Celtic or Rangers who'll win the title

[Eire06]

Please Please Please do not turn this into a political thread :o

Anyway Celtic 4 points behind but with 2 matches on hand will the win the SPL this year??

[Green Tribe]

Celtic, only just........... :)

[Eire06]

The matches left are

Celtic
Dunfermline H
Inverness A
Dundee UTD A
Hearts H
Livingstone A
Aberdeen H

Rangers
Dundee A
Mothervell A
Dundee UTD H
Dunfermline A


I don't know I'm a bit weary they have havn't a easy run of things ahead of them.. Just hope it doesn't go down to goal difference crap.. would love a team to do a 'Chelsea' on the SPL just to spice things up :D Even though I'm a celtic supporter.. At the start of every season you know it'll be Celtic or Rangers that will win..

[KR's Post]

Celtic by 4...... No doubt about it. Rangers are just not strong enough. ;)

[Junior]

The matches left are

Celtic
Dunfermline H
Inverness A
Dundee UTD A
Hearts H
Livingstone A
Aberdeen H

Rangers
Dundee A
Mothervell A
Dundee UTD H
Dunfermline A


Note these are only the fixtures till the split. Another 5 games to be played after that one of which is against Rangers.

[Closed Account 2]

I think Celtic will have to win that last Old Firm if theyre to win the SPL. Aberdeen and Inverness wont be very easy fixtures, and they need to get a few big wins to give them the edge should it come down to goal difference (it is still done on goal difference if the teams are level isnt it?).

[beautifulrock]

Rangers were lucky to win last Wednesday and only drew at the weekend, so possibly they are having a blip. Celtic seem to have come out of theirs. At least it leaves it interesting

[liam88]

Celtic-be a close run but not as clsoe as 2002/03......painfukl memories :(
By the way does anyone know why Celtic were wearing the baclk away kit yesterday? :confused:

[Gary]

Keep this ON TOPIC please lads. The question is simple. Give your reasons why, and leave it at that. No conspiracies, no politics.

[Poor Student]

I reckon Rangers have a very poor team this year (as they have had for the last half a decade). When either Prso or Novo are missing they are very blunt. Ferguson has not done a lot since rejoining. They are a very average team with some very average players. Djordjic has been a poor signing so far like so many of McLeish's signings. The spine of the team are the only players of any real use. Andrews has been surprisingly good and consistent, Ricksen has been playing well and seems to have calmed his mental streak and Novo has hit a rich vein of goalscoring form. But their squad lacks real depth.

Celtic have also been pretty poor this season with a lot of defensive lapses and goalkeeping problems. Still evident in Hibs' goal last week. Alan Thompson has been having a stinker of a season also. However McNamara has had a decent season and has been playing very well as of late and Petrov has been immense as always. Bellamy looked very sharp and settled in his last game against Hibs. He has added a new dimension to Celtic's attack which has been lacking since the departure of Larsson. If he can latch onto Thompsons long wide balls down the left than he can drag defenders out and cause real problems. Something Sutton and particularly Hartson don't do. I think Petrov and Bellamy could be the real dividing force between the two teams this season.

A lot of things will hinge on the game at Ibrox. I think Celtic will shade the title, but it will take a hell of a lot of hard work and consistency. Those games in hand are away and one is against a stubborn in form ICT (incidentally Celtic's bogey team in a sense). I wouldn't be shocked if Rangers edged it due to Celtic being inconsistent but I am going with Celtic by 1 to 4 points. Also it is worth noting that Celtic should be stepping up in scoring goals to bridge the goal difference gap, it cost them 3 years ago.

[Colbert Report]

anywhere have odds on this?

[Colbert Report]

Celtic -125

[AmenToThat]

Celtic...............just have a feeling they will get a result (a draw at least) at Huncentral in the last OF game that will tip it in Celtics favour.

[Hibs4Ever]

Rangers

[Rovers Fellow!]

Even as a Celtic fan I have to disagree with alot of whats been said, I think Rangers are bit better than they have been given credit for. Prso and Novo are undoubtedly huge players for them, but they have got some good signings in, vignal, buffell and Andrews have all been very impressive and return of Ferguson is huge boost for them. Think it will go down to the wire again, which is a good thing. Also destiny of title doesnt just go down to the old firm games, both sides have and will drop more points against other sides and those games will prove very crucial. Think Celts mite prove to be too strong havin said all that. Rangers were very fortunate with that peno at hearts and Inverness fully deserved that draw at ibrox on Saturday from what I saw on the highlights.

[Pat O' Banton]

Rover's Fellow and Poor Student, this is a thread that involves Celtic and Rangers and you appear to be giving intelligent football analyisis :eek: stop it its not what these threads are here for :D

As a matter of point I think Celtic (well I would say that!), Sunday shows what they are capable of when they decide not to shut up shop as soon as they go one up and I simply don't think that Rangers are capable of consistantly prducing performances like that.
They have improved, that much is evident and Ferguon now means that Celtic can no longer boss them about so easily in midfield during OF games. But when it comes down to the crunch Celts will drop fewer points then Rangers. For those who think about the run in 2002/03 remember it was Rangers who dropped more points this time of year.

[joey B]

I reckon Rangers have a very poor team this year (as they have had for the last half a decade). When either Prso or Novo are missing they are very blunt. Ferguson has not done a lot since rejoining. They are a very average team with some very average players. Djordjic has been a poor signing so far like so many of McLeish's signings. The spine of the team are the only players of any real use. Andrews has been surprisingly good and consistent, Ricksen has been playing well and seems to have calmed his mental streak and Novo has hit a rich vein of goalscoring form. But their squad lacks real depth.

Celtic have also been pretty poor this season with a lot of defensive lapses and goalkeeping problems. Still evident in Hibs' goal last week. Alan Thompson has been having a stinker of a season also. However McNamara has had a decent season and has been playing very well as of late and Petrov has been immense as always. Bellamy looked very sharp and settled in his last game against Hibs. He has added a new dimension to Celtic's attack which has been lacking since the departure of Larsson. If he can latch onto Thompsons long wide balls down the left than he can drag defenders out and cause real problems. Something Sutton and particularly Hartson don't do. I think Petrov and Bellamy could be the real dividing force between the two teams this season.

A lot of things will hinge on the game at Ibrox. I think Celtic will shade the title, but it will take a hell of a lot of hard work and consistency. Those games in hand are away and one is against a stubborn in form ICT (incidentally Celtic's bogey team in a sense). I wouldn't be shocked if Rangers edged it due to Celtic being inconsistent but I am going with Celtic by 1 to 4 points. Also it is worth noting that Celtic should be stepping up in scoring goals to bridge the goal difference gap, it cost them 3 years ago.


Hate to break it to you but the SPL is poor full stop.

[drinkfeckarse]

It seems people find it impossible to stay ON TOPIC when it concerns Celtic and Rangers :rolleyes:

The title is simple enough...."who will win the league?" but already we've got posts about the standard etc

Might as well just close the thread now mods :mad:

[Éanna]

I think Celtic will just about do it, but they need to get at least a point out of the last game against Rangers. The Tw@t Bellamy will have a big say in things too

[Aberdonian Stu]

The battle for third is getting very interesting...for those of us who care anyway. Despite a miserable few months back to back wins have seen the Dons go to fourth above Hearts and just two behind Hibs.

The cup semis will have a big say in the league run-in. If Hibs beat Dundee Utd in their semi-final then they're almost certainly in Europe as it's unlikely that Hearts will beat Celtic in the other. That means it looks like it could be a straight fight between Hearts and the Dons for the final UEFA Cup spot.

Of course if Motherwell pull off a massive upset in the League Cup final then Rangers will take what would then be the only league place in the UEFA Cup. Runners-up in the LC don't get a Euro spot.

[drinkfeckarse]

:confused: :confused: & not a Hearts season-book holder in sight! :rolleyes:

Sorry Dav, no idea what you mean :confused:

[Eire06]

also looks like Sutton is injured, thats a blow to Celtic



Celtic striker Chris Sutton is facing a three-match absence after picking up a hamstring injury during Sunday's Scottish League win over Hibernian.
The player underwent a scan on the injury yesterday and manager Martin O'Neill said afterwards that he would most likely be unavailable for three games.

That would see Sutton missing the upcoming ties with Dunfermline, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Dundee United.

[liam88]

Saw the goals......were Hibees not playing in Green?& Sort that spell-checker! ;)

But Black (or Baaalllack) was last seasons away kit :confused:
So I'm figuring that both our home strip and our away strip are to close to the Hibees so we dug out some of alst seasons ones or got some auld stock out of the merchandise :D

Back on topic-Celtic! Celtic! Celtic! :D :ball:

[Pat O' Banton]

The battle for third is getting very interesting...for those of us who care anyway. Despite a miserable few months back to back wins have seen the Dons go to fourth above Hearts and just two behind Hibs.

The cup semis will have a big say in the league run-in. If Hibs beat Dundee Utd in their semi-final then they're almost certainly in Europe as it's unlikely that Hearts will beat Celtic in the other. That means it looks like it could be a straight fight between Hearts and the Dons for the final UEFA Cup spot.

Of course if Motherwell pull off a massive upset in the League Cup final then Rangers will take what would then be the only league place in the UEFA Cup. Runners-up in the LC don't get a Euro spot.

From what I've seen of the teams I'd say Hibs stand the best chance of getting third. They matched Celtic in the league games at Easter Road (2-2) and at Parkhead (2-1 Celtic) whereas Aberdeen may have only lost 1-0 at home to Celtic but to tell the truth the game could have lasted another 90 minutes and the Dons would not have created a chance.
Aberdeen did win at Parkhead ealier in the season but (from what I have seen and heard from other people who were at the match) Celtic should still have won despite being very flat.
As for Hearts from what I have seen of them they have been fairly poor and Hibs and Aberdeen both look better sides.

[Pat O' Banton]

But Black (or Baaalllack) was last seasons away kit :confused:
So I'm figuring that both our home strip and our away strip are to close to the Hibees so we dug out some of alst seasons ones or got some auld stock out of the merchandise :D



Yeah the current away one is dark green.

[Eire06]

Yeah the current away one is dark green.
Yep the one before that was black with a yellowie gold crest.. anyway its being replaced soon

[Rovers Fellow!]

Yeah, race for third place is interesting, looked like it was safe for hibs but they slipped up a bit lately and Aberdeen who were on bad run for a while, are back in winning ways and are putting pressure on the hibees. Hearts are still knocking on the door. Regarding the point on the standard, in my opinion anyway I wouldnt be that naive to think that rest of SPL is poorer than our own league, its not, its still better standard, although not by much, indeed in every other way, such as the proffesionalism of the league, attendances, coverage etc, the SPL is far ahead at the moment anyway, but lets hope eircom league with our new tv deal can get our act together.

[Aberdonian Stu]

I think Hibs are the best of the three. Hearts really need to sort themselves out as they looked capable, despite all their off the field problems, of cementing themselves as 'best of the rest' and are now well off course despite the arrival of Romanov. Dons have really come on this season, Europe would be a bonus.

[Poor Student]

Runners-up in the LC don't get a Euro spot.

Neither do the winners. Two CL spots for the top two and for the UEFA (1 League spot and one for the SFA Cup unless the competing finalists qualify for Europe already).


Hate to break it to you but the SPL is poor full stop.

What is the point of this useless post? Because you deem a league poor I can't give an opinion on it?

[Hibs4Ever]

Lots of rumours have Derek Riordan from Hibs going to Leeds for £1m at the end of the season with more money depending on appearances.

Is he any good?


Riordan is QUALITY. And worth a lot more than a million. But Hibs have to accept offers like this. It will be the same if Ian Murray decides to go



BIG game this week too, Hibs away to Dons


COME ON THE HIBEE'S

[Junior]

Riordan is a quality player also linked with the Tic a few times, though I believe he is a Hibee thorugh and through.

Hibs have come on the most this past few seasons and play some decent football. Were the better team on their last visit to CP despite losing 2-1. Most deserviong of 3rd place and a spot in europe out of the rest of the teams in Scotland.

[Rovers Fellow!]

I do agree with the fact that hibs deserve third place judging on what ive seen so far, play very good football and have some excellent youngsters in the squad. But its up to them to hold on the third place at the moment. Riordan is quality but the problem facing the likes of hibs, hearts and aberdeen is holding on theyre best players. This hibs side could come very good but just like the last good hibs side in 2001 and hearts in 98 who both ran the old firm close in the title challenge they mite lost theyre best players to the old firm or england and its back to square one, its a shame really.