The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

[illdecide]

Looks like there are plenty of guys who couldn't wait to get on this thread this morning and rip the middle out of Celtic...(and some of you don't support Celtic)

[lynchbhoy]

missed the game but saw the highlights. Celtic should have beaten them out of sight. I was afraid that it woul dbe another 'anderlecht' - a game that celtic owned, then anderlecht were reduced to 10 men and finally got a goal against the run of play.
Last night showed that Celtic cannot defend properly. IMO they should have beaten villareal away as well. Lapses in concentration and men who are not up to it are in defence mostly. Hinkel would be the only one that I would pick as a possible first team RB, but thats based on glimpses of what he can do. Otherwise hes as poor as the rest of them. Midfield is a funny one. They cannot get the mix right at all. Brown is a starter, but Robson and Hartley are grafters - neither a wing man any more. Naka not a winger by choice either. McGeady actually prefers the centre too !
Samaras imo has what it takes but he was not match fit. He cost Celtic against villareal away also.
too many injuries, poor marking too often for it to be unlucky.
An impoverished transfer kitty will only buy second rate players. Need to spend more on eastern european scouting in this event.
The team is limited by money but also in style, as GS is limited in his ability. Does ok, but he's no Martin O'Neill.
Then again even paddy crozier would do alright if managing celtic in the spl !

no point in condemning all the players, you cut your cloth accordingly. The money is an aspect, GS's preferences on players and team selection is another.
Celtic  have done well and will be almost better off concentrating at home on winning the league and gaining automatic entry to next years CL again.
The wake up call to the board by not qualifying for europe after christmas will hopefully resonate. I beleive Celtic can win away in CL, its the mindset is wrong, and a few decent quality players wouldnt go astray, though wether GS will buy them over edinburgh born scots is another matter !
Losing last night and being out of europe will do them no harm. OK injuries played a large part of this, but I hope this excuse doesnt stop the boad from  making GS buy decently!

[mylestheslasher]

I watched the game last night and I find it amusing that some people think Celtics forwards are the problem. They may not be the worlds greatest but they aren't that bad. As I see it there real problem is in midfield. Strachan has gone for grafters, guys that are 2nd rate but will work hard. There is a severe lack of class in this area. Maybe that is the best they can buy with the funds available, I don't know. They badly need someone in the middle that can pass the ball and create something. There are problems in defence too. The Ctr backs are built for scottish football where a lot of it is in the air and you can get away with making 4/5 bad passes a match, in the champions league you get severely punished for that. I suppose Celtic are in a no win situation. With crap premiership players going for mad money and get mad wages, it is very very difficult to attract players to go to Scotland. Money talks and unless the owners of the club decide to pump some real money into the club this will probably be the way it is for years to come.

[Rav67]

It's easy to slate Samaras after a shocker like that but he's capable of top-quality performances as well and has a bit of creativity of him when he's on his game.  You have to realise when he's not at the races though- Strachan should have had him off at half-time for Maloney.

[reddgnhand]

Celtic showed a lack of leadership again last night. This is WGS fault. He threw the white flag out against Man Utd (twice) and this has spread throughout the team. We need a good centre half with leadership qualities as McManus is woeful. Thats 3 CL games in a row that an opposing player has been able to take the ball down turn without a challenge and get his shot off. School boy errors and McManus makes them to often in my opinion.

[magickingdom]

celtics away record is beyond comprehension yet they can win the home games almost as regularly as losing the away games. its the mental approach thats letting them down, last night they could have won 3-0. they'd make you tear your hair out

[under the bar]

What have Celtic always had at least one dodgy centre-half?

[mhacadoir]

celtics away record is beyond comprehension yet they can win the home games almost as regularly as losing the away games. its the mental approach thats letting them down, last night they could have won 3-0. they'd make you tear your hair out

Pretty much sums it up. Last night was a disaster. I dont blame the forwards, fair enough samaras missed a few but he wasn't fit. Should have been off at half time.

The excuse that we r out of our depth is ok for united say, but not last night. they weren't/aren't good. once they got the equaliser we panicked. again. i cant understand why caldwell, our best defender this year, is played in midfield in the role hartley plays, while hartley sits on the bench. loovens shouldn't have played in my opinion.

i am still absoloutely gutted about the result. UEFA cup should have been our ambition.

[under the bar]

7 points clear.  Nice cushion but title by no means within grasp just yet as both Old Firm teams are so sh*te they will drop loads of points between now and May to dross teams and are capable of turning one another over in thier own back yards

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

7 points clear.  Nice cushion but title by no means within grasp just yet as both Old Firm teams are so sh*te they will drop loads of points between now and May to dross teams and are capable of turning one another over in thier own back yards

14 wins on the trot.
While I by no means think that the league is over, it's only ours to lose.
Would like a double or treble to ease the pain of the early European exit.

[T Fearon]

Good domestic run and shame about the UEFA. Watched the Huns and Hearts game on Saturday, has to be one of the poorest Huns teams of all time. After managing the likes of Luadrup, Gascoigne etc Smith must be tearing his hair out. Lafferty in particular looks a total tube, and to think Celtic almost signed him. If Celtic lose the league to that lot they'll want shooting. Not literally, of course

[Main Street]

Isn't he referred to as Laugherty?

[full back]

If Celtic lose the league to that lot they'll want shooting. Not literally, of course

Oh fcuk.....

[Croí na hÉireann]

A treble is now nearly a must after last week, would be great to do it again...

[Rav67]

Feckin flight got delayed for 9 hours because of fog and the Edinburgh flight was full so missed the match on Saturday.  I assume you had no problem with a ticket gaffer, heard there was only around 45,000 there although official attendance was over 55,000.