Decanted Newsamble: Huns(h)

Feck me. No many blogs will start wie an expletive but this one does. So double feck me. What a week. As you maybe aware I have been busy off late and my commitment to the blog could be questioned in terms of a player, in his last year of contract, looking fir a wee bosman move and unwilling to meet the 50/50’s heid on during a game.

But the reality is less exciting. It’s boring really. It’s all aboot social networking sites and an addiction in LOTW towers. But......it has been a feck me week news wise.

Lets start of wie the predictable Celtic star to leave story. A story that pokes it’s heid up before every big game. You would have thought the medija would have learned that we no longer fall for these tricks.

So this week its Nakamura – I’m still waiting for the Arfur to go story- that is attracting the attention of Yokohama Marinos who have earmarked him to play quarter back in their new offensive line up. Is not just a re-hash of a story that appeared at the start of this season?

Anyway, Naka is moving into the last year of his contract. He has had an injury inflicted year and his performances- not unsurprisingly- haven’t reached the heights of last year. A serious decision has to get made from a football point of view.

The benefits of having him for another year- for me- out weight not having him. He can change games at a drop of a shoulder and a dipping, swerving cross is a weapon that can be used to hurt the opposing teams. Unfortunately, his lack of English, family circs- wean nearly nursery age- and homesickness may take the decision oot of oor hands.

Got an E-Mither, quoting a text from one of the regular lurkers faither after the decision to “extend” the SPL season. It said.....

“It’s help the huns week in Scotland, the best little protestant country in the world”

I found it amusing anyway.

So this 4 day extension, which has more clauses than the declaration of independence and mair buts than an ashtray ootside a citee centre boozer. One thing is clear though. I don’t reckon it has benefited the Huns.

The Huns wanted an extension to help them win the league. They are annoyed that the SPL are not helping them win the league. The pretence they went for it was that it was needed to help them improve Scotland’s standing in Europe and wished mair time to prepare for the possible UEFA Cup Final.

Their statement proves this. They mention extending the season to May 27th. There idea of an extension was the rest of the league- ok, oor games- being loused and them playing two games against teams in holiday mode knowing exactly what they had to do.

Dignity indeed.

Apart from changing the rules, mid season, the SPL have retained some sort of sporting integrity by not extending the season further to pander to the attempting cheating barstewards from Govan.

I mean, sporting integrity never came into it when the SFA, SPL and The Huns (The Three Stooges, who do share a bed as this episode proves) caused this stookie by postponing games earlier in the season for no guid reason.

Mind you, another way to look at it is The Huns agreed at the start of the season when the season would end. If they canny complete their fixtures before that date (due to their requested postponements and them failing to win cup games at the first attempt), then they should be fined and relegated to the third division in Outer Mongolia. Either that or they should forfeit the points.

Oor response has been typically low key and pandering to the establishment. Not that I think the SPL’s decision warrants mass shootings and public floggings. No matter what happens the Huns still have to play 4 games in 8 days. Us wishing them no “disadvantage” is wrong though. We should have wished them 1000 injuries and horrible deaths.

Aiden had the right idea. After he had left Nacho The Skankmonsters pocket, in time to collect two POTY awards, that Nacho will never see in his life, he made clear what the Celtic team thought of the proposed cheating fae Govan.

He also had a wee dig at The Skankmonster. The only person that has ever been in Novo’s pocket is his besty mate while he was shagging the guys burd behind his back after his besty mate had put him up in his flat. The Skankmonster showed all the morals of a hun by pumping her. Nice. He is a wee scroat.

Hopefully Aiden’s idea of banter includes, nutmegging, running past, dummying, shimmying and generally ripping the wee scrotal a new arsehole on Sunday. By 2.20pm on Sunday I want The Skankmonster locking himself in a darkened room screaming for his Mum while the ghosts of Broadfoot and Ricksen whisper in his ear “Have you been embarrassed at CP too.....”

Will Scott Brown be on the park to see it though. Oor Gordie has been quoted as saying that his return to the team is not guaranteed after his three game ban for being a petulant wean over the last 6 months.

Three games out, three wins and three decent performances from his replacement who is carrying on his form that made him a pretender to Aiden’s crown. There is a saying that you have to play the form players for your team to be successful no matter the name, ego or price tag.

It’s a mantra that oor manager disnny really follow. It’s no surprise to see oor manager bringing back big money players as he signed them, no matter if they have been pish for months(see Massimo). Stubborn as he is, Gordie surely canny look to change a winning midfield (I’m discounting Massimo from the Sheepie game, as he was a passenger) if available and all fit?

Hartley and Robbo proved their worth in the last derby game. El Cairdo may come up wie a plan to knock these two off their game (for all his faults he usually disnny make the same mistake twice) and a return for Broon could outfox him.

Add to that maybe a starting spot for Sammy (if JVOH and Skippy are fit, if JVOH is still injured then Sammy will start) could freshen up and worry a backline that will probably contain Weir and Dailly.

The game is as much won off the pitch as it is on it. Celtic varied the play in the first game going mair direct often rather than the patient, slow game they played at the weekend. If they try that again- the slow build up- Der Huns tactics of 6-4-0. or 7-3-0 or 4-1-4-1 will easily contain us. We just have to look at the period we played against 10 men against them to see that we could struggle against them.

We require that when we have the ba’ we have to use it purposefully and when we are on top make it count. That’s one thing we dinny do. Last Wednesday in the first half we were that far in front- possession wise- we should have been creating mair chances. Yes, we will have a lot of the ba’ but we canny expect a last minute goal every week to pull us oor the mire. We have to punish the teams when we have the ba’.

Again, first goal will decide how this game is going to go. We score it then we have the platform to boost on, they score it.....like they have done numerous times this season (and remember it’s 15 years since they lost a derby when they scored the first goal) it gives them something to hang onto.

Celtic inflicted The Huns first defeat in 19 domestic games. In fact, if you now take the Huns overall form (all games and competitions) they are 4 games wieoot a win. Injuries and suspension maybe play a part but could this be pointing to a loss of form?

Celtic are 3 games undefeated (them and ICT are the form teams in the SPL). We have dropped 7 points oot of an available 36.

In the last 13 Derby games at CP, The Huns have only scored 4 goals. Last Wednesday was the only time they huvnae managed to get a winning result for almost 5 seasons when they have scored at CP. That last minute goal broke an important sequence.

Looking back the huns record is terrible at CP. For this to continue then we need to gain the proven advantage of scoring first on Sunday. Big decisions for the manager tactics wise and personnel wise but all the stats point to a slender 1-goal victory for Celtic.

More stats from CelticStats and another preview at The Offside.

Forza