This blog was conceived after the Scottish Cup Final of 2004 when Celtic played Dunfermline. The idea was discussed in The Last Post pub in Paisley late at night as a means of allowing us to share news, opinions and post links of mutual interest. The date of the Final was 22 May.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Rangers 0 Celtic 2
Bhoy was that good today. I'm trying not to get carried away and I might be kidding myself, but we really should kick on from this.
Yes all the more so for being unexpected given the previous few games. Lennon got tactics and selection spot on. The acid test will be if we can kick on from this - lets hope so, I'd hate to think Sunday was the highlight of the season. Aside from Lennon getting the monkey off his back of not winning a big game, one of many encouraging factors for me was the emergence of players who seemed to revel in a big game, which I hadn't seen before . I'm thinking particularly of Kayal but also includes others like Rogne and Forrest.
Back to earth with Hamilton but these midweek games have a habit of being difficult especially when you go one down to an offside goal. The McGinn decision was ridiculous. Compare that with the Broadfoot penalty against us with I think the same referee.
What about Peat though? Let him be next to go please. Interesting season but I can't see us winning the league on the recent results.
I don't think we played well enough to win and we are severely limited up front. That said, and laying aside the historic situation, its clear that following the McDonald incident, officials in general have it in for Celtic this season. The McGinn decision was ridiculous, but I thought the Hamilton offside goal took the biscuit. Decisions don't come any easier than that and quite simply can only be explained as the actions of someone who wants to 'teach' Celtic a lesson. I expect more in the weeks to come regardless of whether the bigot Peat stays on or not.
The three home alone games in December nearly killed me. The effort it took for me to go to those games made me think, maybe I really don't care anymore. And then along came Ibrox! For me, it was the best one off Glasgow derby since demolition afternoon and I began to think, maybe, just maybe. Of course, its always the hope and Hamilton showed how far the club has still to go. That sort of perfomance would not have been out of place in any of the last four seasons and it makes me wonder if Ibrox was just a fortunate coincidence of circumstances where there was few choices for the manager to make. As for the rest of it? I believe that the line of 'second class citizen no more' is correct. However, I also think that it haS hurt us on the park, not because of ridiculous decisions themselves, but because it was a both a distraction and a ready made excuse. I want the board to take on the SFA and their rabble. I want Lawell to challenge the establishment to take on Celtic PLC by continually pointing out the discrimation against our club, supporters and community that has been both perpretated and sactioned by the SFA over the last 123 years. I want him to contiually stress how unusual it was for a Chief executive from a ruling body to be dismissed for discriminating against a member club. I want him to highlight the discimination that was sanctioned by the SFA for a centuary. I want him, given any opportunity, to point out the decisions that have went against Celtic during the last two years and highlight the statistics that show the mind set of our 'top' referees. What I want from the coaches and the players is quite different. From the players I want to seee an attitude of 'If he chops of 3 we will score 5. If he gives them 2 we will score 4.' In other words use this as a motivation, not an excuse.
I can't see how the players can be distracted with all the off the park stuff. I think their performances have generally been inept. The one area that Lennon has sorted is the defence and that is a good start. I'm not sure this squad are capable of scoring 3 when the ref gives them 2. They seem to me more capable of throwing away good leads.
I'd like to see the "it's with our lawyers" stance by the PLC taken to the full extent including getting injunctions when appropriate. This needs to be separate from the playing side. The SFA must be fought all the way.
I'm also really disappointed that "the dossier" has never seen light of day. Does it exist? If it does then get it out.
One of the guys on CQN had a good idea. If we beat the huns in the cup then the fhans should bhoycott the next round. I think that would raise the profile of our concerns though I'm not sure the English meeja would be sympathetic. Our best hope is European/World coverage.
Diggy, At £38 a ticket, I would boycott Ibrox! I was looking at the performances & results since Tannadice and there does seem to be a difference in kind. You very well might be right about the players not being distracted, although they might use an excuse or two, but what about the coach and his staff? The club was in the centre of a storm where just about every news organisation declared open season on Celtic. The coach was at the centre of it and, during December, there was not a lot of evidence of work done on the trainng ground in the games. What I was trying to say last night was that I don't want the club to let let anything drop but I don't want anything to get in the way of our winning the league.
I agree - don't take the Ipox tickets - they are trying to sell that game as collateral to bring the likes of Goodwillie in (although they are welcome to him). They will make more out of meeting us in this round than they would in the final. Funny that.
How much have the huns made out of BBC Scotland in the last couple of years? Do you know if the BBC are subject to freedom of information questions?
Yes all the more so for being unexpected given the previous few games. Lennon got tactics and selection spot on. The acid test will be if we can kick on from this - lets hope so, I'd hate to think Sunday was the highlight of the season. Aside from Lennon getting the monkey off his back of not winning a big game, one of many encouraging factors for me was the emergence of players who seemed to revel in a big game, which
ReplyDeleteI hadn't seen before . I'm thinking particularly of Kayal but also includes others like Rogne and Forrest.
Back to earth with Hamilton but these midweek games have a habit of being difficult especially when you go one down to an offside goal. The McGinn decision was ridiculous. Compare that with the Broadfoot penalty against us with I think the same referee.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Peat though? Let him be next to go please. Interesting season but I can't see us winning the league on the recent results.
I don't think we played well enough to win and we are severely limited up front. That said, and laying aside the historic situation, its clear that following the McDonald incident, officials in general have it in for Celtic this season. The McGinn decision was ridiculous, but I thought the Hamilton offside goal took the biscuit. Decisions don't come any easier than that and quite simply can only be explained as the actions of someone who wants to 'teach' Celtic a lesson. I expect more in the weeks to come regardless of whether the bigot Peat stays on or not.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSo this is what the 21st centuary looks like.
ReplyDeleteThe three home alone games in December nearly killed me. The effort it took for me to go to those games made me think, maybe I really don't care anymore. And then along came Ibrox!
ReplyDeleteFor me, it was the best one off Glasgow derby since demolition afternoon and I began to think, maybe, just maybe. Of course, its always the hope and Hamilton showed how far the club has still to go. That sort of perfomance would not have been out of place in any of the last four seasons and it makes me wonder if Ibrox was just a fortunate coincidence of circumstances where there was few choices for the manager to make. As for the rest of it?
I believe that the line of 'second class citizen no more' is correct. However, I also think that it haS hurt us on the park, not because of ridiculous decisions themselves, but because it was a both a distraction and a ready made excuse.
I want the board to take on the SFA and their rabble. I want Lawell to challenge the establishment to take on Celtic PLC by continually pointing out the discrimation against our club, supporters and community that has been both perpretated and sactioned by the SFA over the last 123 years. I want him to contiually stress how unusual it was for a Chief executive from a ruling body to be dismissed for discriminating against a member club. I want him to highlight the discimination that was sanctioned by the SFA for a centuary. I want him, given any opportunity, to point out the decisions that have went against Celtic during the last two years and highlight the statistics that show the mind set of our 'top' referees. What I want from the coaches and the players is quite different.
From the players I want to seee an attitude of 'If he chops of 3 we will score 5. If he gives them 2 we will score 4.' In other words use this as a motivation, not an excuse.
John, forgot to say, spot on with your comment.
ReplyDeleteI can't see how the players can be distracted with all the off the park stuff. I think their performances have generally been inept. The one area that Lennon has sorted is the defence and that is a good start. I'm not sure this squad are capable of scoring 3 when the ref gives them 2. They seem to me more capable of throwing away good leads.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see the "it's with our lawyers" stance by the PLC taken to the full extent including getting injunctions when appropriate. This needs to be separate from the playing side. The SFA must be fought all the way.
I'm also really disappointed that "the dossier" has never seen light of day. Does it exist? If it does then get it out.
One of the guys on CQN had a good idea. If we beat the huns in the cup then the fhans should bhoycott the next round. I think that would raise the profile of our concerns though I'm not sure the English meeja would be sympathetic. Our best hope is European/World coverage.
Diggy, At £38 a ticket, I would boycott Ibrox!
ReplyDeleteI was looking at the performances & results since Tannadice and there does seem to be a difference in kind. You very well might be right about the players not being distracted, although they might use an excuse or two, but what about the coach and his staff? The club was in the centre of a storm where just about every news organisation declared open season on Celtic. The coach was at the centre of it and, during December, there was not a lot of evidence of work done on the trainng ground in the games. What I was trying to say last night was that I don't want the club to let let anything drop but I don't want anything to get in the way of our winning the league.
I agree - don't take the Ipox tickets - they are trying to sell that game as collateral to bring the likes of Goodwillie in (although they are welcome to him). They will make more out of meeting us in this round than they would in the final. Funny that.
ReplyDeleteHow much have the huns made out of BBC Scotland in the last couple of years? Do you know if the BBC are subject to freedom of information questions?
http://open.spotify.com/track/6sAbdRWPf9lsSDbXVgmdwG
ReplyDeletethis is for Gerry, a Bruce soundalike band.
Was at the game today, shite 1st half but the 2nd half did it for me.