Celtic Banter Archive December 15 2014

15 Dec 2014 20:55:44
Decided to watch the full Inter game and at half time what a scruffy bunch they are. RD said this afternoon games will be used between now and then to prepare for the tie. Which playing in the SPFL is the way it should be. If we keep up the high intensity game and really get our passing tuned we'll easily get right under their skin. They're just kicking lumps out of Chievo.

I'm dying for Ronny to give Guidetti and Scepovic a few games together as a partnership because the two of them on form and a bit of rapor/understanding could put 4 or 5 past the shame in the old firm and hopefully carry that into Europe

Kevbhoy I think scepovic will come good when he settles in as his movement up front is good and a wee bit more composure in front of goal would pay dividends I think sometimes he's trying too hard to impress and its not coming off for him but stokes hasn't done a lot wrong lately and is working hard and linking well so he may have to wait for a regular starting slot in that position as guidetti will be first choice up front.

We are scoring goals now and even Scotty Brown is getting in on the act. But all of this will be pointless if we don't sort out our shocking defence. Inter are in no way the team they used to be but if we had played them on Sunday instead of St Mirren, they would have humped us.
Saying that though, A big Euro night at CP is quite a mouth watering prospect. A home tie first is a chance for 60000 to scare the bejesus out of the Italians!

I am sure the management and players know they have to defend better and they will work on that . I just hope they can continue to cut open defences and score a greater % of their chances.
It was good to see Ambrose striding across the half way line and giving a good pass to Forrest who in turn fed Brown for the third goal . Ambrose is putting pressure on Deila to keep Denayer out of the team and I don't think City would accept that .

15 Dec 2014 17:55:55
ed, Hamilton bhoy,, is the lb hendrie at Hamilton any good

I thought the St Mirren lb was promising.

Neither the Hamilton boy or the St. Mirren full back could lace Izzy's boots .
Izzy just loves playing as often as possible, and he is like a machine racing up and down the wing . He fits exactly into Deila's game plan .

So don't get a back up/replacement until he retires?

River bank
I would prefer to develop a young left back from the Academie rather than buy in a left back that rots away in the reserves and leaves after a couple of seasons with less than 20 first team games under his belt .

Sorry I meant to say River Bhoy, and really I should have said Deep River Bhoy .

No probs chris. but it doesn't look like we have a left back. but if we buy a youngster with potential and get him him into our system to develop isn't it not the same?

If a young layer doesn't get game time he will become stale . I think both the St Mirren and the Hamilton left backs would go backwards instead of improving if they were not getting regular first team football. They are at the stage of their careers that they need first team football. Celtic would be better served signing a better standard of player who would be likely to get regular outings . Deila should be telling underage coaches he wants a left back for next season. Izzy just loves playing and he is like perpetual motion up and down flank .

15 Dec 2014 14:06:59
I see Spurs are interested in Eran Zahavi from Maccabi Tel Aviv. He has scored 52 goals in 61 games is could be snapped up for 1.6m. Without seeing him play that sounds like a steal for me wouldn't mind us trying to sign him maybe Biton could persuade him to join too anyone heard of him?

Looked him up the other day when I saw this story. Can't see I know much about him but he's been playing cm/cam so that is a pretty awesome return. May be a fitting replacement for Commons.

I would hope someone who is paid and qualified in recognising a player would scout this player and not go on these figures even if they are true. We have more strikers than we can play or even give a chance to prove themselves at the moment .

He went to Italy for a while didn't work out for him i'm sure we were linked with him before he went to italy

I am happy enough with Johanson as Commons replacement, he certainly brings energy and creativity to the role.

15 Dec 2014 12:43:09
Would have loved a battle of Britain but, who would turn their nose up to Inter Milan? Well chuffed for this game. let's pack CP to the rafters. COYBIG

HH

Shottsbhoy

15 Dec 2014 06:44:52
Ed, my mate was telling me that the winners of the Europa cap will qualify for next seasons Champions League, is that correct?
If, and I know it's a big if but I can dream, Celtic were to win it, would that mean the team in second place in the SPL would go into the CL as well?

{Ed007's Note - Yes in both counts.}

16 Dec 2014 02:03:07
I could be wrong but i'm sure the winners of the europa go into the champions league play off round not go straight in the draw for the group stages

{Ed007's Note -That's the minimum entry level, as usual with UEFA it's very complicated, England can have five teams in the CL next season if certain things happen regarding winning trophies and domestic league places.
If the CL winners qualify automatically through their domestic competition for the 2015/16 group stage, the EL title holders will enter at the group stage.
My understanding of it is if Real Madrid win La Liga and the CL, then the EL winners go into the group stages next season, same if it is Bayern Munich that do the double, as long as the CL winners also win their domestic league the EL winners go into next season's CL group stages.
I think that makes sense but don't quote me, it's 2.46 in the morning!!}

16 Dec 2014 15:56:36
Understand now ed lol it's no half complicated

14 Dec 2014 23:21:59
Never noticed this at the game today but just watched Sportscene highlights and St Mirrens goal. WTF Ambrose. Check it out. Looks like he is out for a Sunday stroll when the cross goes in.

Blame Ambrose, most people do, but no proper defence should have allowed the ball to be headed back into the middle . That was a school boy error of the extreme level. I am not blaming Izzy as everyone knows he is weak in the air . Another Celtic player should have taken the St Mirren player and not let him put the ball back into the middle
If Ambrose was playing a Sunday league match what was Virgil doing?

Blaming Ambrose is simply the easy way out these days. Yes has his moments but his pace saves us a lot too. Remember guys he is our 3rd choice centre back and I don't think in our current financial climate we will get much better to be a sub.

Come on guys. He is a pro. He should be thinking about defending the eventuality that lead to the goal. At least those celtic players at the back post were competing. What was Ambrose doing?

What you didn't see on the telly was that there were three St Mirren players unmarked at the back post with no Celtic player willing to come out of their zone to mark them, it is a downside of the zonal system and opposition teams (particularly those inferior ones) will try to exploit it. However in saying that we won the game easily and could have scored a lot more, I don't see the point in picking at every mistake, all teams lose goals and Celtic are no different, let's just support the team and try to avoid needing whipping boys. I think some fans are just waiting on Efe making a mistake, Virgil made mistakes yesterday that if Efe had done the same the screams would have been unmerciful yet there wasn't a murmur

Bankie they had a long time to see the ball coming and they should have completed better . They weren't exactly completing against the best player in Europe . Why was Ambrose the only player in front of the goals at least he was trying to get into position to do something . Once someone gives a Celtic player a bad name, then the majority of fans blame him . I have seen Ambrose blamed for Celtic conceding a goal in a game he wasn't even at .

Yeah Chris ambrose has become a bit of a whipping boy with the support and it can be unfair criticism at times but he's got a lot to learn if he's to become a proper defender.I feel there are times he just gives up on tackles if he thinks he can't get to the ball and it makes him look lazy which he isn't.he's still young enough to work on and improve his game and he's a likeable big guy but I still would like a more dependable seasoned centre half in this transfer window.

Grout Doc . If you are right about zonal marking yesterday, then the problem was that Celtic were doing zonal marking very badly . Zonal marking carried out properly wouldn't have a group of players standing on top of each other in the middle and would have at least one if not two at the back post . If they were all grouped together in the middle why didn't many react to the head back . It just doesn't make sense, it was bad defensive play and had nothing to do with the attacking philosophy Deila's team has .

Gerryma8 . I don't disagree with much of what you say about Ambrose . The only thing I would add is that you could say the same as Denayer and Virgil, although neither have the same speed of recovery .

Chris02 I agree it was very poor defending and they didn't react to the opposition movement, my point was it wasn't just the fault of EFe, as soon as you let the ball be headed back across the goal it becomes very dangerous.

Exactly . If we let teams win the ball either at front or back post goals will be scored .