One of the things the Celtic support does really well – unfortunately – is apportions blame to individuals for what essentially amount to collective failings.
How happy Starfelt must be not only that he’s improved enough that some of the pressure is off him but that a section of our support has a brand new scapegoat to pour their anger onto.
I don’t want to be too critical of the fans, but honesty I think some of them need to get a grip and stop with this constant rooting around for somebody to dislike in the team. I don’t think that Giakoumakis was particularly brilliant yesterday, but it didn’t matter who you put in that front line; if the tactic was to lump big high balls into the box, it was never going to work.
We do not have a player who can function in that role. It is not Giakoumakis’ fault that we opted for a style yesterday that did not suit his talents.
That’s the fault of the coaches and the manager. The decision to give him the penalty might seem crazy in the stands but those in the club had a perfectly sound and logical reason why they did it.
He missed. That will happen. He scored enough of them last season so that we know this has nothing to do with bottle or a lack of confidence.
Everyone had an off-day yesterday.
To blame one player for the failure to take three points lets others off the hook and nobody should have been spared a searing examination of their failings when so many were evident across the team.
I said a few weeks ago that it was massively important for this big guy to have gotten his first goal.
It is now important that he scores the second soon because he doesn’t want this to become an issue, he doesn’t want questions being asked about why he was signed in the first place, and the press is dying to start writing those stories.
And I worry that a section of our own support will start asking the same thing, having learned damn all from the Starfelt situation.
The big man will come good
People accusing him being like Chris killen.he was the top scorer in holland.remember Henrik’s first couple a games.this guy needs time to bed in.certain fans need to look at themselves.it riles me.we will get better as a unit hh
Does John Kennedy have any influence on tactics? Because yesterday was so Lennon/Kennedyesque
Totally agree he wasn’t responsible as mostly everyone was poor, but he isn’t the answer for a club of our size, simply because he isn’t good enough.
We need far better and if the board are serious about wanting us to win the league then we have to bring in a quality centre forward in January as Kyogo is the only up to scratch one that we have and that is never going to be enough.
At last accounts we were 16.6 million in the black so there is no excuse for the board if they mess this up.
Meant to add that although everyone can miss a penalty, the attempt was Sunday morning amateur league level.
It looked more like a pass back to the goalkeeper.
I don’t blame him though as it’s patently obvious that he isn’t good enough.
The big guy will come good. He’s quality. Patience is required.
Nobody is immune from lashing out after a poor result, as was borne out by the “Celtic Dropped Points Today But No-One Should Believe Livingston Deserved One” article in the aftermath of the Livi game.
Giakoumakis does deserve some stick for taking the pen when it should have been Juranovic. McGregor should get some stick for not making the decision for him. Ange should get some stick for not having made the instructions as regards a penalty taker clear.
It’s up to the big guy to bounce back. And when he does the fans will have long forgotten about that awful penalty.
Fans are fickle. Go figure, eh?
It wasn’t the fact he missed. That will happen on occasion. It was the fact he bottled it. Short run up, in slow motion. Everybody knew where its was going. And it barely made the goal-line. He looked like a frightened rabbit taking that penalty. Shocking. It was the effort not the outcome. He just wanted it to be over.
I dont know what game you watch. The idea that Celtic punt balls into the middle is a joke.
Exactly, he was like a little dear, stuck in the headlights…never should a taken that pen!!
I’m sure he will come good as you don’t score that many goals in the Dutch league by accident however, stay well clear of pen taking!
Can’t understand Ange saying he was designated penalty taker for the day!
Juranovic I’m quite sure everyone thought was our taker especially when you see how he hammered the two he has taken and scored.
If he is on the park at the award he takes it.
We don’t get them on a regular basis so let’s leave it till the moment and to the men on the park.
Gilt edged chance to claim three points and the collective blew it.
Spot on again James. Some sites have already started on GG and demanding his sale. There is not one team or a single individual in the world of sporting history has a 100% record, so why do some Celtic fans feel the need to dissect and become CSI agents every time we don’t get 3 points. I would also harbour a guess that none of these acclaimed critics have ever managed a professional football team or have the coaching badges, so they are after all just supporters like the rest of us. Everyone is absolutely entitled to their opinion, but let’s keep it within the realms of realism and not reach for the scatter gun when we don’t perform like 11 Pele’s and beat every team by 3 or 4 goals.
James, correct.
The blame lies solely with the manager.
Appalling ‘tactics’, substituting players but not changing the system. Resting our top scorer and best player was pathetic and a dreadful decision. The exact same at Ibrox, the managers fault. Over and above this he had seen from the first game how Livingston play and done the exact same again 96 minutes. He is to stubborn to change and failure to change leads to failure.
Fans are getting on GG back as quite honestly he was crap. The Livingston no 6 was under no pressure from
Him all day. He may not have one the header but he never even challenged. He was bought for those games and totally failed. At Halloween he was (as I am sure other people thought) he was the invisible man in the second half. He is basically a faster Ajeti.
Nonsense on several counts lol.
You obviously haven’t been listening to the manager Mr Reilly. He has explained that his style of play requires a large squad who can all play the same system. Players out due to injury or the need to be rested shouldn’t require a different system. Although it may not have felt like it Celtic created enough chances to win the game comfortably yesterday. Unfortunately Jota, Starfelt, GG and Kyogo, Ralston and perhaps CCV couldn’t complete the chance. It happens.
Geoff has it spot on here.It was a collective balls up.As for these so called Celtic fans always looking for a scapegoat when things don’t go to plan.Get real and get behind all of the team. we’ve only had one round of fixtures. Plenty time to get the job done.
We created enough chances against Livi to win the game comfortably whatever it felt like. When the opposition parks the bus you need to take these chances, we didn’t. Woeful free kicks, two CBs that aren’t great attacking headers of the ball and GG not up to scratch yet. A set pieces coach might be worth hiring. Things will get better. It’s important to voice support for the team because it helps – the players say it again and again.
Everyone loves a scapegoat but it’s simply an emotional over reaction to an undesired result. A bit of reason goes a long way.