Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Morning, all.
We all saw what happened on Sunday, we watched it just as we watched the Champions League qualifier in Austria. And the only difference between those games and every other game this season, no matter how poor the opposition, is that our opponents took some of the many chances they created.
Sunday was a new low though, as we didn’t look like scoring. Various theories have been suggested why this happened, and many remedies have been proposed. The most obvious problems in fixing a problem are firstly to recognise that the problem exists, and then to diagnose the causes. If I’m honest, the problem was identified on here weeks (or even months) ago, and the management team did sod all about it. Now, with even the MSM spouting forth about the issues, it surely cannot be ignored any longer.
However, MON has long believed that his preferred starting XI and formation is the best available to him. He very rarely even tinkers at the edges, never mind ripping up the gameplan and starting all over again. Subject to injuries and suspensions, what we have seen is what we will get. I honestly do not think we will see different personnel or tactics tonight from what we have been watching all season.
That should make the Ferencvaros coach’s job that bit easier for him. If he can virtually guarantee how we will line up, and how those players will be utilised, it certainly makes the job a lot easier for him. After that, it’s down to how the respective teams perform on the night. One thing in our favour at least is that we won’t have to deal with the Scottish refereeing fraternity, though they return in force on Sunday. MIB Beaton and VAR Walsh means they aren’t taking any chances.
I hope I’m wrong about our manager’s intransigence, and that he finally does something about the gaping hole where our midfield should be. Otherwise, tonight’s match is going to feel like a lot more than ninety minutes. Ideally, we put on a performance tonight that makes us forget all about the weekend just gone, and sets us up for an entirely more pleasant experience in front of 60,000 UFBs.
I know which of the two scenarios I prefer.
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Above article by BMCUWP
We now have a new JustGiving page set up to enable donations to be made for our latest charity appeal.
We wanted to focus again on a local charity, and this time one which is dedicated to helping those suffering from homelessness, addiction or poverty.
The one we have gone for is
GLASGOW CITY MISSION
You can find our dedicated page at
https://www.justgiving.com/page/sentinelcelts67
D R M has very kindly volunteered to operate a competition over the three days of the AYR GOLD CUP meeting. September 17-19th.
Starting TODAY!!!!!!
Usual rules, with a selection from each race.
There is £100 of prize money, and as alway is FREE TO ENTER!
More details are available on the dedicated page, so click on the link.
https://sentinelcelts.com/2026/08/31/d-r-m-ayr-gold-cup-meeting-competition/
POTY Competition.
sencelpoty@gmail.com
I have had a look at the race card for Thursday’s meeting. Tell you what, it’s a toughie!
Good luck to everyone who chooses to take part. And especially to those brave enough to back their hunches.
Remember-the more, the merrier!
Twisty
Petition signed.
It is an area that even consultants and surgeons are unhappy about, like not being able to pass on results weeks after they have them.
Bog standard letters where it is obvious little thought has been given to the impact on the recipent.
Power to your daughter’s elbow.
Good afternoon everyone.
The Celtic Fans Collective have been invited to a meeting with the club. That cannot be a bad thing in my eyes.
The Collective also request feedback on whether to follow the Not Another Penny campaign or not.
Please give me your feedback to take to them.
Hail Hail from the sunshine
Bobby, great balanced post. I wouldnt be the least surprised if we start with the same 433 and Tounekti starts the game. We don’t have any resemblance of changing the format. If MoN goes with that, then we are a busted flush.
Mahe
Is the board trying to pull a fast one? Is the Dunhill Cup not upcoming? The Collective should tell those PLC Huns to ram their meeting where the sun don’t shine. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Hail Hail.
Twisty
September 16, 2026 2:28 pm
I’d be grateful if anyone in agreement with the attached petition ( raised by my daughter following the death of my mum) could take the minute or so required to sign it. TYVM
https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2258
Nabbla
I never had faith in him.
He should not have been kept on this season.
Interesting point St.Tams,but he is here now with a game to win later and on sun do let’s get on with it.
At a total tangent,may I ask did you go to St.Tams sec school.A great friend of mine was headmaster there in 70s MrMurray? Sadly cant get to Celtic games which he went to from 1950s and great recall
HH
Nabbla
I went to St Tams.Pretty sure i had a headmaster Mr M Murray but was in the early 80’s
He’l remember his school team that i was a part of who played in a cup final at Hampden 1983 i think it was.
Good morning friends and a Big Happy European Matchday to all who post or lurk on this fine site.
Magua @12:13
I’m sure they did this trick the last time too, best to ignore the invite!
Two derbys in a week and same official involved in both, that’s unusual. Nick Walsh one sided ref performance on Sunday sees him in charge of var this week.
Beaton will give us nothing , he never does, but often var corrects him. I ve never known a ref to have so many of his decisions against Celtic overturned. But will they on Sunday. I think we know
Not much time between games to right what’s wrong on the pitch and Duran misses one of the days as he has to go to London to collect a visa after being called up for international duty. Wtaf
H3
It happens because we have a mute CEO!
Macklemore pledges $1m in tour earnings to Palestinian groups | Human Rights News | Al Jazeera https://share.google/pnhRNls3feztEvs6k
https://www.andymuirhead.com/p/the-number-six-who-never-came
Thursday selections.
130-Magwitch
200-Thistle Nil
230-Darzah
300-Wild Thoughts
330-Havana Touch
400-You Sexy Thing
430-Vince Le Prince
500-Spirit of Acklam
Good luck to all. Very difficult card!
Baur called up by Germany
As MON has found out this summer our problems stem from the fact that we are a business first and a football team second. The old adage of a football team supporting a business rather than the other way around.
We look for value in a player first and foremost. The value is measured financially in wages, sell on value and risk if it doesn’t work out.
That calculation of value is not married to any intricate football strategy or vision. It’s basically a trumped up version to the modern approach to youth development. You need the flotsam and jetsam, the fillers to provide an environment for the proper diamonds the real prospects to be developed and showcased. That’s where the profit is.
We are a football player cash and carry. See my posts yesterday.You can’t give what you don’t have.
We’ve just had a good summer clear out. Those shelves were looking packed with tat.
We’ve had our obligatory good summer sale. Kerching
MON I don’t believe for a minute is unaware of this. He hasn’t been hoodwinked like Brendan and Ange. He knows it’s only for a year and that attaining his KPI of winning the league is entirely possible. If he doesn’t he sails of to the sunset anyway. Is he a naieve victim of some sweet talking. Probably.
It’s up to him now to do a Brendan. To take the pieces he has been given and only recently and fashion them into a team that can win the SPFL. Preferably on top of the SPFL league to relinquish pressure on his bosses as they seek to recruit via seduction another compliant football department.
The only thing that can change is the patience of the support to give MON and the players foisted/resigned to taking upon him the chance to bed in. Some of them have only been here two weeks. Some of them have played in only 4 starts with seven different partners. If nothing improves after their induction only then would I expect MON to resort to formational and tactical change.
“We are a football player cash and carry”
Nailed it, Awe naw
HH 🍀
In all the years before VAR Beaton had only ever awarded one pen to Celtic.
Since Var we have had 6 pens in games reffed by him. Again he only gave one. Var gave the other 5
On paper , we’ve a decent enough team with a bit of depth in most positions. On paper.
The reality is that McGregor and Baur cannot be in the same midfield. It has to be one or the other, plus the OX ( not tonight obviously). Nygren remains an enigma, but is a goal machine and does do running back, but like his team mates, couldn’t tackle a fish supper.
Tonight we need to see what the alternatives are in our midfield formation, as that’s where all our troubles stem from. Sort that and we’ll be fine.
Sunday can wait. ….but it’s huge in many respects.
A big boost to your confidence if Klopp rates you
Great news for Baur. Let’s hope it boosts his confidence sky high.
The football cash and carry is a great analogy. Ask yourself this. When was the last time a player was approached to transfer and refused as he wanted to stay at Celtic. We are the waiting room for the EPL and I’m pretty sure that’s how transfers are sold to players.
Regarding the refusal to change the team setup I would say only this. If a million people tell you that you are wrong and you carry on anyway “Pride would be folly that listens not to council at need” Cyber pint for anyone who knows where that quote comes from. Cyber P45 for Maloney if we see 2 similar defeats.
Jürgen Klopp has named two separate squads for Germany’s upcoming Nations League
https://share.google/89oC2KKFygfIkrKFJ
“Pride would be folly that listens not to council at need”
was it Reverened Ian Paisley ?
Bored by the board
Tolkein
Ah that explains it. I thought we were Munchkin FC when in fact we are Left footed Hobbit FC
If we were to go 3 5 2 we don’t have a right wing back and Tierney who can play the left wing back role can only last 60 mins.
So
If we were to go 4 4 2 which four man midfield would stiffen up our defensive resolve ?
BLUEGRASS CELT
“ I wouldn’t be the least surprised if we start with the same 433 and Tounekti starts the game.”
I’m kinda hoping that he makes an exception for Tounekti!
AWENAW
I think the only four midfielders we have available are McCowan, McGregor,Baur and Sørensen.
Is Nygren injured or suspended?
We don’t have the defensive pace or the correct personnel for 3 at the back.
As such , 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2
The issue is our left side , but possibly Mhueka may be an option in there with Duran/ Hogh up front.
AWENAW
No, I’d forgotten about him. Understandable, after Sunday.
Recently read “the road to Lisbon” and recall a quote that Big Jock mentioned from Herrera.
One who doesnt give it all – gives nothing.
That was our big problem v Lask and on Sunday. People not giving it their all. We cannot allow this to continue or our season will implode before our eyes.
If our midfielders could tackle it would help.The real issue is no clarity in coaching instructions.
None of our midfield players look in synch with teammates.
There seems to be no coaching on positional responsibility so we usually have 3 mids chasing with zero purpose other than leaving huge spaces for opponents to exploit.
Until coaches are capable of seeing issues and rectifying them we will remain vulnerable.
I am not hopeful we have coaching personnel to do such.
Drew 67
Nabbla
I went to St Tams.Pretty sure i had a headmaster Mr M Murray but was in the early 80’s
He’l remember his school team that i was a part of who played in a cup final at Hampden 1983 i think it was.
That is definitely him Drew67,thanks v much for reply.i first met him in Emirates pre game.i will see him next week and say to him.
Hail Hail
Brilliant headed goal for Inter Miami.
Player takes up great position and out jumps
defenders
Guess who ?
Duran and Hogh can’t play that game.
Why not ?
Stevenaive,
Because both would be wrestled to the ground without punishment before the cross had entered the box ?
Because we can´t take a corner ?
Because none of them earn €350,000 a week ?
SL,
name the four in a 4 4 2 . I presume the defence and attack picks itself
I think in a 3 5 2 the three does pick itself its the wingbacks we are short on
in your suggested 4-2-3-1 I presume the wingers drop out ?
Nabbla
Yes I did
72-76
Peter Martin was headmaster then.
Nabbla
Nice one.was a great school for Hoops supportin teachers.Pretty sure his assistant head Mr Lavery followed everywhere and the coach of the cup winning team A McCauley went everywhere home and away.,
The guy before Mr Murray was a Mr Farrell im sure
Awe naw- either 3 5 2 or 442,a midfield 3 with Nygren is a 2,as he doesn’t track back,and never goal side when we lose a ball,that’s why it’s so easy to play through us.
Inter Milan 5 Udinese 3. Highlights
Superb game, world class Augusto goal, a la Roberto Carlos, tremendous all heart Barella midfield performance, both teams shooting on sight. None of this crap about trying to walk it in.
https://youtu.be/qZ9MM44OIpw?si=45dhC_wu0ZZ9GwUX
Bada Bing
Nygren as his stats show is a very potent player.
The issue is not him but the poor application of team by coaches.
Callum is ineffective wether goal side or not it’s positional awareness and spacing that is an issue.
Baur too early to judge.
The gaps between attack, midfield and defense are often gaping.
This has been a long standing issue and why we are awful in Europe.
When Nir Bitton played Callum’s role he mastered the art of being wrongside of opponents and gave away dangerous free kicks and goals and the tradition has continued.
Simply because we don’t have the coaches to implement proper playing systems.
It’s not that we don’t have a style ,we do unfortunately it doesn’t work in the modern football landscape.
watched a programme on Bayern and technology.They have a system were overhead cameras take pics of field and can show where players are at every second of play.
This should be a priority at Celtic.
Would help address the waste of energy and poor positional play of team
Awe Naw
Agree with points one and two.
Point three… timing, awareness, bravery,
intelligence, athleticism.
Forwards got the jump ( sorry) on defenders when crosses coming in… that’s why stopping them is a big thing.