Celtic Banter Archive December 30 2017

30 Dec 2017 21:55:25
'recruitment required' 'not good enough' 'players are poor' 'manager got it wrong' etc etc. We have lost one (1!) Game in 70 and it seems we are in a bit of a crisis.
I think the players are just tired/ jaded given the number of games played, PLUS the mental fatigue of keeping an unbeaten run going. Yes Boyata and Gordon don't suit the play from the back method, yes Ntcham should probably have started, yes Dembele looked off the pace (was Griffith's any better?! ) And yes perhaps teams are finding out that we don't like being pressed high up the pitch.
BUT the manger has got things right for the last 70 games, transfer window coming up which he has already said will be used to freshen things up, and the team is away for some R&R and hopefully some good weather training.
Will come back firing on all cylinders hopefully, finish off the treble and maybe give Zenit a bit of a fright.
It was a disappointing performance and result, but it's not a crisis and we certainly ain't in trouble.
Enjoy the good times!

30 Dec 2017 22:11:09
Well said Neilbhoy.

30 Dec 2017 22:59:54
aye well said the hindsight experts and armchair fitba managers on here are murder. years since we've had it so good. ho ho ho seasons greetings.

30 Dec 2017 23:25:14
At last a bit of sense, with the emergence of Ralston we could have three of a back four in him KY and Ajer that could still be playing for us in TEN years. Every Sevco fan would swap places with us we need the break more than ever we have nearly hit every target that was set at the start of the season

1) Retain League cup

2) CL qualification and European football after Christmas

3) A ten points lead at the top.

Report card read's so far so good.

31 Dec 2017 00:38:52
All targets just about met and a manager in charge of Sevco who knows his clubs place in Scotland by saying an atmosphere 2nd to none and basically saying it was an honour to play in such an arena. PMSL bet that went down well wi the Sevie support😂😂😂.

31 Dec 2017 13:47:23
Ralston for me is not going to be our first pick RB. He’s nowhere near the level of KT and he still has lots to learn and achieve.

Lustig and Gambo need let go with a good first team level RB brought in.

31 Dec 2017 16:08:27
He’s 18.

01 Jan 2018 10:20:27
You haven't won 4 games in a row in the league this season so far - even a piss poor Rangers side have managed it!

30 Dec 2017 19:39:20
My take on today was we made too many mistakes and lacked a bit of quality in the last third.

However, I think a draw was a fair result as both teams had decent chances that they did not take. We had the majority of chances and more shots on goal but did not capitalise.

I thought Rangers worked hard at closing us down and was surprised they managed to keep it going over 90 minutes.

I'm sure Rangers will be the happier team tonight because most Celtic and Rangers fans thought we would pump them today.

30 Dec 2017 20:58:43
My take was BR is so far up his osn arse . why does he insist in Sinclair and Forrest . in the name of all gods didn't Nhkam start . he got it so wrong.

30 Dec 2017 21:03:23
I think we are really missing Roberts and Rogic at the moment, they are players who can unpick a defence with one run or pass. Without at least one of them we are too easily closed down.
Having said that, we should have had the game wrapped up by half time, we missed 2 or 3 glorious chances in the first half. It was just one of those days.
Hopefully this break will help the players get rested and refocus on doing the things that have set them apart from everyone else. This last few weeks has been a punishing schedule for the team.
Regarding the winter break, I don't mind one way or the other, but I think it's pointless if they are going to shove the fixtures that would have taken place in January into December, what is the sense in that?, you may as well keep the games in January and have longer between matches. The break should be there to help the players, not cause them to be even more exhausted.

30 Dec 2017 21:58:13
BR got the team wrong today, but we need to trust that the long term plan is working.

In isolation, we learned today that Dembelé isn’t up for the battle in Scottish football and would be better suited to the league, Sinclair isn’t perfect. The defence need to spend some time on the training ground to work on communicating too.

With the biggest transfer warchest ever available to the club, a trophy in the bag, European football in the New Year and a healthy lead in the league; things are definitely no bad in the grand scheme of things.

There’s problems there but they can be solved.

30 Dec 2017 23:55:13
If the board needed any arm twisting regarding what needs to be done, then today ticked all the boxes.

Lustig was woeful and needs replaced.

Gordon's distribution is woeful

Ajer and Ntcham with Brown were the only players who stood up and tried.

Forrest was back to Forrest. McGreggor continued his abysmal form and unbelievably stayed on.

Sinclair and Dembelle were rank.

Rogers team selection was wrong.

We need to invest. Once again we stand at a crossroads. We can push on ir slide back. I have no faith in any board for the last 30 years. Every time they gave shat it,

Rogers has achieved what he has achieved with Ronnie's team. Let's see his team. That takes money.

We made that like of shite look good,

Rogers plucked up sorting that shambles of a defence in the summer. He better fix it because it has caused us to stall and it's his fault.

We will improve second half of the reason he says.

We phucking better.

Report card says should have done a lot better. Totally piss poor today. Look as if we couldn't score if we played for s month.

Over to you board. Prove you aren't shitebags.

I won't hold my breath. After Seville Quinn promised to push on. They did feck all. They did feck all when Tommy needed just a centre half, they always shite it when we are nearly there.

Every penny to strengthen the team Peter?

Prove it. We are sick of your talk mate,

30 Dec 2017 18:14:02
That was a wake up call for us today again, far too many players either off form, or indeed just not up for it today, sad to say looks like the end if the road for Lustig, and indeed DEMBELE, also Armstrong better make his mind up, does he want to stay or go? On a more positive front young Ajer done very well, and irrespective of his somewhat iffy distribution at times, Gordon had two fantastic saves.

30 Dec 2017 19:53:06
can not beleve what tripe i have seen written today from both sides. rangers fans think they have won the world cup with the best team in the land. they drew with a tired celtic team who have been great for the last eighteen months and need a rest. for all but a few missed chances we would walked it they deserve the break it has been hard for a few games but we are stll well in front. rangers will never live with us after the break give the players a chance even the ones that were not at there best today. remember rangers are well behind us and well short of class hh.

30 Dec 2017 19:53:28
Agree with you assessment Gordon's kicking is not the best to be sure but I also was noticing players didn't seem to want to get to the ball when it was kicked out from Gordon and Dembele for a target man type he does not receive the ball well imo.

30 Dec 2017 17:10:16
It's clear McGregor playing so much is starting to creep into his performances as you can see he is starting to fade out of games, really missing the competitive edge Rogic and even Roberts at times gave him.

30 Dec 2017 14:45:17
Lustig awful McGregor awful Sinclair awful dembelle really awful Tierney awful. skip it be here all day. ajer excellent my motm. broony ok Gordon good saves but still heart In mouth with ball at feet. Forrest ok ntcham excellent and should have started along with griff. don't often say this but Brendan picked wrong team but after all that murtys mob still couldn't win.

30 Dec 2017 15:05:31
Agree with most of this. Wrong team, Ntcham def should have started. Dembele worst man on pitch. Ajer? Let two or three balls go which a true centre half would have cleared and is not quick enough to be a top player. Need to strengthen in window.

30 Dec 2017 15:23:22
How is speed a component of a top player especially a defender?

30 Dec 2017 15:27:10
I’ve Said it before and I’ll say it again KT is very overrated. Malky you will get pelters for saying any of the boys didn’t play well. The team has been poor this season, yet we still lead the SPL, hope the break revives us and we push on.

30 Dec 2017 15:58:30
In the context of 92mins got to disagree ajer at 19 playing against sevco for first time was imo excellent defensively and especially in possession he gave a slack pass in first half that was it most if our problems were coming down the sides as we were very poor. as far as pace goes that can be improved but he reads the game well so it makes up for it.

30 Dec 2017 16:02:04
Kt was shocking today but he's still one of our best. He wasn't the only one, a lot of poor players today.

30 Dec 2017 16:22:32
Agree with some of the comments above. Again dafa, don't know what your issue is with KT bit envious the lads living the dream?

KT wasn't actually bad, id say his only weakness was caught out of position twice to create there chances down that flank. But other than he actually didn't do much wrong. Ajer was solid at 19 I think BR has made the right move turning him into a CB. He'll come on. Brown was class again the man backs out of no tackles and always gives it his all. Minus the one or two slack passes in the whole game he was decent. Dembelle maybe lacking a bit of match sharpness but wasnt that bad either think he lacked decent supply but held the ball up when he could and tried to create chances. Forrest didn't do much wrong for me, Declan John had him matched for pace but again Forrest created opportunities and at the moment he's the one player I believe when he's on the ball can do something. And before starting negatives Craig Gordon as much as he's a clown at times saved us starting the new year with a footballing hangover. He pull some top class saves today.

Now on negatives been saying this since start of this season lustig, loyal servant to the club, clever player, role model but now he looks done. Physically he holds himself like a pensioner, looking at the bulk brown has, KT has developed, Forrest has developed I'd like to say does lustig miss a leg day. He needs to bulk up to get that power to run up and down that wing otherwise he's finished. Boyata always looks a bombscare. Day dreaming, and always delivers dangerous passes around the back line. Sincy has been Barry White all season. For the 10 mins of decent play he's had something ain't right. I'd drop him for a good few games (even upto the EL game) let him sort his head out and he come back if he's ready, but otherwise he's a lost cause at the moment. Worse than a man down.

My verdict on that game was we were dominant in possession created more chances. But they came away with the better chances. They didn't look better than us at all, just looked more hungrier.

I'm more concerned of attitudes of players than I am off standard of players. This chopping and changing the CF I hope stops come January pick one and let him be consistent. I think a right back, still another top standard centre half, and a left winger are needed at the moment. The GK we need would be great but I'll wait till summer for that if need be. Have a good new year Bhoys and Hail hail!

30 Dec 2017 16:59:08
I didn't think dembelle held the ball in the whole time he was on list possession constantly and it was criminal his reaction when Sinclair burst I to the box and cut it back he was a mile late with the run a thought he was dreadfull bit it's just my op.

30 Dec 2017 17:19:02
Agree about the delayed run Mally he should of been in between the two centre backs ready to push on when sincy put a goal on a plate for him. This im putting down to lack of match fitness. He hasn't had enough game time same with Griffith's. Swapping around to much. I genuinely though considering the poor long balls that were thrown up to him he done well trying to hold up and move. A bit to far down the park for a centre forward. Again lack of game time. Don't get me wrong he's a centre forward and his jobs to get goals which he never done but I think the supply was poor genuinely. Again only my opinion.

30 Dec 2017 17:19:59
KT has set such a high standard that when he does not meet it, some criticise unfairly. He still has (imo) the goal of the season from the early games. That said, (its ok Ed, I won't ramble on about it being their only job) some of the players do look tired and a bit jaded so hopefully the break will refresh them a bit.

30 Dec 2017 17:19:25
Don't know what is with this constant criticism of KT is about, so he had a bad game, as Cassius Clay said, a wise man can act the fool, but a fool can't act the wise man. KT is a great talent, he might have one or two bad games in a season, Dafabet makes it sound like he only has one or two good games in a season.

30 Dec 2017 17:50:55
. we will not sign a player of Note in January. Perhaps a loan player and another couple of projects.

30 Dec 2017 18:33:10
Mibi KT was trying to do sinkys job aswell?!? We had an off day today but they still couldn’t score we have been needing this break for a while we will come back refreshed and ready to kick on this was our 38th game today then throw in international games and travelling for European games it takes its toll also the style of play we try and implement with fast passing and pressing is hard going. Dembele was horrid today but understand why BR played him he’s better at taking the ball in than LG and was a certainty there defenders were going to be trying to clatter him there was no space for LG to run in behind which he’s better at. Relax we will win league at a canter.

30 Dec 2017 14:19:17
There are lots of negative things that could be said about today's game.
However it should be said that teams are finding ways to combat our strengths and certain players are off form or injured.
We should have sold Armstrong and Dembele in the summer and bought Macginn and another striker with more defenders.
BR needs too make big decisions during the break, How to improve and get to the next level without spending big money.

30 Dec 2017 14:56:34
Tit of a display!

30 Dec 2017 13:37:59
The Old Forrest is back, our passing, and marking has been terrible today . It seems like they fancy it more today and we just want to get to Dubai.

30 Dec 2017 13:58:29
Tbh should have had game to bed in 1st half, think we need the break tho as have played many many many more games than them! On the plus side thought broony and Ajer played well and Gordon too .

30 Dec 2017 14:09:41
First half was a lot better than the 2nd. Ntcham showed why he should have been on from the start. Armstrong, McGregor didn't do enough, Gordon had some good saves but distribution again let him down. Break should do the whole squad good and push on after.

30 Dec 2017 11:02:32
What channel is the game on today lads?

30 Dec 2017 11:14:33
Sly sports 1 mate.

30 Dec 2017 11:19:18
Cheers Marty your my favourite!

30 Dec 2017 10:47:54
I don't know if any of yous would remember a bit of a fuss about a club just south of the border . Rumours at the time was there was investment there for the team to make its way up through the leagues with the sole aim to relocate Celtic into the PL .
Can anyone shed any light as to who were the team, the backers and where are they now.

30 Dec 2017 11:13:15
celtic nation 2004 / 2015 disolved.

30 Dec 2017 10:20:33
Re: the Madden debate that's floating about I agree with Timalloy (for once) that we should batter them with goals and leave nothing as a 50/ 50 as we will get nothing from him in those circumstances. He has previous for giving dubious decisions against us. don't let one of them be a result changer!

30 Dec 2017 04:50:18
Here we go again happy hunskelping day bhoys 🍀.

30 Dec 2017 07:55:28
Hope it’s a safe and happy trip for you Welsbhoy.

30 Dec 2017 08:03:04
Hope your travel arrangements are more successful than last week Welsbhoy, remember the BBB at sometime.

30 Dec 2017 08:45:11
Train for me today bhoys 😀
Malika today is perfect for bbb 😏🍀.

30 Dec 2017 09:30:53
Celtic to win with plenty to spare, I’m going 5-1.

30 Dec 2017 10:19:38
Really fancy 4-0 today lads! Hope Wee griff is in the starting line up! Wee man will be champing at the bit today! Everyone going today stay safe and enjoy the game! COYBIG 👊🏻👊🏻☘️☘️☘️☘️.