SPL Discussion Thread

**Bottle of Tonic** · 18/05/2009, 3:01 PM

Celtic fans will not be one bit surprised at that 0-0 with Hibs. Entirely predictable stuff from a dull one dimensional side. Title on the line and we fling the cup back towards Govan again. Really really

Hopefully wee Gordon will walk in the summer. There's no evidence to suggest the club will progress under his management. Cheers for the trophies but time for a change. Still a decent chance we can win the league but it will be hardly deserved.

Hilarious the Irish football fans on this site doubling up as Rangers well-wishers

. Head to a huns game sometime or go for a pint in one of their boozers and see if you come out of the experience still a sympathiser.

Nice touch from the club commemorating the famine in a season that has seen much debate in Scotland on the subject.

**old git** · 18/05/2009, 8:25 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Majorly depressed after that but compeltely surprised.

Immense performances from Rob Jones and Bamba from Hibs. As has been said alot of huff and puff but no real quality to break them down, Hibs keeper only really made one good save that I can remember (close range from McDonald) - A lot of possession no finished product (not unlike at Ibrox).

Hearts have secured 3rd spot, so would like to think we can put them to the sword on Sunday. Not happy about having to rely on Dundee Utd to get a result, however other than Pittodrie there isnt a better place for Rangers to be going to in order to drop points. Dundee Utd need 1 more point to secure 4th spot and Craig Leveins side have taken plenty of points off both Celtic and Rangers this season. Should be a nervy day............

at the moment the big worry as a celtic fan is that they have been struggling for awhile now to put teams to the sword and they will be under more presure at home as well to win game ... and biggest worry is rangers losing / drawing and celtic only able to manage a draw also but it all makes up for a very nervous last day and hopefully last years slip up by rangers is still fresh in their minds

**old git** · 18/05/2009, 9:32 PM

anybody out their watching setanta at the moment keep watching for the worst piece of play acting ever aberdeen v rangers last saturday and the oscar goes to kyle lafferty of rangers and aberdeen player got red card on strenght of play acting.. rangers have just released statement to say they will be fining lafferty for his role in incedent now they have admited & player also apologised for his aparant play acting wonder will s.f.a deceide to review incident for their disicplinery committe

hate to see players cheating like this to get fellow players sent off

**eirebhoy** · 19/05/2009, 9:16 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Hmmmm. Celtic never really looked like breaking Hibs down. They huffed and they puffed but it wasn't to be. 10 minutes before McGeady actually touched the ball but he did well (for the most part) after that. He was really the only creative Celtic player on the pitch. Samaras is terrible. Very frustrating player to watch. I was surprised by the confidence shown by some Celtic supporters here bearing in mind their away record at Hibs.

I thought McGeady was very poor on Sunday.

The 2 big games on live on Setanta at lunchtime Sunday. I hope I'm a nervous wreck come the end of the games as it'll mean the chance is still on.

**Junior** · 20/05/2009, 1:49 PM

Title winning points over recent seasons

'09 83-86pts depending on final day results
'08 89pts
'07 84pts
'06 91pts
'05 93pts
'04 98pts
'03 97pts
'02 103pts

Celtic & Rangers are certainly losing more points than in previous years

Is it the diminishing financial clout / financial restrictions of Celtic & Rangers closing the gap with the other SPL clubs?

Is it technically poorer football/management?
Strachan vs O'Neill
Larsson/Sutton/Hartson vs Samaras/JVoH/Sheridan/McDonald........

Improvement of other managers Levein, Laslo etc......

Whilst they are still miles ahead its by no means a two team league.

Celtic have drawn 9 and lost 4, Rangers drawn 8 and lost 4. A third of matches result in dropped points, not insignificant. Compare that to the Premiership and the top three have dropped points in a third of their games (Man U lost 4 drawn 6, Liverpool lost 2 drawn 11, Chelsea lost 5 drawn 8 all out of 37 games) Is the EPL really more competitive or just a higher standard?

For the fourth time in seven years the title goes down to the last day of the season.......

**Stuttgart88** · 20/05/2009, 2:19 PM

Good questions Junior, I suspect your answers are all contributory factors.

I have a feeling Rangers may struggle to beat Dundee United. Celtic were very lucky to beat them last Tuesday, the leaked chances galore in the second half.

However, if Celtic play like they did against United they'll also struggle to beat Hearts. The fans would never forgive Strachan if both teams failed to win.

**eirebhoy** · 20/05/2009, 10:26 PM

Yeh the last few seasons has been the peak for Scotland in terms of improvements in fitness, scouting, coaching, tactics, etc. It can go a long way to holding a team. Although Strachan should be getting much more out of his squad. Nakamura should have been put in central midfield 2 years ago for one. But still, the standard in player has certainly dropped since the early 00's.

**DeLorean** · 20/05/2009, 10:58 PM

I had completely forgotten about Hearts actually finishing 2nd ahead of Rangers in 2006. Massive achievement really especially considering only the top 2 got Champions Lge places, dispelling any possibility of Rangers easing up or anything.

**tetsujin1979** · 21/05/2009, 9:50 AM

From soccerbase: http://www.soccerbase.com/head2.sd?t...04&team1id=740
Rangers results at Dundee United from the last four seasons:

Code:

13-12-2008 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 2-2 Rangers
06-04-2008 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 3-3 Rangers
16-03-2008 Scottish League Cup     Dundee United 2-2 Rangers
28-10-2007 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 2-1 Rangers
05-11-2006 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 2-1 Rangers
02-04-2006 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 1-4 Rangers
16-10-2005 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 0-0 Rangers
01-01-2005 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 1-1 Rangers

Only one win in their last 8 games at Tannadice

**Junior** · 21/05/2009, 1:18 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

From soccerbase: http://www.soccerbase.com/head2.sd?t...04&team1id=740
Rangers results at Dundee United from the last four seasons:

Code:

13-12-2008 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 2-2 Rangers
06-04-2008 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 3-3 Rangers
16-03-2008 Scottish League Cup     Dundee United 2-2 Rangers
28-10-2007 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 2-1 Rangers
05-11-2006 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 2-1 Rangers
02-04-2006 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 1-4 Rangers
16-10-2005 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 0-0 Rangers
01-01-2005 Scottish Premier League Dundee United 1-1 Rangers

Only one win in their last 8 games at Tannadice

All we Celtic fans can ask is that we get any one of the other 7 results and we do the business at CP.

**eirebhoy** · 21/05/2009, 7:40 PM

Probably the last Celtic game for Naka this Sunday. Huge pity he was never given a central midfield spot (the Crosas position). He has everything needed in a top midfield playmaker and by playing him on the wing he's relying on his teammates to get him the ball. He'll leave as a Celtic great on par with the likes of Lennon but I feel any crititisms that people have of him would have been quashed if he played centrally.

Good luck to him and I hope he shines at next years world cup!

**eirebhoy** · 21/05/2009, 7:56 PM

Just looking at tets' stats. Anyone else think Celtic are overpriced for the league? William Hill is offering 5/2. The best price you can get on Dundee Utd to win or draw is 8/5 and the best price you can get on Celtic to win is 1/4.

**EAFC_rdfl** · 24/05/2009, 10:09 AM

so d-day is here again! im stuck in finland and not holding out much hope of seeing any of the games, so if anyone has a link for a stream online would be much appreciated! both teams have been so inconsistent the last few weeks that anything could still happen today. Zaluska to become a celtic hero before joinin the club?? yes please

**eirebhoy** · 24/05/2009, 2:58 PM

Looks to me like Strachan's gonna step down. He couldn't leave the pitch quick enough. He's not stupid, he knows how the Celtic fans feel, and he won't continue something he's not enjoying.

**old git** · 24/05/2009, 3:47 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Looks to me like Strachan's gonna step down. He couldn't leave the pitch quick enough. He's not stupid, he knows how the Celtic fans feel, and he won't continue something he's not enjoying.

and will be even more unpopular with fans after results today handed league title to the huns

**tetsujin1979** · 24/05/2009, 5:18 PM

Short statement from Strachan after the game, didn't take any questions. Reckon he could be gone by the end of the month.

**DeLorean** · 25/05/2009, 11:52 AM

What's the Celtic fans problem with Strachan exactly?

**old git** · 25/05/2009, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

What's the Celtic fans problem with Strachan exactly?

don't really know .. seems fans just did not take to him .. he won last 3 league titles in a row and was only denied a 4th on last day of this season so he brought celtic plenty of success and yet fans still not happy

**DeLorean** · 25/05/2009, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by old git

don't really know .. seems fans just did not take to him .. he won last 3 league titles in a row and was only denied a 4th on last day of this season so he brought celtic plenty of success and yet fans still not happy

O'Neill was an incredibly hard act to follow but in my opinion Strachans achievements have been even greater at Celtic. He has won just as much in less time and has also passed the group stage in successive Champions League seasons. Having said that there was about a 40 point turnaround in O'Neill's first year when they went from finishing 20pts behind Rangers to 20pts ahead of them (approx if memory serves!!). Strachan has had much weaker squads as well.