FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) It'll be interesting to see how a fair dinkum bloke from Melbourne goes in Glasgow. Aussie sport is not known for suffering fools, galahs, drongos, bogans or hoods gladly. By way of contrast, neds, jakeys, nyaffs, wallopers & mindless one-eyed delusion are what makes Glesca "soccer" the world famous brand it is. Will Ange buy into the Celtic-minded philosophy? I hope he doesn't and I don't think he will. I reckon he'll go OK though. First up is the Champions League qualifying campaign... Midtjylland. 2nd in Denmark in the season just gone. Only one point behind Brondby. Been in the top two for four straight seasons. Won the title three times in the last seven years, having never had a dinner prior to 2014/15. Owned by Matthew Benham, who owns Brentford. They also have a link-up programme with Liverpool. They are known for their thorough "moneyball" statistical analysis of opponents and of their own performance. They are the club that "discovered" the throw-in coach, Thomas Gronnemark, who moved on to Liverpool and who has been credited with playing a major part in the Scousers' transformation into champions. Even though Matthew Benham presumably puts money in, their squad doesn't look up to Celtic's class on paper. Nor should it, given the respective budgets of the clubs. Only one player in the Denmark squad for the Euros - Lossl, the goalie, who only has one cap. He was a 1st-team player at Huddersfield but couldn't make the side at Everton. The midfielder Cajuste is in Sweden's squad but not in the XI - he came on for the last 5 minutes v. Spain. Dalsgaard has plenty of Danish caps and has been Brentford's first choice right-back or right-sided #5 for most of the last 4 seasons, but has just gone home, presumably not reckoned to be EPL class. The left-winger Sisto also has 20-odd caps. Seems a nutter, though. Refers to himself in the 3rd person (Maybe a Zlatan fan?) and drove home from Celta Vigo during Covid lockdown, earning a €60k fine. (Good replacement for Bolingoli? He is left-sided and likely just as good at defending, winger or not.) Sviatchenko is there too. They have a new manager - the previous guy, Brian Priske, buggered off to Antwerp last month, having led Midtjylland to a 1st and a 2nd in his two seasons. They played a flat-4 at the back under Priske, with the fullbacks looking to get forward. Generally a 4-2-3-1 in possession, with the 6'3" Guinea number #9 Sory Kaba leading the line. European results of late have been moderately impressive. Only took 2 points in the Champions League group last season (draws with Liverpool and Atalanta) but had got past perennial Bulgarian champs Ludogorets, Young Boys and Slavia Prague in the qualifiers. (As well as putting out Leicester and Rangers in the Europa League, Slavia won the Czech league without losing a game - beating Sparta 2-0 & 3-0 and finishing 12 points ahead of them... and we know what Sparta did to Celtic.) Midtjylland were papped-out 7-3 on aggregate by Rangers two years ago though. Celtic should win this tie, but Postecoglou's main goal this term is to wrest-back the title from Castle Mordor. With Rangers likely to "Go on the B of the bang" in the Premiership, Postecoglou needs the squad to be ready for the league. Trying to be cute in European ties, with players he doesn't know well, should not be on the agenda. If Celtic play to their potential in a month's time, they should squeak through this... but I wouldn't be taking anything shorter than 4/5 in the "To Qualify" market and it won't be a disaster if the Danes win. Edited June 21, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Typo 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloPerth Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 An impressive level of detail there! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinabear Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 If not this season but definitely next season, big Ange will win the 10 for the hoops. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBear Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Angie is obviously top manager. World class. Will take the C*eltic far. To Ross County he will go and manage a good draw. Oh wait a minute. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 3 hours ago, BlueBear said: Angie is obviously top manager. World class. Will take the C*eltic far. To Ross County he will go and manage a good draw. Oh wait a minute. That's an improvement on Lennon's record last season tbf... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 14, 2021 Author Share Posted July 14, 2021 Doesn't yet appear to be any movement on Holyrood's plan to allow only 2,000 fans in for the 1st leg at Parkhead. That's still the limit for Saturday's friendly with Preston North End. Celtic asking for 18,000. Surely Humza can pull strings? Midtjylland open their Danish League season at home to Odense on Friday night. Have won at Malmo, lost at Lech Poznan and won at Sigma Olomouc in friendlies. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergie's no1 fan Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 Let's see if we can keep track of the weirdos with a butchers apron in their social media bio that will be hoping Celtic do well in Europe, after all these same weirdos were wanting Scots to support our nearest and dearest in the final. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 16, 2021 Author Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) HT: Midtjylland 0, Odense 1. 61% possession, 9-4 on shots, 6-0 on corners.... But only the scoreboard counts. Playing a back four, according to Flashscore.... Which isn't too reliable on stuff like that. They played 3-4-3 in the bits of the Sigma Olomouc game I saw. Three Brazilians in the XI. Sviatchenko in the middle of the back four. They were 4/6 for this at kickoff, with Odense 4/1. Now 10/3, with Odense 19/20. Should be worth a wager at 10/3. Edited July 16, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Typo 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 16, 2021 Author Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) FT: Midtjylland 1, Odense 2. There was a livestream up, but I couldn't watch it as I was working. No sign of a replay anywhere yet. Their 6'3" number nine, Sory Kaba, was not in the squad. Hasn't been in the squad for the friendlies either. I looked on his Facebook page and he was banging the goals in during a passing & shooting drill in training at the end of last week. His 6'3" Brazilian understudy, Junior Brumado, has been standing in for him. Kaba cost €3m from Dijon, who'd paid €4m to sign him from Elche. Brumado cost €2m+ from Bahia. Fair fee to pay a struggling Brazilian Serie A club for a reserve. They lost to a 91st minute goal. Direct from a low, near-post corner. Two defenders missed the ball, bounced in front of unsighted keeper Lössl and went in. I could almost hear Jimmy Greaves saying, "Well, Saint... Danish goalkeepers..." Edited July 16, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 16, 2021 Author Share Posted July 16, 2021 New manager Bo Henriksen's hair makes him look like Daniel Stendel. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 16, 2021 Author Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) Celtic a best price 21/20 with Betway for Tuesday's 1st leg. Midtjylland 11/4 with BetVictor. Long-established, stringently regulated, eminently trustworthy, solidly solvent and highly reputable Armenian bookies VBET are the only firm with a "To Qualify" market. They go 7/10 Celtic, 15/13 Midtjylland. Edited July 16, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Removed flag, cuz it diznae cum out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 Then IF you win PSV or Galatasaray? Pumped. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) Today's "sporting" press keen on Midtjylland. Inside back page of the Racing Post features a picture of a downcast Odsonne Edouard, looking remarkably like Droopy... or the late Sir Clement Freud in blackface. Maybe he'll spring into, "You know what? That makes me mad!" mode and shred the Danish defence. I wouldn't bet on it. It also has Steve Davies tipping Midtjylland at 8/5, draw no bet, with Paddy Power & Betfair. He calls the manager "Bo Fredriksen", which is a relatively rare piece of shoddiness for the Racing Post, but pretty standard for Racing & Football Outlook... ... on page #3 of which Dan Childs agrees with Davies, advising a Midtjylland or draw bet on the double chance market in his match preview. Childs at least gets Bo Henriksen's name right. "Hooray" Henry Hardwicke, who is prone to gaffes and the type of shoddy research normally confined to the BBC's coverage of Ing-Ger-Lund, tips the Danes to win tonight's game at 11/4 in his column on page #2. Back in the Racing Post, Joe Casey recommends buying total goals at 2.7 with Spreadex, reasoning that Celtic's defence is weak and there have been 3 goals or more in Midtjylland's last four games. While Odsonne Edouard at least has the good grace to play while he sulks, Midtjylland's "want away" number #9 Sory Kaba has allegedly downed tools and refused to play in the pre-season friendlies, meaning Henriksen isn't considering him for competitive games. Edited July 20, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth added info 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 Can't see past an away win tbf... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardle is Magic Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 How would one watch this football match without Premier Sport? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepundit Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 That’s one of the weakest starting line ups they’ve ever had, and for such an important game. Still think they’ll maybe sneak a 1-1 result. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangemouth Bairn Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 27 minutes ago, jagfox BLM said: 9 full internationalists in the starting 11 - strong team for Ange’s first outing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortescueFotheringhamSmyth Posted July 20, 2021 Author Share Posted July 20, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said: 9 full internationalists in the starting 11 - strong team for Ange’s first outing. Looks a worryingly weak XI to me. I think Celtic will win tonight, but I'll not be taking the 10/11 Edited July 20, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth typo 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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