From: eftv20@castle.ed.ac.uk (G C Stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer,eduni.football
Subject: The Bright Side of Life ?....
Date: 10 Nov 92 15:54:23 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University


    Well I suppose I've experienced better weeks in football than the
one just past. I was at both the Celtic defeats at the hands of Borussia
Dotrmund and Rangers. Both were excellent games in which Celtic
contributed a great deal, though I would have to say that Dortmund were
the superior side over the UEFA Cup tie. They were hard, and
occasionally brutal, but that doesn't alter the fact that they were
quality, and if it's any consolation, Celtic will not face a better side
all season. The two ties in the UEFA Cup have been an invaluable
education, and we should remember that the Celtic side which last season
collapsed against Neuchatel would certainly not have pulled back a two
deficit from Cologne nor have withstood the onslaught from Dortmund as
well. The likes of O'Neill, Collins, Creaney and McNally will all be
better players next season, when (hopefully) a fresh European campaign
is started and (hopefully) lasts a bit longer.
     I suppose Saturday's Old Firm tie had an air of inevitability about
it. For 85% of the game, Celtic were the better side, but Rangers dug in
and held them out. It was the same scenario in the Scottish Cup
semi-final in March and indeed, in every Old Firm in 1992, Celtic have
been the more fluent football side but have only a single win, a single
draw and three defeats to show for it. In a perverse way I would have 
rathered that Rangers had cruised to victory and really were as superior
to Celtic as Chick Young and Gerry McNee keep telling us. But the manner
in which Celtic laid siege to Rangers' goal, the number of talented 
players at Liam Brady's disposal always keeps you on edge. Since the
start of the season Celtic have looked like a great side about to
happen, but we're still waiting. 
     However, Celtic did play well against Rangers. Their play had a
great deal of anxiety about it at times, but they rarely resorted to 
primitive football and kept their discipline for all but a short period
in the first half when Rangers took control. I don't actually recollect
Celtic being caught offside once, which suggests that some thought is
going into their game, and if Celtic maintain this level of performance,
then results must surely improve. There is a problem in the goal scoring
area and perhaps that is the key to Celtic's current inconsistency. It
could be time to wheel out Charlie again - he usually plays well against
Dundee United anyway. Celtic are far toogood to be losing trailing the
likes of Hearts and Aberdeen. They are both consistent, but very
ordinary. Rangers appear to have sownup the championship, but it's
important that the pursuing sides don't give up hope yet.
     I should also add that Rangers also played very well on Saturday
and contributed to what was I think, the best Old Firm footballing
match, I've ever attended.

     Revised league forecast,

1. Rangers   2. Celtic   3. Aberdeen   4. Hearts     
5. Dundee U  6. Hibernian 7. St Johnstone  8. Falkirk
9. Partick T 10. Dundee 11. Motherwell 12. Aidrie


         Gerry Stewart