The Official Glasgow Celtic Thread

[Bangel72]

I like the choice of manager, expectations though seem to be key and we are fairly fickle on that front.

 

Stephen Gerard - one trophy in 3 years is regarded as a success, he was given time and some money.

 

No Celtic fans would take that view of success. A one year rolling contract??

 

This in most cases would be a rebuild year with almost no expectations for success but its Celtic and expectations are high.

 

So what are we looking at, for me - still in Europa at Christmas, a strong challenge in league, entertaining football without the shockingly bad defense we have seen recently, beating rangers in multiple games and maybe a cup would be a massive improvement.

 

To get anywhere near that the new manager needs full support and funds, without that.

 

Failure - even Europa qualification is not straight forward, no cups, leaky defense and rangers beating Celtic regularly.

 

 

[Jockstar]

Quote

rangers beating Celtic regularly.

Lets hope so.????

[RichardColeman]

6 hours ago, Bangel72 said:

So what are we looking at, for me - still in Europa at Christmas,

Think that is a forlorn hope - should never have given the job to Lennon.

 

Now the poor manager has to make a team for Europe in one month.

 

I don't really rate the manager, though I'll give him a chance. Players I see linked - that we could actually get - don't thrill me, just seem to be bang average Championship players with no future above Championship level. Just fillers for a standstill year.

 

Celtic need fast players - I'm sick to death of all the knocking it about at the back - Taylor has more passes back than forwards ! 

 

Unless the new guy signs some quality, we'll be 2nd, out europe by Autumn , and only hope would be a cup and rangers losing on the way. Don't like it, but useless Lennon and the board destroyed what we had.

[Jockstar]

Quote

I don't really rate the manager

Reason?

[balo]

Ajer wants to leave for Germany, interest from Bayer Leverkusen.

But the club will not let him go for under 20 million, he is getting frustrated now, still 1 year left of the contract. .  

Edited June 29, 2021 by balo

[hackjam]

On 6/29/2021 at 7:55 PM, balo said:

Ajer wants to leave for Germany, interest from Bayer Leverkusen.

But the club will not let him go for under 20 million, he is getting frustrated now, still 1 year left of the contract. .  

Yes, Ajer moving on, hopefully soon. Done well for us, will go with best wishes, always played his heart out..

[hackjam]

With that totally shambolic season now done and dusted, time to look ahead.

New manager seems to make all the right noises, suspect he will soon suss out that deadbeat Kennedy along with Laptop and <deleted>can both. Also Pistol Peat gone, so again positive with new CEO already in place.

Griff been handed a new deal, splits opinion among fans. Reckon new man will take none of his nonsense, so clean slate, at the end of the day, he is a natural born goal scorer, they are few and far between. Seems like he will fit into Ange's style of play too-last link on the chain.

New Dutch guy in also, for a small fee, seems to tick many boxes, athletic, good on the ball and strong in the air, can play RB but seen mainly as a center half.. Shaw also in now, a midfielder. 

Renewed hope for Tam, although seems an un Ange type player. Apparently likes all his players to press.

Brown, Hendry, along with Kimala, Jerry and ElHam all off the payroll and a few quid banked. Also all our loan flops returned.

Big challenge will be getting the likes of Boli, Nicham etc off the payroll.

Turbulent times ahead.

Sad to see Lenny making a complete tool out of himself, blaming everyone and anyone for last season. As manager, he has to carry the can.

 

[Bangel72]

New Japanese signing looks interesting, two footed, bit of pace and an eye for goal.   Good for international marketing as well, for me the most exciting signing so far and potentially only one who will go straight into first team. I do not think he is in the Olympics squad but still some 'hoops' to jump through both SFA and quarantine ones so might not see him till August.   

 

I watched some of the friendlies, some positives there but perhaps a long term strategy as many of the players still need to develop.

 

A lot of touches on the ball but at least its seemed to be moving the ball forward more than the tippy tappy back to keeper stuff we had where we had 90% possession and still lost last year. Very open at the back though, teams will watch that and look to hit on counter.

 

Quite a bit off anywhere near match ready though, so might need a bit of luck on the qualifiers.

[wilai]

Looks Like you've picked up a Swedish CB from Rubin Kazan...Carl Starfelt for 5m.

[hackjam]

On 7/18/2021 at 9:29 AM, wilai said:

Looks Like you've picked up a Swedish CB from Rubin Kazan...Carl Starfelt for 5m.

Yes, looking like it and badly needed.

Decent performance last night but a lot of good work undone by 2 mega screwups. After playing our way into the game, take the lead with goal from the impressive Abada. Then Bitton, not for the first time, screws up and sees red just before HT.  Abada is scarified but we still create a few decent chances. They go down to 10 men also, we still create gilt edge chance, Eddy misses a one on one, CMcG cracks the bar. Then they equalize, Walsh, who had a good game, gives away a needless foul in a dangerous area, boy whips it in and Barkas pulls a comical stunt and they are level. 

Our back 5 was so weak, young Murray decent prospect, but both full backs offer so little, need big investment in these areas. Midfield were good, Soro, CMcG and Turnbull, also Christie really at it. We moved the ball with pace at times. Eddy continues form from last season, seems detached. Ajeti came on and looks awful. 

Looks like it will be a while before new Jap striker is going to play, lots of red tape. 

Still needing bodies in pronto.

[Bangel72]

That was also my take in the game, Walsh had a very good game just needs gauge the referee better, played the ball but followed through.

 

Eddy was for the most park marked out of the game but also had a couple of chances where he should have done better.

 

Some of the passing at the back was scary, there was too much bouncing off the keeper, just needs one lapse or mistake and opposition is in on goal. There were a couple we go caught out but got away with it. At this point not the guys there are not good enough in my view for that level of risky play.

 

Moment of madness and one of incompetence.

 

Oh and I am still not seeing anyone at the back post of these set pieces, I'm blaming Kennedy for that.

[salty]

Yes some signs of promise last night and given time I think Ange P will get things moving again.  Our prospects in Europe do not look bright. Barkas a major liability no surprise mthere.  Still far too many passengers. The young Israeli seems to be promising unlike his more experienced country man who needs his posterior kicked. 

 

Looks like Ajer is off to Brentford. New Japanese winger seems promising. Hopefully another Nakamura. 

 

 

[hackjam]

New Swedish guy signed, so he joins Julian, when fit, Walsh and a handful of youngsters, I would expect a few of those youngsters to be farmed out on loan, all do show promise. Bitton cannot be trusted now, so would like to see him punted.

 

[hackjam]

And Ajer now gone, best of luck, always played his heart out for us. Will be interesting to see where Brentford play him. 

[Jockstar]

 ????

[Bangel72]

Damn these reality checks that it will be a 12 to 18 month rebuild process suck and only then if we get board backing.

 

Interesting with the new tier in euro tournaments, I think you can now lose 6 games in a row before the tournaments really start and before you drop out of Europe.

 

Lets hope we get qualification for Europa but I want to see celtic win some games comfortably again, its not even like watching an entertaining scary movie recently its more like blair witch scary with the nausea feeling of the camera movements, the ball goes backwards and you are expecting some horror to happen.

 

and <deleted> is with saturday's kick off time, if I'm going to be tortured do I really need to stay up to all hours for it.

 

Despite the above I remain optimistic of a good couple of wins on the cards.  

[salty]

Depressingly after managing to lose against the Danes in the CL when we had far more chances over the 2 legs we then lost away to Hearts in the League opener . Our first opening day defeat since 97/98. Unlike then we have no Henrik to bail us out.  AP not being helped by the consistently poor defending in which Starfelt was as guilty as many others. Neither were we helped by another "honest mistake". More players supposed to be lined up in the next few days.

 

Releasing Craig Gordon another one of last season's blunders came back to haunt us. Celtic started playing in the last few minutes after going behind and it makes you wonder why they didn't show the same attitude in the previous 80+ minutes when we were anything but entertaining to watch. 

 

 

[Bangel72]

The hearts game looked like a clone of last seasons style of play that we know teams have already sussed.

 

One of the key differences I saw in early friendlies was the rush to get the ball back when it was lost, its a high energy difference from what we saw last year ideally mixed with more going forward than backwards. Neither were evident against hearts so we ended up with the same thing as last year and our continued lack of ability to defend particularly with no set piece defensive coaching.

 

Playing 120 mins earlier in the week likely contributed to that lack of high energy play but if it was known in advance the high energy approach would not last the game there needs to be a plan B, extra time against the danes was the same.

 

Whilst we are trying to string a decent starting 11, my gut feel is that this high energy play needs a full squad that can rotate seamlessly alongside a plan B when the energy is not there.

[hackjam]

Joe Hart and James McC in the door yesterday, both EPL experience and happy enough with Hart, go so far as to say if we play Hart with handcuffs, he would still be better than the imposters we have been putting between the sticks.

James McC is a player I have seen lots of times for ROI and he does nothing for me, a total not brave player on the ball. But, lets give him a shot.

[CelticBhoy]

18 hours ago, hackjam said:

Joe Hart and James McC in the door yesterday, both EPL experience and happy enough with Hart, go so far as to say if we play Hart with handcuffs, he would still be better than the imposters we have been putting between the sticks.

James McC is a player I have seen lots of times for ROI and he does nothing for me, a total not brave player on the ball. But, lets give him a shot.

Combined ages of 64. That's the combined age of the rest of the team . . . ????

[hackjam]

Decent enough result mid week, once again clouded by shambolic defending. Listening to big John H in studio, telling it how it is, quality from the big yin, go along with everything he said. Hart look rusty, especially with ball at feet.  Starfelt ropey & Abada looked good, as did Yogo up front. CalM does seem to be coming back to himself of old. Soro finding his feet in midfield, suspect he is hamstrung trying to play with both our full backs. Aussie Tam offered nothing again when introduced, Christie looking keen, took his goal well, Forrest decent. Turnbull poor again, as he has been all season so far. 

Cant understand Walsh not playing. Really need 2 new fullbacks and a LW in before we can progress.

Next up Dundee on Sunday, be great to have the fans back.

[hackjam]

Positive performance yesterday, liked Managers team selection-no defensive midfielder, good decision against poor quality opposition at home. And he was rewarded. Great to see Walsh instead of Bitton, hopefully extended run to build partnership with CF.

Christie outstanding, worked really well with CMcG and Turnbull, always looking to get on the front foot. Agog deadly finishing, reminiscent of a past striker. 

Taylor poor again, time and again moves broke down when he was involved.

Did hear Eddy injured himself in warm down.

[CelticBhoy]

That was impressive. I didn't expect to see that kind of display.

Best Celtic performance in months. Christie was superb.

Our new wee Japanese guy looks like an incredible goal scorer.

It was a breathe of fresh air to see good football from start to finish.

[Bangel72]

5 minutes ago, CelticBhoy said:

That was impressive. I didn't expect to see that kind of display.

Best Celtic performance in months. Christie was superb.

Our new wee Japanese guy looks like an incredible goal scorer.

It was a breathe of fresh air to see good football from start to finish.

Absolutely agree, all round a step up in skill and energy levels, really enjoyed watching the game.

[salty]

Encouraging to see poor opposition put to the sword instead of the laboured 1 or 2 goal win of recent times. Tour de force from Furuhashi, His movement was  mesmerising and as in the CR lighting reflexes. Christie outstanding and hopefully a new contract to keep him. Turnbull seems to have shown last seasons form. 

 

We seem to be playing much better than last season and at the very least will be far more  entertaining than the dire displays of recent times. Even CB seems enthusiastic,????

[hackjam]

Another positive performance and result at a packed CP last night, so good to have the place almost full.

 Played some breathtaking football in the first half of the first half, one touch crisp sharp, with Tam outstanding. Overall, totally controlled the game. Turnbull MOM, and with 2 cracking goals, CMcG running the show. Both full backs played well, Christie worked hard, was everywhere but his touch looked a tad off. Forrest reasonable, still working his way back to match sharpness. Big JH with 2 outstanding saves, still rusty with ball to feet but getting there. Welsh and CF starting to developing a partnership. Gogo missed a sitter in the first min but worked hard. Eddy came on and also missed a one on one sitter, luckily JF there to stab home. A raft of subs made little impact, Monty does look promising. 

 

Nothing happening on the transfer scene, Looks like Hjelde is away to Leeds, never miss what you never had.  Have to say, having watched highlights of all Colts games, would much rather give Lawel a chance, guy has been outstanding, is captain and looks a beast. Also, Moffet and Vata look really decent from that side.

More worrying, is lack of movement on the deadwood-Barkas, Bain, Ajeti, Boli etc. 

Next up Hearts on Sunday, starting to get the buzz back.

[balo]

That Japanese guy  looks amazing.  Good luck with the season.!

[hackjam]

Another positive performance. Great to see Eddy and Gogo starting together, both getting on the score sheet. Our midfield of Tam, DT and CMcG really impressive, moving the ball quickly, aided by some clever movement up front, evident with the first goal. Welsh with a great header for second goal after a clever short corner. 

We did gift them a way back in, Starfelt sleeping on the ball, concedes a pen. Then Gogo with a great finish-maybe a slight deflection. They did pull another back in stoppage time.

Starfelt is still finding his feet, gives me the fear when he tackles in the box, got away with one just before the penalty and then gestured to the ref to card the boy for diving, hate to see that in one of our players. Welsh outstanding, apart from one rash challenge. Both full backs doing reasonably well, although Taylors lack of pace will be his undoing.

Another week goes by and no transfer movement. 

What should be priority is to get contract extensions for both Eddy and Christie. Wishful thinking but can dream on.

[salty]

Yes some very entertaining play from the Celts none more so that the superb opening goal. What a ball from Kyogo who is rapidly assuming cult status with the faithful. He seems to have good composure when subjected to some "agressive" attention at times.

 Hearts pinned in for the first half by incessant Celtic pressure and only a good block and some excellent saves from Craig Gordon kept the score down.

 

The visitors came more into it in the 2nd half but we looked comfortable until Starfelt again slumbered. Hopefully he will improve because otherwise whisper it Duffy 2. 

 

According to gossip we still have a few irons in the fire but unlikely any additions before AZ Alkmaar.. 

 

Ange continues to impress with his approach and things look more  promising for the season.

[salty]

A battling win against Alkmaar 2/0 which gives us a decent chance of winning the tie. We survived some early scares before grabbing the lead. Brilliant control from Rogic who centred for Kyoto at full stretch to slam the ball into the roof to the net.. 

 

Celtic forced the pace as much as possible against very dangerous opposition. Abada and Forrest had good efforts saved. Alkmaar we’re menacing all through. JH was solid and Welsh and Ralston were excellent. Starfelt continues to have us living on our nerves.. 

 

A fortunate 2nd courtesy of an og came early in the 2ndhalf.  Welsh and Ralston made crucial blocks and clearences as Alkmaar piled on the pressure. We almost snatched a 3rd but Eddy was unable to force it home with the Keeper making 2 good blocks, In the closing stages you prayed that we did not concede and thankfully they were answered.

 

In hindsight we seem to have been fortunate that Eddie Howe did not take the job.  Ange is really turning things around. In particular both  Tam and Ralston have improved out of all recognition

 

A few gripes. The number of wildly over hit centres and some of Turnbull corners and free kicks which were easily cleared. But overall another hugely encouraging display.
 
I suspect a nervy 2nd leg next week.