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