 Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Central midfield only blot on interim report card
I don’t want to blaspheme, but I am glad that one is out of the way. There was little to be gained trying to become the second team in Champions League history to overcome a home deficit, with the potential for injuries, not to mention what could have been a moral-sapping score-line. Is there anything positive to say about our away record in this competition? How about, we finally broke the habit of losing three goals away from home in the Champions League; in fact, six goals in the last five away games would be called a respectable defensive record, other things being equal. Did you notice how many free kicks were awarded for fouls on Aiden McGeady? Aiden spent his evening too far from goal to be effective, but he ran at players, forcing them into the kind of physical challenge which he is not protected from in Scotland. The Scottish game is undermined by its failure to protect whatever talent it has; when holding onto the ball is likely to bring a kick to the ankles, if your ankles are 18 inches off the ground. Compare and contrast the refereeing performance on display at Easter Road on Saturday and Camp Nou last night. I called the game in Barcelona the least important of the week, which it was. Celtic come home to a remarkably simple proposition, win nine or 10 league games and win the league. To do this, attention must be paid to central midfield. In Brown, Donati, Sno, Robson and Hartley we are not short of options, but I couldn’t tell you the combination I would choose for the must-win games ahead. Getting it right in this area, specifically against Rangers, will determine where the trophies head in May.
187 Comments:
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quite right... here's to3 in a row...
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Paul
This is half the problem. Our best central midfield combnation includes Shunsuke Nakamura....
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Spot on Paul Shun
I have said this for ages
Midfield is the problem
we still dont know our prefered 2 central midfielders
time to choose 2 and stick with them
or change to a 3-5-2 which is unlikely at this stage
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I know the league was always going to be more important but we didn't even give it a decent shot.
I'm disappointed in Strachan - as soon as I seen we were playing a 4-5-1 I knew we weren't even going to attempt to get anything from the game.
JVOH being the sole striker made it even worse; he's probably the last person you'd have for that role with the exception of Derek Riordan.
4-5-1 can only be used to play for a nil-nil unless it's a formation you play every week and becomes effectively a 4-3-3... which is not something you can expect players to adapt to in a one-off game.
On top of that the Nou Camp pitch is massive, it's almost impossible for wingers to get up to support the strikers quickly enough for it to be effective.
Maybe I'm being too much of a romantic, there was about a 1 in 1000 chance that we'd pull off a miracle and go through, but I'd rather have gave it a good crack of the whip and get humped than play defensively and keep the scoreline respectable.
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If it's not one Martin posting first it's another. Luck or favouritism? Maybe McGuire changed his name for the luck it brings.
The need to win the league is paramount and midfield could lose it...or win it. We have quantity but maybe we don't really have all that many options in reality; a certain type of player is needed to get us over the line and some of ours are more suited to that task than others.
There is the old chestnut of comparing a thoroughbred to a Clydesdale, but you wouldn't use a thoroughbred to plough a field. (Fsrming types, please confirm that you would use a Clydesdale, ....absent one of those new fangled mechanical ploughs)
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Fsrming should of course read farming
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Don't agree Michael_67,
I thought we were better in the last 10mins when Naka finally moved back out to the wing.
This of course could have been down to Barca holding back but????
Anyway, Donati & Brown is the midfield.
Mo had a bad night and will have been roasted for it! He's also one of the reasons we got there! Some of his play this year has been poor, but equally some of it has been class to watch.
Replace him with a man who was (Wrongly) booed by our own support just shows how good a support we really are. Would Strachan have made that change at Parkhead knowing how the home fans have reacted to Sno??
Not trying to have a go at you Michael_67, some of the comments on here last night were very poor. People are entitled to opinions, but maybe switch teh PC off instead of telling everyone else about them.
Another 5-1 against the Sheep on Sunday should do the trick!
Mucker
A Happy Hoop
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Paul, it also crossed my mind during the match about the different refereeing standards that we encounter in the SPL and CL.
It made me wonder especially in that first half if that was a reason why we seemed reluctant to put in a decent tackle: we just didn't want to risk a dangerous free kick or yellow card for a "standard" SPL type challenge (and goodness knows we aren't the worst offenders in that department).
If we are to continue to progress in Europe this is perhaps something we have got to get right: a balance between what we are allowed to get away with in our yearly 6 to 10 CL matches and what the rest of the SPL can get away with against us on a weekly basis. Not easy to switch between one world and the other.
At one point in the second half Scott Brown put in a meaty challenge on Ronaldinho. Illicit perhaps but I was glad to to the smug grin replaced by a perplexed look that said "you do that again and I'm no playin'" (or whatever the equivalent is in Portuguese).
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Im at work, so cant view any of the links.
Can anyone advise what the Spanish/Catalan press are saying about us, ie the fans, from last week.
No hunnish bahviour I hope?
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Sixtaeseven,
I wasn't sure how to write about that expression. I don't need to now. Class.
Have to agree with some of your thoughts there. We did seem frightened to tackle hard. Not sure if it was to do with our normal SPL standards or a worry about our 'Special relationship!'
As mentioned on other threads after Boruc's waving and card, we need more definition on what can and can't be done.
We hear this also with the huns in Europe but the other way. When they get a card in the Uefa cup the commentator (Dodds or someone) can usually be heard to say, that would be fine in the SPL.
Mucker
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bazzabhoy - copied from the official site:
THOUSANDS of Celtic supporters took advantage of the city of Barcelona’s hospitality today by turning up at the meeting point specifically arranged for the visitors.
From 11am on Tuesday morning, the Celtic faithful arrived en masse at Montjuic Park for a day of live music, good food and relaxation ahead of the sell-out match at Camp Nou.
The crowd was entertained by the BibleCode Sundays who had flown in from London and by Glasgow and Donegal’s Crooked Reel. There was also other live music, a Celtic DJ and a whole host of other events including a place to have a drink and two huge paellas – capable of feeding 5,000 people.
The day of Celtic celebration was both indoors and outdoors and while the bands performed in the Barcelona sunshine, there was plenty to do inside the giant exhibition hall including table tennis, bronco-bull riding, bungee jumping, trampolining, five-a-sides, go-karting as well as sheltering from a brief but fairly heavy Catalan thunder storm.
There were also four enormous screens indoors showing Celtic goals and action all day and those screens would also broadcast the match live (with English commentary) for those who travelled to the city without match tickets.
The Catalan Police were delighted with the event and with the thousands who have invaded Barcelona over the past couple of days. They said: “The behaviour of the Celtic fans, both last night and today, has been fantastic.”
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If everything I've read about Scott Brown's ankle injury is true he should not have played last night. I'm sure he was bursting to play having missed the first leg, but what if he had aggravated the injury and missed the next month?
I thought the ref was superb last night. European referees have a way of becoming invisible in the game that others could benefit from emulating. Think of the key moments last night. How many involved the referee?
I have thought for a long time that most Scottish refs are failed players who want to be the centre of attention in the games they officiate. Their whole persona is about being seen to run the game, rather than letting the game flow around them.
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Paul 67
Like yourself I am glad to get the game out of the way. In fact I do believe many Celtic supporters felt the same as there was none of the type of hype that usually accompanies these games. I'm happy enough to "escape" 4 - 2. If that makes me unambitious - so be it.
The main concern however from last night is that the players didn't seem to know what was expected of them on the pitch. I say this is "main concern" as Gordon Strachan will again try to come up with some sort of tactical plan in the games against Rangers. Naka in the "hole" behind JVOH was a first. It was not a success. Playing Brown on the right has never been a success. His position is in the middle. Where exactly was Donatti playing -I'm not sure and neither was he. If it was "slightly to the left" (and I'm not trying to be funny) then Robson would have been a better choice. The season is 3/4 over and we still do not know our best midfield. Constant changes do not help. At the moment the cry is for Sno.This is due to a decent 2nd half - but we have been there with him before.
There were some positives. Wilson played well, Aiden did what he could but they doubled up (and more) on him and was extremely closely marked. This is something which will happen again and again but we still have to find someway of turning it to our advantage.
Anyway. Upwards and Onwards to 3 in a row. That is the most impoerant thing.
And as far as I'm concerned it always has been!!
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Brown,Hartley Robson and either,McGeady or Nakamura.
You can throw in either Sno or Donati,in place of the first three,but for the away games and harder home games,both Aiden and Naka in the one team,is a bit of a luxury.
We need to win games,that is the simple equation,if we do that without 5-0 wins it does not matter.
We need to boss the midfield,particularly when we don't have the ball.
for me the only way is playing either Aiden or Naka.
Not both of them together.
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Kano,
Nail, Head & Hit.
I'd still have donati in there but besides that, that was my call for teh Barca first leg. That would fit in with big home games.
Away games are much the same! One 'Flair player and 3 footballers, with a bit of fight too.
Mucker
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Michael 67, Naka in the middle is an option, with Robson out left.
Lennondinho, aye.
Siztaeseven, you need to catch them before you can foul them :-)
Lurgan53, agree.
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Bazzabhoy, I posted this on previous thread. From La Vanguardia newspaper
"The thousands of Glasgow Celtic fans, many of them ticketless, who have invaded Barcelona in anticipation of tonight’s game against Barça, have caused less damage than the dirty hun (actual translation honest!) “hooligans” of Rangers, who left a trail of alcohol and urine across the city during their controversial visit.
According to official sources, as at just before 7 o’clock in the evening, the presence of the Scottish fans had passed without incident or arrest. Unlike 7th of November last year, when a blue tide of Glasgow Rangers fans invaded the Catalonian capital and persisted in drinking alcohol and urinating in the street, the “green and white” Celtic fans have behaved in a far more civilised manner."
Boltonbhoy, welcome back.
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AbMucker
Dunno what your on about. Comments last night ect. Havent critised any player (though last night there were a couple whose performances left themselves open to it), instead focusing on a positive.
In the first half in particular it was obvious that Naka playing centre mid looked our most composed player (infact the only player who didnt look like they wanted rid of the ball) and buys himself yards every time with his touch and movment. It looked clear that his ability and vision was adept to a central position at this level. With one up front and a distance between middle and front being as large as it was, it was difficult for Naka once in possesion and a bit of space, to build moves. He did take the pressure of us a couple of times just through the composure of holding the ball.
Obviously it wasnt one of Browns better games since he signed for Celtic, and McGeady being pegged back by an onrushing Zambrotta and Messi, didnt give Naka the runs or targets in forward motion that we really needed. Had Aiden been able to get forward like he did several times in the home leg, Naka in a central position could really have given us something we currently dont offer from Paul's options of "Brown, Donati, Sno, Robson and Hartley" .
To me it seems like at SPL level, Strachan has (cleaverly) adapted him to a wide position and he operates effectively for him. However, he is for all intents and purposes first and foremost a central player.
Also, I have never told any poster what, when and how to post, so unless I am being offensive or derogatory please extend me the same courtesy....
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Right on Paul.
In my view we need "bite" in our midfield for ALL of the remaining games. We have been too easy to dominate physically in the midfield in the SPL.
This will be the biggest factor against RFC.
We need to sacrifice style with power in the midfield for the run in. Its also needed to help protect our creative wingers.
I think Donati will be gone in the summer. The Scottish game doesnt suit him, he needs more time on the ball which he doesnt get in the SPL.
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Cadizzy,
Nice to read and I like the translations!
Mucker
Happy everyone knows about THEM
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cadizzy - saludos :-)
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Paul - Agreed.
Would be interesting to see that with Samaras and Hesselink up top, Robson and McGeady on natural sides giving the level of delivery most of our opposition would struggle with.
The Left footer on the right and vice versa is a great option for certain games where you are looking for the wide men to cut in and join in the play (and get shots away), but with two guys the height and heading ability of Giorgios and Jan, would be great to see them have a game where they were attacking crosses from both sides.
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abmucker, I would not want to misrepresent such an august newspaper by not reporting their words (two in particluar) as accurately as possible.
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Michael_67,
I should have made myself clearer and when I read back my post realised I didn't write what was in my head. I maybe should have made 2 separate posts.
I only mentioned you with regards to the Naka position. I thought it was worth a try when I seen it and maybe with someone else running for him instead of JVOH then yes it could have worked. I just wish we'd had a bit of Steel in there to put the wind up them!
The rest was aimed at some of the comments made during the game last night! Not what you expect to read onhere! I had written a "not having a go at you here Michael_67" to try to make it clear but realise I didn't and again, apologies.
Wouldn't dream of telling people what to write just some of the drivel posted last night was tabloid worthy! Including wanting the replacement of our whole team & manager.
Mucker
Wires Crossed CSC
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i wouldnt say i am glad its over, hope can be a wonderful thing and give strange feelings to people.
Once you know that has been taken away, ultimately you are just left with negative feelings.
All i really wanted was for us to give a good account of ourselves, to be genuinley praised for the performance, and for Barca to blame losing this weekend on how tired the players were after playing us (it happened in last few years, not sure who)
That didnt happen.
I wont criticise Strachans tactics, at the time I said i didnt know which would have been the better, 2 or 1 up front.
As it turned out, because we had 1 up front, their full backs played as wingers and most of what they did came from them.
It didnt work, fair enough.
I thought in the 1st half the players look as if they were told to pass it, in order to retain it, those passes caused us to lose the ball a helluva lot. They just arent capable of playing that type of game, under that level of pressure (3+ players closing them down)
without themselves and their team mates moving into positions off the ball to give them man on the ball more than 1 option.
If he only has 1 option, the opposition can read where they pass is going, which again happened time and time again.
Didnt work fair enough, but did we have a ready made PLAN B?
Dont think so, I would have thought if we were playing 1 up front, and we were making a point of playing the passing game, then the more mobile Samaras or McDonald would have been much more productive.
Im not going to be critical of us playing the passing game, i never will, but sometimes you need to play to your strengths, Venegoor, yet again was winning every ball that was put to him, yet this pass was rarely used.
Donati opitimised everything I have been fearing is the case with him, some of his 'pretence' tackling ie making it look like you are tackling but your really not because you dont want to get hurt, is embarrassing.
Credit does go to Mark Wilson, who after looking like he had been exposed for turn of pace for the goal (where were you scott brown?) i thought he equipped himself extremely well, he got close to Ronaldinho and it made a difference (poor caddis game him half the pitch when it was passed to him, must have been bricking it!)
All in all, the hope has gone, disappointment at what might have been has replaced it, but im not dejected, il get over it, il be able to take positives out of it, I only hope the manager does too.
Hes talking a good game at the moment in that respect, but I will ardently disagree with anyone who says we are improving, or learning how to play away from him in the champions league.
(not including last night)
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Let's give Caldwell a little credit last night for his one or two scuffles with Ronaldinho.
BTW I thought Henry was a little bit too cocky last night with his tackles flying in.
Used to like him, not anymore, hope he gets a doin' aff somebody.
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AbMucker
No bother. Didnt read anything last night so wasnt clued up with the Celtic bashing that went on....
PS - as someone else said earlier - its not the kicking them thats the problem, its the catching them to do it!
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Canajunbhoy, agree, Massimo might think about moving in the summer.
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if big sno can play against top players in europe, then he has to play against gretna, killie and the rest, away from home too. its not spl types we should be after, its champions league types.
i acknowledge that big sno and IMO samaras cant get into our way of football, as there is a million miles from love street to nou camp.
this to me, lies the problem,
celtic cant do this on their own, the spl must get improvements on surfaces and referees.
the big news in england about more two footed tackles getting straight reds, would mean that if it was aadhrered to in scotland, then we would be watching 10 against 9 most weeks.
we have to go this way in order for us to improve.
the other point was perfectly made about the referee, barac moved the ball so quickly, that wee could get near them, so therefore the ref was anonimous.
the work ethic of barca would be my first copy, the quick passing, would be my second one.
a barca midfielder gets the ball, the full backs sprint 50 yards.
we run quickly, but never sprint.
watch it and see what i mean.
and can somebody tell me where we get the yards covered, passes made stats, on these games, as i`ll bet there was some astonishing stats out there, that we could learn from.
somebody mentioned hartleys stats, he passed the ball 25 times, big jvoh passed the ball 5 times, bloody 5 !!!! must have felt like an east stirling striker.
anyways, lessons learned, move the ball, and move yer legs. but do it all that much quicker.
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is the reason that big sno was our best player on the night
because he didnt have 50,000 ingrates on his back?
he was , for me the only player who played for the jersey
him and big oooo aaaahhh were a genuine breath of fresh air
great FOOTBALLERS
can they pleases share what ever they smoke with the rest of the "team"
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also
if we think we are fit ........?????????
barca showed all over the park that they are fit for any task
they regularly had 3 to our 1
how does that happen ALL OVER THE PARK?
fitness counts in these games and they are THE best when it comes to that
eto'o the defender ....oh yes we saw it
henry pass backs to his keeper....oh yes we saw it
different planet
a joy to watch in the first half against a shellshocked team
second half they looked a wee bit vunerable
they still pressed with 3 men !!!
i still think they had 14 players on the park
hail bloody hail
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Paul67- you need to have a word with your sub-editor- the headline he's come up with does not do credit to your piece.
I think there are a few 'blots' on the report card. I still don't see much evidence of progress [apart ironically from conceding fewer goals away from home in Europe] The grail of the away win seems as inaccessible as ever- we have to stop giving away daft goals in the first few minutes. We only scored one goal away from home this campaign.
It might have been better for this group of players to finish third in their group, go into the Cup of Eurodiddies and forsake a few bob for Bert Kassie's points.
Domestically we are 4 points behind a poor Rang##s team; and will have to play out of our skins to prevent the title ending up in Govan. We will have to play out of our skins and not expect fair treatment from the referees -quite the opposite.
It may be that the source of these difficulties is the central midfield, in particular its inability to string together a few performances.
Kano- we need to go with our strongest XI in these games. Our 4 best players are Artur, Aiden , Scotty Mac and Naka. These games often hang on a single flash of skill amongst all the SPHell dross, these are the players most likely to deliver
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Finding the right balance in the midfield holds the key to the title. In my opinion, variation is the key.
Paul Hartley showed last night how crucial he is when we are required to retain the ball with defensive discipline. When we visit Ibrox at the end of the month, he will be needed. Most likely he will joined by the tenacity and agression of Scott Brown with McGeady on the left. The only question mark is whether to incorporate the grace of Nakamura or the power of Robson.
At home its a different ball game where it will be Nakamura, McGeady, Brown plus anyone from Donati, Hartely, Sno or Robson.
I believe Celtic are capable of winning every game from now until the end of the season but Ibrox is the key where recent, unwelcome, trends will have to be bucked. Anything less that 3 points and its advantage Hun.
Lesson for next season. Of the current squad, 3 berths must be filled. We require a centre half, a centre forward (at £2.5 MN Samaras would be the answer) but the bulk must be spent on a leader in the central midfield.
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any guesses?
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So another relatively successful European campaign is over. The games at Celtic Park were all, for different reasons, brilliant.
I've been reflecting on whether Celtic is now a cautiously/carefully managed expectation dependent on Champions League participation?
Was the Spartak Moscow game the most critical of the season? It could be argued that this qualifier dictated the cautious preparation; most fans would agree that Celtic did not strengthen sufficiently during the summer.
However, Celtic progressed to the group stages and matched last season by coming through a difficult group to qualify for the increased revenues of the last 16. Celtic are generally considered by informed commentators as punching above their weight compared to teams competing in wealthier national leagues.
Does Celtic's current league position reflect our overriding focus on European games and a cautiously/carefully managed expectation that is dependent on participation in European competitions?
Is it possible to increase a season's earning potential by playing in and winning a Champions League qualifier? ;-)
Finally,…
Have we improved on last year or is it too early to ask that question?
Chris
reflectiveCSC
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Discounting last night, as everyone was going to get a chasing against the finest midfield around, Naka has been posted missing far more often than not in big matches away from home.
He is a good player, and I enjoy watching him, but he is not effective enough when we really need him. Has he ever had a great game against rangers? Wonder freekicks, great as they are, are not enough.
As for Donati, I'd have left him in Spain with a bus ticket to Milan.
Get Paul Hartley back into the team, we look a better more solid outfit with him sitting in.
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Chris/Subt- in a word- No.
We are going backwards, which is a handicap when we're striving to go onwards and upwards to the 3 [+ 3]
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Ardoch
"Wonder freekicks, great as they are, are not enough."
I'd go along with that in respect of TFOD games since we are unlikely to get all that many near the box. In fact, I can't recall our scoring one against them since Alan Thompson in the 3-0 game at Celtic Park. In most other games, especially at home, Naka has to play.
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Boltbhoy & Cadizzy - Cheers bhoys.
Ive just watched Naylor at the end of the game, I think someone needs a word in his shell like. Not Celtic class bahviour.
Re Donati, OK he played a few (!) stray passes last night, but fair dues, he never hid, always went looking for the ball again, I like that.
Have to say again, I thought Caldwell was immense last night, by far his best game in the hoops.
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Bazzabhoy, you're welcome...in return, what did Lee Naylor do at full time? I missed whatever it was.
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i would play riordan left mid naka and big yan frwrd the definse is 2 flimsy and i think mcmanus is overatted donati9 is a class act dnt care wat anybdy says
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Boltonbhoy
Glad you're back, even if it's only because you're not feeling well and you've got nothing better to do.
I agree with what Bazzabhoy says about Donati and would add to it. It isn't only that he didn't hide and always looked to receive the ball - his team-mates always looked for him in our half of the field.
I can only assume that the tactic was to give it to the player the coaching staff thought was most likely to hit long, accurate passes to JVoH or Nakamura, which is fine in theory, but not so easy when you've got three world-class footballers swarming around you.
Fair play to Gordon Strachan, he changed it quickly. I hope Massimo wasn't too upset and gets back into his stride soon.
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Celtic_First - it's good to be back, even if only for a few days. My posting absence is largely due to fanatical cyber police at work but I have been incredibly busy these last few months. I'm also way down the pecking order for the laptop at home!!
Hear what you say about Donati but that is only half the story I think. In a game such as last night it is imperative that all of our midfielders break up the play of the opposition by harrying them, sticking to their markers, being aware of where they and their opponents are on the pitch, all of which, it saddens me to say, Massimo failed with last night. Watch the goal again - had he been more alert I doubt that the ball would have even got to Ronaldinho for him to make his wonderul pass for the goal. He wasn't the only culprit, but he was the biggest one. I'm not one for witch hunts and I've not given up on him at all. But, on the evidence of last night he would not be a first pick for me right now. I hope and pray that he gets a big wake up call from last night and goes on to be a legend in the Hoops! He won't have a better opportunity in his life.
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Mackeyboy @13:41
I would say we must learn two things from last night.
1.put the opposition under pressure / get in their faces / put it up to them - call it what you like but we must get at them. I fear the GS in his pursuit of playing the passing game - has undervalued these aspects of the game as it they are "not what good footvball teams do". I also think this has been a neagative feature of our play all season.
2. PASS AND MOVE. Too often we have no options to make a telling pass or a pass which will increase the pressure on the opposition.
These - in my humble opinion - are glaring deficencies - but ones which if put right would improve us immensely.
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Our manager in all his jobs, not just with us, has never been able to build a defence. This has been identified as his abiding weakness by thoughtful Coventry and Southampton fans over the years.
One of Martin's good tricks was to assemble, or get his defensive coach to assemble, a defensive unit. The four or, better, five guys don't have to be pals, but they do have to understand each other, strengths and weaknesses, and be willing and able to cover each other.
Malby, Vargas, Agathe, Balde, Valgaeren, McNamara were none of them worldbeaters but they knew that they had to hang together or they would surely hang separately. They had enough respect, or fear, of one another not to let the other guy down and they had enough worldliness to know that any one of their colleagues at any time was capable of an absolute ricket. As a result they didn't stand aghast when one of their number screwed up (remember the present crew versus Donetsk, Barcelona at home, etc.).
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delia
I don't think MoN would regard his defence's record in away CL games as a good trick.
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Cadizzy,
I think the reference to Lee's behaviour in that he was practically on his knees for Ronaldinho's jersey. It was really pathetic.
BF
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bhoysfour,
thanks for the info. Not how I want Celtic players to act.
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DBBIA, alas, the Uefa Cup would have earned Celtic more cash and coefficient points.
Chris, too early to answer yet. Our bad patch came at a different time this season, which leaves us something to make up.
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Cadizzy,
proud of the performance, but that type of behaviour really puts a blemish on it.
BF
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That's [yet another] crux- we're kidding ourselves we can make an impact on the ECL, with at best a UEFACup level of talent.
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My sister in law sent me an email she's from Jam Fart land, currently living in Surrey.
A small zoo in Glasgow acquired a very rare species of gorilla. Within a few weeks the gorilla, a female, became very difficult to handle. Upon examination, the veterinarian determined the problem. The gorilla was in season.
To make matters worse, there was no male gorilla available. Thinking about their problem, the Zoo Keeper thought of Boaby McKay, a local lad and part-time worker responsible for cleaning the animal cages.
Boaby, like many Glasgow folk, had little sense but possessed ample ability to satisfy a female of any species. The Zoo Keeper thought they might have a solution.
Boaby was approached with a proposition. Would he be willing to mate with the gorilla for £500 ?
Boaby showed some interest, but said he would have to think the matter over carefully.
The following day, he announced that he would accept their offer, but only under four conditions:
1. "First", Boaby said, "Ah'm no gonnae kiss her on the lips." The Keeper quickly agreed to this condition.
2. "Second", he said, "Ye cannae never tell naebody aboot this." The Keeper again readily agreed to this condition.
3. "Third", Boaby said, "I want all the weans raised as Rangers fans." Once again it was agreed.
4. "And last of all", Boaby stated, "You gotta give me another week to come up with the £500"
BF
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bhoysfour
Thats cheered me up after last night, excellent.
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DBBIA
Cheer up.
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C1st- this correspondent is not despondent, but thanks.
As my old gran would have said 'There's bigger disasters at sea'.
What your gran didn't know about life was probably not worth knowing.
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I totally agree re Sno.
However;Ive been told by someone in the know that he has problems with his weight and cant resist junk food.
Lets also be aware that Barca were cruising.He will get "Chopped"in the SPL if he dithers on the Ball.
He does deserve a few games.
I have previously posted.Now is not the time for petty bickering.Gloves now come off battle for title commences full steam ahead.
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Donati was poor lastnight. I agree. However, whereas he's getting pelters, Scott Brown is very near anonymous when it comes to criticisim. Ironically, "anonymous" is the word which typifies many of his performances this season. He's had a long, long run in this team and has singularly failed to shine. He rarely scores goals, he rarely sets goals up for others. Just what is it that he does ? Or more to the point, what is it about his play that makes him a first choice player ? I concede I'm all at sea on that one.
For me, he and Donati can hold each other's hand in the summer when they go and chap at the door of other clubs.
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Have to agree on Lee Naylor and the Shirt request at Time up. He wasn't the only one. This inferiority complex annoys me!
Instead of collecting shirts to say upon retirement "look who I played against" I would much prefer they kept their own shirts shirts and upon retirement stated "I wore this when I wiped the floor with XXXX". Just my view!
On Naylor though, some of the covering and tackles he put in during the second half were superb and I think he's getting back to his best! Caldwell played Henry well too and did well not to batter him!
Mucker
Va Va Voom
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Just one shirt they would be collecting of course!
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Quite a few getting shirty about the jersey exchanges at the end of the game.
After the first game, Puyol was running around Barcalona telling anyone who would listen that he got Aiden Mc.Geady's shirt. He said he would treasure it forever and hoped to get Naka's after the return game.
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Cadizzy - re Naylor, as above, it was his begging for the Barca top. I was llivid at the time, youve just been beat. Show some pride inyourself and more so in the jersey he was wearing.
Caldwell was at it and someone else, but cant mind who but Naylor was the worst.
Totally agree with AbMucker. Id be framing the Celtic top to remind me of when I played against ronadiniho and co, not the barca top to remind me of when they put me out.
Actually, I am still livid. I would drop Naylor for the game on Sat and remind him how lucky he is to pull a Celtic jeresy on each week.
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Bazzabhoy,
droppinbg naylor is a good idea IMO just to remind him who he plays for, also now we got wilson back it would be a reminder to him that he is expendable, I think this might be just what he needs to help regain his form, althoiugh he never played badly last night he was guilty of quite a few loose passes.
We now have cover for all positions, I think we should be punishing players for bad performances by dropping them and making them fight for their place, too many are have been under par simply because we have had no cover, for me its time to give the players a shake and remind them they are all expendable.
whingeing cfc
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Paul,
Excellent article, especially your highlighting of the difference in refereeing last night and what passes for it in the SPL.
Apart from the bias that has always been there, I have felt that the real rot set in the season we won the league at Love Street. Hearts got so much reward for sheer endeavour (rather than any great football) and all the other also rans copied them. Part of it was that free licence was given to the hammer throwers. Scotland will never produce class football players until it gives proper protection to its class football players.
Martin42,
The pleasure has been all mine; the Gallaghers are good people. My regards to Doctor Margaret.
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What if Lee Naylor had been asked, by a charity that he may or may not do a lot of work for, to get a particular jersey from the game, to be auctioned in aid of a respite centre for sick children?
Would that be OK?
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Mike - If that where the case I would imagine that it would be mentioned before the game to the club/player.
Your point about charity etc does not have any connection to the beahviour to Naylor. IMO he acted like a East Stirling Albion player playing against Barca. He did not act as a Celtic player. We had just got knocked out the CL.
This is the last I will say on the matter, as it has really riled me. grrrr.
7-0 against the sheep on sunday.
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Just watched the game again, I know, a glutton for punishment. One of the things that stood out, particularly in the early stages of the first half was how barca closed players down. Every time we got possession they not only closed down the player with the ball but all the players round about him, giving him no passing option. I thought the back four were excellent in the second half with some good defending/interceptions by Gary Caldwell and Lee Naylor in particular. It was great to see young Mark Wilson back and I thought he played some good football when he had the chance, suffered from a lack of support at times.
Georgios Samaras was excellent and we should invest in him at the end of the season as he is exactly what we are looking for, a fast pacey forward,with a great first touch, vision and movement. Sign him Ghord.
If he is still here next season, Evander Sno will be a first team regular and I look forward to seeing that. He played well last night.
Like I said before this squad will do well particularly next season, when we bring in more fresh blood.
In the mean time 3 in a row and the scottish cup will have to do!
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Parkheadcumsalford, cheers.
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Time to end " The Caldwell Experiment "
Next time he sees a Champions League match should be with a bucket of popcorn in one hand and the tv remote control in the other.
Re-arrange these words into a meaningful sentence-
player
never
in
be
his
as
hole
he
backside
will
long
has
a
as
in
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Find it hard to stomach how a player like Naylor who may well have played his last CL European night (if he's replaced in the close season) is being so heavily criticised for maybe being over exhuberant in trying to get the shirt of a true football genius.
Suggestions of dropping him for the next game?
Absolute nonsense......you mean the same guy who scored a crucial goal at aster Road? I cannae believe what i read on here at times.
We've a championship to win, and EVERY player is needed to drive the hun from whence they came......
Lee naylor is a guy who plays for Celtic, and on top of that he's a human being so can we give him a break. Who needs enememies when you've supporters like some of us!
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Paul
Celtic have four fewer full-on games to play than their city rivals over the next couple of months
ie they have
Werder Bremen x2
Hibs SC replay
CIS final
Whatever midfielders we go with they should be able to dominate a tiring squad in the 3 most important games
VertWolf
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Pjdali
Agree mate.
If Lee's 'crime' was to beg Ronaldinho for his top, then I would have been guilty as charged if I found myself in his shoes last night.
Give the guy a break !!
Some people will use the slightest thing to beat our players up over.
Unite comrades :-)
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There seems to be a weight of opinion forming in favour of having a tough midfield.
A couple of thoughts on this.
Rangers have bought in hardmen to their midfield. We have bought in football players. Should we really try to fight fire with fire on this one? I'm not so sure about that to be honest.
I'm still of the opinion that you shouldn't play to THEIR strengths. Earlier in the season our "Powder-puff" midfield was booked into submission, imagine if we'd been throwing ourselves into tackles and showing bite. We'd have forfeited the game before 90 minutes was up as too few of our players would have been left on!
I still think we should be looking to show them that our football beats their hammer throwing.
Pace and passing will undo this cumbersome but physical Rangers side, not muscle.
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Oh, and as I didn't get to be involved in blogger WGS' defender debate.
SIGN METZELDER!
(Yes, I'm STILL at it. :^))
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I believe last night was a learning curve for our players on how hard Barcelona players worked to close down a player. Sadly, They knew that it takes almost all our players(except McGeady, Naka, Samaras) two touches to control a ball. They have instant control no matter how fast,or how hard a ball comes to them and they know where their pass is going before they receive a pass.
Barcelona had no problem hitting you if needed to break up play, we never put a hard tackle in. Their goal 19 passes together someone has to be smart enough to hit them after the 12th pass, wee Barry would have.
No issues about result, it would have got in the way of more important results as we cannot compete at that level just yet to win cup.
Re. Rangers games, they will play 4 5 1 in every game v Celtic. I would play 3 5 2 with midfield of McGeady, Brown, Hartley, Caldwell, Robson with McDonald and JVOH. Bring on Samaras and Naka if needed. I would have no problem bringing McDonald wide right if any midfield player not performing with Samaras and JVOH up front.
Once again well done Celtic fans in Barcelona, that was more important to me than the result. You are the best in the world. The Scottish media would have done some damage to us and Europe was watching because of the damage done previous by Scottish fans.
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Are there any reports on how the post-game fiesta went in Barca ? - I assume the travelling bhoys will be welcomed back?
VertWolf
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I feel I should read through the comments, but since it takes ages, I thought I’d pos |
