Thom Header v. Falkirk

Since cyberspace ate ma Falkirk preview, some classic Hoops v The Bairns

Mon The Hoops

My Name Is Joe, Again

Now, signing players for the sake of signing players is sheer folly. It's something teams in dire straits do and something that hopefully will come back and bite the r*ngers on the arse.

In GS 1st season we signed players for the sake of signing players, due to lack of numbers, and ended up wie Camara, Virgo and Du Wei. This action, for me, is the action of a manager who is desperate and is willing to take numbers over quality, which sometimes situations dictate.

News today that, oor scoring cup winning full back was back on the managers radar has come as a surprise and has caused a collective scratching of heids from the naysayers.

After the cup final i posted that Doumbe was not good enough. He lacked defensive nonce, his positional sense was suspect and while he did a no bad job he was not the quality we were looking for.

When you are in oor position, winning leagues, cups and progressing in Europe any signing should improve the squad. Doumbe disnny tick any of those boxes and to tell you the truth if we canny do any better then i would rather Paul Caddis and Gary Irvine got their chance to deputise.

The most annoying thing is that we have had the whole summer to plug this problem position. We are meant to have scouts all over the world, thousands of players on file, we would leave no stone unturned in the quest to find an unearthed gem and have had all summer to find a player to improve this position.

So why is it we have returned to a player who wisnny worth offering a contract to after his first spell and a player that couldnae get a contract wie the mighty Sheff Utd. Begs the question have we pished in the pot and left this position to chance and the bargin basement?

One thing r*ngers have done, apart from spend loads of dosh, matching us and building a team that will trouble us, they have bought players to plug problem areas. The Naismith debacle is the perfect example. They had the dosh but Wallie thought the right hand side was a priority area.

What would GS have done in the same situation? Faced wie the choice of a creative player or a full back who would have improved us, i think i can safely say oor budget would be blown on the player we didnae need.

One thing's for sure the Caldwell household will be sleeping more easily this evening safe in the knowledge that a full back slot is still up for grabs.

Forza

celtic v hearts

Watch these highlights and ask yourself does this look like a 9m goalie?

I fear Keano has been on the bevvy wie Bryan Robson, Lee Sharpe and Norman Whiteside.

Makams beware.

Celtic, Put Celtic In The Dock.

I shouldnae really do it but for ma sins i listened to part of the radio phone in's to night.

I knew it was wrong as Celtic today issued this statement meant for the travelling hordes that will fill Westfield this Saturday, allowing the meeja outlets to report it like this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/6936961.stm

Now, while i don't mind this statement, we have the Celtic Social Mission Statement, we needed to be seen to do something in the wake of Inverness; when i read it i was a bit annoyed by the wording, or the use of one word. The word sectarian.

That word allows us to be linked by the media to a team that the only link we have with is that we share the same city. We have no cultural or heritage links in fact the history and founding of both clubs couldnae be mair chalk and cheese.

The use of the sectarian word means that Celtic have put oor fans on trial for sectarian signing when sectarian singing is not a problem within oor support. Political, i have no problems with, the add on's and certain songs have too stop or they will damage the club but we are anything but sectarian.

Tonight the airwaves were polluted by views that Celtic brought on themselves by including the line that we are a non sectarian club.Including this line makes it look like we are sectarian.

Why did they feel the need to say this? Outside influences or just a toeing of the party line thus diluting, further, their own image of the club they are try to make a global brand.

We know we are a non sectarian club, we have been for 119 years.

Today has been the perfect example that we are guilty, withoot trial, withoot evidence but by association only.

Time to disassociate oorselves from this Old Firm tag once and for all.

Forza

Will Riordan Get A Second Chance This Week

It's a question that has been debated up and doon the land, like the Mid Lothian question, except involving a wee guy from Lothian and not an outdated 300 year old agreement. Now could the reason for oor Deeks absence from the opening weekend is explained..

http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1234792007

Or is it?

Could oor manager have just been looking oot for the young gifted talents mindset by giving him time off as the threat of a wee spell in the "big hoose" hung over- bad choice of words maybe?- him like a driving ban over Lee Hughes.

Now since that threat to join the gallant band of Ferguson, Adams, Pennet and the aforementioned Hughes has been lifted from his skinny frame will we see his skinny frame at Falkirk on Saturday manfully struggling against the elements that the wide open spaces of Westfield are a magnet to?

Or is there a Mid Lothian question? One which involves Mid Lothian pubs and clubs, which oor Deek is allegedly adept to frequenting much to oor teetotal managers dispair?

I know nothing of this except the rumours i have read on the net but if true and oor managers reported reaction to them, then i wonder if oor manager has booted Gary Caldwell in the baws for extra curricular activities and a hungover appearance on Soccer AM?

So has Deek burned his bridges due to the above or is there something else? Like maybe the hoops fans just bought into the meeja lauding of Deek as the next big thing that they fed us for two seasons.

A failed bid from R*ngers, who have since come up wie a hundred thousand reason why they didnae sign him, then us buying him for a so called steal we maybe thought that we had bought the finished article when really we might have just purchased a player of limited ability that if he had came through oor youth set up might have been classed the same as a Mark Burchill or Jamie Smith.

There is a folly and risk by signing players that impress in the SPL. Players can shine for lesser clubs but when the step up is made then their big player in a small club ability shines through and they are unable to handle the next step physically or mentally.

Some will be the exception of that rule, most will fall into it, but maybe it's time for the manager to give Deek his chance to see what camp he falls into.

Forza

We Did Raise The Flag Yesterday

Now, no matter how bad we were yesterday a small matter, of raising the league flag was completed before the game. After the usual, the now yearly, speech by oor chairman who babbled on aboot money in the bank, eh i must admit i missed most of his speech, why chairmen need to jump on the teams success is beyond me, i mean did he score in the 93rd minute against Killie to win the league?, no but it wisnny the pub that made me late it was an accident on the M74.

The pomp of the official flag raising was bettered for me by the flag show by the Jungle Bhoys who have a few new flags for the new season particularly the, impressive, Henrick Larsson one.

At least there was something decent aboot yesterday.

BBC have managed to find some highlights of the fare served as well

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_6930000/newsid_6932500/6932555.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1

Forza

Same Sh*te....Different Season.....Useless 0 Killie 0

Must admit, i find it hard to write this match review. You see i've always hated maself for not trusting the manager, esp when i was quite happy he was appointed...but there was just something....cheap option..i just don't know what.

Today, i found maeself, 52 mins in, wishing Kenny Miller would come on, now we are bad when that happens. Today, i thought i was back in the old jungle watching Mark McNally punting baws to Brian O'Neill or Wayne Biggins. Bottomline is both those players would have been better than Vennegor of Hesslelink today.

The guy is no John Hartson, today in the first half, a baw across the top allowed the big fellow a chance to get between the defender and the goal, instead he was shoved off the baw, big Hartson would have fired the bloke on his arse and scored. Mate, yer six feet odds and over 12 stone, i think, stop being a lightweight.

Nampy pampy upfront, we could still be playing the now and we would still not look like scoring, nae creativity at all and worst of all, for me, two subs that border on the puzzling, that back up ma fears that oor biggest problem is going to come from within.

Now, after watching them yesterday i wisny worried. Today, i'm bricking it. Clueless, Moscow...we couldnae beat Motherwell, on that showing, never mind a decent side. Nae Riordan, the manger takes off oor best player and leaves the best beard grower in Ecosse on the park and brings on another lumbering oaf for us to hump aimless baws too.

And they wonder why we have doubts? Any harbouring over why we have doubts should have been dispelled in the second half today. We didnae have a clue..oor management didnae have a clue.

I want to come away from a game wie a bit of hope in ma heart. Today i came away no believing that we could be worse than last year, nae hope, nae positives. If we had missed barrowload of chances, then fine, if we played well then fine..nae improvement from last year is what i didnae want to see.

Now i'm going to say this, i want it to come back and bite ma arse but GS won't last the season if that's the fare he is going to serve up. If they or anyone get well in front of us then GS will walk the dosh he has spent and the squad he has got means we shouldne be struggling at home against Killie. The managers shortcomings where their for all to see today. His jacket is on a shaky nail no matter how his record stands up. If we lose the league to this r*ngers team then it is a sacking offence.

Strange thing is that oor bus was great on the way home, the patter, the banter was top as was the jungle bhoys banner display. As the Beatles once said "When we are in times of trouble, mother Mary comfort me, speaking words of wisdom let it be"

It's a long and winding road but i wonder who will speak words of wisdom to oor manager?

Forza

Russian roulette,not the game we wanted

E-mails have been flying back and forth all morning between maself and a few lurkers, who lurk dangerously on this site. All stated that, in the run up today’s draw it really feels like the season was beginning. It felt like the beginning of something happening, to steal the words of Ian Brown.

At quarter to eleven, I got goose bumps, thinking aboot the season ahead, thinking aboot Naka against Man U and oor performance in Milan, the fears I had withered away and I was awash wie hope.

At eleven seventeen, the adage fitbaw fans saying, that bloke from the beeb and Homer Simpson, that it’s the hope that kills you was never so true. When ma phone went and two words “Spartak Moscow” came from the receiver, the hope was replaced wie the feeling you get when a free kick hits you in the family jewels.

There was a few dodgy teams we could have got but don’t think that there is any doubt Spartak, well into their season, top of their domestic league and back by a Russian Oil baron who is not afraid to chuck roubles at them, were the worst team we could have got.

In the aftermath of the draw, the thinking that the UEFA cup will do oor co-efficient guid and produce a feel guid factor, as we would surely have a decent run, was topper most on ma mind.

Spartak will fancy their chances and make no mistake they would have fancied drawing us. Their fitness, sharpness, roubles and their artificial pitch all stake things in their favour.

Add to that, our record, Milan aside, of losing on average three goals every away game in Europe and oor defence fear of pacy centre forwards and teams playing on the counter, then the Russians will be kosacking and drinking vodka that makes you go blind for fun tonight.

The last team we played from the Eastern block was Shakter. Over two legs they well beat us and I don’t expect Spartak to be any worse than them. Mair worryingly the team they faced that night was better than the one we have now.

But....being a hoop there is always hope. Hope that only a fan can have. There must be a reason they haven’t been seeded. Their European record must be dodgy for them to be non-seeded. Like all Russian teams they might not travel well and if we survive the 1st leg CP will be bouncing for the 2nd.

I remember the fantastic night in the Amsterdam Arena, well i say remember that cake made me go funny, when the hoops produced a vintage display to qualify for the CL for the 1st time. Again that team was better than this one but that gives me hope.

The seeding system is set up so the bigger boys get teams they should beat. So if we canny beat Spartak, when stats say we should we dinny deserve to be in the Champions League.

This round always brings a few surprises. This year we have been lined up for the chop.

Forza.

Hopes, Fears and Loathing For The New Season

It's usually at this of the year that hope, fear, panic, realisation, dreams and a big doze of realism, usually delivered by the underwhelming pre-season games, flood our waking thoughts and sometimes our sleeping ones.

A time when the written media, spoken media and the crap media make predictions for the up coming season. These predictions are usually based on their hopes and desires for their favourite team, but they always have one eye on the big move from sports lackey to chief lackey and a wee spot on setanta talking bolloxs.

As Craig Burley, Jock Broon and Mark Hately have proved being biased with a chip on your shoulder doesn't does your profile no harm.

In this sense they are no different from fans. All fans make these predictions as well, usually filling a greedy bookies already bulging pockets with daft bets like Spurs to win the Epl etc, and cyberspace is the perfect foil for the supporters to air whether the team should play a 4-4-2, what the starting 11 should be, how high or low the team should be aiming and, the best one i have read so far what away team will bring the loudest fans.

Again, our pre-season has, rightly or wrongly, had us questioning our signings,our managers tactics, players worth and the worth of taking these pre-season games. The hoops, in the media, have already been bullied by Walters expensively assembled thugs in boots and some of the fans have bought into this view big style.

Me? Here's my hopes, fears and loathing for the season 07/08.

Hopes

Football without fans is nothing....something that could bite the hoops on the bahookie if the poor season book take up is anything to go by. Fans, while seeing winning leagues and trophies as the be all and end all, us, the Celtic fans need to be entertained. This year is, i hope, going to be the cavaliers v the roundheads. The beauty v the beast, not the stodgy v the stodgier.

After the hope produced by GS's team 1 all was lost by the failure of team two to produce entertaining football, something that the players and management have agreed with. Our signings have further reduced the age of the squad and with that a younger squad should bring an energy not seen last season.

Our signings in the summer, while we have doubts over some, the big money lads, have been added to an area that most needed an injection of energy. Brown on the evidence so far is going to be a star. His energy on and off the park, including his handling of the press today regarding Murray's wage claim, means he is going to be adored by the hoops.

The lovers of the fine art of midfield play are going to love the skill, the vision and technique of Donati. Both these players add what we want to see. Add Aiden and Naka to that mix and we surely should entertain?

Fears

I don't buy the we will be bullied tag but i fear it. Certain games last season we looked lightweight and this pre-season in a few dodgy 1st half's. We don't seem to hassle or tackle at times and we seem quite content to file back behind the ball and try to steal. Newcastle scored 4 goals after no-one tackled in wide areas.

Will we be able to stand up, mix it, grind out results and more importantly keep cool and play our game when the leagues hammer throwers are hammering away?

For all that we have added i fear that we might find out our strikers were the problem all along. GS doesn't know his best pairing and at this time he has more options to choose from than this time last season.

Our main undroppable is now struggling to regain his early hoops form and i question the ability of his back up Chris Killen. Magic hasn't been seen since Christmas, Kenny has been misfiring since October and again like Killen Skippy could be of questionable quality. Add to that, our manager doesn't seem to fancy Rioirdon, who is regarded as the best finisher at the club.

The strikers highlight other problem we could encounter. We are top heavy in certain areas and weak in others. The weak areas, haven't yet, been sorted and the areas where we are top heavy the manager has some many options that, never mind knowing his best strike pairing he doesn't know his best 11.

Add all this into a mixer and it could mean we are shaping up to be masters of our own downfall if our manager doesn't get his mindset right or has the ability to solve these problems.

Loathing

Already i know i'm going to hate the new r*ngers team. Walter has based his recruiting round Fc Kanus of Gorgie template towards the tail end of last season. Big, mean, dirty and not a lot of ability but will grind away. Mind you the r*ngers team haven't been worth loathing for a couple of seasons so it's about time that changed.

The setanta panel will again be loathsome due to the presence of Craig Burley and his anti-Celtic chip on his shoulder will sure to ensure a few rants from this blogger.

Oh and the usual suspects of Hearts and Motherwell.

Also..i'm sure some sections of the Celtic support will annoy the living daylights out of me.

Forza

Celtic 1 Parma 0

"Ah...it's great to be hame" said a fellow traveller to the day's game, slugging a half bottle of buckie- sad i know, very stereotypical of a hoops fan-, as we turned into the London Road. A new season brings new hope and fears but the tingle of excitement when you see the dear old place for the 1st time again.

Not that the majority of he crowd felt the same. The hum of conversations, people catching up with their football pals, friends who you only see when watching 11 guys chasing round a ball or, like me, making new football pals as i have moved seat, was the loudest the crowd got all day.

The game had a pre-season feel, one team a week from the start of their season the other 3 weeks away from their big kick off, with pace rarely getting above training match. It was enlightened by a few tasty tackles a stramash involving Scott Broon and the Italians trying to mane wee Aiden after he had terrorised a full back to the point that he didn't return for the second half.

Again, Aiden played with bomp and brilliance but was infuriating in equal measures. When will the consistent final ball come? Still his 1st half performance when he destroyed the aforementioned full back was worth the admission money, even though it was a freebie i did have to pay ma bus fare and club membership, oh also a cola to drive away the hungover taste of ma mouth feeling like a bears arse, so it did cost me, and he wasn't the only player you would gladly pay to watch.

Scott Brown was Scott Brown. He put in the type of performance that will endear him to us. Full of energy, full of twists, turns and no small measure of skill. He will be a big player for us this season. Was shunted out on the right, to accommodate oor Zico Hartley, who again put in the type of performance that makes me wonder why we spent over a million quid on him. The only thing that has impressed is his ability to grow a beard very quickly.

He won't get a central berth, or he shouldn't anyway. Celtic played a sort of diamond midfield with Donati impressing as the anchor. This bhoy is a player. He is in the Pirlo mould, a regista, a quarter back, a conductor. He directs traffic always see's a pass always on the look out for a forward ball. In fact he is everything i thought the Grav was going to be.

I think he played deeper than he has been. Not bombing forward like i have seen. Maybe oor Gordon has looked at the Newcastle game and seen the flaws in his vision. One midfielder needs to sit. Donati looks like he is it but it wouldn't surprise me if Hartley somehow wangles that role or Caldwell for certain games.

Still, i saw nothing really that made me think that we are in for a goal feast. Still toothless in attack, with Magic and the increasingly frustrating Jvoh, who stormed up the Sally Gunnell when subbed, were poor. They were easily reigned in by a defence that nearly got relegated last season.

Where is the big Dutchman who terrorised defenders with such ease at the start of his hoops career? He is no threat anymore and maybe should no longer be considered as an untouchable undroppable.

Also the full backs need competition. Naylor had a mare again. He looked like a journeyman from Wolverhampton, a white Mo Camara. After his performance against Newcastle most players would have been dropped from the tyne brig not played the following game.

Wilson was more steady, JFK and Mick the same but the nagging doubt remains that we won't get the best oot of that back four unless quality competition is bought to challenge and push the full backs and no Doumbe is not it.

More worrying for me is i really didn't see any sign of urgency or enough to say this season will be any different from last. Now i know, unlike some who think winning a pre season game, with two late goals to send their fans bouncing wildly, getting booked for an OTT celebration and lording it as if they had won the European cup, means nothing and when the real stuff starts we should step it up. We now have the players to give us more energy from the middle.

Can the manager get them to do it though? The jury is still out on that one.

Forza

No Case For Defense

Now, I was looking forward to last night’s game. Unforeseen circumstances meant that I missed the 1st half but It was ok I told myself, oor pre season games are always crap, I won’t miss much.

Joined the game 43 mins into the 1st half, as I switched on the telly I was reminded aboot the days I used to leave the London Road Tav to go into the home games around that time, I was also looking for a wee bonus in the scoreline.

I wished I had stayed in the pub that was floating around in ma mind when the scoreline became clear. 3-0. 3-0 to a team that are no better than a middle of the road EPL team, but with bigger ambitions, and one, apart from Martins, that I wouldn't swap for any of the current hoops 1st eleven.

See as a fan it’s the hope that kills you. When switching on the Tv it was hope of a decent scoreline, which set ma heart a pulsing. Now, I was watching blankly as Rob McLean and Gary Pallister talked us through the 1st half.

The highlights had hope. We had created chances but the goals we lost were shocking. Poor defending in wide areas, not cutting out, or putting enough pressure on the player playing the final baw was the problem. But the highlights did have hope. I took to the well honed mantra lets win the second half and sat doon, i had been standing in front of the telly for the whole of half time in a sober drunken daze, to watch the second half.

My hope was justified, as the half progressed the hoops had the toon on the backfoot. Right, we weren’t creating much, but oor midfield play, esp Donati, Broon and McGeady were doing enough to suggest to me that we are in for good things this season.

Then we had a 20 minute spell when the scoreline should have been reversed. Broon- my new favourite nark- could have scored four goals, he only scored one. We looked ok at the back, not Naylor right enough he had his worst game in a green shirt, and my aim for us to win the second period looked a sure bet.

They went doon to 10 men and had brought on a goalie to play up front. I thought, right we are not going to turn it round but the second half has positives, which I will cling too for dear life.

Then came the boot in the nunchucks. The blow that takes away the hope, makes yer class half full and makes you feel like you lose a tenner and find a fiver. Hartley, powderpuff and slow- at fault for two goals, allowed Millner to cut inside and score. 4-1. Bloody 4-1. The scoreline lost some of the respectability it had gained at 3-1 and losing 4 goals is embarrassing and unforgivable.

We deserve abuse for losing four goals. We deserve to be questioned why this happened. The press will have a field day with this and rightly so. Already the English based media are laughing at their take of the Scottish League being poor being shown to be correct. My thoughts this morning are with English based hoops who have to listen to workmates crowing this morning.

So why is it then I, during a sleepness night, the thoughts going round in ma mind were mostly positive. I was only taking the positive things I had seen, while remembering the bad but thinking it was not all that bad.

Every so often I would think of the poor defending, reminded me of the Motherwell 4-4 game a few years back, and say how can I take positives oot a 4-1 defeat. I’m I that deluded I think a defeat, an embarrassing scoreline but one I really feel flattered the boys from the big market, like we have just suffered bodes well for the new season?

As I say it’s the hope that kills you.

Forza

Celtic FC @ Chicago Fire : 07/22/07

A Time For Some Questions....

Another pre season tour of the USA ends, again, with the hoops winless. Now, while it is hard to do a spot on, on the ball review, concerning games you haven’t seen, apart from the snippets posted here and of course D’s review, one question jumps out to be asked.

Is it not about time Celtic forgot about pre-season in the States?

These jaunts only seem to breed doubt, worry, anguish and woe amongst the fans and the media love to feed on this. Another poor performance against the Fire of Chicago- who in EPL terms are Watford- has seen much wailing and gnashing of wallies.

Right from the off, well after the MLS all star game, the players started their time honored, now a yearly occurrence, no matter who the personnel, only an excuse routine of altitude, long trip, heat, humidity, opponents fitter, sharper- don’t get me wrong these are factors- and the good old we will benefit from this line.

Now, history has proved this too be correct. Poor form in pre season has not hindered us, well last season our lack of goals pre-season haunted us big style, and we have went on to have successful seasons.

Thing is while pre-season for the players and management is about getting the fitness and sharpness correct with the later games in the program used as more of a guide to future tactics and team selections, us the fans, want to see hope in these games.

While we got it at QPR and the second half at Peterborough, the trip to the states has put our mindset back to square one. More questions than answers, and questioning of the ability of the managers signings.

Having watched a few pre-season games not involving the Hoops, Liverpool, Chelski and Spurs, while the aim of these games is clear the fact has not been lost on me that no matter what stage of fitness the teams are at not one has lost to lesser opposition. This was obtained using numerous subs and, ahem, experimental lineups.

The hoops looked sharp against Basle, were caught out by two late goals against Young Boys, found their feet against two lesser English teams then went to the states and treated it with contempt.

I understand why we go to the States. Our visit to Niketown and participation in the All Star game shows our profile. The fact, as it has been pointed out, that Nike have a big push on us in the States means these jaunts will continue with full backing of the board who smell the Yankee dollar.

Thing us, how long will the stateside Hoops stand for being mugged off with performances like the two produced. If we go we have to do it right. We have to get used to the surroundings play a tour of at least 5 games. Start off against college selects, MLS 2 teams then take on the big boys. Chelski played three games with the last one the biggest of the lot; we played our biggest first after being there two days against a team full of internationals.

If the players are just going to treat these trips as an inconvenience, a hindrance and only see themselves as part of a money-making machine results like the last 2 pre-seasons in the States will continue. We would be as well going to the arse-end of Germany to play amateur mobs.

Something’s got to give.

Forza

MLS All Stars vs Celtic FC

MLS All Stars 2 Celtic 0

Match report by D of DCentres fame...

When the Hoops come to America, they bring the rains of Glasgow with them. One year ago I was in Washington, D.C.'s RFK stadium as the rain poured, and there I watched D.C. United dismantle Celtic 4-nil. Tonight I am on my couch, dry and warm, but the Bhoys are in Denver, Colorado and there the rain is coming down. In a way, it pleases me to see the rain. Somehow, this is the right weather for a match with Celtic.

ESPN is bringing us tonight's match between the MLS all-stars and the Celtic Football Club on the television. However, since this is the all-star game, there is an extended amount of pregame filler, and all of it is about David Beckham. Number of distinct moments Beckham is mentioned in the pregame festivities? 23. Mentions of Celtic? 5. Something is amiss.

However, at 9:21 PM Eastern Time, Celtic takes the field, and they're in the hoops. This is good, one of the things I missed in their previous visit to our shores. We want to see Celtic in that kit, we want the hoops. Not that the international kits weren't stylish, but they weren't the team we longed to see. When you only see a team once every few years, these things matter. We want the entire experience, and tonight they oblige. Your starting line up is

...McDonald - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden... (I'm sure that's been said before, but hey...) Jarosik - Donati - Brown - Hartley Naylor - McManus - Pressley - Wilson and Boruc

The game starts slowly, but MLS earned the first chance of the night when Ricardo Clark broke between Naylor and McManus before sending the shot right at Boruc. Wilson seemed to have difficulty with the speed he was seeing from Juan Pablo Angel, and Celtic does not seem to congealing while MLS is starting to find their rhythm. In the 12th minute Celtic could have sparked a nice counter but Hartley couldn't settle a difficult switch.

Pressley starts establishing the tone of his night as he clears out a Ronnie O'Brien cross in the 12th minute. For this, he is excellent, as MLS found no favor in attacking from the flank. As for things up the middle... well, not so much. Still, Naylor shows good pace joining the attack in the 15th minute, but again Celtic gets bogged down with some physical defending. This will also set the tone of the night. Celtic's touch and passing were generally fine, but they showed the most rust in how they handled physical play. For almost an hour no one on Celtic seemed to know how to fight through a tackle or handle the pressing marking being applied by Jimmy Conrad and Shalrie Joseph.

Celtic earned the first corner of the night in the 19th minute. It sailed on Hartley, the thin air of Denver exaggerating a ball that was probably only slightly over hit at lower altitude.

In the 21st minute, Eddie Johnson makes some nifty moved and sends a cross over to Juan Toja, who's beaten Wilson and is alone with Boruc. Boruc makes himself huge and earns his second big save of the night. Still, MLS is starting to establish their advantage now. In the 27th minute Pressley shows the weakness of his game, fouling Dwayne De Rosario about 5 yards out of the box and picking up a caution.

Pressley all night couldn't figure out how to make a clean tackle on a player running at him, but as I said before he was excellent in the air. Regardless, the free kick starts a sequence that ends with an MLS corner kick. The corner from Ronnie O'Brien finds Eddie Johnson, who is fouled (and he sells the foul, but is fouled none-the-less) by Scott Brown. The referee awards the penalty, and Eddie Johnson steps up to take it against Boruc.

Boruc has come up huge twice early, and now he does so again, diving to his right and deflecting Johnson's shot out for another corner. Surely this would change the momentum of the match? For a moment, perhaps, as Donati starts to get into the game with some nice touches, McDonald earns a foul for a free kick, but Hartly's crosses in the run of play are ultimately a shade off, and MLS keeper Matt Reis cuts them out easily. I also note that by the 35th minute, Brown is largely invisible, and JVo'H has also found little room to maneuver.

In the 36th minute, Shalrie Joseph finds Dwayne De Rosario from midfield, and DeRo sends a nicely weighted through ball into Juan Pablo Angel. Angel splits McManus and Pressley to get in on Boruc, and then dribbles poor Artur who sprawls on his right side. Angel easily finds the net.

Goal, MLS 1 : 0 Celtic F.C.

McDonald gets the first shot off the night for Celtic in the 41st minute, a scorching low beast from about 25 yards. It beats Matt Reis but clatters off the far post, and it would be the closest Celtic would be to scoring in the first half.

In the 44th minute, Pressley again fouls DeRo and sets up a free kick opportunity for MLS. The kick is poorly taken, and pings off the wall.

However, Celtic seems unable to clear, and either Brown or McDonald end up touching the ball directly to Juan Toja, who take one touch and fires the shot from eight yards past Boruc.

Goal, MLS 2: 0 Celtic FC. And a minute and change later, the half ends.

Celtic in the first half were not dreadful, but not especially frightening either. The main problem was them consistently surrendering posession to only moderate physical contact. While MLS defenses tend to be physical, they don't hack that much more than your average Scottish League team, and this seemed to be the area where Celtic most needed to find their form. They were unable to either elude or fight through tackles, and multiple promising attacks on the wing would die out due ot this. Brown seemed mostly ineffective, Taylor showed well, and Jarosik showed great pace and ability to track back on the ball. Donati and JVoH (I fear the carpal tunnel syndrome that awaits the poor hoops bloggers who type this name out) were largely ineffective, with Donati being a particular disappointment in his inability to manufacture anything in a forward direction.

The rest of the game went mostly quietly (by which I mean my handwritten notes are becoming more illegible at this time.) After 34 distinct mentions, David Beckham is interviewed during the interval. Apparently his ankle hurts, and he may not play against Chelsea. I should not take any amusement in this.

No changes after the half for Celtic. Hartman subs for Reis as the MLS Keeper.The opening moments of the second half see Celtic looking better than they did the previous 45. Did GS really lay into them? Brown starts to be more active, and earns a foul of Shalrie Joseph by fighting through the contact. First moment of hope for Celtic. Second moment of hope comes in the 51st minute, when McDonald easily puts a rebound off of Hartman into the net. However, it is called back for offside, and the replay confirms that at the time of the initial shot, he is indeed well and truly over that line.

52nd minute. Miller in for JVoH, and he provides some nice speed. McGeady in for Jarosik, and he provides some spark as well. Both do well in their roles as subs, with Miller settling a ball nicely in the box in the 85th minute (before he surrenders it with no help around him) and McGeady making some really nice moves in the 62nd, turning his marker around with an excellent change of direction and sending a smoking cross into McDonald who just puts it wide. Balde comes in for Pressley, Gravesen for Donati, and Magic for McDonald round out Celtic's subs, but none of them make a real impression with the time remaining.

MLS starts to make its subs in the 65th minute, as Landon Donovan replaces Eddie Johnson, Brian Ching comes in for Juan Pable Angel, and my boy (and DC United's own) Christian Gomez subs for DeRo. Donovan has some nice runs (and a beautiful 40 yard outlet pass for Brian Ching) and Gomez has a goal of his own called back for the offside infraction (barely, but correctly called). From the 65th to the 85th minutes, the MLS side is clearly in control, though Celtic would find occasional moments. Boruc pulls out one more classy save when he stoned Ronnie O'Brien in the 79th. More substitutions for in the 80th minute, with MLS giving Eddie Pope and Cobi Jones a chance to take a farewell bow as they near their retirement. Classy move by Steve Nicol, running them separately to earn their ovations.

Celtic's last chances came after the 85th minute, as Miller nearly gets sent in. After Naylor has a dodgy moment with his knee while he tried to settle a ball, he and McGeady combine to force some pressure on the MLS backs. A corner in the 87th sees some nice pressure from Celtic, but then it breaks and the three minutes of stoppage are a tired, easygoing affair.

Full time.MLS 2 : 0 Celtic FC.

Boruc was excellent, despite giving up two goals (one was impossible for him to do, and the other was clearly a case of Juan Pable Angel outpacing him). I was also pleased by Taylor, McGeady, McDonald, and Miller. Pressley and McManus weren't in sympatico, and I'm not sure who is more to blame. Brown and Donati were disappointing and ineffective.

For MLS, Toja and Angel did what the should have done, with Toja really making a strong case for MLS Player of the Year at this point. Eddie Johnson was more creative than I recall him being. Shalrie Joseph and Dwayne DeRosario combined well, and the back line seemed fairly poised. Each of the subs made before the 80th minute got a chance to show something, and it was nice. Ronnie O'Brien was disappointing, as his crosses lacked their famed precision and just regular passes started to desert him at the end. All in all?

What we expected. Celtic has some things to work on and correct before competition begins in earnest, although it isn't what I expected. MLS looked fine for a hastily assembled team of the best talent in the league, and did what they should do in this situation. Not the greatest night of soccer I've seen as a neutral, but if you can't smile when you first see those emerald hoops take to the pitch then I fear for your soul. It does the heart good to see that.

The DCenters: http://dcunitedblog.blogspot.com

Because really, the internet is one giant bar argument about US Soccer.

Think we will all like to give D, a big YNWA and much kudo's for that match report, which he kindly agreed to do for us since the 2am start and limited availability of coverage on the net. A lot to discuss but it just seems the hoops reverted to the same old friendly fire, lets not tackle or be tackled mindset.

Forza

QPR 1 Celtic 5

Born in the USA

As the hoops boarded their long haul flight to the guid ole US of A, news that oor Roy Keano has taken leave of his senses and bid over eight million big ones for, the sometimes hapless, against us anyway, Craig Gordon got me thinking.

If that is the going rate for a decent goalie what is the going rate for a guid goalie? A guid goalie that won a MOTM award against Germany in last years World Cup and has played and excelled in the topper most of the top club competition, that’s the Champs League for you at the back not the CBSPL.

Also he is as mad as a hatter and as complex a character as Carlos Tevez’s contract, lads we have a 15m player on oor hands taking the lanky jambo as the bench mark. Enough dough to make a WOW signing…

But ye dinny need to shop at the top end according to Darryl chief sports lackie at the Herald. Seemingly oor friends in the west have been shopping at Pre Mark but getting designer wears. I would say shopping at the barras for designer knock off’s mair like.

I digress, the hoops have returned to the land where last season oor buttocks were well and truly felt like an attendee at a Will Young concert. Thing is, us taking part in the showpiece game of the MLS mid season we could be in for the run around again.

We are up against the cream of the MLS and even though we have had a decent run oot against Peterborough and QPR this is a step up make no mistake. While I’m not going to claim I’m up on the MLS, I do take time to read the fantastically, in depth, witty and well written, all things this is not, DC Utd blog which is linked on the side bar.

Now, this morning after buying Pravda, I read the article on the game and two names mentioned sprung oot like a sair thumb from the all stars team. Christen Gomez and Juan Toja. Two names I have read aboot very often.

Gomez plays for DC Utd and is the reason Freddy Adu is pitched up in Salt Lake City, oh that and the fact he didnae like DC’s ex coach making him run in training- makes you wonder how would he fair in the infamous beep test at barrowfield.

Gomez is an Argentinian playmaker in the mould of all Argentinian playmakers. The kind of player they produce like oor climate produces rain. Toja is a Colombian midfielder who is on loan to FC Dallas from River Plate. When Dallas played DC the other week, the DC boys called his performance a masterclass. I think it’s not like us saying a journeyman from Inversenkie had a guid game against us.

Also in the midfield is Evander Sno’s cousin Shalrie Joseph who has already impressed the watching hoops. This I going to be hard shift in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park wie GS already talking aboot the heat slowing the temp doon that we are trying to play at.

A tempo found at the weekend. Scott Browns v QPR goal showed something we have missed since Stan left. Aiden came in from the flank and where last season no runner would be forthcoming from the middle, Brown was charging like a March hare giving him an option of the pass.

Even though some hoops are still feeling a bit detached so far this season due to the far flung nature of the pre season games and lack of coverage on Tv, that small moment on 20 seconds highlights made me think it’s not long until the 29th July and Parma at home.

Forza

Ssssh…It’s All-Quiet In The East End

Now, most teams have no returned to pre-season training and managers have had time to have wee conflabs wie their chairmen, chief exec’s or dodgy new owners. These conversations, especially in the EPL and the other assorted English clubs, will be aboot wonga, spondolicks and how to pish it up against the wall.

Sixteen million for Darren Bent, where’s ma cheque book. Over five million for Jason Komas, nae probs, here give him thirty five thousand pound a week as he will need a sweetener to park up in the Lancashire oasis of Wigan.

Wie the top order, breaking record transfer fee’s on a regular basis, the middle order and the have nots in the EPL have raised the bar, for all, by paying OTT fees and wages for, on the face of it, very average players. Before the lure of the Champions League, 60,000 fans and the chance to win honors, not the cash for kind, and the chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in Britain would attract players.

Chris Sutton, Neil Lennon and Alan Thompson, if they were available now- at the age and height of their powers at the time we signed them- we wouldnae have a hope of attracting them to the SPL. A Fulham, Wigan, West Ham, Villa or a Portsmouth would pay a massive fee and give them 60,000 reasons a week to fight relegation or stagnate in mid table nothing-ness.

Perfect example this week is Craig Bellamy. When Bellars was on loan at the Hoops when it came to signing permanently, the rumored stumbling block, was his insistence that a clause was inserted in his contract that allowed him to leave if a Champs League club came in wie six million. Rumors this close season were off that Bellars said he had unfinished business up here and money widnae be a problem.

But money was a problem. The money Liverpool wanted ruled oot any notion that the Hoops would even be in the running to sign him. The money Liverpool asked for him was deemed too much for a lot, Villa especially, of potential suitors and thus Bellars principals that European fitbaw is a must gave way to I’ll take a massive wage, a downward step and make noises aboot the Irons having European potential to convince maself that I’m here for the long haul in a team that is going places.

I’m disappointed Bellars didnae return but I fully understand, dinny accept mind you, why it didnae happen. A player of his ilk and the fact he knows what the club is aboot made him ma perfect WOW signing, as long as he stayed off the karaoke and didnae take his golf clubs on pre-season wie him. Thing is players like Bellars are at the top end off oor market. A player that we would need to go oot on a limb for. A budget-blowing coup that would steal he summer headlines, like Skoosh Broon his close season.

But he is not top drawer enough for the big teams in England, as his spell at Liverpool has proved, they are looking to a different level and Bellars is not of that quality, but any other club in the EPL and wie us, he is the bloody star and he is he dugs bollocks.

Thing is players wie Bellars experience and reputation that has been honed after years and years of scoring in the EPL and CL are now longer on oor shopping lists. The fee’s and wages are oot oor control and even if a player decided he wished to further his career at the Hoops, cause let face it we are surely a better fitbawin option than a Wigan or Fulham, we widnae even be able to sit at the table show oor hand.

Oor predicament is highlighted by oor posturing at the moment. It’s so quiet at CP that I would take any rumor at the moment no matter how outlandish it is. We still require to buy, a striker and full back cover, while getting rid off the proverbial deadwood. The fact of the matter is the SSM and GS should be pouring over offers for oor players, as getting rid is now paramount to us recruiting.

While, I think the fees for players are gathering interest in the bank, the problem is paying the wages. A three million deal means the same in potential earnings for the player, which means a three million gap, or a Tommy G or a Jaro, the suits must find.

Celtic can’t be seen to be desperate. Oor public statements declaring love for all oor squad is only rouse to allow us to charge top dollar for the not wanted. But the other suits in other clubs are not daft. Look at oor neebours in the west dealings this summer. Desperation means paying inflated fees, while a cool as cats demeanor leaves business partners sweating on oor hand and commitment to he deal.

Problem is everyman and his dug knows that us removing the Grav and his massive pay as you play incentives is oor main aim. The fact that clubs have been sniffing means that we have an asset who is generating interest but an asset whom is in a strong position wie regards to getting paid off.

The closer we get to the deadline for signing players to participate in the CL, the mair fraught oor dealings will be. If Grav canny be moved, then others may have to be sold to create the wages gap, or we pay him off weakening oor offers for others and oor long-term targets clubs may get jumpy wie the threat of money being withdrawn for unsettled players.

Unless this game of poker changes soon, I don’t expect any movement, rumors or bullshit to hit oor screens or backpages until close to the August D-Date. This taking care of business in oor world takes a lot longer than in the money laden English leagues.

Forza

BSC Young Boys 4 Celtic Glasgow 1

So it’s probably time to sack the manager, sell the entire team and sack the board. Donati is pants, so is Virgo and the quicker we send JFK on loan the better. Is that the current feeling amongst the Hoopy hoards on the tinternet?

I would hope not. I have abstained from looking at Celtic sites since 8.20pm on Saturday night. Ye see, the supports reaction is strangely expected and worrying. It has been that way since we have been blessed wie success and landed wie a manager that rubs, certain people up the wrong way.

Thing is, oor trip to the land of the cuckoo has served it’s purpose. All fit players in the squad given a run oot against opponents who were up for it and further on at this stage of the pre-season. A victory and a defeat, not as heavy as the scoreline suggests, is not the end of the world. In fact the second game ended exactly wie the type of performance i expected.

Ye see, two games in three games along wie hefty training sessions are only conducive to improving stamina and sharpness. Against teams who are up for it, see the meaty challenges that went unpunished by the homer of the ref in the second game, and who were fitter and sharper the last 20mins of games were always going to be a fly by the seat of yer pants case.

Basel couldnae punish us, fact is the backline that finished the Basel game looked a lot more solid than the backline that finished the Young Boys game, but Young Boys did wie two goals in the last two minutes when the hoops team were trying to get themselves back into the game but the legs, touch and sharpness just weren’t there.

We were stretched at the final two goals, which gave the scoreline a flattering look to the average Swiss side. Hakin Yakin no longer looks like a yeti but still proved to leave the bhoys wie thorns in their sides after two easy shootie in chances for him.

From the start the Hoops play was slack. Passes going astray, passes short we just looked oot of sorts from the word go. We looked heavy legged and weary. Young Boys were up for the Urehin Cup while the fact we used 20 players probably belittled their enthusiasm.

Oor two best chances, one was the goal and Balde’s free heider, came from set plays. The other night we created chances through decent fitbaw and wing play from the full backs. On Saturday Barney played full back, to great aplomb but he is a midfielder, and this shows the lack of options we have in this area. Fullback is a position that is paramount to GS tactical vision but the lack of attention getting paid to it is worrying.

In the second half, after 8 changes at half time, we looked mair disjointed as the game progressed. The Swiss got fitter and the Hoops got weaker. Apart from flashes of skillfull wing play from Barney- the only bright spot and player too get passmarks- and Aiden we created nothing. We had a wee spell when we kept the baw for a period but oor final baw was non-existent and at no time did we look like scoring.

The maist annoying thing aboot Saturday was listening to Jock Broon gloating over the abject second half. He was enjoying it and he could hardly contain his joy when “former r*ngers target” Hakin Yakin scored two late goals.

It’s pre-season ye div. Has history not told you that the hoops, historically in pre-season have been pants and in fact that we have scored two goals in two games means that this pre-season oot-shines last years pre-season?

When we roll up to Peterbourgh on Friday we will have another week of pre-season under the belts. The players should by then be aiming for at least looking sharper and lasting a lot longer in games before blowing oot their arses after 60 or 70 mins.

Stage two of pre-season starts today and maybe now we are back on home soil GS and the SSM will be hammering their mobiles trying to offload and recruit. Maybe oor Swiss trip will be the last time we see some in the Hoops.

Forza The Hoops

Fc Basel 0 Celtic Glasgow 1

New season, new setanta coverage same old Scott “I’M JVoH best pal ye know” Booth inane ramblings. Wie Davie Hay in the studio giving his ying to Scott’s yang then surely we can hope for a more balanced view i thought but as it turned oot i didnae need to worry as Mr Booth was kind to us, well he had no reason no to be.

So the Celtic tour kicked off in the less than splendid surroundings of what looked like Glebe Park in January after tattie howking season. The hoops, lead oot by Elvis, contained another two ex-gers in the line up, and to tell you the truth, two oot of the three i widnae be too fussed if they got a joe le max oot of the club, but hey ho.

The team started as Brown, Naylor, Elvis, JFK, Wilson, McGeady, Donati, Grav, Barney, Miller and Magic. Numerous subs, too many for me to list ensured that 18 players were used, including Jaro and Balde, and all that played would walk into any team in the SPL. Canny read anything into formations and subs as it’s only a sharpening up exercise at this time.

Due to 5 a side commitments i only saw the 1st 10 mins and the last half hour but here is ma impressions

0-10 mins- The game starts off like any pre-season game, misplaced passes and players struggling to find the pace. Good interplay, after 53 seconds, between Barney and Wilson leads to a quality baw in the box where Magic connected on the half volley and crashes a shot of the crossbar.

From the start Donati patrols the deep midfield and takes up the regista role. He plays a number of forward but wayward passes. At least they go forward.

The Grav also starts off not to bad, first few touches and passes find their targets. McGeady looks to be struggling wie the park....but Wilson looks comfortable.

64mins to 90mins- By this time the fact Basel are two weeks and a game ahead of the Hoops was beginning to tell. But it was the hoops that created the mair clear cut chance.

The lean mean blonde streaked Virgo getting a run oot at RB swung in a Beckhamesq cross which was meet by Skippy. The keeper made a decent save but the heider didnae have enough power to trouble really.

Minutes later Balde falls asleep and losses his man, he is caught, again, wie a through ball in behind and the big man turns as slow as a ship in the Clyde. Only poor finishing prevents an equaliser.

It’s noticeable that everything guid aboot Celtic in this period is coming via Scott Broon. He drives the team up the park 20 yards every time he wins or receives position. Something we have been missing since Stan P left.

One such 30 yard run leads to him being brought doon at the edge of the box. Deek who is doing ok, decides to try and hit the guys from the Saltmarket bus wie the baw from the resultant free kick.

Lack of match practise means we hang on, withoot really being in danger at any point. We struggle to hold onto the ball in the final third but that should come.

Summary- Guid run oot wie all getting some leg time. The fact is this pre-season is already better than last, wie a goal and a victory.

Now the goal, i saw the highlights, Barney intercepted a shoddy pass, drove on, beat a man and slipped a baw that reeked of natural ability thru to Kenny Miller who still had a lot to do. His finish was also natural or unnatural for oor Kenny wie a wee dink over the on rushing goalie.

The kind of goal we expect the hoops to score. A goal created by creative thinking in the midfield. Something we want to see more off.

The Hoops will be sore this morning and tomorrow’s match will probably see more heavy legs towards the end of the game. Again we shouldnae read too much into the result, formation and performance but last night i think we saw enough to hope the hoops will be more dynamic next season.

Forza The Hoops.