Celtic Banter Archive February 15 2016

15 Feb 2016 21:34:25
I know it's a sign of the times praying Aberdeen slip up but I will take it If result stays this way I may even need to listen to ssb on snyde tomorrow night just for gits n shiggles just to. listen to the mcinnes panderers still trying to big up the title challenge? 🐑 this must give our squad a boost.

16 Feb 2016 00:06:56
I was a little bit disappointed that Aberdeen slipped up again. I would rather if R D were given a tighter race right to the end of the SPL as it would stand Celtic in good steed next season .
Things are really coming together for R D, he now has centre defenders 3 maybe even 4 that look the part . . In midfield and attacking midfield it looks as we will have an abundance of top class young players who should be really exciting to watch especially from next season . We probably need another striker but Hopefully if we sign one he will turn out to be a goal scorer like L G.

16 Feb 2016 00:41:37
Good positive post OB. Totally agree. Assuming the Svia/ Simo partnership works, a RB, a Striker and most importantly, a goalkeeper would finish off an exciting squad.

{Ed007's Note - Hopefully Janko gets fit and kicks on to challenge for the RB slot.}

16 Feb 2016 01:07:12
Good point Ed - totally forgot about him!

{Ed007's Note - I know people that have seen quite a bit of him from his time at Man Utd and they all really rate him. A lot of people were surprised they let him leave.}

16 Feb 2016 01:46:55
I mind that being mentioned on the Utd page- and a lot of people felt that he may have wanted to go given the people ahead of him in the pecking order and the purchase of Darmian, which is fair enough. I know he had a bit of a meh time at Bolton but they were struggling.

I remember he was one of the few to come away with any credit in the away game against Malmo.

{Ed007's Note - Apart from the GK, RB is my main concern for the team going forward, I don't know if Fisher has any kind of future with us and as I've said I think this will be Lustig's last year.
Did you see Darmian "limped off with a shoulder injury" at the weekend? Who knew an injured shoulder affected your walking!}

16 Feb 2016 09:57:03
I would love to be proved wrong, but I'm afraid I can't share the optimism about this current squad.
What I see with this group of players is a side who are good enough to beat the run of the mill teams in Scotland but anything better than that, then we struggle.
I thought that Saturday's match was typical, in that we played a team with very limited ambition, and we laboured to a win, it was a deserved win, but wasn't great to watch.
I think this is the level of this team, we are good enough against Hamilton, Partick Thistle, Ross county, etc. but when we play anyone tougher like Aberdeen away, Malmo away, or even a semi final at Hampden, we are badly lacking.
I would also like to see the manager being a bit more imaginative with his tactics, he rigidly sticks to the same formation every match, but opposition teams know exactly how we are going to play and seem able to snuff us out, these teams are generally not good enough to actually go on and beat us, but because they are able to frustrate us there is not a lot of entertainment in these games.
I don't see why we can't play 2 up front in some games, make our opponents think a bit more. If Leicester can be top of the English Premiership playing 4-4-2, then I can't see that we wouldn't benefit from it, at least in some matches.

16 Feb 2016 09:58:13
Inverness are no mugs and we will have a hard game on Saturday.
It's natural to want to see any rival drop points, especially when we are still not firing on all cylinders and have a soft centre.
I know we - at last - have the makings of a centre back pairing, but Gordon is a liability and was unconvincing again against Ross County last weekend and was bailed out by defenders a few times.
A win against John Hughes' team, would be a great boost for the team and support - no matter what the result at Firhill on Friday night.

16 Feb 2016 11:50:02
I saw that ED. Something's not right with Darmian. He came in and, I thought, he started really well. Now, he's been shifted left/ right (which is in part because of injuries to Rojo and Shaw) but struggled to look anything like the player he was in his early months let alone in Italy. And then, as you say, he limps off with a sore shoulder ;)

TBH I didn't even see the game on Sat and only got the score as I was en route to Celtic Park. Grim times. I think in some small way, what's going on at United has (and continues to) put perspective into what's happening at Celtic. United have lost their identity and are now scrambling for one. The team is (relatively) poor and the football is dreadful. It's got to the point where I'm hoping the opposition score early to force us to open up and go at them. Thick and thin and all that but these are tough times at Old Trafford.

{Ed007's Note - They've messed up both appointments since AF retired and appointing a dinosaur like LVG was never going to end well at Utd. His arrogance and stubbornness only alienates players and over the last few years they've wasted millions on average players like Smalling and Blind and over the hill has beens like Schweinsteiger.}

16 Feb 2016 13:35:57
gerry, absolutely nothing if what you said is wrong, being brutally honest that's pretty much how it looks. It's all about having the patience. I think we will see two strikers played time to time. We could argue about favoured formations all day. But you just keep one eye on the 4-2-3-1 of Spurs or Arsenal ;)

16 Feb 2016 14:26:56
Jim Tim, I've got no problem with his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, I just feel that opposition teams are so used to us playing it that they are now finding it quite easy to stop us. I would just like us to be a bit more flexible at times so that opponents have to think a bit more, and don't get into a comfort zone against us.

16 Feb 2016 14:52:14
Jim I have been very critical of RDs 4-2-3-1. Not because of the system (tho I would like 2 strikers) but simply because we don't have the players to play it.
Arsenal, spurs etc do that's the difference, this is why I think R D is a poor manager/ coach.
What kind of manager plays a system that clearly doesn't work for us?
What kind of manager plays that system no matter what?
What kind of manager doesn't want the best out of the players he has?
He plays this system DESPITE knowing it doesn't work with the players we have.
It makes no sense whatsoever.
Why wudnt any manager want what's best for his team?
Its because of his stubbornness to force this system on us that we are playing so poorly, players are not using their natural abilities and too busy playing to the system or are played out of position.
If u want the best out of a player
1 Play him in his best position.
2 Get him fit.
3 Get him mentally ready.
Its not rocket science.
Look at Leicester a team full of journey men so to speak. But Ranieri has them fit, plays a system that works, and gets the best out of them. And they fight for everything. Can we honestly say we play like that? Especially considering how poor the opposition is.
That's how u put a team together, another of R D s failings, he can't get his team right there is no balance to it.

16 Feb 2016 14:56:33
If we had a couple more players capable of beating a man or better at one touch passing I think we'd be a lot less predictable and break down teams. This is why I think Roberts will eventually nail down a spot and we'll see plenty of Christie.

16 Feb 2016 22:11:50
Rayman, is making a lot of presumptions to back his stubborn argument . He talks about R D stubbornness yet he displays the same trend in his posts, day after day week after week.

17 Feb 2016 14:15:39
Chris do you expect me to change my opinion because you don't agree with it lol.
Get a life mate.
Answer this question honestly then mate. Do you think we have the players to play this system?

15 Feb 2016 21:02:25
Sign of the times checking the aberdeen score hoping they slip up cringe or what : ()

15 Feb 2016 23:10:48
I am sure there are loads of Arsenal, Man City and Spurs fans sitting doing the exact same with Leicester results.

15 Feb 2016 20:10:03
Watching the aberdeen game great first goal. fast incisive clinical everything we would have loved in a goal. They are agressive closing down high up the pitch moving the ball at speed all we were promised under RD. We are in a title race and are not guarenteed a win.

15 Feb 2016 20:38:11
Like a game ain't over after 7 mins. A season ain't over in february. I'd just stick with the guy who has us top of the league for now.

15 Feb 2016 21:23:49
Aberdeen humped, yet again.

15 Feb 2016 22:10:06
"We are in a title race. "

And 83 minutes later, the race was over.

{Ed007's Note - It's preposterous that anybody gave Aberdeen any realistic chance of winning the league.}

15 Feb 2016 23:33:50
Agreed. This is the third title race we've had this season.

{Ed007's Note - I can just see the papers tomorrow how McInnes should be sacked, Aberdeen should be too good when decisions go against them and how Aberdeen spend 3 times the money ICT do, do you think they'll recommend that Allan Stubbs or or racist clownshoe Malky MacKay should get the Aberdeen job?
They were choking for Aberdeen to win tonight and Friday night against Partick to go top of the league. Sadly the media - and people within our own support - were left disappointed.}

15 Feb 2016 23:52:13
I dunno - they may be a bit busy saying how we've bought (yet! ) another young midfielder. omitting the fact that he's one of the hottest young talents in Europe, having played (and captained his club) in his country's top tier. If we can tie up Ajer I'll be ecstatic.

But you are right of course: McInnes will go forth (after saying the ref was conned) and will be forgiven for such failing whilst heralded for the work he has done thus far; the title race will rumble on/ start again the next time we (dare! ) drop points - and the media, and those within our own support, will jump back on the bandwagon.

{Ed007's Note - Speaking of Ajer did you see this?

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35583165

Why would they report that RD "recommend that the player be offered a long-term contract" rather than the CFC manager offered him a contract? Reading between the lines I suspect RD doesn't have the final say on transfers.
Who'd have thought it! :-o

16 Feb 2016 00:22:23
Ha brilliant spot! I'm sure people will find a way to explain it away at the next RD bash but for now, let's just enjoy the silence!

{Ed007's Note - But... but... but.... we didn't qualify for the CL AND he's not playing Scott Allan every week!}

16 Feb 2016 00:25:35
Ed007 . Our supporters will still find reason to ridicule R D and try to maintain the feel bad feeling and keep the players and fans confidence down.

{Ed007's Note - I'm sure they will, I don't doubt it for a second.}

15 Feb 2016 14:58:33
Looks like al be buying another 3 tops nix season since ther changing shirt sponsor to dafabet or wit eva its called. jus hope the shirts can hold the printing this time! My 3 tops this season have to be the worst av had for magners peeling and tearing and letters and numbers coming off. I've still got a few tops up the stair wi larsson on them still.! And that's going bk 15 year ago lol

HH

Chris1888.