When I did my article when the fixture list was published about how Ibrox had the reverse side of our diabolical schedule from last season, I got an amused email from someone almost at once asking me how hard I’d actually looked at the start to the campaign.
“Aberdeen, Hearts and that lot at home in the first six games, with away games at Ross County, Kilmarnock and Dundee Utd.” Not exactly a simple task. Three of the bigger teams at home and three tricky away fixtures. He was right,
There’s nothing easy about any of it. Ibrox’s run is – I’d argue – somewhat harder, but for the third week in succession they have a game they are pretty much expected to win; St Johnstone at home. They have a further home game against Ross County on 27 August, with a much simpler cup tie than we have, also at home against Queen of the South.
Their away fixtures are a bit more daunting. They have to go to Easter Road – the match they are trying to have postponed to “help them in Europe”, then Celtic Park and then Aberdeen in quick succession. Tough ones all. Then it’s Dundee Utd and home and Hearts away … which could be constructed around Europa League Thursday nights.
It’s fun to speculate on this stuff, and it’ll be even funnier if it comes off.
But for now, let’s focus on us. We’re at Kilmarnock and then Tannadice in the next few weeks. We’ve started the league with two away matches out of the first three games. I’m not crying fix our foul, just saying that we will need to be sharp with this in mind.
It is pleasing to have two wins out of two, and three out of three would send the right message to the rest of the league. But, and this is another point, for the second time in three weeks we’re kicking off after they do and thus will be “chasing” for a day, provided they don’t lose to St Johnstone which I have to say seems unlikely.
This puts pressure on us, but we’re built for that and I expect that by mid-afternoon Sunday we’ll be back on top of the league again. As tough as this start is going to be – as tough as any start they could have given us would have been – we’re not going to be stopped easily if at all.
We will be entitled to proper credit if we get through these first six games on better form that we opened last season. But we won’t get it of course.
We want to win all these early games and also to bang in more goals to increase the goal difference. I don’t think, come the end of the campaign, that goal difference will matter much, but it does help with putting the pressure on them.
You don’t mince your words Roonsa, I like that.
But you forgot……and festering wankstains. 🙂
I’ve always maintained there should be a’go to war ‘ attitude for every game! No excuses given or taken. It does not matter what other teams say or do. It does not matter that the SMSM is rancid and incapable of being decent and unbiased in their typed stories.It does not matter that refereeing in this country is so tilted towards giving favourable decision s each week to one club in particular over the rest.Why doesn’t it matter? Because Celtic FC will be here long,long after all of the aforementioned are long gone, and that will be sooner rather than later.
Sean, you’re a cunnt HH.
Just keep digging Sean, you are doing well.
Sean did previously give me his details.
Sean McCaffrey, confirmation name Francis and drinks in the Brazen Heid.
But can’t spell hun? 🙂
Not Kilmarnock, we’re playing against, but the pitch.
Just go out and win games Celtic and the fixture list will take care of itself. The only thing I’m worried about regarding referees is the lack of protection our skilful players get in Scotland. I hope I’ve not upset Mr Moderate himself, yes I mean you Sean or are you really Andy Walker.
Sean, I take it in politics you would be a Lib Dem. Joking aside I believe we’ve all got a right to an opinion as long as we keep it civil. That’s why after a defeat for Celtic I always wait until next day before making comments.
Come on lads! This is becoming more like a playground squabble. I happen to think these fixtures are rigged in favour of sevco but I take comfort in the fact that Ange doesn’t give a sh*t about these things and probably doesn’t even look at the list. He expects us to win every game no matter when or where its played.He’s done a pretty good job so far
If johnny and others look at Sean’s Facebook site, they will see the Celtic FC’s Round Club Badge. Tremendous. Sean is trying to be seriously realistic. He keeps saying predictions have a habit of coming back to bite you. If you removed Celtic and Rangers from the SPL
it would be hard to pick winners. Someone said it gives you something to talk about at the Pub. Great for Mental Health. Niels Bohr the Atomic Model Physicist said “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it is about the future”. Also, never bet on animals with four legs or two legs. Picking winners in the CL, Europa etc seems to be very difficult.
It is heartening to read the support Celtic Fans gave to Dundee Utd.