The festive frenzy has passed wie mair taking points and woes than a hungover shopping centre unemployed, now, Santa. Few round guys wie big beer bellies will be signing back on today much like a few of the tic players should be looking for other employment.
It’s a strange game, Fawkirk deserved a point- they’re a fitbaw team- while the Dundee Hibernians- tactically sound and uninspiring- deserved hee-haw and got a point. 4 points oot of 6 is not a guid return especially since they were both at home but again it’s the missing cohesion and performances which, make us wonder if we are aboot to witness the biggest collapse since Engurland or us on black Sunday.
Fawkirk game was marred by one of the worst performances I have EVER witnessed at CP. No, it wasn’t Jaro but step forward Mr Ian Brines who once again proved he is the WORST REF IN SCOTLAND. His performance was so bad that I was glad faither G was there to see it as he widnae have believed it when I told him. But again it is no surprise as he usually is terrible.
That performance then the main stand linesmen performance yesterday makes me wonder whether there is a conspiracy to make the race for the flag, well a race. But then again it could just be me and ma paranoia or am I starting to believe that the team are deciding to chuck it? I mean the fans have with two of the worst attendances I have ever seen at the revamped CP so why should the players bother?
At least Lenny while being in the total wrong showed a bit of character. Right, it wisnae a sending oaf but his reaction to the severe provocation from the fawkirk bairns is no right. He should have walked away, he had won the expected penalty but his reaction once again makes us question his state of mind. That’s 3 incidents since November all involving the wee man. It could be 4 if I count the Scott Broon heidbutt.
But he disgraced the captain’s armband with his petulant throwing it on the hallowed turf. Guys like Ceaser, Peacock and the Bear would have been spewing at that. Ye canny da that. That’s oot of order. But the problem is who else do we have to lead?
The fact that we have dropped the appeal I think puts a tin lid on the incident. Ye canny shout at a linemen like that. He will get the book thrown at him so we will need to get used to a Lenny free midfield, which, might not be a bad thing.
Yesterday’s performance was non-committal to whether the midfield had improved without Lenny. Well, it certainly wisnae any worse or any better without the ginger ninja. But I think it did prove that we are certainly mair forward thinking wie Sno and Tommy G.
Sno while have his glaring faults see's a forward pass and looks more comfortable on the ball but he lacks the defensive savvy of Lenny. That will come but then again the erratic Tommy G who lacks discipline to give his pals a dig oot must be a mare to play wie.
Tommy G is a player though. Over the last two games he has had spells when his vision his creative muse have came to the fore. He sees a pass, he sees an out ball and unfortunately for him sometimes he is two moves ahead of his team-mates, which makes him look like a big daft ogre at times. He will benefit from the return of the Vennegor. A big man to hit and who can lay off the baw. Unlike Jaro.
If CP were a blank canvas then Shuggie Nakamura would be a top impressionist and not the Les Dennis kind. My ghod the lad is blessed with talent. For 8 minutes yesterday he was untouchable. It was the kind of performance that makes you GLAD ye bothered yer arse to go to the game. It was worth ma season ticket book money alone. Imaging Lubo at his peak and times it by 10. Yes it was that guid.
He took the game by the scruff of the neck, he decided that he was no longer going to be tied to the right wing and he moved into the heart of the engine room. It makes ye wonder what would happen if GS just gave him a jersey and with the instructions just to play. Get on the ball and just weave yer magic. Yesterday proved he is wasted on the wing he NEEDS to be in the middle.
His goal was pure gallus-ness. He is the only person in Scotland who would have had the speed of thought or the ability to do what he did. It was a bit Terry Henry a bit Ronaldinho. His back heel that took oot the whole of the Dundee Hibernians defence was amazing bit of ability. If sky didnae think we’re a Mickey mouse league soccer am would be showing it for weeks.
Performances like yesterday will see the Japanese wonder move on to bigger and better things. The problem is I see him being a major star in Spain if he goes to the right club but I will worry aboot that when it happens.
So, how come with so much creative talent we are not destroying or winning games at a canter. Any team that can call on Tommy G, Magic, Naka, McGeady, Maloney and Rioirdon surely should turn up at yer New Year parrrty loaded wie goals but we dinny.
We are a sum of creative individual brilliance that haven’t gelled as a team. We haven’t found a balance or system that suits us. That’s the manager’s fault. He has a squad with so much ability and potential and he is not getting the best oot of them. We start slow and end slower. Why do we need to go 1 or 2 down before we play? Why do we go 1 up and drop to walking pace? Is it instructions or do the players take it upon themselves to do this?
It needs sorted or oor record in the last 6 games of WDWDWD will start having L appearing very soon and GS will think Bratislava was a week in butlins compared to what is coming over the hill. And no it isnae a monster or Michael Chopra………
Well, the fallout from the Glesga derby continues to rage like a rage in toys r us on Christmas Eve. The talk aboot the non-pen rages on as Kenny Clark proves he has a brain and states that it was a pen and Don McVicar proved that even though a ref admitted he got it wrong that his bosses will do anything not to admit that was the case.
Oor friends in the west are moaning aboot the pole in the goal blessing himself, again saying that he done it in an aggressive manner. What they don’t realise is that even though Arfur does this EVERY single game he maybe just maybe keeps a wee special one for them. As he knows how they will react and he finds this quite funny.
Right, ye can all go on aboot the fact that he is maybe dumbing doon the sign of the cross and could be degrading his religion but the reaction of the r*ngers “fans” reeks of anti Catholicism. It reeks of people not willing to accept people have different religious beliefs and that sportsmen might wish to show this on their field of play.
But I mean the fact that others have blessed themselves at the brox and not received this sort of criticism only proves one thing. The fact that it’s a CELTIC player doing this annoys them more so than some Johnny nobody. Maybe that’s the answer beneath all the shite that’s being spouted.
Apart from the usual meeja derby bolloxs the Celtic support have been in a reflective mood. Maybe even a worried mood at the lack of performances the men in the hoops are producing. Everyone I have spoken too saw the draw at the brox as a disappointing result.
It could just be something in the Scottish fitbaw fan I want more mentality. I canny see an Italian fan bemoaning a draw at their rival’s cabbage patch to retain a 16-point gap over them. But it’s maybe more to do with the fact that a team with so much promise is delivering so little.
On Sunday a midfield containing a derby veteran, an ex chelski regular and EPL regular and the “ogre” from Madrid and also an EPL regular were overran by an overrated piece of bum fluff, a French patsy who is wet behind the ears and a paisley panda reject.
It’s not just the fact we were overran for a spell it was more when we had the ball we couldnae keep it and these seasoned professionals seemed to lose shape and purpose as the game wore on. We allowed them to grab the point and we also didnae take oor chances when we were on top.
Now, I know that Jaro and Tommy G have been the topic of some debate. Both were signed to improve the squad but the general feeling is they have maybe weakened the midfield area. One doesn’t have the power and pace of Stan P and the other while have the power, pace and arguably more ability than Stan P he doesn’t have the discipline of the sulky bulgar.
Both maybe have faltered due to GS tendency to try and replace missing players with square pegs in round holes. See, Jaro as a big centre forward and Gravesan as a right-winger. We could also have a look at the system GS tries to implement with Jaro as the 2nd offensive attacker. Or as I put it the pansy that’s to bust a gut to support the lone front man.
For me Jaro, should be the sitting midfielder. If we are playing a 5 across the middle then the pansy to support is Tommy G who is, well how can I put it, the more willing runner. That is if we are going to stick with the 5 across the middle of the park. It’s something GS has maybe had forced on him as he prefers a 4-4-2.
The last derby at CP Celtic played a formation that GS had honed over the last year. It was formation with balance and potency that looked comfortable on the ball. Players knew what they were meant to be doing in this formation, as it is really a fail save easy formation. It’s not complicated to work oot where yer meant to be as a player.
When any other formation is implemented that the players don’t feel comfortable with then indecision comes into play. For me the lack of decent performances is steaming from the players not being intelligent and flexible enough to adapt. It may also steam from lack of preparation on the training ground. Lack of coaching time to work on the ideas the coach wants to implement. Also maybe, the coach is trying to please certain signings by playing them anywhere.
I mean, it’s not as if we haven’t played a 4-5-1 to great effect before. We played it at Old Trafford but there was a big main difference that night. We had a striker with the ability to allow make the ball stick to him. He made it easy for the midfielders to support, as he would hold up the play.
This shows that you need the players, a certain type of player to play that system. Every professional player can play in a simple 4-4-2. It has been proven over the years to be the most effective formation. It’s what players the world over are brought up playing. Any deviation from that system requires coaching and a coach knowing his players have a certain intelligence to adapt.
This may sound a bit harsh but over the last few days I have been reading aboot the Aussie cricket team. The Aussie cricket board conduct analyis in victory and defeat. They need to know the reasons why they have won or lost. If they have won then they look at the reason why and how they can retain this winning mentality. They also look at how they can improve.
Now, in this position we find ourselves in, last 16 of the CL and 14 points clear is probably a great time for the coaching staff to be reviewing the season so far. It probably could be a time to reflect on the performances of last season team one and what they did well and how they did it well.
It is also the time to look at certain players and decide if they can take us forward or are adaptable enough to maintain the winning mentality that we have developed at the club. They have to decide if their coaching and systems are lending to the below par performances.
The fact that we play better with a target man and in a simple 4-4-2 cannot be ignored when budgeting and transfer targets are being identified. It also canny be ignored when the decisions to cull players are being made.
Lets take a leaf from the Aussies book. And progress from a position of strength.
And we bloody got it. We got the bare minimum we required. The result gives them no encouragement whatsoever that oor lead will crumble. Maybe oor performance will give some hope, maybe the fact that oor goalie spared us an undeserved defeat will give some hope but then they are clutching at straws.
No corners have been turned and if they have it’s into a cul-de-sac. As this morning we are still 16 clear same as we were yesterday morning but this morning we have been to the home of oor greatest foes and basically not lost anything. And that was the plan.
Right, all this balls aboot r*ngers performance. Yes they played as well as they have done for years but they still cudnae beat us. Not even when we kept on gieing them the ball back as magic couldnae hold his water and oor midfield decided to sit on our own 18 yard box.
But then that’s oor tactics when we go to the brox. Rope a dope. Go a goal up and sit there and hit on the counter. MON started it and GS is continuing it. It’s a tactic used by most away teams in big games. But for it to work the ball retention has to be good and yesterday it wasn’t.
Also these tactics give the home side the lion’s share of possession and thus the chance for them to create chances. Again it happened and it has done in past games in Govan. All this baws aboot PLG turning them into a decent team who made a decent fist of the game is rubbish. Under eck they also had the same stats in the home games. Loads of the baw and creating chances.
But then again when has that ever stopped the meeja going into a hyperbole of all things r*ngers? When has a draw ever been heralded from so many from great heights? Is it just a sign o the times that a draw, which ensures the status quo remains, is seen as a season defining result?
Was in the boozer yesterday and it was a mixed bag. The humour and banter from both sets of fans was immense. It was the kind of atmosphere that makes a mockery of Mr McConnell’s campaign to eradicate fitbaw banter under the guise it is sectarian. The colourful language that was used under the new powers would have been enough for 10 year bans under the new rules. But there was no one iota of sectarian or bigoted conation behind any of the craic.
Think Mr McConnell should visit these types of establishment during these games. He might get the feeling that calling someone and orange so and so or a Fienan so and so is the least of his worries if he is serious of eradicating bigotry. Have a look at the f*ckwit from the RSA comments today aboot King Arfur blessing himself. That’s the problem he should be tackling. No the fact I called ma pal a jammy orange bar steward after the equaliser.
Oh I think I might get a visit from the PC polis for that comment. Ach well.
The orange ones- may as well get hung for a sheep rather than a lamb- went mental when they equalised yesterday. Scenes of unbridled joy in the stadium and probably the scene like ma boozer was the same up and doon the country. It reminded me of the times when we were that bad we used to celebrate draws.
I remember one such occasion fondly but it was entirely different circumstances that yesterdays. I mean oor equaliser in that game meant that we still hung in there with a chance of stopping 10 in a row. That night when Stubbsy equalised with a few minutes left it was bedlam. But it was bedlam borne oot of hope that we were going to stop the hurt we had felt for the last 9 years.
What hope can they really take from yesterday?
Now, in those dark days as well Andy Goram was the hero on many occasions for them. Yesterday it was Arfur who was blessed with that honour. Tommy Burns stewardship of Celtic could have been so different if it wasn’t for the flying pig. But that's what keepers are paid to do. Pull oaf big saves on big occasions. It’s part of the game ye try and beat the goalie if ye canny ye dinny deserve to win.
Arfur’s contribution to oor cause this season has been immense. He is probably part of the reason we are in the last 16 oaf the CL. He also is a big factor in oor 16-point lead. He needed too have a great game as again oor midfield charged aboot aimlessly- well Tommy G did- and Jaro looked as if he had been dropped in from Mars.
But still, we were dodgy and got the points. The questions that remain over the team are still to be answered but one thing for sure is that we are stubborn and robust but the performances surely should be better with the talent at GS disposal.
Overall I’m happy with the point. It was what we set oot to achieve and we got it with a lot to spare in the tank.And bar a pen decision that we never got we would have got three points. Off the field again we should oor sense of humour is second to none with the evolution banner and the end of season greetings. Also the money with the mints face on it and the fact that the Stan P Stirling CSC – or the wee buckiebus as it is known- travelled to the game in a party fire engine. Now that’s style. Well some sort style anyway:-)
But even then I’m sure Mr McConnell will ensure a few patsys are banned as he needs to keep his body count up, doesn’t he?
Ma mind has gone completely blank. Was trying to think up a leftfield alternative song title to go with this piece and ah couldnae think. I mean if I ever get round to doing the LOTW best album in the world ever then Bananarama are going to be bloody on it.
You see I’m like the coo that jumped over the moon at this moment in time as we have drawn the Rossoneri of Milan. Now, I was quite up for a battle of Britain or to put it bluntly a battle of Stamford Bridge also the fitbaw anorak in me wanted maybe to go to the grove to see the Arse. Liverpool, been there seen it done the Mersey.
But, Milano the famous red and black stripes now here is a team that has played a MASSIVE part of ma fitbaw life. Every since the baldy James Richardson appeared on the then new fangled Channel 4 with a Sunday afternoon entertainment of Italian soccer have I been hooked. Even before that the famous European cup winning side containing Van Basten, Rikjarrd (sp) and Guillt.
Those Sunday afternoons watching the technical ability and flair both on and off the park. The Italian Ultra’s are something else with their TIFSO displays and passion unfortunately some have right wing views and are racist but ALL display a passion which, a few of oor home dwellers should take a note off.
With me being brought up on stories of the attacking Celtic way and of course how the Lions overcame the boring defensive minded Inter in Lisboa the Italian game was a brand new concept to me.
A game that placed as much effort on defending as attacking. Fans who appreciated defenders just as much as the poster boys attackers. It made me appreciate that defending is an art and guid defenders are just as worth their wait in gold as flair players and attackers.
The Italians had grasped the context of systems, formations and defending. This was all new to me as at that time I was watching McGuigan, McNally, Biggins and Slater. It was the technical side of the game I fell in love with. Right, ye got some shite games as teams cancelled each other oot and the undercurrent of bribes and corrupt officials was always there but the technical side and the ability of the players couldnae be questioned.
At that time the Rossoneri were top dogs. The dugs baws sweeping all in front of them with style, flair and a defensive might formed by Baresi and Maldini. The San Siro looked like a spaceship and the colour supplied by their fans made the stadium look fantastic.
On top of that the fact hat they have one of the most recognisable tops- just as iconic as the Hoops- in world fitbaw made them a sexy team to say they were yer favourite Italian mob on a Monday in the school playground.
Hell, even in ma going doon the Arches clubbing days ma favourite going oot top was a retro Ac top. These guys left their mark on me make no doubt.
When we drew them a few years back, I missed oot on the trip. The dates were unkind and I was gutted. I couldnae go as I was in the Caribbean what made matters worse was I got a ticket in the ballot.
Maybe it was in the water that I would get ma chance again to maybe fufill a lifetime’s ambition. To go to Italy to watch the hoops. I had been trying to talk Mrs G into going on a weekend break to take in an Italian league game. That can be put on the back burner.
As tonight the line in ma hoose will be “I hear Milan is nice in March”
Deepest darkest Fife has been a happy hunting ground for the hoops in recent years. Sunday proved no different in this matter and in fact I canny remember the last time we lost there. Have we lost there since the SPL began? Remember dropping points on the opening day a few years back and drawing a cup-tie but defeat?
Anyway, Sunday saw us for once taking the game by the scruff of the neck from the start and imposing oor style on the proceedings. Usually we start like a mole digging a hole and feel oor way into the game. This has caused us to start games poorly and lose early goals. This also causes anxiety amongst the home crowd and the increasingly diminishing away support.
I mean we were used to the cavalier charge from the kick off under the mythical Tommy Burns bumblebees. GS men seem to size up the opponents then decide their course of action. Now, if like against the Leith Young Team you are meet with a tornado then this course of action can be troublesome. You can have yer arse felt before you know it. Ditto the diabolical performance in Denmark.
It was with this in mind that for once I read oor neighbours match reports on Sunday and Monday. Never usually give them the time of day mair important things going on to be bothered aboot them but since we are due at the brox on Sunday I thought I would read up.
Now, it seems le goon decided to enforce a pressing game for the 1st time this season, interesting me thinks. Why? He knows that type of game trouble us. He also now knows his team have done it well to good effect once. I for one hope GS took notice of this as well.
If we allow them to get a foothold in the game oor unbalanced midfield will struggle and it could be a case of hanging on and hoping novo has a mare and prso knees giveway. Against Hibs they ran oot of steam and a tactical switch to give us extra numbers in the middle swung the game in oor favour.
We can’t allow them to allow the hordes to roar. We need to make sure the players are mentally up for it, wanting the ball, playing passes and keeping possession in a frantic atmosphere. We need to enforce oor style and pace from the start. GS also has to get us team selection spot on from the start.
We haven’t replaced Stan P. we have tried numerous formations, line-ups, systems and the balance is like an self built Ikea coffee table. Ropey to say the least. Jaro and Tommy G are struggling to adapt to the Scottish game and to Celtic’s style. We have only looked comfortable with an extra man in the middle.
This is where I reckon Sno should come in for one of the attackers. Right, we are in a great position of if we lose it disnae matter, a draw disnae matter and a bloody fantastic position of going 19 points clear before santa forgets to deliver a new bike for ma Christmas. I for one also think that adding an extra man in the middle disnae weaken oor attacking options as we should have enough support from the midfield for the lone man up front.
But whom do we put on up front? Well it has to be the only natural goal scorer we have fit at the moment. The pole that scores the goals get’s ma vote. Maybe he is running aboot like a wet weekend in burntisland his performances have been ropey but he is scoring.
Both him and Kenny are not main strikers. Both would love to play of a numero uno striker allow them to float around. Magic at the weekend bemoaned the personnel changes in the team that has allowed us to develop a more patient style in which he hasn’t flourished. He likes the directness of last season when BBJ was the point to hit.
Magic also stated that the team relied now on individual brilliance rather than a team ethic. While I think that is wide of the mark I think it is more due to the midfield combo not being correct yet. Thing is magic can bring brilliance to any table, he has proved he can and he also have proved he has the ability to score 20 odd goals from a 2nd offensive position.
That’s something Kenny Miller still has to convince us off.
Nae matter what anyone say’s fighting between teammates is fine. It shows the correct attitude and a will to win that is needed if yer going to be, well, winners. It happens up and doon the country at every level of fitbaw.
Guys with more passion and desire get on at guys who are half hearted and gie up. Players, like normal people, get annoyed by different things, some will not be to bothered that losing a goal in the last minute of a game in a game we won at a canter while others will get annoyed. Especially if yer the Pole in the goal and you had just lost 3 goals in midweek and ye fancied a wee clean sheet.
Now, for Arfur losing a soft goal is like him being booted in the baws. He was hurting from the midweek and to watch a poor, poor 1st division bound Dunfermline side go down oor right hand side with ease and whip in a cross ball must have been galling. So like all guid goalies he springs to his feet and looks for a scapegoat.
He decides the midfield is it. He berates oor captain for not tracking back. Now oor captain had been shouting, moaning and abusing any slack pass for the last 15 minutes of the game. I think Arfur decided to give the torn faced Lurgan man some of his own medicine. A bit off if yer big enough to gie it oot ye better be big enough to take it sort of thing.
A wee pushing match ensues with much handbags at 10 paces stuff. More like two rutting stags or buckiefied neds doon the park trying to impress wee Kylie from the top estate. It dies doon, nothing to see bhoys move on, then Lenny slips back into bully mode.
On the way back up the pitch, Lenny decides to pick on the weeist person on the park. As Aiden feels the worst of the scolded Ulsterman’s Irish brogue for not tracking back- which he didn’t- the blond bombshell decides that he has had enough. He lets rip with a volley of expletives and name calling that would make Marco Matteratzi proud and would probably get him lifted if the Scottish executive had their way.
A pushing match ensues until it’s broken up by assorted par and hoopy players. Tommy Burns rushes on the park and ushers wee twinkle toes up the tunnel probably for his own safety as those nasty bullies always attack from behind. IT WAS BLOODY FANTASTIC TO SEE. It also, for me, says a lot aboot the character of oor team and Mr Lennon.
Now, it’s great to see a guy with such a will to win but his choice of tactics, choice of game and leadership style to force this issue across leaves a lot to be desired. The main question has to be WHY WAS HE NOT GRABBING BALDE BY THE THROAT IN COPHENHAGAN? WHY DID HE NOT KICK GRAVESAN UP THE ARSE IN THE SAME GAME? WHY DID HE HIDE IN COPHENHAGAN?
Why did he choose a game that we had won to vent his so-called leadership qualities. Where was he on Wednesday night when the troops maybe needed encouragement and arse kicking? His tactics of leadership leave a lot to be desired. He likes to throw his hands in the air and throw strops. He seems to resort to bullying tactics as yesterday proved.
I’m not going to make a big deal out of that. He knows the mental make up of his teammates, he knows who needs the arm round the shoulder and who needs a bit of a rollicking. What happened yesterday happens in training grounds up and doon the country. It’s unusual to see it happen in the public domain but what worries me most is that he didnae do it when it was justified.
Wednesday night was the night to have a fight on the park. Wednesday night was the night to have strops fallouts and throw punches. What he did yesterday proves once and for all that oor team lacks a mental toughness at the higher level. They lack the confidence and belief in their own ability at the higher level. They accept that they are not guid enough and are quite happy to accept mistakes.
Oor team seem to lack belief in them when they travel away. Players who are normally reliable and creative suddenly go into their shells and freeze. It’s ok wanting the ball against Dunfermline but against a European side with their tails up is a different story. That’s when a leader should stand up and be counted that’s what makes yesterday tit to tat laughable. It was bravado nothing else. It was a case of bolting the door once the donkey had bolted. It was a token gesture, which once again gives the meeja ammo.
I’m beginning to believe that oor players are not mentally prepared correctly. They find it easy domestically to be brave on the ball and create chances- like they did yesterday- but when they are under the cosh and on our Euro trips they believe all the constant failings they get levelled at them. Not guid enough, too slow, journeymen, bosmans and has beens. Maybe some are in that category but when they start believing it then we have problems. This mental toughness can be coached to the youngsters. They can also be coached out of errors. It is the older players you have problems with. Doesn’t matter how many times you tell them an old dog can’t learn new tricks. Also older players lose that bravado that younger pups have.
George Connelly in a rare interview yesterday said that basically the gallus-ness he had when he was young was lost in latter years as basically you become more aware. He pointed to David Marshall as being a perfect example. He said that now Marshie would go the Camp Nou and lose at least 5 goals.
Older players know what they can or can’t do. They know the level they are comfortable at. Maybe this is why Lenny chose yesterday at East End Park to throw a strop instead of Denmark in the midweek. He is comfortable being a Celtic captain at East End Park but out his depth in Europe.
The thing is players should approach every game the same disnae matter if it’s in Barcelona, Madrid, Rio, Fife, coatbrig or doon the local five a side hall. They should believe and have the confidence in their ability to want the ball and be brave no matter who the opponents. Sometimes you will get beat by the better team you will sometimes not get what you deserve but hey that’s the nature of the beast.
And we will NEVER find it if we continue to play like that. I’m fed up. This joke is not funny anymore and it has really become bloody embarrassing. LLLLLLLLDLLL is embarrassing. It is nearly up there with AEK Athens record of 21 games without a win. It’s nearly up there with Anderlect’s poor run of 18 games without a win.
One thing for sure last night proved it is a psychological defect in the team. Time for sports psychologist to roll up at CP and earn a mint to put right the wrongs and banish the demons in the player’s minds. What damage such an inept performance will do moral and belief is a question that will wait to be answered. But the lack of the right ingredients to make a decent fist of a game last night was frightening.
People are talking aboot how the English cricket team will get up for the next test after a collapse from a match winning position. Well how will the hoops pick themselves from a performance so far off the mark that it was only luck that we didnae get a humping. It’s a result that will make the English meeja ignore us again.
Only Celtic can make a party into wake and give such an apologetic and biscuit arsed performance, which will make euro watcher sit and wonder why we have qualified. It was a performance that lack ingredients of a team, cohesion and fight. It lacked heart and we lacked a physical presence, which meant we were bullied off the park.
The performance lacked all the ingredients that we showed against man u when outplayed we hung in there for grime death. We surprised oor opponents that night with oor resilience and spirit. After last night THAT performance against Man U has to be savoured and remembered by us. Nights like the night against Man U have to be remembered cause when we are bad we are bad.
We gloated after Man U. we celebrated after Man U. last night put us right back in oor cages and gave the whole of Scotland something to laugh at. Yes it was that bad. Another one to put in oor pipe and smoke it along with the roll of shame that is Porto, Bratislava, Rosenberg, Lisboa, Donestk et all. I would go as far to say that last night was worse than Brastislava.
Why? We had a chance to push on from the high of qualifying. We had a chance to go oot give a decent performance and show we deserved to be in the last 16. Instead we gave a performance that was in tune with a wee team that has got lucky by qualifying.
One moment summed up oor performance. Aiden doing a Regi Blinker. You heard his bottle crashing on the moon when he charged through one on one with the goalie. His performance wasn’t much better than that moment but then NO ONE got pass marks.
Bobo proved he is a prize coo at this level, Jaro, poor Jaro scores a goal but gives a performance, which at this moment in time makes me so mad that if he kicks another ball for the hoops it will be too soon. Kenny Miller became Philip Sebo for a night and proved he was no Henrick Larsson.
Who else thought aboot Henrick when Naylor sent over that pinpoint cross at 1-0. How many times have we seen chances like that converted? It summed up oor striking problems at the moment in that we haven’t got one.
GS starting line up has to be question and his press conference afterwards when he stated aboot KNOWING what the problem is was laughable. Let me see. 4 away games under his stewardship 14 goals lost. Average of 3.2 goals per game. Not exactly rocket science is it to work oot the problem.
GS failed to combat the only trick and tactic a poor side had in their locker. Long high balls and set plays. It was skool bhoy stuff. Nothing complicated aboot it all. GS must take his fair share of the blame for last night s debacle.
I don’t mind getting beat. If we get beat from the better team on the night then so be it. THAT’S fitbaw. But what I do mind is a bunch of prima donna’s and charlatans cheating a support. They never turned up last night. Players were posted missing once again. I want to see a bit of effort and pride in the jersey and in you. That was missing. The fans again are left wondering if this team have the ability to jog on in Europe.
It has happened to often for it now not to be a deep lying problem. Lack of quality seems to be the only logical answer. Ma description of the team as bosman’s, journeymen and middle order signings last night done a disservice to the honest professionals everywhere. Harsh I know, but what is more galling as this team has ability. They can and should be doing better.
That’s what makes it so hard to take. I’m not looking for scapegoats, not calling from anyone to be sacked I just want it not to happen again. But the psychological damage of this performance, not result, could have a massive bearing on GS’s team 2.
Well at least we are in the super dooper last 16 and it will be at least March until oor next European jaunt. This will all be water under the bridge by then. But somehow I’m hoping for an English team so we don’t get that much travel sickness.
“Look Maw, I’m top of the world,” said some gadge in some film that I canny remember. But tonight the hoops could be top of the world well, top of a Champions League group for keeps. Qualified for the last 16 as GROUP winners. Stick that in yer pipe and smoke it all members of the fourth estate.
Obliviously if it did happen then the achievement would be talked doon. Just like us qualifying has been talked doon and all the focus stuck on oor dreadful LLLLLLLLDLL CL away day record. It really it is a record that we should be worrying aboot as well. But tonight presents an opportunity to put it right without ANY pressure on us whatsoever.
Bet yer all today quite calm. No sweaty palms or plans to hid behind the couch for 90 mins? The nervous-ness that punctuated the build up to the Man U game has gone. That game produced the type of nerves no seen round oor way since a trip to Boavista. But I canny believe that it is already 2 weeks from that night.
Two weeks since scenes of joy, emotion and mental-ness that sums up CP on a European night. Shut ma eyes I can still see the reaction after Arfur’s pen save and I can still see the stadium’s final rousing walk on after the final whistle. Hell, ma hairs on the back of ma neck are standing up just typing this. Nights like that make us greedy for more. That night was a benchmark atmosphere just as the eagles of Lisboa gubbing at CP is this teams benchmark performance in Europe.
And one we are hoping they can reach again.
The joy of qualifying has been tempered by oor own want and greed to win the group. We want more and maybe some are writing off a Copenhagen side that are undefeated at home in Europe this season. Some believe the fact that we have qualified has turned this game into a easy coefficient boosting victory and one that the hoopy hoards are turning up to paarrrrrty at.
Oor CL away record of LLLLLLLLDLL should dispel those notions. This is another chance to right some of the wrongs that have been made by the players on and the management- old and new- off the park. If GS sets up oor stall correctly tonight then we should be guid for at least a point.
He will have to match the physical nature of the Danish beast. Which may mean a reprieve for Jaro as he could move to his favoured midfield position also could we see a performance from the Gravedigger Gravesen in his home country? Surely the press intrusion both from the Scottish and Danish meeja should spur him on to bring home the bacon?
Pace should trouble the lumbering oafs at the back of the Danes defence. Probably set up for a magic and miller combo with Naka or Aiden adding a spicy topping to the mix. Whatever happens these players have already marked their presence in the history of the club by qualifying but do they want more? Are they up for ending oor dreadful run?
What price will another defeat come as? More chance for the outside world to derive us a flash in the pan and lucky. Maybe the players will then start believing the press line that it is all in the mind. That we freeze away from home. That we are bottle merchants outside the home comforts of CP.
Defeat tonight is no disgrace but the manner of the defeat could be more damaging. A performance and a defeat maybe trotting oot the old hard luck stories then maybe we can look to the luck factor and the fact that we don’t get nane. But then did that not change when Arfur saved Saha’s penalty?
A good hiding and another going over away from home then we will be asking questions again. GS goes on aboot preparation and making sure the players are in the right mindset, well tonight is a test of that. It’s also aboot GS getting his decision making right and fortunately for him and us he has been spot on recently.
There is a lot riding on tonight and for me it’s not aboot who we get in the next round. It’s aboot whether we are making progress and learning from past errors.
Sometimes watching the hoops reminds me of ma school days. It would get to 3.25pm and all in sundry would be waiting for the final bell. A bell that sparked you into life as it was hame time. This season watching the bhoys at home you get the feeling that the players are waiting for a bell to spark them into life or, like us, just canny wait to get the game over wie without exerting too much effort and go hame to their luxury mansions in East Kilbride and such like.
Oor patient approach gives that impression. We have a gameplan and we stick to it. Disnae matter if we go 1 or 2 down, we get the ball and pass, pass, pass again then maybe pass some more. Possession is retained, sometimes with too much caution, which allows chances of defence splitting balls to be missed and chances created at a premium.
But it has been working. Oor record speaks for that. It only means that 3 or 4 goal humpings are a thing of the past and at home it is now the norm to have to wait to the 2nd half before the goals come. To the dismay of the lads who like to go to the pub at half time, which under TB and MON was a regular occurrence as we would be 2 or 3 up by half time.
It disnae matter that the fact that the opposition like the not so dandy dons came to glesga and set oot to do sod all. Attack? Nah, won’t bother daein that mate. We will just sit, sit and sit some more. Was in the company of some Aberdeen fans before the game. They hail from the Pittordrie Bar and stop at the pub we leave from every time the sheep play doon this way.
Always travel in fair numbers no matter what or how the opposition are. Now they fancied their chances big style on Saturday. There unbeaten run has buoyed them up and they fancied giving it large once more to the hoopy hoards. But what they didnae factor was that the 2 Jimmies are boring basturts when it comes to bringing teams to Glesga and once again the orange one followed his own blueprint of 10 in defence and then when one doon switching the in-famous 4-2-4 formation.
When this happened, space that had been denied to oor creative players suddenly opened up and wee Aiden started running the show. We started creating chances and if the truth were told in the sheep had got a draw then they would have needed the same masks we wore when we beat Man U.
Once again Jaro was frustrating. He has ability, a fitbaw brain that not many possess. It’s just; well he is a bit of a shitebag and the physical nature of the Scottish game disnae suit. Especially when he is played upfront to use his height and physical presence. How many times did he run for a ball then decide he didnae fancy it as a defender was coming across to hoof him or worse, even threaten to tackle him.
I think if the defender shouted “boo” at him he would fall over like bambi on ice or a giraffe’s newly born foul. But he is frustrating as at times he shows a fitbaw intelligence that leaves you think he could do a job. He is a midfielder not a striker. It’s an experiment which I think is given the boy nae chance to impress.
When he moved into the middle the 1st thing he did was slip through a cracking ball to Magic who unlike Jaro was a willing runner into the channels. Found it ironic. Here was a guy who had complained aboot the same ball being played to him for an hour playing the same ball to a teamate without any hesitation. The difference was it was a guid ball as the player it was going to was willing to accept it.
After all the worry aboot Magic and his performances he again maybe just reminded everyone that he is the most natural goalscorer we have. Goals should give him confidence. He likes to be nearer the danger areas than Miller and is more a composed finisher than Miller. If Magic gets a run I still reckon he could end up top goalscorer in Scotland. Or at least get over 20 before now and the end of the season.
Stat of the day is that last season 50% of all Tic goals were scored by forwards this season it has went doon to 30%. The loss of BBJ and also the off form Magic has contributed to this change. This stat could hurt us in the longer term unless changes are made to the system- get the ball in quicker- personnel change in January or strikers regain that killer touch.
A touch we need on Wednesday night. A touch which if found we could win oor Champs League group as Man U and the lisboa eagles battle it oot for 2nd spot.
But it was 3 points and it turned out to be a massive 3 points with the why the other results went at the weekend. More breathing space.
Talking of sirens was given a new book over the weekend. It’s by John O’Kane; its title is “Celtic Soccer Crew- What the Hell Do We Care”. Mr O’Kane was a founder member of this crew and it’s basically a tale of fights, drink, friendship and most of all regrets.
Now I have an unhealthy obsession with these types of books. Read so many of them that it is now all a blur. What I found interesting was the fact in this one some of the games spoke aboot I was at. Never saw any of the bother that is describe in the book- well I saw the tale end of the bother in Cardiff, if I hadn’t left the pub when I did I would have been in the middle of it, thank god I wanted something to munch- but it did make me realise how sheltered and safe travelling on a Supporters bus or car is to fitbaw games.
The chances of getting involved in bother at away games while on a supporters bus is limited due to the polis herding you around like cattle. So while I was at these games the activities of this crew are unknown to me and to ma surprise they seem to have been very active when I was at ma home and away attending peak.
You either like these types of books or loathe them. I found this one more interesting than most- mainly due to the close nature of the topic- and was surprised of the honesty shown when describing the Celtic firms reputation which basically backs up all I have read aboot them in other books. Also his take on the football intelligence unit is also interesting if not a radically alternative view of the purpose of this division.
One thing for sure his description of the Hearts Casuals tendency to take liberties on scarfers rings true to me. I mean ma record there is 3 knock doons and a submission:-)
