon sir!

{Ed007's Note - Thanks mate, I just don't seem to be able to get on top of this diabetes at all.}

21 Jul 2015 01:24:23
My dad suffers from Diabetes and it is an ongoing battle

There is always something happening weekly or monthly

Really quite frightening but I know others that get ahead of it

Hopefully you'll get ahead of it and stay ahead of it ED

Best

Paradise

{Ed007's Note - Sorry to hear that, I hope he's controlling it and keeping well. I was only diagnosed last month and because it's genetic with males in my family and I watched my dad struggle with it for years I thought I knew it all and could handle it no probs, how wrong was I? }

21 Jul 2015 02:23:05
Now paradise that's great post lol

21 Jul 2015 08:18:14
Good post paradisewon but surely you could have summed it up in half the post lol. It's disappointing that our ambitions are being restrained with developing players and I noticed further down the page that it is being accepted by some supporters that at 28 yrs old they don't fit our model.(not that I want le fondre) I also have concerns over our formation as I think we are predictable but domestically we will still win but in Europe we will struggle due to the quality we don't have. Keep well ed as your usually spot on(unless you disagree with me😉) hail hail

21 Jul 2015 09:48:51
Not sure we've improved either. Not the signings I was hoping for anyway. Like Ed i'll judge it at the window close but again can only hope that if we qualify for CL we'll see some much needed pedigree.

I totally understand playing 4231 though.

21 Jul 2015 09:54:51
Jim 1972

The secretary gets paid by the word count and the number iof coffees she brews every hour so the posts can sometimes be a little laboured! I will have a word or send her a very long email highlighting your concerns. If we got a new left back and striker and commanding centre half plus a decent wide threat I would have no need to post lol

21 Jul 2015 12:44:09
Sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather ED, I hope you get your diabetes under control, and that you are back on form soon.

{Ed007's Note - Thanks, Gerry. (yes)

21 Jul 2015 13:24:32
Ed. My dad is type 2. He says it can be controlled but that lifestyle does need to change. Diet and exercise and a good dose of good luck. He tests daily and he does not have it under control but he feels that some of that is down to poor decision making on his part. He also has peripheral vascular disease linked to diabetes so he has it hard.

There is lots of on going research and I hope and pray for a breakthrough. In this specific regard you will be in my thoughts.

There are various routes to explore ( as you'll know) to find that lifestyle balance that mitigates most of the associated risks and difficulties. You strike me as both knowledgeable and resourceful. Hopefully by the turn of the year you will have your bespoke "solution" that suits you. It'll take time but you'll get there Ed

{Ed007's Note - It's certainly going to take time, I've not to go and get my bloods checked until September, something to do with have being on the meds for 3 months. I asked the nurse if I should get one of those electric devices for checking my blood myself but she said not to bother with anything like that yet until everything's been checked etc, so far I've had my kidneys checked, my eyes checked and I'm waiting on a chiropractor's appointment & one with a dietician.
There is piles of information to wade through and it can be quite daunting.}

21 Jul 2015 14:03:20
Paradise

Some great points that I agree with.

Defensively we will be weaker when VVD goes and as always I think we should have brought in another centre half in the knowledge that he will be going sooner rather than later. I would rather have gone with 2 brand new centre halves in pre-season than 5 or 6 games into a season.

I mentioned Shinie months ago as he always stood out against us, agreed we missed a trick with him.

Again we are becoming a joke with buying a decent striker. Never going to happen as much as we all hope.

One plus is a goalie who by all accounts could step in when required unlike Zaluska.

21 Jul 2015 13:51:50
ED007 I was diagnosed with diabetes some years ago now and as you say it tends to run among the male members of families more, what you have to be careful with diabetes is that it weakens your defences and you are more prone to other illness (my other health problems I believe stemmed from my underlying diabetes) it is a disease that creeps up on you and when it hits it debillitates you, making you more tired, listless, poor sleep patterns etc. , but it sounds like you are at the early stages of it, so learn from my mistakes, follow doctor or hospital advice, eat sensibly, take all medication timeously ( I kept forgetting to take mine) good hydration is also important, even if it does make you pee all the time lol, please keep on top of it and get well soon.

{Ed007's Note - Thanks, Tim, it's looking like they're now blaming diabetes for my leg taking so long to heal up, I didn't know it could affect you for years before it's diagnosed.}

21 Jul 2015 14:21:38
I actually wondered Ed over the weekend because you had been quieter than norm if that was up with you!

Last month you indicated it would be the diet you struggled with? Have you started to alter the diet significantly because that could be a factor in you feeling the way you are not that a doubt that you are aware of that either mate

Like Paradise I have a history of it to in the males in my family but round about the 55 mark it hits!

Anyway mate, I hope you feel better soon and with having boxed in a previously lifetime mate am confident that having that discipline one managed you will control it Ed. All the best JB7 (Y)

{Ed007's Note - Jeez O! You as well? We should start a wee diabetic club where we can all girn and moan about rubbing our bawbags with sandpaper to help with the itch :)

21 Jul 2015 16:14:23
I agree with most of your post and am also concerned about the rigid formation 'philosophy' and the glaring deficiencies and although there was progress made in form and consistency in the second half of the season, there are still passengers at the club who flatter to deceive or just flatter.
RD and his management team are also lacking in European experience and I still worry about even qualifying - never mind what would happen to us in an actual group, with the current squad. I do not profess to have all the answers, but it's obvious we have problems in defence (especially LB) and we must be more flexible in formation and utilise two strikers when the opposition dictates and we need to cut our losses with guys who just don't cut it.

21 Jul 2015 17:50:06
Ha ha ED007 and guys maybe we should all tune in to "Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman" lol

{Ed007's Note - There's nothing wrong with a bit of Jane Seymour :=o

21 Jul 2015 20:04:14
or fone yur local witch doaktur it_
wee pats unyusual cures fur diabeties, ruff baws n wee timalloys tae"
n fur you edski a looked thru yur letturboaks last night it 2 a m n ye looked like warmed up boak?
bit moneypenny wiz a site fur opticul ekspress>>>>>>>>
talkin a witch how no fone ,
wee pats glessis shoap in saracen st