22 Jan 2025 12:46:52
On this date 5 years ago Celtic won 3-1 away to Kilmarnock.
This was a game changer for Celtic in the first league match after the winter break due to us changing our formation.
Celtic run riot with this formation in our next 10 league games.
Celtic previously struggled to create decent chances on the plastic pitch and we changed to a 3-5-2 formation.
Celtic were brilliant and we caught Killie out and we should've won by more goals.
Celtic kept the same formation for the 10 league games before lockdown.
We got 28 points from 30 available and we also scored 34 goals in those 10 games.
Edouard scored 9 and Griffiths score 7 of those 34 league goals.
It helped Celtic go 13 points clear before lockdown.
Celtic played Ajar and Jullien at the back with either Bitton or Simuonovic in a back 3.
Lennon went back and forward with this formation the following season but nothing worked in the behind closed doors campaign.
22 Jan 2025 17:01:00
Nothing worked in the Covid season because of a number of reasons . No supporters affected Celtic the most as Celtic had most season tickets sold . After Celtic won 8 in a row, Kieran Tierney who was recognised by all other players as a true Celt, left club . At the end of 9 in a row more than half our team wanted out . Our Board, correctly recognised fans would go mad if team was broken up in such an important season, our 10:in a row . The players were upset and with no fans at matches to lift them, they went into a bigger huff . I still thought that after winter break, the players might lift their game and we would be back in league race . However Seating arrangements were changed, so that Celtic seating on return journey were against new regulations. Celtic were punished and got no lift from their warm weather break .
Rangers football club and Scottish authorities were determined we were not going to get 10 in a row .
Similarly Rangers2012 had suffered so many defeats to Celtic before this 2nd Jan, that manager and players were prepared to put everything into winning on 2nd Jan . Whatever they used or tried, they were prepared to sacrifice dropping points in 2 games before and after in order to get their had to get win .
This means, I don’t think Celtic will be outplayed tonight as they were on Jan 2nd.