SPL Discussion Thread

[gustavo]

The man will need time and I think that eventually he will prove to be a good manager for them .

[Pat O' Banton]

Don't know if he is capable of it or if many managers are able to turn them around. They appear to be skint, with pitiful TV revenue coming in, a deal with JJB for shirt sales that seems to at best short sighted and their only real hope of a cash injection for desperately needed new players is Vlad inploding everything at Tynecastle and giving them a leg up into next seasons Champions League qualifiers (even then I can't see how they will qualify for the group stages.)
Rangers have a youth acadamy but; a) you can hardly expect a couple of young players to come in and turn things around.
b) I have not seen much in the way of real talent come out of it.

If Hearts weren't bent on self destruction they would have a fair chance of establishing themselves in as one of Scotland's top two for the next few years.

[Poor Student]

Celtic are through to the next round of the CL. It's impossible for them to be overtaken by both Benfica and Man U. Yes!!!!

[RogerMilla]

the players should have been wearing masks last night, i'd say man u are still in shock , brilliant

[Hoops 1967]

I've been supporting celtic for 20 years and I think last nights victory is the sweatest I have experience. To beat the most overrated english side since.....well they're all overrated!! Man U think they can come to celtic park an win....ya right!! Come on the BHOYS!!!

[geysir]

Still smiling at the thoughts of the last 15 mins.
Credit to Strachan for making 2 changes at half time, contributed to a much more competitive 2nd half even if the subs didn't do a lot.
Lennon still managing to hold the midfield together.
Both free kicks were soft decisions.

[tetsujin1979]

What a goal, what a fcuking goal. Even when he was winding up for it, I was thinking, "go on, drop it on Balde's head at the back post". Shows what I know, then a penalty save to top it all off! According to Sky Sports, the Neviller knew Saha was going to miss, so why didn't you take it yourself you sap??
United played well in the first half, without ever really looking like threatening, reminded me of an Old Firm game a few years ago in Ibrox, in their own half they were allowed to pass and play the ball to each other, as soon as they crossed the half way line, tackles were flying in and players were pressurised.
Playing Rooney on the left was Sir's first mistake, playing Giggs through the middle was his second. Buying Carrick, and believing he could replace Roy Keane was his third!!
Hoping for a favorable draw now, and a Benfica win in 2 weeks. Incidentally, who believes Strachan will play a second string side, or at least not his strongest starting XI away in Denmark? Topping the group should be a priority, but there's no need to pick up needless injuries or bookings now that qualification is achieved. On the other hand, Celtic are running away with the league, even now, and should try to perform as best they can in the Champion's League

[eirebhoy]

Delighted. Naka just won't miss a freekick like that. There's nobody in the world better than him at freekicks in that position. Fair play to Strachan for changing it at half time. I can't believe how close Miller was to replacing Naka before the goal, only to be told to put his top back on.

[geysir]

Do the group phase bookings carry over to the knock out rounds?

[eirebhoy]

Do the group phase bookings carry over to the knock out rounds?

No....

[drinkfeckarse]

Delighted. Naka just won't miss a freekick like that. There's nobody in the world better than him at freekicks in that position. Fair play to Strachan for changing it at half time. I can't believe how close Miller was to replacing Naka before the goal, only to be told to put his top back on.

I was actually thinking that it was a little too far out to beat a keeper of VDS's size and stature! You won't see many better than that. I think it caught most of us by surprise that Celtic were through. I certainly didn't realise it and both Lennon and Strachan were surprised when informed after the match!

When there's that much tension involved you forget about the simple facts!

[eirebhoy]

I knew a 1-0 or 2-1 win would have Celtic through before the match. I was suprised nobody at Celtic knew. Lennon had to tell the players in the dressing room.

As for Naka being too far. You're reminding me of listening to John Cole commentate on Channel 67. Naka was in a similar position to last night and John says "It's too far in ey?". He bangs it into the top corner. If Naka is lining himself up to shoot then you know it's definitely not too far. Obviously the wall is there for a reason but when you're up against Naka from 30 yards out you should just stand in the middle of the goal.

[drinkfeckarse]

I knew a 1-0 or 2-1 win would have Celtic through before the match.

Somehow I knew that you would know.

[geysir]

Incidentally, who believes Strachan will play a second string side, or at least not his strongest starting XI away in Denmark? Topping the group should be a priority, but there's no need to pick up needless injuries or bookings now that qualification is achieved. On the other hand, Celtic are running away with the league, even now, and should try to perform as best they can in the Champion's League

There's nothing for Celtic to lose now in Copenhagen (except a game of course). Copenhagen are glued to bottom spot regardless of the outcome. Celtic can go hammer and tongs for the victory. Luxury, isn't it.

[eirebhoy]

I think they have really go for the win in Denmark. Playing the 2nd leg at home will make a huge difference imo.

[geysir]

The first half performance in the last 2 games have been poor.
The difference in the 2nd game was that Man U failed to score in first half and Strachan acted emphatically at half time.
Talk has shifted away from "solid" Telfer.
Sno and Lennon at CM doesn't seem to work. Graveson is a poor man's Petrov, easilt outpaced but at least he does a full nights work.
Bobo did a lot of good things, the passing will get sharper but the attempted tackle from behind in the penalty area is the kind of nightmarish stuff that he invariably does.
Overall Strachan has done well in the CL with a lesser team than O'Neill had garnered.
You'd almost forget about the £1.5m for Virgo and the presence once of Du Wei in a hooped shirt.

[Poor Student]

Bobo's passing won't get sharper. He's an absolute nightmare on the ball.

[Plastic Paddy]

You'd almost forget about the £1.5m for Virgo and the presence once of Du Wei in a hooped shirt.

Brrrr, Du Wei. That sent a shiver down my spine. 45 minutes at the Broadwood Stadium on a cold January day and Du Wei turned inside-out by a man now in Millwall's reserves. No, I don't think any Celtic fans with a half-decent memory could ever forget...

PP

[tetsujin1979]

First I'll have to forget about the 5m+ for Rafael Scheidt, then I can work on forgetting about Du Wei

[eirebhoy]

Sno and Lennon at CM doesn't seem to work.

100% agreed on that. I think Sno will be dropping down to the reserves for a while now. He doesn't have a natural confidence so is a completely different player when full of confidence.

Graveson is a poor man's Petrov, easilt outpaced but at least he does a full nights work.

I don't agree with that. Petrov went missing in plenty of games for Celtic, Gravesen will never hide. He's probably not the best tackler but he certainly gets himself around the pitch, a bit like Gattuso. He's much more technically gifted than Gattuso though. I'm delighted with Gravesen so far. I watched that lad Tymoshuck that Celtic have been constantly linked with last night against Roma. He would be the ideal replacement for Lennon and an excellent partner for Gravesen.

Bobo did a lot of good things, the passing will get sharper but the attempted tackle from behind in the penalty area is the kind of nightmarish stuff that he invariably does.

He'll always be terrible on the ball, now mainly because he knows all 60,000 fans in the stadium dread when he has the ball. The pressure must be unreal for him. The tackle on Ronaldo though more than made up for it (albeit with a bit of help from Boruc) and was a typical Balde tackle. He's very fast, excellent in the air and very good at judging a sliding tackle. He just has no football brain at all and needs Mjallby in there to guide him.