Celtic Diary Monday December 22: Imperfect Day

With a wee bit of shopping to do yesterday, and the game kicking off at the ridiculous time of 12.15, I decided to record the game and get everything else done first, meaning to sit down later in the afternoon to watch it.

However, a lack of understaning when it comes to modern technology meant that when I finally got a chance to view it, for some reason the first image I got was Ronny deila telling us we need to score more goals above a caption that said DNU 2-1 CEL. They’d even spelt DUN wrong.

So, let me guess…. Adam Matthews and Efe Ambrose were shite, John Guidetti still has his head up his arse and either we had a goal chalked off and a penalty clain turned down.

Ronny said;

“We are not taking our chances. That’s our main issue just now,”

“We lost the game because we weren’t effective enough. It’s a challenge we’ve faced in the last three or four games where we’ve created a lot of chances but don’t take them.

“We gave two easy goals away. We let them go inside and into the box instead of pushing them wide.

“We can talk about creating chances but we have to be more effective. In the last three or four matches we have created 10 to 15 chances in each but in the end if you don’t score then you lose matches and that’s what happened today.

“I’m not disappointed in the way we played. I think we played quite well especially in the first half.

“We pressed them and were all over them and created chances but we gave away a stupid goal. All that was missing was putting the ball in the net and that’s the most important thing in football.” 

 Leigh Griffiths, who has had a really good week, came on and scored one and hit the post after, and left us all wondering why he isn’t part of a two man strike force, because whatever else you may say about the system, however much you want to blame it on individuals, one up front is clearly not working, and its a waste to have two capable strikers on the bench every week.

 Another spectacular honest mistake saw Stefan Scepovics effort ruled offside even though you didn’t even need replays to see he wasn’t

Izaguerre, bottom middle, played the ball into the path of the Serb, who slotted behind the keeper. A perfectly positioned linesman got it wrong.

 There was some controversy over a penalty claim when John guidetti was barged off the ball in the box. Shoulder to shoulder ? Well, possibly, and the rule is all about doubt, so we’ll have to accept that one.

 However, there was this one, which seems to have escaped everyones notice;

 Just a hint of impediment there…

But if we had scored enough goals, then none of that would have mattered. If we had bothered to defend properly, then none of that would have mattered. Whereas Dundee Utd forward Neftar Ciftci deserves a lot of praise for his goal and his assist, they could have been prevented.

 Adam Matthews left his man inmarked, allowing him to head home for the second, and Efe ambrose and Nir Bitton combined for the first.

 A collective arse kicking session is needed, and maybe a rethink on the tactics.

 Yes, we are creating chances, and yes we could arguably also be dominating games, but we are not scoring goals. Which is a pretty significant part of any game plan.

 Deila agrees;

 it’s the fourth match now that we have created eight to 14 chances but when you score one goal that is way too little. We have to be more effective at putting the ball into the net. 

 Fair enough, but will he axe Guidetti ? Will he start with Griffiths, bizarrely behind Scepovic in the pecking order ? Will he go with two up front, thus doubling our chances of finding someone in the box ?

 Theres something else, even more worrying, judging by what he said yesterday…

“The disallowed goal is disappointing. But over a whole season it is even-Steven.” 

 Thankfully, someone punched him before he aded that we would have to take it on the chin.

 So Celtic slip to just a four point lead over Aberdeen and Dundee United, and once again we cannot be absolutely sure of winning the league.

I suppose its what we wanted really.

 Yesterday went from bad to worse when I found out that the evenings telly would be dominated by BBCs “The Apprentice “, which has nothing to do with marching bands in July, but is in fact a programme for young entreprenuers who have competed over a number of weeks to avoid being fired by a man who hasn’t even hired them yet.

 Or something like that.

 Last night was the final, between  a man with an idea to sell advertising space on the internet, and a woman who wanted to make it easier to buy different coloured tights. The economy is in safe hands after all.

 Anyhow, this nonsense took up two hours, and the wife is a fan, so i toddled off into another room and had a look at the interweb.

 And the day got even worse, illustratde by Night Of The Living Rednecks on KDS;

Which is in marked contrast to what he has always said;

 Nope, apparently he runs like fuck as soon as it looks like things are going tits up.

We knew he wouldn’t hang around for the game against Celtic in February, but it appears he didn’t fancy the AGM either. Not surprising, given the treatment he and his cronies got last year.

 Looking at that picture, theres not many of them left anymore…

McCoist has been placed on gardening leave, and Kenny MacDowell will take over until the end of the season, or the end of this particular entity, whichever comes first.

Its a major fall from grace for McCoist, who once was amongst Europes top managers

 However, we hear cheeky chappie has already lined up another job;

His former colleagues have rallied round, Barry Ferguson called it the saddest day in the whole scenario at Ibrox, both Andy gorams had their say, and Radio Clyde pundit Derek Johnstone took to comfort eating;

 The pantomime continues today with the AGM, where the club /company/basket case will make their latest appeal for more money.

 The statement they will make is below;

AGM statement

 Its fairly long, but can be summed up thus;

In it , they blame the media, Scottish football and everyone else they can think of for their demise. Apprently no-one likes them, and tey haven’t been given enough help.

No-one likes them ?

 How did they take so long to figure that out ?

Fair play to them though, after Celtic supporters claimed former  Coronation Street lass Michelle Keegan as one of their own,

they hit back with their own beauty

 We are the -well, I’m not entirely sure exactly what they are.

With McCoist now away, there are no links to the old club anymore, and whilst the bold Ally didn’t want to be witness to a tanking from Celtic, it looks more and more likely that none of us will get to see it.

Selfish bastard. Still, as long as he-and new boss Kenny MacDowell-are happy.

 The 1976 League Cup final defeat to Aberdeen was pictured in Saturdays diary, which brought back some not so fond memories for a lot of you.

 Whats going on here, and whats the connection between the two players ?

And finally, I love this picture. From a Third Lanark-Celtic game that was called off back in the day;

 No To Summer Football !