No shocks here tonight about the manner of that well deserved win.
If you are like me and you tend to look beyond a result then you too will have noticed a shift in momentum towards the green side of the Clyde divide.
A cursory look back to last Season’s table at the same juncture perhaps shows just how far the pendulum has swung in our favour
I did another piece in this section of the site regarding recruitment at both Clubs in the window and I’ll be honest and state that my observations on their recruitment was partly based on looking back to where they were and how it has panned out for them so far this Season.
Their entire resurgence under Gerrard was built upon a solid and cohesive defence.
That solid and cohesive defence that only conceded 13 League goals in an unbeaten Season,that seen them beat far more fancied outfits in Europe over the past 2 years is finally showing signs of being weak.
This time last Season (after 24 games ) they were sat on 66 Points (PTS) and had a Goal Difference (GD) of + 53.
This Season after 24 games they are sat on 56 PTS and a GD of +27 .
They have already conceded 21 Goals 7 of which have been scored by Ross County alone.
That’s 10 points dropped and -26 GD in just 24 games.
That’s a marked decline in standards defensively.
I knew that having added to our attacking options both in the Summer and in the January window their defence is now there for the taking.
Ross County have also shown the other teams that if you are brave they are there to be got at.
The reason being they failed to strengthen this key area of the Park.
Instead they brought in a lame show pony on the last day whilst the likes of Seigrist and Souttar no doubt waited for the call to grab a coat.
Celtic on the other hand have concentrated on bringing more reinforcements in in the attacking areas of the park.
And oh how those additions have improved our attack.
After 24 games last Season we had 49 PTS and a GD of +31
Skip forward 12 months and we sit on 57 PTS and a GD of +37
That’s an improvement of 8 PTS and +6 on GD
But perhaps more telling is the overall picture which when added up comes to a staggering 18 PTS and +32 GD swing in favour of Celtic.
Celtic now have the momentum and with the talent we have still to come back into contention in our side it bodes very well going into the remainder of the campaign.
They on the other hand have made the fatal mistake/ not addressing the obvious problems they now have.
When you consider the money they supposedly got for Paterson (Undisclosed Fee) it begs the question why didn’t they strengthen the defence?
If you look at their run of games coming up this month it is entirely possible that their Season could come crashing to and end quite quickly with Hearts,Hibs and Dundee Utd in the League and Dortmunds Haaland still to get a go at them it could end in disaster for a defence that looked far from solid even against the Galacticos of Ross County.
I have it on very good Everton authority that the first and potentially only payment they got for Paterson is £5m which they had to take or else. Think about it zero bids for Goldson, Kent, Morelos, Barisic, Aribo etc is because clubs know that there’s a fire sale coming in the summer. As for Ramsey the so called superstar or “world class” (as per Kris Boyd) he’s costing them next to nothing so desparate where Juve moving him on. See the Turin press yesterday.
I just revel in the fact that “We are top of the League” it’s always brilliant being a Celt, this morning it’s even more special. Thank you Ange and players.
I suspect that you are far closer the facts regarding how much they received than the figures being banded around by the MSM.
The Everton Accounts due out this month should confirm it.
It seemed a bit odd to be claiming record deals and then not releasing the actual amount
I also read somewhere that Ramsey wanted around £6m to do walking away in January bit Juve baulked at the cost of Physio treatment in order for him to actually walk anywhere.
It was cheaper to pay 95% of his wages than pay the Vatican for a miracle.
Cheers bud appreciated
I think the media glossed over our performances under Ange in Europe as they concentrated on firstly the heavy loss to Leverkusen which truth be told wasn’t a true reflection on the game as Kyogo passed up 4 chances himself that night and we could have got something from it with better composure in front of goal?
They also lamented not qualifying from our Group despite attaining more points in it than they did in their Group
Which points to us having the more difficult task to start with.
That Leverkusen game aside though this Season we haven’t lost a game by more than 1 goal in any game but it’s the draws that have cost us.
Strengthening the attack has been key to the transformation under Ange and the Board for once have to be praised for doing so in such a short space of time.
It’s been a very long time since they fully committed to a Season like this.
Denying them a free crack at £30m seems to have been quite a motivator it would appear
Rangers have deteriorated quickly under GVB. If Gerrard and Beale were still in the dugout, they would have pressed right up to our penalty area; they would have had somebody in Starfelt’s face every time he had the ball, with another one covering Hart. Last night they stood off us, giving Starfelt all the time in the world, and apart from one blooper near the end, he had one of his most comfortable games (and defended well when called upon, to be fair to him).
Complaining about ball-boys! Where were the diving, two-footed tackles ten minutes after the ball was gone?
Tavernier had a cheeky go at accessing the twelfth man dividend for the first goal, but even Madden couldn’t swing that. ‘Naw son, you can’t get a foul when your own players knock each other out’.
It’s got to be Hatate for man of the match of course, what a first half he had. But close behind was O’Riley. The praise we were hearing from England wasn’t exaggerated. His ability to quickly see and execute a pass is top-drawer. Imagine him alongside Rogic or Turnbull! That is going to be Ange-ball to the max.
Reality has dawned on the piggery that they are champions because we were rank rotten, and now we’re back firing on all cylinders pulling off results whilst missing our best players they bottled it last night. It was their chance to pull away and really set a marker and they sh*t it, they had nothing and had no answer to Celtic, if I was a hun god forbid, I’d be asking where the summer investment was? Why in two windows have we signed 3 players, one on loan. They haven’t got the financial clout to mount a second title run, they’re relying on Celtic slipping up, something we’ve not done since September, I can see us injuries permitting not shifting from top spot, the finances and dealings at ipox are cloak and dagger, they have to keep it hidden because it will expose the true state of the club, and what a state it is
The Orcs have gambled everything on 2 loan signings neither of which turned up last night. Where were the offers for Kent, Goldson, Aribo,Tavernier, Hagi ? NADA. If they don’t win the League with all the CL money attached, their done… again. Ramsey is/was a good player years ago but who would you have in your Celtic team in front of him ?? No-one from lasts nights showing.
Ramsey’s face watching from the stands said it all, he wanted none of that.
Would not be half surprised if he never ends up taking the pitch for them, if he does he’s one slide tackle away from having his insides turned to mince. Imagine his chocolate knees on a synthetic pitch, I almost feel sorry for him.
Nobody will pay what they want for Kent & they still owe Liverpool money for him I think. Goldson seems indifferent to the club in general & is running down his contract. Aribo will end up somewhere & probably go for some cash, he’s not awful tbh. Tavernier is p1ss weak as a captain & too old to go for any cash, he’ll run his deal down too. Hagi has moments but is inconsistent & fragile, no one with real money to spend would take the risk on him, he’ll end up in Belgium. Their fans are already talking about selling the Polish wing back they’ve just signed & hasn’t played yet, they are fooked.
I read a reply on Ramsey by a Juve fan stating he has calf muscles made from sliced cheese
I think the reasons he signed for them are simple.
He’s effectively getting a free pre Season done (before a summer move to hopefully a Newcastle or an EPL Club with more money than sense ) on full wages at a Club where Supporters are gushing over him instead of rotting in the Juve reserves being looked upon as an expensive pariah by a loathing Juve fanbase who apparently think he was an expensive dud who’s contributed next to sweet FA in real terms🤷🏻♂️
It’s been widely reported he was wanting £6m to walk in January.
This way he’s gets fit again on full pay and then free to move because there is no way they can afford him in the Summer.
He’s looked at the SPFL as a canter like Barton before him and I think he like Barton is in for a shock at just how hard he is going to have to work in a League where some of the knuckledraggers just love to half a big time Charlie given a chance.
Goldson could have had a goal last night late on he will be a massive miss and I don’t think Souttar is a better option than him at the moment.
Giakoumakis made Souttar look very average on the goal he scored v Hearts.
I like how Goldson threw his arms out to his side & looked around accusingly at his team mates when Reo curled in his 2nd goal, as if to blame someone else, anyone else, for not shutting Hatate down, only to realize HE was the only Rangers player within 6 yards of Reo & it was HE who failed to close the space down…He still blamed everyone else though…He’s good like that
He knows the games a bogey with that defence.
That’s why he’s not signed a new contract he knows this day was fast approaching.
There’s been a massive decline in performances from McGregor ( who was arguably their best player last night denying Giakoumakis a first half hat trick with some excellent saves) right across that back line.
I think they were over performing under Gerrard last Season and now realise it was unsustainable.
Tavernier has never been a good defender or Captain he was shocking last night as predicted.
As for Barasic he’s done.
Telling ye that defence needs millions spent on it to fix it now.
Signing Souttar is akin to sticking a plaster on a gaping axe wound
I think the major difference is that at no time last season did they have to play with us breathing down their necks. That has changed and they can’t cope. If they don’t start like a train at the weekend, the entitled will turn on them.
I liked the scene when the much valued Hun Barisic just sat down as Liel scored . Compare and contrast with Josep Jurhanovic a that of a tireless
fellow Croat . The Huns have soo many problems, get our other players back and it’s no contest.
I would say that last season we made them look to good. Too many in the Hoops either wanted away or had run their race. Ange has rebuilt with younger more hungry players. The Orcs are in the same space as we were last season. The only difference is that they can’t afford to be there. We win the League this season, their done.,… again.
I would agree with our own situation that’s exactly how I seen it but you can’t deny they have also been doing it in Europe.
That’s the true bench mark and testing ground for any side in the SPFL.
We win this Title and they fail to access the CL proper via the qualifiers it’s game over for project Equity Confetti
