Celtic Banter Archive December 30 2020

30 Dec 2020 21:45:22
Great result good performance. but would that team take care of sevco.
Not sure. laxalt looks weak and our keeper still looks weak. if we defend set pieces ok we might have a chance. bot sure he'll play the griff after today.

30 Dec 2020 22:02:12
I’m more nervous about the starting lineup being announced just after 11 am, than the game itself.
Quite a few times over the last couple of years I’ve been looking forward to the game until the teams get announced.
The amount of times we’ve played them with no strikers etc.
And then that last game, the starting lineup was a joke.
It’s possibly too cavalier playing both Frimpong and Laxalt at Ibrox.
I was happy about the 3rd goal today because I don’t think Griff and Eddy will be separated now for Saturday.

30 Dec 2020 22:53:19
That's a really good point Buzz in relation to the 3rd goal today. LG and Eddy have a good understanding and I think it was JFP who said it earlier in a post, the best defence is offence and we need to give their defenders something to think about.
Frimpong, for me, should start on the bench, too inexperienced and doesn't track back enough, play him and I fear the worst.
Taylor or Diego will depend on how NL sets up, but for me, the key is our midfield selection and the two strikers.

30 Dec 2020 23:09:33
I think if Julien makes it Ajer will be RB otherwise he will partner Bitton or Duffy at CB.

30 Dec 2020 23:28:02
That back line still gives me the fear lads! No solidity at all! Far to easy to get at no mater who plays centre half! Thought jullien was rotten before he went off, and it was his initial ball watchn that let the boy get the run on him! I would bring back Taylor on the left to make us more solid. laxalt is a good wee player but feel he gets pulled all over the place! I’m more confident than I was a few weeks ago, and hope we give it a real go after the pathetic effort we served up in the first game against them! If we lose then any faint hope of the title are over! Win and we’ll see if they handle the pressure!

31 Dec 2020 00:06:52
There’s a picture of Jullian leaving Celtic Park on crutches after the game.
Who would you all pick if it was a choice between Frimpong or Duffy.
Frimpong at RB with Ajer beside Bitton.
OR
Ajer at RB and Duffy beside Bitton.

31 Dec 2020 02:44:16
Apart from the decision I’ve mentioned above with Frimpong and Duffy,
Lenny should only have one other decision to make and it’s Taylor or Laxalt.
I don’t want the atmosphere to go flat an hour before kickoff because he’s disrupted the midfield and/ or forward line.
The front 6 players, Ajer and Barkas pick themselves.

30 Dec 2020 20:22:02
cracking result, keep the same team for the sevvies, shoot the clowns off the park.

30 Dec 2020 21:02:51
Great result Wexford Bhoy. Father Murphy would be delighted.

30 Dec 2020 21:47:38
indeed JFP reign them in, show them who are the true champions.

30 Dec 2020 23:32:43
Not a chance we should be keeping the same team. Laxalt should be dropped for taylor.

31 Dec 2020 09:16:12
100% Kev, he is too weak, and to keep in sinc with the Bhoys, Taylor will set the “”The Heather Blazing”.

30 Dec 2020 18:32:51
Any news on Julie Ann? Looked a sore one. To be honest wouldn't be overly concerned if he didn't make the Bronx as I've never been that impressed. Haven't seen him do much that Biton can't do. More of an aerial threat but Bition is better for me with the ball at his feet and coming out of defence and for all his aerial threat can't say I think he command his box.

From what I saw today Neil has to revert to Taylor and Ajer at full back. I know I'm in a minority of one but I'd have given Duffy a run out today to give us the option of playing him beside Biton at centre half. I love Broon but Soro must start as must Turnbull which I don't think is up for debate. McGegoor and Elouyassi for me and obviously French Ted and Teacake up front. Barkas in goal.

There was a bit of team spirit today and no evidence of not wanting to play for the manager. We need to be in their face and take the game to them from kick off. The last three games we didn't turn up. The last two games at Parkhead were nothing short of embarrassing. I can accept losing but heartless is unjustifiable. If they win fair do's I'll be sick but make the red hand sanitisers work for it.

{Ed007's Note - Lennon has said about Jullien:

"We don’t know yet. It looks pretty painful. He was in a lot of pain coming off and there was a lot of swelling. Hopefully, that will settle over the next couple of days but it’s too early to say."

30 Dec 2020 18:52:20
Cheers Ed. 👍.

{Ed007's Note - 👍

30 Dec 2020 19:20:33
I actually thought Jullian looked shaky in the first half.
There might be still hope for Saturday if his knee is only bruised.
Jullian going off was the only negative about today.
The biggest positive about today is we look certain to go with our winning formation on Saturday.
Lenny has to play Soro and Turnbull after today’s performance.
It also looks like we will play an extremely attacking starting lineup on Saturday with Frimpong and Laxalt as fullbacks and also with Griffiths and Edouard up front.
I expect Celtic to concede at Ibrox but I’m convinced we will still score more than them.

30 Dec 2020 19:27:01
I would be very surprised to see him on Saturday, as his recovery time from previous injuries have been more than three days and to be fair it was a fair-dunt he got - saving a certain goal.
Which brings me to Barkas; I was delighted we managed another clean sheet as they wee clean through three or four times, but Jullien's efforts and poor finishing by United was more evident than any point-blank, or superlative saves .
I still feel in a one-v-one situation Barkas doesn't convince me, he is a solid last line of defense, fortunately the defense have cut out a lot of the stupid mistake; but failure to stop crosses and conceding free kicks is still a problem - because we are still vulnerable IMO and Laxalt is a major culprit.
On a very positive note we have a few players returning to something like their top form, we are creating plenty of chances and should have had six or seven goals today and the manager has a confident squad to decide on his best eleven for the crunch.

30 Dec 2020 19:40:53
BB the best form of defence as they say for Celtic on Saturday is attack. We need to play to our strengths and that’s not our defence. That means two up front is not up for debate. I think that’s an accepted fact. The midfield picks itself but the two full back positions are a bone of contention and are worthy of debate. Personally I think Pingpong and Laxalt are too lightweight for the Bronx plus playing them effectively as wing backs against a team who has width would leave us mega exposed. It’s Ajer and Taylor for me. But I take your point and that’s why I’m not Celtics manager. What we all agree on is the game needs taken to them and that we’re grateful we’re not one of them.

30 Dec 2020 20:10:25
Unfortunately biton isn’t the answer at centre back either . When he came on today he got pulled over to the side where ajer was defending a few times leaving a Utd player with a decent opportunity on one occasion . If he makes the same mistake on Saturday and gives probably kent that chance we could be in trouble. Personally I hope julien can make it although I’d presume after the noise we heard when he smashed his leg there’s going to be substantial bruising at best for a few days.

30 Dec 2020 20:27:30
JFP
You convinced me last week that our current winning formation is the way to go at Ibrox on Saturday.
It will be an attacking lineup but your right, the best form of defence is attack. 👍
There’s a freshness about this Celtic team.
I mentioned on Boxing Day that a depleted Hamilton side had played more combined league games than the Celtic starting lineup.
If we can just win on Saturday, I believe we will have the stamina to see the season out.
I can’t wait now, bring it on.

30 Dec 2020 20:38:27
we all obviously want julien to be fit but its a bigger blow that in my opinion if he's not fit what it does is probably make lennons mind up of keeping ajar in the middle with an other and play frimpong at RB i can't see him starting bitton and duffy in the middle.

30 Dec 2020 21:05:43
BB Keep the Faith 👍.

30 Dec 2020 21:09:20
Liam Ajer needs to play at right back eh?

30 Dec 2020 21:14:00
I say we go Taylor and Ajer as full backs as gives us a bit more solidity at the back, with this midfield 4 I don't think we need to rely on wide players as much as you have Calmac Christie and Turnbull supporting the front 2 and Soro anchoring. We will have an energy in the middle of the pitch that they haven't faced before, NL must not change the midfield 4 for this match in no way shape or form.
If Jullien doesn't make it then we have to go with Duffy and Bitton and hope they pull if out the bag.

30 Dec 2020 21:30:54
I think if we play Frimpong and Laxalt, we are going to get picked off. The reason Julien got injured was because our LB was out of position, and which is why Duffylooks vulnerable . Keep saying it but if we play with a secure back four, every other player we have will have the confidence to totally dominate them. ALL of our recent failures come from full backs being caught out of position, even the so called smaller teams had us sussed. Settling the defence solves most of our current issues.

30 Dec 2020 21:55:21
Agreed Chas.

30 Dec 2020 22:08:51
Frimpong wasn’t in the T. V shot when Clark missed his chance.
I was asking my son “where’s Frimpong”
When they showed us the replay from a different angle,
Frimpong was about 40 yards from his goals.
It was Soro that done well to put the Utd striker off.

30 Dec 2020 22:58:50
I think for every fan jfp he's got to be at RB but Lennon probably won't see it.

30 Dec 2020 23:01:31
I didn't see the game today Buzz but we have to be solid at in the full back area's to stand any chance of winning this match, if we can stop them out wide I believe our midfield 4 can win the battle and provide the service for the front 2. It is imperative we stop them getting the ball wide though.

30 Dec 2020 17:22:35
great win for the bhoys, that middle man sorro is a peach, connects with everything, turnball is class, get these bhoys in saturday.

30 Dec 2020 17:57:03
I would be playing Taylor instead of Laxalt in the next game.

30 Dec 2020 18:50:56
Aindoh, I think it depends how NL wants to set up. Taylor is competent as a LB but going forward/ forward passes/ beating a man - not his game.
I'm happy with whoever is in that defence as long as we don't concede a goal (lol) .

30 Dec 2020 19:25:47
It will be very attacking minded to go with both Frimpong and Laxalt.
Which I don’t have a problem with because it’s a game we probably need to win.
My preferred lineup if Jullian makes the lineup on Saturday,
Would be Bitton beside Jullian and Ajer at right back and then bring Frimpong or Johnston on with 25 minutes to go when the game gets stretched.

30 Dec 2020 20:19:05
If Lennon plays Brown instead of Soro against Sevco then we deserve everything we get and if we lose I really hope he does the right thing and walks.

30 Dec 2020 20:26:01
Correct Tony, think Saturday line up will show if Lennon has learned anything from his previous pumpings by Sevco

I’d love to see no changes unless enforced for a good run of games, fed up with 3-4 changes after each game.

30 Dec 2020 23:51:16
Anyone that thinks laxalt is better going forward than taylor needs their head read.

30 Dec 2020 16:59:44
A good performance is what was needed today before the big one at the weekend. Only criticism was the finishing as we could've had another 4. 3 good goals from open play and what a ball from Griff for the 3rd. Barkas looked composed with the little he had to do. Hats off to Collum for not awarding the penalty as it would've been soft but we should've had one ourselves and I don't think he could get in the way of our attacks anymore if he tried. He had Christie in his back pocket all game.

30 Dec 2020 18:36:30
I thought it was only me that thought he got in the way alot, seemed to run across players.

31 Dec 2020 03:31:37
Christie likes to cut in on his left and shoot, don't think he got the opportunity once because Collum was in the way every time.

30 Dec 2020 15:54:21
Probably one of our most enjoyable halves of the season. Much like our usual selves, good tempo, quick passing and movement, 2 good goals and should be a couple of goals better off.

30 Dec 2020 16:08:36
Does not look good for Julian. Really bad collision with the post.

Doesn’t look like he will play on Saturday?

30 Dec 2020 16:35:29
Looks like it was the wheel on the post that's done his knee in hopefully just some bruising and he's okay for weekend.

30 Dec 2020 15:26:09
What a goal from Soro, pick it out.

30 Dec 2020 09:37:51
If Broony plays any part tonight then he starts on saturday. personally i would have him on the bench in case we need to close up shop. hh and good luck for the next 2 games.

30 Dec 2020 12:54:04
Robroy the games at 3pm mate . I thought it would be evening too but my son pointed out that all kick offs in SPL are 3pm.

30 Dec 2020 13:32:08
thanks stuart.

29 Dec 2020 23:32:41
I think NL will play Brown and to accommodate him Griff might be benched. I would stick with 2 up front but think it will be;

Hazard
Ajer, Julien, Duffy, Taylor
Christie, Brown, Soro, McGregor
Turnbull
Eddy.