JFK-1

So on kiddydale st yesterday they were mocking our reported pursuit of a 'geriatric striker' but that may have changed today with latest reports suggesting that they too are trying to sign this geriatric. Celtic and Rangers in race for wantaway Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe

I would take anything I thought could win us the league even if they could only last the rest of the season. Getting 55 which declares we're back to our rightful place plus stops the yahoos dreams of a 10 in a row and gets us a chance at the tens of millions in the CL is worth it.

I think we can be more than confident he wouldn't be displacing Morelos in the starting line up so where would that leave him.

You sometimes get the feeling City have a fear of Liverpool. If Liverpool were to win this game and establish a 10 point lead over City that would be very difficult indeed to claw back given the form and consistency of Klopps men. But just a couple of days after Guardiola stated that Liverpool were probably the best team in the world right now Klopp is claiming City are the best team in the world. Mind games or what. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46739745

He's a superstar in the footballing world and if he were to win this league at the first attempt in his first managerial position then given what he inherited his legendary status will be enhanced even further. Then the clamour to interview him would switch into overdrive.

I believe this window is going to be the decisive factor regarding our title ambitions. Perhaps the most important January window the club have ever dealt in considering all that has come before.

I think a large part of the gnashing of teeth over it lies in the fact that we totally dominated them with a less than full strength team. We and our ‘untested under 18’s coach’

Beavis and butthead types who want to ‘brag’ about how dimwitted they are while chuckling in beavis and butthead fashion.

The SFA do this after every game? Doubtful. So why ours.

Premier League football is over in 2018 but it has been a memorable year for league leaders Liverpool, who are chasing their first title in 29 years. Records were broken, history was made and plenty of goals were scored. So why would failure to win the title now be unprecedented for Liverpool? Liverpool move into the new year seven points ahead at the top of the table and no team in Premier League history has been so far clear on New Year's Day and not gone on to win the title. Twice teams have been five points in front and finished second, but that is the biggest lead that has slipped at this stage. The Reds' haul of 54 points is their best return at this point in any season by a margin of four points and, even more impressively, it is the third-best return by any side at this stage in top-flight history. Liverpool have conceded just eight goals - the fewest they have ever let in after 20 games - and it is only the third time in their history they have not lost a game at this stage. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola even said the league leaders could be the "best team in the world right now". As if all that wasn't enough, Liverpool became the first team to win all seven Premier League games in December - notoriously a particularly difficult month given fixture congestion. Manchester City, who achieved a record tally of 100 points last season, came close in 2017-18 but after six straight victories drew with Crystal Palace on New Year's Eve. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46712846

Tough schedule. If we could come through that unscathed we would be in a good place and presumably set for a run of ‘easier’ games to solidify the position.

Liverpool are clearly in command now and only have to continue doing what they have been doing to take the prize.

Obviously a great way to go into the break and hopefully we come out of that break stronger. But after the euphoria of yesterday I find myself looking at the table and ruing all those needlessly dropped points. We could have been sitting top of the pile with a comfortable cushion. But the fact is the hoodoo has been lifted. We know we can beat them and just as importantly they know it too. Let’s go get the still available double. Maybe we waited too long to hire an “untested under 18’s coach” Over to you Spiers for an updated opinion on the insanity of it.

It’s only 3 points but it’s the difference between us being just 3 behind them presuming they win their game in hand and a potential 9 behind if we had lost.

The manner of it is just as satisfying as the 3 points. They can’t claim we were lucky. They were lucky to escape with a 1-0

We needed this on so many levels. It’s burst their superiority bubble and keeps us well in the race. A good January window and it’s on.

Looks like he’s ours if we want him. He’s literally inviting us to sign him.

Reported Celtic target Lawrence Shankland has told BBC's Off the Ball radio program that he would like a second shot at succeeding at Rangers. Wales Online have reported in recent weeks that Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is a fan of the former Rangers youth, who is ripping up the Scottish Championship this season. The 23-year-old hitman has netted 28 goals in all competitions for Ayr United, making him one of Scotland's most exciting strikers at the moment. Shankland spent time with Rangers as a much younger player, and the man himself admits that he'd find it hard to turn down his boyhood side. He told BBC's Off the Ball radio program: "I was there when I was a young boy, only for around 10 months. Asked if he had 'unfinished business' at Ibrox, Shankland said: 'I hope so. It [Rangers] was my team." Celtic arguably need him more than the Gers for now, after Leigh Griffiths was ruled out for a number of months, leaving Odsonne Edouard as Brendan Rodgers's only recognised striker. But Shankland clearly only has eyes for Rangers and it'll be interesting to see if Steven Gerrard - who himself needs another goalscorer after cancelling Umar Sadiq's loan - makes a move for the star. Shankland, also linked with Swansea City, is available for only £500,000. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/12/26/celtic-linked-lawrence-shankland-wants-rangers-move/

Aside from the hubz player losses we have a far superior budget to them. I expected to beat them comfortably at Ibrox especially so after totally outplaying them on their own patch. But I’m still not giving up on the league. We can beat anybody in it when we play as we can but its just not consistent enough at this stage. Hopefully the window can help with that.

I’m certainly not giving up on the title while sitting second at the halfway stage and a transfer window coming up.

I'm more than disappointed to have dropped another 2 points so late in a game but it is what it is. If anyone had offered me the current pre winter break league position within touching distance of the top 6 months ago I would have happily taken it.

Don’t recall Morelos ever being injured. Suspensions are the problem with him. If he could fix that he would be an ever present.

Nothing in comparison to when the one man army that is Arnie took on the predator.

At home hubz tried to play us and after a slow start by us were pretty much thrashed 0-0. Surely they can't get so lucky again. If they come to play we will find space and score. If they decide to play the small team strategy it may be more of a struggle.