Well that was a roller-coaster kick in the balls wasn’t it?
Worse thing was a lot of us just shrugging as if we weren’t surprised.
I put my hands up, i may be too blame as I tweeted it would be nice to see Derek McInness raging at an extra time winner for us.
Karmas a bitch and all that.
Yesterdays performance (hmmm!- Ed) threw up some More Questions…add your thoughts and own in the Comments section please.
Thoughts I wonder on:
Why is Lenny so passive?
Wheres the fire?…Why is a he a shadow of his former self?
I can accept Lenny grabbing at getting his dream gig permanently and all that but why let the Club impose his staff on him without even letting him bring in a right hand man?..its Keane getting told of Deila all over again and we all know how Roy Keane reacted to that.
How much influence did Damien Duff have and how much are we missing it?
Is anyone out there giving the team instructions from the Technical Area, Dugout or Sidelines…without fans at the game its hard to tell just where Kennedy and Strachan are positioned but Lenny just seems to sit there frowning. Im pretty sure even old Roy Hodgson is out there giving direction so what exactly is Lennys excuse?
Why did the sum signing fee of our Goalie and Back 4 cost £350k ( only Frimpong!)..Ajer is a converted midfielder so Im not sure that could be classed totally as “forward planning”. You may cite loan fees but hoping late signed Loanees will dig you out a hole is madness when you have a whole season to deal with and plenty of time for planning, signing and conditioning. You may say what about Taylor, Jullien and ElHamed but all good teams have a firm well established back-up in place for any drop-outs, we seemingly don’t, we just clutch at straws and hope it will come good in time.
A big question now…Who exactly thought signing Shane Duffy was a perfect fit for Celtic?
We have seen countless times where players who “battle” well for their clubs are brought in and suddenly dont know what to do as their natural game is turned on its head with Celtic only facing rare attacks and focusing on their own possession. Duffy seems a shadow of a Celtic Warrior..his passing is poor, his decision making is terrible, he ball watches and he even looks at Ajer for instructions…has he and whoever signed him seriously misjudged his ability to handle football in a Celtic jersey or is there a role for him in our defence with a major focus needed on communication and execution?
What exactly are we trying to do with the full-backs, wingbacks, wingers?
Frimpong didnt seem to know what to do yesterday or how far up the park to place himself. No consistency means its harder for any colleague to find him. Whenever he got the ball he would hesitate to commit the Aberdeen player and onus was lost. We really need to help the lad out there, he needs to be working with someone inside or overlapping to give him space to drive. On the left, new arrival Laxalt is coming on well enough but he does seems to be getting over-praised for my personal liking, he might be supplying a better ball but is slow getting back to cover and at this point in time, everyone needs to be manning the barricades all the time.
In which backs to wall scenario does anyone see themselves turning to Olivier Ntcham?
Tom Rogic supplied two vital assists yesterday yet somehow people were still slamming him for lack of effort. Im not sure what sort of player they think he his but I would take Rogic’s clinical passing for 2 goals over Ntcham’s midfield dawdling or hopeless penalty box stumbling any day.
Why do we continue to look so unfit? Have the players just ran out of steam with a busy schedule or is our fitness and recovery needing reviewed?
What exactly has Barkas done or not done to get so many Celtic fans annoyed at him? I dont think its Goldsons goals as I dont blame the keeper for those. As far as I can see its not being Fraser Forster, the guy who left us, again. Bain did okay yesterday but somehow folk were also down-crying his performance, I have no idea why. He made a good save for the second goal and I thought it was a worthwhile decision to try and stand upright and psyche Ferguson on the last penalty attempt. Its weird how some fans can adore folk who turned their backs on the team rather than salute the ones coming onboard and trying their best.
On that train of thought, just what exactly have ElHamed and Mikey Johnson done in The Hoops to make folk herald them as team saviours? Griff I can understand but the other two are getting calls for “Once they get back…thank the Lord”…Im not sure why…can anyone clarify all those superstar performances I must have missed?
Why do Celtic fans just love the Great Green and White Hopes where the less the play, the better they get?
There are 2 maybe 3 players in Forrest, maybe Jullien, but especially Eddie that could turn this around but at present I fear none of them will be back before year end and even then, Eddie might be looking at January window exit and possibly Jullien hoping to go with him.
Now, for a change, I am gonna end this latest moan by trying to think positive:
I saw some flashes yesterday , the first half possession and the first 2 Hoops goals especially, to offer tiny glimmers of hope so lets consider where we need to step onto from here….
We win our game in hand and we can effectively be One game away from Top.
Thats as simple as it can be.
That is what Lenny has to think. How simple can I think this?
It doesnt need major surgery (I know, I know). It doesnt need Football Manager 2021 Deluxe Edition. It doesnt need a miracle. It needs good old fashioned common sense, basically:
How can Lenny get the best out of the currently available players?
How can Lenny prepare best for the return of other players – this includes not just throwing them in early?
How can Lenny establish a firm game plan where everyone knows their roles, positions and responsibility, ranging from defensive actions when in and without possession and attacking positioning and execution.
How can Lenny utilise the 5 sub places without just seeming to throw randoms on in hope…couldn’t Turnbull be worth more that 10 minutes, couldn’t Soro give someone like McGregor a break now and then etc?
Now you may notice I keep saying Lenny above.
In previous articles I was citing Lenny and his Management Team. At this point I think that is a dead relationship. One way or another, it is Lenny alone that will pay the most for this if it doesnt get sorted out. And so, in that respect, I say its Lenny who must call ALL the shots and make the decisions.
The next few games of decisions that will either save his job, or end it.
Over to you Lenny, just remember that we all have your back, even the ones who want you gone are doing that out of love.
Never mind ‘Lenny’ not knowing what he’s on about … WTF is any of that article about?
Like trying to decipher Lennon’s tactics!
Never wanted him as manager, still don’t.
No enjoyment though in seeing a haunted carcass of a man lead Celtic atm.
How long, and how many chances do people want tae give Lennon, before they finally realise he’s finished, theres never a definitive game plan, it just looks like every man for themselves, this Frimpong experiment is failing miserably, hes offering nothing going forward anymore, and even less defensively, why did Celtic spend 18 months chasing Turnbull, to finally get him and never start him, Ntcham playing before Turnbull is shocking tactics, as for Duffy, how the hell did he manage 100 EPL appearances and international caps with these performances, Lennon has got us into this clusterfuck of performances, but i dont see him getting us out of it, he has tae go, and Kennedy and Strachan can join him, its major surgery that we shouldn’t have to do, but Lennon should never have been appointed in the first place…KTF
Desi One Kanotbe you are as confused as the management team, the current problem is one of constantly downsizing by the board and CEO. Lenny for all his faults is the fall guy.
There is no Celtic in their hearts it is a money making operation that they have totally screwed up
The downsizing and late arrivals are clear for all to see. Its happened. It happens EVERY year yet we still dont do anything about it bar shrug our shoulders and say “ok” when they send out corporate flyers to “get behind the bhoys!”
In above I am only interested in the solution right now, not the long term one. Thats another days discussion.
This is as good a summary of where we are at right now as I’ve seen anywhere. All I’d add is that, truthfully, we’re in the position we have been declining inevitably towards since the start of Strachan’s last season in charge. No one should be surprised. The Invincibles season looks like a blip on reflection. The mismanagement starts at the top.
Theres no point in going on about who is to blame anymore. There really isnt.
Ralphs Diary perfectly captured how bad the Board have been, hopefully by citing the Backroom staff question above, I also point out their mistake there.
The question now is How to fix what is wrong. Sacking the board isnt gonna see Frimpong hit the byline or Duffy kick a ball out the park. Lenny is the only man who can fix the issues on the park right now. Off it may be another story but thats for another time. The above only highlights where we currently are and what we need to do to sort it immediately.
No one at Etims are fans of Peter and Dermot.
Is that true?
I thought Ralph enjoyed team and crumpets with “Peter”. 😉
Lennon is at his lawyers today in Glasgow city centre, -fact, so either he’s getting divorced, buying a house or negotiating an exit from us. Listen it’s been obvious since last season against Cluj we were lost tactically, he’s had 1 performance against Gerrard at Ibrox that was acceptable, the rest even though we won 2 were dire. It’s not just Lennon, the coaches are substandard and stale, and Lawell isn’t accountable ditto Desmond, and don’t give two fecks about the fans. We are sloppy on and off the park, employee at any organisation pick up on drops in standards and tend to perform accordingly, footballers are no different
Dear Author,
I only asked for something uplifting, something funny to lift our spirits, a couple of Ken Dodd’s jokes perhaps, like…. ‘I used to think I was great in bed, until I discovered all my girlfriends suffered from Athsma’. or, ‘ Five out of every three people have trouble understanding fractions’.
Lenny should have learned from his first experience at Celtic, one man run’s the club including the football department. Lennon should have insisted in bringing in his own coaching team, especially including his own assistant. I think we are all aware that JK. is Lawwell’s place- man. Lawwell brought in Delia, that say’s it all. Its my opinion that, that is the reason that BR. left Celtic. BR. insisted on full control and Lawwell did his immovable object trick and viola.
I tried to think of something funny, honestly I did and maybe if we had held on yesterday I could have managed it but nope…the comedy branch was cut and into the self hating abysss we falllllllllllllllllllll
😉
😉 Well at least you tried and its true the difference that 2-3 minutes holding on would have made to the shape of our puss and to turn that frown upside down.
after brevity.
‘even the ones who want you gone are doing that out of love’ nope it’s pure panic.
No panic here, just a realisation that the guy with all the cards stacked in his favour (serial winners, best players, 3 times resources of biggest rivals etc) is incapable of using that significant advantage to the team’s benefit.
This isnt a Forum.
We dont have threads.
You can always pop over to CQN if you want a forum or threads.
If you wish to write a piece then feel free and submit it to etims.contact@googlemail.com
All contributions welcome.
Just to be clear….are you saying a piece that ends with a call for the current Manager to be the one in charge and the one to make all the key decisions, a piece griping about the Manager?
Nae borra Sherlock!
I’m in my seventies and like lots of supporters my age can remember real bad times. Struggles with Clyde and Third Lanark. Heavy defeats from Thistle, Dundee Utd. etc. I don’t understand all this hysteria, a handful of games six points (three) behind. 11 trophies in a row. Oh dear how bad is that. Get behind the team, stop greeting and ignore all the bad press and moaners.
Desmond and Lawwell’s legacies are on the line here,they will never be forgiven if the league is lost,Desmond needs to pull a rabbit out the hat like he did bringing in Rodgers,its up to him now to stop all this struggling we do,its went on too long.
My tuppence worth. We could have as many as 4 or 5 players that want away. Lawell has probably said yes if we get x amount of millions for you. ( knowing him could be unrealistic amounts). A bit like your boss saying you are moving job as soon as another one comes up. Your heart would no longer be in it. Maybe we should just get them sold and replaced by ones that want to be here( I know they would be cheaper options but at least they would want to be here.
Its all very well suggesting what Lennon should do but you need to take notice of what he is actually doing:
Ferencvaros – throw the players under the bus
Huns – whingeing about a team sheet and having a ridiculous spat with a minor Motherwell coach
Dons – whingeing about referee decisions
The only thing he seems to be doing is making excuses for his mess and nothing about how he’s going to sort it out.
PARANOID HEADLINE:
Father and Son duo, Gordon and Gavin Strachan, lose out on history making 10IAR.
Latest Corporate Flyer (TM Desi Mond)
…but we have won 11 consecutive domestic trophies.
I am hoping we can get back on track and use the remaining european games to assist in getting players up to speed and fit.
Are the reserves still not playing , so only players getting any game time are the first team squad ?
Seen a few posts about unfit or injured players as some new thing.
It seems to be a continuation from at least BR’s time that we were getting a lot of injuries.
We have short memories when a little pressure is applied.