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Celtic Diary Sunday October 16: Lunchtime Edition

The hoops got the points yesterday with a 2-0 win over Motherwell. The Lanarkshire side had obviously decided that there was to be no further humiliation for them in Glasgow, and opted to play a little defensively.

It’s games like this that win titles, and the result means the league table now look like this;

HOME AWAY
TEAM P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS
1 Celtic 8 4 0 0 17 3 3 1 0 9 5 18 22
2 Aberdeen 9 3 2 0 9 3 2 1 1 8 5 9 18
3 Up Hearts 9 3 1 1 11 4 2 1 1 5 3 9 17
4 Down Rangers 9 2 2 0 5 2 2 1 2 6 9 0 15
5 St Johnstone 9 1 1 2 3 5 3 1 1 8 4 2 14
6 Motherwell 9 1 1 2 6 7 1 2 2 5 7 -3 9
7 Up Inverness CT 9 2 1 2 9 8 0 2 2 3 9 -5 9
8 Down Ross County 9 1 1 2 4 6 1 2 2 3 7 -6 9
9 Up Kilmarnock 9 0 2 2 4 9 2 1 2 5 10 -10 9
10 Down Hamilton Accies 9 1 2 1 4 4 0 3 2 7 11 -4 8
11 Up Partick Thistle 8 1 2 2 6 7 0 1 2 3 6 -4 6
12 Down Dundee 9 0 2 3 4 8 1 1 2 4 6 -6 6
St. Johnstone didn’t win, which means they could be letting themselves in for a battle for a european place with newcomers “rangers”, but the long season may prove to be the clincher for the Perth side, as they’ve been over the course before, whilst the Ibrox side are mostly new to this level of football, and the demands it makes.
 With only three points separating the lower seven places, there’s absolutely no point in trying to predict how that will end up, and there’s even time for anybody except Saints, Hearts , Aberdeen and Celtic to get caught up in the bottom six, and possibly even a relegation/playoffs dogfight.
But as the new club are doing better than expected, there won’t be any calls for reconstruction just yet, unless they , as is thought could happen in some quarters, enter administration.
 With the Champions League visit of Borussia Moenchengladbach on the agenda this week, Brendan Rodgers will be pleased that the game against Motherwell didn’t lead to any injuries, and I have to admit that after the game, checking the news reports, I felt a bit like a man looking for information on his mates after there’s been a car crash. Thats what playing Motherwell is, just getting in and out without getting hurt.
Rodgers was happy enough with how the game went;

: “It was a very good win on the back of being separated for a couple of weeks.

“I felt we played some great football in the first-half. We had some chances but I felt we didn’t counter-press very well. That was my feeling at half-time. While some of our intricate play was good, and some of the quality of our football was outstanding, we could have created more chances had we pressed the game a bit better. That was the message at half-time.

“In the second-half we came out and played the game much better and more often in their half of the field. We got two today and arguably we could have had another five or six.

“But most importantly, on top of that, we never had a shot on our goal. Defensively and collectively they were very good in that aspect.

“We got a really good first goal and the penalty comes from absolute desire to get there before the keeper. Between him, the post and their bar it saved it from being more.

“I must give credit to Motherwell. Mark and his staff, in the last couple of times they have come here, it has been very difficult for them. It could have been a bit more today but they didn’t come and play safe. I felt they tried to play and showed good moments in the game, but we were able to get the job done.”

He singled out Kerian Tierney, who seems much happier in the hoops than in national colours, and showed this with one run where he danced past a couple of players, which impressed Mark Benstead, the hack who tried to get some information about Joey Barton from Mark Warburton, before the fat controller stepped in and ordered his execution…

‘s today – danced his way up the left, cut in, shimmy into area & hit bar. So good it got a standing ovation

Just shows there’s one rule for some, and another for the rest of us. When I dance and shimmie before cutting in and hitting the bar, I get asked to leave the premises.

Rodgers said of Tierney;

Everyone respects how committed he is and what he is showing is the growing confidence in him. What I like about Kieran is that, first and foremost, he’s a defender – he wants to defend, he’s aggressive, he gets up to people, he blocks and tackles.

“He’s fearless in that way, but he’s showing that extra bit of quality on the ball now so he’s getting good experience playing against better players and being more consistent and confident. His run and dribble was absolutely brilliant and it was unfortunate that it never went in.”

Looking ahead to Wednesday rodgers also confirmed that Nir Biton, Tom Rogic and Mikael Lustig will all be available, which effectively means Celtic will be at full strength for the visit of the Germans, who thanked Celtic for upholding another long standing  tradition when they left the floodlights on after the game to allow the German pilot to locate Glasgow.

The German side were held at home yesterday, and haven’t been in the best of form lately. Manchester city have also been shown to be a little more vuknerable than the fawning english media would have you be;ieve, all of which means that we shouldn’t discount the possibility of European football-in either competition-after Christmas just yet.

Especially if we continue to improve at the rate we did between the Barcelona and Manchester City games…

Returning to the Germans, a quick look at their results over the last month or so show that Celtic could reasonably expect, with a home crowd behind them, to win on Wednesady, but of course, nothing should be taken for granted. Teams raise their game at this level, and therefore domestic form doesn’t really count.

Scores & Schedule
14 Sep – Champions League Group stage
Man. City

4 – 0

FT
Mönchengladbach
17 Sep – Bundesliga
Mönchengladbach

4 – 1

FT
Werder
21 Sep – Bundesliga
RB Leipzig

1 – 1

FT
Mönchengladbach
24 Sep – Bundesliga
Mönchengladbach

2 – 0

FT
Ingolstadt
28 Sep – Champions League Group stage
Mönchengladbach

1 – 2

FT
Barcelona
2 Oct – Bundesliga
Schalke 04

4 – 0

FT
Mönchengladbach
15 Oct – Bundesliga
Mönchengladbach

0 – 0

FT
Hamburger SV
They don’t appear to be overly handy at scoring goals, looking at that, and with only two wins since their opening UCL game, they might not be the threat many pundits thought they would be.
 However, the game should be treated with the heart and fire we saw unleashed on Manchester City, where a little more self believe could even have seen Celtic win.
Next weekend, Celtic have a League Cup semi final to contend with. Again, complacency could be our biggest enemy, but we’ll deal with that game when we come to it. Noticably, Stuart Armstrong, Liam Henderson and Christian Gamboa all started against Motherwell, which gave them crucial game time should Rodgers need to rest any players after their midweek exertions.
Next weeks opponents were in Inverness on Friday, where they gained a credible three points, though the local paper may well have played its part by firing up the more delusional of their players;
An interesting story appeared in the Daily Mail the other day, which highlighted the downturn in viewing figures for Sky TV and its football coverage….

There will be considerable concern around football that viewing figures for Sky Sports’ live Premier League matches this season have dropped by a whopping 19 per cent.

The dramatic year-on-year fall has occurred in the first season of a new rights deal with Sky and BT Sport having paid over £5billion between them for their three-year contracts for the match packages. 

The surprise slide in Sky’s ratings comes despite an exciting start to the season plus the huge hype surrounding the managerial tussle between Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp.


It has been put down to factors including illegal streaming of matches, a hot summer, and the rival attraction of the Olympics.

But should the downward curve continue for the rest of the season this would be a frightening scenario for the Premier League, the clubs and all the TV rights holders.

A Sky spokesman said: ‘It is a premature comparison when several high-profile matches such as Liverpool v Manchester United have yet to air on Sky Sports. We have shown the top 10 most viewed PL games so far this season.’

Oddly enough, they haven’t mentioned the real reason for the decline, which is the piss poor English League, full of foreign players who don’t give a toss for the club they play for, which is more often than not managed by a foreign manager who doesn;t give a toss for the club he manages, and if they don;t give a toss, its only a matter of time beofre the important people, the fans, don;t give a toss either.


 The fall of the english league could well be a lot closer, as more and more people ditch the subscription based service, as they realise that the outlay doesn’t match the quality of programme on offer.
Any scottish fan who hasn’t already cancelled the service now has a chance to ad to their pain by doing whats right, and dumping them.
Meanwhile, if they want to start cutting costs, they could begin with getting rid of these fuckwits, who have done more harm than good to Scottish football with their inept attempts at presentation, communication and professionalism..
Image result for David Tanner Neil McCann Sky
FC Palestina on twitter  have their new shirts available, for anyone who wants one..
though I’m not sure how to get hold of one. If anyone knows help me out here, I quite fancy getting one.
Tell you what I did get, though, and thats Ally Begg’s book, Beg To Differ of amazon, and its a thouroughly enjoyable read. Begg, a former Celtic TV presenter and member of popular rhythym and beat  combo Bad Boys Inc, who stormed the hit parade back in the nineties, tells of his affection for Aberdeen, his work in front of and behind the cameras in the media with a refreshing honesty which means he’ll never work in the Scottish MSM, and if you’re struggling to find a gift for someone, you could do worse than find it on amazon.
If you get it now, you can read it before you pass it on to whoever you bought it for. Its well worth a look.
There’s not enough books about Scottish football that don’t centre around Celtic or the other lot, though why the publishing industry targets a demographic that doesn’t have opposable thumbs is a bit of a mystery, so when anything that isn’t about them comes out, its usually worth a look.
 Caption competition returns today, as no-one picked up on the comments made by a couple of Everton players in yesterdays diary about the little things that Ronald Koeman has done since taking charge of the club which have led to all round improvements, something which may also be the case at Celtic…
Anyway, heres a picture from Detroit to muse over….
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Hector
7 years ago

Pish continues to pour out of Level 5 offices in Blyhteswood square.

Monti
7 years ago
Reply to  Hector

Afternoon Hector old boy,
Caption:
The Huns get to work on the Toilets in the Lisbon Lions stand.
The sight of handwash and toilet roll is too much for them to take in.

Hector
7 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Good evening Monti I trust the family and the hound are well.Looking forward to Wednesday and it is a delight to watch the team at the moment.I took a wander through Mordor the other night and the orcs are not happy and smell worse than usual as the water has been cut off for non payment of bills. The orcs are not even funny anymore as they have become even more unpleasant than the old club and the sooner they go tits up the better.We were all told we would miss the Rangers and the B loo pound but I for one have not missed them at all and not even missing taking the piss as it is too easy.I may make it through to Fife one day so if you could scatter some clean straw in the utility room that would be great.Must dash as the orcs have been sniffing about my goats so load the thunderstick and off we go.

Monti
7 years ago
Reply to  Hector

Hector,
The Utility room awaits your visit, i will take you to see Mike and the both of you could trade Harris Tweed and Corduroy garments.
The family are fine my friend and the hound has had his fill of Zombie flesh.
Can’t wait for Wednesday, a dangerous game but a game i think we will win. HH

mike
7 years ago

EEH by gum lahd,whats this all about Ralphy?
A dose of the Diary to go with my Sunday roast.
Mint Sauce anyone?
Bye, Bye Sky fuckwits are us,come on B.T.

Caption, The toilets overflow at ipox efter the Accounts are published.

Germany calling, Germany calling,so COYBIG.

mike
7 years ago

Hector, have you won your Big Tax Case yet?

Hector
7 years ago
Reply to  mike

Aye won it now lookng for three quarters of VAT payments that the orcs have been holdng onto.

Monti
7 years ago
Reply to  Hector

Maybe they were ringfenced?

Cartvale88
7 years ago

Caption ‘ more crocodile tears from the SMSM and the knuckle drafters about the unfair way their glorious team has been treated’
Thought Tierney was outstanding yesterday, The Well enough said.

Mike Annis
7 years ago

Caption: Celtic fans react to the latest Rangers accounts

7 years ago

Caption: Al Capones penthouse raided, ‘Streams of whiskey…’

portpower
7 years ago
Reply to  portpower

Ralph, the new 2016/17 strip looks better. HH

http://dahhansports.com/shop/country/palestine-football-jersey/

Paul Mac aka IMIP
7 years ago

Ralph according to my Palestinian journalist friend that shirt is from the Palestino FC team that plays in Chile.
He is looking into where you can get one .. not sure if in Europe they have them but he is pretty sure that back home in Palestine they may have one … so when i know you will know …

portpower
7 years ago

Caption:

Thimblenose Houston jumps into his jacuzzi.

charlie
7 years ago

caption see the bottom fler is that wan ae them new fangled pubs were ye get a free shower wae a pint

portpower
7 years ago

RUMOUR MILL:

A sevconian bill of over £2miilion due to a water holding company as nicked from a Church! They don’t pay for water…

Hector
7 years ago
Reply to  portpower

That would make it Holy water. lol

Monti
7 years ago
Reply to  Hector

Rudi Vata?

Funkyy
7 years ago

LCaption:- Jabba the Hun of Level 5 issues complete denial “Leaky stadium roof? What leaky roof?

basqueceltic
7 years ago

I dont normally comment on the quality of the blog…..for obvious reasons…….but thank fuck for E-TIMS…..nail on head type o’stuff…..fuckin ekzelent……Slainte.

mike
7 years ago

Rainer Bonhof is the Vice President of Borussia Munchengladbach,he as you ken was Berti Volgts Assistant,when he (cough) managed Scotia.
Its true to say that Rainer is a committed Scotland fan,who loves the people and haggis and Whisky,a bit like Ralphy.
Their policy echoes,echoes, the Tics of buying low and selling high.
Also like the Tic. they are pish away from home,being without there top three strikers,means that they might play with ten at the back and one keeper.
So mibbee a chance to get three points on the board on Wednesday,us then 4 points and them nil points,fingers crossed we ma be playing European fitba. after Dec.
COYBIG.

mike
7 years ago

Travelling with a friend from down under,
my pals and me looking for a zombie,
i met a stranger,who made me nervous,
she took me in and gave me breakfast,
and she said
Do you come from a land down under?
where woman give out and men plunder,
can!t you hear the thunder?
you better run,you better take cover.

Buying a pint with a man from Brussels,
he was six foot four and full of muscles,
I said do you speak my language?
he just smiled and gave me a knuckle sandwich,
and he said,
I come from a land down under,
where beer flows and men fart like thunder,
can you hear the thunder?
you better run and take cover.
Those Aussie Bhoys,kinda rough like, Ken.

mike
7 years ago

Oh my Pippa,to me your ares is wunderbar,
Oh my Pippa,to me you are so beutifull,
Gone are the days,when i sat you on my knee each night,
Gone are the days,when you said I luv yoo Mike.he he.

shiltrum
7 years ago

Caption: The Toilet’s in the Copeland Rd end can’t take it during the Half Time break with Celtic up 3-0.

portpower
7 years ago

sevconians:

If it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s Brown, ask him for the deeds.

jimmybee
7 years ago

With Dembele highlighting breast cancer awareness it would have been an ideal time to air the third strip. Now I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea,but if we have to wear it then why not now, They could raffle the shirts worn by the players to the charity also. Cmon Celtic pr get a grip.

jimmybee
7 years ago

Caption: Fenian alley gets ready for orange walk coming.

jimmybee
7 years ago

https://mobile.twitter.com/CelticBible/status/787395533845434368/video/1
If you haven’t seen this yet go onto phill page for the link.As I can’t do it.
A young Kieran Tierney in a Japanese video about Naka.
Absolutely brilliant.

Monti
7 years ago
Reply to  jimmybee

Jimmybee,

Brilliant m8

jimmybee
7 years ago

Think it’s working now HH

Funkyy
7 years ago

It didnae work for me Jimmybee..but I saved it to my desktop as an mp4 file and I played it on VLC player. Excellent wee video of a wee bhoy making his dreams come true!! His dad (and his mum) must be bursting with pride. Well done that wee bhoy!! HH

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