SPL Discussion Thread

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Jesus, Rangers are muck. Celtic aren't at their best but that's never gonna happen in an Old Firm. Nakamura, Petrov, Camara playing well. McGeady, Hartson, Lennon not bad either. Maloney not great other than a top class goal. Camara had a nightmare first 2 Celtic games and is never going to be forgotten. He has been excellent since, setting up 5 goals and solid defensively but I'm still not convinced. :)

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Maloney was excellent. Always showed for the ball, lots of one touch link up play with Hartson and Naka. He is getting stronger all the time, takes a fair bit of stick during the match ad scored a screamer to boot!!

McGeady I thought had a poorish game, he made a few misplaced passes early on and his confidence seemed to drain. However he played 75 mins, was involved a fair bit and played a few decent through balls as well as some of the simple stuff. Unfortunately for Aiden there is a section (minority) that tend to get on his case with a first misplaced pass - whereas bombscare balde doesn't seem to get the same grief - I wonder why?

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Originally Posted by Junior

Maloney was excellent. Always showed for the ball, lots of one touch link up play with Hartson and Naka. He is getting stronger all the time, takes a fair bit of stick during the match ad scored a screamer to boot!!

McGeady I thought had a poorish game, he made a few misplaced passes early on and his confidence seemed to drain. However he played 75 mins, was involved a fair bit and played a few decent through balls as well as some of the simple stuff. Unfortunately for Aiden there is a section (minority) that tend to get on his case with a first misplaced pass - whereas bombscare balde doesn't seem to get the same grief - I wonder why?

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I wrote that post at half time mate. As they say, its a game of two half's. :) For me Petrov and Lennon were the best players, followed by Nakamura and then Maloney. Some of Hartson's touches were superb and he never looked tired. Camara is growing on me slowly. :)

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I wrote that post at half time mate. As they say, its a game of two half's. :) For me Petrov and Lennon were the best players, followed by Nakamura and then Maloney. Some of Hartson's touches were superb and he never looked tired. Camara is growing on me slowly. :)

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Yep I'd go along with that Stan and Lennon bossed midfield. roll on the league game...................

I know it is probably 'against the rules' but this letter in today's Indo is a classic!

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Originally Posted by Superhoops

I know it is probably 'against the rules' but this letter in today's Indo is a classic!

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If you know then why do it? Sorry it had to go, absolutely against the idea of the thread.

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Originally Posted by Poor Student

If you know then why do it?

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Was thinking the same thing myself:rolleyes: :D

Did I miss much?

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Originally Posted by geysir

Did I miss much?

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No, not particulary.

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Originally Posted by Poor Student

If you know then why do it? Sorry it had to go, absolutely against the idea of the thread.

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Dems the rules, enforced by a classical scholar and a sligoman! PC gone mad. Time to move on.:rolleyes:

It's a twisted form of censorship when the Independent will happily publish but we can't read it here, no? :confused:

:ball: PP

Be glad that the SPL thread is back allowed. If you start posting doubtful articles, the mods will take the thread away again. And they are right, remember the fuzz of the recent past?

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Originally Posted by Gerrit

Be glad that the SPL thread is back allowed.

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Oh Gerrit, I'm simply ecstatic. :rolleyes: :p

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Originally Posted by Gerrit

If you start posting doubtful articles, the mods will take the thread away again. And they are right, remember the fuzz of the recent past?

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My point is that if a publication as august as the Irish Independent sees fit to publish then why apply such draconian censorship here? Look, the first paragraph of the letter (it's all I could read on the website without handing over a small fortune) is either heavily laced with irony or, frankly, just preposterous. I'm sure the learned readership here on foot.ie would, with more gentle guidance from the moderators, be able to discern such for themselves without sinking into the stinking quagmire of sectarianism. Or am I placing too much faith in foot.ie posters?

:ball: PP

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Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

My point is that if a publication as august as the Irish Independent sees fit to publish then why apply such draconian censorship here?

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Its slowly turning into a tabloid. :)

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Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

Look, the first paragraph of the letter (it's all I could read on the website without handing over a small fortune)

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Free to register, free to view.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Free to register, free to view.

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I stand corrected. Now that I've registered and read the letter I can see the point the man was making. I hardly think such obvious "wit" would have stirred up the hornet's nest of idiocy, but I suppose you never know with some.

:ball: PP

Celtic should really win 3 or 4 nil on Saturday, Rangers are absolute SH*T. Paving the way for eck to get the sack after we take them at Easter Road on Sunday week, what sweet payback that would be:D Heart of Lithuania will gradually start their expected decent down the league with defeat in Aberdeen this weekend;)


GGTTH

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Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

Celtic should really win 3 or 4 nil on Saturday, Rangers are absolute SH*T. Paving the way for eck to get the sack after we take them at Easter Road on Sunday week, what sweet payback that would be:D Heart of Lithuania will gradually start their expected decent down the league with defeat in Aberdeen this weekend;)

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Aye I look foward to it mate :D Woul love to see r*ngers and he*rts finishing 3rd and forth....or ever fourth and fifth!

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Originally Posted by superfrank

So are the paedo priests but you didn't mention that, funny...

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On an SPL thread? What world are you living in mate?!

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Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

I stand corrected. Now that I've registered and read the letter I can see the point the man was making. I hardly think such obvious "wit" would have stirred up the hornet's nest of idiocy, but I suppose you never know with some.

:ball: PP

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Wit and the Indo are two things that defo do not go together.

Anyway; rangers will need a massive improovement to have any hope on Saturday, its not just that they seem to have a bad team; vunerable to pace and shakey in the air defensively, no supply from midfield to the forwards and nothing really to offer more then the spoiling brutal tactics that teams like Motherwell and Livingstone used two or three years ago. They also seem to have lost spirit and belief that they can be a successful side. Ferguson's interview post the League Cup match was very revealing; a knowlege that things have gone wrong but also a knowlege that rangers don't know how to fix them. Even a victory on Saturday would merely be covering the massive cracks in the team; Hearts, Hibs, Celtic far and away better football teams; Killie and Aberdeen have far more team spirit togethetness and belief. If it were not for ther reputation of the club Saturday's match would be no more then a run of the mill game against mid table opposition.

Sorry H4E; Celtic then Porto for rangers in the next few days; I thing McLeish may well be out the door before you lot get the chance to rain abuse on him.

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Originally Posted by Pat O' Banton

Sorry H4E; Celtic then Porto for rangers in the next few days; I thing McLeish may well be out the door before you lot get the chance to rain abuse on him.

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Come on Pat O. Mr Murray gave him till the start of December...you don't think he'll renege on his public promise do you:D :D :D

Last Wedenday´s game was my first chance to see new Celtic with Strachan in charge. Difficult to judge the team because Rangers were so poor. Imo, they still have a long way to go. Not so long ago better Celtic teams coming back from a tough midweek Euro game have mastered better Ranger's teams. Celtic did fall into an abyss hidden away from me on Setanta.
I thought Strachan was a good appointment initially, still do, but I wonder has he got the sense and money to build up a team for Uefa championship re entry or is he going to continue with a few stars plus a few plodders like Telfer and Mc Manus, just enough to win the SPL.
Hartson and Lennon were excellent last wed. but by next season who knows and with Thompson and Sutton both injury prone I see a long work in progress.

He's already out looking for replacements for Lennon. Thompson doesn't get his game. Strachan is building a great team and if given the money will do wonders imo.

Goals from John Hartson, Bobo Balde and Aiden McGeady gave Celtic a 15-point cushion over Rangers in the Scottish Premier League and left Alex McLeish clinging to his job.

A careless ball by Alan Hutton gifted possession to Shunsuke Nakamura who found Shaun Maloney and his cross was turned in by John Hartson after 12mins.

Nakamura also crossed for Balde to head in for the second after 56 mins, while McGeady wrapped it up five minutes later - turning in a Stilian Petrov
cross - to continue his return to form after recently winning back his place in the first team.

From Aertel.

Is this a discussion thread or a match report bulletin board? If the latter we might as well have them all. Here's a start:

KILMARNOCK 2-2 INVERNESS CT
All four goals came from strikers but there was the occasional dereliction of defensive duties into the bargain.

Grahame Bayne gave ICT the lead after 30 minutes. Two quick goals after the interval, Kris Boyd's tenth league goal of the season and Colin Nish gave Killie the lead. Craig Dargo headed in Barry Wilson's cross for a well-deserved equaliser.

Judging by the lack of euphoria here, does a victory over Rangers hold any real merit these days? I listened to the game while redecorating. Shifts the house politics to an amicable level.
BBC Radio Scotland sound as if they are Rangers fans trying hard to be objective but on Radio 5 live extra its just unrestrained lashing the huns for their woeful performance. Lots of praise for Neil Lennon and Celtic's controlled play. Its something that was obvious in the league cup midweek game, Strachan has them playing Rangers as if they are just another SPL team. The Calvary charge approach is gone.

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Originally Posted by Superhoops

Is this a discussion thread or a match report bulletin board? If the latter we might as well have them all.

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WTF is your problem?:mad: I just gave the match report for the Celtic game, so what?:confused:.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Judging by the lack of euphoria here, does a victory over Rangers hold any real merit these days?

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It does but when people start celebrating it usually descends into farce because non old firm fans feel obliged to start slagging everybody off:rolleyes:

I am somewhat cynical about the speculation on Roy Keane going to Celtic.
I don't quite fall for this loyalty thing. If its about finances I will be loyal enough to go there for say £50,000 a week but not quite loyal enough to go there less. Then what about committing funds for Petrov's contract? If its for football reasons alone, is there enough justification for that? Possibly centre back and a possibilty if Lennon was injured.
Alan Thompson an excellent midfielder is already lying in wait to get his place.
Roy Keane would bring an enormous boost to a suitable team, I don't see a strong enough case that Celtic is that team.

I would take Keane in a flash as he would take over Lennons role only in a more mobile way:p but if it meant keeping Petrov or getting Keane due to finances then it would have to be keeping Petrov. Fantastic player.

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Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

I would take Keane in a flash as he would take over Lennons role only in a more mobile way:p but if it meant keeping Petrov or getting Keane due to finances then it would have to be keeping Petrov. Fantastic player.

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When he's not rolling around diving:rolleyes:

DFA,that's not fair, Lennon's legs have to move twice as fast as an opponents just to keep up with the pace :)
The team have more than they need now to win the SPL title. Eirebhoy reported that Strachan is already looking for a Lennon replacement, I would guess that it is not Roy Keane. Anybody would swop Lennon in a flash for Keane but seriously can you imagine Celtic selling Lennon ( still performing well) to accomodate the financing of Keane? and then still have to pay more for his services. Celtic is a team which are on the up, it looks to have taken a lot of input by Strachan to achieve this with the team. If the Celtic board did make that statement on Keane, I just see it as a public recognition of a great player, a reputed Celtic supporter and you are always welcome here.

I agree with you but just to point out that Lennon is on close to £30,000 p/w which is the maximum the Celtic board would be prepared to pay for Keane it's reported. In that effect it could be a like for like swop.

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Originally Posted by geysir

The Calvary charge approach is gone.

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I know, how many times did they get crucified for that before? :o

Sorry, the coats on....

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Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

When he's not rolling around diving:rolleyes:

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He has been the most tackled player in the SPL for 2 or 3 years. Arjen Robben has a reputation for diving but he quit that when he joined Chelsea. Ronaldo seems to be cutting it out too. Diving is part of the game in foreign countries. I haven't seen Petrov dive in a couple of years at least.

Petrov-Keane is a dream partnership. Add 2 of Nakamura/Maloney/McGeady for the wings and I get the shivers thinking about it. :)

DFA - Lennon wouldn't be on £30k. Maybe he was on his last contract but no doubt would have taken about a £10k paycut on his last one. Lennie doesn't deserve to be dropped but neither do any of the strikers and I wouldn't turn down Shevchenko.

So how are the irish lads from the EL doing in the spl
Gary dempsey at aberdeen and that other geezer that used to play with shamrock rovers.
Noel Hunt at dunfermline
Richie foran at Motherwell

BBC Scotland are still persisting with their "understanding" that Celtic have established contact with Roy Keane. I remember they also understood Hartson to be leaving in Jan. for the sum of £5m. I suppose If Roy did run out in the hooped shirt in Celtic Park it would be one of the most publicised transfers of the decade, a transfer scoop. If he does come in he is coming in to a strong enough team and management set up. How would Roy rate the training facilities? or a trip to Inverness?

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Originally Posted by geysir

BBC Scotland are still persisting with their "understanding" that Celtic have established contact with Roy Keane. I remember they also understood Hartson to be leaving in Jan. for the sum of £5m.

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I doubt they said that. They would have said they understand there's interest from West Ham but that's all. Once you see "The BBC understands" then what follows is true. :) Same if you're watching Sky Sports News.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

DFA - Lennon wouldn't be on £30k. Maybe he was on his last contract but no doubt would have taken about a £10k paycut on his last one. Lennie doesn't deserve to be dropped but neither do any of the strikers and I wouldn't turn down Shevchenko.

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You're right, I remember now it being reported that he was taking a drop of approx that amount to get his years extension. His old contract was approx £30,000 p/w though, he must have had a sh!t hot agent:D

After more carefull reading of the Hartson "understanding" you are right.
"Birmingham and West Ham may make offers for Celtic striker John Hartson when the January transfer window opens.
BBC Scotland understands Celtic will accept a bid in the region of £5m for the Welsh international."
But on contact with Keane the BBC is a little more definite on 23/11.
"Celtic have established contact with Roy Keane about a possible move to Glasgow, BBC Scotland understands."
Today Celtic deny emphatically this contact has been made.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

He has been the most tackled player in the SPL for 2 or 3 years. Arjen Robben has a reputation for diving but he quit that when he joined Chelsea. Ronaldo seems to be cutting it out too. Diving is part of the game in foreign countries. I haven't seen Petrov dive in a couple of years at least.

Petrov-Keane is a dream partnership. Add 2 of Nakamura/Maloney/McGeady for the wings and I get the shivers thinking about it. :)

DFA - Lennon wouldn't be on £30k. Maybe he was on his last contract but no doubt would have taken about a £10k paycut on his last one. Lennie doesn't deserve to be dropped but neither do any of the strikers and I wouldn't turn down Shevchenko.

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Come off it. The guy is constantly diving. Why do you think the song "Petrov, Petrov give us a dive" is so popular around SPL grounds when celtic are in town:rolleyes:

Looking forward to Sunday and what should be a Hibs win.
This time last year we were 7/1 to win at home to Rangers, now we're 7/4.
Oh how things are changing in the SPL. The OF dominence is over.