The Transfer Gamble

Let's compare football to poker. The man with all the chips has the most leverage in the game and can force the other player out... if they play sensibly. What isn't a good idea is to go 'all in' early on with a weak hand and try and bluff your way to victory.

The man who may be on the backfoot (but is the more experienced player) can sit calmly and chip chip chip away. (of course, if you're 10 points clear you don't even have to!)

Ringing any bells?

Rangers have been weakened in this window, but not immeasurably so. Mendes has played 4 league games this season and as most people are at pains to point out, wasn't available during the much lauded month of December. The fact remains, that Pedro was the best technical football player at the club and his ball retention and vision will be sorely missed. However, we can cope.

We have the players to at the very least win the next 13 out of 15 games. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that makes us champions, even allowing for the fact that a Celtc team who haven't won more than 3 games in a row in the league this season would have to win all 16 of their remaining games.

Celtic, have twisted more than anyone expected them to. They have signed 7 and shipped out 7. Massive upheaval for a summer transfer window. For a January one? Pretty much unheard of.
One might argue that their permanent signings will be on less wages than the players whom they have replaced, but will they able to hit the ground running?

The signing of Robbie Keane has papered over the fact that their five centre halfs are Darren O'Dea, Jos Hooiveld, Josh Thompson, Glen Loovens & Thomas Rogne. One is Glen Loovens who of course, speaks for himself. 4 of them are unbelievably experienced, both as centre halfs and in the Scottish game. I jest of course and this is the biggest part of the gamble for me. Keane will score goals (not more than Boyd will by the end of the season, but he'll see an improvement in their conversion rate)

Will these defenders be able to gel adequately enough to tighten up at the back to ensure that all 18 of their strikers goals will be enough? Remains to be seen.

I'm not scared of Celtic's signings, much in the same way I'm not too downheartened by our lack of activity.

Let's see which respective gamble pays off. I know which player I'm backing (it's the one that knows how to play the game)

Taking into account the result Celtc have just had against Kilmarnock and it's clear that no matter how much things change, everything stays the same.

In Walter We Trust.

OnlyOneAmoruso