We are in CRISIS.
Well………you would think we are if you listened to the moans coming out of Hampdump or on-line. There is not a more off putting trait in a football fan than a sense of entitlement or the snobbery that accompanies that sense.
Getting beat from The Marnocks is being roundly looked upon as a disgrace. Really? I’m sure the performance against Ross County could be termed as a disgrace. Raith Rovers? Aye. That was a disgrace but getting beat from an SPL side who have beaten R*ngers twice, were 3-0 up against us and never lost a goal on the way to deservedly winning the League Cup (now termed Diddy again since we lost!) is not.
The was The Marnocks Cup Final. Not a metaphorical one. But their actual cup final. They have only won once since they got the bleeding thing – at Ibroke – and I would put money on them not winning another game this season. Their season ended yesterday. It will be remembered as their best season since 1997. The fact that they should be in the Top 6 and finishing 7th is not a true reflection of their ability will be forgotten and forgiven.
Us? Our hate/hate relationship with the League Cup continues. Another reason why I’m surprised at exasperation at the defeat. We have lost 15 finals. From 64 to 78 we appeared in 14 finals in a row (a record). We lost 8 of them including a fantastic run of 7 defeats in 8 finals (70-78). From what I am told we had a decent team during that time. History tells us that this competition has previous of us failing so yesterday didn’t come as a surprise.
Why? Do I think that it’s a sign of weakness in Neil Lennon’s Celtic? I mean he has lost 3 times in 7 visits to Hampdump and lost 2 League Cup finals in a row. If he doesn’t like the place or the team doesn’t like the place then why do they keep on trying their damnedness to get us back there? No, yesterday was just the product of our recent poor form.
We seem to have Administration blues. Apart from our win at Easter Road we have not reached the heights performance wise since Feb 14th (some might say the 2nd half at Tannadeechie but that was product of a sending off we were terrible in the first). Just like when we were struggling at the start of the season the simple reason is that we have too many players off form.
Double F & Mulgrew were the only players to get pass marks yesterday. Like most of our poor games and poor results when we are struggling our manager could easily take off 8 or 9 players. Yesterday was the same. I’m sure the manager draws lots on such days to decide whose coming off.
Jamesy Forrest and Victor Wanyama are struggling to resemble their former selfs. Gary Hooper is a man lost. Kelvin Wilson looks like another Glenn Loovens (great Championship centre back but struggling at a bigger club with a unique pressure and take on defending) and his idling at The Marnocks goal was more drunk looking at a train station timetable than centre back trying to win a cup for his team.
Broonie for all his recent praise disappeared (he has appeared in 5 finals losing 3 of them – a typical Celtic record) same goes for Ledley. Stokes did nothing to justify a starting selection. But……but, we went 26 domestic games unbeaten. We are 20 games unbeaten in the league. Yesterday was only the fourth time that we have failed to score a goal this season. Aye, only the fourth time. Our only dropped points in the league in those 20 games came via an own goal.
And still they question the team.
Luck deserted us. We meet a goalie in fine form. We missed chances that we have been taking and our opponents took a chance when it was presented to them. At this point I should really rage at Willie Gollum. But…NO….he is a useless MIB one of the worst but blaming him is failing of not just damn well admitting that we didn’t play well and hey we got beat due to this. It a weakness to blame him.
We can’t succomb to job done mode. I don’t think we have in the whole but certain players should be highlighted on spreadsheets with a look to resting them. Time on the bench/stand gives them time to think if you take their IPODS off them. Time to consider if they want to be part of what could be, still, a bloody exceptional season. The moaners should also consider that. It could be a bloody exceptional season.
Some seem annoyed that we are not going to do the treble. Can’t say I’m that annoyed as we never fecking do them anyway. One in my lifetime. Why is this? Cause we struggle to win the League Cup. We have won the Scottish Cup 36 times. We like that competition we have a romantic fairytale attached to it. I was more annoyed when The Marnocks beat us on Robbie Keanes debut. That was a sickener. That ended our season. Yesterday didn’t.
We are going into the Lions Den next Sunday. It’s a busted Lion but it can still bite. Any repeat of the last few weeks will see us beaten and probably very comfortably. I’m already thinking that a draw is a great result and my team would would reflect this. Sammy up top himself a midfield 5 of Commons, Ledley, Broonie, Ki and Victor.
Defeat? Unbearable to think what the clownshoes in our support will make of it. They will be calling for sackings, killings and inquests. Me? I will be slightly worried as the choke might have accidentally been pulled flooding our players mind with doubt.
We need to regain form. Next week is the perfect time to find it.
You are so bloody negative I think I’m going to stop reading your “blog”. All you do is gurn. cheer up mate. Try to get behind your team. Your the type of guy who, even know we’re 21 points ahead, you’d say fuck sake, we should be 22 ahead, it’s a disgrace. You remind me of my father in law. Grim!
Did you read the blog? FFS, I quote:
We are 20 games unbeaten in the league. Yesterday was only the fourth time that we have failed to score a goal this season. Aye, only the fourth time. Our only dropped points in the league in those 20 games came via an own goal.
And still they question the team.
The clue is I say they. Not me.
Neil Lennon said it all when he said the dissapointment of defeat pales, when we all heard of the death of Mr Kelly maybe sometimes the best supporters in the world should all leave our opinions at the door and give are condolences
HAIL HAIL
LOTW my reply is adressed to every tim not your blog
1 defeat in 26. Says it all. We were bound to lose at some point, shame it was in the final.
We didn’t play well. Either did Killie but I can’t begrudge them the victory. We have been fantastic this season.
It was indeed a painful one yesterday but I do agree that we have flattered to decieve recently.
One thing that struck me as strange yesterday, and it affected both teams early on, why allow players on to the park for a warm up so that they can get used to the park but as soon as the leave it the groundsmen turn the water cannon on it.
I think this was responsible for Hooper’s early chance.
Celtic to me look like a team going through the motions.
It has been clear for weeks that Forrest is jaded and needs a rest. He has a shocking knack of pulling out of tackles that must be addressed.
Hooper epitomises the malaise in the team; at times he just looks completely dissinterested.
I’m not convinced about Kelvin Wilson. I would rather he went off than Rogne. I think Rogne must have the best win to appearance ratio’s of any Celtic center half in the last ten years regardless of who he plays along side.
As soon as Ki failed to follow the run we were undone. The cross was a good one into that corridor of uncertainty and Mulgrew was still getting his wind back after his run up the park 2 minutes before.
In conclusion; this is not a cup that we historically do well in. We required to score first to force Kilmarnock to come out and we couldn’t do that.
All in all a great day for Kilmarnock sadly marred by tragedy and that will taint the memory for players who may not have many more successful days like yesterday.
Finally so much for there being no competition for Celtc if Rangers go down the swannie.
I think that lie was trully put to bed yesterday.
I always give CBs two seasons – Paul Elliot is the reason for this – but Wilson doesn’t look impressive. If Izzy was fit Mulgrew would be a shoe in to partner Rogne. We have a big few weeks and we can’t switch off
KILLIE ARE A PUB TEAM SO THEY BEAT RANGERS>>
A pub team. See when I mentioned snobbery did you look in the mirror? It’s attitudes like that that makes me despair.
Did this guy even bother to read the article? It wasn’t negative at all. Fantasticly put 100% agree. We are once again our own worse enemy and Kilmarnock where by far the better side.
Can’t disagree with much of what you say LOTW. We put in a poor shift again. I disagree with you on one point though – Mulgrew and FF – neither were impressive. FF stll has a bad case of hesitancy at crucial moments and panic in others. Mulgrew may have been less poor than most of the others on the park, but he was still poor by his recent standards. In saying that, I have no argument with the result. Killie played to a plan and it worked. I thought Celtic looked nervous and agitated. Preoccupation with records and trebles is obviously taking it’s toll. Maybe now the treble has gone, we can get back to taking the one game at a time and get back to our missing form of the last 2 or 3 months.
I highlighted both as Double F had a great save at 0-0 and Mulgrew just looked less bad than the others. Aye, the pressure is off as the treble is gone. The thought of greatness doesn’t suit some.
Wholeheartedly agree with you on this article. I’m pretty philosophical and far more positive about the whole matter. So we can’t win the treble, so what? This team have won only one trophy and they are a young team, although I reckon there’s a lot more to come from them especially as they mature. I would suggest that trebles are only won when a team has a few trophies under their belt and are consistently winning over a few seasons. I think it is grossly unfair to expect or demand that all trophies are won. For one, it is highly disrespectful to other teams. Do people just think we have to turn up and have the trophy handed to us on a plate? For another, it is far too much pressure to put on such a young team who, let’s face it, lack any real experience. I’ve read some pretty ridiculous statements yesterday and today and I think that the club can actually do with these people. Demands for Lenny to resign? What happened to smug superiority that has been demonstrated in the run up to the final? Someone said that they had enough of the team and wasn’t going to pay money again to watch Celtic play. I mean, that’s the most retarded statement I’ve ever heard. We had a great winning run from an astonishing turnaround, and it had to come to an end sometime, and I was certain it would be yesterday. I’m one of life’s realists and am able to cut through the jingoistic sentiment emanating from large swathes of the support. As I mentioned elsewhere, there’s been a lot of self-aggrandisement from the fans and a sense of entitlement and superiority, which is what Rangers are incredibly guilty of. Well we’re not Rangers, and we don’t just turn up. We don’t have trophies handed to us on a plate. We have to work for it, as does any other team (Rangers aside). So please enough of this nonsense. We are NOT Rangers and we are NOT the people.
HH
Well said Hevghirl. Some of the people hanging around the stands these days need to take a reality check. If they don’t have the stomach for the fight for success, they can away and follow the Moan United, Mank City, and Chelskis of this world. I would rather go to a game with 5 good positive Celtic fans when we’re getting humped than with 50000 glory hunting kids who think it’s just a matter of practising on FIFA Football Manager when we’re winning.
Great post…but how long can we justify the young team thing? I know it’s a reason and we need to get used to winning games in pressure situations but do you remember David’s Hay Celtic? A great side that never really got the handle on turning up on the big occasion. Apart from Love St.
Completely agree with the article and the comments of Hevghirl above.
I am devastated we are not going to win the treble but ‘we’ll be there whether we win,lose or draw’, is that not what the song says?
People are picking holes in Neil’s selection but the team should have been good enough to blow Killie away. They weren’t, move on. Huge game on Sunday, where a draw would not be a bad result but I think Lenny will have them fired up for this. They will need to be as this is Rangers game of the season and they will kick us off the park. Did you see some of the tasty challenges on Dundee Utd players last week. We will finish with 9 or 10, they will finish with 8 or 9.
It is understandable that Celtic have gone off the boil (a Cup Final should have produced a better respones though) as the league is finished. But the management need to ensure that the blip is over and a full commitment is given to winning the remaining games.
I criticised Neil Lennon in November and thought he should have resigned. I was wrong then. How can anyone criticise him after 1 defeat in 28 games.
John,
I have a text message I sent after we got beat 4-2 by The Huns which I called for Lenny to be sacked in a very public and once a season meltdown. I have yet to have one at CP this season – they usually happen when we are struggling to breakdown some bland tightknitted unit and Scott Broon misplaces a pass in a great position and if I was a betting man I put my meltdown to happen via a James Forrest misplaced pass sometime this season.
That’s why it’s not always wise to mix, defeat, alcohol and knee jerk.
Strip away the “politics” and get back to the basics…like changing things that aren’t working.
Certain players were really woeful on Sunday ..but stayed on far too long…(Ledley and Forrest to name but two)….the pace of our build-up suited Killie down to the ground….
To me it was imperative that Forrest( who was providing nothing)was replaced by Commons and Ledley( who watched the game pass him by) by Sammi.
It was crying out for a change…but,once again , Lenny left it too late.He seems unable to spot a problem early.
If that sounds like criticism to anyone …then so be it….
But sometimes criticism can be constructive and shouldn’t always be taken as “just moaning”.
You make a great point. Moaning is moaning but pointing out things that you feel are incorrect in a certain way is and can be justified. I agree with your points re the subs. Again – as I said in the blog – Lenny could have took 8 players off at any point and maybe that was influencing his lack of incisive action.
Actually, I agreed with you. I thought the subs should have been made after 50 minutes with Forrest and Stokes getting hooked.
It was obvious to me it wasn’t working.
it just wasnt our day,after reading mondays papers and listing to radio shows u would think we were beaten by a cricket score,all reporting killie were the better team on the day,yes they held there shape well and set up to counter attack and if there keeper has a day like that again he may well be a very good man to keep a eye on with big fraser not yet tied down.but it was the keeper that stopped us from running up a big win and i think that says alot and now seems forgoten as we lost the match.i would like to stress that we didnt play at our best but craved out the best chances to win the game.as i said it just wasnt our day.27 matches unbeaten the bubble is going to burst at some point.only into lennys second season last season 1 cup this season hopefully 2 cups next year clean sweep,dont worry about it guys were going in the right direction. come on u bhoys in green.
i felt the wrong team from the start its a massive pitch that is why sammy should have been on to run at them make the pitch big for them and maybe even cha the full backs never got any good crosses in from the byline. take big thomas off and changing it was a mistake he was having a good game winning headers clearing the ball the basics,something that wilson has not got into his head yet did he win a header all day.
Unfortunately it was another under par performance at Hampden. Still hopeful for the 15th of April though.
Things could be worse although my mate Steve is taking this latest disappointment badly. He used to say `keep the faith` when the Bhoys were struggling in the 1990s. 🙂
Keep the faith or blind loyalty?
celtic played there best when 15 points behind went on a great run with C.M and T.R at centre back and no ki in the team then changes all this for a cup final. In saying that it will be old news when we win on sunday and at the start of this season all i wanted was to win the league and that is going to happen .
I don’t disagree with Lennons starting line up. You are either in Team Sammy or Team Stokes. Though……we may need to take a punt on Izzy and get Chico back to CB.
Good article,but ffs 20 odd games in scotolando get to a final and F. it up.Bhoys and Ghirls WE BLEW IT AGAIN, FFS smell the coffee things aint right when it comes to the crunch.Im early shift so little bit tired but we have a problem.
Unbeaten in Scotland. Aye, where the hell else can we be unbeaten? I remember our other 20 odd games unbeaten runs…wait a minute. They don’t happen that often do they? That needs to be reminded when faced with the dullness after a cup final defeat (in a competition that is termed Diddy and unimportant but earth ending to lose now!).
Aye, we lose games. Don’t we all? And…YES! Off course some defeats mean more than others as when it gets to the business end of the season it usually means that results mean more than they do than losing in October. So, failing to win at any point now is deemed as blowing it.
Hell, a draw at the Rhodders was deemed as blowing it.
But…..getting beat in a final or in the 3rd round or in the league in October or in May still means that you either don’t win the cup or could stop you winning the league.
It’s all the same outcome.
I have asked Dortmund if they will swap their 19 game unbeaten Bundesliga run for our 21 SPL one. I’m awaiting Jurgan Klopp’s response.
Why is it a weakness to blame “Willie Gollum”?Neil was SPOT ON to criticise Collum. How many more times must Celtic be cheated by Collum? Before Sunday it was League games NOW IT IS A CUP FINAL – at least it can’t be a Champion’s or Europa League game. I’m sorry, but Collum is NOT a “useless MIB one of the worst” – he is a biggot and a cheat – SIMPLES!!!
It is a weakness when you are so blinded by paranoia that that’s all you blame. Gollum is the worst MIB going. Not a bigot and a cheat just a man out of his depth and drowning.
brilliant article mate. i couldn’t agree more.
it pains me just as much as the next Tim to not see us achieve the treble this season, but in all fairness what did we do on Sunday to deserve it. Killie were clearly up for it from the start, and I have no idea if he was named MOM, but Cammy Bell played exceptionally on the day. He deserved to win that match.
Willie Collum’s poor decision did have a clear impact on the match, but we cannot blame him for us losing. He wasn’t the one that missed a 1v1 or failed to track a man on the back post. He just blew a call that might have seen us draw level. As annoying as that can be, you can never leave your fate in the hands of a referee, we didn’t do good enough to win the match, simple as.
Our form has been poor the past couple of weeks but it’s hardly time for doom and gloom. The players look tired, not complacent. We just need more rotation at the minute, and what manager in his right mind would choose to rotate the squad for a cup final? Let’s be serious.
4-5-1 for Sunday sounds aces. Sammy needs to start. Muddle up the midfield with 5 men in and a draw would truly not be a horrible result (although a win would clearly be better).
The title will be ours, there is absolutely no question there, and the Scottish Cup is still a potential. The double is very much on people, I would be more than proud of that achievement as well.
mon the Celts! hail hail
Tiredness is a feature. Forrest, Wanyama and Matthews all look jaded.
Seems to be some doubt about the unbeaten run..lets recap
17 wins in a row in the league
20 domestic wins in a row
21 games unbeaten in the league (still)
26 games unbeaten overall.
The only two teams to beat us since Hearts on the 2nd October are Athletic Madrid and The Marnocks. Disappointing eh?
That photo of anguish reminds me of the Masaccio painting of Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden.:-(
That`s almost as bad as your teabag bursting in your cup. I hope to avoid feeling like that on Sunday. Come on the Celts!
Stop trying to culturefy the blog. It’s just gingerly getting up from the gutter. It may walk and talk soon. 🙂
Humble apologies Lord. :-/
This is Rangers best chance of four in a row after losing their last three home games. Cotc!
Here we go to four in a row….