Does anyone still think that we shouldn't be worrying?

It was never about the huns, it's all to do with our own deficiencies that people are frustrated at.

As you say, we have been absymal. For longer than just the first half of this season. In the calendar year of 2018, Kilmarnock with 1/28th of our wage budget amassed more league points than us. A side that was bottom of the league in October 2017.

People will rightly counter that statistic in that period we have won 3 trophies while Kilmarnock have won none and that after-all is what the game is all about.

It's not all sugar like some would have you believe, it's not all * like others would have you believe but the standard of our play has undoubtedly regressed. Being dumped out of the Champions League qualifiers for the first time since Rodgers got here is testament to that. It should have been a warning call to the whole club that things needed to improve. It hasn't.

A continuation of bad performances, player discontent and a power struggle between Rodgers & Lawwell comes on a backdrop of record turnover and an eye-watering amount of cash in the bank.

The time for bluster & bravado is over. People want to see the board, manager and players start to consistently show we are by and far the best in this country. I have every faith we will do that but they need to do it now. Calling people 'panty-wetters' or telling people that are justifiably angry causes pointless division. We all want the same thing, a strong, dominant Celtic on the park.

 

We have been hugely unlucky in practically every position on the park. For supposedly loyal fans, this thread on a Celtic forum is a disgrace. Surely the past few years have been enough stimulus to encourage our own support to believe in the merits of the likes of Tierney, Brown, Rogic, Forrest, Griffiths...I don't need to name the whole team.

The dressing room is full of winners. We need more cover in full back positions. Kieran remains the best LB in country, Boyata and Benkovic are best pairing...Gordon and Lustig are concerns, yes, but they're not gonna cost you a title. One or two games maybe, and this is the weakest position in our team. So why the pessismism? Class is permanent...

 

How is it disloyal to worry about your club’s demonstrable, incontrovertible decline?

 

They individual players might not cost us the title but failing to strengthen from a position of strength might. Letting 3 key players run their contract down to the last 6 month might. Selling your best striker with no replacement on the last day of the window might as well as failing to replace players that have left might.

We should be so far out of sight it's unbelievable yet we're level on points and just got battered at ibrox. Criticism is a good thing for the club, we need to let them know this isn't good enough or we end up sleepwalking to 10 and a row and might just get caught napping.

 

I agree with you. Opinions are what a forum is all about. I don't give a * who's looking in and reading. We all want what's best for our club, to celebrate when we win and complain when we lose. A forum is the platform to do that. Being pessimistic, realistic and optimistic is how people really are. Maybe this thread will be read by some of those numpties at the club who will now know if they didn't before how unhappy we are with the situation.

 

Over reaction and a half ...


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We are not going to lose the league this year and with good quality recruitment we shouldnt be anywhere near losing the league next year either we have been getting tired and the break will do us wonders we will come back and steam roll everyone.

 

I understand its worrying , we definitely look alot weaker and alot less like we care.
But bottom line is this was gonna happen, we werent gonna go invincible again, they were going to beat us some time and they have got stronger with their main aim stopping the 10, stevie wonder could have seen this happening.
On the flip side though if we had continued beating them and having that wee gap in the league table they tight fisted * on the board would have not parted with a penny ... every cloud and all that and I believe they wont wanna lose the league and Brendan so they will strengthen.
Sevco can go buy 36 year old man etc but we all know if we strengthen its our league to lose ... not theirs to win!


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After the Morelos non-ban I decided to post on this thread as I suppose I'm slightly more concerned. I voted no however because consider what happened on the 29th. We played the worst game imaginable, had every official against us,played our best midfielder at full back & still we nearly got a draw.

So I'm not arrogant but not really worried. A Treble/Treble is still the most likely outcome to this season.

What joy that will be.

 

I voted yes because the question is “are we in danger or losing the league”. Do I think we will lose it? No. But in danger...yes. In the cold light of day, we have put in maybe 5 or 6 really good performances this year with a few shockers in there and a lot of mediocre football. Based on that form, if we continue, we will be pushed very close. Aye we have a game in hand but those points are not a given, so as it stands, we are only ahead on goal difference over the huns. They are a bang average team, but already look to be improving with Defoe and Davis coming in. No world beaters but better than what they have. So yeah, there’s a danger, but if we recruit well in jan in key areas, and we get back to even 80% of what we are capable of, we will win the league no bother. The biggest threat is ourselves. But saying we are in danger is not the same as saying we are going to lose the league.

 

Votes yes, but I think we'll win the league.

Even if we never bought anyone I think we will, but if we don't strengthen then it gets harder and with them buying in players again it makes it difficult.

The players need a kick up the * though, if we mirrored the 1st half into the second then yes we'll definitely lose the league as they will pick up more points than us in the 2nd half if we repeat that.

 

haha

 

It is the most rational conclusion to draw from our performances and results this season.

It is halfway through the season, and three points separate first and fourth. We have yet to put together a sustained run of high-quality, winning football. We accumulated fewer points in 2018 than Kilmarnock (albeit we played two fewer games they did). Why should the second half of the season be assuredly different?

If we do improve, who is to say that the other clubs will decline or stand still?

@Seosamh Máirtín can mock people all he likes, and keep a list of the names of people who voiced their concern and, perhaps, refer back to it at the end of the season with the benefit of hindsight, but the reality is that we have shown no signs of arresting a season-on-season decline, while other clubs have made great strides.

This league campaign is set to go down to the wire, unless something changes, and there is no guarantee that anything will change; any claim to the the contrary is, frankly, arrogant and groundless.

None of which is to say that I believe we are incapable of sweeping all before us in 2019.

 

It's six months until treble time. Sevco spent well in the Summer. They qualified for Europe and beat a Spanish team.
It's mainly been the media that's been asking the question every week. Is the gap closing, is the gap closing.

If we've Rogic and Edouard starting against Sevco tomorrow their's a good chance the result would be different.
Ranger's injury crisis was magically put on hold for the day.

Now we know to stick on a spoiler against Ryan Kent and we should be more prepared.
We get nothing for fair play in Scotland, we need to maybe give teams some injury problems of their own.
We need an enforcer, or two. One up front and one in defense. Scott Brown goes we need one in the middle of the park.

We have a few issues with Boyata's contract running down and Lustig being a bit unlucky in the old firm game.

Broony gave up international football to continue his career in Scotland, but he's a target for naughty challenges.
Referees offer him zero protection and he's getting towards the twilight of his career.

He might think a break away from the madness might be good for him..

This is the sort of thing that's a worry, Scott Brown never said he didn't want to go.
It would be hard to imagine us getting to ten minus Broony and Lustig. Lustig has already said he wants to stay for another year. So i think you keep Lustig and let Boyata's contract run down we're not gonna be far away.

I think we'd gladly accept a decent bid, but it did sound like Rodgers had an agreement with the board to let his contract run down. If we could get enough money in for Boyata, like £5million it would be enough to find a few defenders. I think sprinkling some cash into the SPFL would be a smart move. Aberdeen, Kilmarnock i think you could pick up two bargains for the left hand side.

I think we need one or two with leadership qualities, i know where i'd go for a left back. That'd actually be one of the earliest deals i'd do. Bring in cover for Tierney.

It might be our signing policy doesn't see this as an opportunity, Jordan Jones, Graeme Shinnie, Shankland.
Weirdly i'd be more worried if they went to Sevco. As it stands we've not had the kindest fixture list, it was always gonna be from now on where everything got a little easier.

My thoughts from us losing the new derby was we choked at the pace of Ryan Kent and we played a little too deep.
But the manager maybe doesn't think much of Gamboa, but he's definitely a very good man marker. Remember the job he did spoiling the game for Neymar at the World Cup, well that's his position, man marking Ryan Kent.

I think Bayo or Weah give Tavernier a torrid time, more so than Sinclair.

Nobody signed Semisevic as of yet, so their's a defender we could bring in. Maybe he fits in well with Benkovic and Simunovic.

There are a number of things we could do in the window, but with even one striker i think we score more goals.

People will argue about where players come from and the quality, but just going by contracts running down in our league their are three that jump right out as being more sensible.

So a combination of transfer policies and i think we're ok. Let them all go to Ibrox for free we've a problem. But i think it'll be more of a problem if we're negative and the players pick up on it.

Right now a lot of the teams are capable of dropping points. We need to go on a winning streak, if we do that the league will be done and dusted before the split. I think we'll begin to pull away from the rest of the pack now we get some time to recuperate. Still in Europe, one cup in the bag. The treble's still on.

Obviously we want a more competitive league, but a lot of that has to do with refs turning a blind eye to yellow cards.

So i'd add in a few SPFL players into the squad rather than sign Burke. I think those players are easier to bring into the team.

But the league probably will become a canter in the second half of the season. We've an easier run of games.

 

It gives me no pleasure to see the list but at least I'm in good company

 

Who?

 

I’m sure someone who wear the green tinted glasses will still moan at you for telling it how it is.

 

Never voted....I’m waiting to see what we do first.

 

The question was "are we in danger of losing the league" if you, going by the first half of the season think NO. Then your either a fool or a bigger gobshite.

If anyone thinks that them signing Defoe and Davis won't drive them on in the second half. Then again see my point above.

It would be better suited if you put a countdown up until the end of this window and show how the board have backed the team with signings. As yet the 2 projects we were targeting look to read in the water. 1 cause we won't pay the money (just like McGinn) the other the right back doesn't look to be happening either.

The majority on that list voted on the question asked. Based on the first half of the season performance and previous actions of our board during the transfer windows.

 

Eh ?