A hard fought draw with a resurgent Motherwell saw Celtic keep in with the big boys in Scotlands top six, thus ensuring a good shot at a place in Europe next season.
Alright, you try to find something positive from that garbage yesterday.
A Kris Commons penalty cancelled out John Suttons first half goal to mean that Ronny Deilas’ side have now won just three of eleven games against full time opposition.
Whatever it is he’s trying to do, it isn’t working. In fact, it’s becoming more apparent that it isn’t going to work.
As he had hinted pre match, Deila made several changes to the side that had gained a draw in Salzburg, leaving out Gordon, Brown and commons, arguably the three players who had done the most to earn that result. Apart from anything else, this sends out all the wrong kinds of messages to anyone who is listening.
Most managers would pick a side on form in the following game. They certainly wouldn’t drop their best players, especially this early in the season when some are still getting up to speed with their fitness, and especially when the next game is against a first division side in the League cup.
The players will be questioning the decisions amongst themselves, and some of them will be wondering what they have to do to keep a first team place.
If they are merely being rested, those stepping in for them have no incentive to perform, as they will realise the reason for their inclusion is not based on merit, but merely on a whim. Which is not good for morale.
And when the opposition reads the team sheet in the dressing room ? Well, it has the opposite effect. Imagine facing Barcelona and finding out at the last minute Messi , Neymar and Suarez are being rested…
Thats the effect it had on Motherwell goalscorer John Sutton;
“You get a lift when you see the likes of Scott and Kris aren’t starting Scott is the real driving force behind them”
It was an astonishing move by Deila, and again shows a lack of understanding of how footballers minds work.
Which in turn is nowhere near the lack of understanding I have for how his mind works;
“Of course I’m not happy with the result. We deserved to win but we made it so difficult for ourselves with a poor first half.
‘We had bad tempo, no passes forward and didn’t break them down once in the first half. That’s not good enough.
‘In the second half, we had two good subs coming on, they brought energy into the game and we played quite well.
“But you cannot rely on one or two players. We need to get the whole squad up at the right level.
“We need to build leaders out on the pitch, for when Scott and Kris aren’t there.
“Maybe six changes was too much. But I don’t want to rotate that much, it was just needed.
“We had many players out with injuries, new players coming in who we
need to play into shape.
“But of course I worry that we might have more days like this. That is why everybody in the squad needs to improve.
“We will get injuries, we will have players out, so we need to build everybody up.”
So , correct me here if I have misunderstood…is he saying we won’t play our top players because we need to get the second string ready in case we, er, don’t have the top players out there ?
Fuck me. He’s really gone this time.
Deila also commented on the Aleksandr Tonev racial abuse case, with the Bulgarian being asked to appear before the SFA on October 9, accused of saying to Aberdeen defender Shay Logan ” Take your hands off me, you vlack c**t ”
‘Yeah, it’s not ideal. It takes energy from you.
“But I don’t think this will cause any problems. I believe in him, I believe It’s something he hasn’t done.
“But he can’t do anything about it now. He has to think about what he does in training every day.
“He’s been out for a long, long time. He has been injured.
“So it’s about getting him up to his best. That will take some time.”
He’s right about that. To get Tonev up to an acceptable level of performance will take some time.
Celtic had twenty seven shots on goal during the game, ten of which were on target. The only goal came from a penalty.
John Guidetti started up front, becoming the latest in a long line of ineffectual partnerships alongside Anthony Stokes, Stefan Scepovic was on the bench and the only player we have who can score goals at will was being shunted closer to that loan move to Hibernian the Diary has been on about for weeks.
Until Brown and Commons made an entry, the side looked bereft of energy and ideas.
With Charlie Mulgrew missing, the heart of the team was absent, and it showed. Mulgrew had tried to carry it single handedly while Brown was out and Commons was ignored, and with the defence having gone from setting shut out records to not actually shutting anyone out anymore, its clear that Deila is intent on making this side as unrecognisable as possible from the one which cantered to the title last season.
“Maybe six changes to the team was too much. But I don’t want to rotate the squad that much, it was just needed today because of the players we had out injured and the new players coming in who need to play to stay in shape.
“Some of them looked a bit afraid in the first half and didn’t know how to open Motherwell up. We made it difficult for ourselves with such a poor first half. We had no tempo, no forward passes and didn’t break Motherwell down once. That’s not good enough.”
Six changes is too much.
Only two changes need to be made.
Quickly .
Who do we bring in to replace them and set the ship back on course ?
Thats not as difficult as you might think.
As much as I despise the style of play utilised by Stoke City under Tony Pulis, he was getting the best out of what he had available. He got results. He got them to a Cup Final and out of a Europa qualifying group.
He saved Crystal Palace from the drop, and is currently out of work. and he might even persuade Joe Ledley to come back.
We need a proper, old school football man. Pulis is one of very few left.
Some might argue it’s too early to call for the removal of Ronny and Johnny, but if we do it before Wednesday, we still have a chance of the treble. If we don’t, then Hearts will become the new Inverness….
The battler in the picture yesterday was Paul Hartley, who -apart from yesterday-has also been attracting praise for his efforts in management.
Speaking of managers, heres one of ours from yesteryear. One who was unbeaten during his tenure. Who is it ?
Liam Brady
Can’t be him he lost games lol
Frank Connor. Caretaker before ship to my Lou Macari took over.
Skip even! God damn autocorrect
Ahh you’re right dave.
Frank Conner
Delai is Mowbray in disguise I said re-instated in europe get him out. Stop wasting time. He has made a record breaking defence leak 1-2 goals a game and his attacking methods have stopped us scoring goals. Prgress = nil
Put the viking home on a long boat or a short one but make it quick and take the celkirk dud with him.
Frank Connor
Pirate pete must go also he,s ruining the club with his scrooge like policies,mant fans I spoke to after the game say thsy will not go the european games as it will be just a waste of money,just wait till next may if things dont improve season book sales will be down dramatically
Time for the board to rethink and sort this Frigging mess out. I REALLY don’think Dizzy Delia is up for the job in hand!!
So for me The Board need to bring Lenny back and this time listen to The Bhoy give him some proper MONEY to SPEND on the players he wants Show Lenny The Trust he deserves
Bring LENNY back before it’s Too Frigging Late
I seriously think if we don’t get shot of Deila now we might go on and lose the league.I was all for giving him time to bed in but yesterdays display was the final straw.Enough is enough go now Ronnie
Ian Paisley
As he had hinted pre match, Deila made several changes to the side that had gained a draw in Salzburg, leaving out Gordon, Brown
Enough said.
After years on the bench Gordon Brown got a game last week. Apparently he played a blinder and saved the world.
Despite that Ronny drops him!!!
” Maybe 6 changes was to much”…. NO FEKIN SHIT SHERLOCK, in the same way maybe 10 changes at Inverness was a wee bit rash eh!! how many more alarm bells need to ring before LAWELL realizes these 2 are totally oot of their depths, 12 games and we look worse now than7 weeks ago, his tactics and vision are beyond believe, this is ment to be a stronger squad with new editions than last season, unfortunately the 2 new editions thatare totally inept are the manager and his puppet, when somebody like Griffiths is being punted yet Ambrose continues to play then enough said.The longer CELTIC stall with these 2 then the greater chance we could be 10/15 points off the top spot by Christmas, we clawed that points deficit back 3 years ago, don’t think for one minute we will be capable of doing again with Ronny still their.. HAIL HAIL, KTF+
seems a differnece waht the management think idealistically and the real wrold of using best players broon griffs commons… its is a joke our backbone had to ‘prove’ themselves to these two. Get rid asap… funny how Berg wanred Delia before we played that he should be adapatable. Berg lasted 45 dayus at blackburn remember … I would have shot delia well before then.
The “Ten” is in Danger…..i have already accepted that herts could give us a run for our money on wednesday….and we should be brushing them aside…..and who among us would fancy a point to prove sevco….again we should pump them but our team has no clue how to play the system the manager wants.
Sorry… but I have finally ran out of patience with the deadly duo..they do not have a ferking clue…if you have a winning team, remain with the winning team and it is up to the fringe players to merit / win a place by coming off the bench and change the game consistently…I’m applying for my coaching badges!!
Ron and Jon = bye,bye
Hail,Hail
The players haven’t a clue what system they should be playing, The fans haven’t a clue what system is being played on the park? The two men in charge keep talking abt high tempo and high energy when in fact all they seem capable of is draining everyone inside Celtic park of energy. Should have been hunted after the legia game. No body thought it was possible not to win the league, Well these two jokers could just do the impossible!
Ronny and Johnny time yuz where gonny!
Lawwell has made an absolute mess of this, what was his thinking (we all know really)? But , to think that this guy has won a league with an unfashionable club in Norway makes him any good ( there are no fashionable clubs in Norway, well maybe Rosenberg were good, about 6 years ago) he is very mistaken.
Time for Ronny and Johnny to depart? Well, come Thursday morning, that could be a very likely scenario.
This pair seem completely unable to learn any kind of lesson, when you are really needing to try and get a settled line-up and formation, you have to play your strongest team. Not only that, they are short changing the support with their unnecessary tinkering.I certainly wont shed any tears at their departure.
If it’s right that Lawell is the one that is calling all the shots on the management then it doesn’t matter what we say or do. He has Desmond’s ear and obviously thinks he can carry on regardless, so RD is there while Lawell says so. Could only follow yesterdays game on the CQN live post and it seemed pretty terrible by all accounts.
There are some real problems in the dressing room, if it’s all down to RD, which I very much doubt, then he has to go. This looks very much like a PLG situation, or a Brian Clough situation at Leeds United and while I have very little inside knowledge of what is going on here, apart from my nephews fiancé who is a season ticket holder from the Glasgow area, living in Newcastle, my gut feeling is that Stokes(Lennon’s pal) is a major factor in this situation, doing a Ferguson or Bremner. Amazing when you think of all the chances he has had with RD picking him for most games played since the start of the season and like yesterday he has been absolute s**** in them all.
For me there can be no excuse from players turning out performances like yesterday and many more since the start of the season, if something isn’t working to plan then as the best paid players in Scottish football they should have the nous to be able to turn a game around. They aren’t going to win every game but they should be playing for the jersey and fans who are paying their(by Scottish standards) handsome wages.
Some of the supporters on here should remember that Lennon(and I was one of his biggest fans)would never substitute a player who was having a mare of a game, Samaras and Stokes particularly until the 87th minute and also gave youth players very little opportunity, given the length of time he was at the club.
If RD is going to be such a disappointment/disaster then what the hell are Collins and Kennedy doing to mitigate the effects of his management If RD goes then so should they.
Rant over Hail Hail.
For fucks sake, give Deila time! Its September and people are trying to get rid of him. I know the standard of football is shite at the moment but it will click into place sooner or later. Deila is picking players who should be able to come in for Brown and Commons and do well, now obviously he knows he can’t do that as they can’t be arsed.
Right, for whats its worth, i think its apt to remember that after winning his first game 6-0, a certain Mr Stein also soon got humped 4-2 by Hibs and 6-2 by Falkirk and was known for a side losing goals and for giving the players instructions they found difficult to comprehend.
Now Im not saying thats a perfect comparison but lets calm the jets for a while please. Ronnie Deila stepped up when others walked away and he said “Here is my plan!”. Celtic hired him and he should be allowed to try and implement the plan accordingly.
Its not a perfect start but this is the season for implementing it of all seasons. The league will be won, of that I have no doubt. A better educated and fitter Celtic all round await us next year if we can just be patient and stay onside. Play the long game folks.
As for players being rested, 7 games in 3 weeks is being quoted and I can see why Deila would want to rest key individuals where possible and prioritise the games in which they need to play in, at this moment, the league is low.
Des,
I can see where your coming from.But,he hasn’t got a game-plan for the team,never mind his master ‘ plan ‘.Watching that yesterday was dire.No wingers to get in behind.Full backs ? when advanced can’t cross a ball.A midfield,that had every Celtic fan at the game,scratching their head.Then Stokes ? What justifies his place ?
I admire your optimism,which I normally am as well.For me,
any half-decent Manager or coach,in his case,would have got past Maribor.A financial disaster,that will be reflected in the Europa crowds.
Yes,the Tinkerman could yet succeed,but the patience of the fans is running out.The Hearts game is a MUST win,as the fans will let their feelings known,at the games.When that happens,the Tinkerman then becomes the Bogeyman,that
nobody wants near the place.
The Ronny plan of developing youth instead of buying in fits perfectly with PLs vision and, given the League we play in, is understandable.
However, the tactical side of things on the pitch is down to Ronny. We have a choice here, either the players don’t/can’t get it OR the tactics are so s**** that even when carried out properly they don’t work.
Options?
Bring in a ‘real’ manager and let Ronny concentrate on developing the youngsters with Kennedy (he did fine there before) and bin Collins. No one (of significance) is being sacked so PL should be happy with the lack of payoffs and we might even win the odd game.
Morto,
this supposed plan of developing youth is a myth.
Barca and Ajax have been quoted as examples he wants to follow.
But heres the problem.Our net is cast mostly in Scot/Ireland and the number of successes have been few.
For a youth policy like those clubs to succeed you have to cast the net worldwide; and that takes SERIOUS money and planning.
Since we all know our club doesn’t do SERIOUS spending (in transfer market or youth policy) then we must conclude the whole “youth development” thing was just a Lawwell con to sell Deila to the fans.
Good to get back to the football. If I sometimes seem like a reasonable auld fart on this website it’s because I am.
But you hardcore have won me over. I’ve supported Deila and thought the Dundee United match was proof of what he could do. However, Delia must go, peacefully, quickly and right now. We have dropped 7 points already, nearly half of the 15 we dropped all last year! Lee Griffiths is Scottish, like most of us, with all our Scottish faults yet he would have scored 6-8 goals by now. Who cares if he likes monster munch and has a body mass index worse than Collins or Deila? Ronny, I think you are a thoughtful and likeable man but our team should not be your experiment while you sharpen your man-management skills. How much time do you think you have? You inherited a team that lost only one league match all last year. Don’t you know there won’t be any Europe if we don’t win the league?
You’re not experienced enough to manage our club.
I dread Wednesday night because lose to Hearts and you’re gone. It was good to know you and good luck in your future. I thought after Dundee United we would be on another football planet from the rest. Dundee. Motherwell. Inverness
Something is wrong and I don’t think you know how to fix it. The players you’ve bought in are nowhere as good as what we already have and your constant tinkering and thinking too much is hurtful to our club and fans.
Lawwell, we need a grounded manager who knows how to get the best out of players. Admit your mistake and correct it.
Resting players is a perfectly acceptable procedure. Craig Gordon still has some serious doubts about his long-term fitness, Scott Brown has just returned after a major injury and to start in three matches within eight days might have been foolhardy, Kris Commons is too valuable a player to be used every week (or twice a week) and, given his age, he could be burned out by the season’s end if over-employed.
Zaluska is a decent goalkeeper; I remember him coming on at Ibrox after Forster’s ordering-off and doing well, and playing in the 1-0 replay at Celtic Park – and didn’t he save a penalty kick in Warsaw? Perhaps he has been a bit unlucky in his relatively few appearances because some other players did not perform.
Incidentally, did Celtic not beat Aberdeen 2-1 recently = and did not Neil Lennon’s side lose twice by that score to them last season? And yet our new manager gets slated for every poor result!
Forster saved the penalty in Warsaw.
It’s very frustrating, I still think he deserves time but the Dundee Utd performance is all I’m clinging to right now and I’m losing my grip.
I’ve said before his man-management skills are a major concern. Player rotation is fine for Brown, no pre season training and two games in four days – understood. But our goalie? Commons? It’s only September FFS and very few if any of our players have played every minute of every game.
It should not be impossible for a Celtic manager to implement a long term plan whilst maintaining short term results.
I’ve watched most of our games this season and yesterday I was relieved that the game wasn’t being televised by BT or Sky. It meant I wasn’t torn between watching the Celtic and the All-Ireland final.
When I found out that we’d drawn 1-1 I wasn’t surprised at all and I was glad I hadn’t wasted another afternoon watching the aimless dross that now passes for ‘The Celtic Way’.
Deila talks a good game; pity he can’t organise a football team.
After he made 10 changes for the ICT game he said ‘maybe 10 changes was too much’. Now he’s saying something similar, only weeks later. He’s a diddy. Period.
He’s made watching Celtic an ordeal I’m happy to avoid.
If he stays much longer how many more supporters will feel like me? Celtic Park will be empty.
S.I.G.
Don’t recall Ian Paisley being in charge of the bhoys?
Wiz only jokin Jaz.
He just reminded me of him.
Understand Deila’s vision for how he sees us playing is clearly not working – ultimately it might not. Celtic teams should play expansive football but they cannot stop winning.
But at what point on Sunday afternoon did you decide that Tony Pulis was the man to take the club forward at home and in Europe??!
We are not a relegation threatened Premier League team in need of a quick fix – we’re asking to be entertained.
Do I remember Frank Connor having a prefect managerial record, including against the Huns, waiting until Macari took over?
Morto/Tom Campbell:
Good thoughtful posts. You’ve got me swithering again about Deila. I really want him to succeed. As we did for both Big Jock and Tony Mowbray. Deila’s task is to improve fitness, improve his system, improve our flowing football but win at the same time—win any which way when he has to. Most SPL teams will not let us play so we have to beat them somehow: packed boxes, dodgy tackles, parking the bus. But I need to know we can win the league and are improving, not merely being tinkered with. We must decide at some stage is Deila going to win the league or not? Also,right at this moment I am not confident we could even handle that new team Sevco, home or away!!! Jings,crivvens, help ma boab!
Parking the bus has been the way most teams play when they come to the Park, has been for decades. But yesterday we should have been 2-0 down when big Sutton missed a sitter and we wouldn’t have retrieved that. They are blaming the players and that can only lead to one thing
It’s not been a great start but Ronny will get time – at least a few more months.
He has survived our 3 disastrous Euro results. Realistically all that could see him sacked is an embarrassing Cup exit, or still being behind in league come Christmas.
It does make me laugh fans believing we may not win league. The bookies have Celtic still at an unbackable 1/25! And the only toe sides capable of forming any kind of challenge – Dundee Utd & Aberdeen – have already left Celtic park with nil points.
As I say it’s not great. But given out Europa Group there’s a decent chance of European football after Christmas, and still being in the running for 3 domestic trophies.
Absolutely no point sacking the guy now.
The team yesterday were one paced until the two old heids came on. There is a clear lack of understanding Scottish Football by Delilah, I thought that was what JC was supposed to supply, he is failing miserably. Again yesterday I left before the end I had better things to do, going shopping with the wife.I watched the highlights on the Billy Boy Club last night and thought I had the beginnings of senile dementia, it bore no relationship to the actual game. Mr Connor is the long serving Celt, good luck to him
Hearts will fuck us….one thing it does tell us though is the second string are a pile of shite(Bought by Lennon I might add)…after Europe it is right to consider changes to allow the first team a rest in time for Hearts but right now the second string are shite…stokes (cost us the goal by playing on the half way line!!!), bitton, Zaluska, Kayal, need hunted and quick…If the second string cant beat Murderwell then they can fuck right off…the players are putting the manager under pressure yes he made the changes but surely the players can provide better than they did..as he says relying on one or two players cant go on…some others need to up their games…and the sooner lustig or adams are back the better then we can get rid of that lanky streak o pish that is Efe Ambrose.
Deila needs to coach better and talk less!
Spot on!
Is Frank Connor available for another turn as caretaker?
The way I see it, the players are not buying into Deila ‘s way of doing things; they don’t rate him or his ideas, decisions, selections and are doing the bare minimum for him (perhaps, not even that much in some games). It’s ‘Player Power’ and it’s increasingly prevalent in the game these days. There’s a tipping-point coming, you can sense it.
When do we play away to St Mirren?
I think that the writing on the wall has now fallen onto the park, CL episode was embarrassing, as the league so far has been. I am worried that we take a tanking from the Jam Farts. I don’t see anything of any promise at present, I had Mcgregor down as a rising star early doors but he looks unable to spot a pass and shoots whether there is room to score or not, Commons looks half the player he was last year despite the fact that you can see him bursting a gut, Broony has missed large parts of the past couple of seasons and we have not looked as bad as we are now. I could go on but nothing that nobody else hasn’t posted already. There are roughly 150 managers jobs in the UK and 1000’s of managers looking for work. Why do we seem to get the eejits more often than not. Stay or Go? it’s like the voting last week, head V heart. Sorry that’s B####cks, don’t let the door hit you on the way out Ronnie and Johnny
Collins was a wonderful midfielder and an intelligent guy…he learned to speak French fluently. He also has a lot of time for supporters. I can speak from personal experience.
Is he having any good influence on Deila at all? It makes sense to have a good Scottish football heid to keep Deila in check sometimes. I have no good vibes about the Jambo match. I hope I am proved wrong.
Lads Lads Lads!! What’s all the fuss?
You can’t get all worked up about simple things like Results, Performance, Tactics, Enjoyment. That’s all in the past now!
The questions you should be asking are –
How many pies did we sell today?
How many programmes, half time draw tickets, Lion Bars, did we sell?
Is the Club maximising on profit per head from the punters that come into the stadium?
As a Shareholder and a business man, this is the kind of information I am interested in!
Stop wasting your time by writing nonsense that no one on the PLC board are remotely interested in.
If you were a genuine fan like me, then it would be the clubs share price that you look at every morning, not the position they are in the league!
Desimond, Big Jock was already a seasoned manager when he came to Celtic. He transformed the clubs he managed and left a great legacy at those clubs. I have been of the opinion to give Ronny a chance but I think if the TIc lose on Wednesday his days are numbered.
HH
With dismay,Deila has fell into the laptop loyal trap,by saying he wants to play THEM !
This shows how out of touch he is,in being a Celtic manager.
Lenny never gave the laptop loyal,soundbites like this,so they can create a ‘hpothetical’ media frenzy,in order to sell their wares.
First, his team should be taking up all his thoughts.And should have batted away,questions about Sevco.
Surely,he should know,that there are 3 big reasons,why we don’t want to play them,this season(or never,if I had my way)
1)They would get a cash-windfall,which they badly need.
2)It would be their cup final,and we would have everything to lose.
3)Probably,the main reason,if George Square,is anything to go
by,the VIOLENCE and CARNAGE they would cause.
If Deila is so naive,not to know,that the majority of Celtic fans
don’t WANT this game,then he is not the COACH for us !!
I respectfully put my name forward to swing the axe on behalf of all Celtic supporters.
“OOh Ronnie,jonnie here lads just kneel down here and place thy neck there we are checking collar sizes for next years spring collection”.
Why does ronny delia constantly put players down , grifthis needs to do this , needs to do that , commons has to improve , when Forrest played well on his return he brings the guy down saying he has a long long way to go to be a top player. Does ronny not realise he is not a school teacher anymore! Fair enough if this was coming from a legend like henrik or van basten , am I alone in thinking commons and co are like who the fuck are you mate , you achieved what as a player? And your telling me how to live and train.
Pipe down ronny and work on your man management skills before you lose the dressing room
Must admit I havent seen much footage of Celtic this season but judging by results, and my trust in ( most) posters on this site I say if we get done by Hearts…the Delia will have to go ( he wont though, will he )
What a crap week!! Indy vote, and I’m ment to go on holiday today but have lost ma passport. Missus is raging.
Enough to get me back on the drink.
Rant finito.
if we lose to hearts I hope he is history. 3 wins in 11 ffs.
Please be patient and lets hope it will all turn good in the end. I am sure the next four games will decide our fate one way or another. I agree with the point made earlier that the two strongest chalengers left CP pointless. HH keet the faith