Celtic Banter Archive September 23 2018

23 Sep 2018 20:56:47
I try not to post straight after a defeat as emotions are running high so now that the dust has settled I have to admit I'm completely dumbfounded as to what's going on just now at the club. Something just doesn't seem right just now. BR in his press conferences tells us all what we already know. "We need to be more clinical in the final third" and "we need to play at a higher tempo" yet when the players step on the park we see none of this so where exactly is the breakdown in communication? Everyone knows from us fans to pundits and also opposition that this slow side to side and backwards passing is the most boring and ineffective brand of football seen in a long time yet this isn't something that's new to the style we play, we saw this for most of last season too. Another thing that worries me is our failure to work the keeper in many games. I can only recall McDonald making 1 save and don't remember the Rosenborg keeper even making one.

Did any of us really think with any confidence that we would go Killie and get a result or like me were we just hopeful? We now sit 6th with (along with Livingston) the poorest goal difference of +2 after 6 games. Although early in the season it's really not great reading. Players who were on fire two seasons ago are now completely ineffective non more so than Sinclair. I've no idea how a player can rip the league one year and now contribute nothing on the park. That coupled with some really poor and strange signings as well as failing to bring in some quality players has resulted in us going backwards in the last two seasons. We have two very tough games next week. Here's hoping we can dig deep and find some sort of decent performance and get two victories 🙏🏻🤞🏼🍀.

23 Sep 2018 21:43:50
I think there has been a complacency that has crept into our club and we need to get rid of it quickly.
The three wins we had against Sevco at the end of last season seemed to cloud the judgement at the people at the top of the club, and instead of looking at a lot of the poor performances against other teams, we seem to have just sat back thinking that everything will just work out.
You always have to try to improve, whatever you do one season, the aim should be to try and improve on it the following year. I know we won the treble but performance wise there was a lot of room for improvement. Losing Roberts, Armstrong, and Dembele, was always going to weaken us. Dembele should have been kept till January till we had a chance to sign a replacement. I don't care if he was in a sulk, he would eventually have seen sense, just as Boyata has.
The manager now needs to look at himself, he may be annoyed at what has gone on in the summer but he still has a squad of players who are capable of a lot more than what they are producing, he should be able to come up with a way of playing that gets a lot more out of these players than they are giving at the moment.
Hearts, Hibs, and yes Sevco have found ways to get their teams playing above themselves, it shouldn't be beyond Rodgers to get us doing the same.

23 Sep 2018 22:09:01
What is terrible form for us though, is roughly the same as the rest of the top six. We are far more capable of putting a run of results together than the rest. That, and the fact we have a larger squad may be our saving grace this season though, basically that our challengers are still more crap than we are. Possibly.

23 Sep 2018 22:36:37
Worset Celtic team in a long time. Time for Brendan to go. can’t motivate the players, even worse he can’t see the problem 🍀. We won’t win the SPl this year.

24 Sep 2018 00:00:41
What nonsense STB! We’re playing poorly, yes. We’ve lost fewer goals than everyone except Hearts so it’s hardly the worst team in a long time. We need to improve the performances and start opening up opposition defences but it’s not time for Brendan to go. Such a silly statement to make.

24 Sep 2018 00:15:12
Opposition Manager team talk for the upcoming game against Us Celtic player with the ball will not pass past 10 yards so keep it tight around 10 yards from player with the ball forget the 4 players on the other side of the park no one will pass to them and if they counter with the ball don't worry they will stop just after the half way line until we get in to position then they will pass it back to there goal keeper.

24 Sep 2018 00:45:24
It looks as if Brendan has a real major task proving he is not to blame for most of our current problems . His public moaning of McGinn not been signed as coincided with a sudden and continuous lost of form, except for 1 match against Rangers2012
Something that troubles me is how such a self confident and articulate manager as B R couldn't foretell Dembele's demand for leaving and put such a move off until January at least . I would have thought a real top manager in top control and with his on the ball would have a good enough relationship to be able to convince M D to stay for one more window. The public spat between Dembele and club didn't do any side good and I think B R has lost a lot of respect from some players.
Today, I think we were missing Bitton injury, Ajer illness and Ntcham suspension At the last moment our loan player from Leicester. , in order to liven up the team and field 11 players we had to play Hendrie, Mujumba ( spelling) and two youngsters up front both light weights Christie and Johnston, neither of these are ready to play 50-75 mins on that aweful surface . It's not the wy to introduce your youngster playing on a terible artifical pitch. We are very short of players in their mid 20's who could do a job for us.

24 Sep 2018 07:59:32
Can i just put it out there that if this was Ronnie Delias teams performances (which its not far off) . Would everybody still be saying give the manager time to sort it. BR needs to open the Football management 101 book and start again.

23 Sep 2018 18:14:46
Win, lose, or draw, i will always love celtic. No denying how bad today was, but we go again on wednesday, HH KTF 8IAR.

23 Sep 2018 18:35:14
You got a new phone Brendan?

23 Sep 2018 19:17:19
Well done Brendan95. No matter how poor we are you live Celtic? Well done. Must have missed the point.

23 Sep 2018 20:01:50
Hi Johnnymac, Been looking for you mate! That was some prediction of yours that we would make a LOSS in our accounts

£17.3 MILLLION PROFIT! Did you not notice?

23 Sep 2018 21:20:27
Win lose or draw Ilove celtic but its the performance or lack of it.

23 Sep 2018 23:52:13
I haven’t seen Johnnymac since before the Sevco game when he predicted we would lose. Only seems to be posting when he’s got a bad news story he can peddle. Is he Jabba in disguise?

23 Sep 2018 23:55:02
Brendan95 l am sure we all love Celtic on this site no question. But we have been totally rubbish this season. That is from the top to bottom all over the club. What we have watched is totally unacceptable for celtic fc and their support.

24 Sep 2018 06:56:32
Jamiebhoy. The loss was for this season, not last season. We qualified for CL so there was a profit. Having sold Dembele we will now make a profit this season instead of a loss. Why do you think he was sold?

24 Sep 2018 20:10:31
Johnnymac Evere sane person knows he was sold because he physically and verbaly wrecked a training session in his demand to leave the club he swore blind allegiance less than a week before.

24 Sep 2018 20:19:14
Stepbhoy we all use to have negative friends like you, but we got rid of him and have been the better of it .
It's too simple to blame Hendry for our results, it can't say much for the quality of the other 10 if one man causes a string of bad results . Ask the manager when other C B's were and are hiding behind wee knocks and sneezes Jack Hendry played for over a month with injury . We need players like that.

23 Sep 2018 17:45:22
Only blessing is this alarming slump in form has come early doors in the campaign and nothing has been lost. Another thing would be interested to know what Jack Henry's record as a Celtic player Is, every time he starts we either lose or draw, I reckon he's played in more losing Celtic teams than winning ones.

23 Sep 2018 17:52:26
He is terrible how we even brought him in is a mystery far be it playing him Rafael rubbish was far superior to him and we all know what he was like.

23 Sep 2018 18:46:21
One of ma mates sent me a message earlier that said he's started 9 league games, 4 losses, 4 draws 1 win. In the win he was subbed after 45 minutes at 1-1. Doesn't read well for the boy.

23 Sep 2018 19:40:42
10 others played in those games mentioned so is it one jinxed player or 11? .

23 Sep 2018 19:58:12
Predictable blame Hendry crap. was he playing last week in the pathetic nil nil draw against st Mirren? Naw ., open your eyes to the bigger picture instead of trying to find a scapegoat.

23 Sep 2018 19:59:38
He's not good enough and every time he fecks up the jeers shatter any confidence he's had.

23 Sep 2018 15:29:25
Away form 2 wins 2 draws and 3 defeats

Wins against Alashkert and Patrick only, on this form we will be losing our first trophy on Wednesday at St Johnstone.

23 Sep 2018 15:06:14
Ten points from six games is atrocious - as is our away form.
The (unwatered) rubber pitch was once again a major talking point, and no doubt the home team sought to take an early advantage as we looked very uncomfortable with a change of personnel on this joke surface; but when we settled down after 15 mins and took a good lead and should have had a couple more?
That's about the only good thing I can say about today.

I was happy to see Griff, Sinclair and MJ getting a start as I thought there were a couple that needed 'resting', but Sinky was a severe disappointment and the Mulumbu/ Brown pairing seemed to affect both their performances?
I really don't know where we go from here, as there always seems to be half a team off-form and the style of play and predictability is encouraging every opponent - except Sevco to get a result.
The lack of goals is a big worry - as is the managers inability to motivate or insist on a change of tempo/ tactic to open a defense?
The shut-out run has now burst, but Boyata and Hendry was always a step back to the early errors and lack of confidence in each other and once again Gordon looks to be playing, wearing a straight jacket and diving boots - unable to use his hands or feet to good effect.

The confidence is draining out of the team, the support and the manager must be a very worried man as we appear so clueless and toothless, so often this season.
Normally you would expect errors, decision making, lack of sharpness and set-pieces to be worked on relentlessly at training, but it doesn't look like it as we are showing zero improvement.
I can appreciate there were many negative factors in the close-season, like a WC 'hangover' for some players and the utter shambles of a transfer window; failing to replace quality players leaving the club and losing a star on deadline day left a bad taste in everyone's mouth; but we can't dwell on it for months, wishing and complaining and don't forget, our manager still has the top players in the land to choose from (just look at the opposition) .
Unfortunately someone needs to remind him and them about the excellent standards standards required at Celtic EVERY game.

Onward to the League Cup Quarter-final on Wed at Perth and I bet at present they are looking more forward to it than we are?
Come on Celtic - double-treble winners; Sort yourselves out and defend those trophies!

23 Sep 2018 14:41:48
Theres only one person to blame for standard of quality today, Peter Lawwell. Key players Roberts, Armstrong and Dembele not replaced.

Dont care about who we bring in January, only thing i want is Lawwell out immediately!

23 Sep 2018 14:58:27
so what about the style of football we play? can't break teams down! your telling me that team out today wasnt good enough to beat killie? none of that's lawwells fault. rodgers getting a free ride here.

23 Sep 2018 15:05:58
Would love to know how Lawwell is at fault for us being beaten by a team who’s players are worth and are paid a fractions of ours.

Under Deila we constantly blamed him for his poor signings, yet under Rodgers it’s Lawwells fault.

That was a shocking performance and it’s as much Rodgers fault as it is any ones.

23 Sep 2018 15:10:34
Brendan Rodgers is as much at fault as Lawwell

It’s his tactics that drain the life out of the fans, we ain’t Barcelona so I don’t care about possession football and we don't have the quality either.

This result is no surprise.

We will be 6th in the league once Rangers beat St Johnstone and there is not one sign that we will be turning the corner anytime soon.

23 Sep 2018 16:30:19
AndyH its quite simple, selling key players and replacing them with players nowhere near same quality!

Where did i mention Deila? If truth be told its been the same scenario with each manager since Strachan and that was reason he left!

Are you sure your not pedro?

23 Sep 2018 16:37:09
Yayo and Kev T, problem is do we have players to make these tactics you crave work? Cause I don't and if we had players of similar quality that i mentioned we would have destroyed Killie.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but its fairly obvious that cutting corners (lawwell) was always going to catch up one day.

23 Sep 2018 17:24:26
You still missed my point. Nobody doubts the last transfer window was dreadful, now as to who’s fault that really was I don’t know.

However look at the quality of players we had available today, then look at Kilmarnock’s. We should be winning comfortably and Lawwell shouldn’t need to spend another penny to help us win these games.

It comes down to either Rodgers tactics/ coaching, or the players aren’t following his instructions.

23 Sep 2018 17:33:21
Funny how we never destroyed anybody last season.

23 Sep 2018 18:07:15
We’ve destroyed ourselves.

23 Sep 2018 20:24:28
philtim yes we have players to change style of play and be more direct and hurt teams. sinclair in his 1st season was unplayable. why is he not now? cos rodgers has turned tierney into doing sinclairs job while he has to defend also. there's no width in our team plenty of space to run into but no one seems to run into the wide gaps. can rodgers not coach the players into trying something different? the defence pass more than anyone in the team. we aren't direct enough also try and walk the ball intk the net take too many touches that could be down to the players though.

23 Sep 2018 21:00:35
Brendan has to take the blame 1 point from 6 against St mirren and killie is abysmal. The squad of players we fielded should have been able to see these teams off. Board and manager are split manager and some players are split. Only one loser in that situation. I think we are one maybe 2 poor results from BR either resigning or getting the bullet. He's not entirely to blame but carries the can. I think things have broken down badly behind the scenes and something has to give. It's not irreversible on the field but certainly worrying at best.

23 Sep 2018 14:32:46
This team, with Rodgers at the helm, is done.

23 Sep 2018 15:09:54
Agreed this team under Rodgers is done, all the talk about not replacing Armstrong and Roberts and dembele well they were no different they looked slow and boring last season too, they all do which is why we need to freshen up the tactics the formation and unfortunately I think that will only happen with Rodgers leaving brilliant manager but the time has come I think, he looks suicidal I think there is major issues in the dressing room for sure, I don't think we will win the title this season and if we do we will be challenged all the way and for us to win we have to sort this mess out now another month of this pathetic play and we could destroy any chance of winning the league I really don't think Brendan has the answers unfortunately.

23 Sep 2018 16:19:14
That was another woeful display. We need to get it right very soon.

23 Sep 2018 14:30:53
Hate to say it but we have a crisis on our hands. When will Brenden wake up and realise he needs to move away from the tactics from the invincible season? Teams know how we play now and it's been obvious since last year we need to change it up. Crying out for a 442.

23 Sep 2018 15:17:54
Don't get why we don't go with the tactics that was practiced during the preseason. If we play 2 behind the striker then Edouard in behind Griff along with a handful of others to choose from. Edouard plays better supporting the striker.

23 Sep 2018 15:46:53
We can't afford to play 2 up front. We only have 2 strikers.

23 Sep 2018 16:20:46
Both Christie and Sinclair can play up front. Not ideal but that's what happens when you sell your star striker on deadline day with no replacement lined up. Something needs to change or we are in serious danger of throwing the league away.

23 Sep 2018 18:55:32
A don't think losing dembele on deadline day is to blame for the striker situation, ed said on here about a week before it happened that there was serious interest. It was shambolic planning by Rodgers and his scouts. Big clubs should have 10 top targets for each position, scouted and ready to be pursued just incase someone wants away.

23 Sep 2018 21:06:12
Totally agree mate.

23 Sep 2018 14:26:45
Absolutely pish, we couldn't score in a brothel, this is going to be a very long campaign, for those of you who thought we'd stroll the league, think again!

23 Sep 2018 15:20:35
I said the same and was told "away to bed" don't hear the same wallopers passing comment now on us strolling the league!

23 Sep 2018 14:23:31
No fight in this Celtic team. What a turn around from last year.

23 Sep 2018 12:26:26
No Sunday pint for me today as my ex bear/ chelsea/ Wigan/ Scottish fans are engaged elsewhere today.
I may pop into live chat.
Yesterday I took Naismith to be booked, kerching bet up again.
Today in Sevco game Morelos, Lafferty and Jack will be booked. People ask me if I think Scottish referees let sevco off lightly why I bet their players getting yellow cards, simple answer, if ref gives yellow, it saves him dishing out a RED.
I have also bet penalty in Sevco game.
I have also bet penalty in our game, as I think with all the fuss made, Kilmarnock will get a penalty.

23 Sep 2018 08:35:41
Perfect opportunity for Mulumbu today? Not sure where he's at fitness wis but being in the squad he should be there. We know he's better than anything Kilmarnock have in their midfield and I could see him bossing it if picked. We haven't quite got the results the last few meetings with them but they don't quite look the same without Mulumbu to be totally honest. Elsewhere, I wasn't for the calls to start Griff over Eddy against Rosenborg. But back to domestic duty I think I would today, he'll be chomping at the bit and we'll also need to rotate the two quite wisely given that we're light in numbers up top. No need to rush Ajer back so Benkovic to partner Boyata again. I don't normally like to see wholesale changes but I'd actually get Sinclair and Johnston in the side today.

Gordon

Lustig
Boyata
Benkovic
Tierney

Brown
Mulumbu

Sinclair
McGregor
Johnston

Griffiths.

23 Sep 2018 11:07:47
Am thinking similar Jim although maybe gamboa for lustig on that surface.

23 Sep 2018 12:30:33
I wasn't far off Mally.