Celtic 0-2 Ross County (Betfred Cup)

So to rub yet more salt in yesterday's nwounds, that's Celtic now out of the Cup too, meaning that yesterday's debacle is now a major missed opportunity.

But I have to ask, how can it be that a small club from the Highlands with a fraction of Celtic's budget go to Parkhead, beat them 2-0 and knock them out the Cup? Surely to clubs the size of Ross County, games against Celtic don't matter because of the difference in budget??

Well, that's going by some of our own fans and some within the club's logic as to why we can't get such results.

For a bit of context, this is the THIRD time in fif**** years that Ross County have knocked Celtic out of one of the domestic Cup competitions. That's a record that we could only dream of, but we're too busy shrugging these games off and telling ourselves that "it doesn't matter, cos we're only Motherwell".

LSM could not agree more, absolutely spot on. However, it is obvious that the Celtic players have stopped playing for Lennon, shameful really, but never the less still entertaining. Well done County.
That said, if we had went to PH today at this stage in the competition, we would still be out of the cup and 'tic would be comfortably through.

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Originally Posted by skippy91

That said, if we had went to PH today at this stage in the competition, we would still be out of the cup and 'tic would be comfortably through.

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You better believe we would!

Had that been us playing Celtic today, regardless of their current issues, we would be heading back along the M74 having lost by at least three and the usual suspects in the squad, the club and the support would be meekly shrugging it off with the usual "what do you expect when their budget is 15x the size of ours, there's nothing to be ashamed of, that was a free shot, bring on the diddy teams".

We just do not possess the bottle or the character as a club to get results like Ross County got today, and that is why they have won a trophy in recent times while we are gearing up to 'celebrate' the 30 year anniversary of the last time we lifted silverware.

And do you know what? Ross County, and others, will lift silverware again before we do.

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Originally Posted by LawSteelman

We just do not possess the bottle or the character as a club to get results like Ross County got today, and that is why they have won a trophy in recent times while we are gearing up to 'celebrate' the 30 year anniversary of the last time we lifted silverware.

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Quite right. Ability apart, we just don't possess the necessary character. Thats an important element missing when we recruit. By comparison, teams like St Johnstone are prepared to sacrifice a bit of ability for work ethic and character. Our mix just ain't right. Oh for some leadership and aggression on the pitch!

Leadership and aggression disappeared with Hartley’s departure, although I do think he was no longer physically capable of performing at SPFL level. The one guy that could have stepped in and filled his role in both respects was Richard Tait and he left, unfortunately. Gallagher is a good player but he is not leader.

Not that I disagree about Tait's potential leadership ability but it's worth remembering he was a shadow of himself for months and deservedly lost his place to Grimshaw (!). Given the wages both were on there were absolutely no complaints from anyone I remember about binning them at the time.

What we've replaced the with is a different matter of course...