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<\/p>\nThe new season started last night, as Celtic were beaten 2-1 byBobby Madden’s newly promoted Hearts side.<\/p>\n
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It’s difficult to grudge them their win, largely under the cosh for the whole game, they had no answer to some of Celtic’s play, with the hoops looking a completely different proposition from last term.<\/p>\n
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Postecoglou’s side looked like they wanted to score goals, pushing forward with speed and precision at every opportunity, they created space and opportunities, but the old trouble of shooting straight at the keeper was still there, as was the fragility in defence.<\/p>\n
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As a result, Hearts only needed to win a few set pieces before sooner or later the inevitable happened, and Madden simply instructed his charges to fall over a lot and he’d do the rest.<\/p>\n
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Whilst Celtic are a long way from being the finished article, and we can probably expect a few more results like this over the next few weeks, there are some encouraging signs.<\/p>\n
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Tony Ralston scored the Celtic goal, a well worked move and strong run allowing him to show his colleagues the idea is to put the ball where the keeper can’t reach it, and it appears he has decided to listen and learn from the manager and try to keep the right back shirt for himself.<\/p>\n
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He’s maybe not yet ready to claim it, but with every game he’s getting closer.<\/p>\n
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If he can improve, so can others, if they want to.<\/p>\n
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There is still a sieve mentality at the back, with no one prepared to take up an on field leadership mantel, and the same mistakes keep getting made, and there’s no reason to suggest things will change when we have the same coaches preaching the same lessons to the same people.<\/p>\n
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Whilst Postecoglou has allowed Kennedy and Strachan time to show what they can do, maybe he’s decided enough is enough.<\/p>\n
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This little bit of information seems to have slipped under the radar….and I can’t find any reports on it, but the fitness coach and the sports science boss at Yokohoma Marinos quit last week….<\/p>\n
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Now where could they be going ?<\/p>\n
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We need them.<\/p>\n
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Or at least someone like them, as too much of the mentality of last season is still there on the pitch, and off it…well, it’s the same old story.<\/p>\n
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The current Ibrox entity needs money. Automatic qualification for next seasons UCL will bring in enough of the green stuff to solve all of their woes.<\/p>\n
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We’ll be keeping an eye on those honest mistakes as they happen, because it seems apparent that our own club aren’t going to even mention them.<\/p>\n
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Quite why isn’t clear, but they are leaving themselves open to further allegations of collusion with the signatories of the infamous five Way agreement that paved the way for a football club to dump debt and carry on as though nothing had happened, unheard of anywhere else in the world of business.<\/p>\n
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There is a word for it. It’s called fraud.<\/p>\n
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On match day one, Celtic were denied what appeared to be a perfectly good goal. Flagged offside because the forwards hand was ahead of the two defenders who were actually standing in front of him….<\/p>\n
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Although the rules, of course, make exceptions for hands and arms….<\/p>\n
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Perhaps it’s an individual error…an honest mistake, like this one from John Beaton at Ibrox…<\/p>\n
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Had the Celtic goal counted, the hoops would have been 2-1 up, and the momentum that led up to the goal would have continued. As it turned out, the team looked deflated afterwards, and the players would have been thinking “here we go again…”<\/p>\n
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The second incidence of official incompetence is that reluctance to penalise a player who quite clearly fouled an opponent.<\/p>\n
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Andy Halliday, seen here with pal , er, Bobby Madden…<\/p>\n
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![\"Image\"](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/E7qCHIPXEAEV3BR?format=jpg&name=360x360\")
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…launched himself recklessly at Calum MacGregor and fortunately the speed of the Celtic midfielder prevented serious injury.<\/p>\n
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\nLook at this tackle, anywhere else in World Football & its a red card, Bobby ""HUN " Madden doesn't even book the player, Absolutely fcuking disgraceful, #HH<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/6G4pkPGY2S<\/a><\/p>\n
— Gerald (@GeraldMcGrain) July 31, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n