It's The Hope That Kills You

The morning after the day before. I'm sure all Hoops heids are as murky as the day ootside my window. I know my heid is murky. It probably wont be cleared until the summer and we see for sure what direction oor club will go in. Mind you ma heid could clear if- to quote Frank MacAvennie- "Have the the greatest comeback since Elvis" and somehow end up winning the league.

As I say it's the hope that kills you. So how do the others see it?

"The hex continues. Celtic have now faced Rangers four times since Walter Smith returned to Ibrox for his second spell and on each occasion he has put the Indian sign on the Parkhead side. Nor has there been much variation in the script - aside from Rangers' comfortable 3-0 romp at Ibrox in October - as Smith's players have absorbed Celtic's huffing and puffing before blowing their rivals' house down." The Telegraph

"Despite controlling much of this latest renewal of the fixture, it seemed clear from some way before the finish that they were destined not to do enough to equalise Kevin Thomson's goal" The Guardian( but the Observer match report)

"WHERE NOW for Gordon Strachan? His side performed decently enough at Ibrox yesterday, but without the bite required to put Rangers' title aspirations under real pressure. The 1-0 defeat has left the club's supporters staring at a season without silverware." Sunday Herald

"The midfielder experienced the ecstasy and agony of the famous fixture when he bagged the winner in a pulsating tussle before leaving the pitch on a stretcher late on." The Scotsman

"It is going to be very difficult, but we have two Old Firm games at home and if we play like we did in the first half then we have a chance,"

Gordon Strachan

This is true. We didnae play that badly in the first half. Oor fears that we would be out muscled in the middle never came to pass. Hartley proved that he gets the best from Scott Broon and oor defence and forwards showed they were up for the physical elements of the derby. It's fair to say that I canny remember a Hun standing oot in that first half.

In fact, I must take the blame for the goal. I had just stated the fact that Thompson had done nothing and was lucky to be still on the park when the feeling on deja vu came over me. When the ball nestled behind the HG I had seen a goal similar before.The first goal in the 5-1 game. Fergiehuns run went unchecked that day as well.

After that all the stats and previous pointed to we would struggle to get back in. Der Hun have scored first in 24 games this season and won 23 of them in the process. On the other hand Celtic have lost the first goal 8 times this season and only came back to win three times. Added to that the fact the Huns are on a domestic unbeaten run of 20 odd games unbeaten- their best since 72-73- and that they huvnae lost a derby game when they scored first in 15 years meant a draw was the best we could have hoped for.

Them scoring mean't that their gameplan was executed perfectly. We were restricted to lumping long aimless balls as the desperation set in and ever 50/50 or loose ba' fell to a light blue jersey. Still, I don't think they had any outstanding performers and their victory was comfortable mainly due to oor failings rather than them being outstanding.

Like Dundee Utd and Aberdeen before them they proved that sitting in and letting us have the ba' is the tactic that works against us. They let oor CB and LB have the ba' safe in the knowledge that we will do sod all wie it. Mark Aiden and Naka out the game and you have us sussed.

That's when we hope the manager does something ootside the box. Go three up top or change the formation. Instead in true limited coach fashion his subs are always like for like. Hartley for Robson and McDonald for JVOH was not going to change the course of the game. What aboot leaving JVOH on, taking off Naka and bringing on McDonald? Take a risk, go 4-3-3 even take of a defender and go 3-4-3.

So can we take any positives from the game? Well, that is the best we have played against them for a while. Still a below par performance but,again, it was in line wie recent performances and was not a surprise that we were poor in the last third. The performance from Hinkel proved he is a decent signing, Hartley showed why he must play, Caldwell played well and the HG wisnny troubled.

Still to many under par performances and the question whether we will raise it to win the remaining two games against them is still as far away from being answered as ever. In fact the question must be will we ever look like scoring against them again. GS has another unwanted record in four games wieoot a goal against them.

We are now relying on the fitba' ghods. The stats and figures prove this Hun team, while being lucky and boring, know how to win games and disnny look like being found oot anytime soon. We only have oorselves to blame for being in this position.

We need to hope that there house of cards collaspes starting wie a hefty defeat to Sporting Club of Portugal......

As I said it's the hope.....

Forza

Huns v Tic - FT 1-0

Pretty poor showing in the second half.
The early equalizer didn't come and frustration grew.

Too many hopeful punts into the box and not enough of the 'inspiration' we needed.
It was just meat and drink for their defense.

Highlight was great shot by hinkel - which brought out an equally great save.
Our build up was the usual: slow and predictable.

Hate to say it but Davis and Thompson were doing the biz in the midfield.

Thompson tho' should have been red carded for simulation - kicked out at a defender and dived into the box. Sly enough to stay down and feign injury and get carried off.
Artur and Caldwell booked for 'explaining' that to the ref.

Dougal straight out the magic roundabout - flashing cards to anybody and everybody.

Hate to say it - we can start planning changes for next year - the season is over, lhads.

Huns v Tic - HT 1-0

Rangers cut our defense open and score on 45min.
Pretty much against the run of play.

Celtic have been playing the better football and, although we had a two or three chances - one was Skoosh off the post - we are not getting enough decent balls into the Jan and Sammy.

We need to be more direct and put their central defense under more pressure.
We will see a change up front, Skippy will come on - he might have put away one or two of those chances in the box.
But for who? I would leave Sammy on.
Plus we need to get more balls into their box.

We can still do this but we are making it hard for ourselves.

45mins to save our season - would take a draw right now.

C'mon the Tic !

Huns v Tic - Preamble

It's been a strange week - a week in which our club, team and fans have been the object of constant manipulation by the powers that be in Scottish football.

I won't even begin to catalog the deeds, stories, and punches below the belt we've witnessed this week.

They want this badly and they're doing their best to stack the cards and load the dice.
Tomorrow we'll be up against fitba at its worst - Wattienattcio, aided and abetted by their fully paid up MIB: the Man in Blue.

But we'll go out there and stick to our values.
We'll play this game to win it, by playing fitba' and scoring goals, and make no mistake we will have to.

Nothing less than 3pts will do - and we shouldn't be thinking about anything less.

The "OF Five" - well, we all know it was 1 in 5.
Yer head might even be thinking that our chances of pulling this off are about 1 in 5.
But yer heart is saying something else, and yer dreams are maybe giving you a 5-1 scoreline.

We've got the players that can do it.
If wee Gordon can get the right balance in midfield, we could be in dreamland.

I don't think there will be any problem motivating the Champions!

Do us proud, Celtic !!!

Broony, Boruc and Bratislava

An Angel Wie 13 Bookings

Is this the biggest week under GS since the aftermath of Bratislava? That is the only time I can think of that he has been under this intense pressure. Well, I could maybe add the aftermath of his first Glesga Derby- a meek defeat, there’s a surprise- when Lenny pushed the ref and we went 4 points behind in the league.

But then, that counts as the aftermath of Bratislava. An aftermath when in the first month of the season, two leagues, two cups and qualification for the last 16, twice, seemed as far away as Mars. So, yes this is the biggest week for three seasons.

How on earth we have managed to play two games at Ipox before one at CP is beyond me. Like all other SPL/SFA gaffs this season they “seem” to favour the club who still owes them money for “tapping” and stealing their manager. The acceptance of 4 players withdrawing from the Scotland squad and the fact it was reported as 5 O*d F*rm players, no mention that it was 4 and 1, show the agenda that is on the cards here.

You also have to awake to the to the headline "I'm Not Dirty". All thoughts that this was another story aboot Allan “The Sleazebag Stopper” McGregors private life and love of auld slappers were dispelled when, hey ho, it’s aboot Scott Broon and his 13 bookings this season.

Nae mention that Der Hun, injured and playing via injections the supertrooper that he is, capitano- who plays the exact same role- has had nae bookings in the SPL this season. This is all the while playing for the team that are known for their defensive, negative, stop the other teams playing at all costs tactics.

While Broony’s claim that none of his 13 bookings were justified- I thought the one on Sunday was a booking- is laughable, the fact that the it has been highlighted in this week of all weeks is the first shot of the propaganda offensive from the medjia.

Lets portray a Celtic midfielder as a dirty, leg breaking, off his fecking rocker, wean eating, wife beating, auld wimmin mugging savage to ensure the ref knows to watch him. Any takers on a wager that he will be the first player booked? Of course numerous misdemeanours will be missed before then by c*nts in light blue.

Has Scott Broon been lined up to be the new Alan Thompson? Wonder if we will have a new Peter Lovestodive to laugh and get furious at? I'm putting my money on The Stankmonster being involved in any incident that happens. Cause he is a wee Stank that gets rolled oot for these occasions.

We also didnae have to wait for the HG to leave story to rear it's ugly heid. Another "non story" one that goes over the same ground as before. A message to all medija lackies: We know the HG will leave in the summer if a club he fancies meets the asking price. We are quite comfortable wie this FACT. Stop rolling oot these stories.

But....Arfur being Arfur widnae be as quiet as wee Polish mouse in a chapel would he? His claim that we are even better than last season, playing better fitba' and that oor future is secure as if oor young team can play as well as we have then we huvnae to worry aboot is up their wie Scotty Broony's I dinny deserve to be booked line.

While, looking at facts and figures- as here complied by Celtic Undergrounds Harry Brady -show that oor home form- 4 draws St Mirren, Hibs, Killie and Utd- coupled wie the disastrous defeat away at ICT are the main reasons that this no very guid hun side are 6 points clear that is a black and white view.

The other view is that oor performances are being looked at more than the last two seasons- in which the stats show not that great a difference in points gained at the same stage anytime in GS reign- as oor rivals are on a unprecedented unbeaten domestic run. A run not seen for at least 3 seasons. This fact means that GS failings to find the correct midfield mix is the crux of the beef.

Saturday won't be any different from any other Glesga Derby. It will be won and lost in the midfield and the first goal will be a major deciding factor. A blind, deaf and dumb field mouse could tell you that. It's up to Celtic's management team and players to ensure we win both battles.

The misfiring Nakamura seems everyone favourite to drop out. Not for the fact that he can drift in the hustle and bustle but, for me, the fact he has been poor since returning from injury. Robson, if he returns from injury, seems to be the weapon of choice to replace him wide right. The others? Well, Hartley, Broony and Aiden get the nod.

Not that GS does the expected. Oor last trip to Govan saw us give games to Sno and Jiri in the middle, wie Darren O'Dea playing RB. It was a sort of 4-5-1 formation that was unbalanced and undone wie ease. Will we see him trying to be "smart" and introducing Sno or Donati and moving to 5 in the middle again to combat the Huns midfield?

Doing that means that either Skippy or JVOH will miss oot. Last time out Skippy got the nod as the lone front man but his misfiring, poor hold up play and touch like an elephant means that a similiar role for him this time unlikely. JVOH played poorly in that role in the Camp Nou and Sammy is an unknown in that role.

Going like for like may be a sign that GS believes that his system disnny work against El Cairdos thugs. A sign that he disnny trust his players or his system. Three defeats oot of three, twice switching his tactics to a 4-5-1, means that maybe going for what he knows is on the cards.

Whether the players are up for the task to end this dreadful run is another story. A defeat on Saturday means that a draw in November 06 was the last time we picked up points at Ibrox and you need to go back to February 06- a game Lenny and Keano bossed- for the last victory. A defeat means that a ground we won in each of the MON seasons is now becoming a no go.

In saying that in our last 8 games we have won 7 and drawn 1. Oor last league away game, before Sunday, was against the third best team, form wise, in Scotland and after a dodgy start we controlled and bossed the second half after over coming "strong arm tactics".

We need something better. We are playing a team that are unbeaten in the league at home in their last 5 but we are on not a bad run of results league wise as well. It will be all doon to who is up for it on the day. And that needs to be us.

Forza

Not Great At Gretna But It Will Have To Do: Gretna 0 Celtic 3

It was billed as "Grand Slam Sunday" on the Murdoch inspired Sky Sports. As typical of the SPL and Gordon Strachans Celtic, it became "Grand Snooze Sunday" from an empty Almondvale wie a game that if it didnae involve ma team would have been ignored and avoided like a doze of the clap. But.....as we go into this week when lack of sleep, increased paranioa and lack of sensablilty will be the order of the day, a win after 4 games wieoot one and the fact that we scored 3 goals- converting oor highest % of chances created during oor "blip"- has to be taken as a positive step.....

So how have the others seen it?

"This was hard work. And that was just for the supporter. A cold Easter Sunday at Almondvale proved that penance can go into extra-time for even the most secular of football fans. There was, finally, some sort of redemption for Celtic." The Herald

"Yesterday, the least expected from Strachan's men against a club already certain to be relegated was a comprehensive win. Goals from Scott McDonald, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Georgios Samaras guaranteed the points, but it was far from convincing fare." The Independent

"A mere 3,561 supporters turned out for the latest sorry chapter in Gretna's demise, the lowest ever attendance for an SPL match involving Celtic, at a venue which is 100 miles from the administration-hit club's home." The Guardian

"CELTIC will travel to Ibrox next Saturday with the SPL summit within reach after their first-choice strikers rediscovered their scoring touch yesterday" The Hootsman

"Had Nicky Deverdics not missed a sitter which would have made it 1-1, the outcome might have been different. It says something about Celtic's current stutters that their fortunes can be so influenced by the poise -- or lack of it -- of a stand-in Gretna striker." Irish Independent

"By the half-hour mark, the fans - who had kept up a questionable repertoire of songs that tarnished Celtic's name, including one about their own chairman John Reid - grew restless as the realisation dawned that their team was struggling to break down a side teetering on the brink of closure." Spew Heevins proves he has a short memory and selective "Bear Phones" hearing.....what was sectarian, Spew? C'mon tell us?

"Once we scored we were reasonably comfortable," "But we played a lot better in the previous two games without getting the breaks. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said when asked about the forthcoming visit to Ibrox. Gordon Strachan

The Goals Including Georgios Samaras Cracker

So, what was it then? First thing first I need to have a wee word in the ear aboot the lack of attendance. 2,200 tickets sold is poor but the circumstances were such that it's all Gretna deserved. When we played Gretna at Fir Park, in a previous slog, they charged us £24 quid. After not getting a decent crowd they decided to reduce the prices, after discussions, for the visit of der Hun.

Now, also their situation is that bad that the administrator admitted- see here- i have already had a moan at this- that they wanted oor cash for them to stay alive and the SPL have decided to bail them oot. Did the SPL of the SFA help us oot when we were one hour from going bust or did they help Motherwell, Dundee and Livingston when they went into administration? Also, they never made any dispensation for Falkirk or St Mirren when they didnae meet SPL "standards".

The Times nails it wie this article and for me this sums up ma feelings. I'm fed up being a cash cow for clubs and being a slave to TV. I understand the saying that "You are going to support your team" but, financial and logistic constraints mean that going week in week oot is no longer an option for most. The SPL is bust. A major re think is needed.

Mind you, a decent product on the park would maybe force me to part wie £20 odd quid every week. Yesterday was a decent performance, a comfortable victory but a performance that left a lot to be desired. We wanted a performance to gie us a bit of hope going into next weeks game and all we got was a performance that means we are going into it just hoping for the best and hoping we improve.

Oor final ball was poor, the number of times we just hump high aimless crosses into the box is bemusing it's the type of cross that makes it difficult to score- see the number of heiders that go across the bar from oor set plays and crosses. Aiden had two assists but had one of his worst games of the season in terms of creative output. Him and Naka ,oor creative forces, were poor as they have been for a number weeks.

Up front Skippy, goal aside, had a mare- to go wie has last few mares- and his rattle oot the pram at being subbed was strange as I would have took him off after 20 minutes. His touch has deserted him, his hold up play is non-existent and he is the shadow of his earlier carrying the team self.

The news that he is injured and won't travel to China, while not being that surprising, is not an excuse for his loss of form. I wouldn't start him next week, Georgios of the junglios has done enough to get a starting berth but....how can you break up a partnership that has scored 42 goals between them?

Naka's, no show, again, and Barry Robson effective performance yesterday- esp when he moved oot wide- means that I reckon he has played his way into the starting line up for next Saturday. A midfield of Robson, Broony, Hartley and Aiden should take the field next Sunday but I fully expect Donati to wander in......

We didnae do the simple things well yesterday. We lose the ball in the strangest of situations, we canny complete 5 yard passes- hiya Scott Brown- and as stated oor final ball is still poor. Yesterday, was oor worst performance in the last four, we didnae create as many chances but we took the ones we created. Oor strikers scored while not playing well. That's a positive. Think the keyword this week is improvement.

Whether we are up for it or can do it will cause the sleepless nights for the whole of Timdom. We canny afford to lose four in a row against the Antifitba Christs of Govan....we just canny.....

Update: quell surprise, awe Huns have withdrawn from the Scotland game......

Forza

Gretna v Celtic - Preamble

Celtic go into this game 6 points behind, so you could say the pressure is on.

But the pressure is on for the remaining 10 games of the season: all league games in our case, 3 of which are against the hun, 3 against Motherwell, and the rest, well you're guess is as good as mine.

If anything the Gretna game is the one with the least pressure, as it should be a guaranteed 3pts and a chance to improve the goal difference .

This isn't based on past results against them, or the fact that they are virtually in meltdown, or the fact that we have more than 10 times more SPL points than them.

It is due to the cold realisation that we don't have the choice.

Anything less than 3pts and our season is finished.

To be honest, anything less than 3pts against Gretna, and the team and manager should be hounded out the country.

Hopefully, an early goal will open the floodgates and we could score a few.

A lot depends on whether Jekyll or Hyde turns up tomorrow (although, in saying that Hartley often starts games looking like the good doctor and finishes them looking like his doppelganger is ready for a bit of midnight rambling).

My team? I would throw caution to the wind with three up front, three at the back, and Artur coming up for all the corners.

Artur
Hinkel Mick Naylor
Nakamura Brown Hartley Aiden
Sammy Jan Deeks

Plenty of goalscoring talent on the bench as well.


C'Mon the Bhoys - time to lay down a marker!

A Guid Friday To End A Bad Week...

It's a toss up at the moment who is the most hated person in Britain. Is it the Walter Mitty type figure- but now rich- Heather Mills or Gordon Strachan whose crime is to let a poor R*ngers team, a poor manager and allowed the biased medija their chance to get a pound of Celtic flesh while waltzing their way to a possible treble and an unlikely quadruple (please, please some European mob ensure Manchester is not their Seville. I'm struggling to handle it as it is)

Gordon and Heather have a lot of- using tedious, unwritten blogging license here- things in common. Right, for those expecting a joke aboot replacement limbs leave this page now:-), but the judge said Mills was "less than candid" and was "inconsistent and inaccurate" when given evidence.

The same charges could be laid at GS with regards to his post match musings and take on some of Celtic's performances under his stewardship. Also, the demands for £35,000 a year for child care is like GS, once again, going to the board and asking for a few million for another midfielder who canny tackle, pass or score double figures from midfield to play oot of position.

Anyway, if falling to oor second domestic cup defeat at hame for the first time ever- another unwanted first for GS- wisnny embarressing enough, that coming on the back of his comments aboot the SPL being a joke and unattractive to others, it really meant that the joke was on us.

The mentioning of games being played in half empty grounds before a tie when two upper stands were closed and Celtic had to offer kids under 16 a free ticket to get the 33,000 attendance was misguided. Then him bemoaning the quality of the fair then watching his team prove to a worldwide audience that the SPL is shit wie a below championship level display from an expensively assembled team- in the Scottish sense- means that Der Hun will be laughing all over this Easter weekend.

True, the Gretna and Motherwell situation is a joke. It's all very well John Boyle admiting that they're "hugely embarrassed" by the 150th game called of this season there but the fact of the matter is Motherwell have spent he haw on their surface and basically have hoped for the best for the last couple of years. They should be hauled over the coals for this, relegated, put into administration, their supporters tarred and feathered while sent walking roond Wishaw bollock naked.

If only we could tar and feather Gretna's fans. We would have a joab finding them right enough. It's seems very difficult to have any sort of hatrid for a club that husnae annoyed us, they have annoyed the lower leagues wie their buying of numerous titles, but in the SPL they have really been a gimmie 3 points to everyone, so they are unannoyable.

Well, they were until the administrator said that they needed the Celtic game to stay afloat and were pinning their hopes on a big pay-day. They have also made a plea to the glory hunters , maybe now rubberneckers to come oot and support them in their hour of need. It reeks of Northern Rock asking you to open an account.

So basically we are to play a game against an Under 19 side, who huvnae been paid for weeks, who are not allowed to play at their own stadium, are renting a 1st divisions teams ground cause their temporary hame is fucked, who want us to sell 6,000 £20 tickets for a game, which if the administrators fancy it could take the gate money we handover and close the club anyway, thus making the game we attended null and void and worthless in the race for the flag.

Update: The SPL has bailed oot Gretna so they will survive to at least the end of the season. So yer £20 quid will be going into the SPL coffers. Why didnae the SPL bail oot Livi, Fawkirk and Motherwell when they went up the swany?

And they are wondering why they are struggling to sell this game to the travelling Hoops support? After Tuesday night two men and a dug may travel as everyone i spoke to or overheard moaning was scunnered wie oor performances.

I often wonder if guys only come to the fitba' to moan as their better halves willnae let them speak in the hoose. Some of the shite you need to put up wie makes you wonder if a lonely exsistance in front of a PC watching in a warm darkened room would be better.

Tuesday, I heard them bemoaning Aiden McGeady saying he was too young to be playing week in week oot, as Skippy was having a mare a fight nearly broke oot after someone pointed this oot, Gary Caldwell was blamed for everything, no matter if he was anywhere near the ba' or not and Donati was blamed for the ootbreak of violence in Tibet.

Add to that the auld bloke behind me, sounding like Victor fae Still Game, going on aboot porridge and bananas and reminiscing aboot the guid auld days when the brake clubs swayed to "Glorious St Paddy".

Not, that some of the moans are not justified. Just it seems like the modern fan is mair vocal in his abuse than the happy backer is wie his support. As has been discussed, in great lenght, we need three points on Sunday no matter if they get wiped from the board.

While we canny get carried away if we beat Gretna i think looking like scoring would be a great start. So, it has come to this...we have to beat a bankrupt team to save oor season in the attempt to win a sham of a league in a fitba'ing backwater.

The manager thinks we are in crisis and is calling on all of us to stand together as well as talking aboot the guid auld days when he broke into the Dundee team and punted from Man Yoo. The we need to put up wie wanks like Darryl Broadfoot waffling aboot oor greatest challenge while slagging of oor team, mind you some of the things i agree wie but the majority of it is just a chance to have a go.

I mean, I didnae write a couple of hundred words having a go at his two days worth of growth on Scotsport the other night did I? I mean it looked like a wean had penciled over his face. Time for the bhoys to answer the critics.

Forza

The Long Goodbye.....

At least I still have ma hoose in Southampton

I usually like to let the dust settle. Sixtaeseven match reports usually sum up what we all think- this one is no different- but tonight, marks the end no matter what happens from now to the end of the season.

Like MON three seasons ago, the end is in sight for the custodian of the mangers trackie, a trackie worn by some greats- all remembered in song- and some half wits, how this incumbent will be remembered will probably split the support till the day I die.

Leaving tonight, the wind of change, as sung brutally by the cock rock group The Scorpions, is brewing at CP and GS ears wid have been burning. Rightly so….another performance, which sums up oor season and probably GS reign, that nails his coffin shut. He can add Celtic to the list that includes Coventry and Southampton of clubs he has taken as far as he can and made the same mistakes in all of his posts.

So lets get this pros and cons pish going….

Pros: 2 Leagues, 2 Cups, 2 last 16’s in the place we all want to be….Arfur Boruc, Nakamura and the progression in Aiden McGeady. The fact that we have made a profit on players and he has, sort of, given Youth a chance.

Cons: Countless millions spent wieoot any serious progression performance wise, problems in defense, still there, lack of balance in the middle, still there, the inability to sort these problems no matter who he signs and the inability to change or have a plan B thus producing the type of performance that we have seen in countless games- like tonight, like Clyde, like Hearts, like Fawkirk, like St Mirren, like Killie, like der huns, like 6 away games in Europe…I’ll stop now…I’m not going to mention Adam Virgo.

Verdict: 3 seasons, millions spent and the team is no further forward than that night in Bratislava. Thank you for the titles, the Jimmy Johnstone final, the Scottish Cup win, Milan, Shakter, Barca, Benfica (twice) and Man Utd. Thank you for being a wee cunt to the medija.

Empty seats, apathy, hatred, and splitness and handing the huns a possible treble at the first sign of a challenge does not bore well. The fact that whoever takes the joab after you will have a massive rebuilding joab means that once again oor generation of dominance is a fallacy pandered by a board lackie.

The Thousand Yard Stare had a song called “Comeuppance”, the chorus went “You will get what’s yours in anyway shape or form”. The board and GS comeuppance is in the post and will be delivered no matter what. No matter what, even if that no matter what is a league title.

Wind of change indeed……

Forza

Celts v Sheepies FT 0-1

Football is a simple game - if you don't put the ball in the net, you don't win games.
If you don't have leaders on the park, you don't dominate and you don't come through.
And remember posession isn't domination.

Aberdeen had about 10% posession, got a corner, stramash, and goal.

That sums up Scottish football.
10 men behind the ball and see what happens.
Like Scotland v France (twice) last year... wierd things happen.
And that is what we are up against week in, week out.

No excuses.
We have just handed the Cup to you know who.

Continue as we are doing, it won't be the last.

In previous threads, I've been asking for a "harder" midfield.
Starting games with Donati, Naka and McGeady is just too "nice" for Scotland, and asking for trouble. Brown doesn't work in that setup (let's be kind...).

From now on we need to start with Hartley and Robson in there: no Donati, no Naka, no Sno.
And I'll say it again, Mick should not be captain...

Just for the record tho', we WILL win the league.
I DO believe there are Gods of football, and I do believe that, not for the first time, we will demonstrate that Cattenachio is not the way.

Hail Hail and KTF!!!

Celts v Sheepies HT 0-0

Well, I hope Celtic's next signing is Para Handy: we are missing the vital spark.

Totally dominating this match but creating few clear cut chances.

Started brightly, then we have gradually tapered off up to the point where Aberdeen have been coming into it.

Nobody is playing badly (I will ignore Mick's suicidal pass back near the end of the half).

Donati is good coming forward but loses out in any 50/50.
Nothing much coming off for Aiden, who often finds himself isolated with it all to do.

If Aberdeen scrape this, there are no fitba Gods.

Celts v Sheepies, Scottish Cup 1/4 Final Replay: Preamble

Seems like a decade since the Tic last played.

The Bhoys will have had plenty of time to contemplate on the 2 dropped points against DU, missing out on a Hampden showpiece, and watching as the final stages of this year's European tournaments unfold.

Still, the glamour of the Cup can provide the perfect opportunity to get back into gear, while leaving aside for a minute the shambolic battleground that is the SPL.

So, it's Aberdeen again (fifth meeting, is it now?) and possibly we can consider ourselves fortunate to be getting another go at them.

A win tonight tho' would virtually assure us of a place in the final, as the semi-final against Queen of the South "should be" a formality (no disrepect to the QoS'ers intended, who must be over the moon to have done so well already).

My team would be:
Artur
Hinkel Mick Caldwell Wilson
Nakamura Brown Hartley Aiden
Sammy Jan
with plenty of hunger and power on the bench as well.

Motherwell v Celtic Preamble

We all know the score - anything less than 3pts today and we can say bye-bye to the league.

Motherwell, probably the 3rd best in the country, at Fir Park is never an easy proposition.
The pitch will be a quagmire, assuming it passes the 9:00 inspection.

Added to that it's been a dismal week all in: scraping a last minute draw at Pittodrie, dropping two precious points at home to DU - and we won't even mention the Golden Waistcoat XI...

Moral is low, the troops are hurting and unsure - can we still do it ... are we any good?

My view is that we've got a dozen games left - games where there won't be much room for the silky football we all crave. We've got get a strong and settled side together. No more chopping and changing.

We need guys who can play in quagmires and freezing horizontal sleet, guys who can fight and tackle and win the ball, guys that will bounce back when they've been pushed and shoved and kicked, and above all guys that don't want to hand over our league flag to a team infamous for its anti-football.

Here's the team I would start playing from now on:
------------------Boruc---------------
Hinkel---Caldwell--McManus-Naylor
Robson---Brown--Hartley--McGeady
----------Samaras-JVoH-------------

No Donati, no Naka, no Sno, ... Skippy needs a rest (he will be travelling round the world again soon as well). I would use them all sparingly from now on.

We need a settled side and we need to stick with it.

A wee bonus is that any win at all tomorrow and we are top of the league
:o)

Celtic Bi-Polar Manic Episode Syndrome

A Celtic fan, looks on as another misplaced Lee Naylor pass finds touch...

When I got back hame last night, there was an interview on BBC 4- ok, I couldnae watch Sky Sports News or Setanta Sports News- wie Stephen Fry, which he talked aboot his manic bi-polar depression, which causes him to have episodes when he basically becomes another person. While, not making light of this condition, I reckon I had an episode last night and I reckon I will have numerous mair before the season is oot.

This playing catch up- all oor ain doing, mind it was oors to throw away and we are dain’ it we some sort of style, style usually seen on the Paris catwalks and the boutiques of Milano- while not firing on all cylinders but turning in ok performances but not guid enough ones caused me to have one such “episode” last night. An episode that I didnae realise i was having until it was over.

Think Basil Fawlty battering his mini wie a tree.

Scott Broony caused ma Basil Fawlty moment.

Aboot ten minutes to go, I think, he done his usual drive from the middle into a group of three players at the edge of the box, he then somehow managed to come oot wie the ba' and Andy Hinkel had made a 40 yard overlap run past him. Hinkel was perfect for a wee ba' oot wide, which wid have resulted in either him being through for a shot on goal or in a decent position to put the ba' across.

Scott Broonys ba' went oot for a shy.

Before I knew it was screaming "f*ck, f*ck, f*cking, f*ck"- this went on for the duration of the episode- while jumping up and doon, waving ma arms up and doon booting the empty seat in front of me. The episode ended wie me screaming "arrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhggggggggggggggggg" while attempting to rip ma hair oot through ma hat and slumping in ma seat wie a mumbled "f*ck".

Ma Cousin looked at me and said "You looked like Frank Gallagher- due to the green parka, not the hair, the alkieness or drug abuse- on a comedoon".

Thank god the stadium- mair importantly ma area- was empty and not a lot of people saw it. This is the second incident I have had reported of this. Ma Nee’bour- Kaney- girlfriend went roond to see MrG during the Hibs away game claim that Kaney had went “Fecking Mental” while watching the first half of that game. That mental she left the hoose.

I wonder how many others have suffered from this syndrome? Is it catching? Is that what throwing the league away to a shite r*ngers team does the normally sane person? Are we reacting to the press pawing over them that we want this so badly to stick it right up them that the little things are now annoying the hell oot of us.

I for one want to boot every medija lackie in the baws- see if they had kilts on it would be twice the fun- and want to see Sally, El Cairdo, Judas Monk, Martin Bain, The Mint and even the bloody queen- that’s before I get started on the players, Stankmonster, Fergiehun, Honeymonster, McCooluck- be dealt a horrible pain, one so bad that they never recover.

Another element of this syndrome is the brewing hatred and need for der huns to get pumped at every conceivable opportunity. I stated that I couldnae give a rats arse aboot what they do but oor failings means I need to give a rats arse what they do. I hate having to give a rats arse what they do.

Maybe it’s the thought of them lording it over us, twice at CP, wie smug reek of Protestantism superiority that I just huvnae accepted yet. Mair likely the fact I canny see us stopping them doing the treble and winning the boat race due to known failings that I just canny handle. I canny handle the fact it’s oor fault, no matter the four pages of proven MIB’s misdemeanours in the current issue of the Alternative View, it’s oor ain fault.

I need to stop this. The game at the weekend canny come quick enough and only performances, goals and wins will stop these episodes happening. That married wie a few defeats and the house of stank collapsing will stop me having to go into a darkened room until the Celtic Bi-Polar Manic Episode Syndrome passes.

Must go, just had a thought aboot booting a corgi off the ipox dressing room wall....

Forza.

Jimmy Johnstone Anniversary today

Today is the second anniversary of the great man's passing.

Jimmy YNWA

Celtic V DU - FT 0-0

Disappointing - 2 points dropped at home.

It wasn't for the want of trying, but too many poor passes and a lack of composure told in the end.

We had enough chances to win this game, but there is a distinct over-reliance on Aiden or Naka to do something. There is nothing much coming from the midfield, with Scott Brown poor again.
Skippy is off the boil as well.

DU to be honest were well organized and played well.
If they play like that on Sunday they could do the business.
Not much consolation there for us.

We are making it hard for ourselves - might be just too hard now...

Celtic V DU - HT 0-0

Tense - very tense.

The longer this game goes on without a Celtic goal the tenser it will get.

We started well enough, with Naka hitting the post with a neat half volley.
Plenty of possession and chances with Skippy also hitting the post.

However, in the last 10min or so DU have came into it and have had the best chance of the game: free header from 3yrds just over. Indeed, they have finished the stronger of the two sides.

Reminds me a lot of the Aberdeen match...

No question of DU taking the foot off the pedal with their cup final in mind.
Jim O'Bien playing really well (too well!) for them.

Skoosh not making much impact, Sno playing reasonably well.
I think we will see Robson, but it will be interesting to see the changes made.

Goal soon please, then we should control it.

Celtic v Dundee United - Premable

Must win as usual tonight. Although 3pts would put us just one behind, it doesn't change much in the overall scheme of things (I don't count on them dropping points to anybody but us).

One of the parameters that enters into the equation for tonight's game is that the DUF club, sitting 4th in the SPL, have the Cissy cup final to contend with on Saturday.
So will Levein decide to rest a few or at least tak ethe foot off the pedal to avoid risking injury.
We'll see but I wouldn't count on it...

More to the point is how are we going to approach this game - one of the few games we get to play at Celtic Park these days. How good it would be to get a couple of early goals, a chance to settle down and play some decent fitba.
We'll see but I wouldn't count on it...

The team I would like to see for tonight?
.................Boruc..................
..Hinkel ..O'Dea..McManus ..Naylor..
..Nakamura.. Sno ...Brown... McGeady..
......Samaras....... Hesselink.......
We'll see but I wouldn't count on it...

Men/Arses* Behaving Badly and Paranoia

In a weekend that saw the heidiest of the heidiest get together at Gleneagles for their annual free drinkdrugandwhores sash bash- well Gordon Smith was the heidie in charge-, the worst team EVER to grace the SPL was lurching into nothingness. They lived the dream and now certain relegation and dropping doon the leagueness- like the Harry Rags- beckons.

What kind of impression will Mr Platini and Mr Blatter have of oor wee nation when the main league forces a club to go bust by making them ground share wie another club- that a few years ago was in the mire- at a base a 2 hour drive from their hame? We all said it would end in tears and it has, now, as was said to me today, only Killie, Hearts and Der Hun to go...

I’m sure a team going into administration is nothing compared to Mr Platini being witness to a game played on a sometime rugby pitch- the lines were still visible- to being part of the sponsor less Scottish Cup draw, which involved a four team aye, naw or mibbee.

I wonder just how Gordon Smith explained the workings of the draw to Blatter and Platini. How did he explain to them that they were putting their hands into a bag wie hot and cauld baws and Blatter had to pick the cauld ones and Platini the hot ones? Did Platini, we a Gallic shurg, say “ zeee hot balls no problem monsieur Smith” will plunging his hand into the bag like a pro.

The fact that Celtic and Der Hun were kept apart was no surprise when the SFA are hawking the premier cup competition roond prospective sponsors like some cheap tat and they require the whiff of a all Glesga final- Celtic V The Harry Rags- still to be a possibility to shake some sheckles from them.

I would have loved to see Gordon’s face yesterday. His joy at the fact that we were crashing oot the cup would have been tempered wie the thought that a couple of grand was slipping away as us taigs looked like blowing his blackadderish plan. Still his face widnae have been as priceless as der Tangoman- see link to goal here and watch Tangos reaction.

Last minute goals for the hoops create a number of reactions. Joy in Timdom. The hugging of family members, kissing of née’ ours dugs, the screams of delight that awake slumbering auld timers next door and best of all the cursing, the swearing, the face contorted cry of “jammie bastards” from huns.

Apart from at The Rhodders maeself and in ma living room, I would have gave anything to be on any pub in Paisley Road West yesterday when JVOH saved oor and his bacon wie that goal. The bile, vemon and general sickness wid have been magic. They live for us to fail mair than we live for them to fail. I couldnae give a rats erse aboot their results. Yes, I want them to get pumped but not mair than I want ma team to win.

The ones I know are the opposite. They would like to see us lose before they win. Stupid feckers. Before any of you argue have a look the next time you are in a bear pit. They’re awe Kevin Keegans infamous Sky Sports interview, luvin it if we died a horrible death by gun or by plague, which makes us go yellow, lose oor hair and oor teeth faw oot.

But I suppose the last minute goal must have got to another Hun quite badly, an auld senile reeking of pish in a cardie one. His reaction after The Skankmonster- never been so glad to see a player getting suspended- tried to kill a Hibee- well, that is a slight OTT description, it was a two-footed lunge a straight red- was one worthy of Alex Demento Ferguson himself. I have never seen nothing like it.

Walter Nosurname committed 4 breaches of the rulebook in a “minute of madness”- as Radio Scotland called it. He left his technical area, entered the opposing teams technical area, he used threatening behaviour and- worst of all- pushed the fourth official oot the way.

How dignified that he has decided not to appeal the automatic two game ban. How dignified that the SPL have not decided to investigate the misdemeanour further even though it’s the worse incident of it’s kind in recent years. See it here.

Much worse than Garry Pendry against Hearts. Much worse than GS v Aberdeen or GS against anyone in his two and a bit seasons in charge. Makes you wonder what the medijas and the suits reaction would be if it were oor Gordon? Beheading? The electric chair? Hanging perhaps?

I’m am being paranoid? Well, here are some other things I noticed this weekend.

When De Visscher scored for the Sheep against us he ran of the park and caused a rush to the front of the stand. A bit like Skippy against Gretna. Was he booked? No. Arfur got booked last week for “incitement” for applauding the whole stadium when leaving the field, which gave us a comedy moment yesterday when he asked the MIB if he could applaud the vocal hoops support at the final whistle.

Yesterday, JVOH celebrated right in front of the Aberdeen fans and on Saturday ex Hoop Ryan McCann celebrated his 70- yard wonder strike in front of a rabid Dundee support who pelted him wie coins. Were any of them booked? Naw, just as Coosans wisnny booked for leaving the park a few weeks ago.

Paranoid moi?

You canny help be paranoid wie this clip. So is this how the others see us? I’ve said before that we are turning into tartan army light. Hopefully a few of these hoops who think wearing kilts and see you jimmy hats is part of the away experience will watch this and bin this practise.

I hate Celtic fans in kilts or stupid green tartan suits- like a wee fellow who used to be abroad awe the time, remember I saw him- well his dad- charging or taking money for guys having their picture taken. Disgusting it was.

So, the next time you are going abroad and you see a half pissed fuckwit in a kilt, remember this clip and but him squarely in the baws.

Forza

Aberdeen v Celtic, Scottish Cup -- FT 1-1

Well, as predicted Aberdeen were up for this and they fought for every ball.

It was no real surprise, when they took the lead (79min) when our defense was taken apart.
It had been on the cards - some of our defending was dodgy, our passing was abysmal, our midfield tredding water, and Aiden and Naka were having unusually subdued games.

We did have our chances earlier in the half (Skippy, Sno, Naka, etc etc even Paul H off the post).

But in that hectic last 20mins, Artur came to our rescue a few times when Aberdeen looked the likelier team to go thru.

It looked in vain though when they scored: I had visions of us with the cupboard bare come May.

But - true to tradition and with Artur coming up for a corner in 91mins - Sammy laid a lovely ball in for Jan to poke home. Cue hayhem among the Tic support, worldwide!!!

Celtic, PLEASE will you just beat this team 6-o in the replay and save my aul' ticker.

Aberdeen v Celtic, Scottish Cup -- HT 0-0

Pretty scrappy fare so far.

Aberdeen competing, cos we just don't know how to impose our game.
They even had the ball in the net - like Barca - after 2min.
Unlike Xavi tho, Miller was well offside.

We had our offside goal too - Skippy after 20min.

We've also hit the post twice and Frosty had a fresh air swipe 3yrds in front of goal.

We need to settle down, cut out the misplaced passes, and play our game.

Aberdeen v Celtic, Scottish Cup -- Preamble

Set yer alarms lads - 12:30 KO!!!

With 3 SPL wins already against Abberdeen this season (1-3, 3-0 and 1-5) you would think confidence will be pretty high heading up to Pittodrie for the third(!) time this season.

Added to that the Sheep are looking a bit woolly (geddit?) at the moment, with injuries taking their toll.

This game should be a formality.

BUT, being a glass half full type (and, until Easter at least, nae glass at all...), I think we could be in for a hard time.

You've got to wonder what after-effects the Barca game will have. Thinking back to AC Milan last year, we stop functioning completely and started to stammer and stutter our way through a season we had been coasting.

Aberdeen won't lie down and they always come at us on their own patch. Results like Barnsley-Chelsea still happen (fortunately) and a cup tie is, by definition, a banana skin.

But, I think mainly due to the number of decent players we've got chapping the door for a first team start, we should come through this game comfortably enough (there I said it, my fault if we slip up, then) and take our place in the semis against QoS at Palmerston Park.

In the other match tomorrow, it will be interesting to see if Hibs go in with the same "enthusiasm" and as they did against us last week.
Widnae bet my hoose on it, tho'.
Good news is that Cousin is out for a while tho' (face cracked when he looked in the mirror) and the unholy goalie is justly suspended...


Tic line-up should be interesting between the cup-tied (Robson), suspended (Brown) and, erm, tired (Donati, Nails) - not to mention others pushing for a starting place (Wilson, Sno, Sammy). Could be:

Artur
Hinkel Mick Caldwell Wilson
Nakamura Hartley Sno Aiden
Skippy Sammy

With some decent bhoys still on the bench (Deeks, anybody?).

Barcelona Blues Should Be Banished By Pride.

Traveling watching your team to Europe means a lot of time in airports, if your traveling budget and gives you time to think. Where and why else would you spend two days traveling, a journey that takes you from Glasgow, London, Barca, Costa Brava, Girona, Nykoping- note to Ryan Air: that airport is naewhere near Stockholm- then Prestwick.

While sitting in the airport- getting a sugar rush, by having donuts and cola for brekkie, needed it after the “tiring” couple of days before- I noticed that Celtic fans where checking in to nearly every single airport in Europe. London, W.Midlands, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam and Teeside. Made me think why are we willing to put ourselves through this and spend hard earned dosh?

It’s not as if oor team are great on their travels- one goal in 5 games and nae victories, this season- and the tie to Barca was died in the water before a ba’ was kicked in anger and maist strangely of all Celtic seem to want to make it difficult for you to get tickets unless you go through the expensive Tam Cook- nae Crook.

It’s almaist as if now, going independently is seen as a sign of rebellion. The talk wie other hoops is how you got to yer destination and how much for. The singing of “You can stick yer Tam Crook up yer arse” is now a regular feature on these trips wie a them and us situation.

I have heard all the excuses that’s it’s easier and I get a ticket but for me the mair people go wie them the mair excessive prices they will continue to charge. Wie the rumors that from next season nae independent traveler will be able to get official tickets it will only get worse.

Celtic is missing a trick. The thousands that travel independently could and probably would travel wie “official” charters if they were reasonably priced but that isnnae going to happen and Celtic cannae be bothered fighting the fans corner.

The perfect example was the number of tickets Celtic took for Barca. 4,500 was the official allocation when in all they could have asked for at least double that. The stadium was empty. Celtic could have and would have filled the chilly top tier.

Instead Barca and Celtic left us open to purchasing tickets on the black market from the very very big and also hundreds of touts that were kicking aboot. As soon as we stepped from the bus- independently hired from Canal Taxis Costa Brava- they were roond us like flies being attracted to shites.

Barca allowed this to happen as well. They didnae want us there- a opinion backed up by the creating of a fanzone- ootside the citee- and the fact no alcohol was for sale around the stadium- after they got their fingers burned last November when “La R*ngers Animals”- a direct quote from EVERY Spaniard or Catalan called them- it was ensured that organized chaos and herding like cattle would be the order of the day.

As we came in on bus from the Costa Brava, the trouble started before we got into Barca. A stop at a service station brought the local polis- plain clothed- onto the bus to accuse us of stealing- an accusation made even mair bemusing as the toilet we were using was not in the service station and naeone had returned to the bus at the time the “polis” were talking to the driver- and then threatening us all wie arrest unless we paid them 500 Euros for them to let us go on oor merry way!!!! Only the intervention of service station staff allowed us not to get banged up.

When we arrived at the Camp Nou- aboot 4pm and I must admit, unimpressive from the ootside not a patch on the San Siro- the polis tried to get us to go to the “fanzone”, while they searched the bus and checked if we all had tickets, which we didnae. Only the sneaky passing of tickets up and doon the bus- ma official ticket was used by three different lhads- allowed us to get put in the away car park.

As usual getting into the stadium was chaos. After the haggling wie the touts and hunting for a wee local bar ootside the alcohol exclusion zone- we found one in the University, where the people were very friendly and gracious- we wanted an easy passage into the ground. It was never going to happen but was again as in Milan the Hoops didnae react to over zealous searches and lack of proper direction.

The game and atmosphere in the ground was what made the 90 minutes bearable. High up on the top tier the Celtic support were in guid voice, which was very difficult due to the wind and the cauld.

Now, the cauld. This was the cauldest I have ever been at a fitba’ game and I was a lucky one. I had a jumper, a hooded fleece type top and a bunnet on. I pity the bhoys and ghirls who were dressed for the beach in July.

The wind meant that the atmosphere didnae carry and the cauld meant a few Celtic fans left at half time- which I was quite glad aboot as the prick in front of me tried to start a fight and spent the whole first half moaning and shouting for GS to be sacked- but in the face of all that the sense of humor in the second half was brilliant.

“Ohhhhhh Barcelona, turn your heating, on full bung” was the start of the amusing songs. Watching the Adrossan bhoys hang on to their massive banner for dear life as it threaten to fly of the top tier towards the Med, the singing of “Discoland” which turned the whole top tier into a jumping up and doon mass, the singing aboot Charlie Adams sisters pants, the oh ah Samaras and the mass celebrations when we won a corner was the hoops support at their best.

After months of moaning that the fun had went oot of oor support it was guid to that the spirit of the early nineties is still there. A point proved wie an airing of “Always look on the brightside of life”

Still the holding us in the stadium is annoying and the herding of everyone up towards the away car park, no matter if you are going that way or not was galling for a lot but not as disgusting as the fuckers singing aboot “I would rather be a paki than a hun” while boarding a Tam Crook bus. These fuds can just feck off and die in their own vomit and shite.

While the whole matchday experience has harbored my doubts aboot attending big matches away from home, the trip as a whole has not. Apart from a small minority-, which you always get when you mix fools wie alcohol- the majority of the hoops support were magnificent.

Also, Barca canny really be blamed for their handling of their invasion after the last Scottish visit- a visit that was not reported in all its true glory by the nice medija- they were being over cautious and as I was told they “No longer have trust in football fans”

But, maist of all, the reaction to oor visit by the locals and tourist we met on the Costa Brava made the trip. I will never forget the boys on the “fag” run from Liverpool, the auld grannies, the lads from Teeside and Newcastle and the numerous others- ex pats, bar owners etc- who thanked us for making their break and wishing us luck for the future.

Also the friends we made from East Kilbride and Greenock.

I think we have salvaged some of the reputation robbed after a certain mobs visit. That’s something but all in the treatment from both Celtic- from the ootset- and FC Barcelona makes you really wonder if it is all worth it.

Forza

Barca v The Celts: FT 1-0

Frosty on for Donati in the second half and Celtic generally upped their game.

Managed to get forward more, tho' did not create many (or any) clear cut chances.

Sammy replaced Jan (who had put in a shift) and with 10minutes to go Skippy came on for Hartley (who had also put in a shift).

Naka almost nicked one at the death with a rasper of a shot that was palmed out by the Barca keeper.

On the face of it, at the end of the day, losing 1-0 in the Nou Camp and 4-2 on aggregate is no real disgrace. But ...

... I think there were just too many of our players who gave the Barca players too much respect. We only really had about 15minures at the start of the second half when we were in their faces and really fighting. Overall, I don't think we did ourselves justice.

How good it would have been to wipe the grins of the ugly mugs of Ronaldinho, Eto'o, and Henry.

Oh, aye, and Deco - the original StankMonster.

These two games against Barca just highlight the gulf that there is between us and the elite.
We only get to play a dozen or so games per season at this level - we need more.
But we will improve and hopefully become more comfortable at this level - the team is still reasonably young.

However, I don't we will be going into the last 8 anytime soon. We must content ourselves with what we've got and recognize our limits.

Ach well, back to the bread and butter...

Barca v The Celts: HT 1-0

Celts caught cold in the first couple of minutes (goal by Xavi after a sweet passing movement).

Since then Celtic have frozen.

Chasing shadows and unable to string any passes together.
Possession 63/37 but seems much, much worse.
Overall, it's a continuation of the first leg, proving that it wasn't a one-off.

Wee Gordon needs to get something organized at the break: just to come out the game with a wee bit of self-respect.

Can't really comment much more than that 'cos I was planning to watch over the internet on the UEFA site but it has only been working in fits and starts for about 15 minutes in all.

Maybe I've been lucky...

Barca v The Celts: Preamble

"Barcelona, Real Madrid, we will make a gallant bid..."

That's a song I've heard - and on occasion sung along to - as long as I can remember.

So here we are, almost a distraction from the real focus of the season, off to the Nou Camp.
Games like these really should be the high point of the season.
But, like at the same stage last year against the eventual CL winners AC Milan, there is the cold realisation that this is as far as we go.

A gallant bid, yes, but we just can't - for all the reasons that we know and have debated long and hard about - compete with the real elite clubs when it comes to the crunch (we're just talking about maybe 10 clubs in the world here).

Unless...

... unless we really do believe in the beautiful game - the game that can produce so much magic and surprises. Even with our abysmal away record in the CL:

What if, we held it tight for the first 45, going in 0-0 at half time.
What if, we scored then scored a quick goal...
Wha if, we actually beat them.
What if, we actually got thru to the quarter finals.

As we line up tonight, just think "anything can happen in the next 90 minutes".

How are we going to line up - only wee Gordon knows, but could be something like:

Artur
Wilson/Caddis Caldwell Mick White-Cafu
Aiden Skoosh Hartley Robson
Skippy Jan

With Naka and Sammy to come on and score the winners in the last half hour.

Don't expect us to win but if we can come away with our reputation intact (on and off the park) it could be a good night.

C'Mon the Celtic !!!

Hibs v Celtic FT 0-2

Another 3 points in the bag after a hard, hard game.

We came out with a better attitude, gradually worked our way into it and started to a dominate.

Just after the hour mark, our White Cafu went on a 40 yard run and slotted it past the keeper.

Sammy on for Jan (70min) didn't waste any time to make it two with a great header after good work by Aiden - game over.

The Celts were quite happy to control the game after that with Hartley on for Donati (75min) then Robson for Naka (80min).

We won't get it harder than this anywhere outside Govan, and proved we were up for the physical challenge in that second half. So at the end of the day a very, very satisfying result.

MOTM: a difficult one cos the whole team stuck together and got the result - maybe Naylor for the goal that broke the deadlock, Skoosh had one of his better games, and Aiden came on to a decent game too.

Talking points:
- Could have had a penalty in the first half when Skippy was wrestled off the ball in the box (dream on).
- Wee Gordon in the stands, but managed to bring on Sammy just at the right moment
- Donati booked - for nothing much considering some of the tackles that were flying in - and will now miss the Motherwell match
- Artur booked AFTER the match for waving to the Hibs fans and Brines was sorely tempted to produce a red when Artur continued to wave... to the Tic fans.
- MIB - the Man in BLUE - was rank as usual :o)

Hibs v Celtic HT 0-0

Typical Scottish game - end to end, 100mph, cruching tackles but Celts fortunate to be going in with a 0-0.

Hibs had the ball in the net after 10min, but was judged off-side.

Some dodgy defending by us, and some neat attacking moves from Hibs are making it a pretty nerve racking afternoon.

We've had a couple of half chances ourselves, but we really need to test their goalkeeper more.
Artur has been the busier keeper.

Hibs really up for it and they are winning the physical battle.
Skoosh limped off at half time and might not see the 2nd half.

We have a real game on our hands.

Hibs v Celts Preamble

No rest for the wicked!
Even with the Barca game coming up on Tuesday, wee Gordon will put out his strongest line-up.

We might have lost a bit of the cutting edge in the last couple of games, but we are still amassing the points and keeping up the pressure on the Queen's Misfits.

I always look forward to games against Hibs - we seem to share a common philosophy of attacking fitba - which is out of sync with the other 10 in the SPL.

However, I will spare the clichés about Battle O' The Greens etc.
Today, a win is essential - as usual.

Hibs could be without Jones at the back which would be a big plus for us: like him or loathe him, he's "efficient".
Possibly their first choice goalie could be side-lined as well...

Hopefully, the weather will be kind and there won't be too many coos on the slopes of Rue de Paques.

Go fot it, Bhoys !!!

Possible line-up for today:
----------- Artur
Hinkel-McManus-- Caldwell--Naylor
Naka-- Donati -- Brown --Aiden
-------Skippy -- Jan--
(with a strong bench as well).