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24 Sep 2014 22:06:15
Memories of John Divers flooding back during tonight's applause. Early 60s when we seemed to perpetually win one, lose one and draw one. But Johnny cheered me up with his never say die effort and some great goals. Diving headers were his forte. Thanks for the memories Johnny.
Home to Patrick thistle
24 Sep 2014 21:21:15
Not at game tonight (still under doctor's orders) but watching on tv the only good thing was the result.
How many misplaced passes were there and if a poor Hearts team had been on the ball we would have been embarrassed again.
Ambrose is simply shocking, I know we have injuries at the back (Lustig, Mathews etc) but surely one of the young boys could do a better job than Ambrose.
We must improve quickly.
PS
My prediction for next round draw before it takes place
Sevco will get home draw against lowest team left
Celtic will be away at Abrdeen or Dundee United.
Cynical me? You bet.
Agree with the draw either that or we get them at £1brox
I only seen the end of the game on the telly!
Good result and a clean sheet :-)
Big Charlie - a career in telly beckons I reckon
Anyone got a link to highlights? I missed it too. Would like to see if it came together.
Watched the first half and the last 15 minutes, Celtic were a big improvement on most other games I've seen this season, Hearts have a lot of potential in attack, but their defence was woeful in the first half, but that could just them having a bad night, I thought Guidetti looks very promising, I didn't think Ambrose was that bad, Stokes and Izzi combined well a few times, Brown played well, Gordon did well coming off his line in the first half and had a good game, Johannson was ok, but the Celtic mid field is lacking something, don't know why but I started thinking about Wim Van Hanegen when typing that, bout 40years too late.
Celtic v partik
rangers v st johnstone
aberdeen v hamilton
hibs v dundee utd
Delighted to be in the next round as it could have been a tough night.
We did better up to a point and a penalty and og out of the three still shows we are not quite sharp enough. (How long does it take?)
Too many stray passes and wrong choices, in a game we frankly dominated all night as Gordon never had a save - although Hearts were P.
Their penalty miss was crucial though as it may have brought back the doubt and panic as in other games.
Liked the link up play with Stokes and Izzy and this was our best feature going forward - although final ball should have been more decisive.
Commons is a shadow of last season but shows nice touches and as I have said before, young McGregor needs a wee rest.
The silly mistakes from complacent defending is ridiculous and even VVD is not immune. Efe is a major culprit and should be benched as soon as Mathews or Lustig return.
The possession and early leads need to be capitalised on with more goals.
Hopefully we can build on this and with an unchanged team - maybe improve to the standards we expect?
24 Sep 2014 21:07:36
Well, thought it was a good performance tonight, scoreline should have been a lot more. Once the final pass and finishing gets better then I can see someone getting an absolute hammering.
Efe - did ok today, Izzy was fantastic, Stokes surprised me big time tonight and the rest did well.
Same team at the weekend please and things can only get better.
Reasonable performance tonight. Leave ourselves very exposed at the back at times but that is the way RD wants us to play. VVD is trying to play too much from the back in my opinion.
Ronnie bit the bullet in his post match interview admitting the detrimental effect of his shuffling. I think now he will start playing a more consistent first 11. I agree izzy and stokes linked well but i'd still like to see a bit/alot more. Go for the kill and be ruthless all over the park and not just when we smell blood and our inferior opposition are on the back foot. CLOSE DOWN AND CONCENTRATE from the start. We have enough to walk this leauge/cups and a first 11 is the first step
24 Sep 2014 21:07:11
I've never seen stokes run around as much as that in all my life. Great shift.
When it comes to pressing, I think if it's done too aggressively, when the play turns over some loose touches and poor passes are expected. Also if everyone is charging around pressing it can be easy to wrong foot the presser and more openings will occur. Johanson gets caught out quite regularly when he is pressing too aggressively! Might have used the word pressing too much.
24 Sep 2014 21:21:43
@pedro. You are correct that all of the team try to press every time and it's clear sometimes that they can't get close enough to close down and then they are caught in no mans land. Happened a couple of times to McGregor. Can see what they are being asked to do. Not a great performance but a win is a win and we will take ut
Good shift for Stokes and Izzy down the left both played their best games this season. Think if we play like that the fans will be happy more urgency to their play and after the OG we cruised it which will be good for the early KO at the weekend
24 Sep 2014 20:14:34
I don't know if this has been mentioned already but just watched the interview with Ronny Deila where the fitness comment riled Lennon into having a dig aimed at Deila. Think Lennon's being a bit bitter as RD never said nothing about the teams fitness NL took it way out of context. Maybe he's a bit envious that no one is interested in having him as a manager and he's regretting leaving now? Watching the game now better stuff from Celtic anyone agree the acclaimed 'Celtic fan' Collum is trying his best to screw us? Can see Denayer getting a red here!
24 Sep 2014 21:25:43
Ill take the win, not the performance. Hearts had to crumble for us to advance. Few better finnishes and ronnie would of had another step along the green mile. For consistency sake we had our trademark deflected shot goal of sorts so all is apparently well. Poor first half with some silly mistakes. It was only after hearts erses collapsed after 3-0 that we started to play and move. Remember they are still a league below and minus thier name and previous top flight standings they shouldn't have had the game they did till the goals.
We lost possession from the kick off, efe canny jump and win a header at the back post, stokes should avoid a back pass, steph missing but for the one great pass and the two new boys were nae where after coming on late.
same old complaints we could and should of wrapped it up earlier.
At least the wee weasel gave a pen each end. As I said ill take the win.
Threw in a couple of yellows he couldn't avoid giving to make it look like a fair refereeing display. Never seem to get the home advantage of refereeing i'm expecting an away draw to The Rangers with them getting everything possible to cause an upset! To be critical, every chance we created could have been a goal and we only got them through a penalty and an OG which is concerning we need to be burying these chances as we only make it hard for ourselves. Far too many mistakes at the back caused by overplaying in defence its a worry with Ambrose there as he's a nightmare! Think he put one cross in all night what's the point in him being way out of position and offering an option to pass it straight back? Deserved win but still miles off where we should be
*eager thumb premiture syndrome soz ed*
From what I've seen and amongst others we have watched and often laughed at the rangers recent exploits. They are top heavy with tallent, primo, a guy that doesn't score against a defender that can mark and a "professional" that can run and given more than a half sec for a decision snap shot doesn't score 5 YEARS AGO . Msn is thier defibrillator thier name , previous top flight standings tributaries Rolled into one manky clementine cheesecake. Not worried about them at all. i'm more worried about pedro reading this and selling kayal to coop the loses.
24 Sep 2014 19:55:19
I mentioned on here a few weeks ago that young McGregor should be 'protected' as soon as we had strength in numbers, as he had been outstanding and RD looked like he was depending on him an awful lot.
I worry that the lad will 'burn-out' playing every game, when most of the other players are being rotated?
Would hate to see him ending up like young Forrest with persistent form and injury problems.
On tonight's game; I am looking for us to do a job on Hearts and push on in spite of a small crowd and William Of Collum.
24 Sep 2014 20:42:39
Mcgregor could do with a wee break. I think he has played every game apart from Inverness? Too much for the lad. Good player but needs a breather maybe?
Well Johnny - am going to agree with you here, needs a break lost his way of late after a cracking start.
Wakaso if fit, should replace him this weekend or even Tonev. After tonight, I think Stokes and Izzy worked really well so would like to keep them together on the left.
24 Sep 2014 21:13:31
Jungle Jim and Johnny Mac I was thinking same thing and tonight's game confirmed it for me as young MacGregor looked tired and off the pace, think also he has been poor in last couple of games also.
Give him a wee rest now.
He does. Mainly because he doesn't have support on the right and he has to run and run with no help. Commons sits on the D looking for a dig, steph doesn't take part and brown is busy in the middle. Silky efeandinio rb extraordinero left to beat a man and play him in with a 5 yard pass for an assist? Isn't happening . The wee man is burst from game after game of chasing a through ball. Often a poor one at that. I highly rate lustig and mathews but fir chrusty sake can't they organise an injury rota :). Its been said on here before but why not interchange him with commons in the middle? . Fisher back in and hopefully one of the new guys pulgging the gap at rm (if that is what we bought ie wingers? )
Can't understand why Griffiths is'nt being used more, I've listened to RDs interview, its as if someone else is picking the team, he says we have to have a more settled team, but he's the one that keeps changing, rotating it, or is he?.
24 Sep 2014 18:56:19
Where's wee wakaso? He looked a breath of fresh air!
Got injured in Austria - Groin strain I believe
Cheers kev!
Happy tonight
Good performance by the boys is done really well.
24 Sep 2014 18:29:46
guys can we get a prediction thing going tonight
for the fun of it .I'm out in about 10 minutes
it would be good to hear what you think tonight's outcome will be
celtic 5 hearts 0 for me .
ED?
{Ed007's Note - I'll go with 4-1.}
4-2 Celtic
24 Sep 2014 19:05:45
i`ll go 3-2 closer than you think???
24 Sep 2014 19:09:54
While it pains me to say,2-1 hearts,or 2_2 draw,if iam wrong,ill b first to amit it.
24 Sep 2014 21:01:38
Not the best match,but its results that count, well done celtic, my predictions weren't far of,lol, that's y the bookies lov me. HH
Ed, you were the closest; well done
24 Sep 2014 17:52:40
I cannot make the match tonight so my dad is going in my place but with the game on TV I will tape it
Here is a challenge to all you "experts" out there
watch tonight's game and keep an eye out for the following
players running in to space allowing for a CFC player to make a defence splitting pass
players tracking back when possession is lost
strikers dropping their shoulder and going front post and then back to shake off defenders to "find" space to knock crosses towards goal
defenders winning headers and tackles with a degree of aggression
defenders tracking runners and sticking tough tight to ensure they struggle to get shots away or headers on target
players passing (and as opposed to patting their own backsides and getting high on the ripples of applause) actually moving their backsides in to space to receive the ball back again (otherwise knows as passing and moving)
The ISSUE at the moment is that we have midfielders that do not know how to attack the space in front of them and 9 of 11 players who want to give the ball to Kris Commons to do the rest (hardly a "team" affair)
Before you watch this evenings match (on TV or at Celtic Park) ask yourself what you want to see and then judge how close we are to delivering OR how far we are away
I play a bit of football (not to CFC standard) but a good standard and there are boys in our team that can knock it about with bundles of energy; good in possession etc (it is all relative)
Before you take mental notes, get rid of the Efe and Izzy bias and start from the basics, ALL ELEVEN under surveillance for their energy, pressing, passing, moving, encouraging, tackling, heading, and the rest of it.
The teams that LOOK GOOD invariably create space for others to score, we sometimes only see the player receiving the pass and slotting it away and fail to see the work that goes on off the ball to create the space in the first place; this is where I see CFC failing at the moment PLUS a reluctance to take hold of the game (as individuals) and exploit space .
Also, big VVD needs to start defending (IE tackling, heading, tracking, and moving his defence up the field) because he has been caught napping over and over and over again but seems to get away with it because of his hairstyle, cool name and his ability to hit a 60 yard pass (defence first Virgil!)
Tonight's prediction (I think we will click tonight)
Celtic 5 Hearts 0
Over and out and good luck to the Bhoys
Just reminded myself to rid myself of VVD bias…clean slate tonight big man .
24 Sep 2014 19:02:35
totally agree (Para). having played to a good standard myself and worked with younger teams, my ethos was that of `you don`t have to be the star of the team to be the best player`.
kids and adults don`t see the player guy who makes the sacrifice for the hero to show up and get the goals. McGarvie for charlie .Etc but I can't see many of our players atm doing that. HH
24 Sep 2014 14:53:27
Any idea why Henderson is not getting a chance? He a is a far better player than any other center mid we have other than brown . Does Ronny just not rate him. Also I can't believe Gordon's form is being dissected when he has been one of our best players so far this season and so many others just haven't turned up. Thanks markiebhoy
24 Sep 2014 16:51:32
Any thoughts on the delia BBC interview recently? You can stream it on their site.
For me, he seems worth giving a go. The results have been abysmal, but I don't think he's a chancer. I don't think he's 'out of his depth': he's young, and authority is hard for foreigners in the UK. Can we agree to give at least till January?
Rabbie?
Completely agree. I honestly think he will succeed. A lot of top managers have taken time to settle. I can't believe the expectations sometimes. I'll give him till dec/jan before I change my mind.
24 Sep 2014 12:54:27
Gordon's positioning isn't the best and I don't think I agree we are lucky to have him. We are Celtic we should have a keeper at the very top of their game. We shouldn't have had to settle for a free agent that hadn't played competitive football in years. The fact we got 10 mill for forster and didn't actually spend it on the team is insane. I really hope Gordon pans out but regardless of wether that happens or not, we as fans are still getting ripped off.
Spot on mate, couldn't have put it better myself.
With a good season under his belt! Fitness proven, there will be teams down south watching his progress . Think it will give us a reliable keeper for the season, may have a sell on value and give us time to identify a proper replacement for ff! let's not kid ourselves this was a 10 million pound keeper, if fit its money in the bank plus time to source a young replacement . Win win!
We probably got more like 6 for Forster but I'm being pedantic: you're right. It should have at least been spent on an experienced CB to partner Virgil.
Man utd, Liverpool have spent in excess of £300 million and are struggling to win matches, include man city spurs Everton, they are also struggling, so Spending big doesn't guarantee anything.i honestly can't believe the abuse Craig Gordon is getting for me he has not been responsible for any defeat this season.if it wasn't, for Gordon we would have lost 5/6 goals in Austria .killy.
Gordon has been ace. Anyone think otherwise, really?
He's a shot stopper, natural like Boruc. We're better off with this guy if he don't fall over. Its a gamble - but then that's what our board do, right? Not likely to have a great sell on value - but we paid nothing - so its a guaranteed profit, or else a solid team player for 4 years. Win-Win.
Rabbie
Gordon is probably the only plus so far this season! Can't see where people are getting upset with him! Everything ronny says is his way/philosophy / methods . He contradicts it in the next few days/games! Admit it's not working just now, change back to last seasons team, formation until we A :- have points on the board B:- players prove their worth and fitness then slowly change and adapt! Save the points and your face/job ronny!
24 Sep 2014 11:35:30
Anybody know if the games on the TV tonight?
BBC @ 7:15
Cheers.
24 Sep 2014 11:23:13
Hail hail bhoys and ghirls I'm going to sunny Arbroath for sept weekend anyone know good celtic pubs to watch Saturdays game cheers. Hbhoy
24 Sep 2014 11:17:42
Been reading posts saying Deila must go if we lose. He won't go, Lawell won't sack him. If sacking gaffers after losing in cup games was the done thing Lennon would have been out years ago
Lennon didn't get knocked out the UCL twice in a season. Lennon didn't have a 35% win rate after 14 games.
If we go out the League Cup tonight, I know PL won't sack RD as it lays part of the blame wi him. He'll hold out for RD to leave n blame himself.
But, realistically he should be out a job! Five wins out of 15 games would be up there wi the worst Celtic manager win percentages of all time.
It would be on par wi Lou Macari; n worse than Mowbray, Dalglish n even Barnes who were all up against our now defunct City rivals!
Crucially people on this have overlooked the fact the fact that when Delia took over the reigns, he inherited a squad that was poor last season minus a few faces such as samaras (should of been replaced immediately).
He deserves untill december, its not his fault PL is being prudent with transfer fees after duds like pukki, boerighter and balde last season
It's not about just losing cup a game;
He has failed to qualify for The CL TWICE in a month and has only won half of our league games so far.
The settling in period is well and truly over and the team are well below par in form and progress of momentum.
The players are under performing either through lack of fitness or confidence and are clearly not responding to his methods/tactics.
The chopping and changing does not help and it seems he does not know his best team or formation - and he has plenty Internationals to choose.
@DN " a team that was poor last season". Is that the same team that went on the unbeaten run and only lost 1 game? Is that the same team that got to the CL? Is that the same team that got the british shut out record.Mate I not saying that team was great far from it BUT it beat the teams it needed to to get the job done. Yes we struggled against the elite of Europe last season, that's because it was the elite. Look what we been up against this season, absolutely nothing.If we can't beat the dross we been up against what chance have we got?
@rayman aye they were poor! Scraped by a good amount of games and to keep in with your CL, an absymal campaign.
Pull yer heid oot yer ar$e and look at reality of situation
@DN, get real you are cherry picking games. Look at the overall picture. Lennon delivered, maybe not the cups but they don't bring in the money or prestige. Like it or lump it its all about the CL now.Bread and butter of the league he beat week in week out. RD cannot even do that with tried and tested players along with NEW tried and tested Internationals.
DN30 = fed up hearing about this unbeaten run, wouldn't have happened had VVD not saved the numerours errors made by Efe and also Forster for keeping them out.
The defence last year was not great, much the same this year although injuries have not helped
Sorry DN30 meant to say, I agree with you and that am fed up hearing about the unbeaten run.
@rayman i'm not cherry picking games, i'm talking about tenure in general.
Any REAL standard of competition we came up againist last season (embarrasing classing aberdeen as that) we crumbled so how can anyone possibly suggest that squad last season was anything special?
I would absolutely love to hear your words of wisdom if it was lennon who was still in charge and had same start to season as Delia.
Kev T, its cool mate knew what you meant lol
Alot of people on this need to remember, any team of any decent standard we leaked goals last season. Clean sheet record is a lot of pi$h, a distraction as to how bad squad was last season.
@DN no one said the team last year was anything special. It was just a lot better than it is just now. @Kev you made me laff mate about VVD saving Efe is that not his job, is it not FF job to save shots. Its called good defending. That's why the team went on unbeaten run.If you want to see poor defending just watch any of our games this season even tonight at times, or Manchester United this season. Good defences don't leak goals, bad 1s do.
@rayman then why are you trying to argue black is white? Point I've been making for weeks now
Simple question then DN, in your opinion which team is better? last season or this season.
At what point are we talking rayman? The run of games with an absurd drop in quality from last season (including injuries) from when RD took over or the point of the other nights game at hearts?
Simple question, evaded as usual by you. 15 games in last season to 15 games in this season, who is the better team?
Evaded? Perhaps try to clarify question so I can give you an accurate answer! At game 1 I would of said last seasons team was better. At game 15 (after making majority of signings midway) I would say this seasons is better.
Absolutely pointless question as per usual. stating the obvious
You think we are better now than last season at this point lol. now I know your just takin the pee. CL to no CL. Top of the league to midtable. Scorin plenty of goals to struggling to score from open play. Solid defendin to leakin goals.Havin our best team out wk in wk out to manager doesn't know what his best team is aswell as lookin unbalanced and disjointed.I think your in a minority of 1 there lol.
So are you saying we are not stronger attacking and defensively at cb? key players such as brown coming back from injury will make team stronger.at your point 15. What planet do you hail from?
24 Sep 2014 10:51:46
With Reference to Todays Poll Question, Not once has Craig Gordon parried the ball and caused panic or a goal. We should all be thankfull we have him, quite simply, he has been outstanding. Hail Hail
I take it you've not been to, or seen on tele, many games this season then?
Any good GK attempts to catch it, if they're not confident in catching it then they parry it wide, either out for a corner or out to the wing back position.
Too many times this season has CG parried it forward or to the edge of his 6 yard box.
Fraser Forster was a better shot stopper, had better positioning, n better in 1-2-1 positions. Gordon's better at coming for crosses, that's it.
Not buying this "lucky to have him" pish!
HB, been to every home game and the Inverness away game, as I live up this way, and I have never been worried when Gordon has parried. Gordon is a non stop talker and is a very experienced keeper in his own right. We are lucky to have him but you would probably prefer Douglas or Marshall, someone of that standard, back in our goals. Hail Hail
No, I'd prefer to have another Bonner or Boruc or Forster as Gordon is pretty much the standard that Douglas n Marshall were at Celtic.
HB, The Tims have spoken, Gordon does not parry into danger. He has been outstanding and his positioning for everything last night was spot on. Hold out though HB may want another vote on Gordon if he kicks a by-kick straight out of play. Hail Hail
24 Sep 2014 02:39:31
Alot recently have voiced opinions regarding the so called mess lennon left ar first team in, I would like to address a few of the points, 1-signings, from wot I can gather, Lie-wells puppet park is responsible for most of them. 2-how can a team on an unbeaten run, not conceding many goals fall apart a few months later, it's so dis-hearting watching a team wi no heart, fight, passion an spirit, while lennons team didn't play attractive football, he was able to motivate and show they had some backbone. Unlike this fraud ronny.Peter needs to do some begging, bring lennon.LOL
24 Sep 2014 03:11:06
What a ridiculous post btw
24 Sep 2014 03:38:03
Wot,which point is ridiculous, all it I assume, unlike u gunniebhoy iam not prepared to give ronny any more time,he's inexperienced and outa his depth, and cfc will only go backwards while he's at the helm,Bring lennon back
Surely if we are bringing back anyone it would be wee Gordon.
24 Sep 2014 08:43:27
Calling the guy a fraud and saying bring back lennon who apart from the barca result wasn't much better than ronny. That's the ridiculous part. Give the guy time it's only a month into the season fs he's no a miracle worker and aye unlike you am prepared 2 give our new manager more time than a few months which you have clearly gave him
Its true RDs team selection has at times baffled me and I was one that thought he was the one to carry this great club forward, but now I think he is one or two defeats /draws away from getting the sack But I still want him to turn it around and get us back on track and prove he is the manager he thinks he is and I hope he is
24 Sep 2014 11:14:53
I can't stand people that have grudges and refuse to call people by their proper name. Why call him lie-well???
I would never have Lennon back. Didn't enjoy his style of football, and he never seemed totake responsibility for defeats. Aye, we beat Barca and it was the greatest night of HIS life. HIS team beat Barca,. yet defeats against Ross County, Morton, Aberdeen etc in the cups, he wasnt one for taking the criticism.
I am prepared to give Deila a chance. We are only in october and a few points behind with a game in hand. Once he has the team HE wants, playing the fotball HE wants, then we can judge
Folk moaned about Lennon. Folk moaned about Strachan and folk are moaning about Ronny. Maybe folk should start getting behind the team and manager, stop moaning and realise that things can't and won't happen in a few weeks but it can't happen.
Calling RD a fraud are u serious your just an person! RD has been missing our captain. In the middle of the park since he came and when he played we got a good away draw it's not his fault we never spent money to sign some one good enough to run the midfield! Give the guy a season to get his philosophy into practice we moan about every manger we have had but RD has potential to do great things for us he just needs time you'd think we were bottom of the league or something!
24 Sep 2014 13:30:05
Bring back lennon, that is ridiculous, that's what happens when u put drink an late night posts together, stand by everything else tho.
Nice one DaBhoyBhoy - drink and posts about Celtic don't mix well
haha
24 Sep 2014 01:50:14
I'm sorry but i've been sat reading through a number of posts and I can't help but scream out to myself. Here's why - we've been embarassed in Europe - twice - by totally average teams. We couldn't beat Dundee, Inverness, Motherwell etc
Yet the blame lies (in some quarters) with the poor team Neil Lennons left us.
Ok, to a point in Europe I understand that but domestically we have about 25 players who are internationals at some level, they cost millions of pounds between them . Dundee, Motherwell, Inverness and the rest have squads so inferior to us it should be like adults playing against children yet with Ronnies team selections and tactics we look absolutely garbage. Anyone on here should be able to assemble a team to beat anyone in the SPL, does Ronny deserve more time, no he does not, diets, theories blah blah blah he's been here long enough and guess what none of it works, if I performed like him at work i'd expect to be sacked for grossly underperforming, but hey you know what those that thin PL is doing a great job propably uhink RD is too so continue with give him time and his philosphys soind good and in the meantime we'll continue to be a laughingstock
"He's been here long enough" What a lot of mince. If I was sacked after 2 months of employment when I was trying to implement a structure I'd be pretty p*ssed. I'm glad you're not in charge of my club.