*****Official Celtic v Heart of Midlothian Match Thread *****

[Ex member of the SaS]

1 hour ago, o1djambo said:

Celtic has 17 fouls against our 8. Keeping ourselves out of harm?. 

Yes but how many cards? They get away with this every season and this is why they have a consistent team to pick from as they never have players out due to the number of bookings.

[Spellczech]

3 minutes ago, HeartsandonlyHearts said:

Not against any of the two @$$ cheeks.

Unless it’s to their advantage.

Not reviewing that one is the their advantage.

Can hardly wait to see VAR in Scotland in all its glory.

Interestingly the half-time pundits were all offering the excuse that the VAR people will also utilise, that where Sibbick was fouled was about 60 yards from the goal. That is the cleverness of the OF players, they tempt defenders to join the attack, mug them (legally or illegally, doesn't matter) then hit on the break. They pretend not to be as good as they are in order to tempt teams up the park. This is the learning from 30 years of having teams with tiny budgets park the bus every league game...

[Ex member of the SaS]

Over all very happy with today's game and the score means nothing. As stated they got the officials help prior to two of the goals and the result doesn't reflect the game. Thought we played well and held them back from most of the first half. Looks like we are building a good solid team and we should fear no one.

[The Real Maroonblood]

1 hour ago, Lonewolflins said:

Oh , you think he is good enough like ? If so you no nothing about football . You must be easily pleased so just keep clapping 

[Pans Jambo]

51 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

Badly guy? 

 

I noticed that too. 

👍

[1953]

I'm absolutely delighted that we've sealed third place, best of the rest and that's all we can hope for. Today's game just reinforced the enormous gulf between the OF and the rest. Ok it was a nothing game for us, but it wouldn't have made any difference if we had something to play for today. Men and boys, chasing shadows etc etc.

[SomethingAboutObua]

Each of the goal scorers today cost Celtic more in transfers each than we've paid in total for the last 2 or 3 seasons. Astounding any Old Firm manager wins the MotY award. Dreading how badly the CL money for both of them next season will affect the league next season. 

 

Just have to hope and pray we expand the league to reduce the 4 games against each of them one day  

[The Treasurer]

41 minutes ago, Ex member of the SaS said:

Over all very happy with today's game and the score means nothing. As stated they got the officials help prior to two of the goals and the result doesn't reflect the game. Thought we played well and held them back from most of the first half. Looks like we are building a good solid team and we should fear no one.

I like this "glass half full" attitude. 

I happen to agree with you 

[Jim Panzee]

36 minutes ago, SomethingAboutObua said:

Each of the goal scorers today cost Celtic more in transfers each than we've paid in total for the last 2 or 3 seasons. Astounding any Old Firm manager wins the MotY award. Dreading how badly the CL money for both of them next season will affect the league next season. 

 

Just have to hope and pray we expand the league to reduce the 4 games against each of them one day  

Nail on head

[bairdy]

Disappointed with the result, but unfortunately not unexpected.

Considering no Halkett, Soutter, Devlin, Smith, Beningham, (I know he won't be playing.)

Hopefully we'll be in much better shape for the final.

[tcjambo]

2 hours ago, Lfhearts said:

Needs to up it for next season or will be on bench all season, as for Boyce am losing patience, McKay for me was poor also.

Honestly us a better option on the big pitch as well. Played pretty well today. Sibbick, Atkinson and Boyce are the big worries. 

[Chong]

Atkinson, Sibbick, McKay and Boyce just not at it today I thought. Gino and Cochrane did quite well and Gordon, Kingsley and Haring were the best in a Hearts jersey today. 

 

Thought we were very passive at times and left Haring, yet again, competing in midfield on his own. 

 

Ultimately it meant nothing but I still feel we could have come away from that with many more positives than we have.

[bairdy]

42 minutes ago, SomethingAboutObua said:

Each of the goal scorers today cost Celtic more in transfers each than we've paid in total for the last 2 or 3 seasons. Astounding any Old Firm manager wins the MotY award. Dreading how badly the CL money for both of them next season will affect the league next season. 

 

Just have to hope and pray we expand the league to reduce the 4 games against each of them one day  

Could'nt agree more.

Practically anybody who manages either of them will win the league.

To make either of them manager of the year is an absolute joke !

[colinmaroon]

50 minutes ago, SomethingAboutObua said:

Each of the goal scorers today cost Celtic more in transfers each than we've paid in total for the last 2 or 3 seasons. Astounding any Old Firm manager wins the MotY award. Dreading how badly the CL money for both of them next season will affect the league next season. 

 

Just have to hope and pray we expand the league to reduce the 4 games against each of them one day  

 

 

It will need a miracle!   It would increase the chance of someone causing the Uglies getting their filthy lucre.

 

They'll never let it happen.

 

[Lonewolflins]

2 hours ago, Bull's-eye said:

 

Aye, because calling Hearts players "Shite bags" is top quality bantz.

 

Deary me !

Aye deary me indeed . What has he done to make you think he is what we need ? Anything ? Let me hear your Boyce insight , because he is bang average . 

[McCrae]

1 hour ago, HeartsandonlyHearts said:

He was poor today for sure. Don’t know if it was a Celtic thing or just a bad day at the office.

I think technically he is not as good as the rest of our team and he finds it more difficult to deal with the pace of the game.

For the final I would play Smith ahead of him.

[Vlad Magic]

6 minutes ago, Lonewolflins said:

Aye deary me indeed . What has he done to make you think he is what we need ? Anything ? Let me hear your Boyce insight , because he is bang average . 

17 goals so far this season suggests he isn’t bang average.

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, McCrae said:

I thought they could go back a review any incident involved in the build up?

 

They do. 

VAR would have ruled that out. 

[Bazzas right boot]

12 minutes ago, Lonewolflins said:

Aye deary me indeed . What has he done to make you think he is what we need ? Anything ? Let me hear your Boyce insight , because he is bang average . 

 

17 goals this season, a number of assists ( 1 today) and involved in most of our goals, as he was today. 

 

Be hard for us to improve on. 

Hopefully we can do and we do need forward options. 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

Folk saying McKay was poor. 

 

The boy is on another level. 

He should a great touch and awareness several times today. 

 

We have too many greetin faced moaners that seem to have lost all concept of reality. 

 

 

[muldoon74]

Started work at 1/4 to 5 this morning, heard score on radio on way back from last drop. Checked live score app and on seeing we scored first thought "officials have decided that's not how it's supposed to happen" therefore we didn't get anything else all day.

 

Am I right? Or way off? 😂😂

[wattie exploited]

6 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

Folk saying McKay was poor. 

 

The boy is on another level. 

He should a great touch and awareness several times today. 

 

We have too many greetin faced moaners that seem to have lost all concept of reality. 

 

 

Mckay is a great player  but was shit today hopefully he will be back to his greatness in the final 

[HeartsandonlyHearts]

28 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

They do. 

VAR would have ruled that out. 

Not against Celtic or Newco.

Var will help them on both sides of the ball

[Bazzas right boot]

26 minutes ago, wattie exploited said:

Mckay is a great player  but was shit today hopefully he will be back to his greatness in the final 

 

He wasn't shit.

 

He showed glimpses of skill, had a few good passes and tried hard against a good side away from home where the forward players were frequently isolated.

 

This he'e shit/ brilliant  analysis of players and performances is worse than Berra's and Boyd's slavering's on offer.

 

[jr ewing]

Who cares? Injuries 0 😱 

[Heartsmad1874]

Just home, shite.
 

[Debut 4]

48 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

Folk saying McKay was poor. 

 

The boy is on another level. 

He should a great touch and awareness several times today. 

 

We have too many greetin faced moaners that seem to have lost all concept of reality. 

 

 

Sorry, what level is he on that’s so far ahead of the others?

 

The guy is a good player, no doubt, but gets overhyped, imo.  We are assembling slowly a better standard of player in every position but each has their flaws, as we’d expect.  

 

Mackay is like that but has brought us attacking play in most other games that has influenced victories.  
 

For me, he can give up the ball too easy when he’s being outmuscled and when you need your better players to lead by example and ripple a  positive affect through others, he needs to improve on that, esp in bigger matches.  
 

Stronger, faster teams test those credentials and he’s one we will be looking to in the Final to be our main point of threat. 
 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

Just now, Debut 4 said:

Sorry, what level is he on that’s so far ahead of the others?

 

The guy is a good player, no doubt, but gets overhyped, imo.  We are assembling slowly a better standard of player in every position but each has their flaws, as we’d expect.  

 

Mackay is like that but has brought us attacking play in most other games that has influenced victories.  
 

For me, he can give up the ball too easy when he’s being outmuscled and when you need your better players to lead by example and ripple a  positive affect through others, he needs to improve on that, esp in bigger matches.  
 

Stronger, faster teams test those credentials and he’s one we will be looking to in the Final to be our main point of threat. 
 

 

 

 

His touch, awareness is a level above most in our team. 

That is clear. 

 

He's not perfect tho and celtic have better players all over the pitch bar 1 position. 

 

 

 

 

[Francis Albert]

3 hours ago, John Findlay said:

It's not meant to be. What the vast majority of football managers say and then do, are two completely different things. Sir Alex Ferguson was a master of it.

Of course but if quoted accurately what Robbie said just  makes no sense. The first step to getting back is to be in the team squad? Surely it is one of the last steps after a significant injury. 

[John Findlay]

9 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

Of course but if quoted accurately what Robbie said just  makes no sense. The first step to getting back is to be in the team squad? Surely it is one of the last steps after a significant injury. 

No. The last step is on the pitch playing. It is in my book.

[Francis Albert]

5 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

No. The last step is on the pitch playing. It is in my book.

And one of the last steps ( not the first step as Robbie claimed) is getting  on the  team sheet. 

Anyway as I said I tend not to pay much attention to what Robbie says. You referred to Alex Ferguson and his mastery of mind games. Robbie hasn't reached the first step in mastering that skill. Just IMO.

[1971fozzy]

It’s the usual moaners on every match day thread that don’t actually attend games. 
anyone expecting anything other than a loss today is (well) optimistic 

[1971fozzy]

1 hour ago, wattie exploited said:

Mckay is a great player  but was shit today hopefully he will be back to his greatness in the final 

🤣🤣🤣🤣 your something else

[BigAlim]

wankers

[Don Dan]

We need to invest in players, proven players if we are serious about competing with these weegie erse cheeks. Proper investment in quantity with a sell on value if things go tits up. 

[Bazzas right boot]

19 minutes ago, Imaman said:

We need to invest in players, proven players if we are serious about competing with these weegie erse cheeks. Proper investment in quantity with a sell on value if things go tits up. 

 

 

We aren't serious this season. 

 

Bob has explained the need to build over 2 or 3 seasons to get close to them and go from there. 

 

We are doing that. 

 

It would take a miracle for us to compete with them any time soon. 

 

We are wetting ourselves over an extra £5m or so next season, Celtic will get 6 times that from he ucl alone and rangers will have made about £10-£15 m already from Europe this season with the possibility of getting another 3x that if they win it. 

 

If we get close to them it's a fantastic achievement, never mind compete with them. 

Our focus is to build and keep the likes of Aberdeen and hibs away from us, we've not even done that consistently, never mind the OF. 

 

Make 3rd ours for a few seasons then see how things are. 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by Bazzas right boot

[The Treasurer]

2 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

Folk saying McKay was poor. 

 

The boy is on another level. 

He should a great touch and awareness several times today. 

 

We have too many greetin faced moaners that seem to have lost all concept of reality. 

 

 

I would say he was poor by his standards. That is totally different from just saying he was poor full stop 

[grumpyespana]

My take on the game we started well scored first then Celtic woke up but I will not be hard on the players they have done well this season with the big one in a fortnight. the differance was the front three of that lot they interchanged all the time and were on the move not like our three they were static most of the time just roll on the final guys.

[portobellojambo1]

1 hour ago, 1971fozzy said:

It’s the usual moaners on every match day thread that don’t actually attend games. 
anyone expecting anything other than a loss today is (well) optimistic 

I went along today expecting a loss, yet at the same time hoping we could get a result, and there is nothing wrong with such an outlook, in my opinion. We started the game well, in hindsight maybe too well, might have been better to go 1-0 up with 3 minutes to play rather than after playing three minutes. I thought there were spells where we played OK, looked like we could compete, but ar the same time their goals didn't come as a shock. Not sure what if anything it offered as preparation for the final, only time will tell.

Edited May 7, 2022 by portobellojambo1

[Ked]

2 hours ago, Lonewolflins said:

Aye deary me indeed . What has he done to make you think he is what we need ? Anything ? Let me hear your Boyce insight , because he is bang average . 

Boyce and Simms play well of each other.

Boyce playing just behind has been good for us and his good play there has coincided with our recent good form.

Celtic are champions for a reason.

Admittedly we need to find a way of getting closer to them through there.

If you want better fair enough but that costs money.

Who do you have in mind?

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

44 minutes ago, The Treasurer said:

I would say he was poor by his standards. That is totally different from just saying he was poor full stop 

This.

 

Quality player. Wasn’t quite on it today.

[Tasavallan]

Just watched the highlights.  Yes, we ended up being well beaten (with the usual poor refereeing) but it was oh so close.  Next season with some decent signings and it should be different.

 

HHGH

[OldGorgie]

6 hours ago, Lonewolflins said:

Oh , you think he is good enough like ? If so you no nothing about football . You must be easily pleased so just keep clapping 

Post reminds me of Doc Holliday aka Val Kilmer in Tombstone - let’s have a spelling competition.

[MediumSlim]

Today Simms took his goal very well, and Kingsley was energetic defending and going down the line. Haring made some good passes and interceptions, although almost got caught in possession a few times. The movement from Ginnelly was excellent, the end product a lot less so. Gordon made some good stops.

 

I'd say the other players found it very tough going.

 

Atkinson lost quite a few battles, McKay gave the ball away sometimes, Boyce just seemed ineffective, and Moore, Cochrane and Sibbick all struggled to contain the mobile Celtic attackers.

 

Of course, if we had Halkett, Souttar, Devlin, Smith and Beni all fit and starting it would have been a lot closer. Celtic are a good side and if half our first team is out then a visit to Parkhead will be just too much for us. 

 

The loss was painful, but doesn't define our season.

[cookieboy]

After a long 10 game unbeaten run I relinquish the thread start for Motherwell on Wednesday. so proud to have been part of it, good luck to the next OP . HHGH FTH and the Cup is coming home 

[Australis]

6 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

You seriously expect a rebuild if we don’t win the cup ? A team that finished streets ahead in 3rd needs rebuilt ?

 

Well do very VERY well to win the cup. I’m not expecting us to win it. But there is no way on earth we need to rip it up and start again, even if we get we’ll beat.

Feels like we are miles behind the old firm but we'll ahead of the rest, like Aberdeen and Dundee United were years ago.

 

Should give us the odd chance of a cup final regularly if we get officials that are not corrupt.

 

 

 

 

 

[One five]

27 minutes ago, MediumSlim said:

Today Simms took his goal very well, and Kingsley was energetic defending and going down the line. Haring made some good passes and interceptions, although almost got caught in possession a few times. The movement from Ginnelly was excellent, the end product a lot less so. Gordon made some good stops.

 

I'd say the other players found it very tough going.

 

Atkinson lost quite a few battles, McKay gave the ball away sometimes, Boyce just seemed ineffective, and Moore, Cochrane and Sibbick all struggled to contain the mobile Celtic attackers.

 

Of course, if we had Halkett, Souttar, Devlin, Smith and Beni all fit and starting it would have been a lot closer. Celtic are a good side and if half our first team is out then a visit to Parkhead will be just too much for us. 

 

The loss was painful, but doesn't define our season.

I never watch the game today so I can’t comment on the game itself, your last paragraph is spot on 👏 playing any of the uglies away is always difficult but with five out of our first usual eleven is a very tough ask to bring a result home. We have had a good season and with a few players back for the final it could be a fabulous season 🤞

[fila]

Saw worse with a normal starting line up at parkhead. 

[mickycameron98]

Why oh why are we so poor through in Glasgow. 20 defeats in 21 at parkhead! It's hard reading. The Rangers and Celtic teams aren't even as good as the early 2000's old firm teams but I think we even took more points then! The gap is just as wide as ever!

[One five]

6 minutes ago, mickycameron98 said:

Why oh why are we so poor through in Glasgow. 20 defeats in 21 at parkhead! It's hard reading. The Rangers and Celtic teams aren't even as good as the early 2000's old firm teams but I think we even took more points then! The gap is just as wide as ever!

We play against 12 men .